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charliewhy13
08 September 2008 @ 01:11 am
14 July 2008 @ 08:22 pm
Father Dan's speech tonight at our church was amazing. It was great having Chris there, too. Father Dan just makes you want to go out and be a Franciscan. Just travel the world helping people out. Seems like veery summer at this time I get that urge, at least the last two summers. It also reminded me I can't WAIT to get back to Bonaventure. Hooray Bonaventure!
10 July 2008 @ 04:34 pm
Today, I had a talk with myself. Every now and then, I have to look in the mirror and talk to myself. The conversation is usually a reflection and usually ends up motivational. It just feels good to get it out sometimes after working all day and not talking much besides cracking jokes.
I feel more at peace with myself now than I've been in a while. I realize that I'm no longer the freshman who wasn't sure where he was or even the busy sophomore who tried to take on everything. The place I'm in now is a lot better because I finalyl realize my limitations. God made me human for reason and it's both humbling and peaceful to realize the repercussions of my humanity.
I'm not worried about the past or the future but just thankful for being where I am. This summer has been filled with personal growth, and it was totally unexpected. From nearly drowning to genuinely enjoying a job I hated for so long, I've come a long way.
I've realized that God and my family are the most important things in my life. Well, I think I always knew that, but I've seen it even more this summer. I realize that people are what make my life great. I don't know what I'm meant to do yet, but I know I have many stories to tell. I think I was made to tell stories about the people I meet. It's ironic because I'm a horrible storyteller vocally. But I know I can write with my heart and I know I'll do that. Where, I don't know. But that's the fun of being life, and being 20.
I love being interrupted in the middle of these deep reflections. Off to where many stories often start: a restaurant-bar.
I feel more at peace with myself now than I've been in a while. I realize that I'm no longer the freshman who wasn't sure where he was or even the busy sophomore who tried to take on everything. The place I'm in now is a lot better because I finalyl realize my limitations. God made me human for reason and it's both humbling and peaceful to realize the repercussions of my humanity.
I'm not worried about the past or the future but just thankful for being where I am. This summer has been filled with personal growth, and it was totally unexpected. From nearly drowning to genuinely enjoying a job I hated for so long, I've come a long way.
I've realized that God and my family are the most important things in my life. Well, I think I always knew that, but I've seen it even more this summer. I realize that people are what make my life great. I don't know what I'm meant to do yet, but I know I have many stories to tell. I think I was made to tell stories about the people I meet. It's ironic because I'm a horrible storyteller vocally. But I know I can write with my heart and I know I'll do that. Where, I don't know. But that's the fun of being life, and being 20.
I love being interrupted in the middle of these deep reflections. Off to where many stories often start: a restaurant-bar.
07 July 2008 @ 06:26 pm
Today was unbearably hot and five and a half hours of sleep not enough. But at least Monday is down and it's one more day until I can play rugby and four more until i can drink beer with my boss. Worked on some patios today and I'm more of a redneck that Larry the Cable Guy after 10 hours in the sun.
In other news, it's great that The Buffalo News used '3' in a headline today and 'Barak Obama' yesterday. To misspell a 35-consonant name of a Polish lady in Buffalo is one thing, but the man with the Democratic nomination for the presidency? Come on. But hey I guess everyone makes mistakes and I definitely made a bunch today. Just reinforces Denny's observation that the first keystroke is more commonly the final one.
Great news for my Dad today in his fight for justice in our hometown and more importantly for the kids of our school district. It's a beautiful thing when the right thing is done and good is in a position to win over evil.
I'm looking at daily newspapers as more and more a recording and repeating of history than a bunch of new discoveries. I've also stopped looking at my future or potential profession as something to be conquered than a gradual discovery of my interests and passions and fulfillment of my talents. I'm not sure where I'm going at this point. The old student's formula or working and praying should work, though, as long as I stick to what I enjoy.
Ending the day with an early bedtime after a small celebration with my parents over a beer/wine in the hot tub. Ahh, the hot tub- a GREAT way to cap off a scorching 80-degree day and a wonderfully muggy night.
Current Music: wonderwall
06 July 2008 @ 04:52 pm
I was just shaken from my near-panic of things that I have to do this week, things I shouldn't have done this weekend and things that could possibly go wrong by Tanya's awesome blog post about America.
It reminded me how Awesome this weekend was. Yes, awesome with a capital A. Went to my first Thursday in the Square and saw Jakob Dylan. Sounded good when we finally got around to listening. Saw my cousin Jimmy and these two girls from high school I've been running into a lot. Beer was great and went to Colored Musicians Club for jazz after. Todd finaggled a parking spot for us because of his jazz connections and we hilariously and pathetically transported back into eighth grade by chugging 24 ouncers of warm Labatt Ice in his car before the parking guy could see us.
Ughhhhhh,...just had to interrupt this post with a 3 hour Top Gun viewing break after Todd showed up. Awesome movie though, obviously. Made me think that summer's kind of lonely and I wouldn't mind having a girlfriend. On second thought, loneliness isn't that bad.
Friday was a great American day. Worked mowing lawns, a great American thing to do, until around 1 or 2. Then the party started with my awesomely amazing flag-eagle shirt. Drank early and often and steadily throughout the night. Played 220 cup beer pong with my boss, Dad, cousin and some other people. Came down to a cup on each side and we didn't pull through. Dad put on an awesome fireworks show. We played "Proud to be an American" during the show and Ray Charles' rendition of the national anthem. It was out of a movie. It irked me when my one friend was complaining about the song. I mean I don't care if you like country music or not, you should never be afraid to say you're proud to be an American. There's nothing wron with saying that our country is the greatest in the world-it is. We're not perfect, but at least we're free.
Saturday was a great night with Bona's kids at Keebs' house. Rode a dirtbike for the first time Sunday morning which was awesome. Some kid I met said he watched film of me blocking him in high school football--kind of weird. Then we went mudding in the back fields, a totally awesome experience. We covered Steve's new Jeep in mud. It was a great thing- four American guys in the back of a Jeep, listening to rock and roll, tearing up the fields with a U.S. flag flying out of the top. It was great.
I'm tired and have a dentist appointment tomorrow morning. Gonna call novak and text Tanya. Yipee kiyay. God bless America.
Current Mood: Tired
Current Music: you've lost that loving feeling
30 June 2008 @ 05:24 pm
This week is the complete opposite of last even though it started the exact same. Last week started on the wrong foot and got sooo good. This week is still on that foot.
I can't stop internally swinging between my newfound relaxed sense of life and mental state and my old rush-rush-rush love and do everything, then fall into bed preoccupations and aspirations from the last two years. It's really making me nuts that i can't find a middle ground.
