Merry Christmas

Hello all,
So haven't updated in a while. Sorry about that. Just a note to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season. It's warmed up a bit here in Florida, but is still as cold as ever in Galway. I am so happy to be home for the holidays and am loving the sunshine. I had the opportunity to travel up to Minnesota to visit my college friends. I had an absolutely amazing time. Everyone seems to be doing really well and those that aren't in school have all managed to nail down real grown up jobs. An impressive achievement in this economic climate. I went tubing for the first time and loved it. Can't believe I was in Minnesota for four years and had never been tubing. Hope all is well with everyone!

Sam moved!

So big news at least for me. Sam is in the process of moving! Since the pipes in his current place froze him and his housemate decided to move. This may seem like a drastic response, but the problem is that the main water pipe into his house his outside and completely exposed to the elements. Meaning that whenever it gets this cold that pipe is going to freeze and there isn't anything that can be done (or at least that the agency is willing to pay for). So that somehow voided the lease. Meaning he is free to move out before the lease it up. His new place is on the same street I used to live on. It's an apartment, sharing with 3 others and looks really nice from what I have seen online. His current housemate who he really likes is moving with him and then it is a girl from Korea and another guy from the same town Sam's housemate is from. Can't believe they found something so quickly. They literally just started looking yesterday! Galway is really boom or bust when it comes to housing. So he is paying 5euro a week more but it is a better location, much newer building, and much nicer place all in all. Also since it is an apartment heating costs will be less and there is less chance of the pipes freezing. Ohh and he has access to a roof garden as well! So happy!
I am still loving my place, it isn't the best as far as the insulation is concerned but love my house mates and I can't beat the location. The bubble wrap window insulation made a remarkable difference! I would by no means say my room is warm, but there isn't ice on the inside of my window anymore!
I am sick (again) so no big plans for the weekend. Just trying to get healthy for my journey home :)

BRRR

It is freezing here. Like literally. Sam's pipes froze. Mine our still ok, but I live in fear. I insulated my windows with bubble paper and it made a huge difference. I also bought an under blanket for my bed which has made it so much warmer. Ireland it not cut out for this kind of cold. Funny that all three winters I've been here have been freezing and unseasonably cold. Maybe the weather is just afraid I am going to start missing Minnesota.
Went to see Fintan O'Toole speak last night. He is an editor for the Irish Times and wrote a couple of books about how Ireland got into and can get out of its current crisis. He was a very engaging speaker and I was very happy I went. Thanks to my mom for recommending it.
Right now I am sitting on the sofa in front of a roaring fire (thanks to my housemate Shane) watching an amazing episode of Top Gear (the one where they build a convertible people carrier and accidentally set a car wash on fire).
On a side note Aldi a German discount grocery has turduken for 9.99 Euros a pound, mince pies for 89 cents a pack and Irish cream for 5.99 Euros. SOOOO cheap for food, in Ireland. YUMMM!
So excited to return to the states and friends, food and family!

Student Protests

Watching the BBC cover the student protests in London. There were also some huge protests in Dublin a couple of weeks ago. They are protesting the possible increase in fees for tuition. It is really interesting to watch coming from a private education background. Obviously Ireland and Britain are not structured at this time for student fees (no work-study, no real financial aid) but that doesn't mean they can adjust to the changes. The biggest argument is that only wealthy people will be able to go to college.
I wonder if a small fee increase if coupled with practical measures would be the worst. The British government isn't making students evens start paying back their fees until they are making 21,000 pounds. I do truly believe that if people pay for something they appreciate it more. It is obvious that many students are taking their education for granted. Maybe the threat of fees is what is needed.
So different...

Irish Government Upheavel!

Interesting article in the NY Times about the recent development with the Irish government.

Brian Cowen puts the Fail in Fianna Fail. Because humor is obviously the best way to deal with a crumbling government.

Take Home Exam

Just a quick post, I am taking a break from working on my take home exam. Life is good here. I baked this weekend, ginger cookies and sugar cookies. Both turned out, which was a relief because they were both new recipes. Sam's dad was nice enough to let me use his kitchen and kitchen tools to make them. My house doesn't even have a mixing bowl. Went to a pub quiz last night and realized that I am pretty bad at pub quizzes. It's like all the information I need disappears from my head until the exact time that the paper is being collected and then I remember it again. It was good fun though and a nice break before beginning my take home exam. It is three essay questions of 2,000 words a piece. We have ten days to complete it which is a bit longer than I would like. I am a bit concerned about what the over achievers in my class are going to get up to in that amount of time. Hopefully what I write will be sufficient. It is so hard to judge when we haven't submitted anything else for this course and basically have no guidance on what exactly they are expecting from us. On the bright-side the questions are much more interesting than I thought they would be, although clearly some of them that are phrased as opinion questions only have one "right" answer. I am fairly certain based on the personality of one of my lecturers that dissenting opinions will be given a lower grade. This is a small example of my basic problem with the discipline of human rights, or at least they way it is being taught in my course. There is only one correct way to view a particular issue and if you happen to see things differently then you obviously don't support the human rights project. I am beginning to understand why it is so often criticized for like a religion. But, for all it's faults it certainly is interesting and I do enjoy studying it. I can honestly say that I am enjoying working on my take home exam. Hope all is well with everyone! The posts may be a bit sporadic as I near the end of the semester and the work load increases. I promise I will make up for it during my MONTH LONG winter break :)

They say never meet your heroes in person...

So the concert I was all excited about was in reality a disappointing. Scroobius Pip's music is awesome, but the Scroobius Pip the man seems to be a bit more on the side of politically incorrect annoying ego manic. Sam had a great time though, so that made it more bearable.
The night was not a total bust however; the opening act was fantastic. Kid A is an artist I know from my last fm stations. Didn't know anything about her, but loved what I had heard of her music. She was the opening act :) What a wonderful surprise. She has an amazing voice and is very much comparable to Little Boots and Ladyhawk both of whom I have been listening to religiously since they hit the scene. As a live performer she comes off as really sweet and down to earth. And since she was the opening act there were only like 20 or so people there to listen to her. Which is my kind of concert. Sit down, chill out, and listen. I do not understand the need that people my age seem to have to bounce around and run into each other at concerts. I prefer to enjoy the music not spend the whole concert trying not to get crushed by large boys.
Tonight I am going to a lecture series at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. They are having a former Guantanamo Bay detainee come to discuss his experiences. Should be interesting, especially since just two weeks ago we had a former judge and lecturer at the University of San Fransisco come to discuss the merits of the Patriot Act.
I am loving having an Asian market literally a minute from my house. Made a quick run to it this morning and made a delicious rice noodle, chicken, bak choi and chinese mushroom soup for the week ahead. Tasty and easy, the best kind of meal. I now live in fear that they are going to go out of business, but every time I walk by there is someone in there doing some shopping.
Got a package from my parents today. So just a quick shout out to say Mom and Dad you are awesome! They are obviously awesome for many other reasons than the fact that they send me goodies from home, of course, but this was a particularly nice surprise.
Hope all is well with everyone!
Oh and p.s. Just thought everyone should know that the Irish government is currently embroiled in a publicity scandal surrounding it's free cheese for the needy scheme. That's right folks, in the middle of the economic crisis the Irish government is gifting the needy free cheese for the holiday season. Happy Holidays :)