sit down son

As mentioned on my facebook status earlier (because updating that takes far less time and I WAS TIRED, OKAY?!), I am now LEGALLY living in Ireland!

By which I mean I spent all day at the GNIB, which if I ever have to do it again, it will be too soon.

Not that it was like, horrifically painful or anything because I was super prepared and all. Mostly it was waiting for many, many hours. I've had this Magic Red Folder since I left Georgia into which goes all vital paperwork. So things like proof of fees paid, bank statement, receipts of big things, letters from the college (those from home, those collected here), handbooks, you name it. It all went into the Magic Red Folder that I took to carrying around all week as I collected MORE THINGS. The bank is sorted, by the by. The account exists and the check is IN it but not cleared yet because it's from the bank ACROSS THE STREET. Oh, banks. How I despise you! I should get my ATM card on Tuesday OR SO (and the check should clear by then) and I will be able to PURCHASE THINGS like...dishes. And pay my rent. Apparently I word things just right so that the financial officer like, is really nice to me about it. This is not the case for all unfortunate souls with banking issues, as I frequently have to prop the door so Kali can get inside the flat. I have no idea what I said, but I'm glad I said it!

I was going to segue neatly into something of importance or interest here, but I can't remember what. [EDIT: I was going to talk about BANK HOLIDAY meaning NO SCHOOL on monday and go from there, doh!] Instead, I will move towards Living in Ireland Part God Who Know: In Which Megan Goes to School at a Tourist Attraction

( And general notes about attending Trinity College Dublin on the whole. (as requested by Gabby) )

But ALL THAT enormous amount of stuff being said, I think I'll cease. As I've been typing for rather longer than I meant to and I'm due to turn up across the hall in a few minutes. I hope a few of you actually made it through and enjoyed that enormous ramble of epic proportions and that I've maybe given the curious a better idea of what my schooling is like, BECAUSE I DO GO TO CLASSES: FACT! It's not all pubs. The pubs just make better stories. ;)

More next time!

I HATE BANKING.

A LOT.

So I have 4 cards, 3 of which I actually use or will use. An account connected to my parents at Bank of America, my own account at Wachovia, a credit card that's tied to my parents and my own Capital One credit card which is BRAND SHINY NEW.

If you have never gone a-traveling, here's a tip- you actually have to CALL YOUR BANKS before you take off so they know it's you making those charges in a foreign country and don't decide to freeze your account, cause lemme tell ya, dealing with them from overseas is not an easy thing and it REALLY SUCKS not to have your debit card functional when you need it. Once they freeze it they can't just UNFREEZE it that easily, which likely means they'll mail you a NEW one with a NEW pin and it is tre annoying.

So you have to call them first.

I called Capital One first because it's new and shiny and they weren't too bad, even if I was plugging numbers in and recording responses and shit because I never actually talked to a person. But the option was THERE to do the calling thing, which was a bit of alright.

Bank of America was next on my list and I called and listened to all the options like 3 times and went "..." and hung up confused.

Wachovia was sweet and easy. Just chill on the line long enough and keep asking for "Other Options" and you WILL eventually get a human being. My human was very nice and helpful and I was very appreciative and I think I said thanks about five times.

So then I went back upon my dad's advice and called Bank of America again and just started mashing zero. ANOTHER TIP, FOLKS! Mashing zero is not something they tell you but is something that works. I GOT A PERSON! Who...transferred me to another person which was Not a Person but I ended up finally at a REAL person and that REAL person got it taken care of for me.

So in conclusion: Call your banks, mash zero if they're confusing. \o/

And hope I don't need to use any of my cards if I make it home at Christmas. @_@!




....Now I need to pack. ;_;
(two checked bags, no more than 50lbs, one carry on, one personal item and I sorta want a new purse, blast.)

So I mentioned in chat that I'm in Statesboro this weekend. Whiiiich I am And having a grand time too because I feel very MISSED. *_* I got tackled as soon as I walked in the door and LO AND BEHOLD, internet works this time around. So HI FOLKS. SORRY I'M NOT ON AT NORMAL HOURS.

