Greenhills Musathon 2015

On Friday (again), my school had the Musathon, where we play live music continuously for twelve hours to raise money for something. Not entirely sure what, to be honest. We were fundraising for stage curtains when I first came into the school, and this year we finally got them. So I kid you not, the choir literally had a song in the Musathon celebrating the curtains.

We had a whole choreographed thing during the official opening of the curtains, where we “glided” aside while repeating:

Throw those curtains wide

One day like this, a year would see me right.

Anyway. So the Musathon started around quarter to ten in the morning. The 5th Year Music class were organising the whole event along with Ms. Diskin, Mr. Reilly and the new teacher whose name I’ve tragically forgotten (she’s also my form teacher, oh dear), so they’ve been stressing quite a bit recently. By Friday, though, all the line-ups were ready (I assume) so they were just trying to co-ordinate everyone and deal with disasters.

Because of the nature of the Musathon, the music cannot stop during the twelve hours so there can’t be any silences. Clapping apparently counts as music, so the next act must start while the audience is still clapping for the old one. Also, if the new act takes ages to set up, we either keep clapping even after it’s awkward or someone (probably Ms. Diskin) plays a popular, short song.

Each music class has a slot during the day, and other groups are rotated through to act as audiences. Mine (5th year) was there during third class (first part of my Chemistry double), watching the 6th Year Music class. We got pretty lucky with that, since they’d seem most skilled. Must say, I did want to see the 5th Year class. Fortunately, during History the teacher let us out after a bit to watch the 5th Years, so we went in during Leah’s performance, which was great because Leah is an amazing singer. She was in my Music class in 2nd and 3rd year and her rendition of In the Arms of an Angel is just yuss.

The trad group played in the main hall during Break, and I’m sure someone did things during Lunch, though I didn’t watch because I was at Chess.

After school, I walked down town with Lauren and Ann-Clair, who’s from France. Ann-Clair taught us lots of French on the way, because we had a conversation for a good while solely in French. I know she’s a native francophone, but I’m still so impressed by the fluidity with which she speaks French. She’s going home in April, which is sad. We went to Waterstones, walked Ann-Clair part of the way home, then Lauren and I had sausage rolls in BBs. I learned the valuable lesson that prices for sausage rolls are the same in both BBs in town, and thinking differently meant pointless walking. Dad gave Lauren a lift back home, then I went to Nana’s and got ready for the Musathon. I wore a black sparkly dress and tights, though I forgot to bring the scarf that completes choir uniform.

I walked up and left my phone and school jacket on a bench at the back of the hall, then joined the choir on the steps up to the stage. Between school ending and our arrival, there’d been a load of local musicians playing, and the evening show/8-10 show/official opening of the curtains was for choir, orchestra, trad and past Greenhills girls.

If I recall correctly, orchestra opened with a mashup of Pure Imagination and One Day Like This, and the choir walked on at the pizzicato bit to do our choreography and sing the lyrics above. Then the orchestra played Star Wars while a video played telling the story of the curtains imitating Star Wars Ep. IV (I have no idea what I’m talking about).

Then the choir sang Happy and lots of past students sang. There was an opera singer, a rock band (Rua, following in Featuring X’s footsteps) and the choir teacher’s sister, who certainly has a unique style. There was also Harmony Five, who have four members for some reason, and they were awesome as always. There was also a #totesemosh moment where they sang A Thousand Yours and the choir and all past students sang along to the choruses. Unity, yo. The 5th Year Music class did a Sam Smith song (so much Sam Smith that night), and Uptown Funk. A lot of them, especially Grace and Leah, really got into it and had fun up there, so that was lots of fun to watch. The trad group did a set and then the choir closed with an audience singalong to The Piano Man and the Rattling Bog. Just try to keep your voice after that.

 Fabulous night, of course. 

The Musathon was a great success. If I remember correctly, the music continued for 12 hours, 26 minutes and 48 seconds. Woot!

