Hello again, faithful readers... (More like: Are you there God? It's me, Margaret)
The last few weeks have been pretty busy, though not busy enough to justify my lack of writing. Maybe dull enough.
So I started my internship Monday after Spring Break ended. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better placement. So far, I have spent my time between the two companies, Brookside and New Island Publishing, which are owned by the same person. Brookside is like the Dunder Mifflin of publishing. They sell books from publishing companies to bookstores. So for brookside, most of what I do is research people who might be interested in specific books, like a text about Embryology. It sounds boring, making excel sheets, but I actually the tasks and research. I even created a flyer by myself! My bosses are the loveliest people to work for, as well!
For New Island, I get to read submissions, create Press Releases, contact Media people to review books, go to Book Launches, and then just do busy-work like send review copies, etc.
The best part of the job, I would say, is the environment. I love being around books and everyone that I work with is hilarious and fun to be around.
Now I'll tell you about my commute: It's an hour and a half bus ride each way with speed bumps...but I don't even care! The length is the perfect amount of time for me to write, in the mornings, and read, on the way home. Not to mention some great quiet, people-watching time. The worst part is getting home at seven and being tired enough to sleep, but I have to eat dinner, cook my lunch for the next day, and do everything else, like school work and errands.
Last weekend, I left on Friday for London to visit my 'best' friend, Joanna. I arrived around six and we met up in the coolest cafe, Troubadour's. After eating dinner back at her apartment, (which happens to be in the most expensive area of London) we took a night tour of the famous sights, like Big Ben, the London Eye, etc. I was thrilled to be reunited with my friend and enjoy conversation in a new city. Saturday morning, we woke up and went to Portobello Market to meet up with my penpal, Joe. He was exactly like what I expected, but taller. He speaks as he writes and we had a great time at the market! Afterwards, we met up with his girlfriend to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibit at the Tate Modern, which was incredible.
After we said our goodbyes, Joanna and I met Masha and Eric to have dinner. We went to a great Italian restaurant where Princess Diana allegedly ate. I picked up some postcards and Joanna and I topped off an extremely filling meal with meringue and ice cream.
We called it quits early because I had to get on the bus at 7am for my flight back to Dublin. Though my time in London was short, I am satisfied with the experience and that I, most importantly, got to spend it with someone I really cherish.
Besides that, I haven't been up to much, but I've been going for some lovely runs after work. The weather has been fabulous, in the high fifties and low sixties, sunny everyday.
C'e toda per ahora. (Practicing my Italian...)
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Spring Break 2012-- Got a little out of control
Just Kidding.
Now, most students (read: All students except me) use Spring Break to flee the country and see more of Europe for about 10 days. I decided for a number of reasons, to stay in Dublin for the time. How can I travel to a new country when I feel like I hardly know the place where I am? (Plus I am going to Venice for Easter and London in 2 weeks.) I did so many activities this week, but the most importantly, I had an opportunity to spend some time with my favorite person (me) and do a lot of writing, which I had been neglecting. It was a lovely time to unwind, linger at cafes, and catch up on my leisure-life.
Thursday at 12pm I finished my last (second) exam and the official beginning of Spring Break. I had a coffee date at 3 in the city, and we went to this crazy cool cafe called Foam. I had a delicious Chai latte (Chai is hard to find in Dublin!) and the decorations were like an indoor luau. There was a hawaiian style tent, couches, and random art on the walls. From the ceiling, hung paper party decorations. Foam was crazy, but I loved it. That evening, I finished watching Annie Hall after having a pizza party from Domino's with a couple of friends.
Friday was the true beginning of break, though. I headed into the city quite early, around noon and sought out the Roasted Brown Coffee Shop, which is on the second floor of FilmBase, which has classes and workshops, and screenings of movies. It's the filmmaker's haven, but also a place for delicious coffee. Their prices aren't the best, but the drinks are worth it, and they have baskets of oranges and clementines which are free for the taking and a wonderful surprise! The environment is perfect for writing, and I got a lot of creative work accomplished. I hung out around the city afterwards, and stopped at a couple more cafes, but neither compared. At 8pm, I went to see "Purple," a play about a group of high school students who form a rock band and the relationship the guitarist has with "girl." It was interesting and the acting was really impressive.
Saturday morning I made blueberry muffins (which were delicious) and went to a creative writing hour at the Irish Writer's Centre. Afterwards, I met a girl from the program who was celebrating her birthday, for lunch, bought hiking shoes, and then hung out at my apartment, cooking, reading, and watching When Harry Met Sally (great film!)
Side note: I know this is too detailed, but I don't care.
Sunday morning, I went down the road and enjoyed an Irish Mass. However, the mass was in Irish (Gaelic) and I couldn't really understand anything (despite my Irish lesson.) After that, I met up with my friend Alanna's brother, Daniel, who I hosted for the night. We went to the Irish Museum of Modern Art and saw the photography exhibit, which was mostly foreign (American and European) photographers, but I really enjoyed it because I had seen lots of the names before in my "History of Photography" class Sophomore year. We picked up felafel afterwards, and hung around.
Monday, I got crochet supplies (which I still can't figure out), went to a couple thrift stores, (I highly recommend Lucy's Lounge), bought "Rebel Without a Cause" (How had I never seen it before?!) and met a cool Canadian girl, who was the cashier, and got more coffee and writing at Roasted Brown (I couldn't help myself!)
Tuesday, I changed things up and went to Twisted Pepper for coffee/writing and then went to a reading at The Irish Writer's Centre, where the only perk was free wine. The poet I was looking forward to hearing was sick, and the two others weren't terribly interesting...
