I hate lab reports.

I do not, however, hate spending the day in New York City with PADDY!!!!!!! I love Paddy. I love him wholeheartedly. He is one of the most genuine, sweet, smart, funny, lovely guys I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and more than that, he's a wonderful friend. I am so glad I got this chance to see him. Even though it took 6 hours of driving, a lot of gas, and the sacrifice of pretty badly-needed homework time, it was more than worth it. An emotional breath of fresh air, shall we say. I love living with Michelle and Rob, but after Dublin, with my constantly rotating door of social activities and friends, I feel rather suffocated. Paddy made me feel light and free and glad to be me.

Hmmm, I wonder if I should go back to Ireland? :P (Side note: I'm in the process of very seriously examining that decision. It's extremely complicated, weighing what's most important to me - the fact that it's DUBLIN and I KNOW I will be happy there, or the fact that I could probably get a much more prestigious and personally-tailored PhD project over here in the states. My head hurts.)

As for our day in New York, we mostly just wandered about randomly, hopping on subways when the whim struck. We ambled through Chinatown, grazed Little Italy, went to 5th Ave and hung out in the Apple Store and FAO Schwartz, got a delicious lunch of NYC brick oven pizza, and walked through Central Park for an hour, watching all the "yoggers" (apparently it's from Anchorman? I don't know!). I really had a lovely lovely day. He told me that everyone back in Dubs was really jealous that he got to see me! I thought that was soooo sweet. I told him that I may be coming back to Trinity, and he said that he would love that, but that I should really consider the academic ramifications seriously and make the decision that's best for me. Sigh, Paddy! You're supposed to whisk me across the ocean, damn the consequences!

On top of that awesomeness, I got to hang out with the super duper lovely figletofvenice, and her very awesome friends! Thank you again sweetie for letting me crash <3 I met up with them in the city after Paddy left for his flight, and we had a delicious Japanese dinner, then went back home and watched Supernatural and were bums in our PJs. Awesomesauce. It was a gooood day.

Back to this stupid lab report argh!

Lalaala ZOMG DRUNK POST TIME!!!

I know it's been aaaages. Ever since I got to this side of the ocean. But i has a niall! From Dublin! And he brought me genuine Paddy whiskey omg! Om nom nom nom. So I am feeling pleasantly whoaaaaa this evening and it is most lovely. We sat and chattted for a few hours which was really ncie.

Today we went to a Fourth of July barbecue on campus, and I met some really awesome people, and we played WHIFFLE BALL, and I was wearing a white skirt and accidentally slid onto my ass on the wet grass (it was cloudy and drizzly today, wtf? Niall brought the irish weather with him!) so i have grass stains on it but itwas OMG SO MUCH FUN nad yay. And then tonight we walked downtown and watched a band play that a friends' friend is in, and it was kind of hippy-ish, laid back music which was quite fun, and we went to an art gallery, and then Niall and i went to a Thai/Chinese place for dinner. It was a good Fourth of July. And we even saw some fireworks from afar on the walk home.

I drunk emailed Dara and told him I miss him, hahaha whoops. I doubt he'll even check his mail though. And i also drunk voicemailed Kate. FUN.

I also played Niall some MCR stuff and he was kind of like, whoa, they're heavier than i expected, i expected really emo poppy stuff and I was like ZOMG NO THEY"RE INFLUENCED BY IRON MAIDEN AND METALLICA AND QUEEN AND LISTEN TO THOSE GUITAR SOLOS ZOMG. I don't think he was exactly converted but he certainly has a better understanding now so I am at least pleased by that :P

Happy fourth, loves! <3333

Hello beautifuls! I know I haven't posted in a while, I'm sorry. I've been extremely busy!

The major development is that I moved back to Pennsylvania into my new apartment at my college to do research for the summer. I drove down on Thursday night, crashed on a friend's couch, and moved in Friday morning (after an annoying kerfluffle to get my hands on my keys). My apartment is surprisingly lovely, and looks like it was just completely renovated, which I did not expect! Brand new furniture, everything spic and span, and it's BIG. It's for three people and it's almost twice the size of my four person apartment in Dublin. We each get our own bedroom, with a double bed and closet. The living area is big, with a dining table and chairs, a couch and armchair and side tables, and the kitchen is big with loads of counter space and a DISH WASHER. But it also has character, since I think it was just recently a very old and crappy apartment, so it retains some of that age. The walls on the outside are white-painted brick, and criss-crossing all the ceilings are water pipes that are painted a pleasing dark green. There are also three big wooden support beams exposed at intervals down the hallway, they're cool. I really love it, and I can't wait to share it with my two best friends! \o/

I spent the last couple days buying an obscene amount of STUFF to supply it, because although it was furnished, it had NOTHING else, not even, like, a shower curtain. So I went to Sears and the grocery store and Walmart and completely stocked up. At Sears I found this adorable bathroom set on clearance sale, so everything in my bathroom matches, from the shower curtain to the bath mat, to the toothbrush holder, hand towel, and trash can. It's awesome \o/ I also got dishes and utensils and pots and pans and FOOD. It was quite the undertaking, but I am very pleased with my home making efforts!

