Wallace has a light bulb moment...

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Epiphany: the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something.



As I was preparing to go to bed on Friday night I had a realization. It happened as I emptied my pockets (trousers and a hoodie). Here is what I was carrying:


- 4 pens all of different sizes (2 I don't remember picking up)
- 23.72EURO in change
- my phone
- my keys (which is made up of about a dozen rings that I don't need but that once served a purpose)
- 7 post-it notes (2 were written upon)
- a bottle of 'Sudafed' nasal spay
- my wallet - which is overflowing with receipts and no money
- a pocket screwdriver
- 3 screws
- a remote control
- a rock

As I stood there looking at my treasures, I had a realization....

I am my father's son... and I am just like him!

and I wouldn't want it any other way... I love you - dad!




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Merry Christmas....

All of the presents have been unwrapped... all of the minced pies eaten... and Santa is already back at the North Pole getting ready for Christmas 2010. Dee and I had a great Christmas this year.


I love Christmas time... - don't get me wrong: I hate the shopping, the traffic, and the craziness associated with the Christmas rush - I really love the way things slow down... I love the time for reflection... I love stopping to remember my childhood (and how blessed I am)... I love spending time with my friends, and with Dee... This year has been full of all of this...... and it has been a great one!



Me & Dee






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Happy Anniversary

It is hard to believe... but this weekend was a bit of an anniversary for us. It was six years ago yesterday that we first stepped foot on Irish soil. wow! I can't believe that it has been that long! In many ways the last six years have been some of the best and hardest. At first it was very hard to settle here, and we had a hard time getting to know people. We have, however, really learned a lot about ourselves, and have discovered many interests that we never would have guessed that we had. Ireland feels like home now. We do love it here, and we are grateful to be here.

Change is in the wind...

I usually get the same answers when I ask Americans what they think of when they think of Ireland...

Green fields
St. Patrick
Farms
Sheep
Leprechauns
Dancing/music
The potato
Immigration

Most people don't realize just how different modern Ireland is to these stereotypes. Don't get me wrong... you do still see all of these (with the exception of the leprechauns), but there is so much more to life in Ireland than just the green fields.

You probably know that in the mid 1990's a new wind, called Technology, blew through Ireland. Almost overnight Ireland became a major hub for IT companies doing research, development and manufacturing. The young, highly educated, English speaking population here was a perfect place for the technology boom to take place... and it did! Ireland had an explosive economy known as the "Celtic Tiger" and led Europe as the second best performing economy in Europe. For about 10 years Ireland's economy grew and grew and grew and grew......

Today, however, things are changing. With the global economic downturn and with cheaper workforces in Eastern Europe coming into the European Union - Ireland finds itself in a real crisis. In fact, they are now saying that Ireland has the second worst-performing economy in Europe with only Latvia performing worse. Unemployment has doubled in the last year (now over 10%), and many of the large IT companies (like Dell) are pulling out and moving to Poland.

Recession is the word of the hour... and it is the word on everyone's lips. I don't know what lies ahead in Ireland's future, but everyone here is starting to brace themselves.... only time will tell what is in store for the emerald isle...

Happy New Year!

Wow! 2009! Just a quick note to say that things are a bit crazy around here right now. We leave my parents' house tomorrow morning and drive down to Dee's parents'. We then turn around and fly back out (for Ireland) on Tuesday! Wow... where did six months go? There are still a ton of things we had wanted to do... and so many people we have planned on seeing...... I just don't know where the time has gone...........


Well... I just told my mom that today is not a sad day.... and we are just going to count our blessings and enjoy the day.... we have so much to be grateful for. 2008 was a good year. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been back in the states.... and to have had so much time with my loved ones! I am a bit nervous about 2009. I know that it will be hard to leave my family again... that living in Ireland will probably take some readjustment.... and that there will probably be some trials and unforeseen obstacles.......................... but I really do have a strange peace and confidence that whatever faces us on this pilgrims' trail in 2009 will be a part of a bigger plan........... and that we are not alone as we walk forward on this pilgrimage.



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Deep in the south….
In the shadows of the live oaks and Spanish moss…
Where the humid air and heat of summer days seem like they will last throughout the year…
During sunshine and warm breezes… rainstorms and hurricanes… ice and snow…

There is a perpetual playground

Where everyday
Children catch fish….
Planes are flown….
Ropes are skipped….
Friends are made…..
Children dance and smile….