Wednesday I went to a Lunchtime film screening at the Irish Film Institute for free! The film was really awesome too, Bosanova, I think it was called. I hung out in Dublin for awhile afterwards, and saw an exhibit at the Temple Bar Gallery. It's hard to explain, but there was a video of a boy and girl having a discussion, but it was largely repetitive, saying the same phrase with emphasis on different words and different intonations. It made me think a lot about what is said during arguments. When I came home, I listened to the slam poetry stylings of Andrea Gibson (look her up, right now!!)
Yesterday, I headed into the city for a free lunch at Skinflint, this pretty cool pizza-ish place. I arrived early and found The Gutter Bookshop and an Art Co-op that I need to investigate further.
Today, I tried to go on a hike into the Dublin Mountains with my friend Brian. We took the bus to Grange Road, like the directions said, but Marlay Park was nowhere to be found! We walked down some random roads and through some interesting, nature-filled areas, but didn't make it to the mountains. However, the day was wonderful and I'm glad we tried (Don't worry, I'm going to try again!)
Anyways, the moral of my Spring Break was that I enjoyed immersing myself into Dublin for a week. I have a much better understanding of the geography of the city now, and after going into Dublin for a few days, I felt like staying in, but I said to myself, "Leanne, you need to go out there again" and it was really worth it. As you might know, people-watching and walking are some of my favorite activities, and while traveling might have been nice, I had an incredible time learning more about where I'm living.
That's all for now!
Now, most students (read: All students except me) use Spring Break to flee the country and see more of Europe for about 10 days. I decided for a number of reasons, to stay in Dublin for the time. How can I travel to a new country when I feel like I hardly know the place where I am? (Plus I am going to Venice for Easter and London in 2 weeks.) I did so many activities this week, but the most importantly, I had an opportunity to spend some time with my favorite person (me) and do a lot of writing, which I had been neglecting. It was a lovely time to unwind, linger at cafes, and catch up on my leisure-life.
Thursday at 12pm I finished my last (second) exam and the official beginning of Spring Break. I had a coffee date at 3 in the city, and we went to this crazy cool cafe called Foam. I had a delicious Chai latte (Chai is hard to find in Dublin!) and the decorations were like an indoor luau. There was a hawaiian style tent, couches, and random art on the walls. From the ceiling, hung paper party decorations. Foam was crazy, but I loved it. That evening, I finished watching Annie Hall after having a pizza party from Domino's with a couple of friends.
Friday was the true beginning of break, though. I headed into the city quite early, around noon and sought out the Roasted Brown Coffee Shop, which is on the second floor of FilmBase, which has classes and workshops, and screenings of movies. It's the filmmaker's haven, but also a place for delicious coffee. Their prices aren't the best, but the drinks are worth it, and they have baskets of oranges and clementines which are free for the taking and a wonderful surprise! The environment is perfect for writing, and I got a lot of creative work accomplished. I hung out around the city afterwards, and stopped at a couple more cafes, but neither compared. At 8pm, I went to see "Purple," a play about a group of high school students who form a rock band and the relationship the guitarist has with "girl." It was interesting and the acting was really impressive.
Saturday morning I made blueberry muffins (which were delicious) and went to a creative writing hour at the Irish Writer's Centre. Afterwards, I met a girl from the program who was celebrating her birthday, for lunch, bought hiking shoes, and then hung out at my apartment, cooking, reading, and watching When Harry Met Sally (great film!)
Side note: I know this is too detailed, but I don't care.
Sunday morning, I went down the road and enjoyed an Irish Mass. However, the mass was in Irish (Gaelic) and I couldn't really understand anything (despite my Irish lesson.) After that, I met up with my friend Alanna's brother, Daniel, who I hosted for the night. We went to the Irish Museum of Modern Art and saw the photography exhibit, which was mostly foreign (American and European) photographers, but I really enjoyed it because I had seen lots of the names before in my "History of Photography" class Sophomore year. We picked up felafel afterwards, and hung around.
Monday, I got crochet supplies (which I still can't figure out), went to a couple thrift stores, (I highly recommend Lucy's Lounge), bought "Rebel Without a Cause" (How had I never seen it before?!) and met a cool Canadian girl, who was the cashier, and got more coffee and writing at Roasted Brown (I couldn't help myself!)
Tuesday, I changed things up and went to Twisted Pepper for coffee/writing and then went to a reading at The Irish Writer's Centre, where the only perk was free wine. The poet I was looking forward to hearing was sick, and the two others weren't terribly interesting...
Wednesday I went to a Lunchtime film screening at the Irish Film Institute for free! The film was really awesome too, Bosanova, I think it was called. I hung out in Dublin for awhile afterwards, and saw an exhibit at the Temple Bar Gallery. It's hard to explain, but there was a video of a boy and girl having a discussion, but it was largely repetitive, saying the same phrase with emphasis on different words and different intonations. It made me think a lot about what is said during arguments. When I came home, I listened to the slam poetry stylings of Andrea Gibson (look her up, right now!!)
Yesterday, I headed into the city for a free lunch at Skinflint, this pretty cool pizza-ish place. I arrived early and found The Gutter Bookshop and an Art Co-op that I need to investigate further.
Today, I tried to go on a hike into the Dublin Mountains with my friend Brian. We took the bus to Grange Road, like the directions said, but Marlay Park was nowhere to be found! We walked down some random roads and through some interesting, nature-filled areas, but didn't make it to the mountains. However, the day was wonderful and I'm glad we tried (Don't worry, I'm going to try again!)
Anyways, the moral of my Spring Break was that I enjoyed immersing myself into Dublin for a week. I have a much better understanding of the geography of the city now, and after going into Dublin for a few days, I felt like staying in, but I said to myself, "Leanne, you need to go out there again" and it was really worth it. As you might know, people-watching and walking are some of my favorite activities, and while traveling might have been nice, I had an incredible time learning more about where I'm living.
That's all for now!
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