Saturday Rainy Day:) 9-30-06

First things first:

I now have two skype screen names: ness1113 (home pc) and missness1113 (work pc).

My LA # is the same but it doesn't work from here. I can check my messages on it though.

It's been two weeks and it's been very busy...so I'm sorry for not posting sooner and thanks for the reminder Caroline and Sandra. Let's see... work has been good but very busy...I'm finishing a project to launch our new recruiting site and database which is keeping me very busy. We've hired a ton of people which is also keeping me busy...but to the fun and unusual stuff...

Laundry machines in Ireland do not work. They have a washer/dryer combo in my new room, which I moved into the day after I last wrote, and the dryer simply doesn't work. It spins clothes for over 3 hours and they are just as wet when you pull them out as if you never dried them at all...so I'm not sure why they're called dryers...they should be called spinners or time wasters, haha but if the whole purpose of a dryer is to dry clothes, this contraption certainly doesn't qualify.

I spent most of the week before last sick with the flu...caught my first Irish bug and it knocked me out for a solid few days. Nothing to make you homesick like getting the flu when your 8,000 miles away and are too tired to even walk to the pharmacy (2 blocks away) to get medicine because the walking makes you break out in a cold sweat and get dizzy from your fever.

Once recovered, I've been to a few more restaurants and outings...last Friday night, I went out with Aaron and his wife Christine (from Canada) who just moved here as well. We walked around Merrion Square and had dinner and a drink at a really great restaurant. Christine is great. She was a dance major in college, so we have the love for dancing in common...they are both very fun.

We decided to take the Dart (which lines the beach side of the city) down the coast. We ran into Kevin as we were coming out of the apt. building and tricked him into coming with us by basically walking so far out of the way, that he got stuck on our little adventure..which then turned into a pub crawl.


Her drink is bigger than her:)

We went to Dun Laoghaire and Christine and I signed up for a modern/hip hop class (I later decided not to do it because I don't want to spend every Saturday stuck in dance class when I could be travelling around Europe). Then we went for an early dinner at another pub, watched a little bit of the Ryder's Cup (golf is huge in Ireland), met a Dun Laoghiare native who took us to another place near the docks of Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leary) where we had another round and then hopped on the Dart back to Grafton Street to meet Bill at a club called Dakota.


Me & Christine:)


Kevin, Aaron & our DunLaoghiare Native, Garrett!

Christine, while we were lost near Grafton St., had heard me saying to Bill on the phone that we were going to meet him in South Dakota (a joke/trick to remember the name of the club) and proceeded to walk up to a very drunk Irishman and asked him with big brown eyes, "Excuse me sir, can you please tell me where South Dakota is?" to which he replied, "No I'm sorry, I'm not from here." So funny I almost fell over and my stomache actually hurt from laughing.

It turned out that Dakota was literally right across the street from where we were, but unfortunately we had to walk a few blocks out of the way since we were technically asking for directions back to the United States.

We did meet up with Bill and a few other co-workers and went to a few more places that night and of course ended the evening in American fashion...at MacDonalds.

Thursday, Christine and I had our first "girls only" evening and went to the National Gallery Art Museum, to dinner, and then watched last week's Grey's Anatomy at my apt. It was very girlie and very neeeded as I've only been surrounded by men since I got here and I have been going a little stir crazy...I think Christine has been too so it was very good.

Last night we had an un-official work birthday party for Joe O'Reilly at Cafe En Seine...or as I like to call it Cafe Insane. About 30 of the FTP crew passed through at some point in the night so it was good, very bonding. Jennifer, our HR Generalist, came over before hand for a quick bite and then we went over there together. Unfortunately, I think I gave her my flu so she retired a little bit earlier than the rest of us. The music was good and the place is huge. It's a 3 story club packed from every direction.

I got to see our new office for the first time yesterday, we have the top floor and 1/2 of the floor below that with one of the most amazing views of the ocean I have ever seen. It is gorgeous. I couldn't take pictures because they are still in construction..we even had to wear helmets to do the walk through, but it looks like it will be amazing.


This is the first rainbow I've seen which happens to be right over our new office space:)

I am still trying to get home for Christmas so I'll let everyone know if I can get it approved this week...I need to book tickets before they become astronomically expensive, but I'm hoping to come to LA on December 23rd - January 2nd...so cross all your fingers that it works out. I am very homesick today. As much fun as it can be here on this crazy adventure, I miss my friends and family alot. The people in Dublin have been very nice, but I'm also realizing that I am definitely a California girl and my lifelong relationships with friends and family cannot be replaced so I can't wait to get home and see everyone.

Love to you all!

It's Saturday night and I'm exhausted!

So I posted last about a week ago and so much has happened, I don't even know where to begin. Started my 1st full week of work..dosed up on caffeine trying to adjust to the time change..in essence, you are working and up overnight until you adjust. It went well though. Got a lot done and feeling back in the swing of things.

I moved hotels last night after work because the Ryder's Cup is in Dublin next week and everything is booked up. I was supposed to move to brand new apts in Sandyford but they weren't ready so now I'm staying in similar apts. in City Centre. I'm right across the street from St. Stephen's Green Park which is cool because it's easier to get to the train station and there is a lot more to do over here. Only downside is that it is very noisy at night with all the nitelife...so if you can't beat 'em, you end up joining 'em.

