"I love to fly...and it shows!" 01/25/2012
There are a few things in life that strike fear in me. Topping the list would be SPIDERS and SNAKES! The short list would continue with walking over grates in the footpath, gas grills, karaoke, sea creatures lurking if I swim out too far in the ocean, and I'm sure there are a few more. One thing that I hope will NEVER make its way onto my list is the fear of flying. I love to fly. I always have! I remember my first flight ever...when I was quite young, my family flew to Arizona to visit my aunt. I still have memories of sitting in my seat playing with one of those sticker books with decals that you can stick and re-stick hundreds of times and they never wear out. Since then, I've flown more times than I can count! It's not just the destinations that I enjoy, but I actually love TO fly. I love airports, terminals, layovers (4 hours or less), and I even love airplane food! I find that airports energize me...the thought of traveling turns me into an excited child inside :) With all the travel I have done, I've never been so amazed at the ease of travel since moving to Europe. I try to explain to many people how easy it is to travel here. It's inexpensive, so you can go for just a few days. It's quick, so you can fly for two hours or so and land in a completely different world with no jetlag. One of the best perks is that I now have friends in many places, so I get personal tours and inside information :) This is key to a great experience! Sometimes I'm asked HOW travel can possibly be THAT much easier in Europe, so I thought I'd take a minute and give you a glimpse. As I was browsing online today, I took about five minutes to make a comparison between domestic travel in the States and international travel in Europe. Here's what I found! Domestic Return flights: (from Knoxville, TN for a week in late February)
3 Comments A love story... 01/11/2012
We all fall in love at one time or another in our lives. My first 'love story' began when I was 9, and his name was Josh. We "dated"...for an entire 24 hours. One day he asked me if I wanted to "go out" but then that night he wrecked his knee in football practice, so he broke up with me the following day. I guess when you're 9, it's too hard to juggle a sports injury AND a girl! Don't worry, I didn't let that first experience sour my heart toward love altogether...I have fallen again...a few times here and there. Recently, I have noticed, strangely enough, that PLACES seem to steal my heart in much the same way as a (handsome, nice, witty, etc.) guy. It happens in a moment. I'm filled with urge to smile, sing and dance all at the same time. My singing and my dancing aren't very good, but somehow they seem to be the only avenues to communicate my happiness :) Paris was easy to love. It took only a short walk along the Seine at night with the lights of the Eiffel Tower shining down on the water. I loved Paris even in the rain. Rain just made it easier to find an excuse to duck into a patisserie for a coffee and something sweet. I fell in love with Prague even in the freezing cold November weather. Here it was the old architecture and the Charles Bridge, as seen in the first Mission Impossible film. Walking these old cobblestone streets with some tasty treats bought from a man with a wooden cart. Oh! and the outdoor Christmas markets! Malaga...the sun hit my skin and I was smitten! Vienna, it was an outdoor opera that I happened upon one evening. Lisbon offered me (excellent) coffees for 50 cents, pasteis de Belem, and beauty everywhere we went. The list could go on as I've traveled a fair bit since college. This year, though, I visited a place that I never thought I'd love as much as I did. I had the opportunity to travel the the island of Madeira off the north coast of Africa. It's a tiny island about 37 miles by 15 miles. Yes, the sea was beautiful, but I had seen the sea before. The scenery was beyond lovely, but that wasn't "our" moment.  THIS WAS OUR MOMENT...my visit to the local market. This island was bountiful! Almost all this food was grown on this tiny island. I fell in love and could imagine myself learning Portuguese and entering this little world. I imagined grabbing my shopping bags and finding the ingredients I needed for a meal I was making for some friends one evening. I saw myself becoming friends with the regulars and knowing what food was best in each stall. And, of course, as a regular myself, I would come home with my treasures to find that a couple extra items had been added to my bag to thank me for my faithful business. Yes, I know other places have fresh and beautiful food just like this, but for some reason, this place stole my heart :) “When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. “ William Shakespeare 
New Year's Resolutions... 12/31/2011
