Alone again (naturally)

[trinityofone]

I'm baaaaaaaack! I mean, hi.

So my family left this morning. Mostly, the visit went very well: I was happy to see them, they were happy to see me, and their greatest criticism was that I hadn't put up more posters in my room. (Me: I decided that I would rather be able to eat than decorate. My mom: Even poor peasants try to make their space homey. Why don't you clips some pictures out of magazines and make a collage? Me: Because last I checked, my life isn't part of the nouvelle vague. [Okay, I didn't really say that last bit.]) We did a lot of stuff and I had a great time, although I'm very much feeling that I could use a vacation from this vacation, especially since my dad gave me his cold.

But they gave me other stuff, too! We were doing Christmas as "See something you want in Dublin, tell us what it is, and we will buy it for you (within reason)" this year, so I got to choose everything myself. Prezzies:

1. Don't You Have Time to Think? by Richard P. Feynman (Feynman was very much the type of man I would like to see Rodney become in 20 years. Minus the thing with bongos. *g* )
2. Creating Web Pages in Easy Steps by Nick Vandome (Finally!)
3. Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
4. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (*vbeg*)
5. Flannel PJs
6. A beautiful wool throw from the Avoca handweavers (Perfect for when I'm working at my computer--IOW, 98% of the time)
7. The complete first series of the new Doctor Who (It comes in a TARDIS! *geekgasm*)

I have excellent taste!

My parents also brought me presents from my aunt (A California Farmers' Market shirt) and my uncle (Nick Drake's Bryter Layter). Oh, and slodwick made me this:


*loves*

The best thing, though, is that my parents brought me the correct kind of charger for my camera, so I can take pictures again! Many were taken over the last week, so I'm going to break them into smaller groups. I'll start you off with:

Dublin Signage


All signs in Ireland are bilingual--English and Irish. This is out in Ballsbridge (British Islands place names = win!), which is a really posh neighborhood that I'll post more about later.


This is what Irish traffic lights look like: in the foreground, you can see the signal for cars; in the background, the one for pedestrians. *shakes head* It's the little differences, man.


And these are Irish exit signs. Or as my brother dubbed them, "This way to the monolith!" (This one is from the Guinness Storehouse, BTW.)


Dublin is a city of contrasts. *g*


No, really.

It's also a city with some of the best shopfront signage I've ever seen.


South Great George's Street.


O'Connell Street.


An arcade on O'Connell.


A jewellers on O'Connell.


Somewhere south of the river--possibly Leeson Street. Baggot Street!


Wicklow Street, just after sunrise.


And again, with a warning.


I still have no idea what this means.


Or this, really.


This is pretty clear.

And then there's the graffiti.


A post box near St. Stephen's Green.


On one of the derelict buildings behind Trinity College.


The Simpsons--International School of Cultural Relations.


Near the Guinness Storehouse, a reminder of why we should all pretend to be Canadian.


And again, with my father, myself, and my brother, standing around like we're posing for an album cover. (Possibly something by The Smiths?)


In Sandycove (about which more later), this cracked me up.

But not as much as this:

And frankly, I'm confused. The first sign provided the helpful red slash, but this one, not so much. Therefore, is it a warning, or a recommendation? *g*

And finally, my favorite sign in all of Dublin, gracing the bottom shelf of my bookcase:


More to come!

And finally, I'm at something like skip=200 bagillion, so if you said something to me in the last week, can you just poke me or link me or wave your arms and stomp your feet? I'm paying attention now, I swear. Well, mostly.

Comments

[wychwood]

Yay! You're back! *flails some*

Whee, photos! :) But I don't understand your deal with the pedestrian crossings and exit signs, those look totally normal to me ;)

3. Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Yay! Didn't I, like, rec this to you last week? And were you going to get it anyway?

7. The complete first series of the new Doctor Who (It comes in a TARDIS! *geekgasm*)

I just ordered this myself *g* Have you seen it?

(and Merry Christmas, all that sort of thing)

[siria]

Hee. That arcade on O' Connell Street belongs to a cousin of mine. *hums "It's a small world."*

Somewhere south of the river--possibly Leeson Street.

*peers* I think that might be Baggot Street, actually.

The 'Disc Machine' sign is pointing you towards a machine where you can buy tickets for on-street parking. Two or three euros an hour, I think. Otherwise you get clamped, which isn't pleasant.

And I can't believe you didn't take one picture of a certain hairdressing establishment!

[darling-effect.livejournal.com]

All the signage is indeed swoon-worthy. "Prams Car Seats Cots & Buggies" is a favorite though. You half-expect them to advertise horse-drawn carriages as well!

Glad you had a lovely holiday.

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

OMG OMG SANDYCOVE!! God, it's so gorgeous, and... does this mean you've read At Swim Two Boys? *has had dinner with Jamie O'Neill and totally looks for chances to boast about this to anybody who might have actually heard of him omg*

And wow, the pictures... I've only been to Ireland the once, but that's the Dublin I saw, and thankyou for capturing it so well. (Though I'm amused you mention the streetlights, cause that was one of the things I first noticed when I went to north america as being disorienting. :)) And I love the Smiths album cover, heh.

