the state of the nation address

Stuart put's butter into his soup and unhurriedly announces,
"Isn't that funny, Ciunas is putting butter onto his bread. It's much easier this way, in't it? Still goes on the bloody bread."

I do scheduling monday. Hopefully it all goes well. I e-mailed David Sterritt about possibly singing me into his Visual Culture class so I don't have to wait until the 28th when I'm sure it will be full.

I'm going to e-mail Jennie Hirsch, Mikita Brottman and David (not sure who would be best, but all seem like hopeful possibilities) about doing my academic elective independent study.

I need to decide what to do for my Ind. Study with Tom (photo) that I will complete over the summer but count toward the fall so there's no extra cost.

I got into the Ren through 1855 class. 22 May to 10 June.

I'm saving up money. I'm thinking about my senior thesis and what it should be. Should I come back to Europe to take the photos?

I have a job offer if I end up coming back. Pays well (especially well since it's in euros), fairly easy, not too, too many hours, so I'd be able to get a lot of photo work done. Possible free place to stay... Must think about this. Would definitely cover any leftover flight costs and food costs.... unfortunately (or fortunately) the cheapest dates to fly (by hundreds) are the furthest days apart... IF (and i say IF with caps) I did do this.... mummy and daddy, I will spend all of may with you up until my summer classes start... yeah?? (you're gonna be gone in august anyway) haha. we'll see. you'll see what i mean when you get here and don't want to go back home either!!!! but maybe i won't spend THAT much time away... oh so many things i want to do and so many places. oh my oh my.

i'm so so so tempted to just buy a one-way ticket and figure life out from there. or at least a month or two of it haha.

Tomorrow is the opening. All ready! Party at the hotel afterwards to celebrate that and my birthday and Xhavid's 35th birthday and Carra's 20th birthday. Pat says he will still make me finger food even though the kitchen's technically closed and he will find out about music.

Chris just got out of work at Monk's and we're going to eat dinner in the hotel probably. I hope so because my stomach is eating itself!!! and talking to Marissa online, so that's nice. I do miss my lovely California girl!

Places that I'd like to go before I die (preferably soon):

(visiting, not dying)

STATES:
-Alaska
-back to Arizona
-back to California
-Colorado
-Georgia
-Louisiana
-Minnesota
-Montana
-Nebraska
-back to Nevada
-New Mexico
-North Dakota
-Oregon
-South Dakota
-Texas
-Utah
-Washington
-Wyoming

MEXICO
-(Mexico)

AUSTRALIA AND OCEANA:
-Micronesia
-New South Wales
-Northern Territory
-Queensland
-South Australia
-Western Australia
-New Zealand
-Palau
-Papua New Guinea
-Solomon Islands
-Tonga
-Tuvalu
-Vanuata

AFRICA:
-Botswana
-Burkina Faso
-Cape Verde
-Chad
-Egypt
-Eritrea
-Kenya
-Lesotho
-Libya
-Madagascar
-Morocco
-Namibia
-Seychelles
-Somaliland
-Zimbabwe

CANADA:
-Alberta
-British Columbia
-New Brunswick
-Newfoundland & Labrador
-Northwest Territories
-Nova Scotia
-Nunavut
-Ontario
-Saskatchewan
-Yukon Territory

COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA:
-Belize
-El Salvador
-Guatamala
-Honduras
-Nicaragua

COUNTRIES OF WESTERN EUROPE:
-Andorra
-Austria
-Belgium
-Denmark
-back to England
-Finland
-back to France
-back to Germany
-Iceland
-back to Ireland
-Italy
-Liechtenstein
-Luxembourg
-back to Netherlands
-Norway
-Portugal
-San Marino
-Scotland
-Spain
-Sweden
-Switzerland
-Wales

COUNTRIES OF THE WEST INDIES:
-Antigua and Barbuda
-Haiti
-Saint Lucia
-Trinidad and Tobago

COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE:
-Belarus
-Bosnia & Herzegovina
-Bulgaria
-Croatia
-Cyprus
-Czech Republic
-Estonia
-Greece
-Hungary
-Malta
-Montenegro
-Poland
-Romania
-Russia
-Slovenia
-Turkey
-Ukraine


CENTRAL ASIA:
-Afghanistan (maybe, pending future stability)
-China
-Japan
-Kazakhstan
-Kyrgyzstan
-Mongolia
-Tajikistan
-Turkmenistan

