I have been taking a little bit of video to try and show a bit more of the Irish flavor. (And, accents!) So without further ado...
On 6/15 we went to the Aran Islands and hired a tour van to go around the island. It is a fairly desolate but beautiful place. Our tour guide was hilarious and even showed us the house where she was "born and reared."
On 6/22 we took a drive through The Burren region to the Cliffs of Moher. The Burren is an area of Ireland with large limestone mountains. Our guide this day, Jack, told us just about everything you could ever want to know about the area, and was hysterical. The roads through here are suuuuper narrow, and these giant busses just fly around them. It was more than slightly terrifying.
In the Burren, we stopped to take a walking tour. The guides were all young guys, and were really funny. At the end we stopped at their late grandmother's house, which they have turned into a dessert cafe. Then, one of the guides (I didn't catch his name) just burst into song, because that is what Irish people do.
Our major stop was the Cliffs of Moher. It was beautiful, and very very windy. I do indeed talk in this video, but you can barely hear me because of the wind. Wikipedia told me that "The Cliffs of Moher have appeared on film including in Leap Year (2010), The Princess Bride(1987) (in which they were referred to as "The Cliffs of Insanity"), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), and in the television programme episodes of Father Ted called Tentacles of Doom and Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading (1996)."
On another note, thank you for all of the kind words on my last post. I didn't really realize I had said all of that until the end, and then decided just to keep it in, because that is what is on my mind. This whole thing is mostly a pride issue, so I guess being open and honest about it is the first step. (That is cheesy.) But I will say that it is exceedingly encouraging to know that I am loved and supported like I am.
:)
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
p.s. i am in ireland and no, i haven't seen any leprechauns
i am terrible at blogging. sorry.
my first year of law school is over. THAT IS CRAZY. my second batch of exams was not as good as my first, and it kind of kicked my butt. i dont want to feel that again, so i am feeling motivated to stay more on top of things in the future. (don't worry guys, i still did pretty good.)
i am currently in galway, ireland, coming to the end of my second of six weeks. i am taking summer classes at the national university's irish centre for human rights, which is awesome. i am learning lots about international law, treaties, human rights movements, and the sneaky ways countries get around all of it. it is interesting, but intense. over the next week i am going to have to write 18 pages of exams- yipes!
ireland is a pretty cool place. literally, it is cold. today is a typical day- rainy and gray. but the irish people are hilarious and gracious and wonderful, and it really is as green as they say.
i have to be honest, i am struggling a bit with some things. physically i cant keep up with everyone as getting around means walking walking walking walking. its embarrassing to have to take breaks or go slow, and i dont want to inconvenience anyone else. so i have kind of been keeping to myself. i have made some understanding friends, which is encouraging, and i have been a little social. but i am pretty sure this is my breaking point, and when i get home i have to make some changes. i know this is ridiculous and i am not really old and blah blah blah, but i am genuinely almost 30 and i want to enter my 30s being healthy. clearly, i have been unable to do this alone, so i am going to have to just suck it up and open myself to community to help me stay on track, physically, emotionally, and spiritually (i'm looking at you, kim and sivyers). so that has given me some anxiety here and made me question if i should have come at all. but i tend to do that, so i try to ignore myself.
i have been posting photos on facebook, so people who actually read this (if anyone! i have no illusions) are most likely my "friends" and can see them there. tomorrow we are going to the cliffs of moher, so hopefully if i can keep up, dramatic scenery pictures will follow.
bail o dhia ort. slan leat! (that means "the blessing of God on you. good bye!" in irish. it is a crazy, crazy language. dont even try to say it, none of the sounds are pronounced as they look. a lot of people actually speak it in this part of ireland.)
my first year of law school is over. THAT IS CRAZY. my second batch of exams was not as good as my first, and it kind of kicked my butt. i dont want to feel that again, so i am feeling motivated to stay more on top of things in the future. (don't worry guys, i still did pretty good.)