I also mentioned a few days ago that my battery on my computer was being extraordinarily stubborn and going "plugged in, not charging." Well, it got worse. In that I could NEVER get it to charge anymore. So I mention this to Jen, one of the people who lives here and am talking about how I need to call Dell and get them to ship me a new one.

Turns out her Dell recently DIED and she got a new computer (Gateway) and the charger was just...sitting there.

SO NOW I AM PLUGGED IN VIA THAT AND CHARGING PERFECTLY! It makes my life happy. :D :D

Back to my normal tricks soon! For a while at least.

First of all, the cabin is AMAZING. It's. Well, it's literally on top of a mountain. Driving here can be vaguely terrifying, but it's alright. It's so NICE, but the bugs are weird. Not the point!

We went down into Gatlinburg today to do shopping and stuff and just see the basic sights and it was INSAAAANE and fun. We rode this thing up the side of the mountain that was basically like a ski lift, right? My sister is terrified of heights. She was in the little bench seat in front of us with a friend, me and my YOUNGER sister were behind her and making fun of her the whole time, just yelling out all the ways she could fall out and die. She wanted to kill us. It was amazing. THEN we walked around and went in all sorts of funny little shops and me, Birdy and Eric had "OLD TIME PICTURES" taken. In other words, they dress you up, take a picture, put it in Sepia and put it in a matting.

I now have a big picture of me with two guns and a whip that says "WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE." It's basically amazing. Yeah. I had to have the whip. >.> Dino and all, yanno. XD

Which reminds me to LOL at mm for sinking his ship. I love you guys XDDDD ♥

BUT, the point of this post.

TODAY, I went to the SINGLE, COOLEST MUSEUM IN THE WORLD. No, not Ripley's, though that's here. I don't really care too much about that one.

I went to the only Salt and Pepper Shaker museum in the world today. Yes, you heard that right. A museum for salt and pepper shakers. IT EXISTS. IT CONTAINS OVER 20,000 PAIRS OF SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SOME OF THEM WERE TOILETS. THERE WAS A WHOLE WALL OF CHRISTMAS. THERE WAS A WHOLE ROOM OF FOOD SHAPED ONES! It was the funnies thing og my life. We bought some too! Laura got NUNS. The salt one has a white habit and the pepper has a black one. Robin got owls that hug, mom got really fat pigs. There were ANTIQUES and GLASS and WOOD and METAL and COLORED PLASTIC. Various places from around the US had SPECIAL ones. Some were two parts of a famous building put together to make a whole! Some were connected! Some hung off things! Some...WERE JUST PLAIN ODD.

I mean, seriously. It was batshit. And amazing. And you should ALL BE INCREDIBLY JEALOUS.

Jaz. You have to go. It's $3. You HAVE to.

So it's been a few days since I updated, and I've finally come to the conclusion that I was, in fact, still drunk when I did so as less than two hours later I was attacked by the worst hangover of my life. I didn't empty my stomach again, but I felt like I should for the next two days. Trust me. Not an experience I intend to repeat. And I have a nice reminder of it on my wrist too as I discovered that I apparently burned myself with a cigarette at some point. It took some asking for me to find someone who remembered me doing it, because I sure as hell don't. But it's there clear as day--burn mark just to the hand-side of my wrist bone. Whoops!

So I stayed in Statesboro until Friday and drove home after it got dark. Let me tell you, I cannot even DESCRIBE how much more bearable that was. You all heard my whining about how I was going to die on the way down. People are not meant to be in shiny metal cars with no AC when the temperature is a solid 100+ degrees out. I don't want to know the heat index. *shudder* Driving home was in the 80's. SO MUCH BETTER. And the hangover was gone. Which also made life better.

But then, oh then! I woke up on Saturday morning to the CRAMPS from hell! Woe is me, the world hates my abdominal muscles this week! And that part wasn't even my fault! It's just the joy of being utterly female. So I am finally entirely UN-queasy and UN-cramped today for the first time since, oh. A week ago. Huzzah.

So I went out job hunting! Right now I'll be content with JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. I even tried for the liquor store. Which wasn't hiring but hey, I tried. I think I've got a good shot at some restaurant work though, which would be fun. I bet I could get good tips! I am very bright and cheerful. Usually. As long as I don't actually KNOW you. If I know you I feel that I have free reign to make fun of you for weeks.