Deep in the South
In the shadows of hospital wards and ambulance bays
Where children are born and leukemia patients fight
During times of sadness and times of joy… shock and grief… hope and victory

There is a perpetual playground

Where metal and bronze make children and parents dream of the day when
Fish will be caught….
Planes will be flown….
Ropes will be skipped….
Friends will be made…
Children will dance and laugh… again.




The Children’s Park at the University of South Alabama’s Women and Children’s hospital in Mobile, AL.


















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The panic has set in...

Many of you might know that Dee and I are going to be back in the states for 6 months. We have been really excited about the opportunity to reconnect with our home culture and get to spend a lot of time with family and old friends... but to be honest with you it has always seemed like a trip we are going to take far in the future. It is something we have been talking about and planning for a while but has never fully seemed real. That is.... until yesterday. We leave our house a week from today and won't be back until after the new year! WOW! We have a lot to do to get ready! It has really just hit me... and I almost feel a bit panicked when I think of how long we are going to be away!

We are going to keep the website going... and will be posting about our time in the states. I'm really excited about the opportunity to photograph the areas where we grew up... and the places & people are are important to us!

Thoughts about the Zoo...

I really liked the zoo... and I appreciated the opportunity to see some amazing creatures close up... I, however, couldn't help feeling a little conflicted about the whole experience. I know that the animals are all very well taken care of and may in fact enjoy longer and safer lives in captivity than if they were left on their own in the wild (a fact that I was reminded of when I saw a VERY old wolf in the zoo).... but there is a certain sadness at seeing these wild creatures in such small enclosures and with such limited freedom. I stood and watched a majestic silverback gorilla sit quietly in the entrance of his cage... his face seemed so sad and broken... I couldn't help but feel a little guilty that this was his life.




I also found it very strange that zoos are such a popular place for children. I understand the fascination... but doesn't it seem a little strange and against every survival instinct to bring our youngest and weakest members of society and display them in front of the most dangerous creatures in the country? At what point did we stop fearing these creatures and start taunting them?




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Where does the time go?

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It is really hard to believe... but Dee and I just celebrated our fifth anniversary of living in Ireland. We moved here back in May of 2003. Wow... I can't believe it has been that long! I look back over the past few years and can't believe the changes that we have seen both here and in ourselves. I have to be honest and say that there were times in the beginning that I did not think that we were going to last very long here. It was so hard moving away from family, friends, and everything that we knew. I will never forget how cold and wet it was during our first week here........ and I remember feeling so overwhelmed with the changes and feelings of isolation as we tried to settle in. There were times that it was very hard and very lonely... and the whole process was far harder than I would have ever imagined. Thankfully, we have settled here. Thankfully, we have made a home here and have friends that we can rely on. Dee and I really have fallen in love with this place and the community where we live. I have said it many times, but I really feel as if my life is a pilgrimage. And as I look back over the past five years I can see that I have been challenged in ways I would have never imagined, and I have (hopefully) grown and changed. I feel that this journey has deepened my faith... my trust... and my love for Dee and the people around me. I pray that as we continue this journey I will become more patient... be more trusting... see better the beauty that is all around me... learn to worship in spirit and truth... and know what it really means to live by faith.






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"Wallace has a light bulb moment..."

Epiphany: the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something.

Please pardon this interruption while I have an epiphany or two:


- My sisters and I have always kidded my father about never wearing shorts and having white legs. This summer - when I go to see my family - It will have been a year since the last time my poor little white chicken legs have seen the sun.............. *Bing* - "Oh no! I have my father's legs!!!"

Don't worry dad... I won't make fun of your white legs this summer!


- I just filled up our little car with gas... well... diesel.... I paid 54.30 EURO for that tank.............*Bing* - "I paid the equivalent of $86.47 for that tank!!!" *BING** "That means that I am paying $8.28 per gallon of gas (diesel) here!!! Wow... America has it really good!"

100 Things...

I was ‘tagged’ by Alison. As best as I can understand it… this means that I must write out 100 random (but true) things about myself. I took the time to read my friends’ lists…. And had a good time catching up on their lives. Hope you enjoy.