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and started to feel the uncanny hints of similarity to your own life within the story they are unfolding? Have you kept on listening only to feel the niggling inside affirming that "this could have been you" had you made a different choice back then? This happens to me occasionally...sometimes affirming where life has led and sometimes leaving me wondering why in the world I didn't choose door #2. I find that the marking of time either by a new year or by my birthday also makes me pensive and reflective over where life has led. I'll admit, it used to be depressing :) BUT I'm glad to say that in the last several years, I've rather enjoyed it. No, I don't enjoy every moment of every day of every year, but I do, more often than not, find many good things or "growth things" that happened along the way to affirm my path. Why is it that it seems we are always drawn to look back over time and notice the things that we DON'T have or that didn't finally happen this year? Again, I'll admit, it happens to me :) Aside from the obvious, I wonder why I haven't finally gone a year without car troubles, or why I haven't finally managed to become a well-disciplined person with impeccable time-management skills. Why don't I read more and what do I have to show for all the "extra" time in my year? So this year I was inspired to think of a New Year's Resolution that will actually be something I'd like to do, something that will maybe even help with my time-management or fill my "extra" time with more purpose. I thought and thought, and though none are earth-shattering or even that inspiring, they are my goals for 2012 :) Disclaimer: These are not my LIFE goals...just simple New Year's Resolutions. First of all, I am going to work to update my blog AT LEAST once a month. I love to write, and this is my only outlet at the moment, so instead of wondering why in the world anyone would want to read what I've written, I'm just going to write it. Secondly, I received a Kindle for Christmas, so this year I am going to work my way through some of the classics (because they are free and I'm finding that I really missed some BIG ones while growing up). I'll maybe find some time for reading if I "shave" several hours a week off of following the latest television series. Thirdly, I'm going to work to keep more up to date on world events. I usually just let these things go on around me and I hear people talking about them, but have no clue. This year, I want to be clued-in. I even plan to learn the countries of the world and their capitols...since I am one of the FEW who apparently doesn't know them over here in Europe. Oh how I wish I had had better geography!! As for life goals...I think I'll keep working on one that I was challenged with a few years ago. Someone once reminded me that I don't know everything. Just because I want something in my life, doesn't mean that is what is best for me or that I actually KNOW what my life would be like if I had what I desire. I may not desire it if I really knew what it would mean or change or the struggle it would create. So, again, I work on just trusting that the One who does know all will continue to give me what is best for me and help me to be content...and yes, even filled with joy...with exactly where I am and what I have. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! An unexpected vocabulary... 09/06/2011
Living in Ireland these last three years has brought A LOT of change into my life. I've changed the side of the road I drive on...the way I dry my clothes...the temperature I keep my home in the winter...how I shop for food...how I get hot water for a shower...how I drink my tea...and much, much more! One if the things I didn't expect would change so much is my vocabulary. I mean, they speak "English" in Ireland, right? Yes, yes, we do...but it's just amazing the number of words and combination of words that I have realized I never expected to change. Words like "clamped" -- this is one of my least favorite words EVER! It's an infuriating AND extremely expensive word. "Mobile" no longer means "capable of moving" but instead is what I call my cell phone. Other fun new vocabulary words: chipper, lashing, craic, courgette, petrol, jumper, rubbish, cooker, compote, and swimming togs. Just this week I was headed out to meet some friends for coffee, and as I was chatting to them I ended with..."on my way, I'm five minutes from the castle now!". It struck me after I said it how strange it felt deep down for the words "meet you at the castle" to be part of a normal conversation for this girl from Tennessee. One of the most laughable phrases that has ever left my mouth happened over a year ago when I found myself moaning to a friend that "I left my sunglasses at the monastery I stayed at last week". Yup, definitely a phrase I NEVER thought (or hoped) I'd say :) As I write this, I guess I'm just impressed with the idea that we can adjust to a new "normal". It takes effort, but things do eventually change. Giving "lifts" to friends or "ringing" people on the phone aren't work to say anymore, and I know I can count on a royal "slagging" when I head back for a visit to the States and start talking about "tomatoes" (pronounced "toe mah toes"), and basil (pronounced "bah sil")...but such is life...I guess! Overweight!!!! 12/14/2010
 Recently I traveled to Tavira, Portugal for a conference, and wore a huge smile on my face the few days prior to leaving as I anticipated warmer temperatures and catching up with some friends I hadn't seen in years. The smile quickly disappeared from my face at the airport as I was told by smiling Ryan Air employee that I was OVERWEIGHT. Well, not me personally, but my checked baggage was! Ryan Air is one of those companies that I have a 'love-hate' relationship with. I love them when they fly me to Paris for a weekend with a friend for only $50 round trip. I hate them when, as in this instance, I tried to book a 20 kg bag (45 lbs) to check-in but the computer booked only 15 kgs (33lbs) instead! That's right, people, I was 12 LBS overweight. Oh, and here's the really fun part...it was going to cost me €100 if I didn't get rid of some of my stuff. (I didn't even pay HALF that for the actual plane ticket in