My Glorious Fridays

I had to work last Friday. Normally I don’t work on Fridays. My work schedule is Monday thur Thursday. Friday is my day. My day, with the house quiet and to myself, my time for writing with no distractions or interruptions.

For the last two weeks my program almost department has been conducting on-campus interviews to fill two new faculty positions. Friday interviews were scheduled to accommodate candidates. As a result I have worked the last two Fridays. Missing two of my Glorious Fridays in a row!

I have a few competition deadlines looming and fear I will not have anything ready for them. So I thought of requesting Monday off. One day in lieu of two sounds pretty fair to me. I would just say I needed the day as I had two deadlines to meet. And that’s when I hesitated. Imagining once I mentioned deadlines, I would be asked, deadlines for what. To which I would have to reply writing.

The next statement would be, Oh you write, are you published? or Have I read anything you have written? Even though this conversation was going on in my head I blushed with embarrassment, a feeling I was overstating who or what I am washed over me. And of course I would have to answer, “No I am not published. My deadlines are for writing competitions." I can see the dismissal in my imagination. But I need to write. I have missed two Fridays in a row and I feel it. I physically feel the toll it has taken on my well being. I have been dragging myself out of bed in the mornings and nearly crawling on all fours up the stairs to my bed at the end of each day. I have tried to put words on paper, but neither ideas nor words have been flowing. I have been in a kind of Fridayless funk.

Oh, more embarrassment, I need to qualify, I am not a professor or a lecturer. I am a University Services Associate, referred to as a USA. They do love those acronyms here. This position was previously known as Academic Associate and previous to that Administrative Assistant . All fancy ways of saying Secretary. I guess it is no longer politically correct to call someone a secretary. I didn't plan to be or dream of being a Secretary/USA . I don't particularly like being a Secretary/USA. But life's circumstances steered me in this direction. So here I am now with this particular set of skills, why fight it. After all this job allows me to have my Glorious Fridays. The one guaranteed day of the week I am able to do what I love best, to write. This secretarial job affords me my greatest pleasure. In a perfect world I would be able to dedicate everyday to my writing. But in this world, my real world I delight in my Glorious Fridays, the day of every week I can dedicate to my writing. Except of course when there are on-campus interviews for new faculty.

Such A Day!

I had such high hopes for this day! Such excitment, such plans! HeyHo. If it's not men then it's the computer.

Let's be Honest

KarenG over at Coming Down the Mountain: From Reclusive Writer to Published Author was kind enough to bestow my blog with this award. Thank you so very much KarenG. Such excitement. My second award in as many weeks. Grinning from ear to ear.


Rules are:
1. List ten honest things about myself.
2. Pass the award along to ten Wonderful Blogs

OK here it goes:

1. I hate milk. It turns my stomach.

2. I have always wanted long shiny hair to toss over my shoulder. Oh and a straight nose.

3. I hate four way stops. It's like playing chicken. Roundabouts people!

4. I can only drive a stick shift car in Ireland. I can't work a stick shift with my right hand. (I know!!)

5. I hate driving in the snow, during summer construction, actually I hate driving in the US. They drive on the wrong side of the road here.

6. I always go off sweets and deserts for Lent. More for losing the winter lbs than a sacrifice thing.

7. I was one of those annoying people who could eat as much of anything I liked and not gain weight. Well those carefree days are now gone. :(

8. I love bookstores. I walk up and down the aisles picking up books I want until I can't carry anymore. Then I must choose. First telling myself, just one. Well maybe two, oh go on take three....Get the drift!

9. I have a weakness for shoes. Carrying on the same way with the shoes as I do in point 8 with books. Trips to shoe shops are limited for various reasons. Closet space being one. Scolding bank manager being another.

10. I love the smell and sound of the sea. I miss it when I am in Wisconsin. I spend part of everyday walking the beach when I am home.



I am passing this award onto the following Wonderful Blogs:

Barbara at From My Kitchen Table

Brigid at Sort of Witty

Niamh at Irish Wanderings

Katherine at Crystal Jigsaw

Old Kitty at Ten lives and second chances

Nedine at Nedine Says

Alison at Head Above Water

Susannah at The Streaming Now-everyday things

Walk2Write

Suzanne at Tales of Extraordinary Ordinariness

Over The Top

Oh thankyou thankyou thankyou...I didn't write anything down, I hope I can remember everyone, First I would like to thank my parents..Oh wait, that is something else.

