Thanksgiving- That Definitely Happened

Dear Ravishing in Richmond, previously known as Amiable in Alexandria (couldn't you have come up with something more interesting than that?),

The countdown begins! I just opened my seventh chocolate, therefore there are 17 days until my journey across the pond!! Let me explain:

I bought a chocolate advent calendar a week ago, thinking it would be a cute thing to have in my room to make it feel a little homely. I was out for pints with an American friend of mine who travels home on December 17th. She said to me that she was leaving in exactly 24 days, and I was shocked at her accuracy. Until she explained that she had also bought a chocolate advent calendar but instead of counting down to Christmas, she decided to count down until her flight. That way she has an accurate count and all of the chocolate will be finished by the time she leaves, saving her a stomach ache and a lot of scarffing. So I decided to do the same thing! Hence the seventh chocolate.

So I just have to say that I utterly loved your last post on the blog. I know you were kicking yourself, but I was thoroughly entertained. Haha so never fear, and thanks a million! As for the million and one things happening in your life, hey, at least you're not bored. Not that I am either. I am thoroughly stressed, and I have an exam myself on Wednesday evening. So we should definitely celebrate together! Pints via skype perchance? It's the only grade we will have for this one class IN TOTAL! WTF. Are they even allowed to do that? So wish me luck, and I wish you oodles.

We actually did have Thanksgiving! My housemate and I cooked a big Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of her friends. And the boy came, and two of my high school friends who visited a few weeks ago came back for Thanksgiving. So it was a lovely little shindig. I had a bottle of wine and a glass of fun ;) How was home?

I can't wait to go home; I am thoroughly homesick at this point. But something weird occurred to me the other day when I was talking about going home: after the short two weeks that I spend at home in a few weeks, I have no idea when I will be home next. And at the earliest it will be six months. I can't say that I've ever spent that much time away from home without at least visiting every now and then. Moving to a different country is weirder than I thought. At least I have some great friends and a (crazily) busy schedule.

I was struggling to figure out the other day just what it is that's making this schedule seem so overwhelming to me. I've always been one to overload myself with work, and I've always been like a chicken with my head cut off for a few weeks at the end of every "term". But I've also always managed it without forgetting stuff or not finishing stuff or dropping stuff in favor of more important items. But I've already given up two major commitments this semester, and I couldn't figure out what was different. Oh wait, then the boy came over for a couple of hours and I figured it out... Man, this dating thing is hard actually. I don't know how you did it in college. I'm strugglebussing.

Anyway, that's all I've got for you. Right now, everything is just piling up, and I'm partially enjoying it, partially just dying for it to be over. But work is never really over, is it? And before we both know it, I'll be frolicking off the plane and into your arms. Prepare yourself! These two weeks will be as crazy as both of our schedules right now, only for better reasons xx

Love you bunches, and good luck!!
 Captivating (or CRAZY) in Cork (your pick! ) 

We had to split the ten of us into two groups for seating; my friends and I thought it worked out better that way... lol

Apparently turkeys don't come small in Ireland. It was 18 pounds.

Pre-Thanksgiving - Remember that Holiday?

Dear Captivating in Cork,

Life can be quite uninteresting especially lately since you are in school and I am working. It's a humdrum but we must make the best of this situation.

Lately, life hasn't been quite so uninteresting just hectic and stressful. Things that happened to me in the last week include: registering to take another exam, my first inventory count, office party football game, and my first fake vacation. Okay, now let me elaborate.

I have to take another exam. I will explain more later but I'm still not done and it's creating so much stress in my life. My back actually hurts from stress. I did a little yoga exercise a few minutes ago and it definitely helped. I will have to continue to do that every 20 minutes until next Wednesday when I take this test. Wish me all the luck in the world because I will need it.

Last Wednesday, I went to a warehouse and counted things for the first time! I was extremely anxious the days leading up. I even re-watched a three hour long online learning module about how to do it. In the end, it was fine and the people who worked there were super nice. Things that I counted were construction items that are used by Dominion Power so I couldn't tell you what most of the items were.