Bonaventure seems so far away and even though I have two years left, this summer is huge and I feel like I'm almost starting the whole thing over again. I read someone's blog post about people leaving and graduating and it reminded me when my best friend graduated this year. I kind of forgot what effect it had on me and I'm at least happy I remember now because it makes me at least feel that everything that happened at school is still real. I never felt inside like I did when my friend left for anyone or anything except my family. For a growing man to have absolutely no control over himself or fall to the ground and weep means that person is a hell of a friend. It will be so weird at Bonaventure without the big guy...every part of the last two years of my life at least had something to do with the times we had or the things he taught me or I taught him. Sayig goodbye later when I was sober was the same thing though I tried to pull myself together a bit. My mom saw the look on my face though and I know she knew I was saying goodbye to the best friend I'd ever had. We talk sometimes and catch up and stuff and it'll be fun to see where our futures take us. Haha it was said that I'd either be in his wedding or be the one marrying him to his wife as a priest.
Soeaking of that I can't believe how far from God I feel and all because of my own doing. I've just been fighting this internal struggle with being moral and pure for so long now and I'm just so sick of it. I know I'm a good kid and have the strength to be so, but sometimes I wish I would either just step up and use that strength or quit beating myself up over it. Either way my mind has recently gone back to its mile-a-minute habits, which are never a good thing. That means I'm trying to peer a million years into the future instead of trusting in God's plan for me but I guess it's normal for my age group.
I too realize I've been quite lonely lately. My best friend from around here lives all the way in the north of the city and we both work. Steve has a girlfriend and Friday nights are his quiet time with her, something that totally and utterly stinks. And the whole girl thing is almost completely nonexistent. It's a change from school, but maybe not a bad one. I know I'm growing and learning this summer but I'd almost like to go on a few dates just for the fun of it. But not with just anyone--someone that has real potential and not just an old friend from around the neighborhood. But like I said either the people I care about live 2 hours away or I only see them when we're at school. Wow that was a whiny paragraph. Pretty unnecessary. But I wish I had a best friend around. Girlfriends of best friends are some of the most despised characters in existence no matter what their attributes.
On a happier note, I got my phone fixed and bought the most amazing shirt I've ever owned for the July 4 party. It's a polo with an awesomely huge American flag-bald eagle design spanning the front and wrapping around to the back of the shirt. Driving home today I realized how behind America is in globalization and all that stuff. But then I realized we were never really the first to do anything (except land on the moon). Democracy, freedom, prosperity. America was far from first in all of these things. But once our country got a hold of them and dedicated itself them, it did them the best. And America will be the best at those other challenges, too. People just need more patience. Patience and pride.
I can't stop internally swinging between my newfound relaxed sense of life and mental state and my old rush-rush-rush love and do everything, then fall into bed preoccupations and aspirations from the last two years. It's really making me nuts that i can't find a middle ground.
Bonaventure seems so far away and even though I have two years left, this summer is huge and I feel like I'm almost starting the whole thing over again. I read someone's blog post about people leaving and graduating and it reminded me when my best friend graduated this year. I kind of forgot what effect it had on me and I'm at least happy I remember now because it makes me at least feel that everything that happened at school is still real. I never felt inside like I did when my friend left for anyone or anything except my family. For a growing man to have absolutely no control over himself or fall to the ground and weep means that person is a hell of a friend. It will be so weird at Bonaventure without the big guy...every part of the last two years of my life at least had something to do with the times we had or the things he taught me or I taught him. Sayig goodbye later when I was sober was the same thing though I tried to pull myself together a bit. My mom saw the look on my face though and I know she knew I was saying goodbye to the best friend I'd ever had. We talk sometimes and catch up and stuff and it'll be fun to see where our futures take us. Haha it was said that I'd either be in his wedding or be the one marrying him to his wife as a priest.
Soeaking of that I can't believe how far from God I feel and all because of my own doing. I've just been fighting this internal struggle with being moral and pure for so long now and I'm just so sick of it. I know I'm a good kid and have the strength to be so, but sometimes I wish I would either just step up and use that strength or quit beating myself up over it. Either way my mind has recently gone back to its mile-a-minute habits, which are never a good thing. That means I'm trying to peer a million years into the future instead of trusting in God's plan for me but I guess it's normal for my age group.
I too realize I've been quite lonely lately. My best friend from around here lives all the way in the north of the city and we both work. Steve has a girlfriend and Friday nights are his quiet time with her, something that totally and utterly stinks. And the whole girl thing is almost completely nonexistent. It's a change from school, but maybe not a bad one. I know I'm growing and learning this summer but I'd almost like to go on a few dates just for the fun of it. But not with just anyone--someone that has real potential and not just an old friend from around the neighborhood. But like I said either the people I care about live 2 hours away or I only see them when we're at school. Wow that was a whiny paragraph. Pretty unnecessary. But I wish I had a best friend around. Girlfriends of best friends are some of the most despised characters in existence no matter what their attributes.
On a happier note, I got my phone fixed and bought the most amazing shirt I've ever owned for the July 4 party. It's a polo with an awesomely huge American flag-bald eagle design spanning the front and wrapping around to the back of the shirt. Driving home today I realized how behind America is in globalization and all that stuff. But then I realized we were never really the first to do anything (except land on the moon). Democracy, freedom, prosperity. America was far from first in all of these things. But once our country got a hold of them and dedicated itself them, it did them the best. And America will be the best at those other challenges, too. People just need more patience. Patience and pride.
30 June 2008 @ 10:46 am
Death of a Salesman was great, and I'm about to read the News' review. A fun weekend started Friday with a raucous night with my family and I. After oversleeping Saturday morning due to the residual effects I woke up in a haze and went to play 7 games of rugby. The day was a blast as I couldn't have been happier donning the black and green for a day of 7s competition.
The night rivaled the day as the play was excellent and the company even better. I met many types of people I'd never been around before and ended up respecting all of them. I can get along with anybody who's down for going to a bar, having a drink and shooting bull. It was great to talk to Ethan, the director and a couple other characters. Leaving Sunday was sad and the drive home long but it was good to see Mike, Greg's brother, at his grad party. I made him a card and he seemed really excited that I told him he was now part of the Bonaventure family. I know he'll love the school and hopefully we can get him out on the rugby pitch.
Stayed up way too late and am still exhausted. Work ended early due to heavy rains and I have errands to run. I've got to get it together tonight because it'll be a busy week.
The night rivaled the day as the play was excellent and the company even better. I met many types of people I'd never been around before and ended up respecting all of them. I can get along with anybody who's down for going to a bar, having a drink and shooting bull. It was great to talk to Ethan, the director and a couple other characters. Leaving Sunday was sad and the drive home long but it was good to see Mike, Greg's brother, at his grad party. I made him a card and he seemed really excited that I told him he was now part of the Bonaventure family. I know he'll love the school and hopefully we can get him out on the rugby pitch.
Stayed up way too late and am still exhausted. Work ended early due to heavy rains and I have errands to run. I've got to get it together tonight because it'll be a busy week.