Total Solar Eclipse

Another busy day! This was actually Friday 20th, but like happened with the Saturday post, I was very very tired afterwards and fell asleep at my laptop. I think it'd be disingenuous to make this into a Photo Friday post and Schedule it so I've missed it. 

Source

So, on Friday there was a Total Solar Eclipse, where the moon travelled between us and the sun so that we had a crescent sun like you see above.

My school is great and got really into it, helmed by the Physics teacher who's big into astronomy. We had shifts of students rotating in to see it during first two classes, though I came to help set up so I was there the whole time. We had tables with retort stands, pinhole binoculars made by sticking binoculars to card with a hole in it, mirrors, lenses and white card as screens and buckets of water to reflect the sun. 

Everyone was ready.

Then we got a great surprise when we realised that the eclipse was easily visible in the school windows. We still had to be careful though, because it was still pretty bright from there. 

I think the eclipse was set to peak around half nine, but yeah I waited and watched, and it was very cool watching the crescent sun. Sometimes it went behind a thin layer of clouds which was great, because then we could look at it pretty clearly without hurting our eyes (okay, I got a headache afterwards but still). 

The peak of the eclipse was a little disappointing as it didn't really go dark (I watched a video where Brian Cox is there recording from the Faroe Islands, where it went completely dark), but it seemed to get colder and the sun was almost completely blocked.

A while after that, we went back in to Maths, which I wasn't going to miss. I had a headache but was very glad I went out to watch because the atmosphere was brilliant - everyone was so excited, and the principal and physics teacher were there narrating. It was a pretty awesome community science moment. 

Tomorrow, you get a post about the Musathon.

Also, during Irish, the teacher told us we already know the word for eclipse because it's used in grammar - urú. 

The more you know.

Super Busy Fun Times in Dublin

I had an adventure yesterday!

I also entirely neglected this blog for a week and that's awful, I've had no internet at home so it's been really hard and then when I had internet the past two days I was super tired. 

And now I shall proceed to tell you why I've been so tired.

Adventure time!

So, yesterday I planned to meet Jerry, then go to the reunion, then go back to Seán's with Ciarán to introduce Ciarán to Bo (well, to "what.", his special).

I planned to meet Jerry at 11 in Stephen's Green, so I got the half ten train and realised two unfortunate things while on the train.

1. The train stops two stations before where I needed to go on Saturdays (and last time this happened I got lost for forty minutes).
2. To meet him at 11, I should've taken the half nine train. I was going to be so very late. 

So I rang Jerry, told him those two things, and he was totally amazing and told me he'd walk over and collect me from Connolly (last stop) so I wouldn't get lost, even though it was ages for him to walk. I said he didn't have to but he did.

As I walked along the platform to leave the station I saw Joe, who was a Nevermore during my first year of CTYI and was/is really fantastic. He picked me up and spun me around, his trademark, and we talked for a minute before moving on. It put me in a really good mood, I was literally beaming leaving the station.

So then I sat on a bench outside Connolly when I got off the train. I read my book (If I Stay) while I waited, and a while in sensed someone sitting behind me. I thought they were just a stranger so I ignored them. Then a few minutes later I looked around again and it was Jerry, Jesus Christ. I was certainly surprised, but I hugged him and we walked on. He refused to tell me how long he'd been there.

I wanted Fanta so we went looking in lots of shops for cheap stuff. I think we got it (2 Litre bottle) in Tesco or Lidl in the end. So then we went to Chapters and looked around at the books for a while, then eventually (very late) walked up to Stephen's Green for the reunion. 

It wasn't an official one, so there were only a couple of people there including Fez and Owen. And of course, Ciarán had gotten out of grinds. Apparently he'd texted looking for me but my phone has a huge delay in letting me receive texts, it's very annoying.

Hugged Ciarán, probably others, then we all chatted for a bit and went to get Burger King. Jerry paid for my chips and I refunded him a few minutes later ... and then when I was leaving he snuck the money back into my pocket. We chatted a lot at the table. Also, Andrew dug his nails into me so then Jerry made him buy me another bag of chips. Dáire came, who's doing BIMM at the moment, and played around on my ukulele while we talked music for a bit. It's mildly disconcerting how he says I IV V VI or whatever instead of the names of chords, but I recognise that means it works in any key. 