the first place!!!) Here's where the good story starts... So I wander downstairs to arrivals as I contemplate what to do. I was flying alone and had taken a bus to the airport, so there was no one to help me. I went to the bathroom and opened my luggage looking for ANYTHING that I could throw away...anything at all. Nothing immediately jumped to mind, and I couldn't stand the thought of actually throwing my CLOTHES away. No, I couldn't put 12 lbs of clothes ON my person, so I had about 45 minutes to figure something out. I sat down and looked around hoping for a plan to come to mind. (I felt like MacGyver!) Within a few minutes, I remembered a seemingly silly (at the time) radio programme I had listened to earlier in the week. The hosts were talking about asking total strangers for favours (ie. skipping the line at McDonalds, sharing a taxi, etc). Surveys were taken and the results seems to indicate that if you linked 'reason or logic' with your request the percentage of favourable responses increased drastically. The more logical your reason, the higher chance you'll get the response you want even to the most unreasonable request. I promptly decided to put this theory to the test... Yes, friends, I asked a woman, waiting in Arrivals for her daughter, if she would help me as I had no other option other than throwing clothes in the bin. I explained about Ryan Air and how there had been a mix up. I could see the wheels turning in her head, and she finally realised my predicament...and AGREED! So I stuffed a reusable shopping bag full of anything that seemed heavy, she took my mobile number and gave me hers...then off I went to try again with the nice lady at the check-in desk. Fast-forward 8 days...I arrive back to a snow-covered Dublin. I text my new 'friend' the next day telling her that I was back and that when the snow melted we could arrange a place to meet. No response. I waited a few days for the snow to melt in town and text her again. No response. I'm home now a whole two weeks (so three weeks from our encounter in the airport), and still no communication! My last attempt, I decided to ring her and offer to drive somewhere and meet her...no answer, so I left a voicemail. By the end of the day, I was pretty convinced I would never see my clothes again. I reasoned with myself..."Steph, they are ONLY clothes"...though I really wanted my Rookies hoodie back :) I knew in the scheme of things, it was no big deal at all, so I let it go. I wondered again, how in the world I continue to get myself in to these messes. Well, as you have probably guessed from the photo above, she did finally call me the next day. Her phone had been acting up, and she received my 3 texts and my voicemail all at once that evening. We arranged to meet today...a mere 25 days later...and she wouldn't even let me pay her. I honestly still can't believe this actually happened...I can't believe the plan worked!! Stereotypically speaking... 09/07/2010
Living in a country different from where you grew up (and sometimes even just visiting one) tends to make one keenly aware of stereotypes and how they exist EVERYWHERE. Some are mere slight exaggerations of a core truth, while others tend to be products of some wild imagination (often dreamed up and enhanced by Hollywood). Stereotypes can be painfully accurate, somewhat laughable or extremely insulting. If we're honest with ourselves...we can admit that we all participate in this universal activity. We grow up knowing (or are somehow taught) the art of stereotyping :) I know it's true...but nothing makes it more apparent than finding myself living in a culture I wasn't raised in. On both sides of the ocean I am asked numerous times..."So do ALL_______ do this or that?" (fill in Americans or Irish as applicable). I've smiled on many occasions in Dublin as I've come in contact with ideas about America. Just the other night I was at a BBQ and was 'dressing' my burger. I happened upon this HUGE bottle of orange sauce. When I turned the bottle around, it read, "American Burger Sauce." I'd never seen the stuff in my life, but it was tastey :) There are "American" isles at several specialty food shops here. They are stocked HIGH with JIF peanut butter, Aunt Jemima pancake syrup, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Marshmallow Fluff, and Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips. It has been an interesting process to see America through the eyes of the Irish. It has been equally interesting to see the stereotypes that Americans have of the Irish. All you have to do is watch "Leap Year" to know they exist. That movie is one of the farthest things from REAL Ireland...not to mention completely geographically turned around. (Sorry any who I may have just ruined your dream of landing here and finding a similar adventure.) Recently a friend of mine, Patrick Mitchel, spent some time traveling with his family on a road trip from Washington to California. He has great insights and, I loved reading what he wrote about his 'impressions of America'...again remember this is stereotypically speaking. Here's his post... (I thought you might like a glimpse) Some months ago I did a post on ‘Those Germans’. So, after spending quite a bit of July in the ‘Lower 48′ here are some mostly positive and not very deep reflections on ‘Those Americans’. As before, here’s an accompanying health warning about massive stereotyping … [And I'm sure each one could have a negative twist but after time in the US I'm taking time to recover my cynically sarcastic default attitude - see 13 below) 1. They sure know how to build ROADS - from back highways into Mt St Helens to 6 lane freeways in LA to the mad twists of Highway 1 along the northern Californian Pacific Coast. A road trip in the US is easy and fun. 2. They like FOOD (too much) - every freeway junction has a bewildering forest of signs advertising fast food chains. Portions are, to put it delicately, on the large side. The abundance of cheap and not very healthy food is evidenced in the abundance of American waistlines. 