26 June 2008 @ 07:27 pm
Long day today though not too long because the hours seem to glide by when working on patios. OK, I won't say they glide by, but they're not so monotonous as regular landscaping or - gosh- lawncutting. Within an hour of work I was absolutely pouring sweat and I thought the day would never end, but then the heavy lifting was done and I felt better. That's probably as unnecessarily descriptive as I'm going to get.
I was thinking about things I could write in the half-serious, half-joking (well I think I'm the only one that is half-serious about it) book my coworkers and I thought I might write. It's called Memoirs of a Landscaper: Long days under the burning sun. Well it was originally just the first part but I just made the second part up. It's too late to go into detail but look for it on the Times bestseller list sometime near the end of summer.
My trust with God wasn't as good today but it'll be better tomorrow, I know it.
I rushed from the job site, changed and wolfed down my dinner so I could go to rugby in Batavia, a good 45-minute hike. I was so excited to go and I knew it would be so worth it, even if I would be late. I've gotten to the point where there is no question any more about whether I will go to rugby practice on Tuesday and Thursday nights. In fact, it is what I look forward to the most. I don't know what everyone else's attitude is or their reasons for going are, but mine is that I just worked a long day and the thought of running around playing with a ball sounds fun. Plus rugby is always about the people you play with and I like the people both in South Buffalo and at GCC. It's interesting because there's such a diverse crowd at each place. On Tuesdays I play with a mix of old Irish guys and a few college kids interspersed here and there, with the occasional high schoolers, all being coached by themselves. Thursdays it is all college-aged kids, male and female, being coached by the best coaches in the Northeast U.S. and a few guys who just love to volunteer. An old scraggly-looking guy comes down with a Genesee rugby jacket on. The coach joked that he played on the USA rugby national team in 1945 (which I think is true) at the age of 40. But the guy comes down to watch us play ans just be around the game. It would be cool to be that guy at Bonaventure in about 40 years but maybe I'll have grandkids or something.
I ran down to practice late, having just easten a mass of food and I really needed to go to the bathroom. Either way, we had a fitness test. It's called the bleep test and it involves running back and forth from two 20-meter cones before the CD playing bleeps. Everyone goes at once and you see who can last the longest before you're totally exhausted. Well I just wasn't really worrying where I ended up but I loved the challenge and with everyone watching, there was no way I could quit early. My attitude was I would not think about how tired or not tired I was and I would just focus on beating the guy next to me. After he quit, i moved on to the next guy and so on. I saw a kid with a New York State and Northeastern All-Star t-shirt on, so I decided i absolutely had to beat him. It came down to him, a skinny lanky kid named Grant and myself. Damian, the all-star from South Africa who is 26 i think, quit and it was me and Grant. I was thinking in the back back back of my mind that he was pretty skinny and those little guys have a lot of endurance, I knew I had to win and kept brushing off any negative thoughts that crept into my mind and only paid attention (uggggggg, I actually spelled paid with a -yed..I need to go to bed) to the positive ones. I figured, what the heck, I'll keep going, I have to show everyone what kids from St. Bonaventure are made of, so eventually Grant tired out and quit. After he was done and I kept going it was a tad harder to keep up. That whole carrot dangling thing is totally true. It's like when you run with someone, you have to keep up with them, but if you're by yourself, it's harder to push yourself. Anyways, Clarence told me that I had the best score of everyone there so I was grateful for that. I just looked up at the sky and thanked God for helping me to do my best. It was different than usual, though. I knew that I wouldn't always come out on top and I wasn't worried about it. I knew I wasn't really in any kind of shape that I wanted to be in but it didn't matter. I didn't worry and it wasn't a miracle that I came in first. I was just lucky enough that God helped me to do my best. Far from satisfied, I also reminded myself that Damian was probably very out of shape compared to the other kids on the Northeast squad and I had a LOT of work to do. I was just grateful, though.
One thing I was thinking about was the idea of being humble. Growing up playing sports, you always hear about how the true competitiors like Michael Jordan are NEVER satisfied, how they agonize and beat themselves up in if they lose in anything they do because they are so uber-competitive. I sometimes thought I shouldn't celebrate anything I did playing my first sports growing up and sometimes brushed off compliments from my parents because I wanted to be modest. Now I realize that kids shouldn't be denying themselves the pleasure and satisfaction they should get from doing something good, whether on an athletic field or in a classroom. Sure, they shouldn't shedule a parade to celebrate their greatness or become cocky, but I think more parents need to teach kids that they won't always win and they won't always lose, but that they should work hard and enjoy the times they do win or do something good, and of course learn from the losses. A lesson learned is one of the greatest things. It generates such a feeling of maturity and self-realization (not sure if that is the correct use of that word) and it is true that you often learn much more from a loss than a win. I'm glad my parents encouraged me but always kept things in perspective. That's why it's so great to see Mike and Nick succeeding in sports and more importantly in the classroom. As strict as my Mom is about my brothers doing their work in school, she is the opposite with sports. They were never forced to play sports (although they had to play instruments haha) and are never put under any sort of pressure. Sure, I played a bunch of sports, but I never told them they had to. I think they just saw me and wanted to emulate what I did. The problem with that is they're much, much better that I ever was at their age haha. I still have rugby, though, and maybe when they're in college we'll play against each other at St. Bonaventure alumni games. So it's great to see Nick strike out a kid in baseball whose parent is the coach and is absolutely nuts and overbearing and thinking that his kid is the next A Rod. Meanwhile, my family and I are cheering on Nick unabashedly when we're not making fun of the way he rins or the way he is standing on first base like he is on another planet. I'm so proud of him.
When I went to pick Mike up the other day, he spent about 10 minutes after soccer practice talking with two other boys. When I asked them what they were talking about, he said he had to, with his friend, tell their other friend that he was goofing off too much at practice and that he needed to shape up a little bit. The thing is, you could tell they were totally cool about it and they seemed to be nonchalant. I was so proud that my brother had been picked and had stepped up to be a leader on his team and mroe than that, I thought it was awesome that he felt confident enough and was skilled enough to know how to deal with his friend in the right way. Understanding people is the absolute key to leadership. During my high school football days, I would always try explaining to my co-captains, most of whom would have rather yelled and screamed and berated their peers like they were a crazy parent, that each person responds to criticism or praise in a different way. Running a team (or anything for that matter, including just being a good friend) is based on relating to people. It's beautiful when done right.
I got a haircut tonight and actually shaved. I thought about letting my scruff grow out, but decided against the ever-so-ridiculous Irish neck beard that is the peak of my facial hair-growing abilities. My hair was longer than it's been probably since I went to college. It's funny when I decide I'm going to leave my hair long and my face unshaven after a week's work. I originally decide, for about 15 seconds, that I'm going to go scraggly, but always return to the mirror to tell myself, "shave, ya dirtbag" before finalyl doing it. Ah the inner turmoils of summer life.