i am currently in galway, ireland, coming to the end of my second of six weeks. i am taking summer classes at the national university's irish centre for human rights, which is awesome. i am learning lots about international law, treaties, human rights movements, and the sneaky ways countries get around all of it. it is interesting, but intense. over the next week i am going to have to write 18 pages of exams- yipes!
ireland is a pretty cool place. literally, it is cold. today is a typical day- rainy and gray. but the irish people are hilarious and gracious and wonderful, and it really is as green as they say.
i have to be honest, i am struggling a bit with some things. physically i cant keep up with everyone as getting around means walking walking walking walking. its embarrassing to have to take breaks or go slow, and i dont want to inconvenience anyone else. so i have kind of been keeping to myself. i have made some understanding friends, which is encouraging, and i have been a little social. but i am pretty sure this is my breaking point, and when i get home i have to make some changes. i know this is ridiculous and i am not really old and blah blah blah, but i am genuinely almost 30 and i want to enter my 30s being healthy. clearly, i have been unable to do this alone, so i am going to have to just suck it up and open myself to community to help me stay on track, physically, emotionally, and spiritually (i'm looking at you, kim and sivyers). so that has given me some anxiety here and made me question if i should have come at all. but i tend to do that, so i try to ignore myself.
i have been posting photos on facebook, so people who actually read this (if anyone! i have no illusions) are most likely my "friends" and can see them there. tomorrow we are going to the cliffs of moher, so hopefully if i can keep up, dramatic scenery pictures will follow.
bail o dhia ort. slan leat! (that means "the blessing of God on you. good bye!" in irish. it is a crazy, crazy language. dont even try to say it, none of the sounds are pronounced as they look. a lot of people actually speak it in this part of ireland.)
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
second semester
i made it through one semester of law school.
i even made dean's honors. (hooray!)
this semester is harder. i am having a hard time with my time management. and focus. as an example- i am in contracts class right now. i got cold called at the beginning of class and had to describe a case, so after that terrifying experience, i am mentally checked out.
i am trying to build in time for friends this semester. i have done an ok job, but it is only the first week of february. i need to be held accountable to this.
i am working towards studying in europe for the summer. hoping for ireland, but maybe france. we will see.
have you watched downton abbey? it is so good!
i even made dean's honors. (hooray!)
this semester is harder. i am having a hard time with my time management. and focus. as an example- i am in contracts class right now. i got cold called at the beginning of class and had to describe a case, so after that terrifying experience, i am mentally checked out.
i am trying to build in time for friends this semester. i have done an ok job, but it is only the first week of february. i need to be held accountable to this.
i am working towards studying in europe for the summer. hoping for ireland, but maybe france. we will see.
have you watched downton abbey? it is so good!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
week 10
it's been a while. i've been busy.
i am now midway through my 10th week of law school. it is still quite bizarre to me that i am here. midterms turned out well, but finals are already looming. ack!
trying to find a balance between schoolwork and rest is difficult. i love being so close to st. augustine, but it feels really far away most days.
i am thankful for little lifelines. quick chats with brittany. notes on my car from amy. a message from allison checking in. and i am going to hug kim in less than a month! these things are sustaining through the hours and hours of reading and thinking and listening and writing that i do each week for classes.
so that's me. sorry if i tend to be a little overwhelmed and even a bit negative nellie if you ask me how i am. law school is crazy town, and this is the part i just need to get through. ask me on december 10. i will have only good things to say.
i am now midway through my 10th week of law school. it is still quite bizarre to me that i am here. midterms turned out well, but finals are already looming. ack!
trying to find a balance between schoolwork and rest is difficult. i love being so close to st. augustine, but it feels really far away most days.
i am thankful for little lifelines. quick chats with brittany. notes on my car from amy. a message from allison checking in. and i am going to hug kim in less than a month! these things are sustaining through the hours and hours of reading and thinking and listening and writing that i do each week for classes.
so that's me. sorry if i tend to be a little overwhelmed and even a bit negative nellie if you ask me how i am. law school is crazy town, and this is the part i just need to get through. ask me on december 10. i will have only good things to say.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Brain Break: Reggie Watts
So I am a fan of the brain break. I am 100% positive I will be taking them often now that I am in law school and spend a lot of my day reading very tedious and complicated court cases.