COUNTRIES OF SOUTH AMERICA:
-Argentina (esp. Patagonia)
-Bolivia
-Brazil
-Chile
-Ecuador
-Guyana
-Paraguay
-Peru
-Suriname
-Uruguay
-Venezuela

COUNTIES OF CAUCASUS AND THE MIDDLE EAST:
(also dependent on political factors at the time)
-Armenia
-Bahrain
-Georgia
-Iraq
-Jordan
-Lebanon
-Oman
-Qatar
-Saudi Arabia
-Syria
-United Arab Emerites
-Yemen

COUNTIES OF SOUTHERN ASIA:
-Bangladesh
-Bhutan
-Brunei
-Cambodia
-India
-Indonesia
-Laos
-Malaysia
-Maldives
-Myanmar (Burma)
-Nepal
-Singapore
-Sri Lanka
-Thailand
-Timor-Leste
-Vietnam

MISCELLANIOUS:
-Galapagos Islands
-Canary Islands (esp. Tenerife)

eh

i feel ill even thinking about leaving.

hmm...

Random Thoughts

-I do think that Damien Hirst is absolutely brilliant:





"This diamond encrusted skull is the latest work of English artist Damien Hirst. It is called ‘For the love of god’, consists of platinum and 8,601 flawless pavé diamonds weighing a total of 1,106.18 carats. The price is 50 million pounds and it’s already reserved. The skull is part of the Hirst exhibition ‘Beyond Belief’ at White Cube gallery, London, 3 June - 7 July 2007."



-Currently I'm listening to news coverage about the Tibetan protests in London (trying to distinguish the Olympic torch in protest of China). 15 arrests so far. In related news, there were two people in the hotel two nights ago who had actually met the Dalai Lama.


6 April 2008, 50 mins ago:

DHARAMSALA: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Sunday said that protests in Tibet contradict the Chinese "propaganda" about people there enjoying a prosperous and contended life and made it clear that the issue "can no longer be neglected".

"The Chinese authorities have been making false allegations against myself and the Central Tibetan Administration for instigating and orchestrating the recent events in Tibet. These allegations are totally untrue," he said in a statement.

"The recent protests all over Tibet have not only contradicted but also shattered China's propaganda that except for a few 'reactionaries', the majority of Tibetans enjoy a prosperous and contented life," the spiritual leader said.

The protests have made it clear that Tibetans in the three provinces of Tibet, U-tsang, Kham and Amdo, harbour the same aspirations and hopes, he said in a statement.

"These protests have also conveyed to the world that the Tibet issue can no longer be neglected," he said.

Demanding a probe into the unrest in Tibet by an "independent and respected international body", he said "I am sure this independent body will uncover the truth. If the Peoples Republic of China has any basis and proof of evidence to back their allegations, they need to disclose these to the world. Just making allegations is not enough."

The Dalai Lama also talked about the "mutually beneficial Middle-Way Approach" to find a solution for the future of Tibet.


(that was from The Times of India)
.


the story about the torch incident is on skynews right now but hard to find news articles online for some reason. maybe it's not up yet?? this is what i've found:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7332942.stm

eh, give it a few hours. maybe this channel is just doing breaking news and there's nothing written up yet.
ahh, skynews/yahoonews:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080406/tuk-loud-protests-at-olympic-torch-parad-45dbed5.html
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080406/tuk-olympic-torch-relay-runs-into-protes-45dbed5.html

there we go.


i feel sicky, but chris got me some tea with lots of lemons in it. i can't decide what to eat off this menu. Pat isn't here today to make me whatever my little heart desires hahaha. Xhavid is telling me about his working schemes and ways of good business.


On facebook you can play scrabble with other people every time you log in you can check if it is your turn or if you're both online at the same time you can keep going back and forth. This is so amazing!!


I'm not ready to leave Ireland.
So not ready.

Dad, I forgot to ask, is there any way we can plan it so that on the way back to the airport or whatnot we can stop through Ballyvaughan? There's way too many people I need to say goodbye to right before I leave.

Also did you see my note about rates at the hotel? is that alright with you two?

i do love

talking to my mother on ichat.



last night was crazy.

i do love my friends so very much though.

Tram Map

our houseboat was between the Azartplein and C. van Eesterenlaan stops on the 10.

Anyone who loves cooking/cooking shows:

Gordon Ramsay!!!!

is currently in the pub here. at the New Hotel. he's in the restaurant part. he just walked passed us. He gave Ashling kisses and signed her book earlier today.

