The Day Before the Big Day

I leave tomorrow morning! AHHH! I can't believe I'm actually going after all this time. Its surreal.
Dublin is tomorrow's destination, and I'll be staying with Sam and Karen in their new home. Thursday morning I bus up to Belfast to meet Karissa and we're enjoying the company of the couples I met when I first arrived in October. After that its Ballycastle and beyond!
I'm so excited, but at the same time I get the fluttery butterflies when I think of us trekking around Ireland having no idea what we're doing!!! I have no doubts that we'll figure it out and it will all be fine, its just always nerve-wracking when I have to do new things like this.
As far as packing goes, I'm the worst ever.
I sort of have things set aside that I'm going to bring, but there's a load of laundry that is drying now, and bits and pieces of things lying about that will need to come, and I'm just kind wandering between the piles thinking, "I guess this all needs to go on my back at some point."
An adventure for sure.
In other news, yesterday was my last day at City Gates Cafe. Sigh. I really liked it there. I took pictures of Naomi and Padraig, and I bought that silly magnet for you Mom. I hope you feel terrible about contributing to consumer Christianity now. haha...
I also was given a free book! hooray! I didn't really know what I wanted, but my eye settled on Velvet Elvis, which I want to read again anyhow so I got that. Now I can add it to the pile of things that contribute to my suitcase being way overweight.
Speaking of which I've now posted 2 parcels of THINGS home, so that the said suitcase won't break the scales (and the bank). And there's still more here. How do I manage to accumulate so much? (Christmas, Birthday, and sales, that's how.)
Anyway, you can open them if you want Mom.
So, this is it...possibly the last blog post you will read here at PJ for a while. Or maybe not.
I'm really looking forward to sharing some pictures with you all when I get back! and perhaps some funny stories about two wandering Canadian girls and their experiences with the Irish peoples. Sounds like a bestseller.
Keep in touch!
LOVE-- Jill

I Take It Back.

I'd Do Anything is not the most wonderful tv show ever, in fact its really stupid.
I thought it was a competition based on talent, but apparently I was crazy and its all about who is young and hot, and does what it takes to win over a predominantly male panel.
Saturday night I was rejoicing because Rachel, the girl who would've had my vote if those in the Republic could vote, outshone the rest. She was the only one who didn't receive any criticism from the panel, and rightly so. It was generally agreed that she is fabulous.
Arch Nemesis Samantha, aged 17 and dress size 0, did her usual thing, didn't show the "vulnerability" that the judges had asked for last week, and her pitch was off in a couple spots, but in the words of John Barrowman: "It doesn't matter."
Since Andrew Llyod Webber has the choice to 'save' whoever he wants in a sing-off, I've been getting a sneaky suspicion that he's already chosen who he wants to win the final, and votes have no sway over who it's gonna be. And its no secret that Samantha is a favorite of his.
Anyway to bring my ranting to a close, Rachel and Samantha were in the bottom two, and surprise, surprise: Rachel got the boot.
I must ask why the superior actress/voice was removed from the competition when the judges said only last night that it was Samantha that needed work?
I may be sadly disillusioned but I think it has everything to do with sex appeal, in which case I wash my hands of this ridiculous show. If that's what I wanted to watch, I'd tune into the search for the next Pussycat Doll.
The only good thing about this is that I won't feel I'm missing anything when I'm gone for the last few episodes.
I hope Rachel's career takes off and that she ultimately ends up happier that she didn't become the poster girl for that silly old ALW musical. Hurumph.

I Dread Airports.

I have an inexplicable dread of airports.
Its not that I've really had bad experiences with them. I've actually not had many experiences with them at all. Its just something about them that makes me tense and nervous. All my fears rise to the surface when I'm in an airport: what if I don't make it on the plane? What if there's something in my bag that shouldn't be there? what if they don't let me into the country?
Its like everything suddenly becomes a huge deal. The stakes get higher.
Mostly I just feel very alone and vulnerable in airports. That's what it comes down to. Suddenly everything is up to me, I'm the only one responsible for my well being, and no one can come to my rescue if I screw something up.
I don't mind flying, in fact I love flying. The take-off is exhilarating! And I absolutely love arriving in a new country and peering out the window to investigate a new and exciting place. Its just that in-between stage (here I go again...) of getting through the airport. I can't breathe properly until I am far away from airports.
This presents a problem for me, because in the next 2 months I have to go through a few different airports. I have to fly to Edinburgh, and then fly again from London to Vancouver.
Maybe I will conquer my fears? Somehow I doubt it.