And also, y'know, squee for Dr Who and Rodney is TOTALLY going to end up being the new Feynman - *geeksquee!* - cause while the bongos not so much, the writing snarkily brilliant books which explain science is just, yes. Genius. Has to happen. :D ("Surely You're Joking, Dr McKay?" maybe. Heh.)

Yay, Ireland!

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

Oooh... I adore the album cover! *giggle*

Man. Now I want to take out my camera again!

[darcydodo]

Awesome! Also, you look great in the leather jacket. I'm so glad that we delayed going to lunch for ten minutes so that you could find it and buy it. ;)

But... no gloves? No scarf? Isn't it cold??

[lyra-sena.livejournal.com]

*pines* I loved Ireland so much when I was there. And the pedestrian lights! I have pictures of those as well, because they amused me so very much. There's a shop in Galway whose sign reads in big blue letters, "HAIRY LEGS". I have no idea what the shop is all about, but I do have a funny picture of me standing in front of it with my skirt raised.

[siria]

Oh, crap. I just opened one of my CD cases and realised it has one of the SG-1 season 2 discs in it. So you either have one empty case, or one case which contains a Decemberists album. Crap. I'll give you the right disc when next I see you, if that's okay. Mea culpa.

[spazatron.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Awesome signs. I especially like the car going over the cliff.

PUT YOUR PHONE ON LOUD. (Hint.)

[aurora]

Pictures!

Wow, Irish looks incredibly weird/mysterious. Do you speak it, btw?

"This way to the monolith!" :D:D I think the Belgian are exactly the same, so I wouldn't have noticed anything strange about it.

I love, love the Murphy's/church-y building contrast.

The Wicklow Street is so pretty. Also, it reminds me of Magritte's 'Empire Des Lumières' because of the strong light/dark contrast.

Simpsons! USSR! ♥

And I think that's the first pic I've seen of you. It would make a fine album cover. Perhaps for The White Stripes. Alternatively, for The Streets.

Welcome back.

Re: Yay, Ireland!

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

Also, I have a wee challenge (http://www.livejournal.com/community/picfor1000/28094.html), if you're interested.

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

Didn't I, like, rec this to you last week? And were you going to get it anyway?

You did! And I kinda was. (I've read some of the later books--out of order *shame*) But you reminded me that I really wanted to, so thank you! And yay!

Have you seen it?

Prior to receiving the DVDs? No. But I've watched about six episodes already and *loves* How much of the other versions have you seen? I've caught a few episodes of the Tom Baker incarnation, but that's it, so I must make an effort to reinforce my geek cred...

And a happy assorted holidays to you, too! *g*

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

That arcade on O' Connell Street belongs to a cousin of mine.

Ha, really? I must favor it with my patronage some time...

I think that might be Baggot Street, actually.

Ahh. *corrects* And thank you for explaining the Disc Machine sign--I'll have to tell my mother, because I think she might still be scratching her head. *g*

I can't believe you didn't take one picture of a certain hairdressing establishment!

I'm going to! I want to do, like, a Geek Tour of Dublin--so that, and a certain jewellers, and anything else you can think of...

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one of 'em's empty, but it's four discs in, and I really should not watch that much TV before my paper's finished, so don't feel too guilty. *g* Besides, it gives me an excuse to HUNT YOU DOWN. *vbeg*

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

I LOVE signage. And, I don't know if I've ever shown you this, but so does my uncle, who's an artist whose work I think you'd really like. *pulls the first link off Google* Greg Colson (http://www.speronewestwater.com/cgi-bin/iowa/artists/record.html?record=19).

I also love how OLD Europe is. Which sounds stupid now that I've typed it, but you know what I mean. *g*

Glad you had a lovely holiday.

Thanks! I hope you did, too. And here's to a better 2006! *raises imaginary glass*

[siria]

Oh, but I do feel guilty. I'm neurotic like that. *chews lip*

Besides, it gives me an excuse to HUNT YOU DOWN. *vbeg*

Omg. Because I am normally so hard to trap! Though a geek tour of Dublin would be a very good thing. (I would almost be tempted to track down the R. McKay in Dublin whose account I had to deal with during my internship over the summer. Unfortunately, one of the other women got to deal with his phonecall. *mourns*) Also, if you're around next week, we could go squeal over Brokeback? It's showing at the IFI from the 6th, though apparently, it might be on at the UGC from the 30th.

[trinityofone.livejournal.com]

No! No guilt! And if you're neurotic like I am, I have just managed to make you feel guilty for feeling guilty. *eg* Vicious cycle, dontcha know.

I would almost be tempted to track down the R. McKay in Dublin whose account I had to deal with during my internship over the summer.

