Warning: Long Blog Entry Ahead

My apologies- it has been quite a while since I have posted anything!  I finally am developing a social life here. I shall begin with Monday, as the weekend was quite boring, me being alone and all. 

Monday: Difficult to get up again, I forget if it was because of the "noise issue" or if it was just me being lazy. I went to my only class of the day- Philosophy of the Mind- which went smoothly. We discussed the idea of Zombies (not the kind you see in movies). These are "philosophical zombies" which provide us an outlet for examining the ideas behind what is consciousness, what it means to be "conscious." Philosophical zombies have the same physical manifestations of a "real" human being, they look like us, talk like us, same actions, etc, but they do not have a conscious. Basically we ask if this is even possible, how we would even know inside their minds, what if "I" am the zombie and everyone else is "real," what if "I" am the only "real" person and everyone else is a "zombie," etc etc. Yes, wonderful stuff, I say! That night I went to the Enviro Soc meeting/movie watching (I found my Greenies!) which was cool. They told us all the upcoming events and projects we're doing, how we can help, and then watched the last part of the documentary "Planet Earth." I had never seen any part from this series, but it was really eye-opening. It brought up literally every aspect of protecting our environment, and made me think a lot about what is currently being done and what we should do in the future. (Example: In Africa a certain  has been kicked off the land they had inhabited for years because the land was turned into a wildlife refuge. They could not longer hunt the animals there that they used to food and trade. Is this right?) I met a girl from the States there, Mary Kate, who was here for Fall Term but then decided to stay for Spring. She invited me to go along with her and some friends to a pub in town (I think) where UCC students play traditional music.  I hadn't planned on going anywhere so I left my homework to do at night, so I graciously declined, but perhaps we will go next Monday, eh?! I got homework done back at that apartment (Um...yeah the garbage still hasn't been taken out and the dishes still haven't been done. I'm starting a day counter: It's up to 14 at least on the garbage, maybe 8 on the dishes?) and chatted with Brittany online which was really fun.  I was telling her that I had been thinking about cutting my hair short (I actually have been thinking about this for months now) but that I wasn't quite sure what I wanted so I'd better wait. At about midnight though I was playing with my hair, kinda seeing how it would look short. And then I just cut it. I made two pigtails and snip snip snip! It's wierd because I used to be so attached to my hair and basically cry at the haircut place, but this time I didn't even think twice about it. It looks really cute I think, and much easier to manage.  My long hair was getting to cumbersome and scraggly.  Now I can't even picture myself with long hair, and when I look at pictures from before I feel like I don't recognize that person! It was grand. That was Monday.

Tuesday: First class of the day was Early Celtic Lyric Poety at 9am (even more difficult to get up for since I couldn't sleep after I cut my hair because I was SO HUNGRY! I don't think I have been eating enough here...I need to work on that.) which, to be honest, is kind of boring and not what I expected. I thought we would be discussing more of the poems themselves, not the history and sort of general characteristics like we're doing now. I guess today in that class though the prof did ask us what he though of some poems, so maybe it will get better?! Then I had my Sexuality and Writing class, discussing Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis." Quite an aggressive and sexual poem. It was a good discussion.  THEN IT WAS TIME TO WATCH OBAMA'S INAUGURATION! A new friend I made in the Sexuality class, Tess, who was going to watch it at the same time I was - at 4:30 in the Old Bar on campus - so we decided we'd meet there when it was time. (Skip to 4:30) I went to the pub (there are two on campus! They also sell wine at the food shop on campus too...nothing like walking around with a bottle of wine in your backpack! I DIDN'T do this by the way...) and met Tess, who had brought two other friends, one of whom I recognized from the plane trip over from Philly! I got myself a pint of Guinness and greatly enjoyed the company of the strangers who were at the same time friends as we all watched the historic moment.  Every one was quiet when Obama began his speech, which was impressive considering there has to be at least 200 people in the place (I was standing in the middle and couldn't really see behind me, I'm short).  We all applauded, of course laughed when Obama made the word fumble while "oathing-in."  THEN I went to the Choral Society meeting/rehearsal and sang! It's quite a fun set-up they have: Anyone can show up, pick up the music, and join in! So even though I missed the first rehearsal last Tuesday, I just jumped right in! I made some new friends too -Karen, Gwen, Roz - and I got to sing with males for the first time ever! (I've been in the all women's choir at GAC).  We sang "I Predict a Riot" by the Kaiser Chiefs, a pretty sweet rock song. It was grand. That was Tuesday. 