Procrastinating.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Its a cloudy day, I'm sitting at the computer and I'm totally bored with my projects. I have a thousand travel things on my mind, and just realizing yesterday was my 2 months til I leave point, and the 30th marks a year since my sweet Beebs left me (I actually cried about her last night...haha I'm such a sap). Also trying to organize a time to see my girls before they leave for vacations and I leave for good. My head is all muddled.
I always get like this during "in-between" stages. Like right before I left for camp last February, and during September-October last year when I was home working part time and waiting for my passport etc. I HATE being in between. I think being 12 and 18 were like the worst years ever because they're so in-betweeny.
I just can't seem to settle in these times. I can't focus on what I'm supposed to be focusing on, because I'm trying to prepare and anticipate for what's coming next. I think I've always been this way, but I really hate it. The restlessness kills me, and I seem to hop from one thing to the next, getting everything done except what needs to be done! SO frustrating.
If there was anyone around right now they'd probably be really annoyed with me too.
But then maybe I'd get down to business knowing someone was watching my every procrastinatory move! (like that new word?)
But then again, I'm telling you guys all about it and that hasn't motivated me, so maybe nothing will...

Going Wild!

I've done it!
I booked my Scotland tour!
Since Karissa and I wanted to do Ireland properly and visit all the cool nooks and crannies that the Emerald Isle has to offer, we opted not to visit the UK beyond Antrim and Derry. I was rather disappointed since I have a great longing to see Desmond's homeland.
Wild in Scotland is a bus tour that I had bookmarked ages ago before I had ever even heard of Fermoy, and it popped up again when I was looking at the Ireland/Scotland/England tour (that was discontinued) .
It looks like great value for money, and not to mention really fun!
I wasn't sure it was the right thing for me to do at the time, and its part of the reason I was stressing so bad last week, because when I emailed them I heard that there was only one spot left, and I felt pressured to make a decision. I decided to leave it and pray about it until I felt some peace about going.
Needless to say, I think I made the right choice in booking today. I feel good about it and really excited!
The tour I am going on is five days long, which squeezed perfectly into the 7 days I have between the end of the Fermoy summer camp and my flight out of London.
Some highlights of the trip will be hearing tales of William Wallace in Stirling, searching for the Loch Ness monster in its natural habitat, witnessing the creation of Orkney cheese, and sleeping in a castle!

Beans on Toast

It was in the early days of my arrival that I first learned of this 'miserable vomitous mass', also known as a common British "dish". I don't remember exactly how it came about, but everyone was amazed I had never heard of Beans on Toast...absolutely amazed.
It is a staple over here. Everyone eats and, and even stranger....everyone likes it.
There's no trick to it. It is simply your choice of bread, toasted, and doused in the contents of a can of warm Heinz baked beans. YUCK.
I've even seen it on cafe menus.
It is primarily served at breakfast, but it is also eaten as a snack. Or, like Mark you may have "lived" on Beans on Toast during the 'starving student' university years. (and he still likes it.)
I can't quite wrap my mind around how this...stuff...could appeal, especially in the morning hours.
Since I've voiced my opinions on the subject (as politely as possible) its been a running joke for quite some time that I will "have to" eat it before I leave.
I've evaded it for months.
Last night was Emma's birthday sleepover and after a long sleepless night on a tiny couch, I sat down to breakfast....and with a huge grin and a camera on hand, Sue handed me my plate:
Beans on Toast.
"Ooooh nooooo!"
Since it WAS Emma's birthday, I am leaving soon, and I'm such a good sport, I did manage a mouthful or two.
They all giggled and snickered and snapped my picture (I looked absolutely stunning by the way).
The fans were satisfied, but I still don't like Beans on Toast.
I still think its absolutely awful.

flowery thoughts.

