caps, gowns and hat hair

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American College Dublin, cap and gown, celebration, donuts, graduation, graduation ceremony, hat hair, masters, MfA, writing

Yesterday the sun came out in Dublin to celebrate my graduation with me. It was an early start as all graduates had to try on cap and gown at 8.30 am. Everyone showed up dressed for the occasions, and while some cleavages were lower, some heels higher, some beards scruffier and some outfits more casual than others everyone looked great.

So gowns were shrugged on and caps placed on heads and I suddenly realized that I had never considered the possibility of hat hair as my freshly washed hair was plastered down by the black mortarboard balancing on my head. But I decided that was the price you pay for having the privilege of donning cap and gown when graduating.

The ceremony was long – some of the speeches even longer – but the atmosphere was great. even if the presidential election was barely mentioned (unusual for an American college in Ireland) and Trump’s name not uttered.

For me the biggest surprise was when I was handed my parchment and I discovered it was just an empty piece of paper rolled up  and tied with a blue ribbon. My degree still rests in the hallowed halls of the college and I’ll have to drop in an pick it up one of these days.

It feels great that I’ve achieved this goal can now call myself a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) even if I still think I may be only a Jack of all trades …

graduation parchment – just an empty piece of paper

celebratory donuts

celebrating my Masters

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cupcakes, Dublin, masters, perfect day, photography, photos, writing

You know those days where everything just seems to go wrong – you get up late, you spill your tea, you miss your bus and it just all goes downhill from there – well my Friday was the opposite of that. It was  a day filled with pleasant surprises.

The sun was shining so I walked into town as I was asked to teach a few extra hours, much to mine and my back accounts delight. The day went well, the students were great and I had exactly the perfect amount of material prepared, not too much as to be rushed and not to little as to run out.

I had to switch classrooms and buildings so on the way from one to the other I came across a little cupcake place that was doing a special so I purchased one on a whim – hazelnut and caramel –  a treat for later, it was if I knew I’d have something to celebrate.

On my way home the bus pulled up just as I got the stop and since the card machine wasn’t working I got a free ride. Back home a pair of free tickets to a film were waiting in my letterbox and the books I ordered last week arrived as I was shutting the door.

The guy who was  fixing the shower (it broke on Monday as I was washing the suds from my hair) had left and the show was working again, with a little extra power. But the best was yet to come, a ping into my emails and I found out I had completed my masters successfully. Relieved and happy I made myself a cup of tea and enjoyed my cupcake, celebrating my masters in the sweetest way possible, the perfect ending to a near perfect day.

last few days of Dublin

Tags

busy, Dublin, masters, stress, time

One, two, three – three full days left until I leave my home for the summer and I am starting to panic. Between the making lists of what to take and what to do I find that I all I want to do is curl up and read a book.

But since beaming hasn’t been invented yet and I don’t have staff to whip my the house into shape I will just have to bite the bullet and try and get everything done.

It isn’t so much the dread of packing for six weeks or the fact that I have to clean, which I hate, but that everyday life just keeps moving on, chewing up precious time. Today I am meeting my prof to talk about my masters, and I am truly dreading it as I am so behind, tomorrow I need to do some test editing for a really exciting job opportunity and then there is a meeting that I need to prepare for as it is about a project I will be working on while away.

As my stress levels rise the only thing that is keeping me sane is the fact that I know that while I only have three days left, it will also be over in three days too!

My 1960s wall-clock reminding me of what time I have left

short story static

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masters, psychology, short story, static, static thought, writing

On Friday I’ll be handing in my end of year short story final – 6.000 words (minimum) and at least two different stories. Since my short story attempts tend to be more minimalist than expansive, I’ll need to hand in three pieces of fiction.

While all of that isn’t really so much of an issue, and I do have two good, solid pieces (one I am particularly proud of), the third is creating a bit of a headache. Somehow I have entered a static phase, my thoughts are static and my writing is just not moving forward. And with time running out that is  not the most pleasant of feelings.

In psychology Static Thought is the term used to describe a child’s belief that the world is unchanging, that the world will always stay the same as it is in the present, and that the world has always been like that. And this is exactly how I currently feel about my story …

Somehow I can’t see where the story is going, and I am struggling to figure out where it came from. But my hope is that in a few short hours my story will have matured enough to allow for logical reasoning and complex thought structure and I can move forward. If so, the static will lift and the world will change and I will type like never before  – after all I do have a deadline looming.

hoping that the Muse will inspire me

 

one down, two to go

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editing, masters, novel, publishing, short stories, to much to do, words, work, writing

After two long weeks of typing, deleting and editing I handed in my novel writing final, 12.500 words of my novel plus 3.00 words of reflection, in all nearly 50 pages of words. Hard won and energy sapping words.

But once I handed the printed out pages in for my professor to collect, a burden was lifted from my shoulders and I decided to take a day. So on Saturday I spent time reading and in the afternoon my neighbour sat in the warm(ish) spring sun enjoying a chat and a cup of tea.

Sadly one day was all I could allow for as I now still have my short stories final and  publishing final to hand in. So with one down, and two still left to go my time is still filled with words.And of course there are still all of my corrections and grading left to do, and I still have to cycle in to do my contract work.

