Olympics, Olympics, Olympics!

Olympics and dissertation.

That’s all I’ve really got to say about the past two weeks.

Now, for the first time I have no pictures. Everyday has literally been me getting up at eight working on dissertation, Olympics, and then going to bed. I haven’t even really been into city centre lately. I’ve some photos of food that I’ve cooked over the past two weeks and you can check that out over on my Instagram, otherwise things have been pretty mundane.

Can't forget about the Olympics though!

I was always an athletic child, and for being a bit chubby, boy did I love all sports. I was always on a sports team through my childhood and even now I love watching so many different sports. One of my favourite weeks in gym during primary school was when I opened the doors to see the gymnastic equipment. Every since then artistic gymnastics have always been a passion of mine to watch- unfortunately I grew a little too tall to compete when I was younger.

I absolutely LOVE watching the Olympics, you can ask any of my housemates and they’ll back me up. Not only does it bring nations together but also all the sports that normally go unrecognized finally get a chance to be in the spotlight. It’s been an incredible past two weeks and I’m so sad that it’s over now…. however I’m betting I’ll be able to do a lot more dissertation work now that it is over.

Japan 2020 can’t come soon enough!

Short and sweet, I guess that’s all I really have to say about the past two weeks. Come September 1^st I’ll be able to have a normal life again and now be one big ball of stress.

Pray for me!

xxkim

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Hamilton.

I finally got  a chance to listen through the soundtrack and now

I sooooo want to see the play. Absolutely astounding, Lin-Manuel is a beast.

 

Food, Films and Festivals

As with every new house, there are bound to be problems.

Although Rob, Lisa and I have encountered more than our fair share of little ‘bumps,’ I can safely say our house is slowly turning into a home.

On the weekend we did throw a housewarming party to celebrate all of us finally moving in, and it went off without a hitch…. For the most part. Monday was mostly dissertation work and it’s finally hitting me how close I am to having to submit my thesis. I have no idea where this summer has gone and I’m scared how quick August is going to move along.

On Tuesday I went to see Finding Dory and it didn’t disappoint! Pixar delivered another winner, and the sequal lived up to all the hype around it. Plus the short shown in front of the film was cute and entertaining as always, it may even move into my top five Pixar shorts. I may have even enjoyed Finding Dory more than Finding Nemo… but you can’t have Dory without Nemo.

Wednesday jump-started my want to cook and bake more so I made shepherd’s pie for Rob, Cormac and Joey- Lisa is back in Germany for the week. It wasn’t my best but the boys were happy and had no complaints. It was a simple, no-fuss recipe: the base was made of vegetarian mince, onions, carrot, spinach, peppers, peas, mushrooms, and then topped with homemade gravy, potatoes and a little bit of cheese.

Thursday was another movie night and then Friday was pizza night! We went and bought ingredients and even made our own crust. Deliciousness all around.

Saturday my friend Leo and I went into city centre for the Dublin Rock n’ Roll festival. We saw a fashion show and then stayed for some live music by the Louisiana Six- there was such a sexy red double bass, I think I drooled a little. It's been a while since I listened to live music and the rock band was solid. 

Good weather, good company, and just an all around fantastic day.

A few friends stayed round Saturday night and then we made a feast of pancakes the next morning. I mean we all had seven or eight each, I was more than a little comatose for the next couple hours.

And here we are now. So much research and writing over the next three weeks and more than a few breakdowns.

xxkim

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Lots of Koala Kontrol this week.

My favourite has been Wander | A Chill Mix

A Month Needed

Well it’s been a month.

To be completely honest I consciously made the decision to take a month off of blogging to concentrate on the end of term assignments. I didn’t want to keep making the excuses of having nothing to talk about because of work, so I decided to take a step back for a bit… but now I’m back with a vengeance and since summer is nearly upon us, I’m gearing up for some more adventures!

Gorgeous sunset from the back garden.

To catch up on the last month- yes Mother and Father I am finally filling you in- I wrote a full short film script, completed multiple presentations, hung out with friends and watched Game of Thrones, pigged out on Romanian Easter treats, and got mild pneumonia.

Let’s go back to where I left off. 

The beginning of April, Easter Sunday to be exact.

After a lovely weekend filled with Easter activities it was back to work once Tuesday came rolling around. On the weekend though I was able, yet again, to meet up with one of my friends from Australia. When I left there I thought I wouldn’t get to see these people for five years, and yet I’ve already had so many reunions and so many more to come! Hannah and I only had a short time to catch up so we just walked around Dublin and talked about the past year and a half. Luckily it was a beautiful day and it was good to be out and about just walking around.

Hannah being a cutie.

I have to mention the weather before moving on because it has been so mixed as of late. Now I come from New England, a region in the USA where it’s not abnormal to experience four different seasons in one day. However, in Dublin you can experience a season from one hour to the next! During the last weeks of April I swear there was this one stretch of five days when it hailed every single day. You always have to be prepared around here, BUT May has brought out some incredibly sunny days and I’m finally starting to get in the mood for summer.

Not only did April 21^st mark the date of my best friend’s birthday, but it also was my last day of lectures… possibly the last in my life. 

When I finished my baccalaureate I didn’t feel as though it was all ending since I knew I was going to get my masters, and yet now that I know my education is finally coming to a close, my mind doesn’t quite know how to processes it. Don’t get me wrong, I have two assignments due next week and I still have to write my dissertation over the summer, but the end is tangible and I can’t yet tell whether it’s foreboding or exciting. All I know is that it’s coming and I should take it in stride.  