3. And from the above two qualities, they believe in making life COMFORTABLE. From huge autos and mobile mansions (RVs); to logical city grid systems; to clear road signage; to one-stop shops for absolutely everything you might or could ever need [Walmart]; to free internet where you stay (or often where you eat); to paying for petrol [gas] by credit card at the pump (why haven’t we done that yet?]; to big houses filled with stuff; to soft chairs in a megachurch. [I was tempted to add here 'to a soothing message and comforting worship' - but that wouldn't be fair to the place we were at. But its easy to see how an intense culture of personal comfort poses a pervasive threat to Jesus' call to self-sacrifice]. 4. They live in the most marvellous and rather big COUNTRY. You could spend a lifetime exploring the diverse land and city-scapes. Real wildlife, real wilderness (lots of it) and a real outdoor adventures await. Compared to the small safe domesticity of a little island, the expansive grandeur of the US is thrilling. 5. They live in a dramatically UNEQUAL society. From mansions displaying extravagant wealth to humble shacks; from those who succeed in a Western capitalist culture to those left behind on the streets; from the prosperity and success of European colonisers compared to the (to my eye) broken, defeated and virtually invisible culture of the native Indians. A hero of mine, Johnny Cash has a great song about this. 6. Sorry, but they have the WORST TV NEWS I’ve ever seen. Hard to find tough fair-minded journalistic objectivity amid the welter of sentimental partisan personality-driven superficiality. [And I should add, they have the best TV drama and comedy around] 7. They have a great CLIMATE with real winters and real summers as opposed to our 4 seasons of rain, cloud and occasional sun. 8. They make everything PERSONAL: Example – there are not so much real estate companies as real estate sellers. ‘Buy this house from x’ – with big picture of a smiling perfect-teethed x. And I guess this feeds into a celebrity culture of the worship of the successful (beautiful) individual. And the celebrity culture is transposed into the church with its successful pastors (and wives), with perfect teeth (see 9) running successful businesses churches, but I digress. 9. They value PERFECT TEETH – surely a good thing, especially for dentists. 10. They obey RULES. This includes the rules of the road; rules in campsites about no noise between 10pm-8am; rules about staying on trails; rules about no litter. This could be put more positively – there seems to me to be a high sense of ‘civic virtue’ and belonging and participation in ‘being American’. A trivial example – two ‘dudes’ on a mountain hike take a short-cut off trail and start sliding down the mountain, dangerously dislodging rocks on the way. Immediately numerous hikers shout at them to get back on trail, calling them stupid and various other adjectives. I suspect the level of corruption in public life in the USA is less than in Ireland. In a country where, IMHO, the ‘Republic’ has been betrayed by generations of self-interested politicians glad to profit from elected office (I don’t exaggerate, see C J Haughey and Bertie Ahern, Ivor Calelly etc] and, it must be said, a culture where large numbers of the population routinely evaded tax and participated in ‘soft corruption’ – such a sense of civic belonging is refreshing. All too often here, if someone is behaving in an antisocial way, no-one says anything. Either because they are afraid of violence, or because others will not back them up, or because no-one feels it is ‘their business’ to interfere. 11. They are fantastically ORGANISED. We experienced the National Park system in our camping trip : efficient; informative; practical; helpful; fair; great online booking system, brilliant rangers. Can’t give higher praise. 12. They WORK HARD. At work by 7am. Few holidays. Competitive culture. Success available to those who knuckle down. No favours expected or granted? 13. Lastly and very importantly, they are wonderfully HOSPITABLE. My daughter calls Americans ‘friendly and bouncy’. They don’t treat customers like an annoying distraction (an Irish trait). They seem to believe the best about people, are positive, optimistic, patient, wonderfully generous and believe that you ‘having a nice day’ really matters. Accident prone... 06/09/2010
 So, yes, I am one of those people that tends to be accident prone (having or susceptible to having a greater than average number of accidents or mishaps)....not usually big accidents but several small ones a day! Here's how I know:
