The Battered Sausage and Beer

So Emer recently tried her first battered sausage and we've had some chats about them and their effects on the body, etc. I've noticed them in the chipper but never gave them a try.

UNTIL TONIGHT! To be fair, I tried a bite of Emer's last week and it's a similar concept to corn dogs in the States: bread-like substance wrapped around a sausage and deep fried. The breading is a bit more tough than corn dogs typically are because the breading is rather thin.

Anyway, I decided to enjoy a beer tonight and went all out with the chips and the battered sausage for my little celebration. I can't remember the last time I was home for a full three hours of sunlight in the evening... I am pleasantly full of salt and beer and vinegar. I will watch a little telly and then have a delicious sleep.

Lunar eclipse

I think I submitted my dissertation during the lunar eclipse! I know it was today and I know when it was at it's peak for PST which would be about the time I was turning in my paper... it was a weird experience because it felt so anti-climactic. I sat outside the 1937 chatting with Emer, but mostly just sitting. I don't think it's just the lack of sleep. I think it's that the process was the triumph and today was simply a temporary point of closure.

Interesting synchronicity though...

And...touchdown.

I ended up staying in the Reading Room until almost three the night before last because I was making good progress on my dissertation. Yesterday, I was hard at work a little past noon and didn't take a break until about 8. I was just in that zone where the work is getting done at a steady pace. Not frenetic where I feel like I have to keep up with the ideas, but steadily making progress.

Anyway, I stayed all night working and finished this morning. I got it printed, bound, and submitted before noon. For the moment, I have no obligations.

I am home now, baking some muffins, nibbling on food, and preparing to get some things done before my sisters arrive tomorrow. So, for the moment, I've touched down, but I don't plan on sleeping until later tonight. Right now I've been awake for about thirty hours. I figure if I keep moving, I will make it for at least another five hours. And then I will sleep VERY well. =)

Vegan Muffins!

I have a recipe for vegan muffins/cupcakes and I have made some tasty ones recently. My favorite were the almond, chocolate, and apricot ones. I put a bit of cinnamon and cloves into them and they turned out well. The other batch I made were cherry and almond with spices. Those turned out well, too.

And I make them in my mini-muffin trays which means they are little mouthfuls of joy. =) They are the perfect size for having a nice taste of something. And then you can have one of each!

Croke Park again

I went to the gaelic football match at Croke Park yesterday and cheered on Cork as they won. I had mixed feelings at the beginning, though, because Meath was playing with more elegance and coordinated teamwork. Cork was a bit scrappy the entire time. But Cork took a lot more chances on points and succeeded with more of their tries. AND Cork came back for the second half with much more precision and coordination between their players. Almost cocky, but not too much.

It was fun and Nick was good company. I didn't get nearly as loud as I warned him I might. I do love the public sport!

In the mean time, I am preparing mentally for the Dublin match on Sunday. There don't seem to be more tickets available, but I'll probably head off to a pub to watch it. I even have Dublin colors to wear!

Scientology against Marijuana

I was spacing out in the library from an extensive morning of reading so I decided to take a walk. I walked up to St. Stephen's Green and then onto Grafton Street. I ended up purchasing a pair of shoes that were on sale. While I was paying, I heard a swing band start playing. So I stepped onto Grafton Street and there they were in their matching bright blue zoot-ish suits with Hawaiian shirts underneath. The bass player had a great look going but the rest were either ordinary or smarmy.

Anyway, the event was sponsored by the Church of Scientology as part of a drug awareness campaign, specifically against marijuana. The sign behind the band said they were the number one swing band in the UK and I wondered if that was because they had influential supporters for events like this.

I hung out for a couple songs and wished I didn't have any stuff in my hands so I could go dance. Then I went back to the library and got more reading done. Wee.....

Camaraderie

I've gotten to spend lots more time with Emer lately because we're both working on our papers in the library most days. So we'll go out for a midday coffee break or get lunch or dinner... and we chat about our work, about the world, about whatever comes up. She's such a lovely person! It's always a pleasure to be around her because she is one of the individuals who seems to effortlessly exude honest and positive energy. She's humble and yet can still celebrate her achievements.

