John Goodfriddle

Homecoming

2006-07-23T13:41:00.000-05:00

Hello? Does anybody still check this site?
If you do...then this is a message for you:
I'm home. Back the BM of NC. And thus ends the adventure that you have followed with great scrutiny and glee...(and dissapointment when the posts trailed off, no doubt). So, faithful friends, family and internet stalkers...please e-mail me so we can meet in person sometime soon, wouldn't that be nice.....

Stanley

2006-06-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

In case you don't know, Carolina won game one of the Stanley cup. In case you don't know....that's hockey.

Stanley

2006-06-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

In case you don't know, Carolina won game one of the Stanley cup. In case you don't know....that's hockey.

Some Pictures? Yes...

2006-06-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

This guy balances rocks on a beach for a living....

These guys do brazilian martial arts for fun....

And these guys play old time music...

Correction

2006-05-16T09:34:00.000-05:00

I live in unit 1, not unit 2....

Postal Service

2006-05-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine from Australia asked me to mail him some guitar strings that aren't yet available in his fair country. So I purchased the strings yesterday and made my way to the post office. I presented my package to the lady at the counter and told her it was an international delivery. To ensure that my package was not dangerous, she inquired as to its contents. "Two packs of guitar strings," I informed her. "What are those?" she asked. Well, I realize there are many people who aren't into music and have no reason to know technical terms for such things so I explained, "The strings you put on guitars to play..." She looked at me skeptically and said..."Whatever you say," and posted my package.
It reminded me of the time Josh had to assure that strange man that Virginia is actually a state.
By the way, my address is:
226 Broadview Ave
Unit 2
Toronto, Ontario
M4M 2G5

News from the Third World

2006-05-07T10:36:00.000-05:00

I realize it has been a month since I last posted anything. I'm afraid the general decline in posting among my little web community made me feel a little lazy about my own website upkeep. So I'll give this little update, post a few pictures and promise to renew my efforts to keep you thrilled with tales of the land of the mounties (run on?).
After a month of digging I've found several different groups of musicians that let me join their ranks for my time hear. Between Irish sessions, bluegrass gigs, Old-Tyme jams, song sessions, French fiddling and Greek craziness...I have a full schedule. I've been particularly excited to see Old-Tyme music making a stand in the big city. Apparently a lady named Erynn Marshall is largely responsible for this...and do you know where she is right now? Yep, she's at good ole Berea College digging in the music archives. So if you see a new face on campus sporting a red mountie hat, say "hi."
I'm down to my last two months now. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see my friends in their great exodus from John G's own little slice of heaven...so to you guys: congratulations.

Here are a couple of pictures.

Which one already has a degree?

Signs

2006-04-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

Two, too true statements.

April

2006-04-04T15:29:00.000-05:00

Why is it snowing?

2006-03-29T20:28:00.000-05:00

Only after I signed a lease to move in next to a temple of the buffalo....

...did I find out there are other rooms available in the city...

Eh!?

2006-03-24T20:38:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a while since my last post...but I thought I'd stick this on the site for anyone who might still be checking in. I arrived in Toronto yesterday after a long long long long long flight. Due to airlines booking more people than they have seats...I spent five hours in Chicago's finest holiday inn, waiting for the next flight to Toronto. The next afternoon I arrived in style at a hostel just down the street from the Curling Club of Toronto. After merely two days in the city, I have secured an apartment in east Chinatown. Like that movie with Jack Nicholson. I don't have pictures yet...but as soon as I see some broom-wielding mounties sweeping up a frenzy...I'll snap some shots and post them for your enjoyment.

Eh!?

2006-03-24T20:38:00.001-05:00

Eh!?