On Friday, my office had it's annual Turkey Bowl which is just a Thanksgiving themed office party followed by a football game. We had enough participation to have four teams and we played each other tournament style. I even busted out my soccer cleats for the occasion. Also, I am not too bad at football. Apparently, I can catch a ball. Although, I did sustain an injury to the middle finger of my left hand. I believe it is only sprained or jammed. (I told boy about it and he made fun of me. He did so by asking me if I had x-ray vision because how else would I know it is not broken. I'm still certain it is not broken with or without x-ray vision.)

My first fake vacation: This week, everyone in the office had off except the new hires (aka me and my friends). We were allowed to take vacation if we wanted to. I stayed and studied for that exam I was speaking of earlier. Now, I get to spend the rest of the next few days living and breathing this subject matter. So while there will be turkey dinner, it won't really be Thanksgiving. Looks like you aren't the only one missing out!

Next week looks like it is going to be a crazy one! I have another inventory count Monday, a dentist appointment Tuesday, exam Wednesday, and so much work to finish before the following week! I promise to follow up with a blog about how things go!

Miss you!
Ravishing in Richmond
(Amiable in Alexandria)

P.S. I'm in A-town for a few days. I promise if I go for a walk to post a beautiful picture of our hometown.
P.P.S. I just found out my great aunt Norma passed today. Can we add a funeral to a week of crazy? We will have to wait and see.

A Toast to Tuesday

Dear Ravishing in Richmond,

Once again, I find myself sitting in bed still at 11:30 (or half eleven, as I've started to say here in Cork-- I find people understand me quicker if I speak the way they do, they don't even notice until I say something American-ish on purpose... weirdos) on a Tuesday morning. And I have to be honest: the reason I haven't posted to you in so long? Because I haven't had a day like this in so long.

Last week passed in a weird, busy blur (as you already know because I kept bugging you with my complaints about life and myself and the universe). But so far this week is a little calmer, and hence, I can write to you!

With such a long introduction, I should really have more to say in this blog post. It would make a poor ratio if I just cut out now with something like, "Well, nothing's really happening! Hope all is well with you! Goodbye!" Wouldn't it? But that might actually happen, I'm just forewarning you....

Yesterday, I had a presentation, an assignment due, and a paper due. So basically last night I just holed up in my room with hot chocolate and Heartbreakers (Yes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sigourney Weaver, pathetic Captivating all stared). It was truly wonderful.

Today, I have a performance class and then a piano lesson, neither of which I've really prepared for with everything else raining down on my head. Oh well! I think it's only natural for a musician to BS her way through rehearsals, right? That's why we all practice so much when we're younger, it's so that when we're older we can just F off? Oh wait, we didn't practice much when we were younger either. I'm not really sure how this is supposed to work then.

I saw this wonderful short documentary this morning called "The Runners". I think you should watch it! You would enjoy it, too, I think. I think  I tweeted it or posted it on Facebook or something like that, so check it out.

Basically, my life truly is boring, and I've gone on long enough to try to even out that Intro-Interesting Bit ratio, but I think I've just made it worse. Now it's bottom-heavy on boring information and just uselessness that is my life and talking about it. You better be able to do better. And if you can't, that's totally fine. I bet you can write about a boring life more entertainingly than I can anyway.

Love always,
Captivating in Cork

Two to Tango

 Well, since you can't post videos yet, I think I'll refrain. No need to make you jealous (It's really just payback, if you're going to be lame and post words, two can play that game!)

Dear Ravishing in Richmond,

I'm so glad to see you posted last week!! Yay! I'm missing you bunches, though even if I was in the DMV right now, you'd be down in silly Richmond. It's ridiculous really. Why do we never live in the same town? Do you know what would be perfect? If we were roommates! So one or both of us has to move. Right now.

How is Richmond? I know nothing about Richmond or your life there. What do Richmond people do for fun? What kind of place do you live in? Sheesh, woman. Inform me.