Er. *is also tempted* Because I'm thinking...the only thing sexier than Rodney would be Rodney with an Irish accent. ...Though that is probably less of a draw for you. =P

Also, do not get me started on the time I was once sort of maybe looking up BtVS names in the Los Angeles phonebook? And there was a SPIKE GILES listed? And I copied down his phone number and kept it in my cell's address book for THREE YEARS? Yeah. Let's avoid that whole subject.

As for Brokeback, yes, yes, a thousand times yes! At the earliest possible opportunity! When is good for you? Tomorrow I'm seeing jarsy in the afternoon, but 1) maybe she might want to come and 2) you guys should totally meet. Or, later this week and into next, I'm totally free except for some mysterious day that I'm supposed to go visit ilgattopardo in Belfast. Or when I'm supposed to be writing my paper, but really, who needs passing marks when you can have gay cowboys?

[siria]

Ahaha, the best thing about this comment is that I've just changed the sound my computer makes when I get a new e-mail, so this popped up to the dulcet tones of David Hewlett shrieking "Oh, wicked! This is all porn!" *happy sigh*

Actually, no. *peers at your icon* Is that the campanile in the background? Oh, that wins.

Though that is probably less of a draw for you. =P

Yeah, kind of *g* Though, since McKay is a Scottish surname after all... *pauses to consider snarky Scottish astrophysicist instead of snarky Canadian* Mmm.

And there was a SPIKE GILES listed? And I copied down his phone number and kept it in my cell's address book for THREE YEARS? Yeah. Let's avoid that whole subject.

Um. I. Kept looking up the aforementioned R. McKay in the customer inventory, along with the J. Sheppards, and worked out how far apart they lived from one another, and idled away many hours when I should have been working, coming up with weird AUs where they returned from Atlantis and had to live in a witness protection programme in Ireland. Because you know, it's safer here, with the less gun crime. Or something. And they couldn't live together, because it wouldn't be safe omg! Even though. You know. They kept their actual names. (In my defense, it was a very, very boring job)

As for Brokeback... I am probably going to be working Friday and Saturday night in the Nightclub from Hell, because I'm a masochist and need the money. I will hopefully be back up in Dublin shortly after that - say Monday or Tuesday? Sooner rather than later, anyway, because I am planning on taking advantage of the sales in order to buy an omgiBook. If you want to bring people along, sure! The more the merrier, says I. Or something similar, at least.

[airinshaw.livejournal.com]

So I'm guessing as you took photos of the Forty Foot that you've read At Swim Two Boys?

If so you should see this photo (http://pics.livejournal.com/airinshaw/pic/0001yrbx/s640x480) and and this one (http://pics.livejournal.com/airinshaw/pic/0001zz3g/s640x480) that I took when I was there recently with soupytwist, aneli8 and mrsronweasley.

Also - we met Jamie O'Neill and had a brilliant dinner with him - as you can see (http://pics.livejournal.com/airinshaw/pic/0000ztp1/s640x480) from these photos (http://pics.livejournal.com/airinshaw/pic/00010y7t/s640x480).

And I chose to take the car-over-the-edge sign as a recommendation - which makes it a good job that my car was left in Leeds for the duration of my Irelandness no?

[nenar.livejournal.com]

Eeep. I have something to send to you, I've just been taking forever. I'll get on it soon, hopefully.

In other news, I finally got an IPOD! You must impart Music-Wisdom on me. :)

I'm glad you had a good visit! We miss you.

[porntestpilot.livejournal.com]

*frowns at you* I have a collage on my front door. Of Rodney and John mostly. I am a sad sad person.

[wychwood]

Yay! Bujold rocks like a rocking thing. And I adore adore adore Cordelia's Honour especially. Cordelia is one of the few female characters I really truly love most of all. I mean, often I have female characters I like, but I always prefer one of the males - but in the whole Vorkosigan saga, no one can beat my love for her. She's just sooper great :)

I've basically not seen any Dr Who at all pre-Nine. But I love Nine, he's so great. I may expand my viewing at a later date... and of course there will be Ten soon.

[wychwood]

Um. I. Kept looking up the aforementioned R. McKay in the customer inventory, along with the J. Sheppards, and worked out how far apart they lived from one another, and idled away many hours when I should have been working

...just to butt in and say:

At my old job, I sometimes had to envelope-stuff form letters, and we had to pp them and there were hundreds of them and they were really boring and sometimes mostly I would pp them from fannish people? The number of auditors who may have received letters from eg Londo Mollari is... way too high.

*shamed*

[siria]

Hee! Though, in fairness, I would also write out letters from fannish people. Complete with appropriate handwriting (Rodney's looked like that of an over-caffeinated monkey, apparently). I never actually sent them to anyone, though.

[wychwood]

Heh :) Well, these letters were really dreary "thank you for your enquiry" form letters, and all we did was scrawl on them. I don't think anyone cared what we signed them with, so long as it wasn't actually rude. And I never did anything as complicated as letters from fannish people!