Further to the people-risking-lives-to-run-across-the-street comment...

I just saw at least 15 people standing out in the drizzly cold waiting to use a cash machine. There was an empty one across the street.

The weather got a wee bit warmer over the last few days, but now it's cooling down again. I am off to London for the weekend, and excited about getting a little motion under my feet again. Gee whiz, what's it been, like 3 or 4 weeks already! Moved to a new hostel a couple of days ago, which is way better than El Weirdorado down the street, more room to stretch out and the best mattress I've had at any hostel, and for some reason the people seem way mellower too. There's this really flamboyant middle-aged dude with bleached hair who wears leather pants, and at night he goes into the TV room and starts talking to whoever is listening about all kinds of stuff, like international politics, exchange rates, places to go, whatever people who travel usually talk about I guess. I haven't spent much time listening, but the thing that amazes me is that when he starts talking, all kinds of people gather around and listen; last night there were people standing in the doorway 'cause the seats were full. I don't quite get it, maybe he's like a people magnet or something.

On a completely different note (oh you'll see in a minute why that was such a bad segway! I didn't even mean to...) It might not be too dramatic to say that all the pop music I've been hearing lately is starting to drive me a little nuts. There's this radio station, which unfortunately I have to hear a lot of right now, that plays the same 10 songs over and over... the same 10 that are in every shop you go into, & somehow all over town. Well let me just say that the more modern music I hear (I should say songs, not music... no, maybe even tunes, not songs) the more I appreciate the old songs of yore. Only problem is, now when I hear a nice classic rock song on the radio, or anything from the 70s-80s, I can't enjoy it because I'm waiting for the part where some dumb-ass ruins the song with a lame remix. It's happening in plague proportions right now. They're ruining everything, from the Police to Pink Floyd to Michael Jackson to Supertramp to... it almost makes me sick thinking about it. It's bad enough that the 'industry' is taking all of the art out of music & encouraging people to be soulless entertainers instead of creative musicians, but this!! There's this one song with a chorus, "It's too late to 'pologize, too late," but I say No, it's not too late! He needs to get off his ass and apologize to Journey for stealing the opening to their song "Don't Stop Believing" and not even giving them the credit of a cheesy sample. What's with our world today... (and this isn't even the really bad stuff - notice I don't talk about the news...)

I went into my first pub the other day. You know it's mandatory, in fact it's probably the most exported part of Irish culture around the world. And the most kept domestically too. Aparrently there are tons of young people (like early 20-somethings) getting old-person diseases of the liver & organs because they drink too much. Kinda takes it past the point of being quaint to just sad... But anyway I was trying to say something positive! I had some nice fish & chips with this little thing of mashed peas, and of course a half-pint (it was lunch hour), and it was really good! Can't believe it took this long, but there are tons more places to explore.

Speaking of exploration (better segway?) I'm getting really excited about the thought of Christmas & New Year in Norway!! On a boat!!!!!! If ever I felt guilty for letting too many experiences pass me by because I didn't want to spend the money, I think this one will more than make up for all of them. And I'm reeeeallly hoping to see the aurora borealis - it's one of my childhood dreams!!

Since I already contradicted myself and talked about the news, how about one more news item. The radio gives news reports throughout the day about crimes & stuff happening around the country. It seems like there's always an investigation happening in Limerick. All seriousness aside, does that sound funny to anyone else?