Ciarán and I hugged everyone and left coming up to 3 p.m. Jerry gives great hugs, to be honest. 

I rang Seán to say we were on our way ... and then we saw the water charge protestors. There was some stupid protest on today about the water charges which are already law you idiots Jesus Christ. Honestly, I'm just so irritated by how stupid these people are. They're just crazy, frustrated people latching onto a cause so they feel like they have a purpose in life.

Source

So screw you.

Screw you for totally stopping all buses along half the streets in the City Centre so we had to panic, walk for ages and then wait more time for another bus.

You're all idiots and you need to get a life. Also, your posters are shit.

I don't particularly like swearing on my blog, but these people deserve it. Jeez. 

But yeah, we finally got on a bus, got off and went to the McDonalds near Ciarán's estate (city people) and bought two Shamrock Shakes and an Apple Pie. I had the Apple Pie, then Ciarán called Seán and asked him to meet us at Centra where he gave him a Shamrock Shake. Kevin was there with Seán, and I successfully pawned off my heavy bag on Kevin, drink on Ciarán and I carried the ukulele. I feel kinda bad about that now, because Kevin isn't good at refusing like the other two are. 

Source

Then we went up to Seán's room and all watched "what." Seán and I literally just mouthed the whole thing along with Bo, and super got into all the songs. I think by the end we'd made Kevin and Ciarán into two new converts. Hopefully. It was pretty damn cool. 

Ciarán had to be home by 6 so we walked back, hugging ensued, I went in and had some Chinese. We chilled in Ciarán's room for a bit and then his dad drove me to Pearse. Ciarán and I said goodbye, I assured him I'd survive the train journey, then I crossed through the barrier, saw no trace of a train timetabled and just got one to Malahide because it was on my route.

I am an idiot. 

I got off at Malahide and looked at the timetable, though it was okay because there was a connecting train to Drogheda at 21.10. (it was about quarter to nine at the time). But NOPE, that was only Monday to Friday. Goddamn Saturdays and trains. The next train was at 22.25. The controller was just going through this with me and I asked could I like go back or forward to a different station and catch a connecting train there, and he said nope, I'd just be getting the same train that would reach there at 22.25. 

I felt pretty stupid then.

But yeah, I went and sat in the waiting room and rang Seán first (probably my most sensible friend), who calmed me down. Then I called Dad and he didn't answer, so I called Ciarán who wanted to say I told you so. That was the opposite of calming. Jerry told me to call him and he checked I had everything I needed (food, water, jumper, etc.). 

The controller was lovely. He gave me the key to the drivers' bathroom (there were no public bathrooms). The bathroom was really gross (smell outside) but hey, it's the thought that counts. There were also people shouting outside which was inconvenient and made me hesitant to leave the bathroom. The controller also gave me two chocolate bars. Yep, super nice. 

I guess there are upsides to looking like a child. 

Anyway, Dad collected me after I'd been there for an hour which was very nice of him. I told him I'd be fine walking and I didn't want him wasting petrol, but he said he wanted me safe so that's k.

Then we got home, and that was the end of the Saturday adventures for another week. 

Also, I regret not taking any photos. Tres triste. 

Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2013

Pages: 387

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of facts.

·         Humans have 70,000 thoughts per day.

·         Caterpillars have four thousand muscles.

·         The average person eats a ton of food in a year.

·         Being a Geek + Model = a whole new set of graffiti on your belongings. But clearly she knows nothing about boys. And on a whirlwind modelling trip to Tokyo, Harriet would trade in everything she’s ever learnt for just the faintest idea of what to do next.

I read Geek Girl, the first in this series, a few months ago, and checked this one out of the library recently (it’s probably overdue now. Sorry, library). You can read my review of that here.

As you can probably tell from my very slow updating of this blog, I haven’t been reading much lately. Well, I’ve been reading, but I haven’t been finishing books – I have about four currently on the go. But just over a week ago, my internet went, and I won’t have it back for another week, so … I have a lot more time. I’m also super frustrated and unproductive without internet, and forced to cart my laptop to school, but still.

