of mummies and aunts

Tags

bog boddies, Book of Kells, chocolate eclairs, culture, Dublin, family, Ireland, miscellaneous, National Museum Dublin, photography, random, Trinity College

Who knew teenagers would still delight in bog mummies? After I met up with my lovely niece and her freind yesterday, I took them to Trinity College in Dublin to take a peak at the Book of Kells and marvel at the magnificent old Libary.

A page from the Book of Kells

even Harry Potter couldn’t resist, the Trinity College Old Library features in the films

As we wandered around and I acted as simultaneous interpreter I suddenly realised that I was morphing into a dictionary. They asked me about everything and I often was a little bit stumped at how to explain things, but at least they did seem interested. After half an hour in the library and about twenty hours in the gift shop I took them to Cafe en Seine, a beautifully opulent restaurant/bar/cafe on the south side of Dublin and served them sweets and hot drinks and watched them giggle and gossip and take a photographing tour around the place.

Cafe en Seine

Once their needs had been met thy struggled in deciding on what to do so i made an executive decision and ushered them to the National Museum. Their photo taking fingers clicking as they walked and chatted we entered the beautiful museum and I was surprised at how their eyes lit up at the big entrance hall.

The National Museum entrance hall

But the thing that earned the most laughs and awe were the bog bodies. These mummified men found out in the bog date back to 300-500BC and widened their eyes and made them ask even more questions. So the day was a success and while they are slumbering upstairs I need to hurry to get to work on time and plan another afternoon filled with delights and surprises and I am sure some chocolate eclairs.

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anxious aunt

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anxious, aunt, Dublin, family, niece, quotes, sleeping beauties

At the crack of dawn this morning I had to prise my eyes open and as I am not an early riser it felt quite like a Herculean task. But with two teenagers occupying my time I didn’t get around to prepare my classes yesterday so I had no option but to catch that early worm.

So while I sit down here, typing, thinking and trying on my teachers hat two sleeping beauties are softly snoring upstairs, getting all those extra hours of dream-time I so badly need. I just hope they manage to take the long lie-in and enjoy it.

After yesterdays adventure of teenage shopping I feel a little bit anxious about the two of them wandering around town on their own. They felt so out of place and in awe of what was going on in Dublin that I can only hope that they will find their way to our meeting point. After all I do need to work today and sadly can’t take time off to gallivant around Grafton Street with them.

And because I feel a little bit apprehensive about their trip into town I spent valuable minutes drawing them a map, counting out money for the bus and writing a long detailed note in German explaining everything i could think of.

But I am sure they will surprise me and be moping around Molly Malone at the agreed time, hopefully happy to see the anxious aunt and less apathetic than yesterday. Who knew there where so many different ways to say “I don’t know” and shrug?

So with a bit of an anxious grumble in my stomach I am leaving for work now and I  finally really understand the quote by an unknown clever source;

Adolescence is a period of rapid changes.  Between the ages of 12 and 17, for example, a parent ages as much as 20 years

tedious teens

Tags

dorkey, Dublin, embarrassing, family, friend, niece, teenagers, uncool

My bedroom has been taken over by my teenage niece and her friend for the week. They flew over from Germany yesterday evening and even though it hasn’t even been 24 hours yet I can already see the week is going to be long.

Getting them to talk is a challenge in itself, it’s like pulling chewing gum from between their teeth, you have to pull, pull and pull some more. Trying to figure out want they would like to do is like going on an excavation, you have to scoop out the information while digging down into their psyche that is hidden behind walls of silence, shrugs and grumps.

But as soon as I leave the room or have even just turned my back it as if a switch flips and they chatter, giggle and prattle on about this that and mainly other people. And no matter how quietly I reenter the room or how how slow my stop-motion turning around is, the moment I am back in the picture silence falls down heavily on them, like a thick blanket covering up all their teenage secrets.

And while I have been racking my brain to figure out what to do with them today the only ideas I have come up with that seem to appeal to their teenage nature is shopping, possibly (with lots of trepidation) going to a nail salon and more shopping. So when my sister called me this morning to make sure the two still sleeping beauties were okay she told me to just lay down the  law and make them do some culture.

Feeling good with the backing of a mum I have decided to go to a museum or two and maybe, just maybe a pub. A little visit to a touristy watering hole in Temple Bar defines what foreigners think of as Irish culture and might just earn me few cool points.

After all I have no delusions about the fact that I am totally dorky, embarrassing and uncool in their eyes, so maybe I should just play up to that and make them cringe. But for now I have to get these tedious teenagers out of bed and down to the breakfast table, I wonder if I need pliers and a wrench to get them to budge.

Film Review: Argo

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Alan Arkin, Argo, Ben Affleck, C.I.A “extraction” expert, entertainment, Film Review, film review argo, Films, Iran 1979, John Goodman, movies, Tony Mendez

Argo, the new Ben Affleck movie, is based on the real live events that took place in Iran in 1979.  It kick-starts when an angry mob storms the American Embassy in Tehran and take 50 Americans hostage.  Six embassy workers escape through the back and seek refuge in the residence of the Canadian Ambassador.

