I Have Suddenly Realized

I am no longer a licensed driver.

My California Driver’s License expired yesterday.  I can’t get a UK one with the current state of my diabetes.

In some ways it is oddly freeing.

I am sure it will feel less freeing when I am in California later this year, after the baby is born, and I can’t drive!

We don’t have a car, we have no plans to get a car. So why should I worry about a license? I shouldn’t! 🙂

So Being an American in Belfast Means…

I get teased.  A lot.  Over the way I pronounce some Irish words.

Anyone who has ever seen the Irish Language written out, knows that pronunciation can be tricky.  Example, the name Sioban? Pronounced Sha-Von.

And yesterday in the office we were discussing a news story about a murder that occurred in Armagh.  One of my co-workers lives in Armagh.  And apparently I can’t pronouce it at all.  To me, the way I said it and the way they said it sounded the same.  Apparently not.

I take the teasing in good spirit, since it isn’t meant maliciously.  It is more amazement that I can’t pronounce these things, because to the natives it is second nature.

And when they really want a laugh?  They ask me to pronounce Carrickfergus.  Apparently the way I say that is hysterical!

Today I Preformed Major Surgery

On our old laptop.  We replaced it because it was having a severe overheating problem.  It kept shutting itself off, it was that bad.

So today, I took it apart. Completely.  From stem to stern.  From hard drive to mother board.

And found? Enough dust and other crap in it to make my own golem.  It was really really gross.

And then I put it back together.  And it works!  And its running much cooler!

So now it is defraging.  And then it will get a disk check.  And then maybe a fresh load of Windows.

And now we have two computers that work.  One is brand new and is good for *everything*.  And the other one is more or less refurbished and cruises the ‘net and can do word processing and such.

Also? I have my work laptop.  So really, we have three.  And the work laptop? Has Adobe CS.  So, when I bring it home, which I don’t always, I can do graphics on it.

And we have a wireless network at  home now.

So come on over, use a laptop.  Its here if you need it!

in other news, I’ve been doing a bit of freelancing, with my SMTs approval, on Belfast Rotary Club’s website.  My CEO is a member and he asked me to help them out.  The same company that did NISP’s site did that one, but I’m the overall web girl for it.  And I’ll be getting paid a bit to do it.

And i didn’t wind up actually losing any weight this week after all.  But I will.  Maybe this week.

So life is pretty good, technology wise.  If only I could sleep…

Oh Man Was That Fun!

Was out last night for our Building Managers Leaving Do. It was great craic.

Started the evening here at Zen. Had some dumplings and some HUGE New Zealand Mussels cooked Teppenaki style, i.e. more or less grilled. They have excellent sushi as well, but I wasn’t in the mood last night.

Then headed over to The Apartment. Its not the best bar in Belfast, but you can usually get a table if you get there by about 10:30, and we like to sit when we drink!

Ended our night at Mynt. Their site specifically lists them as a gay bar, but it really didn’t seem like a gay crowd last night. Certainly plenty of boys were flirting and dancing with me! I don’t usually like that kind of place, all dark and loud and hot, and they have one of those fog machines with the nasty smelling fog that sends me right back to my theater days. But I was just in the mood last night. And I danced for 2 hours straight, no joke.

Made it home about 2am. Every muscle in my body hurts. And I had a blast.

I also have some photographic evidence. I may threaten to put that up here if people in my office do something I don’t like!

Well, Summer Would Appear to be Over…

cold and rainy today.

And for the first time last night I noticed the shortening days.

It stays light here so late sometimes it seems like the sun will never set.  It can even be fairly light in the small hours of the morning.  But last night as I was getting ready for bed, around 9:30, I noticed that it was dusky out, the sun definitely setting.

Because we are so far north, the changes in daylight length between summer and winter are really noticable.  Summer it stays light for ages.  Winter it is dark by about 4:30.

I like both states of being.  I enjoy long summer days, but I also like the dark mornings so I don’t get woken up on winter mornings.

I do wish the weather was nicer between times.  This summer has been all rain.  And so will the winter.