Kevin(co-worker from LA) and I bar hopped last night...I took some pics that I will download soon for y'all to see. We went to a few different places and landed in a club till about 3:30am. It was fun...the music is less updated than in LA, I noticed they played a lot of old school songs, still fun though.

Today I went through St. Stephen's Green for the 1st time, and walked around the shops on the other side...still learning all the street names. Kevin met me over there for lunch at a 1/2 decent Mexican restaurant (1/2 decent for Dublin anyway) and then we chilled at the park (I catnapped) and shopped a little bit.

At that point I was still exhausted from a full week of activities so I napped and now I can hear all of the action happening downstairs but am not quite motivated to go join in the action right now. It's about midnight here.

I move to another hotel room tomorrow since the one I'm in doesn't have a washer/dryer and I haven't done laundry in over 3 weeks...I will soon run out of clothes if I don't do some laundry.

I met a few Irish folk this week, one guy named David actually interviewed with our company when we were still in LA and then I met him here at my old hotel. It's very small town I can see already...everywhere you go you run into people you know with about 2 -3 degrees of separation vs. the LA 7 degrees, haha.

My phone just rang so gotta run!

1st week in Dublin.

Ok first of all, I'd like to say thanks to all of you who made it to my going away parties...it was great to spend time with y'all before I headed off to my big adventure.


This was the first party at The Magic Castle!


Here is the rest of what I've been up to...ending at the final going away party at mom's house where my camera battery finally died until I arrived in Dublin.

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

After that we had a bbq at Jude's house for Labor Day and then I proceeded to run around like a crazy person packing and doing last minute errands. I had no idea how much work it would be to get everything settled and packed into 6, yes 6 suitcases.

Morning of my leave after about 5 errands, Sandra and Karen met me for a final hug and farewell and the water works began. I hadn't opened all my presents and cards yet because I was afraid if I did, I wouldn't leave, especially after Alithea gave me a card at the party and began to cry saying, "Don't go, I'm gonna miss you!" For those of you who don't know, Alithea is Sean's 6 year old daughter and we have spent many a Sunday together, playing at the Farmer's Market, going to the park, having BBQ's etc. so when she started to get teary-eyed, so did I.

My mom and dad took me to the airport and Jude met me there and gave me one more hook up...she somehow arranged it so I didn't have to wait in line with all of my luggage, which was a God-send considering the amount of stuff I had on me...I won't get the rest of my things for about 2 months so my whole life was in these suitcases.

Once on the plane I opened all the cards and gifts and of course began crying and laughing all at the same time from all the sweet cards and awesome memories...the lady next to me must've thought I was nuts....but not that nuts because she proceeded to talk and talk and talk even when I was wearing ear plugs and an eye mask (thanks Janine!). It must've been pay back for all the times I've talked your ears off, haha!

After a 10 hour flight, I landed in Dublin and dropped my stuff off at the hotel and went straight to the office.

Mike took Jeff and I to dinner at an Italian restaurant in City Centre and then to get an ice cream and then we came back to the hotel at which point I slept for about 14 hours until 3:30pm the next day.

Niall, my new boss, took our team to an amazing dinner last night at the Bang Cafe and for cocktails beforehand which was nice...the food was amazing.

This morning I woke up at noon and fussed around my hotel for a bit and then Mike called and we went to meet Ernest (it was Ernest's bday today) to the horseraces in Leopardstown. Everyone was dressed up like in the movie "My Fair Lady" but it turns out that there was a special event where they were judging for best dressed lady...wish I would've known, I could've gotten all dressed up.

Then they took me all over City Centre and to the mall in Dundrum and we walked up and down a street for 3 hours looking for a Mexican restaurant and when we finally found it, I ordered nachos and got a bowl of chili with chips on the side, not exactly what I was expecting.

Here Are some pics from my first few days here:

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Funniest and most random things so far...

the toilets are horrible...they are clean but none of them have toilet seat covers (not used to that, thanks for the warning, Jude!).

I got in the wrong side of the cab when the driver picked me up from the airport. He proceeded to kindly tell me that he would be driving today.

They drive on the opposite side of the road so you have to be really careful when crossing the streets or you will get hit if you don't look both ways.

They order goods out of a catalog store, the way that Sears used to be before the internet, that was strange.

None of us can figure out if, who and what you are supposed to tip for....we know it's different but we're not sure how different...still workin' on that one.

I had to buy a new wallet today because euros come in change and my wallet doesn't hold change and the euros are huge so they don't fit in my current wallet (Karen...you were right, again!)

I still can't figure out how to use all the converters and I don't dare use my laptop, blowdryer or curling iron for fear of blowing them up.

And lastly....you walk everywhere. We walked for 8 hours today and I can barely move my feet right now because they are so sore and that was with comfortable shoes on...it's most similar to NYC in that respect but definitely something I better get used to quickly.

Coolest thing so far...I really am only 10 hours away which is really not that far if you think about it so stop sending me emails that you think I am dead (Sandra...I Love You!) and if you miss me, get on a plane and come see how beautiful it is out here....by the way, it hasn't rained yet, knock on wood!


I love you and miss you all and I will see you all very soon! If I'm lucky, I'll make it home for Christmas! xoxo. Ness