Back on topic.

I’m not going to bother with a spoiler warning for the first book because there’s not much to spoil. However, there are some delicious twists towards the end of this one (the second book in the series), so I’m not going to spoil those. It should be safe to read on.

Right, so the annoyances I had with the last book mostly remain. The stupid geek facts, for example – someone who knows a lot of trivia isn’t the only kind of geek, though I prefer to say nerd.  The very simple formulae that plaster the book cover just to give the impression of being smart.

They’re inside the book too. In an early chapter, she’s at a photoshoot when suddenly, shock horror, the photographer discovers that she’s stuck physics formulae all over her arm/shoe sole/ inside of jacket so she can study while modelling.

The formulae are:

“F = M x A”

“V = I x R”

“Ek = ½ x M x V2”

“W = M x G”

Now, not only are these all ridiculously simple formulae, they’re written in such a horrifically inefficient way. Also, I’m just going to give you the notation because I can. V = I x R I haven’t covered this year, but I *think* I know it.

F = ma means force is mass by acceleration. V = IR means voltage is current by resistance. E_k = ½ mv² means kinetic energy is half of mass by velocity squared (V2? Ugh). W = mg is mass by acceleration due to gravity, and I like this one because it fits exactly into F = ma (weight is force of gravity on an object, g is a type of acceleration).

 Other things that annoy me:

The astonishingly unlikely plot.

The fact that Harriet’s priorities are absolutely all over the place, and she seems to possess no maturity or common sense whatsoever. Like, a certain level of ditziness is cute, but this is just ridiculous. And she goes around saying she’s such a geek when the back of the book says her main problem is not knowing how to interact with boys. I mean, seriously? The blurb then goes on to say that she’d trade all her knowledge – which, may I remind you, is essentially her entire sense of self – to know how to handle boys and social life while in Tokyo.

Please get some nerd integrity.

The stalker – stalking is still condoned by the author. Toby is sweet, but he is still a stalker.

She obsesses over a boy for the entire book. I don’t understand people who do this, fictional or real.

They’re just one person! Don’t base your entire life around them!

So why the four stars then? Well, first you have to bear in mind that my rating systems are based on gut feeling, and despite the peeves I did really enjoy this book.

The humour can be Big-Bang-Theory-forced, but it’s still funny. Like, just after the irritating Physics formulae, there’s this:

‘”Harriet Manners, are you studying maths in the middle of my fashion shoot?”

I shake my head and look at the air above the photographer’s left ear. You know the crocodile and the bird? I think one of us is about to get eaten.

“No,” I answer in my littlest voice. Because a) It’s physics, and b) I’ve been doing it all the way through.” ‘

I think that quote captures Harriet’s character voice well. Also, why is she called Harriet?

The things I loved from the first book also stayed the same. I love Annabel, and Harriet’s silly Dad (there’s a quote I can’t find where her dad says something like “I’m afraid all the female Pants are Smarty in this house”, and he texts Harriet while she’s in Japan asking can he eat her chocolate. They’re very close and it’s sweet.

The modelling world described (e.g. the crazy designer Yuka Ito) is so much fun to read about, so it’s a rare contemporary that still has a surprising and intriguing setting. The author skilfully sets up lots of scenarios, building towards climaxes at different points in a textbook sort of way (you know, “Complication 1” “Complication 2” “Black Moment”). I know a story needs conflict, but I felt that thing again where I just want a character to gallivant in this cool new setting without running into problems when of course they inevitably can’t.

Holly Smale is really good at creating distinct characters, although I fear some may just be stereotypes (Wilbur is stereotypically gay and Rin is stereotypically Japanese/Asian/kawaii). Then again, the author lived in Japan for two years and I don’t actually know any Japanese girls (I don’t think?) so maybe. They’re very entertaining on the page, anyway.

My favourite part of this book, and the part that definitely pushed it up to four stars, was all the twists. Obviously I can’t go into detail without spoiling, but I definitely got some surprises.

