Northern Ireland Confidential

new posts for a new year!

Scroll down to see some of the posts from earlier in December. My New Year's resolution was to get them up before the end of 2008 ...

happy boxing day

We spent it pretty selfishly. Too bad I didn't read this interesting NYTimes article first, entitled "Why Americans Should Celebrate Boxing Day."

We did a little shopping, wandered around the City Centre, tried to visit some of my favorite pubs (all closed) and took a Black Taxi tour to learn about the political history of Belfast (aka The Troubles). This involved standing in the bitter cold looking at depressing memorials and murals in socio-economically challenged areas. I sure know how to show my visitors a good time. I find it endlessly fascinating and I think they came away with a greater appreciation of the city and where we are today.

Tomorrow: the Ards Peninsula.

on christmas day in the morning

As a concession to my high-church leanings, I listened to the Christmas broadcast from Westminster Abbey as I got ready for my own church service. I was a bit surprised to hear the homily focus on "Strictly Come Dancing"* -- but it's one I won't forget.

Then I went to my own church for a morning service and the remarks focused on O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi." Don't worry, we got the Luke 2 account in as well. (For the Christmas Eve service, the 14-year-old reader insisted on using the King James Version, which would have pleased my dad greatly.)

how to do christmas in norn iron

As part of our ongoing tutorial about life in our wee country, here is my take on the holidays here.

Enough with the political correctness. It's flat-out Christmas here. No "holidays." Father Christmas. Happy Christmas. If you're Jewish or Muslim or an atheist, you're a bit out of luck when it comes to signage, cards or greetings.

There is no Thanksgiving to signal that holiday madness should begin. But, just like the States, the decorations go up early, the music begins, the sales are advertised, and there's always one house that overdoes it and looks like a radioactive Dollar General pound shop. The holiday season, as far as restaurant bookings are concerned, begins about the same time as Thanksgiving - so if you're planning your holiday party do, prices go up the last weekend in November.

tease

I'm going to write this week. Seriously. I mean it. Not kidding this time.

I'm currently enjoying JFA + sister being here and showing them all around Belfast. I really love this city. I'll give you some glimpses into our adventures later.

Among those promised weblog updates, you can also look forward to:

-- Dublin airport expeditions

-- Carol service in the elliptical church

-- Part of our ongoing tutorial, a yuletide segment: "How to Do Christmas in Norn Iron"

and still some leftover stuff from Amsterdam. 

Until then, a safe, relaxing and jubilant Christmas!  

yeah, what he said

One of my favourite parts of the Yeats exhibit was a survey that was sent to creative types as part of a study to understand their inspiration and working processes. The completed survey, in Yeats' handwriting, was available to view.

These were some of my favourite questions and his answers (in bold below) from the two-page survey. One thing it reinforced to me is that creative endeavours involve discipline and effort; they are not fully-formed pieces that are brought on angel wing. Ann Patchett told me this*, but now I believe it. * disappointed sigh*

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Do you have a passive attitude of waiting for inspiration? Never

Do you have absorption in other interests? Usually - detective stories

Do you have vague thoughts or daydreams?  Always

Do you revise your work?  Always

Do you work systematically, regardless of inspiration? Always

Do you feel dissatisfaction, sometimes amounting to disgust, with work after you have finished it? Yes   

[followed by questions about how to process / deal with this disgust]  It is impossible to answer these questions without writing an essay 

__________

* September 2002 lecture in Nashville: "The muse is dead. It's a job. Get to it."

i will arise and go now and go to the dublin airport the yeats exhibit

Finding myself nearly in Dublin when the fated call came, I figured I should continue to the city for two reasons:

• I had a passenger, a woman from my church, whom I was taking to the airport

• I could actually be in Dublin on a weekday, when the National Library of Ireland is open

This second point is major because, as EMH can tell you, I have been obsessed with seeing a William Butler Yeats exhibit at the library. As with most things in Ireland, it is open only while I am at work, making it difficult to attend.

But with a whole vacation day spread out before me, and a knowledge of where the library is located, I made a bee-line for Malahide. Why Malahide, you say? Because I won't drive in Dublin, and I know how to take the bus from Malahide.

It was a gorgeous day -- sunny and even a bit warm. I rode the bus into town and made haste to the library. I actually was there before it opened, so I went to a little coffee shop and had a scone outside!

The exhibit did not disappoint. It was an exhaustive look at Yeats' life, work, loves, politics and general craziness. That wacky genius!

easyjet suddenly rose in my estimation

It was oh-dark-thirty when my sister and JFA called with the bad news: they were still in Chicago. I was about 40 minutes from the Dublin airport at this time.

They had been on the plane all right, strapped in, the safety dance done, when they felt a little bump. JFA figured they had taxiied over a pothole.

Nope. Another plane was parked improperly and its wing hit the tail of my friends' plane. None of the crew seemed to notice this until passengers on one side of the plane lit up the attendant-call buttons like a pinball machine. (That part of the story concerns me a little bit.)

So they all got off the plane and stood in many lines queues until they got a hotel room. This was about 1 a.m. their time ... and the next plane wouldn't take off until 6:30 p.m. that evening.

But it's all relative. Some of their fellow passengers had been on a flight Sunday night that was cancelled due to engine trouble.

Many dark jokes about "the luck of the Irish" circulated around the cabin as all passengers finally took off on Monday evening. I'm very grateful that JFA, an experienced traveller and calming presence, was with my sister through the whole thing.

I also have a more charitable attitude toward easyjet, which at least has never sideswiped another plane. Leaving long after the scheduled departure time may be part of this safety strategy.

long story short

I love Amsterdam. Truly, madly, deeply.

I am in the Amsterdam airport ending what has probably been the best solo travel experience I have had in years. Everything about the city was very magical (I stayed clear of the non magical parts.) I'm so grateful that there is a direct flight from Belfast.

Bonus: I have tomorrow off so even if the flight is extremely delayed, I won't care! Hooray!

shocking

Another Illinois governor indicted!* Who would have thought? Ah, Chicago politics. Some things never change.

An even more disturbing headline: Jay Leno, five nights a week? Are they serious? BBC has spoiled me. I don't think I'm ever moving back now.

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* Clicking on this word will take you into the way-back machine ... to the very first weblog! How designs have changed.