Rain, Races, and Fiddles!

You guys it has been raining/snowing/sleeting for at least the past ten days if not longer. I wish I were exaggerating but I'm not. The sun came out briefly this morning and it was the first time I had seen it in a long time. It's really miserable. I spent some time planning my trip to San Francisco (which isn't till June) to try and cheer myself up.

Somehow I have managed to pack in some early morning runs before the rain. I think I should get a medal. And I'm still doing hot yoga and I am less sore than I was after the first class. Progress!

The festival my play is in, Collaborations '13, has launched! I have been rehearsing and rewriting. It's getting exciting! We had a fundraiser and reached our goal, thanks to those of you who funded us! Now we can make some theatre!

Speaking of theatre I've seen two plays in the last week. The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle by 15th Oak Theatre Company and Follow by WillFredd Theatre Company. Both were beautiful, inspiring and thought-provoking pieces of theatre. If you get a chance to see either I would highly recommend!

I took the Irishman to a trad music concert as part of the Temple Bar Tradfest. You'd think it would be the other way around, right? That my Irish boyfriend would take me to experience some Irish culture. But alas, he is a philistine and I have to show him the arts. The first act was The Sands Family, and while they are a talented group, they really weren't my style. A little too over-sentimental for my taste. The next act was Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, the reason I dragged the Irishman to the concert in the first place. I saw them perform in California before and they really are amazing. I love the way the can improvise together as if they can read each others' minds. The crowd went crazy for them and as it was performed in the Christchurch Cathedral the acoustics were incredible.

Yesterday the Irishman took me to the horse races! This was the first time that I had ever been to a horse race and I must admit I was a bit naive about the whole thing. I think I read too many books like Black Beauty and Seabiscuit. I put on a few bets, based purely on whether or not I liked the horses' name, and I didn't make a penny. The Irishman won two bets. Not exactly a great day for winning. But it was still great fun despite the rain. And I felt like a local sitting back with a hot whiskey and complaining about my losses. Next time I have been told we are going to a fancy race where I can dress up. Just like in My Fair Lady. Come on Dover!

I took that photo in the blue twilight of a cold evening the other night.

That's all for now!

Happy 2013!

Happy New Year! I am returning from yet another hiatus. I went home or rather to California which is where my parents live so therefor it is home. I think that is the only way to make sense of it. Where is home? It's causing a bit of an identity crisis. When I was leaving Dublin and going through US immigration in Ireland (confusing, yes) the officer said welcome home. As in I was back in the US even though I hadn't even gotten on the plane. Mind boggling.

Anyways, I was in California for Christmas with my parents, brother, aunts, uncle and cousins! It was great. We did everything that a perfect, wonderful family should do. Eat and drink copiously. That is the true meaning of Christmas. And amazingly, I don't have a dysfunctional family at all. That may be our only dysfunction-that we love each other and are happy to be together, eating and drinking being an extra perk. Ok I will stop bragging.

I ate all the avocados as I planned to do. As well as sushi. I even went to a Peruvian/Japanese fusion restaurant which was amazing. I drove my yellow mini all over until it sort of broke on me. I hope it can be fixed. There were many dolphin, pelican, and seal sightings and some elusive whale near-sightings. Many beautiful sunsets. We decorated the Christmas tree and put out farolitos. My dad took my out on his boat and I got soaked by another boat's wake sloshing over the bow. He had to buy me a new pair of pants. Oh well. At least I didn't get tossed overboard. I basked in the sun. I ran. I chopped off all my hair and sent it to Locks of Love. I went to Whole Foods at least four times and bought a bacon flavoured ice cream sandwich (only in America would this be possible). And yes, it was delicious.

I got back to Dublin the morning of New Year's eve and crawled straight into bed. Then I got all dolled up and the Irishman and I went into town without a plan for the evening. Normally, I would have thought this would be a bad idea, as NYE is a busy night and places are booked out weeks in advance.  But luck was on our side. We strolled by a restaurant, Hugo's, which looked really nice and went in to see if they had any tables. They had just had a cancellation and we nabbed the last table. Then we went to a fancy schmancy hotel for drinks before dinner. The place was jammed, as I expected, but we got two seats by the window where we could see the fireworks going off over St. Stephen's Green. Lucky twice in a row? I know. Dinner was amazing. I had venison and the Irishman had rabbit. And for dessert the creamiest creme brulee I have ever had in my life.

Last year new years got off completely on the wrong foot. This year was an evening filled with luck and delicious food. That's why I think 2013 is going to be my year. It has to be. I will make it be my year. I am going to hit the ground running, literally and figuratively. Yesterday I went to my first hot yoga class. It was incredible. Although, today I feel as though I have been hit by a truck.

And I am writing/performing a one-woman play! It is going to be in a festival at the end of February. I am very excited and nervous, but in order for it to happen we need to raise some funds. So I will shamelessly ask for money. Click here to donate. You have my immense gratitude.

I hope everyone else has a wonderful year ahead! Thanks for reading!