When I was outside the other day I noticed this flower.
I have no idea if its a legit Flower flower, or if its a nice weed, but I don't really care, cause its pretty and I like it.
The thing that caught my attention about this little flower is that it was growing between two slabs of concrete, right beside a proper flower bed. And I thought, if flowers could think, what would it be thinking?
It could be thinking:
Man I have the worst life ever! What are the chances that my seed would land right here between concrete, instead of six inches either way to a nice, nutritious bed with mounds of lovely dark dirt, and earthworms, and other flowers? THIS SUCKS. There's no shade here, my roots are struggling to find enough nutrients to survive, and I feel all alone (except for this life-sucking moss around my leaves). I think I will shrivel up and die.

OR it could be thinking:

Its a real nice day out today...the sun is shining, and we finally have a break from all this rain! Not that the rain has ever been a problem, since I get good drainage over here. Its just nice to have a change now and then. I love the color my leaves turn when its warm, and the way Mr. Moss stores up some moisture for these sunny days! He's a good pal to have around these parts of the garden. Mmmm, that sun feels good! I think I'll work on opening up my second bloom today...

OR QUITE POSSIBLY IT IS THINKING:

i am a flower. mr bee come pollinate me.

______________________________________________________________
Am I a huge nerd for delving into the possible thought processes of a flower? yes.
Is this an extremely boring and desperate blog post? Yes.
Should I get back to work? I guess so...yesss....

Prayer & Peace

Sometimes most of the time I feel a little bit awkward blogging about, uh, spiritual things,...I guess...I know that's terrible, but its the truth. I would hate to sound really fake and false, ya know? Cause a most of the time I feel just as lost as everybody else, and I don't have all the wise spiritual answers or eloquent words.
Anyway, getting to the point, after I published my last post I realized I hadn't actually sat down and prayed about all the situations myself, and I hadn't done my devo time like I usually (try) to do in the morning. So I sat down and did it.
I explained how I was feeling and why (like He doesn't know!) and asked for wisdom and peace.
There was no writing on the wall, a voice didn't speak from the clouds, and my problems weren't immediately solved...
I told myself to put it all away and get to work on my project for Saturday, and I left for the Bible club at 5PM...
And during the drive home, I was talking to Peter (the driver) about all my plans and figuring out how to get to the airports and stuff, and suddenly I realized I wasn't worrying about it anymore. I just had this peace and calm, and I knew whatever happened it would be fine.
That was really weird considering I was on the verge of a mental breakdown this morning!
So thanks God, for that.

Also, I find that I tend to forget all the answered prayers I've experienced in the past, but its kind of good for me to think back on them and tell myself, yeah, God was there then, and He will be there for me this time too. Many of these have happened in the past 2/3 months. They may not be huge things in the grand scheme of life, but they are big things to me.

So, there was...
- the time Matt and I were stuck on the side of the road far from home and God had pre-planned a free ride to our destination.
-The time in April when I needed a MAJOR attitude adjustment and He freely gave it THE NEXT DAY (this is actually a bigger deal than it sounds like. My bad attitudes are hard habits to kick!)
And 4 huge blessings:
-I planned to go to Kilkenny...and what do you know, but Christine was planning on going there too! Free rides! Yesssss!
-I decided to go and see Cobh, and Sue said, "Oh, we can drop you off there on our way to Cork!"
-If I didn't go now, I would never see Glanworth Mill...and guess what? Christine suggested we go see it that Friday.
-More recently I was regretting never having the chance to see Clonakilty. Christine helped out with that one too.

Coincidence?
Naw...I think God is just the perfect budget travel agent. And I have no idea why, but He seems to like to spoil me rotten!
So thanks God, for prayer and peace.

Stressing Out!!!

I'm freakin out here guys!
I'm leaving in less than 2 weeks and I'm super stoked to travel around Ireland with Karissa, but I just really started stressing about it lately, wondering if I'll have enough $ to do that, plus school, plus everything else I want to do...stressing about flights, trains, buses, hostels, leaving, coming home, luggage, posting parcels, souvenirs, plus doing stuff here for the church...
I just wish I had my own little travel agent that would say, "yes, book that one. No that one is overpriced, go over here and do this one instead. Try this route, its faster. Yes, that station is the one you want."

AHHHHH!!!!