When I was preparing for this program, I knew what I really wanted in my next academic experience was a group of peers with whom I could learn and exchange ideas. I found that to a greater extent than I could've anticipated. This group with whom I've gotten to work was diverse and exciting and hilarious...and I feel more confident and prepared to go on with my studies (even with my current paper) in large part because we created a little community of support. We have struggled together through the same material and then through our own research projects. But we've managed to be companions on the journey and I really needed to experience this.

Now that I know it's possible, I want to continue to cultivate a community of camaraderie.

A bit of delirium

I don't know if there's something in the air, in the water, or in the stars...but most everyone at the library today just seemed to be struggling. Everyone seemed a bit weary.

Maybe it's the crazy weather changes. It's gotten really cold since yesterday evening. It feels like winter out there when the wind blows because it's bitterly cold. It didn't rain much, though, and there were patches of good sun earlier in the day.

My poor body is kinda confused. I'm hoping to sleep and awake refreshed and ready to articulate the brilliant thoughts forming in my little noggin. And I hope that everyone else is more focused and awake, too. It can be very depressing to look around the room of despondent, exhausted, and frustrated faces.

The mobile in church

Have you ever seen that TV show with the hidden camera in which a fellow is in places with an enormous mobile phone? My favorite is in the church and the Nokia ringtone goes off. And then he pulls out this faux mobile that is about half his size and he yells into the phone. "Hello? No, I'm in church. I'M IN CHURCH!' It's silly but it always makes me laugh.

Well, I'm in the church in Rathmines the other day. Mid-morning. There's folks cleaning the altar, polishing the marble and whatnot. I'm lighting candles. And I hear the Nokia ringtone. It took all my restraint not to 1) yell out the line from the show, and 2) to not fall into a fit of giggles.

From the safety of home, I gladly fall into a fit of giggles at the memory. =)

Croke Park and my new friends

I was unsure about going to the match without someone sitting with me, but Joanne assured me that I'd get on just fine. And I had friends who were going to the match so we could meet before and after the match. So I went and...sure enough, I made friends.

The first was an older man who was next to me at the crosswalk on our way to Croke Park who invited me to 'fuckin' walk across the street here next to me'. I did...sort of. I think I kinda got ahead of him while Stephen (the fabulous Canadian) covered me.

Then there was your man at the match who was giving me the inside scoop on the hurling. We were cheering for opposite sides (myself for Limerick, him for Waterford) but I guess because he's a Dub and I'm an honorary Dub that it worked out for him.

And, of course, there's Stephen and his friends. More Canadians and his girlfriend. All were very friendly and we had a great time. It ended very quickly as they jumped on their bus, but not before we enjoyed a few pints, some food, and some laughs. I hope to get to see them all again. It might mean a trip to Saskatoon, but I think it'd be worth it.

Be Kind Rewind

My family members will send out links to things on a weekly basis, often with some witty comment. Occasionally the comments are thinly masked sarcasm which can only be understood after viewing the linked material.

One such link was sent to what as "Ummmm, yeah, the best new movie ever". Knowing my family, I thought this was going to be a trailer for a movie that looks like it will be wonderfully terrible (think Snakes on a Plane). I was surprised to find the trailer for Be Kind Rewind and it looks really fun. There's also something kinda great about watching it on YouTube because it is very much celebrating the culture that is in that community of DIY filmmakers and spoof-artists.

Laughing with the Ladies

Spending more time in the Reading Room with the postgraduates also means that I get to spend more time with these hilarious and intelligent women. Not just the ladies from my course, but these women from other disciplines. It's really neat. And the relationships we all have a really low-key. Like work buddies because we see each other at work. But where work relationships are strained by the interactions of work, this is like seeing folks from another project on a smoke break. We only interact to say hello, share common interests (i.e. whose mobile was that?), and otherwise just enjoy the moments we have together. I don't know how many of these relationships will survive outside the demands of postgraduate research and the smile-and-nod interactions of our daily lives, but it's been just right for this time and place. And that appreciation will last even after we loose contact.

