On to September!

My boss came back from her holiday and we had quite the time scrambling in the office to get this seminar together that we held last weekend these things always come together at the last minute. Friday I drove up to Leitrim, in the west of the country and bordering the North, with K. blasting U2 and speeding getting stuck behind tractors through the country side. We met F. at the hotel where we were holding the conference and had a nice dinner. K. turned in for the night and F. and I chatted with the barman for a while. His name was Patrick (typical) and he told me that he used to live in New York but returned to Ireland to live the good, simple life on his farm of 160 acres with cattle and sheep. Unfortunately for many farmers (Leitrim is major farm land) they must work a second job to keep their farm going, hence Patrick the farmer was also Patrick the barman. F. told me earlier that everyone has a story. She is right, especially here in Ireland where the ability to spin a good tale seems to be encoded in their genes. When F. and I drove back we passed all these 1950's era cars (there must have been a car show somewhere) and it reminded me of how in some ways the rural parts of Ireland are like entering a time warp, which I find really interesting.

View from my hotel room. Rough, I know.

Our seminar was a smashing success! We had a group from Leitrim and a group from Belfast together, using drama to communicate their experiences with the Troubles. Obviously there were different perspectives but everyone was able to work together and try and see the other's perspective. When I tell people about the work Smashing Times does many fall into the stereotype that I am working with the IRA and the people have guns and it's dangerous. In reality our work, for the most part, is with ordinary people who were swept into the violence and politics caused by the Troubles.

As we come upon the ten year anniversary of 9/11 F. and I have been talking about the fact that one particular act of terrorism can become more prominent in world media than others. I am not undermining 9/11 in any way at all, it was an extremely tragic event and has probably affected my life much more than I realize, however, Ireland has seen acts of terrorism for decades that rarely receive any media attention. When I first moved here I was surprised by the amount of U.S. coverage that I see on the news and in the past week there have been so many special documentaries on 9/11 (I am not even sure they are made by U.S. companies) I have to turn off the tv. I do not see how reliving the event ten years later helps anyone, in fact, isn't this what the terrorists would have wanted? The world sitting behind their television paralyzed with fear when, instead, we should be communication with each other, connecting and sharing each other's pain/hope/fear/happiness. Is this not what makes us human? Alright, there's my food for thought, it's been on my mind anyways. (And now is when I get put on a government list) Just kidding! Don't you love the first amendment?

Anyways, it has been good to be back in Dublin or The Big Smoke as it is sometimes called. I am not sure why, maybe to do with all the factories that would have been here during the Industrial Revolution? Yeah history! I finally finished Ulysses! It is probably one of the most difficult pieces of literature I have read to date. I am still mulling over it though I have really enjoyed seeing all the places that Joyce referenced in the book around Dublin, most of them have a plaque on the wall. Now what should I read next? Part of me thinks it should be something easy, but I don't really like mindless reading. Although I don't think I'm ready for War and Peace yet.

Wednesday I went to the cinema, this is a popular past time here, I think perhaps because it rains all the time. I saw Fright Night with Colin Farrell who makes a good vampire. Fun fact Dracula was written by an Irishman whose name is slipping my mind at the moment. See? I managed to twist a silly film into my experience of Irish culture. I am a genius.

Speaking of genius I saw the most incredible, brilliant, amazing play last night! (Finally a positive review). If you are in Dublin and you are reading this than get off your stupid computer and go see this play. If you are elsewhere allow me to elaborate. The Dublin Fringe Festival is upon us and my friend S. told me to be sure and see Corn Exchange's Man of Valour. So I trotted down to the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Trinity College completely unaware of what I was about to see. In fact, now it is a bit difficult to put it into words. The play is acted by one man who not only plays several characters but also makes most of the sound effects in a mime/commedia del arte style. The actor's talent combined with the detailed yet simple light design, sound design and videography made the play seem cinematic at times, yet still remaining a true piece of theatre relying on the imagination of the actor and the audience's willingness to use their own imagination to follow him on his journey. The play shows a man living a rather ordinary and even depressing life but it changes when he learns of the death of his absent father. That synopsis sounds trite. Just go see it. Really, when I think about it my brain kind of goes gahhhhhh kjnfsduhawdpi. No, I am not having a stroke. I am just having difficulty verbalizing my thoughts as I am still processing the play. If I could see it again I would but really I just want to say to the actor, "teach me your ways master." And then he would magically bestow his acting powers unto me. That's how it works, right?

Here I am, it's Friday, the sun is out (for once). It has quickly become autumn and I'm afraid winter will be here sooner than I'd like. I am off to Sligo for the weekend and then I'll be diving into work for the play that I am working on in the Fringe. Fancy, no?

Slainte!