Can't wait for this weekend. Tomorrow should be a full day of work with the guys before hopefully helping to reduce the grain supply of Milkaukee with a few cold ones. Early bedtime tomorrow, or at least not too rowdy of a night. I've got a tournament Saturday morning at Delaware Park then off to Chautauqua for an awwwwsome night seeing my favorite play. Goodnight
I was thinking about things I could write in the half-serious, half-joking (well I think I'm the only one that is half-serious about it) book my coworkers and I thought I might write. It's called Memoirs of a Landscaper: Long days under the burning sun. Well it was originally just the first part but I just made the second part up. It's too late to go into detail but look for it on the Times bestseller list sometime near the end of summer.
My trust with God wasn't as good today but it'll be better tomorrow, I know it.
I rushed from the job site, changed and wolfed down my dinner so I could go to rugby in Batavia, a good 45-minute hike. I was so excited to go and I knew it would be so worth it, even if I would be late. I've gotten to the point where there is no question any more about whether I will go to rugby practice on Tuesday and Thursday nights. In fact, it is what I look forward to the most. I don't know what everyone else's attitude is or their reasons for going are, but mine is that I just worked a long day and the thought of running around playing with a ball sounds fun. Plus rugby is always about the people you play with and I like the people both in South Buffalo and at GCC. It's interesting because there's such a diverse crowd at each place. On Tuesdays I play with a mix of old Irish guys and a few college kids interspersed here and there, with the occasional high schoolers, all being coached by themselves. Thursdays it is all college-aged kids, male and female, being coached by the best coaches in the Northeast U.S. and a few guys who just love to volunteer. An old scraggly-looking guy comes down with a Genesee rugby jacket on. The coach joked that he played on the USA rugby national team in 1945 (which I think is true) at the age of 40. But the guy comes down to watch us play ans just be around the game. It would be cool to be that guy at Bonaventure in about 40 years but maybe I'll have grandkids or something.
I ran down to practice late, having just easten a mass of food and I really needed to go to the bathroom. Either way, we had a fitness test. It's called the bleep test and it involves running back and forth from two 20-meter cones before the CD playing bleeps. Everyone goes at once and you see who can last the longest before you're totally exhausted. Well I just wasn't really worrying where I ended up but I loved the challenge and with everyone watching, there was no way I could quit early. My attitude was I would not think about how tired or not tired I was and I would just focus on beating the guy next to me. After he quit, i moved on to the next guy and so on. I saw a kid with a New York State and Northeastern All-Star t-shirt on, so I decided i absolutely had to beat him. It came down to him, a skinny lanky kid named Grant and myself. Damian, the all-star from South Africa who is 26 i think, quit and it was me and Grant. I was thinking in the back back back of my mind that he was pretty skinny and those little guys have a lot of endurance, I knew I had to win and kept brushing off any negative thoughts that crept into my mind and only paid attention (uggggggg, I actually spelled paid with a -yed..I need to go to bed) to the positive ones. I figured, what the heck, I'll keep going, I have to show everyone what kids from St. Bonaventure are made of, so eventually Grant tired out and quit. After he was done and I kept going it was a tad harder to keep up. That whole carrot dangling thing is totally true. It's like when you run with someone, you have to keep up with them, but if you're by yourself, it's harder to push yourself. Anyways, Clarence told me that I had the best score of everyone there so I was grateful for that. I just looked up at the sky and thanked God for helping me to do my best. It was different than usual, though. I knew that I wouldn't always come out on top and I wasn't worried about it. I knew I wasn't really in any kind of shape that I wanted to be in but it didn't matter. I didn't worry and it wasn't a miracle that I came in first. I was just lucky enough that God helped me to do my best. Far from satisfied, I also reminded myself that Damian was probably very out of shape compared to the other kids on the Northeast squad and I had a LOT of work to do. I was just grateful, though.
One thing I was thinking about was the idea of being humble. Growing up playing sports, you always hear about how the true competitiors like Michael Jordan are NEVER satisfied, how they agonize and beat themselves up in if they lose in anything they do because they are so uber-competitive. I sometimes thought I shouldn't celebrate anything I did playing my first sports growing up and sometimes brushed off compliments from my parents because I wanted to be modest. Now I realize that kids shouldn't be denying themselves the pleasure and satisfaction they should get from doing something good, whether on an athletic field or in a classroom. Sure, they shouldn't shedule a parade to celebrate their greatness or become cocky, but I think more parents need to teach kids that they won't always win and they won't always lose, but that they should work hard and enjoy the times they do win or do something good, and of course learn from the losses. A lesson learned is one of the greatest things. It generates such a feeling of maturity and self-realization (not sure if that is the correct use of that word) and it is true that you often learn much more from a loss than a win. I'm glad my parents encouraged me but always kept things in perspective. That's why it's so great to see Mike and Nick succeeding in sports and more importantly in the classroom. As strict as my Mom is about my brothers doing their work in school, she is the opposite with sports. They were never forced to play sports (although they had to play instruments haha) and are never put under any sort of pressure. Sure, I played a bunch of sports, but I never told them they had to. I think they just saw me and wanted to emulate what I did. The problem with that is they're much, much better that I ever was at their age haha. I still have rugby, though, and maybe when they're in college we'll play against each other at St. Bonaventure alumni games. So it's great to see Nick strike out a kid in baseball whose parent is the coach and is absolutely nuts and overbearing and thinking that his kid is the next A Rod. Meanwhile, my family and I are cheering on Nick unabashedly when we're not making fun of the way he rins or the way he is standing on first base like he is on another planet. I'm so proud of him.
When I went to pick Mike up the other day, he spent about 10 minutes after soccer practice talking with two other boys. When I asked them what they were talking about, he said he had to, with his friend, tell their other friend that he was goofing off too much at practice and that he needed to shape up a little bit. The thing is, you could tell they were totally cool about it and they seemed to be nonchalant. I was so proud that my brother had been picked and had stepped up to be a leader on his team and mroe than that, I thought it was awesome that he felt confident enough and was skilled enough to know how to deal with his friend in the right way. Understanding people is the absolute key to leadership. During my high school football days, I would always try explaining to my co-captains, most of whom would have rather yelled and screamed and berated their peers like they were a crazy parent, that each person responds to criticism or praise in a different way. Running a team (or anything for that matter, including just being a good friend) is based on relating to people. It's beautiful when done right.
I got a haircut tonight and actually shaved. I thought about letting my scruff grow out, but decided against the ever-so-ridiculous Irish neck beard that is the peak of my facial hair-growing abilities. My hair was longer than it's been probably since I went to college. It's funny when I decide I'm going to leave my hair long and my face unshaven after a week's work. I originally decide, for about 15 seconds, that I'm going to go scraggly, but always return to the mirror to tell myself, "shave, ya dirtbag" before finalyl doing it. Ah the inner turmoils of summer life.