I didn’t particularly like the resolution. Harriet makes a mature decision, much like the one Cath makes (off-screen) in Fangirl, and though I know it’s necessary for her character arc, it promises an end to a lot of what I found entertaining. Then again, there’s a whole third book to read, so there should be lots more in store.

The Best Day

Verdict: A really, really great day with friends and romance and fun. Best weekend.

Ciarán came up to the loft around nine and woke me up. We went down and had breakfast (he had an omelette, I had three sausages, rashers and toast, which is an extremely unusual breakfast for me as I don’t think I’ve had a fry for years). We lay down and chatted for a while and then got dressed because he had to go to Maths grinds.

His dad drove us there, and Ciarán walked me to Stephen’s Green before going back to grinds. That was considerate. I texted Jerry and said I was on my way to the gate, but then I turned around and Jerry was there looking amazing and running towards me. It turned out that Jerry gets out of grinds just as Ciarán gets in, and Ciarán had caught Jerry on the way out and sent him after me. I only learned this when Ciarán texted me and said it, though; I would fairly readily have believed that Jerry had just used his ninja skills.

So then Jerry and I hugged (second hug-giver of the day) and walked out into town. We went to Hodges & Figgis and had a really lovely time. I read a book about humans from the perspective of aliens, and Jerry read one about dancing dads. He also looked through the Scrabble dictionary, which seemed intimidating.

After a long time, we moved on and went back to the gate of Stephen’s Green, where we found Fez and Gabi and some others. That was exciting, and so more hugs happened. Turns out Fez is somehow 18 now and actually has a tattoo on his wrist, a real one. It says I SHALL ENDURE.

 There was also this cool girl there I didn’t recognise who had a ukulele. Okay, the ukulele was Fez’s but she played it. She played the four chords of the four chords song and we all improvised and sang badly. One of the songs I initiated was Mr. Brightside and that was a hit, which made me happy. It was a different experience from the Friday four-chords song because this time no one actually knew the order. Still awesome though. We all danced like crazy (I paired off with Fez) and just had a great time.

Then the girl asked if anyone else played the ukulele and I was like hell yeah. So then I played Ho Hey by the Lumineers (which actually went well, I played way better than I did during Bootcamp). I also played The Cave and maybe something else, then repeated the first two because I wanted to. People sang along, it was fun. Just after I stopped playing ukulele, Ciarán appeared from grinds and more hugging ensued.

Dáire was there with a table and some guy who looked like AVPM Harry Potter but didn’t actually like Harry Potter. The table has a name that I’ve forgotten, and dreams of getting to 5,000 Facebook friends. Currently, I think it has over 2,000.

 Ciarán and I were about to leave and I mentioned that I’d be spending my CTYI money, so suddenly Fez stuck €20 down my top (slightly), and when I protested Dáire also held out €20 to me (jokingly). I was like “This is insane, don’t you know not to offer me money? Because I will take it.” So then I got him to give me a fiver instead because I actually have a chance of paying that back, though he says I don’t need to.

Ciarán and I went to get drinks and then went to McDonalds. I tried in vain to connect my iPod to the stupid wifi that required a phone number and confirmation code but it wouldn’t work. When we were ready to leave, I texted Jerry who said they were all downstairs in Burger King.

Unfortunately, the secret staircase was locked, but anyway we went down and saw the whole CTYI crowd. Jerry had a black shirt and cool hair and they really, really suited him, someone needs to give that boy a round of applause for his style. I took a wooden dagger from Gabi and mock-stabbed various people with it. Not strangers, obviously. That might’ve been cause for concern. Hugs all round, of course, because CTYI.

All the nerds together. Where does Jerry even GO for these pictures?

After a while there, we all went to Forbidden Planet. I’m not the hugest fan of the place, but I wasn’t going to rain on everyone else’s parade. Ciarán carried my bag quite a lot of the way. I feel bad about that now because he was unwilling, or must have been because he refused to do it later. Sorry, Ciarán.