Which brings me to Reggie Watts. I first saw him on Conan, and was blown away. He is hard to describe, but I guess you could call him a comedic performer. Anyway, he incorporates jokes, music, anecdotes, accents, and so much more into his act. Apparently a lot of it is improvised as well. But really, he is worth watching just for the hair and sweaters.
To fully appreciate his variety, you need to watch a few of his performances. The elements are usually the same, but he is all over the place as far as content goes. Here's another Conan performance (OH MY GOSH THE SWEATER IN THIS ONE IS INCREDIBLE):
Not only is he funny, but he has actual musical talent. The way that performers are able to loop and play their instruments and vocals always mesmerizes me. Andrew Bird does it a lot too, and I love it.
This one is really different. His monologue at the beginning cracks me up. And the music is great!
He does have the tendency to get a little *colorful* at times, and the video below is an example of that. But it made me LAUGH OUT LOUD when I first heard it! Don't play if there are tiny ears around...
Thank you, Reggie Watts, for giving me a little moment of rest between reading for Contracts and Torts. :)
Which brings me to Reggie Watts. I first saw him on Conan, and was blown away. He is hard to describe, but I guess you could call him a comedic performer. Anyway, he incorporates jokes, music, anecdotes, accents, and so much more into his act. Apparently a lot of it is improvised as well. But really, he is worth watching just for the hair and sweaters.
To fully appreciate his variety, you need to watch a few of his performances. The elements are usually the same, but he is all over the place as far as content goes. Here's another Conan performance (OH MY GOSH THE SWEATER IN THIS ONE IS INCREDIBLE):
Not only is he funny, but he has actual musical talent. The way that performers are able to loop and play their instruments and vocals always mesmerizes me. Andrew Bird does it a lot too, and I love it.
This one is really different. His monologue at the beginning cracks me up. And the music is great!
He does have the tendency to get a little *colorful* at times, and the video below is an example of that. But it made me LAUGH OUT LOUD when I first heard it! Don't play if there are tiny ears around...
Thank you, Reggie Watts, for giving me a little moment of rest between reading for Contracts and Torts. :)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
A Long Overdue Update...
So, last time we spoke (although hopefully I have actually spoken to you between now and then), I was freaking out about where to go to law school. Long story short, I am now sitting in my apartment in Jacksonville after having worked most of the day to prepare for my first week of classes at Florida Coastal. Decision made and executed!
I ultimately decided to wait until FCSL's deadline, and if I hadn't heard from FSU by then, I would just commit. And it was the right decision, because I still haven't heard from FSU. (I might still, since they don't start classes until the end of the month, but too bad so sad for them, because they missed out on me!)
I definitely am confident in my decision. I spoke to Brittany not long after I made the leap, and was able to finally articulate what I have been thinking- I know that law school is expensive. But I also know that God calls us to sometimes make sacrifices to follow him, and I feel like the sacrifice I am being called to make is financial. Yeah, I am taking on some debt. But it takes school to go into the fields I am praying about, and school takes money. Plus, since it all belongs to him anyway, it isn't so much my debt as the re-allocation of resources. ;)
So I am ecstatic to be back in North Florida and have never been more excited to go to church in the morning. Yay Coquina! And it does my heart good to be back with my favorite family, the Sivyers. Classes start Monday, and I am feeling ready to begin. I know that it is going to be CRAZY, I have been told over and over that I will have no life and will be stressed out and frustrated, but I know that there is a larger purpose.
I was thinking last night about the women's prison in Haiti, and was overwhelmed by the fact that most of those women are probably still in that filthy, rat-infested place. (For the post I wrote right after I visited, click here.) So much has changed for me in the past year, but nothing has changed for them. I will never forget what it felt like for me, a rich white girl who has had every opportunity in the world, to stand in that place. I know now that it was a point of no return for me. I could not walk out of the gate the same. The way I was living my life was no longer enough. Teaching is incredible, and I am so thankful to have so many caring, wonderful people in my life who are called to it, but I think that God brought me to that prison to push me out of my "comfort zone" and into something a bit more dangerous. I almost feel like I am carrying some little piece of their burden, and I certainly don't mean to sound trite, as nothing I have ever or will ever experience is even close to what they are. So not burden, maybe it is more responsibility, that I will take the ridiculous blessings life has afforded me and spread them around.