2006-03-24T20:38:00.000-05:00

Banjos Will Rule the World

2006-03-07T08:36:00.000-05:00

This fella asked me if I wanted to go to this little bluegrass pickers meeting thingy that happen every month on the edge of Sydney. So I said yeah. There were a lot of banjos. Other than that, it was pretty good. About sixty Aussies were there, and they were all singing songs about Bowling Green. It was beyond funny. Then this fella walks up to the mic of this little hole-in-the wall room and starts playing some amazing banjo. Turns out, John McEuen is in Sydney producing a play and wanted to pick a little. So pick a little he did, and it was amazing. It was a very casual thing, so I got to stand in the hall and talk to him. The conversation was a little like this:
JOHN - hey I'm not practicing too loud am I?
ME- nah, I think you're all right
JOHN - Don't think the guys on stage can hear me?
ME- nah, I think you're all right

It was stellar. Here's a picture.

Doctor Goodfriddle I presume?

2006-02-28T19:17:00.000-05:00

Hey all. A crazy thing happened on the way to work yesterday...I was at a folk festival in the small and remote town of Cobargo when a girl approached me. "Is your name Jonas," she asked. Many thoughts passed through my head:

1. I must have met this girl at the last festival and forgotten her name.
2. The cops finally found the blue van of infamy and found the ID card I lost, now they want to ask me questions,
3. I really want to try a kangaroo burger.

"Yes?" I replied.
"Did you get the Watson?"
"Maybe"
"I go to Berea College."
Turns out this girls name is Megan Naseman and she's a sens major at good old berea college. Two weeks ago she began a semester abroad at a college seven hours away from where I am. When a classmate asked if anyone wanted to go to this little folk festival with him she agreed (like any berean would agree to seven hours on the road with a stranger). So, as weird as it felt to meet a classmate by accident on the other side of the world, it was kinda cool. Now I'm wondering, does anyone know this girl?
Oh and I ate a kangaroo burger...

here are some pics of the festival

gliders on the barby

2006-02-19T19:15:00.000-05:00

I went to a real aussie BBQ yesterday. A big field and a grill by the beach. Award winning sausages and slabs of beef, complete with beetroot. It turned out the big field also doubles as a landing spot for hangliders. I hiked up to the launch site and took a photo of the beach where we were having the BBQ...

Late, but...

2006-02-16T21:57:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been in Ireland, but I have this picture that kinda captures some of the feel of my trip. This is the group I spent my time with and the pub where we had weekly sessions. The fella on the flute is Eamon...the host father for me and Ryan on our previous trip...

a tip

2006-02-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

If you ever want to kill someone in a painful, yet legal, way. Slip them a spoonful of vegemite and watch...

The long decline

2006-02-05T18:47:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone...thanks for the birthday wishes. I made it to 24 without a single shark bite. We'll see about 25. As for
"the long decline," I'm refering to the last half of my trip, not the last half of my life. I half a little more than five months left. Only six weeks until I hit Toronto, where I hope some of you can come visit. Once again, thanks for keeping up with me.
Cheers!

Ranger

2006-02-02T18:19:00.000-05:00

Once I was watching Chuck in the dorm when Jaime came up and joined me. When Chuck pulled out the legendary roundhouse Jaime said, "That's not how a real ranger would do it." 30 seconds later Chuck busted through our door and gave Jaime a roundhouse to the face. Then, as a reminder, he broke Jaime's trigger finger so it would be bent for the rest of his life.

For Jess

2006-01-31T18:00:00.000-05:00

All Hail, Groundhog Supremacy!

It's a bird, it's a plane

2006-01-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

Laura arrived in the summer down under a little over a week ago and we did the tourist thing here on the southeast coast. Between the animals, opera houses and surfing I think we've gotten the full experience. Laura fell in love with a wombat named Sebastian and tried to smuggle him out of the zoo in her bookbag. I told the security guard that she's German and for some reason they let her off the hook. Maybe Joe can explain why that worked. We also went parasailing in Sydney harbor. That's where they tie you to a parachute, tie the parachute to a boat, pull you into the air and dip you in the shark infested water over and over. Lots of fun. Anyway, more pictures...less talk...I know, I know.