PLEASE PRAY THAT MY MIND WILL SETTLE, MY HEART WILL STOP RACING, AND I WILL HAVE WISDOM IN MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.

Ireland DOES have sunshine!!!

I always thought summer began at the end of June.
Apparently not.
After having more wind and stormy weather than I'd ever experienced before (slight exaggeration?) in the past few weeks I never thought I would shed my winter layers and expose my toes in the Land of Rain.
Suddenly, over the weekend, summer happened.
In May.
There are clear blue skies, bright sunny rays, bumblebees, and singing birds galore!
I spent about an hour soaking up the sun yesterday, and it was HOT. Glorious!!
I've busted out the flip-flop sandals and tank tops, and the new short haircut is sooo nice in the warm weather.
This is a time for strawberries, lemonade, ice cream, and ice caps. My 4 summer food groups.
I'm just praying that this amazing weather lasts through June for the all-Ireland backpacking trip!

Potentially Problematic

There are 3 shows that I watch with some regularity: LOST (what the heck is going on there??), American Idol (What the heck is going on THERE??), and the 3rd season of this fantastic reality tv competition: I'd Do Anything.
I never realized how much I've gotten "into" the tv show until this past Sunday.
I don't think you can get it in North America (but what do I know?), so I will attempt to explain what it is for you poor deprived souls.
I'd Do Anything is like American Idol meets Broadway meets Britain's Got Talent. Sort of.
Basically every year they are searching for someone to fill in the lead role in one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. Anyone in the UK and Ireland can try out and then viewers vote for who they want to win.
In past years they've done The Sound of Music, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This year they're searching for a girl to play the role of Nancy in Oliver.
Since the show runs at 7 PM on a Saturday night, I'm usually only able to watch the first 10 minutes before I have to run to the church for the teen's club. I got hooked during the Easter break, and since then have really only watched it a couple of times at someone's house when they've taped it. But it is an amazing show.
The girls are so extremely talented, its unbelievable. They can sing, dance, act, and they even have mildly entertaining personalities for the most part. Its a tough competition!
They are judged by a panel of 4: John Barrowman (He's huge over here. I've seen him on at least 4 different shows), Denise Van Outen (a Broadway/West End leading lady), Barrie Humphries (who apparently among other things has played Fagin like 5 times), and of course, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Right now they are down to 6 girls from the hundreds they started out with.
From the beginning I was really impressed with 25 year old Rachel, from Belfast. She could sing anything, she could act like you wouldn't believe, and choreography didn't phase her. She had the passion, and the look, and I thought she fit Nancy to a tee.
So understandably she had always been leading the competition and "safe" as far as votes went.
As the weeks went on the other girls began improving a lot, especially 18 year old Jessie from co. Kerry. Suddenly 2 weeks ago, Rachel was in the bottom 2, meaning she had to perform in a "sing-off" with another girl, and A.L.W would then choose one of them that he wanted to "save" from being kicked off the show.
What a travesty. Rachel does NOT belong in the bottom 2. Luckily, A.L.W knows that and he saved her.
But I was nervous about last week. I had a bad feeling that voters would forget how consistent and amazing Rachel was, how hard she worked, how right for the part she was!!!
(breathe Jill, breathe)
Anyway, I'd never watched a results show because it plays just before the prayer meeting on Sunday night. But last time I was at Sue and Mark's they had taped it so we watched it.
This was when I knew that my addiction to the show was potentially problematic.
As the host gradually allowed 1, 2, and 3 girls to sit down in the "safe" zone, Rachel was left standing with scot Ashley, and pop-star-wannabe, Niamh.
I was dreading this moment. The judges had not given her the usual praise after her last performance. I just KNEW that Rachel would be in the bottom 2 again.
Niamh was my concern. She was 17, stick thin, beautiful, and gaining favor in the eyes of the judges. If she was in the bottom 2 with Rachel, I had a feeling the result would cause me to lose all faith in the creditability of this show, and humanity in general.
Rachel's face was a picture of dread and resignation as the host called her name.
"Rachel," He said pausing for dramatic effect that nearly shot my nerves, "You..."
My palms were sweaty. "...COULD BE NANCY!!!"
I squealed, losing all dignity and engulfed poor Emma in a hug of relief.
Rachel was saved!
Niamh and Ashley were on trial!
(and of course Niamh won over Ashley, but that was no surprise because the judges hated Ashley).
I was ecstatic. Which is why I think I'm a little too "into" the show.
But by golly, I do enjoy it!