1. I have the same name as my father. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be named after him. This is perhaps one of the biggest honors of my life.
2. I was born and raised in the deep south of the USA.
3. Everyone says that I don’t have a southern accent.
4. I am the baby in the family. I think that this is the best because I was able to experience growing up in a house full of other kids… but eventually I was the only one living at home.
5. I like that my family is so big. I only wish that I got to see everyone more often.
6. I’ve been married to my best friend for almost 9 years.
7. We met our second week of our first year at University… and she is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
8. I love that I have so much in common with Dee.
9. We don’t have kids yet.
10. I’m still impressed/touched that so many of my old high school friends came down for my wedding.
11. I wish that we had had TJ in the wedding.
12. I have my master’s degree.
13. I turned the big twenty-ten last summer… and I still can’t believe it!
14. I’ve always said that my favorite color is blue… but I think that it is really green.
15. I remember telling a kid in elementary school that green was a stupid color and that he should pick another favorite…. Sorry David…!
16. I’ve lived in Ireland for 5 years…
17. We try and get back to the states once a year but that is harder at times than others.
18. I wish that my family came to visit more often.
19. I would really love to have a bowl of Capt’n Crunch… but can’t get it here. Thankfully my sister (Jodie) and mother send me some from time to time!
20. I love writing emails and internet posts mainly because I don’t have to use proper grammar…. And I can use “…” a lot. Is that lazy?
21. My in-laws are amazing. They have taken me in and made me to feel like a part of their family. I truly look forward to spending time with them and love to talk with them.
22. I love having fires in the fireplace. We have a nightly fire in the fireplace about 9 months of the year.
23. My favorite TV shows are: The Amazing Race, The Tudors, Home and Away (Australian soap opera), How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Father Ted, Deadliest Catch, Gilmore Girls.
24. My favorite high school teacher was Dr. Black… favorite University prof was Dr. Younce. Both of these men made me really think.
25. I don’t like it when people call themselves a ‘realist’ when they are really just a ‘pessimist’.
26. I’m dyslexic.
27. I still have a hard time spelling… Thankfully the computer has solved that for me!
28. I have always admired my mother’s creativity
29. I have very clear childhood memories of my mother taking art classes and bringing her work home. I remember sitting beside her as she wove baskets… did calligraphy… painted… learned to read and write in braille… (to name a few things)…
30. I have never considered myself to be artistic.
31. I played the french horn for about four years… but I never enjoyed it or really excelled.
32. Since moving to Ireland I have started feeling (for the first time) truly creative.
33. I love photography. I take photos just about every day and am never without a camera…. But you already knew that.
34. I secretly wish that I could be a professional photographer (but don’t tell anyone that).
35. I have been in a local pottery course for the past four years. I love it and I am actually producing some useful things!
36. I love to write. I have been writing in my personal journal (not just this online one) for about four years now. The little leather bound book comes apart so that I can print pictures onto the pages and then reassemble it. I keep it in my coat pocket and I usually write in it while I’m at the coffee shop.
37. I think that my father is one of the funniest people I know. We (my family) kid him about being competitive… but he just loves to have fun and to play.
38. I love that my dad is the only person I know that actively tries to play ‘April fools’ jokes.
39. I still can’t figure out how he gets so many ringers when we play horseshoes.
40. I love that everyone says that I look just like my dad.
41. I am an ‘on time person’…. Actually… I am a ‘be there before time person’.
42. I love all kinds of games… but my favorite would be Nertz or Power Uno (see I can’t even pick a favorite).
43. I hope to someday meet the president.
44. I fear loosing my hearing….
45. I am ticklish but I won’t admit it…
46. I never knew that I had dry elbows until I married Dee.
47. I would go back and re-do high school. Mainly because I would do a lot of things differently… and I would know how to study this time.
48. I am sad that I have lost contact with so many people from high school and university… but I am also surprised by how many people I do keep in contact with.
49. My hair has never been as long as it is right now… I can’t decide if I want to cut it or just let it go really long.
50. I secretly want to shave my head… but Dee does not want me to… so I haven’t.
51. I am an extrovert. I’m not the life of the party… but I get my energy from being around people.
52. I love baseball but I have not been able to follow it for the past five years.
53. I played baseball when I was a kid… but I didn’t stick with it long enough to really figure it out. I remember wondering what I was supposed to do but not wanting to admit that I was clueless. I’ve always regretted quitting.
54. I have created a list of things I want to do before I die.
55. I have already marked several things off of said list such as living in Europe… camping at a rock festival… and some things that I don’t want to admit to on the internet!
56. I want to jump out of a plane before I die. I know that may not be a big deal to most people but it is something that I have always wanted to do.
57. I can’t sing…. No… really…. I can’t. but I really want to sing in public.
58. I am a collector. Name it and I collect it or have collected it.
59. I am currently collecting dirt from different places I have visited (sand from Omaha beach… black sand from Hawaii... dirt from under the Eiffel Tower…etc).
60. I love history. I collect ancient artifacts (pottery… coins… arrowheads… fossils…)
61. I love telling stories… I love to learn local history and then pass it on.
62. I enjoy working in the garden. Cutting grass… weeding… planting flowers… it is just nice to be outside when it isn’t raining!
63. I also love having plants in the house. We have about a dozen orchids… bonsai trees… and tons of others you don’t want to hear about.
64. I would love to have a dog… but we travel too much.
65. I desire to really read… but I rarely have/make the time to.
66. I have a fish tank in our living room.
67. I’ve kept fish ever since I worked in the pet department of Wal-mart when I was in high school.
68. I love being an uncle.
69. I’ve always wanted to be on a reality TV show… I even printed out the application form to be on “The Mole” (anyone remember that?). I never sent it in.
70. I have figured out that I am not a do’er. I’m an instigator. I will rarely actually do something crazy… but the crazy event is usually organized by me.
71. I would still love to ‘roll’ someone’s yard.
72. I am allergic to MSG
73. I HATE Chinese food!
74. I miss eating really good Mexican food!
75. I hate washing dishes but I would rather wash dishes than cook.
76. I snore… or so I have been told…
77. I once had a job as a secret shopper. I would go to restaurants and spy on the people working. I loved this job!
78. I wish that I was a secret shopper again…
79. I am a Mac user.
80. I still love the Simpsons. They are as funny now as they were when they first came on when I was in middle school.
81. My favorite characters are Nelson and Ralph.
82. I am not a fan of the Beatles. There… I said it…
83. I have worn a dress in public…
84. I have danced in a dress in the mall in order to make a music video for my now wife.
85. I have no idea where this video is now…
86. I am still grieving for Joel and Brian. They both were childhood friends… and both passed away last year.
87. I wish that I could skateboard… but don’t want to learn because I can’t afford to brake an arm.
88. I still have the scar all over the top of my right hand. My mother told me not to be skateboarding on this day because she was not going to be home… we did… I scraped all the skin off my hand… Joel and I tried to bandage it but only had tiny band-aids.
89. I have learned five languages but can only speak two.
90. I would love to catch a foul ball at a baseball game… but honestly… I would probably jump out of the way…
91. I love to fly. I often fall asleep before we take off and wake up as we land.
92. I hated going to coffee shops when I was in college… but I love it now.
93. My favorite drink is a dark mocha… coffee and chocolate… it does not get better than this!
94. I don’t golf, but I would love to learn.
95. I do not like facebook. Don’t know why… but I have no desire to be on it. I think that it is because it is too trendy.
96. I really want to go back to Italy. There are so many places that I have not seen… but Venice is probably at the top of my list.
97. The first thing I do every morning is to look out at the ocean.
98. I have played competitive badmitton for about four years. I’m not that good, but I enjoy the exercise and time to chat with friends.
99. I consider my life to be a pilgrimage of sorts. I don’t know where I will end up… or what the next step will bring… it does not matter to me… it is the journey that I am on… and what God is teaching me right now that really matters.
100. I am blessed… and I am content.