Peggy

2006-01-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got a phone call from a fella who runs the regional folk club. He told me that Peggy Seeger was going to be doing an outdoor concert in a nearby town and asked if I would like to open up for her. I checked my calendar and told him I was free and would love to open for Miss Peggy. Anyway, it was very exciting and I was very happy just to meet her and hear her play. She was so personable and energetic (even at 70), and her show was certainly one of the high points of my trip so far. Here's a couple of pictures...

The holiday season

2006-01-01T07:19:00.000-05:00

I indulged myself and bought a bike the week before Christmas. While I was at the Christmas Eve service at church someone stole it. For Christmas, God (manifested by the Wollongong PD) gave me back my bike. I thought Holiday fun could never exceed that night, but then came New Years Day.
I, admittedly, caused my current situation. I locked myself out of my apartment. Now, I did not panic. It was five o'clock and I had plenty of time to figure out how to get in. First, I borrow a phone book from a gas station and look up my landlord. After a series of calls I reach the right man. In this case the right man was on vacation 2000 miles away and he recommend trying to jimmy the window lock (not inspiring a sense of security.) So I go back armed with a bookbag, a wallet, and a pair of fold out scissors, and start to work. After half an hour I had managed to pull one latch (the unlocked one). At this point a neighbor comes to offer his help. It will suffice to say that the man looked like one of the dirty extras in a Van Damme movie and was sporting a large cut on his right hand. He comforted me by saying that this happens all the time and he (in fact) had done the same thing the other night and had to bust out his window, hence the cut on his hand. He provided a screwdriver and some basic instructions but was frustrated by my pace and took over the operation. He succeeded in relatching the only progress I had made. He then begin to tell me many stories that made me feel the need to leave. So I took the next step and called a locksmith who quoted me 220 dollars. I then called the landlord who recommended breaking the window. However, I would be stuck for at least a week with a open window in a neighborhood that seems more and more like a late night Fox special, so I asked if anyone else had a key. The answer is yes...And so my dear friends, I am in an internet cafe run by the Chinese Mafia, wasting away what night I can before I go to sit for eight hours in front of my apartment and wait for Monday morning.

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

2005-12-27T05:24:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas a little late all. Though I arrived at the special day before ye o' the states, the library was closed and thus there was no blogging for me. Truth be told, it didn't feel much like Christmas. I would not have believed the weather played such a role in the holiday season, but with sand instead of snow...it felt more like spring break. I hope all of your days were filled with lovely holiday things and Justin, I hope santa healed your fragile little body.
My address for the next three months is
Unit 41, 1-5 Mt Keira Rd
West Wollongong, NSW 2500
Australia
So...if you were going to...you know...mail me something. That's where you would send it.
Happy new years all!

Fliptor and Folk

2005-12-20T19:02:00.001-05:00

I have moved, thus ending the spider saga. For you unbelievers (justin), I had the presence of mind to take a before and after shot of the second spider. Here they are.

I promise they are fuzzy because of the light, not my shaking hands.

Some people have asked what I am doing here besides playing with bugs. So here's the answer to that, for those who care. I'm currently volunteering for a writer's center and a folk music club. I'm trying my best to learn how both of these organizations manage to keep afloat and serve the writers and musicians of the southwest coast. The wongawilli (yes, wongawilli) folk group holds weekly dances, not unlike Berea's contras, and I will be happily dancing away with them for the first time tonight. The new year brings a few music festivals along the coast and a couple have accepted me as a performer. Why did they do this? Maybe I sent them a Canebreak CD and said it was me...I'm not telling.
Anyway, that's the jist of things so far.
As Christmas time may I leave you with this: Santa is not pulled by twelve (is it twelve?) reindeer in Australia. He is pulled by six snow white pumas.

Fliptor and Folk

2005-12-20T19:02:00.000-05:00

Like that move, what's it called...