I can tell you something interesting about Cork, if you like. We've concluded over here that it all has to do with the absence of American Thanksgiving. These poor dears have no marker for when the Christmas season should begin. So for years and years they only had a couple of weeks of lovely decorations and the most wonderful time of the year and midnight clears and all that jazz. But then one fine year, someone realized that Halloween was as good a marker as any. Thus, on November 1st, the Halloween decorations are simply covered up with garland and ghosts are decorated with white beards and red suits. It is Christmas already here! Can you believe it? It's like a dream come true!

I'm actually not sure how I feel about it. Any other year I would be sitting here on a soapbox preaching to the choir about when Christmas decorations should go up and until when they should stay. But this year, in a foreign country, with my best friends and family thousands of miles away, a little homey Christmastime is very welcome. I've started listening to Christmas music in the mornings (as in right now... ssssh!).

I have no other Corkian updates for you. I'm still recovering from my friends' weeklong visit two weeks ago. My body may never recover. My liver certainly won't.

Love you bunches,
Captivating in Cork

Technological difficulties continue

Dear Captivating in Cork,

I apologize for my absence. I am still living without Internet which makes blogging pretty difficult. I'm writing you a post since I am in Panera and it would be a little weird if I just started talking to my computer.

Anyways, you are too adorable! I love Zedd's song Clarity. I downloaded it and it plays every now again on the Pandora station I occasionally listen to at work. I am also a fan Lost at Sea (if you haven't heard, you should check it out). After Colleen, a friend from UVA, introduced me to Wake Me Up before it was on the radio, I've started getting into EDM. I probably like it because I love to dance and it's dancing music especially car dancing. You know what I mean. It's that moment when you roll down the window, turn up the music, and have a mini dance party in your car.

This week has been a bit exciting because I finally got cable which means that I spent Saturday morning watching movies and a football games. You really don't realize how much Internet and cable are a part of your life until it's gone! Although, not having it made me leave my apartment and be productive.

Other news, I finally joined a gym and I have a personal trainer I will be meeting with one a week. We will see how this goes. I have been incredibly sore from my assessment on Friday. Tomorrow, I have my first real session with my trainer. I know he is going to kick my butt but it's all good. This keeps me accountable and maybe I'll finally meet one of my goals. It's all about structure.

Not too much has been going on over here aside from what I've already told you. I'm sure I'll come up with some more exciting things soon. I am going to Williamsburg this coming weekend for Homecoming. I'm excited to see my college friends and catch up with all of them.

Love and miss you!
Ravishing in Richmond

Sunday....

I forgot to say it, but 

Dear Ravishing in Richmond,

Sincerely,

Captivating in Cork

Welcome!!

Dear Ravishing in Richmond,

So here we are, 3,000 miles apart; but thanks to the blessings of technology I am both Skyping you and writing to you at the same time. Aren’t we pathetic?We had this brilliant idea to start a video blog, but because I’m Skyping you right now, I cannot send you a video. Or post one for that matter.
So instead, I’ve decided to document the decision making process behind this blog. Remember that time we were saying ridiculous things? Not really to each other. I mean we were talking to each other, but I think we both know that we would have said the same ridiculous sorts of things to the air as easily as we would to another person. Well, maybe not just any other person. I probably wouldn’t say half that stuff to anyone but you. I might not have friends any more. But it looks like now we’re going to share some of those wonderfully random thoughts with cyberspace. Isn’t it lucky?

Remember those names we were trying to come up with? You’re in Richmond. So it had to be something with an R. Raunchy in Richmond. Rejuvenated in Richmond. Repulsive. Religious? Remarkable. Nope.

Or me? I feel like an Igloo in Ireland, but you told me that wouldn’t work. Constipated in Cork was a bit much. Cucumberish was also suggested. I really wanted to be Curmudgeonly in Cork, but you made me go with Captivating. How nice of you, sheesh!

So Cyberspace, welcome to the Ridiculous Ramblings Between Besties. I only hope that you don’t pick up our ridiculous ways when reading this blog. And if you do, I’m sorry for you. May you forever have a friend who can be as ridiculous as you can.

Slán go foill!

Love,
Captivating in Cork