You know, Hell's Kitchen and all that.
Look him up on youTube if you don't know who he is, it's hilarious.

I can't believe he's here haha.

There's also his film crew and another film crew in town working on a movie.
Hotel's full.
Bar's packed.
Nice.

Seriously. Tell Melissa. And anyone else who loves cooking, or Gordon Ramsay.
Whaaaaaat.
Haha

Amsterdam Photos (part I - more to come!)

You must have one grand passion

You must know where you stop and the world begins.

You owe the world not the other way around.

You should study as much as possible.

You have to hurt others to be extraordinary.

You must disagree with authority figures.

Your actions are pointless if no one notices.

Your oldest fears are the worst ones.

You are trapped on the earth so you will explode.

What urge will save us now that sex won't?

Put food out in the same place every day and talk to the people who come to eat and organize them.

Saver kindness because cruelty is always possible later.

Dance on down to the government and tell them you're eager to rule because you know what's good for you.

The breakdown comes when you stop controlling yourself and want the release of a bloodbath.

Spit all over someone with a mouthful of milk if you want to find out something about his personality fast.

Mothers with reasons to sob should do it in groups in public and wait for offers.

Outerspace is where you discover wonder and where you fight and never hurt earth.

If you stop believing this your mood turns ugly.

Trust visions that don't feature buckets of blood.

In a dream you saw a way to survive and you were full of joy.

If you're considered useless no one will feed you anymore.

When you expect fair play you create an infectious bubble of madness around you.

You are so complex that you don't respond to danger.

Men don't protect you anymore.

With all the holes in you already there's no reason to define the outside environment as alien.

When someone beats you with a flashlight you make light shine in all directions.

Finding extreme pleasure will make you a better person if you're careful about what thrills you.

It is in your self interest to find a way to be very tender.

The beginning of the war will be secret.

The conversation always turns to living long enough to have fun.

What country should you adopt if you hate poor people?

Use what is dominant in a culture to change it quickly.

Protect me from what I want.

It's hard to know if y ou're going crazy if you feel you're in danger all the time now.

You can't reach the people who can kill you any time so you have to go home and think about what to do.

The future is stupid.

Hide underwater or anywhere so undisturbed you can feel the jerk of pleasure when an idea comes.

Someone else's body is a place for your mind to go.

When there's no safe place to sleep you're tired from walking all day and exhausted from the night because it's twice as dangerous then.

It's easy to get millions of people on every continent to pledge allegiance to eating and equal opportunity.

Hands on your breast can keep your heart beating.

Turn soft and lovely anytime you get a chance.

You live the surprise results of old plans.

Let your hand wander on flesh to make possibility multiply.

It is embarrassing to be caught and killed for stupid reasons.

Shoot into infinite space to hit a target in time and call it inevitable.

You hover near lovely unconscious life forms - offer no immediate resistance.

People look like they are dancing before they love.

Your modern face scans the surprise ending.

A man can't know what it's like to be a mother.

A name means a lot just by itself.

A positive attitude makes all the difference in the world.

A relaxed man is not necessarily a better man.

A sense of timing is the mark of genius.

A sincere effort is all you can ask.

If you know you're going crazy you must not be insane.

Absolute submission can be a form of freedom.

Abstraction is a type of decadence.

Abuse of power comes as no surprise.

Action causes more trouble than thought.

Alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionaries.

When one leg is shorter than the other you know that the body will warp and many parts will twist out of alignment. You can hope the adjustments won't be crippling or you can operate to make the legs the same.

When someone is breathing on you you feel cool air pulled across your skin followed by moist warm air pushed in the opposite direction. This occurs at regular intervals and makes a perfect temperature.




Thank you crazy installation piece at Schiphol Airport.

Oh Amsterdam

I loved you so much. I miss you already. I can't wait to see you again.

I also miss you houseboat. I want you for keeps. I would love to live on a houseboat for a long extended period of time.