And after that, we ignored Ciarán’s pleas for CEX and went to the Rock Garden. Ciarán tried to call me over to a particular part and I was like “No, I’m not a dog” and stayed with the others. He came around. We had lots of fun, though it smelled like beer/weed (stronger than usual).

In an unusual move for me, I exercised! A lot! John Joe’s double-sided lightsaber had broken into two lightsabers which were perfect for fighting with. Some other people were fighting, so then I took a lightsaber and … I can’t remember who I fought first. But I definitely fought Ciarán, and later on Jerry. Ciarán and I were evenly enough matched, I like to think (he’s stronger but I’m more agile). Jerry, though, had me jumping around like crazy while he barely moved, just batting me away. Impressive. He did get a cut on his hand though which he started sucking the blood out of. That was creepy. Then Jerry and Paddy had a conversation about why blood tastes “so good” (the iron, apparently). I know they were mostly trying to sound cool. It was pretty entertaining anyway. The fights went on for ages and I loved them. I was told to calm down but, y’know, instincts.

We chilled in Stephen’s Green for a while more but then the junkies started getting really rowdy and a lot of the CTYIzens said we should leave. It was my first exposure to them, I guess, and I kinda wanted to stay and see what happened, but then when they started shouting about stabbing someone or whatever Daddy Beavis and Ward let all of us out of the rock garden. Ciarán wouldn’t tell me any junkie stories, which was sad. (Yes, I was slightly emphasising my naivete for comedic value. I do that a lot).

They brought us to something whose name I can’t remember (veranda?), but it’s a hollow cylinder with a roof that they use in American prom movies. We all hung out there for a while, which was really nice. Niamh (who matched Paddy, both looking really great, apparently as Victoria and Becks) took some photos of Ciarán and I (one set we weren’t expecting, and then another posed set. They were cute).

Shortly after that, we had to leave because I was supposed to be home for seven/eight, which meant getting the train at half 6, which meant we needed to be out of town and heading for Nandos by five.

What a face, I know.

So as we left the veranda (?) we hugged everyone goodbye (honestly, CTYIzens give a phenomenal amount of hugs and it is wonderful). It was great to see Mo as well, and Micaiah and Cathy with her friend Vicky who goes to the RIAM for violin and piano. Plenty of others too. Really great.

So Ciarán and I walked to the bottom of O’ Connell Street and got the bus to his house. Kevin, who’d come up from Cork, texted me while on the bus away from town, saying he was in town waiting for me. Sigh. I asked could he get to Nandos and stop giving out to me and he said yes.

There we got ready and walked to Nandos. It turns out this Nandos is in Omni, which is ridiculously close to his house. Strange experience when you’re a culchie.

Nandos has Hawaiian/African/I’m so ignorant of Geography/-themed decorations and great, though unusual, music. Ciarán and I got in and discussed our meal and sauce of choice (decided on no bones platter with Medium hot peri-peri and sides of chips and garlic bread).

I danced during silences or whenever really, and didn't know Ciarán was taking photos. The beauty and grace exhibited here is stunning, really. 

Kay arrived and we hugged, then there was lots of third-wheeling but hey it’s been ages since I saw him last and I think I managed to fit yesterday’s three big things in well (Ciarán, Jerry, Kay). Kay left after a while and Ciarán and I had a nice time being super couply.

We then walked back to his house and I felt really sick, probably because all my meals that day had been meat when usually I eat almost exclusively carbohydrates. Lying sprawled on his bed didn’t work, so I went and sat in the bathroom trying to feel less sick. I told him it was okay if he went and did stuff on the computer while I recovered but he was ridiculously cute and looked after me and it was all very strange and nice. I stopped feeling queasy shortly afterwards yay and then I’m not sure what we did. I think I blogged, and then we just relaxed. We went up to my loft room late (after 12) and tried to chill until 2 a.m. but I was too tired and sent him down before 1. I was really just too tired to function at anything by that point, sorry Ciarán.

Also, this blog consistently pulled over 200 views the past three days and crossed 2,000 views a month, which was cool.