Back at the Reading Room

Back in the winter of '06, I spent a lot of time in the Reading Room working on my essays and such. Even in early '07 I was in there a lot. And then I found myself less interested in being inside to work and less able to keep focused and comfortable there. So I worked from home and enjoyed the bright, cozy setting of my kitchen.

Now I am back into high gear and am back at the Reading Room. And it is amazing! It's great to see the same faces each day. There is this community of folks making small steps each day and supporting each other. There's lots of us who don't know each other's names but recognize each other's faces. There's others of us who have introduced ourselves and know that the other is researching so we can do a bit more support.

There's something really great about those days when you can feel the folks around you are getting stuff done. There's this palpable success in the air like a collective hitting of our stride. I will miss this.

Barry broke the record

In front of a hometown crowd, Barry Bonds hit his 756th career home run which brought him past Hand Aaron's record of 755. Barry Bonds holds numerous other elite records in baseball as well. He is also at the centre of a performance-enhancing drug scandal. He used some performance-enhancing substances that weren't illegal by the letter of the law, though many consider them to have been illegal in the spirit of the regulations. Add to this complex situation that he may have perjured himself in front of a federal Grand Jury over said drug use.

And herein lies the dilemma for many baseball fans: can we celebrate the achievements of a fellow who has questionable integrity? What kind of role model is he? Is this good for the image of baseball?

Frankly, I'm amazed that he hit that many. Yes, he clearly bulked up a lot in recent history. Yes, he's been hounded by the media and ended up saying some rude things that got published. Yes, he has played a lot of baseball and accomplished much. I'm glad it happened in San Francisco, though I would've preferred a local catch the ball rather than a guy from Queens.

I'm also glad that he's passed the mark and will probably retire which means the Giants will have more money for building a younger team next season so we can go from being in the dregs of the National League Worst...er, West.

Wedlock of the Gods

I saw Wedlock of the Gods by Zulu Sofola at the Project Arts Centre tonight. There were some stunning performances and I enjoyed myself. Though the production was not polished, there were some electric moments in which the entire room seemed frozen.

I was particularly struck by the moments of intense emotional release. There was a palpable taboo being broken and a keening that increased to an uncomfortable level: it was what I would've hoped to have experienced in the Abbey Theatre's recent production of The Crucible. It was refreshing to experience the (a)live part of live theatre. In those moments I didn't care that the set wasn't fancy or that some of the women were having issues with their costumes. I was confronted with an intensity of feeling and felt the weight of my passivity.

Sweeney Todd at ACT in San Francisco

I just found out that the Broadway production is touring and that it begins in San Francisco at the end of August. What a freakin' amazing homecoming! I was lucky enough to see this production in New York last year and it was one of those rare evenings of brilliant theatricality.

Those who know me or have read my posts about theatre probably know that I can be a harsh critic. I can get lost in my frustration of opportunity lost or potential unrealized. But this production was stunning. There were many simple choices that had lasting effects on me. Again, it was full of deliciously theatrical moments but didn't get lost in self-reflexivity to the point that it became camp.

I'm certain the cast will be different but this production concept is strong and the directing in the original production leads me to have great confidence in the director. If you want to book tickets, here's the link.

Feeling more like myself than usual

I eased myself into the day today knowing what my plan was for the day. I started a routine last week which I intend to maintain and that made it even easier to rest and to not rush myself needlessly. I got to the library before the rush and settled into a computer on the quieter side of the building. By the time I stopped for lunch at 2pm I had almost finished editing the first sub-chapter of my paper to send to my advisor. I thought about stopping early because I had completed that goal, but I decided to push on and into the next section. I managed to make some advances in the next section before I stopped for the day.

On my way home I listened to The Music Man. And then I watched Home for the Holidays, which I had been wanting to do for a couple days now. And then I had the revelation that I am going to be 28 this autumn. And I find that funny, somehow. And in that moment, catching my reflection in the mirror, I laughed because I realized that I have been here before.

