Monday, May 25, 2009

Hope and Change in Northside Dublin

I finished college over a week ago now. The last couple of months were busy to say the least. I don't know what I'd have done without the maintenance grant I get from the local council. It really sorted me out over the past couple of months when I was unable to work (as in the 'bread and butter' kind of work)due to my workload in college. Before Thursday of last week I hadn't had a drink for two months, or even seen most of my friends, apart from those who live in the same house as me. It was all quite full-on and amazing to be finished.

Since I finished on Thursday of last week I've been busy making up for my lack of socialising over the previous couple of months. I handed in my last paper on the Thursday at around 3pm and then followed a marathon session in the pub that brought us from the suburbs, into the city, and back again to our house. We fit an implausibly large number of people into our living room. It all wound up at around 9.30 Friday morning when I finally headed up to bed leaving one of my lecturers passed out on couch; the last man standing, well, last man sleeping.

I then caught up on some much needed rest for a few days before going on a date on the Wednesday with a German girl I met in college. It was great how I met her. She happened to be sitting beside me in one of the computer labs and asked me to correct the English in an email she was writing to another university. So I did that happily and we went our separate ways. But then the very next day I ran into her and we got talking. Well, she was sitting on the grass minding her own business and I went over to chat to her! This isn't something I'd usually do but I just thought she was really cute and I had nothing to lose. I asked her for number and we ended up meeting for coffee almost every day. The thing was, we couldn't meet outside college because I was too busy getting all my essays in before the final deadline. So for about five weeks we met up almost daily and there was definitely something there.

So it was cool to meet up outside college and we went to the theatre a few days after I finished up. It was a Wednesday and we ended up on Henry Street at about midnight (with everything closed and not a sinner on the street apart from ourselves). We had a long-overdue snogging session that lasted for a long, long time. It was actually really nice and romantic. And then she stayed over which was also nice and romantic!

Then on the Friday I was playing at this charity gig in the city, organised by one of my friends. I hadn't played/sang in front of a crowd in a really long time so it was a bit nerve-wracking for me. At the same time, I really wanted to do it. It ended up being really worth the bit of stress and nervousness that came with it and I really enjoyed the night, particularly as I was on quite early and could then relax and catch up with lots of friends who were there. I ended up sleeping with an old ex which made me feel kind of bad because of what happened with the German girl. Anyway, I didn't technically do anything wrong as myself and German girl aren't officially a couple and she's going back to Germany in a month anyway.

But just to throw more weirdness into the mix I went to Africa Day on Sunday (two days ago) and ended up sitting on the grass right near a very special ex called A (who was the subject of a previous post). I hadn't seen or talked to her in about nine months. She came over to sit and talk with me and it ended up going on for hours. It was really great to see her and she looked absolutely amazing. I think everyone looks better on a sunny day. Also, it was nice that she wanted to spend so much time with me. I didn't really contact her after we broke up out of fear that she'd have coffee with me out of politeness even if she didn't want to, and I would fucking hate that.

So the day wore on, a beautiful day in the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, and all of A's friends left. But she stayed and hung out with me and my friends. Then when everyone was leaving to go to a restaurant myself and A headed to the pub where we drank and chatted for the night. I thought this kind of encounter with her would make me really sad, I mean I can hardly look at a photo of the girl on Facebook without having a nervous breakdown! But the great thing is, it made me feel really good. Here was a girl that I respect and admire so much, that I have so many fond memories of, who's friendship I'd really missed. Here she was, here we both were, laughing and arguing, and debating, and taking the piss out of each other just like before. She mentioned a lot of things we did before and she had a lot of really clear memories. It was nice that those things meant something to her.

So I saw her to a taxi as we both had work the next morning. There were multiple hugs and kisses on cheeks and arrangements to meet up again to exchange some books, movies, albums etc., and for me to give her back all her stuff that I still have. The whole thing kind of blew my mind but it didn't upset me which I was delighted about. I walked half the way home turning it all over in my mind.

I'm considering lots of things at the moment. Going to London for work, an internship in Palestine, teaching English in Thailand, further study etc..... I've got to work it all out over the summer. Should be fun.

16 comments:

Congrats on finishing. Freedom must feel good!

It's great when you have low expectations of something, because it always turns out better than expected! So maybe your encounter is only the start of many more to come.

4:18 PM  

Thanks, Dreamer. Maybe so...

12:33 PM  

Just seen that film "Once", made me think of you, there's some great films that come out of Dublin.

11:10 PM  

I love that film!

11:54 PM  

translating this into an anthem for irish unity:

These things you keep
You'd better throw them away
You wanna turn your back
On your soulless days
Once you were tethered
And now you are free
Once you were tethered
Well now you are free
That was the river
This is the sea!

Now if you're feelin' weary
If you've been alone too long
Maybe you've been suffering from
A few too many
Plans that have gone wrong
And you're trying to remember
How fine your life used to be

The Waterboys - This is the Sea-Riding Giants

Its do-able JG its do-able, so don't stray too far, y' hear ;)

4:12 PM  

oooh shiny new template.

I did that myself last week too!

3:34 PM  

AHD,

I saw yours and thought my own could do with a lick of paint!

10:41 PM  

So...what exactly are you qualified to do now?

And shame on you sleeping with 2 girls in 2 days! God, I really am getting old if that is how I am talking.

7:07 AM  

You must be getting old, Emma. ;)

Well, I'm neither proud nor ashamed of it but I'll just add that things became much more serious with me and the German after all this and I wouldn't have considered being with anyone else once we were more solid. Unfortunately she moved back to Germany yesterday.

what exactly are you qualified to do now?

Ehhhhh..... good question. I might have to study a bit more to be qualified to actually do something, having studied an artsy fartsy subject.

6:00 PM  

Being cut loose from University is a bit disorientating, isn't it Julius.
Things tend to go downhill from there
;0

7:31 AM  

lol Don't I know it, Obs. This is the second time for me remember!

7:07 PM  

Yea. Happened to me twice as well. Don't think I ever recovered.

12:42 AM  

lol

Well... I suppose I don't really want to recover in that I never want to stop learning. But this is the end of full-time education. Earning some bread is now the top priority!

12:47 AM  

I have no choice, but at least the learning is a lot less frenetic than it was at university.
Earning is a life changing experience:)

9:37 PM  

JG, I love your cute story. That gives me hope in romantic, sometimes a little bit silly, hopeful and happy people. Good luck :)

10:10 PM  

Thanks, Inna.

Silliness is important in life, I've found... ;)

12:36 AM  

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