One good thing that came of Saturday and the Cramps of Death, however, is that while having a girly chocolate movie night with my mom, she brought down this blanket that was MEANT to be mine months ago but was stolen by my sister who now decided she doesn't want it.

It is huge. It is fluffy. It is like a million teddy bears have been sacrificed and skinned to provide me with the most comfortable blanket in the world. Really, not a wise thing to give me if ou want me to get out of bed ever. O! how it is comfortable. It's like a series of teddy bears puked up all that is good and right in the world just for my immense comfort. And O! how I love it. And O! how jealous you all should be.

And on a final note which still embarrasses me a bit: I read and enjoyed all the Twilight books last week. They're strangely addictive and yes, I am horrified at myself that I put down m Joyce to read those instead. And yet, I cannot be unhappy about it because it was fun. And everyone I hold dear IRL has simultaneously decided to become obsessed with them so it's like, my life is full of Twilight and I don't even NEED fandom. Which is fun.

Oh wait! That is not my final note! I have been reading Harry Potter fanfiction like it's going out of style for OVER A MONTH NOW and I simply MUST give you ALL my opinion on the final Big Bang.

It is huge. It is fantastic. And nothing can ever, EVER measure up to Creevey at Large. It is the best thing ever. Ever ever ever. Dennis Creevey is my new homeboy. He is amazing. And MOON! CLOWNS. MOON. OH GOD! If you even have a passing interesting in Harry/Draco fanfic and love really big really creative really FUNNY fanfictions, READ IT NOW. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!!!

Okay. I'm done now.

I should do this more often to SAVE YOU FROM THE HUGEEEE.

Or I'm not. NEED MORE ONE PIECE. NEED MORE FAIRY TAIL. COME ON. GAAAAAAAAAAAH! *panic circles!*

DONE. SERIOUSLY. SHUTTING THE HELL UP....

NOW!

[sorry]

Dad: Welcome to the world of dinosaurs, Megan.

So I've filled out applications for two bookstores and a library now. [SOMEONE HIRE ME, PLS!!] The library was the only one with like, an actual physical application. Which bothers me.

I mean, seriously. Whatever happened to the days when how you looked and acted when you walked in to apply for a job mattered? It's all so disgustingly automated. People are just too lazy to have Human Resources and skim through applications, I guess. And since they don't have to even look at you while you type away at your home computer and answer a million survey questions which anyone could fib on...

Dad said this makes me a dinosaur. Because I still believe things should be based on HUMAN INTERACTIONS.

>/

But hey, if I get hired, who cares.

*crosses fingers for LIBRARY!*

I got my hair cut. Like, a lot. I now have what the hairdresser called a "reverse bob." Which, in other words, it means that it's REALLY SHORT in the back, and still pretty lengthy in the front. If by lengthy you mean about two inches past my chin. Which I do.

Basically it's adorable and I love it and I'd show you pictures but I haven't taken any yet as my camera is in Statesboro and I am not.

Which is the other thing. I'm in Augusta for the time being. Tomorrow my youngest sister graduates from high school! :O! SHE MADE IT! I'm proud. XD She's a lot more...normal than me. Ahahahaha. That's not hard though, I guess.

It hasn't been too bad up here for me. Robin's gone a little crazy trying to adjust, which I understand entirely, but I guess I'm kinda used to it now. Home and school are just very different lifestyles. But then, my school isn't my school anymore so I'm going to have to deal with that sooner or later. As much I don't want to. I love it there and miss everyone already. But! Steph and Terrell are coming up on Sunday evening and then we're going to RENFEST! With Snuzzie. Who I am QUITE LITERALLY kidnapping from Atlanta. I don't think I'd mentioned that. :D

Oh yeah, Snuzz. That's who's coming, BTW. Stephanie is amazing in every way possible and Terrell is a redneck smartass southern gentleman. Yes, it will be interesting. And I do believe Hunter will be meeting us up there too. Which means things will definitely be AMUSING. Whoop!