Since my dear friend Leah gave me a copy of this movie more than six years ago, I have come home many times to curl inside myself for a little while and let it warm my heart. And now, in this moment, I can remember those past moments and this present one and it's like I am experiencing them in layers but at the same time. I feel myself at these different ages and places and I've never been where I would've thought I would end up. And I find that funny. And comforting. In all these years I still surprise myself with the smallest revelations. And I feel more at home in myself right now than I have in months. It's nice.

Schematics of a Script

I am working on some graphs and charts for my dissertation. Some of you may be wondering how a theatre paper and schematics combine. To be honest, they probably won't combine very much. Most of the data and the graphs will be in an appendix to the actual body of the paper. But they'll be there! And they'll be relevant and helpful for anyone interested in accessing information about word counts and closing punctuation in Doubt, a parable.

And I won't stop there! I'm also planning to do schematics of the plot structure. Those will feature more prominently in the paper, but are still just part of the support for my larger argument.

I realize it might seem silly to go through all of this work when it isn't the explicit point of my research. But when part of my point is that this work can be helpful in analysis of a play and in mounting a production, it is a vital step in my process. Unfortunately, I haven't actually finished making my argument in my paper so I can't be any more helpful at the moment in explaining the connection. But I'll get there soon and then I can explain it, schematics and all.

Weird dreams

I have been having abnormally violent dreams lately. This is not me being violent; rather, these are scenes of horrific, gore-filled destruction of human bodies. Before you start thinking I'm weird for that, it's important to add that these violent, bloody scenes become creative endeavours somehow. Now, by all means, initiate the "she's crazy" thoughts.

Last night I dreamt this really elaborate combination of a CSI episode and a revenge mini-series. After all the violence and blood-letting, I found myself as a CSI-type lackey working with/for a besuited Jeff Goldblum. He proceeded to massage the pile of the carpeting to reveal empty shells from the murder weapon. Then we found these tiny blue and purple metal pieces that seemed to screw together. And then it became about making jewelry by screwing these metal pieces together. (Me, not Jeff. He kept working on the crime stuff.) They were rather lovely necklaces.

Then I became aware that folks were still dealing with the murders in the other room. I stopped making jewelry long enough to get re-acclimated to the situation. Just when I was about to be a valuable member of the crime-fighting team, I woke up.

I don't mind the horrific parts because they always turn into something constructive rather than creepy. (I anticipate some of you may be considering different definitions of "creepy" when I'm talking about scenes of graphic violence in my dreams. You're welcome to your own definition. I'll explain mine:) I don't like the creepy, I'm being stalked or attacked kind of dreams. In the dreams I've been having lately, the potentially creepy stuff is going on around me, which is not the most comfortable thing, but it ends up being something creative and constructive so I don't mind that I have to get through the icky stuff to get there.

And it makes going to sleep kinda exciting because I never know what's going to happen next.

Looking for "home"

It's funny that being away from the places with which I am most familiar did prompt some revelations. Even though I am thrilled to be returning to California, the place I most think of as "home" is San Francisco and I only technically lived there for a couple years. I worked there for years and have family who live there so I have spent plenty of time there.

The suburbs where I marked the time of my youth and adolescence holds little draw for me. I know those places, but they don't fill me with the electric and comforting feeling I think I am supposed to feel at the thought of "home".

Have I spent too much time with books and movies and artistic conceptions of "home"? Have I internalized some fabrication of reality? Have I internalized the kitch version rather than the pure expression of that electric feeling?

I don't think I am alone in feeling like the place doesn't really matter, especially when it all looks the same and has the same vague concept of personality. I think that's why San Francisco feels like home for me...because it is real for so many people. Walking though San Francisco, I can feel there are people around me who believe in it and like it. I don't feel that much in Dublin and I didn't feel that much in the suburbs where I was raised.

I'm looking forward to going home. I'm going to be a tourist in my city and get to know it again. We've been apart for a little while and need to get reacquainted. And I think I'll be welcome.