For the sake of saving time, because I have so much work to do, I'm not going to give you my very detailed journal account, but I will tell you all the highlights and things we did.

in no particular order :
-went and hung out in the Leidesplein
-walked up and down Prisengracht, Keizersgracht & Herengracht
-saw the Anne Frankhuis but didn't end up going in
-watched No Country for Old Men in the Tuschinski Theatre
-discovered they serve beer in the cinemas, and their popcorn comes in prepackaged bags
-saw FEBO and the food behind the little glass doors you put money in
-walked through the Red Light District (during the afternoon)
-went to "Miss Petticoat", 2nd hand shop, and bought 2 dresses
-Grasshopper bar (named for Jim Morrison, who during one show said on stage he wanted to move to Amsterdam and open up a place called the Grasshopper)
-went to the Doors Cafe, which I think he would have approved of better
-wrote down quotes from this crazy art installation in Schiphol Airport
-bought amazing cheese and crabmeat spread at the local supermarkt
-saw pirate ships
-lived on a houseboat!!!
-watched Dutch television
-fed swans and ducks off the side of our boat
-went to FOAM Photography Museum (brilliant show!)
-Huis Marseille Museum for Photography (not as good)
-Hortus Botanicus (amazing, Mom, you'd love it)
-went into the Butterfly habitat, specifically
-The Amsterdam Dungeon historical haunted house
-Artis Zoo (polar bear! penguins! sea lions!)
-ate at Restaurant Guadalupe with the black cat we fed chicken
-ate at Restaurant Selecta, really good Indonesian place, we stole the napkins because they were so cool (we left a big tip, they can live without their napkins)
-explored the Jordaan district
-saw an amazing gallery that was sadly closed with great paintings of crows and pandas. I took a photo of the information flyer on the window so I'll have to look it up online
-saw the Marijuana Museum but didn't go in (if it was free, sure, but I'm not paying €5 for that)
-hung out in Excalibur Cafe, amazing little bar in the Red Light district with a crazy british woman going on about how she robs banks for a living
-experienced the Waterlooplein Flea Market where I procured some old notebooks with stamps in them and we got lots of very old books and a kitty statue we named after Pushkin
-went into two or three different record shops, one of which had a great old man running it who is apparently an internationally famous Dylan collector
-went into P.G.C. Hajenius, apparently a very famous tobacco shop and took photos of their huge wall of pipes. it was pretty much a museum, with a map and everything and a cafe in the back
-went to the Bloemenmarkt, but it was mostly closed. I took photos of all the bulbs behind the doors though, for mom
-saw Westerkerk church tower
-visited the Tulip museum
-went for a pint in Papeneiland, the oldest bar in Amsterdam
-stumbled upon another little bar a different night with the coolest 16 year old cat in it that caused us to stay there all night because it kept going to sleep in our laps
-looked into Galerie Lieve Hemel
-Jaski Art Gallery
-Reflex New Art Gallery
-saw the Rijksmuseum from the outside
-found a book in the flea market that's a dictionary of Irish writers and we found one with the last name of one of my irish relatives (i think it was a kelly) and the book title we decided was mine (we found suitable ones for Curnan and Ciunas) was "The Fall of Bob and the Oracle of Gin" haha
-ate at the Sea Palace, a fantastic and ornate FLOATING Chinese food restaurant
-ate at an Argentinean Steak House
-ate at several little cafes for breakfast/lunch
-went to Noordemarkt
-saw a bar named Mulder and got very excited haha
-went to the "Condomerie" for giggles
-got some small souvenirs in little shops along the streets and went into some other cool shops
-walked around the Dam area and Rokin
-ate lots of sweets from the Dungeon gift shop
-pressed 5 cent pieces into a pirate ship and a skull in one of those crazy machines, also in the Dungeon
-walked along the canals just exploring
-ate at a little cafe in the Jordaan area that had another cool cat inside
-got Guinness in an Irish bar
-almost missed our flight back and had the embarrassment of hearing our names called over the loud speaker due to not realizing about Daylight Savings time change
-hence, going two or three days without knowing the proper time!!
-took LOTS of photographs


the only place that I did not get to go to that I am actually bummed about is the Stedelijk Museum because it is closing in October. :(
Well, maybe I'll save up enough money and go back. otherwise, I'll always have to wonder haha
other things to do next time: Tropenmuseum, Candlelight Cruise, Filmmuseum, Proeflokaal 'De Drie Fleschjes', Bols, Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum (ship museum), Schiller (live piano bar), Jacob Hooij (old apothecary), & Cortina Papier

the Trams make it incredible easy to get around everywhere. transportation in Amsterdam is the best I've ever seen. so convenient. Unfortunately it was rather rainy the entire trip - I bought an umbrella the last day, finally broke down, but it's a cool one and they let me take it back on the plane luckily (not a fold up one). and the cheese! so good!

and I actually found some souvenirs for dad, which is amazing, because i never see anything i think he'd like, but i actually found TWO things.

anyway, I will put up pictures and maybe some videos soon