My friend Thomas, who graduated last year and whom I haven't seen since before I left for Dublin, is living in DC right now so he took a train up and spent the weekend with me! He helped me shop for stuff, and we hung out with our other friends that are here for the summer and had a really good time together. It was really really nice to see him again. It's also great to see the other people staying here, including Fei, Ryan, Audrey, Kathan, Alyssa, and others who I haven't run into yet. I don't think I'll get too lonely this summer :)

Today before I took Thomas to the train station, we took a walk on campus, and we ran into this woman and her son who was wearing a Trinity College Dublin t-shirt! I asked if he went there, and it turned out that his older brother is going there for four years! AND, the woman had a lovely Irish accent!!! They live in Massachusetts but she must have grown up in Ireland. I was so excited! We talked about Trinity and F&M (my college, which her older son considered and her younger one is considering now) and how jealous of her son I was for getting to spend four years at Trinity! She was really lovely, and it was such a coincidental, fun encounter. Even funnier is that her son is in freshman science, so there's a good chance he knows Dara, Paul, and Richard!! So weird, but really cool. That totally made my day :D

So that's kind of all the basics of my current situation. I start work tomorrow morning (blegh) and today is going to be spent first going over to Fei's to watch the Italy-Spain quarterfinal, then unpacking and organizing my new apartment, and reading up on papers to brush up on my research project. I wish my life would slow down a little bit, but I'm okay for the moment.

OH AND ALSO I WATCHED THE LEAKED SGA SEASON FIVE PREMIERE AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME SQUEE IN THE COMMENTS OMG IT WAS AMAZING.

Ahem. /squee :D

Toodles, loves!

So you don't have your birthday on your userinfo, but I have sneakily deduced from shotgunteacup's happy birthday post that it is your birthday, today or yesterday or something, miss Matilda! So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY erode!!! I am so happy to have met you, utterly by chance as the MCR gods smiled upon us. I know getting to the concert and getting tickets was a bit of a clusterfuck, but it was one of the most amazing nights of my life and I'm so glad I got to share it with your awesome self. I hope you have a fantabulous birthday <3333

I watched the mid-season finale of BSG on Scifi, LIVE, with my brother tonight. I have one thing to say: !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, Kara and Lee in the same ROOM gives me heart palpitations at this point, you guys, I love them forever and ever AMEN. (I know, four years and my priorities are still exactly where they always were. What can I say, I'm loyal!)

Oh, um, I'm home safe! Obviously! According to my still-on-Ireland-time watch, it is 4:30 in the morning. I am SO EXHAUSTED and yet i have not been able to make myself go to bed. Yeah, idk. I got my last text from Ireland over the whole ocean from Niall. He's going to Lou's house with Ronan and Paddy (or already went, I guess). My stomach hurts with how much I want to be with them.

It's good to be home though. My family's pretty awesome, overall. I love my daddy, and home cooked meals.

I watched Peetwentz's new show on MTV tonight. Not gonna lie, I thought it was pretty lame. The videos chosen made me want to hit my head on something blunt and hard. The Pussycat Dolls? Really? *forks eyes out* The panic babies playing TGG was joyous, of course, but it was exactly like all the HCT live videos, right down to the (adorable) guitar sex and mic sharing. Pete looked nervous, and the whole "viewers vote on how they liked the video" thing was just lame, especially when the viewers disagreed with the announcers on Snoop Dogg's and the announcer guy was like "...well, I don't agree, so keep sending those votes in and FIX THESE NUMBERS!!!" He didn't say exactly that, but close! I hope it will improve, but yeah. Idk. The best part was Snoop Dogg giving Pete and Ashlee parenting advice. Ashlee is so fucking adorable, you guys, even though Pete and her look about 12 together and they're going to be parents? Really? It boggles my mind.

Oh Pweezy. <3

Ummm sleepy. Bed time nao. Night loves.

Day One plus Rules

Another day in Dublin. This time mostly at night.

( Day Two )

I had a lovely evening tonight. I adore my girls and our one boy <333

My first day of freedom I got woken up at 11 AM by a phone call from Dara.

This is my face: :D :D :D

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

FREEDOM, BITCHES! BLISSFUL FREEDOM!

*twirls and twirls*

I have completed my exams at Trinity College Dublin!! It was a bit of a dramatic cross to the finish line, as my alarm clock did not go off and my roommate woke me up at 9:20 saying "Don't you have an exam at 9:30...?" Cue near heart attack and RUNNING to my exam, cutting the time to campus in half and arriving at 9:34, then being out of breath for half of the three hour exam. But the exam itself was absolutely grand, I completely kicked its ass, and I AM DONE!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!