With that in mind I think it is safe to say that I won’t be bored or wondering what to do in quite a while. However as the temperature rises and the sun seems to be spending a little more time in the sky everything does come a little easier.

The biggest issue I am left with however is whether I should on my novel or on my short stories for my thesis. After all I’ll be spend  most f my summer with it and I wonder which one will be the better option.

So as I contemplate my options and try and concentrate on the job(s) at hand I think it’s time for another cup of tea and maybe a cookie, after all a cookie makes nearly everything better.

 

having a very Good Friday

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Easter, Good Friday, masters, novel, photography, photos, short story, sun, sunshine, writing

It’s half way through the day and I have to admit I am having a very Good Friday. That hour of extra sleep and a treat of a bagel for breakfast were the perfect start to bright and sunny day. Some light house work (yes my floors needed a bit of TLC) and a few cups of tea later and the day still stretches before me.

And while I still a good few items on my to-do-list I have decided to indulge in lots of writing time. With the summer break quickly approaching I need to sit down and type. I am behind with my novel and still am at least one short-story short so the hours will be filled with sentences – both long and short – carefully crafted (I hope) and perfectly phrased (I hope even more).

However, since the sun is out, I will take myself for a walk, soak up some rays of vitamin D, boost my serotonin levels and get that tiring melatonin down. And who knows maybe my hiding muse will come out and play for a bit – after all the sun is hard to resist.

the Easter bunny is keeping watch over my progression – until he is eaten

 

 

new beginnings

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back-yard, Dublin, job, masters, new beginnings, photography, photos, plants, spring, work, writing

Today is the first day of the second semester for my masters, so I am back to being a student again, even if only for a few hours a week. But this week there is another new beginning – I’m starting a new job tomorrow.

It may be only two days a week (I’m still lecturing after all) but it is a new endeavour with lots of new challenges. Over the next six weeks or so I’ll be writing a user manual for an interesting tech company here in Dublin. I’m quite excited about this, but also a  little nervous. After all I have written guides and a manual in the past but the are of tech is new to me, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to quickly adapt and produce exactly what the company is looking for.

And I spotted some new beginnings in my tiny back yard …  some tiny shoots of (I think) snowdrops have appeared on my windowsill and I can’t wait to watch them bloom. But this also means I need to carve out some time to tidy up my pots and windowsills and invite spring to come along.

deadlines and Christmas cheer

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Act like a Lady Think like a Man, christmas, deadlines, decorations, masters, Nikolaus, photography, photos, sweets, writing

With some of my college assignments due by tomorrow and Christmas less than three weeks away I feel a little bit stressed at the moment. But instead of giving in to the pressure I decided it was time to give in to Christmas cheer instead.

With this in mind I decided it was finally time to unpacked some of my Christmas decorations, christmasfy my home and enjoyed unwrapping a Nikolaus surprise from my mum listening to Christmas music..

And I have to admit that writing came easier surrounded by decorations and candlelight. The only problem is that while time is still moving on and my word count has become stagnant, my inspiration has waned.  So now, as I sit next to angels and Santa Clauses, I can’t help but still feel the stress, after all my deadline is fast approaching.

Willing to try nearly anything I think it is time to blow out my advent candles and make a wish – one that will wake um my muse and slow down the minutes as they tick by.

a beautiful new skate to add to my Christmas tree shoe decoration collection

my Adventskranz with two candles lit to countdown the Sundays until Christmas eve

some Christmas treats to help pass the time

window decoration to brighten up the view

deadline panic

Tags

deadlines, masters, photography, photos, quote, typing, writing

hoping that this Muse will inspire me to and not just Goethe (Berlin)

Next week I have to hand in work for my masters and I am beginning to panic a little. After three days of banning myself from going anywhere and sitting at my desk I  am feeling quite frustrated.

Somehow the words just aren’t coming the way they should and I am very much behind on my word count. I can only hope that things will go better today and that words will drip from my fingers creating beautiful sentences.

As time ticks by my mind is spinning out of control, to many thoughts but no real ideas. But I have no choice but to keep typing and hope that somehow I will pull it off.  After all I knew once I started this Masters it would be hard work, and now I just need to press on and get it done.

Like American author Jack London so aptly put it:

You can’t wait for Inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

 

 

lunchboxes and sandwiches

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college, food, lunch, lunchbox, lunchboxes, masters, sandwiches, school, snacks

Going back to college has meant going back to making sandwiches in the morning. And while carving out those precious few minutes to prepare some satisfying food has been tricky, the reward is great when that grumbling tummy rears it’s hungry head.

But with making sandwiches comes the problem of transport. How does one get the painfully prepared food whole and not mushy to school? Well, my lovely and generous friend C. has now solved that problem in the form of a multipurpose plastic box.

Not only can I now safely transport my sandwich I can add a few other snacks as well – some yummy bites to tide me over until I can enjoy dinner at home. An added bonus, this folding box is green, my favourite colour.

Today it will have its first outing and I hope that it works out the way it should. After all no one likes soggy falling apart sandwiches.

my cube of food

folded out, carrots, apples and yogurt covered cranberries

and the final lid open to reveal my sandwich