Re: Ireland (could it rain any more here?!?)

Susan_Baskett@mail.pc2k.com
Thu, 03 Jul 1997 11:04:54 +0100 

   Brian - I definately agree with *almost* everything you wrote regarding
   moving to Ireland, especially bringing an umbrella (jaysus, how shitty
   is the weather right now?!?!) a high tolerance to alcohol, a sense of
   humor, and the knowledge (but not too much of a serious, obsessive,
   personal hang-up) about "the situation" in the North.  Leaving behind
   the sensitivity to racism is an important one as well and I have
   definately had to adjust to the punctionality issue. I'd also add that
   you should leave behind any hopes of finding any healthy, low-fat foods
   over here (even skim milk is looked upon with suspicion) and accept that
   if you're into working out at a gym you'll pay about $650 for a year's
   membership to any gym and no gym will have a swimming pool and they can
   also shut down and go bankrupt without any notice (leaving you high and
   dry with no way to get your money back. . . do i sound bitter here?  I
   blame the St. George Gym.  Bastards).  And if anyone here gives you
   directions by saying "it's just around the corner" just realize that
   that *really* means it's about a 30 minute walk across town.  Ah, that's
   my take on it anyway.

   Now the thing that you said which surprised me was "leave behind any
   sort of body piercing or other grotesquerie - you'll be sent right back
   on the next flight after having each ornament meticulously removed with
   a rusty hedge clippers."  Wow, that shocked me.  Ireland (especially
   Dublin) is full of people with body piercings.  Way more than any place
   I've seen in America and I feel like it's much more accepted over here.
   I would think that your comment would apply more to someone going to
   America.  Is it just a personal thing with you or do you really see it
   as representative of Ireland?  (By the way, to whoever bothers to read
   this, I know this discussion has no literary value but I'm bored at work
   and (with the approach of the 4th of July) have been thinking about the
   differences between the US and Ireland lately.  Sorry if it bores you).

    Also, you said:
   >>Of course, some of us don't do any Work and conveniently, don't
   >>have any Lifes! Neat, huh!

   You know, that sounds really appealing to me right now.  I'd give
   anything to not be working right now (but I guess it doesn't appear that
   I'm working too hard since I'm writing all this, eh?).  I just picked up
   a copy of "Franny and Zooey" yesterday which I (embarrassingly enough)
   haven't read yet so I'd much prefer to be diving into that. . . maybe I
   can sneak out of work. . .

   Happy 4th of July to everyone in the US and to everyone else in Ireland
   let's pray that this shaggin rain stops!!

   Susan








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