2005-12-13T19:53:00.000-05:00

OK, so last night the whole spider thing went from annoying to very very crazy (a man's way of saying scary).
Apparently momma wasn't too happy about the murder of her some 127 odd children so she decided to pay a visit to jonas while he was in the shower. That's right kids, a large, hairy spider the size of my hand dropped from the ceiling and challenged me to a duel. Which I accepted with all of the solemnity and poise that such an encounter dictates. I screamed a war cry of "AIEEEEEEEEEYAH!" and smote the mighty beast with my flip flop. For future reference I now refer to my right flip flop as Fliptor of Columbia That Inspires Fear in the Hearts of Spider. There I stood naked and wet, and yelling like a madman. I was very hyped and it was hard to sleep.
I awoke at five needing to take a trip to the bathroom, but I had a very bad feeling about this...inspired by five hours of nightmares and phantom spider bites. So I took Fliptor and entered the Den of Spiders, and there, as I suspected, crawled the biggest #@$%$^$%@#$ spider I have ever seen just above the toilet. The jerk was waiting for me. Clever as I am I took down his guard by pretending to be Steve Erwin and saying things like "I'm not going to hurt you." Then I betrayed the things trust as I heaved Fliptor again and again.
The next morning I took the carcasses to my landlord and said, "what are these?" He replied, "Oh, tarantulas...we get those sometimes."
"Ah, and should they bother me?"
"Nah, mostly they're just scary looking"
"So they're not poisonous"
"Well, yeah"
"They are?"
"Yeah a little"
"A little?"
"They won't kill you, just make you sick..."
I am moving today.

is that a...

2005-12-12T20:46:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to a ceiling covered in spiders. Lots and lots of baby spiders had hatched overnight, so I went to my landlord and said "Hey come take a look at these spiders." So he did. He picked one up, named it and played with it. He said "sometimes we get a lot of tarantulas, but I don't think that's what these are...do they bother you." I replied, "Well, it bothers me a bit that I can't see the ceiling, it's a really nice ceiling." So he gave me a vaccum and I spent the day murdering spider babies.
I'm moving soon.

Just a boy from hicktown

2005-12-09T17:55:00.000-05:00

My internet access is a bit limited here, so posts and pictures may be more scarce. (more scarce? - that's kinda wierd) However, I am still here in wollongong and loving it. I'm renting a granny flat (complete with granny) from a PHD student at the University, who sometimes gives me lifts into town. Yesterday as we were riding quietly, and getting along, he looks at me and says "So you are some kind of a hick, right?"
I will be moving soon.

He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich

2005-12-02T02:43:00.000-05:00

Here is the abridged version of my 5 days on the move:

I thought it would be a good idea to hit London for a couple of days before my flight to Sydney because, well, it's London. So I did the whirlwind tour, which consisted of me finding the big clock and wandering aimlessly from there. There are some of you who already know this, but I found out that London is very big and I was very tired by the end of it all. I was so tired I was sure that I would have no problems sleeping in my hostel bunk, which many of you know it usually an impossible task due to snoring, drunks, and snoring drunks. I was very very wrong. Unlike many American hostels, European hostels are co-ed. I'm all for progressive thought, but seldom do I lose any sleep over it (note clever word usage). Stick traveling boys and girls in a big room together and no sleep happens. The biggest disruption, however, was a loud Australian girl who came in at 2am and loudly noted that everyone was in bed and proceeded to make a loud phone call to her dad, begging for him to wire her a thousand dollars. She then began to complain about the Americans who had joined the ranks that night. That irked me since I knew they were Canadians. She went on a long rant about violent Americans which upset me greatly and if I wasn't so tired I would have declared war.
I went to the airport the next morning even though my flight was that night...I had nowhere else to go with all of my luggage. So I waited. Which was good, because I was first at the desk and that allowed plenty of time for the lady behind the desk to explain to me that my visa was not stamped when I entered Scotland and that meant no getty on flighty. I tried to explain to her that the Scotland airport was as empty as the first 10 minutes of a zombie movie, but she didn't seem to care. So I rushed a visa in 2 hours and 50 dollars and was at security with 2 hours to go, and almost missed my flight.
But, I'm writing this so I must have made it...you are all very clever.
I flew 10 hours, switched in Bangkok and flew another 10. It just so happens I sat next to a fella and his girl returning from their Thailand vacation, and they were students at the university near where I was headed. So they asked me about my travels and I told them where I was headed. They seemed very keen on HOW I was planning to get to Wollongong and very amused that I had yet to figure that out. When I explained I was just going to get on the first bus or train I saw and stay at the first hostel I could find they kindly suggested I should ride with them and they would take me where I needed to be. So I accepted and I think it's good that I did...because, looking back, I don't think I would have made it otherwise.
But I DID make it...you are all so clever. So there you go Josh, Steve didn't hunt me like a croc, but he did search my bags for illegal food.