Wednesday: First class was Intro to Modern Irish, which, as I have mentioned before, is where I am learning Gaelic. (It actually started on Tuesday...) So far I can say what my/other's name(s) are, how I am doing, and where I am from.  I forgot how hard it was to learn a new language, since I've taken Spanish since basically 1st grade. (Puedo hablar mas mejor y rapidamente en espanol, pero no es posible cuando estuve en una clase de Gaelic!= I can speak better and faster in Spanish, but it is not possible when I am in a Gaelis class! I'm pretty sure that's right...without the accents of course...) So I will need to practice, but the prof is really nice and funny, and completely understands that we have no experience whatsoever with this language! I had another class too, not worth mentioning more as it was quite uneventful.  At 6pm I met an Irish boy, Peter from Cork, to go get a drink in town. I had met him at the Inauguration on Tuesday.  The first pub we went to I forgot the name of, but we both got ourselves a Beamish (I think it tastes like melted ice cream. OH! About ice cream! I don't know if people know about the food we have a Gustavus, but let's just say it's basically amazing. My friend Rebecca and I would generally split one (or two, let's be honest) which seems like it would be "healthier" than eating an entire plate ourselves, but we both realize we did this everyday.  My point is that UCC does not have the desserts I crave!!! There are breads and "cakes" and things, but not the Robert Redford Dessert (I still don't know why GAC calls it that) or the Earthquake Cake (consisting of brown cake layer, cheesecake layer, frosting layer, and a coconut/graham/choco chip crust, basically heaven on a plate) or the 8 cookie selection or...yeah I am missing the desserts.  ) But I digress. We chatted for a while, some lovely American tunes playing in the background, then went over to another pub called the Thirsty Scholar around 9, where some live music was playing. It's not like a concert, but more of like a public jam session where the 6 guys brought their instruments, sat down around a table, and started jammin'.  Well, long story short, I ENDED UP PLAYING WITH THEM!!! They were at a break in tune playin' so I figured, what the heck, might as well go talk to them, as there was a guy playing the bodhran (for which I am taking lessons, remember?!). I told them I was learning, and he's like "Well sit down and give it a go!" SO I PLAYED THE BODHRAN IN A SESSION IN A REAL IRISH PUB IN THE REAL COUNTRY OF IRELAND! I think I did quite well considering only one lesson, and the guy too said that I had the "pulse" for it.  Peter and I stayed there until about 1am I think. I couldn't thank him enough for taking me out, it seriously was one of the best moments of my life. I can't picture a better night: A nice, charming Irish boy, a cute pub with a fireplace, surrounded by wonderful Irish people, the musicians singing their hearts out and switching instruments, all the while the rain is splashing down on the streets of Cork.  I swear it was out of some movie.  And it wasn't just grand, it was "coolio" as I say, it was incredible, it was beautiful, it was inexplicably awesome. And that, my friends, was Wednesday. 

Today (Thursday): I had my bodhran lesson at 12:30. When I first told Colm that I played the bodhran the night before he was a little put back. He wants to make sure I am learning correctly, and, more importantly, not giving bodhran players a bad name. Okay that sound's really mean, he didn't say it exactly like that, he was really nice about it, and enjoyed my enthusiasm nonetheless. BUT once the lesson was done he said "I take back all the things I said before" because I had done really well. I definitely feel my cello playing has given me a head start in the bodhran playing because it is all about quick hand and wrist movements. I also feel that I can pick up instruments pretty quickly, not that I can "master" them, of course no!, but just that I am really interested in all instruments and understanding how they all work.  I still have lot to learn with the bodhran, and the new rhythm I need to work on for next week is really hard. It will be difficult to explain here. Perhaps I will show you all when I get home?! More classes, nothing big. Saw Peter again on campus. OH! So one food item that I did find from home is POTATO SALAD! My Mom makes a ton of it in the summer and I could literally eat the entire bowl-full.  Well, in the salad line here they have something that tastes quite similar and it made me really excited.  I will probably end up getting it everyday.  I could spend the rest of my life on that stuff.  But now I am back in my apartment, answering my many daily emails and updating the blog (finally, right?!).  

But since this has taken me over an hour to type I probably should go practice some of my Gaelic for my 9am class tomorrow. I have met some other American girls who are kinda on their own like me who said they'd be up for doing some things this weekend, so I am looking forward to that very much.  It doesn't look like the homework load for the weekend will be that tough either.  I hope you all are glad and a little relieved to hear that I am doing better! Take care!