And that was Saturday. It was really nice to both start and end the day in Ciarán’s house, though weird not having Seán or Kevin there too. It’s a difficult decision, because this year has been so incredibly eventful, but that might’ve been the best day of the year so far. 

All photos taken by Niamh or Ciarán.

Quick Return to Dublin

So I just realised that I won’t be able to blog any more about Bootcamp for at least two days because amazingly, I’ve had a life. So here I’m describing Friday (yesterday), and tomorrow I’ll be writing about Saturday (today), but luckily I rarely do anything on Sundays so after that I should be caught up.

SO. The school part is first, then the fun part where I travelled up to Dublin and was super teenagery and social.

Friday morning went bac to school, which was weird. It was extremely hard to get up in the morning but I did it. I also forgot the majority of my books which was problematic. All my pens had been stolen at Bootcamp but luckily I got two (official, not stolen) pens at Bootcamp so it was okay.

English was grand, we were doing The Arrival of the Bee Box which is a Plath poem I really like. I have homework on that to do over the weekend (plus all the catching up, which I really haven’t even started). Then there was Maths, and surprisingly I wasn’t as far behind as I expected. I was one of the slowest in the class rather than among the fastest as usual, but I could still basically understand the questions. I really do need to catch up on maths though and I’ll hopefully do that Saturday night (aka tonight).

Chemistry was fun, we just did an exam question about percentage water of crystallisation Most of the question was actually about stuff I’d already done, but part (e) I hadn’t. The teacher refused to help me which I liked, saying to figure it out for myself. I asked could I use my book if I got stuck and she made a joke, pretending to be annoyed I hadn’t learned by osmosis while in Dublin. My Chemistry teacher is great craic. I don’t think that’s how osmosis works though. Then Irish, which I don’t remember.

I played a game of chess at lunch against a second year whose name I’ve forgotten. We didn’t finish but I think we’re both down to a rook each, a king and pawns. Once the pawns get up the board, though, it’s all to play for.

We made cards about celebrities that inspired us in NE Religion (I didn’t really participate, writing an article instead), then were French and History which were ugh as usual.

AND THEN THE FUN PART. You ready for the fun part?

Okay, so Ciarán/I had suggested that I stay at his house on Friday night so I could celebrate his birthday, Jerry’s birthday and meet Kevin who was coming up from Cork. I didn’t really think it would actually follow through, though, but then Ciarán was there expecting me to be in Dublin at half five. I was like “What time do you think I get off school?” In his defence, he has a half day on Fridays.

Anyway, I rushed back home to get some stuff to study etc., and grabbed a hairbrush briefly off Moya (she wouldn’t let me take it with me because she had a date), then got to the 6 o’ clock train. To my delight, the train had plug sockets so I could charge both my laptop and my phone. I did one and a bit Fiverr articles, then got to Connolly, stood outside looking businesslike with my laptop and lanyard and then saw Ciarán, Seán and Kevin yay.

Then they gave out to me for, like, walking around “mugging street” with a laptop. But sure. So then we walked to the bus and sang the four chords song at Kevin. I didn’t actually know the song as a whole but I joined in for the song fragments I did know and it was exceedingly dramatic and fun. A moment. Also, I got to hear Seán sing semi-seriously!

We got the bus (Kevin gave me €1.15 and I paid him back on the train). We went to Ciarán’s house then, and Ciarán opened Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Seán and Kevin played Smash Bros. I presumably blogged. That blog entry took so long. We were truly living the apartment lyfe TM.

Then lots of time, great fun, Ciarán showed me the attic/loft where I’d be sleeping and we stayed up there for a while, just knowing Seán and Kevin would be making innuendos.

Seán and Kevin went home around ten. Seán finally agreed to hug me and then Ciarán kicked them out of the house as is customary and adorable.

Then we stayed up and talked and stuff for a while and it was lovely, a really really nice night. The bed in the attic is great and Ciarán is warm. And lots of other things, I mean, he’s not replaceable by a hot water bottle.

So that was Friday, in the really really comfortable attic bed. And then there was Saturday to look forward to. Yay!