This is definitely rambly and a bit stream of consciousness. But I think it is the best I can do at the moment, as I have spent all day reading legalese about Property and Contracts and Torts, and my brain is a little more than scrambled. :)
So pictures. These are mostly for my mom, who with my dad were ONCE AGAIN AMAZINGLY GRACIOUS ENOUGH to help me move. 8 moves in 8 years is a lot to ask! Unfortunately they had to head back up to Tennessee before my place was truly settled, and I know that she wants to know that I have a little home here. But I figured maybe others would like to see them too. That way you know what to expect when you all come visit me. :)
Here's my living room. I have a lovely view of a retention pond, and yes, there are already pretzel M&Ms on the coffee table. I am allowed one bag a month. And they will be savored.
The view into my little kitchen. Notice my best friend altar? :)
Here is my amazing couch I got for a steal! And all the roommates I have had will recognize my artwork. What can I say? I love Cary Grant!
My place is a one bedroom, with plenty of space for just me. Never fear, this is not the only bookshelf.
Why yes, this is the shelf that both (a) cost more than anything else in my apartment and (b) will CONSUME MY LIFE for the next few months!
My little bathroom. You can see in the mirror my lovely Patty Springfield art on the wall. Love indeed!
A close-up because she is that amazing. :)
And here's my room. My lamp looks like it is exploding. I promise it isn't. It matches the one on the other side, just a bit bigger.
Alternate view
One of my FREE! pieces of furniture received through the blessing of Amy Lane's connections! Amy and I knew each other in high school, and I seem to be following her through life. She attended Flagler before me, was a member at one of the founding Coquina churches, and just finished her first year at FCSL. She has already been a HUGE help and encouragement, and I am so thankful!
So yesterday Brittany brought the boys up to my place to do some swimming. I quickly learned what knick-knacks were in Ezra's reach to prepare for next time. :)
What a sweet face!
Gabe really was happy and great 99% of the morning, but a skinned knee and not wanting to come in resulted in this very sad face.
It turns out the trick to keeping kids from destroying the room is putting Yo Gabba Gabba on tv. Yep, I am going to totally be that bad aunt that lets them watch tv. :)
There you go. I am here, I am maybe ready, and don't be surprised if I continue to be a very spotty blogger.
I also owe lots of people on my subscriber list phone calls. I promise, I haven't forgotten you! :)
I ultimately decided to wait until FCSL's deadline, and if I hadn't heard from FSU by then, I would just commit. And it was the right decision, because I still haven't heard from FSU. (I might still, since they don't start classes until the end of the month, but too bad so sad for them, because they missed out on me!)
I definitely am confident in my decision. I spoke to Brittany not long after I made the leap, and was able to finally articulate what I have been thinking- I know that law school is expensive. But I also know that God calls us to sometimes make sacrifices to follow him, and I feel like the sacrifice I am being called to make is financial. Yeah, I am taking on some debt. But it takes school to go into the fields I am praying about, and school takes money. Plus, since it all belongs to him anyway, it isn't so much my debt as the re-allocation of resources. ;)
So I am ecstatic to be back in North Florida and have never been more excited to go to church in the morning. Yay Coquina! And it does my heart good to be back with my favorite family, the Sivyers. Classes start Monday, and I am feeling ready to begin. I know that it is going to be CRAZY, I have been told over and over that I will have no life and will be stressed out and frustrated, but I know that there is a larger purpose.