All that said, I'm always in the market for a good home remedy or new way to get some stain out of something. Since moving to Ireland, I've discovered a couple that I have grown to love, and thought I'd share :) Burns: If you burn yourself on boiling water, the oven, or whatever in the kitchen, and don't have the patience or time to hold ice on it for the rest of the day, I found a solution...Vinegar! Simply soak a paper towel with whatever vinegar you can find (I even used a vinaigrette dressing once) and hold it on your burn until the burning stops. Sometimes for burns that are a bit worse, you have to soak the towel a few times and hold it on there for 20 to 30 minutes, but it works. I'm amazed each and every time! It even keeps blisters from forming, however, IF it is a SEVERE burn that broke the skin, I don't recommend this remedy. Oil stains: No matter how careful I think I'm being, if I'm near oil in my nice clothes, it WILL end up on them. So here's the trick! Place a thick layer Dawn or Fairy liquid soap (depending on which side of the ocean you're on) directly on the stain. Let it sit for several hours and then wash as usual. The stain should come right out...even if it's been there for a few days! If it doesn't come out the first time, repeat the process, but make sure you do not dry or iron the garment until it's gone. Hope you find these as successful and life-enriching as I have :) Just thinking... 05/28/2010
By now most of you will know that I recently surprised my friends and family by showing up unannounced for the wedding of a sweet friend. It was a great once in a lifetime bit of fun! Whenever I head back to Tennessee, I am asked MANY times what I miss from the States when I'm in Ireland. When I'm here, I can't usually think of anything (other than friends and family) that I miss on a regular basis, so this time I did some thinking while back in Knoxville...thus results this blog post. These are not necessarily in order of importance :)
Things I didn't even know I was missing... 04/19/2010
 "I think I'd miss you even if I had never met you"...some line from some movie I saw once. When I heard it, I'm sure it stuck in my head for some girlish, entirely romantic reason. But in the last few years I have come to know that it can really happen! Three years ago this month, I became an aunt for the first time. I can remember waiting and waiting all week for the day to arrive for my sister to have her baby. The first time I held Griffin, I knew I would never be the same! I don't think I had ever loved anyone so much... I definitely didn't know you could feel that way TWICE. But, you guessed it, almost two years to the day, Mackenzie joined our world. I viewed it on skype, but still couldn't have been more excited. Holding her 3 weeks later was heaven on earth. I think I held her every moment possible during my visit home :) Things I didn't even know I was missing:
 Bad CAR-ma... 04/05/2010
It's been a few days since 'the incident', but I thought the following events would make you smile :) As many of you will know, I am plagued with 'bad CAR-ma'. Apparently, some time...some where...I made one of my cars VERY ANGRY and now all the cars in the world hate me. I have owned (or been the sole driver) of 9 cars total. Sadly, I seem to take possession of a used car JUST before something major goes wrong with it. Only once have I totaled a car in an accident. So here's the latest in my 'adventures' -- Two Mondays ago, I got up WAY TOO EARLY to pick up a friend and her son at the airport. It was raining and yucky outside, so I was glad to get them home with no incident. Then I hurried back toward my house because traffic was picking up and the only route home is usually a car park during rush hour. It took me over an hour to get home... So as I was sitting in traffic about 30 seconds (no exaggeration) from my apartment, my car decided to just shut off. No warning light, no weird noise. So I took the key out, and put it back in and tried to start the car again. NOTHING. My hazard lights wouldn't even work! I was dumbfounded. Meanwhile, there is a HUGE line of cars forming behind me...and some are beginning to honk at me. I am no longer phased by this, so I get out of my car and move to the footpath to plot my next move. After a few minutes, a couple of guys did step up and help me push my car a couple feet closer to the sidewalk. I call my office to get the emergency phone number for my insurance. This number USED to be printed on the back of my proof of insurance, but sadly not this year. Finally got the number, and called for a tow! I was then advised they would be there in an hour :) No shower, no coffee and stuck in the middle of traffic...for an hour. I needed coffee! So I made a break for Coffee Society just two doors down. Ordered my Americano, got my loyalty card stamped, and then I waited. While waiting for my beverage, I glanced out the window just in time to see a guard placing a ticket on my car window. I rush from the store and explain that I am not PARKED here...my car broke! He showed some sympathy and told me to leave the ticket on my window so no one else would bother it, then he tore the copy of the ticket up in his book. "Go on and finish your coffee!" he said, "no one else will bother you!" So I obeyed...went back and retrieved my coffee. After putting the proper amount of sugar in, I again glanced out the window to find clampers pulling up next to my car! Again, I rush from the cafe, this time with coffee in hand and trying not to spill it. Again, I explain that I have not chosen this awkward spot for parking. MY CAR BROKE! Now I wait...and drink my coffee. The nice man came eventually, and towed my car to the garage. I walked the final few blocks home to get ready for work. Great way to start the week! Found out that evening that my alternator had died. It was replaced and now I'm up and running...at least for now! |
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