I have a B. A. in Hair Color

Before:

After:


I realize I am possibly the worst before and after photographer ever. Different lighting and all that...plus I absolutely hate taking pictures of myself, because its so awkward and they never look good. However, for your sake I've posted these pictures, so if you will kindly do me a favor and take part in the first ever Pure Jilliness poll to your left, I would be most appreciative.
(But I have already made a decision about the color...its just for interests sake)

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According to the poll, 100% of you (one of you changed your vote...hmmm....Paul?) like the new hair color. I guess its a good thing for you that I had decided to keep it. I liked it a little better the next morning, so I figured I'd get used to it. Its a nice change.

Bug bites, Spiders, Plan B, and 31 Day Challenge.

I'm bored, so I'm blogging.
Possibly not a good combo.
I just can't seem to do anything productive right now, which is ok I guess because it is 9:30-ish in the PM so I won't waste a whole day...
Just the end of it.
I was doing a bunch of weeding in the back yard (or the "garden" as they would call it) on Wednesday and since then I've had a whole bunch of nasty little bug bites all over. I think I've got 3 on my left arm, 2 on my right, 3 along my spine, 1 on my left shoulder blade, and a couple on my legs. AND THEY'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY!!! They are SOOO itchy! Unbelievably itchy.
But they're not mosquito bites, or spider bites, so I don't know what they are.
Speaking of spiders, there was one in the shower this morning. Good thing I rinsed my hair before I saw it. I came to the realization spider-alert shocks wake me up better than caffeine, though I prefer coffee to daddy longlegs.
My house is riddled with spiders right now, I'm not sure why. I think it is the time of year when they come out of hiding, or they're hatching or something. All I know is, they are creepy and crawly and I don't like them, and the broom is good at squashing them at a good distance, and it even reaches the ones that think just because I'm short they can live high up in peace. They are WRONG!
Fatally wrong.
Perhaps the vision of thin spidery legs entangled in the bristles of my broom will ward off any would-be squatter spiders.
Heh, heh, heh....
Also on Wednesday I got my hair cut...shorter than last time (January!), and for some reason I decided to dye it today, too.
"Auburn".
By myself.
Ok, so I've successfully dyed my own hair before, but I haven't done red since right before grad, and that didn't turn out so great. I ended up dying a dark brown over top to correct the blinding stop-sign hue.
So why did I return to that very fickle color? I don't know. I had visions of a cute ginger tone that I like on other people. Ahhh, foolish little me.
Its a very weird orange now...I'm waiting to see how I like it tomorrow in the daylight. If its still grossing me out, I have a dark brown Plan B stashed in a cupboard. See? I learn from my mistakes.
Sort of.
Oh yeah- my 31 day challenge...anyone decided to join me? No? Didn't think so. You guys are too clever for that.
But just to let you know, I'm not doing too badly. I've been doing some unconventional exercises like the backpack-your-heavy-groceries-up-the-massive-hill hike, and the run-like-you've-never-run-before-because-if-you-miss-that-bus-
you're-screwed sprint. Both expanded my lung capacity and brought on a healthy glow, let me tell you.
I've been eating nice tasty foods like sultana bran, bananas, nature valley granola bars, yogurts, and smoothies.
And chocolate. Lots of healthy antioxidants in chocolate that I wouldn't want to miss out on.
Its all part of a balanced diet, right?
Well, I'm going to try and clear away some space on my bed to sleep on, because its kind of buried right now, and I have a feeling in about an hour or so I'm gonna crash. So here's to those of you that have made it this far. You have the patience of...I don't know. But you have patience.
Good night!

Can You See My Banner?

I have a question:
is my beautiful sepia toned banner still gracing my blog, or has it mysteriously disappeared?
I can't see it. But maybe its just my computer.

Please tell me if I should go looking for it, or if I've been blinded by weariness.