Can't wait for this weekend. Tomorrow should be a full day of work with the guys before hopefully helping to reduce the grain supply of Milkaukee with a few cold ones. Early bedtime tomorrow, or at least not too rowdy of a night. I've got a tournament Saturday morning at Delaware Park then off to Chautauqua for an awwwwsome night seeing my favorite play. Goodnight
25 June 2008 @ 08:40 pm
Such a long and tiring day but a good one. I pulled out a quote on the job that was handed down from my grandfather to my father to me. For one of the first times ever, I totally agreed with it and it really fit well with what we were working on. "A half-asked job is half-asked forever."
Carried 400 square feet of pavers today with more to follow tomorrow. Drove a big work truck into the city today which was fun. I also realized I need to gain 20 pounds before the end of summer and weigh 200. Not sure if I can do it but I'm going to try real hard.
I need to stop speeding when I drive places and start reading a book. But this stuff is for tomorrow and life is good. Today I was thinking about how blessed I am in every way. A loving family to go home to. A good job. Food when I want to eat, a hot shower to take. I'm so blessed and I hope I can find something to give to other because of all that I've been blessed with.
I got this at the end of a chain e-mail today and liked it so I saved it:
'I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.'
24 June 2008 @ 06:49 pm
Today was a good day. The workday went by a little slower, and it was a little hotter. But all in all it was good- Todd drive stick shift while I watched him in the work truck, and by my account, he was about 10 times better than I was on my second try. Many 100 times but oh well.
I just got back from rugby practice. My old friend from Bona's Dice invited me to come out and play 7s rugby (a much faster and I think, more fun form of rugby) where there are only 7 men to a side instead of the usual 15. He plays for the South Buffalo men's squad, a team I played here and there with last year. It was great to see all the guys. I got totally lost getting there which was a trip. I noticed the old neighborhood is really changing. Young girls standing on streetcorners and kids loitering late into the night- you'd never see that when I was growing up. But it is also nice to see that some things stay the same. The field is a dirt patch surrounded by the huge abandoned factories and grain and steel mills that were once part of Buffalo's boom but now symbolize its rapid decline, while at the same time evoking some sense of nostalgia for when the Queen City was great.
Well the people are still great. That's what makes Buffalo what it is. It's the people, not nexessarily just the places. The guys I play with are great and they stayed after practice to teach the younger players some pointers. Walking off into the sunset to my car, tired but with the sort of runner's high you get from the endorphins your body generates after physical activity, I noticed an old wooden shamrock painted green nailed to a telephone pole. Yes, some things do stay the same.
It was great to hear my brother Mike scored a goal in his soccer game, which his team won, 10-0. It was great to see some of my old friends and to hear what they are going through. I feel more like the guys I play with this summer than last. I can relate to their attitude of just giving their all on the field not to become some young phenom but just for the love of the game and the joy it can bring after a 60-hour work week and a regular 7-5 job. And it is great to hear that when people ask me where I play rugby, "Bonaventure" as an answer makes their eyes widen. We've got a lot of work to do to build on that this fall but it starts with this kind of effort in the summer.
I hope to trust God a little more tomorrow. I got caught up again today in some frustrations while I was working but tomorrow should be much better. I'm off for a few beers with my buddy. 6 a.m. is coming fast but I'm looking forward to it.
23 June 2008 @ 08:22 pm
I don't usually write on this thing because if I'm writing a journal, I don't necessarily want everyone on the Internet to be able to see it. But I was reading a few other people's livejournals so i figured what the heck.
Today was a very good day. I wasn't feeling too good about the weekend so when I got up (late) today I just decided I was going to take the day slow and let things come to me, something I'm not too accustomed to. In short, the day turned out to be great. I actually enjoyed a good, long 10.5 hour day of work. It's good to be outside again, lifting stone and hauling equipment. We're building a huge patio. I just love working with tools and machinery. Ever since I was young I loved pretending I was working on this project or that project and it's good to take some silent pointers from my boss so that I'll be able to work around my house when I'm older. It's good to be out in the sun, the fresh air and just laboring- not having to think about anything and just enjoying the moment.
Of course I'm always thinking about everything when I'm working. My mind just wanders back to writing, journalism and even the AP Stylebook when I'm working. But mostly the people I'm involved with when I'm at and away from school. Without the people I love, life would really stink.
That's one reason it really hit home when Tim Russert died. My mom told me the news and I was in real disbelief. We just hugged each other and knew that a part of us was somehow gone. You really don't understand the attitude of people living in Buffalo until you meet someone like Russert. Growing up for half of my life in South Buffalo, you get to see a simpler side of life that in most places has died with the passing of a generation. In the end, it comes down to the people...the people we live with, our neighbors, our families, friends..these are the most important things in life. They are why we live.
Today was Mike's 8th grade dance. He was all emotional after, saying that he would miss middle school now that it was over. It seems so weird to think that he is already that age. To think of the things he is going through or will be going through is somewhat of a scary thought. I really felt like a parent with my heart in my throat when I saw all the kids rushing out of the school. I just have always wanted the best for my two brothers. I realize I have gone through more diverse situations growing up, so many experiences from all ends of the spectrum with so many different kinds of people than most kids have. I'm blessed with so many different experiences. I've made mistakes, done great things and things that were just part of growing up. To see my brothers going through their teenage years (and do everything I did, except better) is really something else and it makes me nervous, excited but most of all proud.
Nick's 12th birthday was today. I'm so proud of him too. He ifnally beat me in basketball for pretty much the first legitimate time ever. That's a big deal growing up- to finally beat your older brother. It felt good being on the court again, sweating, breathing hard, competing. It's something I've missed and something I want to get back to. I'd like to just throw myself into a workout plan this summer. I haven't seriously worked out in years and I really need to get in the best shape of my life for rugby this year. But I want to do it because I want to, not because I have to. That game of basketball really got the juices flowing again, even if I got beat by a 12-year-old. Every dog has its day.
I'm really excited about going to the play on Saturday. I get to see my favorite play and spend some time with one of my favorite people- should be a great time.
Well it's late and I should be sleeping. God bless America and everyone.
31 March 2008 @ 10:36 pm
03 March 2008 @ 11:02 am
Well, we're back at Bonaventure now. We arrived at 1 a.m. this morning and while it was definitely good to get back, I already miss Ireland. Taking off from Shannon airport and seeing the coast, I snapped a picture of the coastline and where the clouds start. It kind of summed up what I thought about Ireland. Flat out, I felt it was the closest to Heaven that I've ever been. Something about the place made me feel closer to God. than I'd ever been before. I found this poem to describe it well:
Alittle bit of Heaven fell from out of the sky one day,
And nestled on the ocean in a spot so far away;
And when the Angels found it,
Shure it looked so sweet and fair.