Now I'm so baffled by all this free time! What do I do?? Tonight might be a bit of a bust, as most of my friends aren't done with exams (read: Kate and Dara don't finish exams until tomorrow) and Niall is out of town :( :( :( but tomorrow's going to be an epic girls' night out, and Thursday is going to be an even more epic boys night out plus me (fuck yeah), and just. I'M SO GLAD TO BE DONE, YOU GUYS.

*beamshines*

I tend to call my good friends "dear" and "love" all the time lately. It's kind of a weird verbal quirk I've developed out of nowhere. I don't know. Anyway, the other day Niall called me "dear" and it was seriously the most adorable thing that's ever happened. There was kind of a half second pause where we both blinked, and then someone pressed unpause and we carried on like nothing had happened. I seriously love him so much and want to keep him forever.

Today was tragically wasted on lunch with the girls and lazing around and doing NOTHING. I kept meaning to start studying and then, um. Didn't. I got halfheartedly started this evening but basically didn't accomplish anything. It's such a dauntingly massive pile of information, it's just impossible to know where to start. But I got my head around it enough that I'll be able to get started bright and early tomorrow, and then go for Cosmos and the Sex and the City movie with a gay boy (and clayeer!) tomorrow night. EXCITED!

Good news - my roommate is working things out with her boyfriend. I think he's finally cooled down and come around and used his brain, and she's laughing and eating like normal again. I'm so relieved.

My other roommate, Megan, leaves tomorrow. She's been so weird all year, holing up in the apartment downstairs with her boyfriend. So it's kind of awkward figuring out how to say goodbye. She actually really wants to leave and has no friends here to say goodbye to. What a waste of a year, you know? Eh, whatever.

I talked to Emily, the one who left yesterday and a good friend of mine, online today. She says it's really nice to be home but she also misses Dublin a lot. She loves her family and her home so I'm glad she has that now to comfort her. She gets to be there all summer because she's working there, which made me realize how I'm...not going to be. I get home, run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to accomplish things for a week, hug my parents a few times, and then move to Pennsylvania to live in an apartment by myself and work all summer. Rob will be moving in in July, but I will be alone in my apartment for the weeks in which I will be most emotionally vulnerable. I'll be calling my friends in Ireland every day in order to avoid a breakdown :(

My journal has essentially become entirely personal - I'm sorry about that. I'm sure I'll bury myself in fannish things this summer to distract myself. But right now I want to remember every second of my remaining time here, so. I hope you're not too bored!

<3

Second exam's ass: THOROUGHLY KICKED \o/

Two down, five to go!

Becca you would have been so proud of me, I rambled on about G-protein coupled receptors and effector enzymes like a pro! *beams* I rewarded myself with a Cadbury Crunchie bar, because nom nom nom. I will be so sad when I can't have those in the states. I'll have to make Louise mail me a million of them :D

The exam was HUGE! There LEAST 300 people taking a test in there. Maybe 400. It was INSANE. The process of going in, everyone dropping off their bags, reading their seat number, and filing into the hall was this gigantic production, geez. Taking exams here is like taking the SATs - you have forms to fill out all officially and whatnot, and some person you've never seen in your life yelling about filling out forms and how much time you have. It's weird. And my roommates have an exam on Friday in a place that Trinity rents out that normally is a conference hall and CONCERT VENUE, where there can be 2000 people in a room taking an exam. Holy shit. It's so different from home, where you sit in a classroom with your 20 classmates and hand your finished exam to the professor who taught you.

So after my exam I went to the library. I took a half hour break to have lunch with Niall and Paddy (<33333333, seriously) but in total I spent EIGHT HOURS in the library. o.O And it didn't even really feel that long. I got through 7 immunology lectures, which is starting to make some sense (I have that exam on Friday), and I kept myself from going crazy by reading KIDFIC OF DARLINGNESS OMG (<333333333333333, SERIOUSLY) and munching on a bag of wine gums (a gummy candy), which I will admit I only bought because Russell and Noel make a joke about them in the BFQOTY 2006. :D I was also kept sane by periodic visits to Louise and Paddy's desk, commiserating about how awful exams are. I adore them <3333 When she was headed out, Lou brought me a stick figure drawing she'd done of the three of us at Aran Mor, the island we're all going to visit after exams. It was so precious :D CAN I BE THERE NOWWWW???

I'm now going to watch an episode of FNL season 1, which I've been working my way through slowly. Siiiigh, best season of TV ever. S2 was awesome, but nothing can match S1. Amazing.

Love you all!

Ahahahaha *facepalm*

See, I thought my exams were all at 9:30 AM. You see where this is going... I was wrong! All of my chemistry exams are at 2 PM! Ahhhhh! FAILBOAT.

So here I am on campus. It's 10 AM. I was so proud of myself too, getting enough sleep and waking up all bright and early. BLAH.

The only consolation is that Niall thought it was at 9:30 too. Silly boy. I don't know how we both made that up. So I got to see him for a bit and he always makes me smile, so it wasn't a COMPLETE loss.

Now what to do... go to the library and study without my notes (with textbooks and lecture slides, though) or go home for 4 hours?

Ughhh.