boo.

today i had big plans...well okay i was gonna go walk around and go shopping. I may still. but it's raining. I do however think the weather report is halarious!

---------------
Saturday 30 September
Some parts of the north and northeast will start dry today. Showery rain in the west and south will spread countrywide during the morning. The showers will be prolonged through the afternoon with some thundery downpours possible anywhere. Some drier intervals too - these best in the west later this afternoon. Highest temperatures of 15 to 17 degrees in a fresh southeast wind.

Tonight:
Tonight will be cloudy and mild with some dry spells in most places. However further showers will occur widely - again some heavy and prolonged - especially across the south. Winds having eased will be variable mainly southeast. Some mist or fog patches inland by dawn. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees
---------------

so lets get this straight: the day will start dry but will rain in the morning? Thundery downpours possible anywhere! Run for your life! but it's okay, because there will be wind!

tonite it will be dry until the heavy and prolonged rain starts again.

The forcast for tomorrow is even better!
"Mostly cloudy tomorrow with showers or showery rain."

PS. Corbin Winter Johns was born 5:30pm on Thursday, September 28th, 2006 - 8lbs Some-oz.

PUSH ERIN!

My good friend Erin is in labor right now! Come meet the world little boy! I'll see you in January.

gumi candy

i ate some teeth and lips

Just great. My (social) life is over.

So when I moved here I knew my computer would be my best friend (for a while). Simply because it was going to be my connection to friends and family back home. I also figured I could use it as my radio, TV, DVD player, and to record my awesome journeys (hence this blog).

Now that it is getting darker sooner, around 8pm, I've found myself not being able to walk around the city as much after work. So, it was time to turn on the telly. British comedy is good, but when all three channels that we get were running nothing but Nanny 911, the x-factor (the British version of American Idol), and the gaelic channel had on something with no english subtitles I was forced to turn the single DVD on the shelf: the box set for the TV show Alias. I had my reservations, because how could any show staring someone married to Ben Affleck be any good??? I had no idea what I was about to get myself into.

I'm addicted.

I've almost finished the first season...tonite I could see the light at the end of this TV tunnel as I finished up the second disc (only one left!). But the light just turned out to be no more than a glowbug. I just looked at good ole IMDB and found out that this is the first season of FIVE!!!! Either I'm gonna have to break this chain of watching two to three episodes a day or glue my eyeballs to my computer screen for the next 6 months.

I think Cory Cook would be proud.

Don't get me wrong, Alias is no Firefly. Not even close.

Talk to you again in six months...

Sunday lazy Sunday

Today my plan to stay in my pj's all day is coming along perfectly. There is reason for this...I was out very late last nite. I met up with Susan (from my work) at the Central hotel downtown. One of her friends was having a 30th bday party there, so I decided to tag along. I met lots of new people including this couple that were amazing, both freelancing, one in photography and the other an illustraitor. Very funny and interesting people. From there the nite ended up with me at a club with a couple of gay canadian guys I had met at the bday party. They were lots of fun, both are stockbrokers and have been working in Dublin and London for six years. They were also very funny.

I will not be making a habit of stayin out this late.

I feel bad though because yesterday it was raining all day long and I wanted to go out and do something but couldnt, and now today it's beautiful outside but i'm too lazy to get out. I've watched 3 hours of Alias, i'm addicted. I'll probably go for a walk later, I usually do. Here's some photos from my walk yesterday...

here comes the rain...

Dance the nite away

I've had a lot of fun while Aaron's been here. His mom flew into town yesterday and we were able to meet her for dinner and walking around the city for a few hours. She took us out for the "Best Irish Coffee in Dublin" which I now may crave for the rest of my life.




We parted ways around 9pm and Aaron and I headed off for the Spiegeltent to watch Robotnik. We got there as he was just ending. He was OK, I wasn't too impressed with the music. Once there we found some of my friends from work, who were sticking around for the next show, so we decided to join them. The next act was Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators. This was mix of blues and soul, with a 5-piece brass section. They played a mix of instrumental and vocal songs. The entire tent was up dancing. Over all a fun nite.



We didn't get home until 2:30 to sleep around 3. Aaron had to wake up at 5:30 to catch a taxi to the airport, he's flying out to Brighton, England today. Actually he should be there by now.

It's 1pm and I'm still in my pj's. I guess I should go be productive now...

Somewhere over the rainbow

Holy meetings! This week was filled with meetings. I knew I had a meeting scheduled with a client on tuesday, but what I didn't know what that the meeting was an hour and a half away! So, my one hour meeting now turned into a 4 hour meeting because of travel time. We went north to Dundock for the meeting, it was nice to get out of the office and the drive was nice also, it reminded me of the drive from corvallis to salem. Lots of green farm land. Wednesday, Jimmy (the boss) picked me up bright and early at 7:45 for a our 2.5 hour drive to Mayo which is on the opposite side of the country (and north) from Dublin. Here we spent FIVE HOURS! talking to the client. Then another 2.5 hour drive home. The country side was beautiful, what I saw of it at least. I got a little car sick and oppted for a nap.

Hopefully this weekend we will aaron and I will get out and do a bit of exploring, either heading to Kilkenny or Belfast...but i'm not sure where aaron is right now he may already be in one of those places...I wish he'd get home soon.

aaaarooooooooon?

Obey the fire

Yeah, Aaron is here! We've had lots of fun walking around the city and I finally have a pub partner, at least until next wednesday. Here are some pictures from our adventures.