A Little Tour of Southwest Cork

Today I got to visit Kinsale and Clonakilty, and see some spectacular views from the car window! The south coast is truly beautiful (almost Mediterranean-esque) and nearly deserted in some parts.
Christine drove her kids and I to a little peninsula off Kinsale, which has some old ruins of James Fort covered in little daisies, and a fantastic view of the town.
It was summer-like weather today for once! Actually I felt like I should've been wearing shorts and flip-flops, it was so warm...a nice feeling. After a quick (non-alcoholic :P) refreshment at The Dock seaside pub (its a little strange to see young kids with their parents sitting outside a pub, I'll admit) we decided to see a little of Clonakilty while we were out this way. Turned out to be a longer drive than we thought, but I didn't mind because WOW the coastal "scenic route" was amazing!We got stuck in a real traffic jam in the tiny village of Ballinspittle (!) and passed a few other oddly named places that delight my soul, and finally arrived in tiny Clonakilty, birthplace of the famous Irish hero, Michael Collins. There was live music (electric guitars and drums, not "trad" unfortunately) in the park and we wandered for a bit enjoying the scenery. Eventually we stopped at Betty Brosnan's Cafe which was so cute! Totally traditional, and showcasing amazing photography by Demot Sullivan, not to mention great friendly service. I would definitely go back.
Overall, a great day.

Today is actually the real May Day.

Here is a flower from my garden.
Because you read my blog and I like you.
This is a bird I saw this morning. No ordinary bird.

"Who you lookin' at, Nosy?"

He was very rude.

"Talk to the tail-feathers..."

He's just miffed coz he doesn't get to read my blog.
Now we're not speaking.
He's so immature.

(Happy May Day)

May Day! May Day!

Ok, so here's my impossible and completely meaningless challenge for the month of May. The purpose being to set myself up for failure discipline myself to eat right and get more fresh air. And hopefully lose a little weight.
For the next 31 days, I am going to do some form of exercise for at least 1 hour* every day.
I don't want to. But I do.
Today I went walking in the torrential --and I MEAN TORRENTIAL-- rain, as a sign of my dedication. I came back soaked, but pleased.
Also, only one meal a day with a serving of meat. Today I had bacon and scrambled eggs for my lunch, so that meant no meat for dinner.
No snacks between meals, except for raw fruit.
One "sweet treat"a day, maximum. Ok, so I failed that one today.

I'm telling you all this against my better judgment, but I need to be held accountable.
Who wants to join me in the misery positive life changes?

*hours non-transferable.

Boring Blogger

I have to say that I've really been slacking in the blog department lately.
Sorry about that.
I guess things haven't been too exciting around here this month. I haven't really gone anywhere, or done anything particularly blog-worthy, I don't even think I've taken any pictures!
April has been kind of a roller-coaster month for me in many ways. I guess I've realized that I'm running out of time here and evaluating everything, and thinking ahead to the summer, and trying not to jump ahead of myself and live these next couple months to fullest!
I KNOW.
CONFUSING.
Its nearly May (WOW!), and by May 17th I'll basically be finished club work, and I'll be focusing on completing some practical projects for the church. On the 28th I meet Karissa in Belfast and we'll be gallivanting over Ireland for 30 days! Then I arrive back in Fermoy for another week before the Summer Bible Camp starts, and then a few days after that I fly home.
I just spent like...five minutes...sitting here, contemplating that.
Seriously.
I can't quite wrap my mind around it.
Its like trying to touch your ear with your tongue.
(Did you just try?)
Um...ya...I don't quite know how to feel at this point.
Excited to go home, sad to leave. Nervous about starting something new in the fall. Wondering how I'm going to fit back into Kamloops life...not that I think I'm too good for Kamloops :P
Just not sure how it goes anymore. It feels like I've been away forever.
Anyhoo, I'm just rambling now, probably cause I'm really tired and I need to sleep. Speaking of which I'm really not looking forward to the jet lag. I think it will be worse going "back" in time.

Until next time.
Your wee Irish friend.

Irish-isms

The quest for cultural knowledge continues!
Here I go...

What kinds of goodies can you get in those bakeries you mentioned?

I try to stay away to be honest...everything looks SO YUMMY! There are all sorts of fresh breads of course, including Naan bread which I'd never heard of before. Its like a flat chewy sort of bread with lots of herbs and stuff in it. Usually eaten with Italian food or something. Its good.
Cookies aren't so popular, but cupcakes and loaf cakes are, lots of cakes in general actually. Danishes, tarts (pies), and croissants, are a few more favorites.