Back in Washington everyone is up in arms and the task to get the six back home falls to the C.I.A “extraction” expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck). Many plans are being considered, but none seem feasible or safe.

Faced with this problem Mendez comes up with the ridiculous idea to get the six out under the guise of making a SiFi film. With the help of special-effects expert and Academy Award winner John Chambers (John Goodman) and prominent producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) Mendez creates a bogus film company called Studio Six and even invites the media to a fake press conference. With posters, storyboards and a buzz backing up the story Mendez then enters Iran under the pretence of scouting for locations and issues false identities for the six Americans in hiding to fly them out.

The story sounds so implausible it’s hard to believe that it is true, that it worked is even more unbelievable. This incredible story wasn’t declassified until 1997 and really makes for a good movie. Affleck proves his doubters wrong again and like in “Gone Baby Gone” he surrounds himself with formidable actors, even in the supporting roles.

Argo is a great film and even though Affleck takes the liberty to spice up the action a bit towards the end, the film has an authentic feel to it. After all Argo never claims to be a documentary. The only downside to the film is that the science-fiction film Argo was never actually made, a film that Goodman’s character Chambers describes as ‘a twenty-million-dollar Star Wars rip-off” and you can’t help but feel that Arkins as Siegle is right when he stipulates “If I’m going to make a fake movie, it’s going to be a fake hit.”

The closing scene of Argo also seems to be too drawn out, there is no need for it and it detracts from the clever suspense filled film that Argo otherwise is. But overall Affleck has done good and Argo is well worth the price of a ticket.

extra hour

Tags

big bang theory, daylight saving, daylight saving time, dreams, miscellaneous, quote, random, sleep, time, Victor Borge, winter time

Ireland is now officially in “winter-time”, meaning the clocks have been put an hour back giving us all an extra hour. And what a gift that is, to think of all the things that you can do in an hour, you can watch two episodes of “The Big Bang Theory”, have a good long chat with a freind, enjoy a good read, a glass of wine a  cup of tea, bake bread, listen to a CD and even write a blog post.

However most of us use this extra hour for something as mundane as sleeping, we catch up on what we have missed out on during the week, month and sometimes it feels like year. We snuggle down and enjoy an extra hour of cosy warmth and happy dreams. Maybe we even wake up early and smile, enjoying the fact that we have an other hour of blissful peace before the day starts up again. Yes it is something to cherish, delight in and savour. Sadly this present of an extra hour gets snatched away in spring, when are clocks jump forward ripping us out of our dreams an hour earlier than normal.

This quirky habit of changing time is of course all down to daylight saving, making sure we don’t overuse our light-bulbs and save some energy. But for me I take it like the comedian Victor Borge:

I don’t mind going back to daylight saving time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I’ve saved all year.

witching hour

Tags

80's hits, dancing, gouls and ghosts, halloween, miscellaneous, photography, random, witches, witches hat

Yesterday I bumped into Snow-white while strolling down O’Connel Street and when I hurried to the post office this morning the Wolf and little Red Riding Hood playing hootch-scotch on the pavement.  Halloween is upon us with its purple and orange decorations and grinning pumpkin faces.

So when a friend asked me if I wanted to join her on her favorite holiday and get all dressed up to go out I agreed, but this was last week. So when she doubled checked with me yesterday afternoon I was shocked into action trying to figure out how to create a last-minute costume. My friend has been preparing for weeks, making a cardboard baby-grand and buying a sequined jacket, she even has a wig to perfect her Liberace outfit. So I knew, no matter what I pulled together I would look a little pale in comparison. But I didn’t want to let her down and remembering I own a witches hat, a gift don’t ask, I rummaged around in my wardrobe for a black dress with wide sleeves.

I sat down to wait for the the text with our meeting details, clicking my buckled black shoes happy with my outfit, maybe not Liberace but a recognizable with none the less. However when the text finally came our outing was canceled due to a headache and other reasons and I felt a little bit silly sitting in my living room with long stripy socks, pig tails and a black and yellow velvet witches hat. But because I didn’t what to waste the dress-up I put on some music and danced to my 80’s hits and poured myself a glass of red.

And as the hands on my clock moved towards the witching hour I changed into my pyjamas and sat down in front of the fire, leaving the witching up to all those real witches and ghosts, who spook  around at night.

waiting for a the little gouls and ghosts

Film review: Skyfall

Tags

007, Adele, Daniel Craig, entertainment, Film Review, Films, James Bond, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, m, Naomie Harris, Q, Sam Mendes, Skyfall

Bond is back, and this time instead of battling a suave international ring of villains he is up against a much more personal advisory.

The opening sequence of Skyfall is a fantastic chase over the rooftops of Istanbul, with 007 (Daniel Craig) in heavy pursuit of an unknown vital source of information.  Bond’s glamorous and sassy colleague Eve (Naomie Harris) tries to keep up and finally has to make a difficult decision when M (Judi Dench) gives the green light.

But after the turbulent start of the film the plot becomes more personal. We are given insight in to Bonds psyche, his relationship with M and his origins. However the main storyline circles around M, the original Bond Girl, who not only treats her 00-boys mean but keeps them keen too, ensuring fierce loyalty but triggering underlying resentment as a result of it. And when it suits her needs she disposes her boys with little concern of their health or safety.