1-3. From the fire installation at the Fringe Festival
4. Me and Aaron after a few pints
5. I <3 Aaron
6. Shepard Fairey print from the War: What's It For? exhibit at 4 Dame Lane
7. A swan in Pheonix Park

Beer and Warhol

So, umm apparently Aaron is arriving today (Sunday). There was some miscommunication, which I found out about after I waited at the bus stop for 2.5 hours. Haha. It was okay, I was up early, had coffee and was ready to start the day.

Jess and I headed down to temple bar area to see a gallery showing at a pub; including works by Warhol, Banksy, and Ralph Steadman. But when we got there around 3 the sign said it didn't open until 8. Unfortunately we already had plans to go see the kick off of the Fringe Festival at 8, The fire exhibition. The gallery/pub will be showing the art through October so, no we'll just hit it up next weekend.

We walked around temple bar area for 3 hours then headed up around the docks to grab a bite to eat. We found a little Italian restaurant. I love Italian restaurants in Europe anywhere I am, when I walk into one I feel like I'm in Italy again. Although I'm not sure they're quite as good as the real thing.

On to the fire exhibition, which has the potential to be amazing. It was to start at 8, we got there at 7:40 to get good seats. We were just about the only ones there. Jess and I sat around baffled by how they were going to pull this off. Here's the scene: millions of candles. We kept joking about either one person was going to come out with a lighter and set them all aflame one by one or there would be a sudden burst and all of them would light! You can guess which one happened, we waited around until 8:45 and maybe 1/10th of the candles were lit and it was so cold on the docks and jess didn't bring a coat. We decided we will go back tonite around 10 when things will be much more illuminated...

Jess headed home while I headed to Voodoo Lounge to see Boysetsfire play. I figured since I have one of their songs tattooed on my chest I should probably go. It was a good time, I haven't been to a show in quite some time. I got home around midnite, not too shabby.

Well time to go pick up aaron. I'll post pictures later from the fire show tonite.

Ding Dong...

A Visitor! Aaron's coming to visit. I'm not sure how long he'll be here, but he gets here on Saturday. Finally someone to go to the pub with, I was getting bored going by myself. Now I have to make some plans for us. Maybe head over to Galway or up to Belfast. Guess I'll wait and see if he has any preference.

How exciting.

In hope

All of my love and good wishes go out to Claude right now. You're in my thoughts.

Hang in there Kath and Bruce.

Glasnevin Cemetery

I spent most of today in the Glasnevin Cemetery. It was far from gloomy. The cemetery lies north of where I live in the Phibsboro district, only about a 15 min bike ride. The cemetery is located in next to the botanical gardens (which I plan to visit next weekend).

On my way I stopped by St. Vincent De Paul's church. Absolutely amazing of course, like every cathedral in town. I lingered around for a while. Out front there was a large monument, loved the skull and bones detail.

On to the cemetery. It was founded in 1832 as a catholic only cemetery. The cemetery is huge and completely gated. It holds several irish patriots and most of the irish notables, including, Michael Collins, Charles Stewart Parnell and Danial O'Connel. All those names were unknown to me until i moved here and now i know them because they are the main streets throughout Dublin. My favorites were the angels and cherubs. Hopefully these pictures will show just how beautiful the cemetery was:

St. Vincent de Paul's cathedral

Mission possible

Mission 1: find hat
I've decided a hat is a must have because it is sooooo windy on the Quays. Around 2pm i hopped on my bike and headed down to the Market Arcade. I we expecting an all day battle trying on tons of hats (which is usually how shopping goes for me) but nope, 3rd hat at the first shop was exactly what i was looking for, and the price was right too. ,So mission accomplished, that only took half an hour.

Mission 2: find a toilet.
Also accomplished very quickly.

I lingered around the Market Arcade for a while eyeing lots of jewelry. I found this spectacular bracelet and I was ready set to pay the 36e for it, but unfortunately when I tried it on, it was too small. Probably good in the long run, I usually loose all my jewelry.

Mission 3: find more postcards
For this I knew I had to head to the tourist area. Temple Bar District it was. Every shop had the same postcards, just different prices. I finally found some that weren't too cheesy. Got 9 of em for 3 euro. not bad.

Mission 4: cure boredom
This was easily accomplished by headed to Graffon Street, the main shopping area. This is always entertaining because the streets are closed from cars but there are still traffic jams of people. But spotted throughout the streets are various street performers, my favorite today were a group of 5 or so children all under the age of about 12 playing music. Violin, bass, guitar. I watched them for a few minutes to the tune of Le Tigre, on my ipod, they weren't playing it. I actually listened to 4 le tigre albums on my outing today, they provided the entire soundtrack for my outing, only switching over to Metric on the way home.

Mission 5: get food
I went as far as considering Burger King, but opted to just head home and stop by the Tesco on the way. I purchased some green curry, chicken, diet coke with lime and fudge yogurt. Then I made the horrible mistake of getting in the checkout line that was the "shortest." Seemed like a good idea at the time, little did I know that the woman in front of me had no idea how to use the you-check scanners. After scanning everything twice, calling for help 3 times, and then having her card denied I FINALLY paid my 7 euro and was on my way home. I guess part of being Irish is not caring about queues, I was very antsy while no one else could give a shit. I will have to work on that.

Dinner turned out excellent.

Mission 6: publish blog.

dame street
temple bar district
me and my new hat. sooo exciting!