A year in the life of an Australian writer in Ireland.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2003

Start work tomorrow, from 11AM to 8pm, one hour lunch, and half an hour for dinner. Woohoo! Rocking.

Hard to really give a feel of Dublin, since I no longer have the luxury of time to ramble on, but if the catchword of Aberdeen is alcohol, then Ireland is religion.

On the flight over to Ireland, there was a nun. On the bus from the airport, an older woman crossed herself after passing, what I can now guess with some certainty, a church. From buying my sushi on Clarendon Street, I saw through an arched doorway, a figure kneeling in front of a gilt statue.

No poetry as of yet, but I did see someone selling their books on Grafton Street.

I can't wait to get settled and started.

Monday, February 24, 2003

I have a job! I found out on Saturday. Great news. Yay! Took only three days, too.

Now I'm sorting out bank accounts and tax (pooh!).

So. Now we'll see what Dublin's all about.

People seem quite friendly here, laidback, not as stressed as it is in Sydney or Melbourne, but it has elements of both.

Also need to look for accommodation because on March 8th, a rugby match is on, and I have no bed.

And the beat goes on...

Friday, February 21, 2003

The sun is out and my spirits are up. I'm pleased because I approached a sushi place for some casual/temporary work. Yes, free sushi! Not sure what the outcome will be, but I challenged myself and I rose to it.

Followed up on my initial contact at the bookshop in St Stephen's Green, which is part of the same chain of bookshops that I applied for at the airport.

It'll be interesting if I receive several job offers, won't it? At least this noose won't be so tight. I've spoken to two print publications this morning, too. Push, push, push. Have to walk the talk.

Thursday, February 20, 2003

Things are looking up a little. I am just scared about making it here, but after the last two days, I'm finally settling into a routine. And routine can sometimes be a comfort.

Dublin is grizzly and drizzly today.

I bought a mobile phone! And I spoke with a manager at a bookshop, who seems very interested in what I had to say. Also, another manager emailed me after I dropped off my CV at the airport bookshop, fresh off the plane from Aberdeen. My, aren't I the frisky one?

The editor of a magazine also replied about an internship, which is, unfortunately, unpaid. I am a bit disappointed at this, but still unsure whether to toss it away or stick to my guns.

Wednesday, February 19, 2003

In Dublin. Yay! and Woe! at the same time. So expensive and missing Mark, who remains in Aberdeen.

Approached half a dozen places for a job today, but no interviews yet. I shall perservere! I do have an appointment with the public library internet computer on Friday afternoon, so things are looking up.

Feeling misted over thinking about what I must accomplish alone, but I resolve to adopt the stiff upper lip.

Money is disappearing quicker than a dead body in quicksand.