workin' hard (and/or hardly working)

We have a new roommate! A lovely young lady named Mary has moved in. She's from Australia and is a friend of Julia's, and she's really nice. Also, she has five tattoos... so now there are three dark-haired tattooed women living at 6 Earls Island.

This week has been almost entirely devoted to working on the first chapter of my thesis. With the exception of seeing the new Indiana Jones film on Tuesday, going out dancing on Thursday night, and spending much of Saturday reading for enjoyment and watching old episodes of Doctor Who (hey, I have to get something out of the weekend), I have spent most of the week at the library, reading and writing. (I have about 13 or 14 pages so far, and the chapter is about half done, I'd say.)

Today, it was gorgeous outside, hot and sunny, so for most of the early afternoon Julie and I laid out in the garden in our bathing suits, enjoying the sunshine. I took the time to work on my thesis some more, bringing my laptop outside. (And I discovered that the wireless signal is just as strong out there as it is in my room!) After getting too hot, I went and sat at Java's for a couple hours, where I got a pot of tea and worked on my thesis a bit more.

Things learned today:
-Stephen Watt is one of the best critical writers on Irish melodrama.
-My favorite black tea is Assam.

bisy backson

Wow, Sunday already? This week flew by. On Thursday morning, I went to the Social Welfare Office in Galway and signed up for a Personal Public Service, or PPS, number. This allows me to work in Ireland! I'm really hoping to get a job for the summer... it's going to be necessary if I want to, y'know, eat and pay rent. It was also kind of comforting to go there, get a form, take a number, wait in a lobby, etc. It was exactly like going to the Secretary of State's office in the U.S., which is further proof that bureaucracy is the same wherever you go.

I've also been very busy, with schoolwork, meetings, writing... currently I'm juggling about four things.

-PhD application. This requires a writing sample, a CV (like a resume), a cover letter, and the names and contact information of two references. I have both my references, and I know what I'm going to use for my writing sample. It's due on 14 March, but it's also advantageous to get these things in early, so I'm hoping to turn it in this week.
-MA thesis. I don't really need to start really working on this until April, but I'm trying to get a topic nailed down. I have a thesis adviser, and I've read about five books in the last week to try and narrow down my question. Right now, it's gone from "something to do with Irish theater and colonialism" to "J.W. Whitbread, the Queen's Royal Theatre, and something to do with imperialism."
-mid-terms. Really, just my first mid-term, which is due on 29 February. I've started to do some research for it, but I haven't gotten as far as I'd like. That's a goal for the coming week.
-regular class reading. Jeez. On top of everything else.

As far as the PhD application goes, I'm trying to get that all wrapped up this weekend. I'm currently working on my CV, which has been an interesting process-- I've never had to write one of these for an academic reason! The main difference is you don't include your work experience, but instead go into detail about relevant courses you've taken. Writing CVs and resumes is always an interesting process... it makes you realize just how awesome and qualified you really are. I also need to write a nice concise cover letter, and do some final revisions on my writing samples, and then I can hand the whole darn thing in. In addition to getting it in early, it will be nice to have one less ball in the air.


So that's been my week! Not as exciting, culturally, as last week... though, on Thursday (Valentine's day) I did go to a sonnet contest at a local pub. My friend Quincy won first prize for an English sonnet, and my Irish teacher Colette won first prize for an Irish sonnet. There was an a cappella group singing medieval love songs, free chocolate, and free champagne. If I have to spend Valentine's day without my boyfriend, that's a good way to do it!

it's that time of year again...

Yes indeedy, it's that magical time of year that transforms every student into a caffeine-fueled pile of stress that is just this far from a nervous breakdown. I'm speaking, of course, of finals.

I have one essay turned in already, one started, and one that I don't even know where to begin. (It's history, my weakness. I haven't taken a history class since I was 14, and I haven't the slightest idea how to write a history essay.) So I won't be giving you anything insightful this week, I'm sorry. My last essay is due on 10 December, next Monday I believe, so if I don't give you an update next Sunday that's why... but I'll make up for it with something substantial later on. Our class is going to Dublin on Thursday for a "research field trip"-- we'll be going to the Royal Irish Academy, the National Library of Ireland, and the National Archives of Ireland for presentations on how to research their material. I'm excited, if only because I love Dublin. A lot of people here don't care for the city, but in the short two months I lived there, I really fell in love with it.

Anyway, to make up for the lack of content, I give you a panorama of Galway that I made. (Click on the picture for the full size!)

Galway city at dusk, from a hill near my house. You can see the bay and the dome of the Cathedral.

Righty-o. Back to work.