I even brought my Renfest pirate costume up to Atlanta with me so I could wear it! Can you tell I am excited about this? I am excited about this. I love Renfest so much. *_* I need to find a pirate hat while I'm there. It's a necessity. Yes.

Annnd that's all for now, I believe!!

Finals week started two days ago and I've yet to actually have a final. My first one is in 5 hours and 45 minutes. I've been reading. A lot. Some of it's been fanfiction, strangely of the Harry Potter variety for the most part, unless something on my flist catches my eye. But mostly Harry Potter and not much of that.

( This got long. Melodrama, rambling, maybe a few excuses and who know what else. )

And on a final note, The Gathering by Anne Enright is a really fantastic novel. The language is pure sex and the story is nothing but life, jumbled up and regurgitated as a combination of experiences, fantasy and hazy memory. And clearly, it's made me introspective. Go read it, folks.

I just hit that point where it's pretty pointless to go to bed. I have QUITE LITERALLY been working on a paper pretty much all night. Thankfully, I did take a nap this afternoon, so I'm not completely dying, and in fact feel pretty good considering the fact that it's about 8:15 am. Oh and Jesse's currently asleep on my couch. XD He tried so hard and I love him for it. I had Katie here too, also writing a paper. So when Jesse crashed we were still both good because hey! At least we're not sitting somewhere ALONE, making it far too easy to accidentally take a nap.

I really like my paper. It's different, controversial and strangely coherent. And isn't due for...2 hours and 45 minutes. Not bad!! Especially since I hit page 8. I'll waste time by checking the syllabus to make sure I didn't do anything stupid I need to fix because lord knows if I go to sleep now, I'm totally not waking up in time to turn it in.

I was sitting here for about two hours solid at one point STARING at a line and going WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! It was driving me crazy. Completely batshit crazy. I never REALLY got a good interpretation out of it, but I think I made it work. And it wasn't one of my two sites of focus, so I basically just glossed over it within the context of the previous stanza. But through my two hours of verbal confusion and contemplation, I got some pretty interesting ideas. So I'm happy about that. It's like, a progression. I start off with one thing, following logically to the next and then negating myself, re-working the interpretation and finally, merging the two together in a cultural context.

And apparently I'm REALLY good at never mentioning exactly what I was writing about. HAHAHAHA.

But the cool thing about it is that it's a paper for Keeley. I've been through four classes with him now. I think I managed to incorporate things I learned from all four classes into this paper. I think it's a very modern, somewhat edgy work that really illustrates what I'm taking away from the Irish studies program here.

Yeah. I'm proud of myself. It wasn't what I set out to do, but I'm damn pleased.

Time for another read-over.

I hate working Saturdays. The morning hours of my shift are always out to KILL ME OF BOREDOM AND SLEEPYNESS. Which is also partially because I haven't been sleeping well for a while now. >/ I mean, I SLEEP! I go to bed at more than decent times most nights! Very rarely do I get sidetracked past 2 am and I fall RIGHT asleep, but it's restless all night and I wake back up still completely exhausted.

I think this semester has been out to get me. But it's ALMOST OVER!!! But everything has just been wearing down on me so hard. Gaaah. Stupid things, depressing things, annoying things and just downright BUSY things have kept me running for the past four months solid and I NEED A BREAK!

14 days. @_@ That's all that I have left.

My cake went over REALLY well though. After spending somewhere close to ten hours on that, it BETTER have, ahaha. But yeah. Big hit. Gary was happy, which means I'M happy and probably got a good grade for it. Getting it actually TO class was an adventure though, as I usually walk 20 minutes between my car and my classroom. I parked in 30-minute and crossed my fingers and it worked. Yay me!

I've also been having a lot of fun RPing. And also had to cave and buy paid time because I just can't handle 15 icons and no expand. People. Expand. It's the most amazing thing ever. Thumbs UP, LJ for that one. Especially for us crazy spammers. *_* How did I live for 7ish days without it?!

One Piece this week. *_* Steph mentioned Captain Kidd, but seriously folks. Everything ABOUT this chapter is like "Hey Guys, I'm about to give you REALLY AWESOME BADASSERY in my typical insane way." And THERE'S A SKYPEIAN ON THE BLUE SEA. I want to see him more. *_* pls.