Describe a typical church service in the church you attend.

Well the service starts at 10 AM, and no matter how hard I try I always just seem to get there at 9:59, even though I live the closest. I blame the traffic because I have to cross a busy street to get there.
Because we are officially "vacant" (that always makes me snicker) -meaning we don't have a minister- everyone sort of has their own area that they pitch in to help with. Usually Christine will start by coming up to the front to welcome our visiting minister, and make the announcements. Then Mark will open in prayer, then read from the Bible (to do with the worship), and then we will sing a hymn.
After that there is usually another reading (to do with the children's address) and another hymn. The minister will do the children's address, and we will sing ANOTHER HYMN.
Then we will have the collection, and then the children go to Sunday School, and then guess what...another Hymn! (Its known as the Hymn Sandwich service)
Finally the minister gets to speak, and when he is done we say the Benediction, which I have never read so at first I just kind of mouthed it, but now I know it goes something like this...
"May the Grace of God, the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, forevermore, Amen." But don't quote me on that.
And after that there is tea and biscuits and visiting!

What does a 'typical' Irish person look like? Any distinguishing characteristics? Do you look like one? :)

That's a funny question because I could point out people that look really Irish, but I can't really say why they look Irish. So no, I can't really give any distinguishing characteristics. And I don't think I look like one. Maybe I should try the fake tan...

Are people as "busy" and "metro" as North Americans, or does it seem a little bit more laid back?

In the big cities like Belfast and Cork, I would say people definitely give off a city vibe. Having said that, I don't think its to the same extreme. The smaller towns are definitely more laid back.

How about "global issues"? From casual observance are the Irish freaked about global warming, healthy eating fads, and wars in Iraq too?

One of the first things I noticed arriving in Ireland was their fixation on global warming! Everything is about global warming looming overhead, and creating "sustainable" this and that, and lots of recycling! Apparently in the last few years Ireland has made big changes to lower their "energy emissions" or whatever. So ya, that is a huge thing here. I've probably recycled more in the last 6 months than ever before.
As far as eating goes, they're really beginning to emphasize the "5-a-day" thing (that's eating 5 servings of fruit and veg a day). Its all over the grocery stores, with labels on fruit juice like "Part of your 5-a-day!", and collectible coupons if you buy over $10 worth of fruit and veg...stuff like that. On tv there are tons of programs about the rise of obesity and how 'we' don't want to end up like Americans (!), and eating right, and getting exercise, and being happy about your body shape! Overall I think they have a fairly healthy and positive approach.
Iraq comes up pretty often, nobody likes Bush, and Americans I've met say they introduce themselves as Canadian to avoid awkward questions. News about American politics is definitely around, and I think most people are rooting for Barrack Obama.

Found any fellow Irish homeschoolers?

Interesting question. As far as I can tell, homeschooling in Ireland is illegal, but no one really seems to know for sure one way or the other. So no...I haven't!

Do you still "stick out like a sore thumb"...or have you pretty much gone native now?

I think I stick out, but I'm just used to sticking out now that I don't notice. It catches me by surprise when people ask where I'm from, because its not the first thing I say about myself anymore!

are you working on your Irish accent or are you patriotically maintaining your Canadian one?

I had a bit of a scare for the first few weeks arriving where I unconsciously mimicked the Northern accent, and then I really missed my Canadian one and I couldn't find it. Didn't like that so much, so after that I was pretty serious about maintaining my mother tongue. Also I moved down south where the accent is 100X harder to mimic without sounding East Indian. I know. Random. But its true.

If you think you can do it though, here are a few tips to achieving a Cork accent.

Turn your "o"s into "a"s. Cork becomes Cark.

"th" becomes "t" and sometimes a "d". Think becomes Tink, Thing becomes Ting. This becomes Dis and That becomes Dat!

'Tis replaces It is, and Ye is the quaint Olde version of "you" (plural)

And I don't know why but Jill becomes...Jeel.

Have fun with that!

Wonder-Melon!

I stumble across the strangest things when I'm Google-ing.