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.

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

who do I think I am

Tags

creativity, culture, idea, lables, Margaret Mead, miscellaneous, motivate, motivator, quote, random, thoughts, work

I was reading an article on how to discover your strengths and a little test at the end supposedly showed you yours. Not really one for tests I took it on a whim and the answer was: I am a motivator. I was a little surprised by the outcome as I do find it hard to motivate myself quite often but seemingly I am good at doing it to others.

As I read more about what this test meant by being a motivator the wider my grin spread, how did they know?  The results told me I would probably never spend a week in silent meditation but liked to work alone. Seemingly I am a good communicator who whats honest but fair feedback, who respects people and dislikes incompetence. I tend to put others before myself and people say I am creative, clever and cheerful. I did have to chuckle as I felt somewhat caught out, yes a week of silence  sounds like tourture to me, I despise dishonesty and I am a bit of a chatterbox. And as I like the sound of the three C’s, so I think I will just believe the test to be true.

The more I thought about what this little test had told me, the more I started to think about who I am, or who I think I am anyway. I do believe I am creative, a writer at heart who doesn’t really want to grow up and enjoys to play, laugh, dance and read. Very loyal to friends and with big dreams. But is that who I am, or how people see me?

We all go through life being labeled by people. First its our parents, siblings and family members. I was always the stubborn one, who did things her own way and was creative and quirky, a storyteller but naughty and cheeky, disobedient at times. Then it’s our friends and teachers who tell us who we are. I was clever but lazy, a talker who included others and was fair, but would also be mean if I disliked someone. At university the courses we take seem to but names on us, quirky, arty, nerdy, smart, caring etc. I think I was arty and quirky. Employers then take a turn and tell you, you are a good teamwork, innovative, creative, slow, late, tardy, unreliable, dependable, helpful etc. As a free-lancer I am all of the above and move … some I probably don’t even know about.

Of course labels can change as do boyfriends, clothes and sometimes even friends but are these labels really who we are, or are we all of what people think we are? I don’t know, but what I do know is that it is Monday morning and I have a whole week too find out if the label motivator really fits.

And as cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead once said:

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.