A creation of M’s behaviour is the chilling villain Silva (Javier Bardem), an ex-agent whose feelings towards M are a delicate balance of lust, hate, love, envy and revenge. And because the only thing standing between him and M is Bond, Silva begins the hunt on 007, who is older, more ragged and not in best form.

Skyfall is not only beautifully shoot by director Sam Mendes, but he also manages to give Bond a modern twist for his 50^th anniversary. Ben Whishaw as Q represents the age of the geek, and as M explains to her critics the enemy is no longer a country but invisible, hidden in the shadows.

And never before has 007 been so relatable nor has the script ever been so funny, filled with sarcastically dry one-lines and dripping with British black humour. Mendes has given the oldest film franchise on the planet a facelift, and from the opening chase in Istanbul until the final shootout in the Scottish Highlands there isn’t a dull moment. Skyfall is a thoroughly enjoyable movie and Craig’s best Bond film by far, possibly even the best Bond film to date.

decoupage finis

Tags

bedroom, crafts, decoupage, diy, home, home improvement, miscellaneous, old newspapers, random

My fingers look like a disaster zone, chipped nails, paper cuts, some stubborn paint that just won’t come off and some dirt seems to have made a permanent home under my fingernails. But my wooden box and shabby bedside table look all the better for it.

After a few late nights of painting, slicing up old newspapers (I scarified some of ad pages I had from a 1891 issue of Graphic ) gluing the pieces into place (jigsaw-style) and varnishing the whole lot I have to say I am quite proud of the outcome.

the up-dated bedside table

the side view

just a detail

I wasn’t sure about the colour when I first started painting. It said burnt caramel on the tin but I just think it looks like tea with lots of milk, not really the shade of brown I was hoping for. But with the yellowing newspaper and the black ink breaking it up, I actually have changed my mind and quite like the hue.

looks like nearly new

detail

Of course the decoupaging took much longer than I thought it would, I really did underestimate  the time I needed to chop up the newspaper and  the arranging was trickier than expected. I only gave the the pieces a second varnish this morning at 7.30am, before I sleepily hurried off to lecture. But the dark bags under my eyes and lack of sleep dulling my thoughts  is a price I am happy to pay to now own these two beautifully unique pieces, if I may say so myself.

decoupage finis

I can’t wait to put them into my freshly painted bedroom and arrange my knick-knacks and bits and bobs on top and into them. My sleeping sanctuary is really coming together and I just can’t wait to fall asleep  tonight and wake up to such a beautiful place tomorrow morning.

brisk binders

Tags

binder, culture, entertainment, Films, hilarity, John Cusack, miscellaneous, Patrick Swayze, people, photos, random, Ryan Gosling, smile, wome in binders

With the US elections up in a few weeks time and voters debating the debates there has been no lack of jokes made about both of the main candidates. Since I can’t vote, being a non-citizen of the big United States, I can fully enjoy the fun. And since I don’t have much time to write about my extremely long day filled with teaching, cleaning, tidying, creating and just being I have decided to jump on the “hilarity-wagon” and spread some joy too. So enjoy my brisk binder blogging and maybe these will make you smile like they did me.

oldies are the best

but no putting Gosling in the corner

and who could say no to John Cusack

hulking out

Tags

car trouble, friends, hulk, miscellaneous, one of those mornings, random, upset

I am having one of those mornings, things just seem to be going left instead of right. Not a great start to a day that is meant to be filled with painting and I predict more than one spillage.

I got up bright and early, feeling good about the day I had planned ahead of me, looking forward to a bright new bedroom when I banged my foot on the corner of my bed and had to do the hoppy-de-hop to the bathroom,  giving out to everyone and everything even though I was on my own. Then I broke a frame while moving a picture out of the bedroom and I really thought things couldn’t get any worse, but they did, like they always do when you dare to think otherwise.

But the biggest coup of the morning was the fact that I broke my friends car. I have no idea how it happened and I really feel bad about it. You see she was over in London this weekend and generously left me her car to use, the only condition was to bring her to the airport and pick her up. So when I got into the car this morning, ready to go and collect up, I flicked on the windscreen-wipers and somehow, I am not sure how, I broke off the little lever. It must have caught in the sleeve of my jacket because the next thing I know was hearing a loud SNAP, followed by a clunk when the top of the lever hit the floor of the car.

At first I was confused and couldn’t quite compute what had happened, but that quickly turned to shock, then anger (at myself), which transformed into fury at the world. And the only coherent thought I had was: “Doesn’t the Hulk get angry before he breaks things?”  No I didn’t turn green, and no I don’t have superhuman strengths but obviously it was the only explanation my mind had for my mishap.

So as I drove to pick my friend up,  I shed a tear, felt sick and rehearsed my apology in my mind. But low and behold she wasn’t angry, didn’t hate me like I thought she would. Of course I will be paying for the damage but the relief I feel about her not being upset is priceless and has turned my frown upside down. And who knows maybe the Hulk is really good at painting and I’ll get my bedroom done in half the time.

thanks http://weknowmemes.com for lending me their image