I was thinking last night about the women's prison in Haiti, and was overwhelmed by the fact that most of those women are probably still in that filthy, rat-infested place. (For the post I wrote right after I visited, click here.) So much has changed for me in the past year, but nothing has changed for them. I will never forget what it felt like for me, a rich white girl who has had every opportunity in the world, to stand in that place. I know now that it was a point of no return for me. I could not walk out of the gate the same. The way I was living my life was no longer enough. Teaching is incredible, and I am so thankful to have so many caring, wonderful people in my life who are called to it, but I think that God brought me to that prison to push me out of my "comfort zone" and into something a bit more dangerous. I almost feel like I am carrying some little piece of their burden, and I certainly don't mean to sound trite, as nothing I have ever or will ever experience is even close to what they are. So not burden, maybe it is more responsibility, that I will take the ridiculous blessings life has afforded me and spread them around.
This is definitely rambly and a bit stream of consciousness. But I think it is the best I can do at the moment, as I have spent all day reading legalese about Property and Contracts and Torts, and my brain is a little more than scrambled. :)
So pictures. These are mostly for my mom, who with my dad were ONCE AGAIN AMAZINGLY GRACIOUS ENOUGH to help me move. 8 moves in 8 years is a lot to ask! Unfortunately they had to head back up to Tennessee before my place was truly settled, and I know that she wants to know that I have a little home here. But I figured maybe others would like to see them too. That way you know what to expect when you all come visit me. :)
Here's my living room. I have a lovely view of a retention pond, and yes, there are already pretzel M&Ms on the coffee table. I am allowed one bag a month. And they will be savored.
The view into my little kitchen. Notice my best friend altar? :)
Here is my amazing couch I got for a steal! And all the roommates I have had will recognize my artwork. What can I say? I love Cary Grant!
My place is a one bedroom, with plenty of space for just me. Never fear, this is not the only bookshelf.
Why yes, this is the shelf that both (a) cost more than anything else in my apartment and (b) will CONSUME MY LIFE for the next few months!
My little bathroom. You can see in the mirror my lovely Patty Springfield art on the wall. Love indeed!
A close-up because she is that amazing. :)
And here's my room. My lamp looks like it is exploding. I promise it isn't. It matches the one on the other side, just a bit bigger.
Alternate view
One of my FREE! pieces of furniture received through the blessing of Amy Lane's connections! Amy and I knew each other in high school, and I seem to be following her through life. She attended Flagler before me, was a member at one of the founding Coquina churches, and just finished her first year at FCSL. She has already been a HUGE help and encouragement, and I am so thankful!
So yesterday Brittany brought the boys up to my place to do some swimming. I quickly learned what knick-knacks were in Ezra's reach to prepare for next time. :)
What a sweet face!
Gabe really was happy and great 99% of the morning, but a skinned knee and not wanting to come in resulted in this very sad face.
It turns out the trick to keeping kids from destroying the room is putting Yo Gabba Gabba on tv. Yep, I am going to totally be that bad aunt that lets them watch tv. :)
There you go. I am here, I am maybe ready, and don't be surprised if I continue to be a very spotty blogger.
I also owe lots of people on my subscriber list phone calls. I promise, I haven't forgotten you! :)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
so here's the situation.
:: i have been praying about and working towards law school for the fall.
:: i was accepted into florida coastal, but it is SUPER EXPENSIVE.
:: my housing option that would make that somewhat affordable has fallen through.
:: i have been put on a wait list for fsu, and will find out if i am in anywhere from monday to august 24 (5 days before classes start!)
:: i have to put a nonrefundable $400 deposit for my spot at florida coastal down by june 15.
so there you go. i am trying not to freak out, but not doing a very good job at it. would you mind praying for me? i am feeling the need for clarity, wisdom, and peace, and finding those things very hard to find.
BLARG.
:: i was accepted into florida coastal, but it is SUPER EXPENSIVE.
:: my housing option that would make that somewhat affordable has fallen through.
:: i have been put on a wait list for fsu, and will find out if i am in anywhere from monday to august 24 (5 days before classes start!)
:: i have to put a nonrefundable $400 deposit for my spot at florida coastal down by june 15.
so there you go. i am trying not to freak out, but not doing a very good job at it. would you mind praying for me? i am feeling the need for clarity, wisdom, and peace, and finding those things very hard to find.
BLARG.
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