Joking aside...Thankyou Old Kitty for your nomination and your support.

Over the top blogs from Old Kitty



Answer these questions with one word:

Your Cell Phone? Nuisance
Your Hair? Curly
Your Mother? Deceased
Your Father? Deceased
Your Favorite Food? Seafood
Your Dream Last Night? Confusing
Your Favorite Drink? Barry's
Your Dream/Goal? Published
What Room Are You In? Office
Your Hobby? Cooking
Your Fear? Lonliness
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? Elsewhere
Where Were You Last Night? Home
Something That You Aren't? Logical
Muffins? No!
Wish List Item? Aga
Where Did You Grow Up? Abbrobyoklchimonsidonaey
Last Thing You Did? Cook
What Are You Wearing? Pajamas
Your TV? Off
Your Pets? Louie
Friends? Yes
Your Life? Baffling
Your Mood? Pensive
Missing Someone? Yes
Vehicle? Saab
Something You Aren't Wearing? Shoes
Your Favorite Store? Borders
Your Favorite Color? Lavender
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Yesterday
Last Time You Cried? Friday
Your Best Friend? Hemmm
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Abbeyside
Facebook? Yes
Favorite Place To Eat? Out

My nominations for these awards are:
From My Kitchen Table
sort of witty
Celtic Mamma Chatter
Walk2Write

Such A Simple Question, Or Is It?

I recently received an award from Old Kitty over at Ten lives and second chances. Thank you so much for this award Old Kitty, I am thrilled. I will be posting the award later.

First I must figure something out. This award requires one word responses to questions. For most this would not pose a problem. But true to my usual form, it is a problem for me! The question that has me stumped is...

Where did you grow up?

This is not a one word response for me. So I need to mull over this and decide what place to choose. Should I draw from a hat?


To start with, I left Abbeyside, Co. Waterford when I was two years of age. Moving
to Brooklyn NY. I lived in Brooklyn for two and a half years and then returned to Abbeyside for six months. From there it was back to Brooklyn where we stayed for another two years. We then moved to Chicago. We lived in Chicago for five years before moving to Madison,Wisconsin. Well Monona actually. We lived in Monona for two years and then moved back to Abbeyside for a year. We left Abbeyside and returned to Monona, WI for another two years. After which we returned to Abbeyside were I stayed until I got the civil service in Dublin.

Can you see my dilemma! I suppose I could take a letter or two from each place put them together and see what I come up with. Lets see, how about Abbrobyoklchimonsidonaey



I think that sums it up. Or maybe you have a better idea

Saturday with Carmen

Recently I saw Bizet’s Carmen Live in HD from the Met with my friend, yoga teacher and Ayurveda instructor, Patricia Wickman. We left early as it was an hour and half drive to the Marcus Cinema in Oakdale Minnesota. We had two planned stops on the way. First stop was Trader Joe’s. This is a wonderful shop that carrys Kerrygold butter, imported cheeses and organic produce. I walked the aisles ohhing and awwwing like an excited child, tossing goodies into my basket. With bags bulging it was time for our second stop.

Stop two was a favorite Indian restaurant of Patricia's. I was looking forward to this. I hadn't eaten Indian cuisine since I was home in Ireland last summer. There aren't any Indian restaurants in Eau Claire. As Patricia had promised the food was delicious. We were pressed for time and were unable to savor the food to the degree it deserved and had to pass up desert. This was a blessing in disguise for me, considering the extra lbs that have come to visit, refuse to leave and have overstayed their welcome.

We arrived at the cinema about ten minutes before the performance was to begin. Now I have been to a few of these HD Live performances and they have always drawn nice crowd. However this performance packed the house. The only seats left were in the two front rows. I didn't realize Carmen was such a popular opera, in the Midwest. We sat in the center of the second row. Necks crammed forcing one to scoot down so far in the seats, your backside was hitting the floor. Not a pretty site!

The music started,the curtain rose and within five minutes all discomfort was forgotten. The opera swept you away. It was breathtaking. Soprano Elina Garanca’s portrayal of the seductress Carmen was as skilled as it was believable and that voice. Her voice was liquid gold and velvet all wrapped up in a beautiful multi talented package.

At intermission, both Patricia and I sat in silenced awe for a few seconds, before turning to one another asking in unison, "Are you enjoying it." Smiles spread across our faces answering "Yes, Yes isn't she wonderful!" We then agreed that this was one amazing way to spend a cold winter’s afternoon.