Heery Coo

2005-11-20T07:37:00.000-05:00

That's right folk's..."Heery Coo." I took a little tour of the Highlands yesterday and one of our stops was a pasture where Hamish the Heery Coo resides. He was large, eats grass and has long hair. It reminds me of someone...but who? Here are some lovely shots. You will notice they posted a sign requesting people refrain from grabbing a large, dangerous animal. I thought this was a little insulting to people's intelligence until a couple of girls from Texas muttered "well that's no fun."

A Rude Awakening

2005-11-17T07:07:00.000-05:00

I think I like The White Stripes. I'm sorry.

Quiz Time

2005-11-14T06:54:00.000-05:00

Two points to anyone who can guess who this is a statue of...*hint* He was the only Australian to lead a Scottish revolution against England...

Effigy

2005-11-08T07:36:00.000-05:00

November 5th was Guy Fawkes Day. For all of you in the colonies, that is the day the Brits celebrate foiling Guy Fawkes plan to destroy parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder. The celebration consists of continuous fireworks from six at night until 3 in the morning, burning Mr. Fakes in effigy, and setting random (unmanned) bonfires around the country. The result is much more damaged to the country as a whole than Guy could ever had achieved. Missing fingers, charred fields, and an exhausted fire department. I think it's the best holiday ever. Here is a poor night time picture.

Puppies

2005-11-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

I have been fortunate enough to have some puppies around for my time in edinburgh, so I thought I would share....

Night Out

2005-10-24T06:26:00.000-05:00

I found this great little folk music pub called The Royal Oak. I went there last night to enjoy some conversation and dig around a little. It just so happens I met a fiddler from Indiana. She asked me where I was from, and I gave here my usual synopsis of my origins and studies etc. When she hears "Berea" she asks, "I have a friend who goes there. Jack Krack, do you know him?" I replied "Maybe, doesn't he play basketball?" Just then, the eighty year old fiddler in the corner gets fed up with a rowdy thirty year old and invites him outside to "do the man dance." The old fiddler proceeds to bloody the man, then return to his music while the cops come and take the other fella away.
I have found my headquarters for the month.

My wee little city

2005-10-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

After a week in the hip hostel above Belushi's Bar, I am now living in a more private residence. Truth be told, I'm living in the upstairs of a house owned by a lovely retired nurse by the name of Miss McInnes. I have two dogs and three cats and I love them all. I take that back. The fat, black cat is a jerk who thinks my bed should be his. My address, for those who wish to write, is:

12 Backlee
Howden Hall, Liberton
EH166YH
Edinburgh, Scotland

It takes about seven days for mail to travel, so here's an idea - YOU send ME a postcard.
Now, here are some pictures of my new city.

Fireworks

Men in skirts marching through town? Must be Berea! No offense booger...

My Hostel.

The city is built around this crazy Castle.

who is that on the TV

2005-10-15T05:51:00.000-05:00

I was doing the tourist thing and visiting Fort Charles when I spotted a guest register. I took a little look and what did I see? Apparently a Mr. Clay Goodpasture signed the book and noted how much he loves BP gas. The only problem is this man seems to be Canadian. I have so many questions.

FREEDOM!!!

2005-10-13T05:54:00.000-05:00

Well folks and such. I made it to Scotland. After two days of living in a hostel located above a bar named after the blues brothers, I managed to rent a room from a sweet Scottish lady who owns a golden retriever. I love my new dog. I will soon take and post pictures of Edinburgh, which is one of the coolest cities I have ever seen. However, I have bits and pieces left from my last bit in Ireland that I would like to share.

