Skin Art

Ouch. I have a small, sore spot just inside my wrist.

Why's that, you ask?

Well, I have a new tattoo! It's going to be a permanent reminder of my time in Dublin. It's not a shamrock or anothing hokey like that but, as promised, a very small, very discreet vampire bat in homage to one of my all-time favourite Dublin writers, Bram Stoker.

It was hard to choose a tattoo parlour as there are quite a few places but I got some personal recommendations and was tattooed by a nice but rather quiet guy from Poland. I am so happy! He told me that more than half his customers are tourists and other visitors to Dublin and showed me his portfolio which was amazing -- although I would balk at getting my whole back done.

My scholarship money has arrived for the beginning of term, and while you might think that a tattoo is not the best way to spend scholarship money, A) It wasn't that expensive and B) The theme is definitely related to my main literary interest, which is Gothic novels of the nineteenth century.

I also need some clothes. The weather is amazingly nice but there's an autumnal nip in the air and I can feel that it's gonna start getting chilly in the evenings soon.

Where would I LIKE to shop? Well, there's this AMAZING joint, Retro, in George's Street Arcade. It's so cool, and the clothes are so fabulous. But...well, I can't afford them. Maybe if I'm good, for Christmas, or maybe I'll get a part-time job or maybe...

Anyway, where will I ACTUALLY shop? I've found out that most Irish students get their rags in Penneys, which is not related to JC Penneys, because it is cheap'n'cheerful. So the plan is to buy everything there for as little as possible and then try to vamp things up with a few artfully arranged bits and pieces.

I guess I should be talking about my college courses, but I'll save those for another time

Laugh? I nearly wet my pants!

Last night, I cashed in one of my freebies from Dublin Tourism (thanks, guys) and went to see a show called Cirque de Legume in Filmbase. It's a stuffy cellar venue but that didn't matter. You know, I don't think I've ever attended a Fringe Festival before, and I had imagined experimental theare to be a bit obtuse, but these guys were hilarious. An onion strip-tease? I kept thinking out it today when I was getting my sandwiches ready (economy drive; serious cash flow issues) and I swear to goodness, vegetables don't look the same today as they used to. Where did they come up with the ideas? Barking lettuce... Oh, don't get me started!!! It was like being Alice in Wonderland; an alternate universe where the rules are different.

Which reminds me, I mentioned to Mom about getting a tattoo and she was all like "Over my dead body!"

To which I said, "But Mom, I am a grown woman."

In response to which: "But your father and I are still subsidising you so unless you want to try surviving on just the scholarship..."

Which left me a bit indecisive. I don't like her being controlling, but she DOES send me cash every month so... Thing is though, I know she'd come around if I actually got the damn thing, and what I have in mind is VERY small and very tasteful and absolutely appropriate (as I mentioned, a teeny-weeny vampire bad just inside my wrist, in homage to Bram Stoker, son of Dublin).

Know what? I think I'll just go ahead and do it anyway. What the hey. You only live once. Unless you're a vampire, of course.

hot under the collar

I am so turned on right now!

Turned on to HURLING I mean. And yes, quite impressed by the players too. "My" team lost though of course they played best. Honestly, I didn't think it would be my thing and while I'm sure that all the males in my family will continue to insist that hockey is a real man's game, hurling is right there in the wings.
And the players. Well, while few of them would make it as male models, there's something seriously sexy about the way they jump up in the air after that ball. Swear to God, sparks actually fly when their sticks smash against each other. By the end of the match, I was pretty much ready to be swept off my feet by any one of them!!!
Of course, after the match we had to go for the obligatory drink in some "local colour" joint near Croke Park -- pretty rough 'n' ready but the crowd was huge and good-humoured and the beer flowed like water. We just had a couple of beers and then wound our way home.
I might check out Camogie. I might.
But right now, I have a more pressing issue. I've almost certainly decided to get that tattoo and I am still thinking of a bat on the inside of my wrist. What do you think?

the big match

The big match is on today and although I am not usually one to roar and holler I am now officially interested. I'm dressed up and ready to go and so is Bepe. We're both off to worship at the Holy Grail that is the 2009 Hurling Final!

Telling you though, you can feel the excitement. There's folks all over the place from the countryside, wandering about eating junk food and sporting their colours and just looking so thrilled.

I'll go back to being a Goth tomorrow. Today I'm definitely a jock. And I'm going to be taking plenty of photos to show the folks back home!