They said, "Suppose we leave it, for it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with star dust just to make the shamrocks grow;
'Tis the only place you'll find them no matter where you go;
Then they dotted it with silver to make it's lakes so grand,
And when they had if finished, shure they called it:
Ireland
As I looked out the window of the airport, my favorite poem "An Irish Blessing" ran through my head. I said a prayer that God truly would hold the island and its people in the palm of his hand until we meet again. Looking back, the trip was without a doubt the greatest week of my life. A combination of factors really made me just want to stay there. The character of the cities and countryside we were in was so unique, so charming. But what really makes Ireland special is the people. It has been said that while people travel to other countries to see places, they travel to Ireland to meet people. The contrast between New York City and Galway is astrounding. The people in Galway were so welcoming. Dublin was your typical big city and Galway was a little more quaint and booming with young people and pub life. Limerick, while somewhat seedy and unfriendly to tourists, is in Munster, the heart of Irish rugby. Munster rugby flags hung between buildings up and down the long stretches of streets.
The bus ride to Limerick was, well, interesting. Much like our last night in Dublin, some of the team overextended themselves the night before. It was a somewhat hilarious sight to see six guys from our team lined up on the side of the road getting reacquainted with their breakfast anfter the long and (gosh!) hilly ride through the Irish countryside. But so are mornings in Ireland.
The ride through the Irish countryside was truly amazing. Where we had only previously been in cities, we finally got to see the small towns and villages joined by small roads just wide enough to fit our tour bus. There are some places in the winds road where there is not enough room to fit two vehicles. That is where the Luck of the Irish really comes in handy. There were vast expanses of huge rocks jutting out of the ground for miles, and cute handmade walls on either side of the road. The driver estimated the walls, made by people to try and free some of the ground from its rocky nature, were anywhere between 10 and 6,000 years old.
We finally got to the Cliffs of Moher, which were without a doubt the most amazing sight my eyes have ever seen. They were truly indescribable. Breathtaking does not do the setting justice. We had to be careful looking up at the misty ocean rushing up against the gigantic jutting cliffs becase the winds were upwards of 50 miles an hour. The scene was truly amazing. We then headed to Bunratty Castle, which was very cool. There was a huge elk head on the wall that was estimeated to be around 10,000 years old. 10,000!
Alittle bit of Heaven fell from out of the sky one day,
And nestled on the ocean in a spot so far away;
And when the Angels found it,
Shure it looked so sweet and fair.
They said, "Suppose we leave it, for it looks so peaceful there."
So they sprinkled it with star dust just to make the shamrocks grow;
'Tis the only place you'll find them no matter where you go;
Then they dotted it with silver to make it's lakes so grand,
And when they had if finished, shure they called it:
Ireland
As I looked out the window of the airport, my favorite poem "An Irish Blessing" ran through my head. I said a prayer that God truly would hold the island and its people in the palm of his hand until we meet again. Looking back, the trip was without a doubt the greatest week of my life. A combination of factors really made me just want to stay there. The character of the cities and countryside we were in was so unique, so charming. But what really makes Ireland special is the people. It has been said that while people travel to other countries to see places, they travel to Ireland to meet people. The contrast between New York City and Galway is astrounding. The people in Galway were so welcoming. Dublin was your typical big city and Galway was a little more quaint and booming with young people and pub life. Limerick, while somewhat seedy and unfriendly to tourists, is in Munster, the heart of Irish rugby. Munster rugby flags hung between buildings up and down the long stretches of streets.
The bus ride to Limerick was, well, interesting. Much like our last night in Dublin, some of the team overextended themselves the night before. It was a somewhat hilarious sight to see six guys from our team lined up on the side of the road getting reacquainted with their breakfast anfter the long and (gosh!) hilly ride through the Irish countryside. But so are mornings in Ireland.
The ride through the Irish countryside was truly amazing. Where we had only previously been in cities, we finally got to see the small towns and villages joined by small roads just wide enough to fit our tour bus. There are some places in the winds road where there is not enough room to fit two vehicles. That is where the Luck of the Irish really comes in handy. There were vast expanses of huge rocks jutting out of the ground for miles, and cute handmade walls on either side of the road. The driver estimated the walls, made by people to try and free some of the ground from its rocky nature, were anywhere between 10 and 6,000 years old.
We finally got to the Cliffs of Moher, which were without a doubt the most amazing sight my eyes have ever seen. They were truly indescribable. Breathtaking does not do the setting justice. We had to be careful looking up at the misty ocean rushing up against the gigantic jutting cliffs becase the winds were upwards of 50 miles an hour. The scene was truly amazing. We then headed to Bunratty Castle, which was very cool. There was a huge elk head on the wall that was estimeated to be around 10,000 years old. 10,000!
29 February 2008 @ 08:45 am
Well, we had quite a night in Galway. Met up with the Bonaventure students abroad again. I did actually end up meeting the girl of my dreams, must have been the prettiest lassie in the entire Quays place. Talked for a while but of course she turned out to be ''the one that got away''. It was great talking to a girl who lived and breathed rugby, though.
She was from Limerick and was describing the rugby culture over there. Sounds like Limerick is really the heart of Irish rugby so we should be learning a lot there. I hear the teams are good, too.
Quays is the place made of old Catholic churches, and we went back there last night. There was an Irish band playing great American music and I couldn't help but ask what more could I have wanted? I was talking about rugby, drinking a pint and listening to some Irish men playing their own distinct version of CCR. Had some fish n chips yesterday, and I must say it was the closest thing to Buffalo fish fry I've ever had. So it's off to Limerick and another long but great day...
She was from Limerick and was describing the rugby culture over there. Sounds like Limerick is really the heart of Irish rugby so we should be learning a lot there. I hear the teams are good, too.
Quays is the place made of old Catholic churches, and we went back there last night. There was an Irish band playing great American music and I couldn't help but ask what more could I have wanted? I was talking about rugby, drinking a pint and listening to some Irish men playing their own distinct version of CCR. Had some fish n chips yesterday, and I must say it was the closest thing to Buffalo fish fry I've ever had. So it's off to Limerick and another long but great day...
28 February 2008 @ 07:39 pm
Today was easily one of the most fulfilling and great days of my life. We won our game, it was a barnburner- we scored 8 tries to their two. It felt so great to score a try in Ireland! During the play, the opposing player tipped the ball up because he knew he was going to get hit. I caught the interception in stride and sprinted faster than I think I ever have into the try zone to slide in and slam the ball down. It was truly a great moment and I'll surely never forget it.
The team was good- they hosted us after the game. Mr. Conley bought us a few pops and we even had a boat race against the other team and won. And we thought Irish boys could drink....Chants of U-S-A abounded and we all had a good laugh with the Irish boys.
Al won the man of the match award and it was much-deserved. Clarence popped out of the closet to present him with the game ball unexpectedly. It was hilarious. We're all headed out now, and Clarence and I have decided on finding our future wives tonight...I wonder how long before Galway Girl is played.