Laura came for a visit, and thanks to camera timers, I have a picture of us on Fort Charles.

Here is Laura after kissing the Blarney Stone, which bestows the kisser with the gift of gab. If you could see the entire view you would notice a long line of women waiting to kiss the stone and a long line of husbands looking for the nearest pub.

The window of the young ladies bedroom is barred to prevent dramatic suicides.

No castle is complete without a sacrificial alter in a faerie circle.

Milestone

2005-10-03T11:14:00.000-05:00

Well folks, I'm just a little over two months old in the blog universe and I see a little over 1000 hits. If you subtract the 940 of those that are just me checking for comments, it averages out to be at least one a day. It makes me feel warm to know my friends take a little time to see what I'm doing. Since october is blowing in I can use all the warm I can get. Please continue to say a word or two in the comment section. Unless you want to tell me about a great website you have for prescription drugs.
Remember, if I get an address, you get a postcard. Even if you are someone I've never met who just happens to work with my brother.

Strange truth

2005-09-19T06:54:00.000-05:00

There is no such thing as fiction. Things so weird take place that we have no way of dealing with them, so we make a little category for stuff we don't believe. I woke up today to find a slice of bread in the toilet. To tell the truth this is the third timed this has happened. So I chalk it down to experience and make some tea. I take the tea to my room and begin my daily practicing. I'm in the middle of a murder song when a loud knock comes at my bedroom door. I wet myself. See, my roommates go to work at eight and I usually have the place to myself. After the knocking I hear a voice yell "Jonas," in a voice that could only belong to my 50 year old German flatmate. "Jonas come out here and listen to me sing a song."
I open the door, "Ulrich, you came back,"
"Yes, I have a wound on my arm, listen to me sing a song."
Far be it from me to refuse a wounded man. So I sit on the couch and Ulrich takes a deep breath. Imagine my surprise when he opened his mouth and a German Kermit the frog hopped out. Heir Kermit sang a rousing rendition of "the boys of Belfast" in one single breath. Then he gasped for air for a minute and asked me what I thought...And all I could think was: why a slice of bread?

The South Will Rise Again

2005-09-17T09:21:00.000-05:00

I found this interesting scene on my street. What we have here is a Cork County flag on the left. There is a teddy bear in a santa cap and a hurling t-shirt. And, of course, the bear is proudly waving the confederate flag. It seems the Cork people are known as the "rebels" because of their role in kicking out the brits. So they have siezed on to a bit of the american south and mixed in some Cork and Christmas. Symbols mother nature never intended...

The Champs

2005-09-14T04:51:00.000-05:00

Not only did my home county of Cork win the all-Ireland hurling (not curling) competion, but we also broke the Celi Mohr (Irish Set Dancing) record by having ten bands and almost 10,000 people complete a set dance in the streets. Here are some pics:

Dude

2005-09-10T11:25:00.001-05:00

"That pub really tied the road together..."

luck o the ...

2005-09-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, I found the pot of gold.

Singing in the rain.

2005-08-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

Since the adventures of Ulrich and Marcos seemed to spark some speculation, I feel it neccesary to report that Ulrich is alive. I found out yesterday evening that he has simply been slipping away to the pub "downstairs." At first I was excited, then I realized by "downstairs" he means "down the street." OK, thats normal activity. However, he continues to inform me of his fun evenings singing "IRA songs." So now I wonder, what did the IRA do with the recent abandoment of arms? Where did they go? Why did Ulrich move to Ireland? What are these songs? Why is there not a decent cup of coffee on the entire island?

Don't Mention the War

2005-08-24T06:15:00.000-05:00

So I'm living with an italian and a german. So, what rule applies to an american in this situation? In the words of John Cleese: Don't mention the war.
It turns out, I didn't have to. The italian did it first. That's right. Marcos brought it right out in the open and Ulrich kind of stared at him and I left the apartment for two days. I'm going back now. I wonder what I'll find...