My friends Cormuck, Kieran, and JC

The end of April came and just as I was getting excited to travel to Edinburgh to visit Steph and Chris before my final study period started. I had spent the last week hanging out with friends, and just generally enjoying the last week of classes, however it went downhill quickly.

I got sick. 

At first I brushed it off as nothing more than a common cold- something that I could easily handle while traveling.  Boy was I was wrong. 

I went to the doctor’s before my flight on Thursday for a follow up and unfortunately my results came back with mild pneumonia. This meant no Edinburgh for me.

I had been looking forward to this for months and now I had to cancel at the last minute. Not only was this going to be the last opportunity to see Steph before she heads back to Australia, but it was going to be my first time back in Scotland for nearly 9 years! My parents told me to chin up though, and I like to believe everything happens for a reason.

Before I end the update here, I want to make a shoutout to my Grandmother for her 88^th Birthday and also to my Mom for Mother’s day.

Love you both to the moon and back!

I guess that’s all for now so see ya next week!

xx Kim

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Song: Ain't No Sunshine

Artist: Bill Withers

Friends, Fun and Paddy's Day

Over the past two weeks I've had my share of adventures, reunions, and just plain amazing times with both new and old friends.

Let's start out two weeks ago. On the Thursday before Paddy's Day, Maxi and Jana arrived from Germany and we had a reunion party to celebrate their return. We had some pre-drinks at a friend's and it was so good to talk with them face-to-face instead of in text or over a computer screen. By the end of the night it felt as if they never left.

Sunday we went into Howth and I finally got to experience the markets there. The pier was so foggy and you couldn't really make out anything but it the photos came out nice.

Looking across the pier- no editing, just pure fog.

Maxi, Jana, Emma, and I

The foggy Howth Pier

The next few days were generally relaxing and I had to say goodbye to my Germans again but also hello to my Aussie. Steph and I hadn't seen each other for a year and a half and Tuesday was spent catching up. Wednesday we had a mission to get suited up for Paddy's day- yes, we went full tourist but it was fun.

Steph and I waiting for the parade to start.

Since we were out late Paddy's Eve, Steph and I didn't get into town until late but we still managed to get a spot for the parade. The theme this year was 'the future' and some of the floats edged on an open ended interpretation. It started almost an hour late, but the wait was worth it. The marching bands were definitely the highlight! For being the largest outside of NYC, I was not disappointed.

So. Much. Green.

Friday and Saturday were Belfast and traveling around northern Ireland. There was definitely an influx of Americans everywhere and it felt strange being surrounded my my native tongue once again. Steph and I went on a tour of the north coast and saw sights such as the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge- if you're scared of heights I do not recommend!- and the geological landmark of Giant's Causeway. I never knew the full myth of how Giant's Causeway came to be formed, but learning it definitely put a smile on my face. Let's just say if involves hubris, pranks, and a onesie.

The view on Carrick-a-Rede.

Tourists flocking over Giant's Causeway.

Yes, you can climb to the top of the rather steep hills.

The sights were amazing as always- Ireland hasn't disappointed yet!- but Belfast itself wasn't quite what I was expecting. Its kind of hard to explain, but  I'll have to go back and really explore the city.

Uni started back up on Monday and the reality of how much work I have to do is finally starting to set in. It's a bank holiday Monday so I'm determined to get as much as possible done this weekend.

Happy Easter!

Psyched to go back to Edinburgh at the end of April and I cannot wait to reunite with Chris and Steph again.

Let's just pray I survive the next month.

Xx kim

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Song of the week

Panic! At the Disco-  Death of a Bachelor

Jinxed

The inevitable has happened.

I’m finally sick.

Oh Spring...

Up until I came back from Australia I was always known as the ‘sick one.’ In year six, I missed a grand total of 49 school days and if I didn’t have good grades I would have been held back due to my multiple absences. However, I’ve only had minor illnesses since coming to Ireland but I think I finally jinxed myself…. I also blame spring allergens…. A runny nose and congestion won't hold be back though since I've a busy weekend ahead of me.

 Starting out last Wednesday, myself and a few friends went out to celebrate our friend Alan’s 22 birthday. Da Baby is growing up so fast.

We all returned to Whelan’s for their silent disco night, and although the tunes weren’t as banging as the last time, the good company made up for it. I also met a Canadian that lives about an hour away from Montreal, and so we talked about our favourite spots. It was my first time talking to someone about some place other than Boston.

The Bleeding Horse for Alan

My weekend was spent doing uni work and naught much else, but it was nonetheless a very much needed relaxing weekend.

Last night, Tuesday, a few of us got together and had a karaoke night because why not? At these events I usually have a drink or two to really let loose, but I must say it was a nice break to just hang out and have a good time.

It still amazes me to think that I’ve only known these people for about five months because it’s hard to imagine a life before knowing everyone.

Xx Kim

……

I have no idea where the time has gone, but I’m happy to say that some reunions are quickly approaching!

Maxi and Jana are coming back in March, and also my friend Steph from Australia is joining me for Paddy’s Day! I can’t wait to be the ultimate tourist! At the end of April Steph and I are joining our friend Chris for a weekend in Edinburgh, it’s been over 8 years since I have traveled there and I know we’re going to have amazing adventures!