Tonight should be a good one, since we'll be more apt to be careful in the seedy town of Limerick. I'm hoping I'll be up for Mass tomorrow at Galway Cathedral before we leave this great city.
The team was good- they hosted us after the game. Mr. Conley bought us a few pops and we even had a boat race against the other team and won. And we thought Irish boys could drink....Chants of U-S-A abounded and we all had a good laugh with the Irish boys.
Al won the man of the match award and it was much-deserved. Clarence popped out of the closet to present him with the game ball unexpectedly. It was hilarious. We're all headed out now, and Clarence and I have decided on finding our future wives tonight...I wonder how long before Galway Girl is played.
Tonight should be a good one, since we'll be more apt to be careful in the seedy town of Limerick. I'm hoping I'll be up for Mass tomorrow at Galway Cathedral before we leave this great city.
28 February 2008 @ 11:19 am
Galway is great! The character of the town is definitely different from Dublin in that it is more quaint but also filled with many young people. It is the fastest growing city in Europe and it is great- there are many stone streets made just for walking, and our busdriver gave us a tour of the city to show us ''where it all happens'' when the sun goes down. We got into Galway and ate at Finnegan's where I had probably the best soup of my life. Probably. Everywhere in Ireland, you see the expression ''probably''- probably the best food in town, probably the best city in Ireland. It is funny that they must have some kind of restriction on what you can advertise, so shops must put ''probably'' before their slogans. I know we have something similar to that in the U.S.. Kind of funny.
Anyways, Finnegan's was a nice little place. I ate lunch under a picture of and later sat on a bench with Oscar Wilde, which was pretty cool. The writing and poetry that adorns the walls and menus make the place so great. The soup was wonderful and later we ate dinner there. I had the traditional Irish stew, which was great.
The effects of the last night in Dublin were very obviously apparent, as we all woke up in a haze and made on of the most, err, painful bus rides to Galway. Some of the lads just couldn't seem to keep their breakfast down. Darn 'yanks.
They call us Yanks when they pick up on our accents, which is funny. Whenever something stupid happens or someone drops a drink, I call my friends dumb yanks and the Irish lads get a hoot out of it. The people here really love us though, from what we've seen. I heard someone say there are actually more irish-Americans in America than there are Irish in Ireland. Everyone gets along great. The culture here is just so much mroe diverse that you don't even think twice about it. Little things are different- Crossing the street, using a phone, using Euros- and I still can't get used to looking behind me when I cross the street. It's a wonder no one's gotten squashed yet.
Our training session yesterday was magnificent- the pitch was unbelievable and the coach was great. I wonder how we'll do today. The irish players are so much quicker and shiftier than anyone I've ever played against. They say we hit ''like freight trains'' and they've never seen anyone hit like Americans, but to hit them you've got to catch them- not an easy feat!
Last night was supposed to be an ''easy'' night out considering we have a game today. We were at the pubs about to bring it home when we ran smack into about 15 Bona's students studying abroad in Galway. They took us to their usual hangout and we danced and had a ball. What a sight- 20 students barreling down the street chanting ''Let's Go Bona's'' in Ireland.
The one pub we were at was great- it was made entirely out of savaged items from old churches- stained glass windows, big cathedral celings and the like- the whole thing made out of fine wood. The thing about pubs here is that they are so old but at the same time so great- you walk in and think the scene's pretty quiet, but little do you know the bar has all these ''hidden'' areas- there's about 4 or 5 bars in each pub, many of them on different stories of the building. Makes for a great surprise.
We danced and sang ''Wild rover'', but I'd say our absolute favorite song must have been a great rendition of ''Galway Girl''. I'm still trying to find my Galway girl and haven't had much success but I know she's out there haha.
I wish i could bring my family here- Mom, you'd absolutely love the streets and how they wind. Also, the shops, buildings and doors are all differnet colors. We're staying by Eyre square and Kennedy Park. We walk everyday through the park where JFK made his visit to Galway in 1963. What a thrill it was realizing that I am walking through the same park as John F. Kennedy did, and the day before I'd jus tplayed on the same pitch (Trinity) as Ireland's best center (and where almost every member of the national team grew up playing), Brian O'Driscoll.
The biggest thing about being in Ireland is that I just feel at home. College has afforded me some wonderful opportunities to travel to so many places, but no matter where you are you always long for home at some point. Here, it is different. I feel as if I am just stopping over at my other home for a while. The place is ''brilliant'' and it only getting better...
Anyways, Finnegan's was a nice little place. I ate lunch under a picture of and later sat on a bench with Oscar Wilde, which was pretty cool. The writing and poetry that adorns the walls and menus make the place so great. The soup was wonderful and later we ate dinner there. I had the traditional Irish stew, which was great.
The effects of the last night in Dublin were very obviously apparent, as we all woke up in a haze and made on of the most, err, painful bus rides to Galway. Some of the lads just couldn't seem to keep their breakfast down. Darn 'yanks.
They call us Yanks when they pick up on our accents, which is funny. Whenever something stupid happens or someone drops a drink, I call my friends dumb yanks and the Irish lads get a hoot out of it. The people here really love us though, from what we've seen. I heard someone say there are actually more irish-Americans in America than there are Irish in Ireland. Everyone gets along great. The culture here is just so much mroe diverse that you don't even think twice about it. Little things are different- Crossing the street, using a phone, using Euros- and I still can't get used to looking behind me when I cross the street. It's a wonder no one's gotten squashed yet.
Our training session yesterday was magnificent- the pitch was unbelievable and the coach was great. I wonder how we'll do today. The irish players are so much quicker and shiftier than anyone I've ever played against. They say we hit ''like freight trains'' and they've never seen anyone hit like Americans, but to hit them you've got to catch them- not an easy feat!
Last night was supposed to be an ''easy'' night out considering we have a game today. We were at the pubs about to bring it home when we ran smack into about 15 Bona's students studying abroad in Galway. They took us to their usual hangout and we danced and had a ball. What a sight- 20 students barreling down the street chanting ''Let's Go Bona's'' in Ireland.
The one pub we were at was great- it was made entirely out of savaged items from old churches- stained glass windows, big cathedral celings and the like- the whole thing made out of fine wood. The thing about pubs here is that they are so old but at the same time so great- you walk in and think the scene's pretty quiet, but little do you know the bar has all these ''hidden'' areas- there's about 4 or 5 bars in each pub, many of them on different stories of the building. Makes for a great surprise.
We danced and sang ''Wild rover'', but I'd say our absolute favorite song must have been a great rendition of ''Galway Girl''. I'm still trying to find my Galway girl and haven't had much success but I know she's out there haha.