Butter Battle Book

2005-08-23T07:51:00.000-05:00

You thought I couldn't do it, but only one month into my trip, I arrive at my destination:

Friends, European Style

2005-08-16T12:43:00.000-05:00

All right, I have a great picture for this post, but I can't put it up. Why, you might ask? Because I have moved and have only internet cafes available now. So until I find one with usb ports, it's just plain text. Text can not do my life justice right now. As I said I have moved (19 St. Nichols Square, Off Blarney Street, Cork City Centre, Co. Cork--for those who wish to send a homesick man some mail). Now, in order to afford a place in the city, I have ended up in an apartment sharing situation. I shall call that situation, Ulrich and Marcos. I call it that because those are the names of the two, middle aged Apple employees I now call apartment mates. One is German and one Italian. I can't understand a work they say and they scare me a little. Truth be told, it's like living with Josh and Jesse.

Tralee Tra la la

2005-08-11T21:41:00.000-05:00

I travelled the long road to Tralee, the capitol of Kerry, with John O'Keefee today. He had a business meeting and was kind enough to drop me off at the National Folk Theatre there for a looksee. So I looksaw and it lookseed something like this:

I also took a tour of the local museum to get a bit of the ol' town history under me. A particular bit worth noting is the original set of rules to Gaelic football shown here:

I spaced out a little after that, but I believe what followed was a depiction of what an early game might have looked like:

Kick your sissy soccer ball Martinez! I've found a real sport!

Farewell

2005-08-07T18:50:00.000-05:00

My dog, Sophie, died this past week. Please take the time to tell your pet you love them.

Foxes Have a Hole

2005-08-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry to those who got the impression that I didn't last past the first night. I am just now getting moved into my housing after a crazy week. My kind flute playing host father from last year dragged me along with his band of merry musicians to sessions from Cork to Killkenny. But now I'm home, and home is here:

It's a suite style housing thing and I'm sharing with one french nurse and a family of four from Manchester.
For those of you who are intrigued and wish to know more, check out www.carraigbarre.com. For those who don't care the tour ends here. I do have a couple of interesting little pictures to show. First is my new church, St. Fin's

Also, the other day I had that experience that we all have in our lives. I was walking down the city street and saw a line of kids staring at a closed store. I glanced to see what they were staring at, and lo and behold, it was burning. The fireman thought so too because they came quickly and smashed the glass. I had a choice between going about my business or looking completely stupid and taking a picture:

The IRA just turned in all of its guns. The banjo player from the band however, is teaching his sons how to beat back the brits. As if that takes training...

Ok, so I live one minutes walk from where they make all of the Beamish in the country. Pretty impressive. However, on my daily stroll (as in I took a stroll once) I found something odd. See if you can tell...

That's right friends, it would seem as if Foster's is really Australian for hijacking loads of Irish Stout.

Alright folks, until next post...

Pick me up, I landed...

2005-07-26T11:48:00.000-05:00

I have completed my thirty somethingth hour of travel and arrived at Cork City Centre, Ireland. Being the responsible traveler I am I will be holding out until just the right moment for sleep so I will immediately enter this time zone with no lag whatsoever. The other option is hit the town with pseudo roommate Tom from Oxford. Log on and vote on an option and based on reader response I will choose my path. Like those books, you know: "Choose your own research project adventure!"

I'm a Travelin'

2005-07-19T18:34:00.000-05:00

I will be leaving on my little trip around the world in one week. With the help of one Miss Rosolina I set up this site to keep people informed of anything interesting I manage to find and remember long enough to post. I figured this way I wouldn't have to bother anyone with mass e-mails containing stories that the most loneliest little monkey in Iowa wouldn't find interesting. I can't promise the posts will be entertaining. I know the blog thingys are supposed to be full of witticisms and cleverness, but I have this problem most of you know about. If I feel pressured to produce clever little schnippits I most certainly will not. However, feel free to respond to posts in your own clever manner and who knows, maybe the world will be a better place.