I wish i could bring my family here- Mom, you'd absolutely love the streets and how they wind. Also, the shops, buildings and doors are all differnet colors. We're staying by Eyre square and Kennedy Park. We walk everyday through the park where JFK made his visit to Galway in 1963. What a thrill it was realizing that I am walking through the same park as John F. Kennedy did, and the day before I'd jus tplayed on the same pitch (Trinity) as Ireland's best center (and where almost every member of the national team grew up playing), Brian O'Driscoll.
The biggest thing about being in Ireland is that I just feel at home. College has afforded me some wonderful opportunities to travel to so many places, but no matter where you are you always long for home at some point. Here, it is different. I feel as if I am just stopping over at my other home for a while. The place is ''brilliant'' and it only getting better...
Current Mood: 
chipper
chipper27 February 2008 @ 10:07 am
So the morning has come and last night was a total fog...Finally, I met sme Irish girls and chatted them up for a good amoutn of time, but looking at my jersey now looks like I took a shower in Guinness last night. We won our match against Trinity, and it was prpbably my favoriter game I've ever played, aside from our games at Bonaventure. The pitch is in th emiddle of campus, and people just stop by to watch the game for a while ...Feels so great to play a game in the midde of a (college) city and be surrounded by people who love the game.
The lads invited us back to ''the Pav'', their club watering hole, and there was much celebration for all. Later, we went out to the 'citibar', and I ordered some lassies an Irish car bomb. Everyne told me never to order such a drink n Irleand because they think you're crazy, but we taught the bartender and everyone enjoyed it. Needless to say today is a huge mess but everyne loves it.
Yesterday we woke up and I just realized we were truly in Ireland. It was a great feeling. I walked around the streets of Dublin by myself for a little bit trying to find a church but it was hard to do. They say none of the old churches are Catholic, seeing as they were all rooted out. But nonetheless it is great to be in a land where your religion is truly a majority and the people are just friendly. Talk more later...
The lads invited us back to ''the Pav'', their club watering hole, and there was much celebration for all. Later, we went out to the 'citibar', and I ordered some lassies an Irish car bomb. Everyne told me never to order such a drink n Irleand because they think you're crazy, but we taught the bartender and everyone enjoyed it. Needless to say today is a huge mess but everyne loves it.
Yesterday we woke up and I just realized we were truly in Ireland. It was a great feeling. I walked around the streets of Dublin by myself for a little bit trying to find a church but it was hard to do. They say none of the old churches are Catholic, seeing as they were all rooted out. But nonetheless it is great to be in a land where your religion is truly a majority and the people are just friendly. Talk more later...
25 February 2008 @ 10:24 pm
The tour of the Guinness Storehouse was phenomenal. The only was to describe the feeling at the end of the tour (which commenced with a free pint of Guinness at the top of the factory and included a full view of Dublin and surrounding areas) was pure happiness. The sunlight shining in on the gravity bar created a perfect scene for our team. We felt like we were finally ''home'', being on top of Dublin surrounded with great Irish quotes written on the walls, a great atmosphere of beautiful people enjoying the moment, and of course the first pint of Guinness in Ireland.
Almost immediately after returning to the hostel around 5:00 p.m., we decided to go on our own little pub crawl in the spirit of ''taking things easy'' for the night. The pub crawl was great and may have lasted a little longer than we anticipated, but we still returned around 10:30 with plenty of time to sleep a good 10 or 11 hours before our full Irish breakfast, tour of the city and praparation for our first match. But hey, when in Ireland....
25 February 2008 @ 02:10 pm
We just returned to the hostel - which is pretty nice compared to others, from what I've heard- and are utterly muddy. There are 21 of us to a room and two showers for all of us. The showers are the kind you push on to get scolding hot water for about 5 seconds before you have to push it again. The only thing that makes it more difficult to take shower is the fact we're caked in mud and many of us without soap or a towel. Oops. But hey, at least we've got water.
The training session was an intense one, and I left it feeling very humbled if not grateful for the experience. The coach was an Irish guy who has a background in Irish and US rugby. He coached the American national team as an assistant, and was very involved in the development of younger rugby in the US as well as Ireland. His resume is very impressive and he really taught us a lot. The thing we found ourselves doing was trying to get too tactical and not going with the flow of the game and realizing that it's supposed to be fun. We seemed to have lost all our common sense about the game before we got comfortable with the coach and settled in. He explained to us that his lads have 'a roaring laugh' at some of the drills we're doing, and that they're always 'pissing on each other' (making fun of each other) when guy beats another guy. That got us into the spirit a little bit but we can tell the Irish team we play will be decidedly quicker and of course more experienced. We hope to develop our game to the point where we can run with our big men against their small men. The coach says their bigger guys play like 'cowards' in that they are more interested in running than hitting. This of course is just a way of describing their strategy, not taking away anything from their courage. Should be a good match.
One thing the coach cautioned us about was gaining the respect of the Europeans. He said they don't always hold American rugby with much respect, and if we show up to our 4 p.m. game hungover tomorrow, that'll be true. So I think most of the guys have resolved to take it easy tonight- go out and see the town, have a few pints, and call it an early night. After all, we haven't had any sleep since Friday night and we've got a long but fun schedule ahead of us.
We're heading to the Guinness factory now and I'm about to have my first pint of Irish Guinness. Brilliant!
25 February 2008 @ 07:03 am
We've just arrived at our hostel, which seems pretty nice. (Granted we haven't seen the rooms yet). The ride form the airport to the hostel was pretty neat. It was still hard to believe we were actually driving in Ireland. Sitting in front of my friend Dennis, it finally occured to us (two kids who like to ''celebrate'' their Irish-American heritage as often and lively as possible while at home) that we'd actually made it.
The cars were on the wrong side of the road, which was pretty neat. Also, the shops seemed so seamlessly tucked into the brick fronts of all the buildings. I loved how cute all the houses seemed and how the narrow roads seemed to wind and wind in and out of each other. The high buildings and narrow windy roads were very neat, and the drivers seemed crazy as ever. But the people are great. Our busdriver moved with a slow pace but seemd to get all our luggage into the bus pretty quickly. Life moves at a different pace here, although I'm not quite sure yet what that pace is.
Today should be a very interesting day. We have practice in two hours, then off to the Guinness storehouse/brewery. Then the night shall unfold and we'll follow the people of Ireland wherever they take us...Can't wait...
The cars were on the wrong side of the road, which was pretty neat. Also, the shops seemed so seamlessly tucked into the brick fronts of all the buildings. I loved how cute all the houses seemed and how the narrow roads seemed to wind and wind in and out of each other. The high buildings and narrow windy roads were very neat, and the drivers seemed crazy as ever. But the people are great. Our busdriver moved with a slow pace but seemd to get all our luggage into the bus pretty quickly. Life moves at a different pace here, although I'm not quite sure yet what that pace is.
Today should be a very interesting day. We have practice in two hours, then off to the Guinness storehouse/brewery. Then the night shall unfold and we'll follow the people of Ireland wherever they take us...Can't wait...