This ended up taking a lot more time than I had thought! I NEVER do these things… but it really made me think… I have to say that I am really glad that I did it. I had a lot of fun. I’m not sure that these are the things that best sum me up… but there you go…


This is now part of the game where I get to ‘tag’ a couple of other people to do the same…. Ha ha!
I am now going to tag Byron (because I know his list will be really funny), Ryan (because I would like to get to know you better), and Jen D (because I know that you will do it!).

Testing an idea...

I have been thinking...........



I have thought of a new slogan to help entice American tourists to Ireland. I want to try it out on all of you and see if it would sell you on the idea of coming here. Ready? Here it is:





Ireland: Where even a donkey will be your best friend!








This woolly guy came trotting up the road to see me yesterday. He seemed interested in the camera and in what I was doing. He hung out with me for a good twenty minutes and even walked right behind me for a stretch of the road. He eventually disappeared but was waiting for me at the car. I love the old donkeys. There is something goofy and crazy about them. This one probably thought the same thing about me.

An update...

There is not much news here. We had a very quiet Easter weekend. Dee started to not feel well on Friday and has gradually gotten worse each day. Thankfully... I am much better... The only real problem is that I have still have the cough of someone who has smoked for sixty years.

Today I have decided that I have been in the house too long. I need to get out and be around people. I grabbed my journal and headed out to my favorite coffee shop for a quick fix of caffeine and community. The hour that I spent there was truly refreshing and therapeutic. Dee and I have learned a lot about ourselves by living here. She gets her energy by being alone. I get energy by being around people. So... we are still on the road to recovery but thankfully I can get back out (in limited doses)!

The Funk...

Wow.... I don't know what kind of flu/virus I've got... but it is bad. I have been sick with sinus problems for the past two months. It comes and it goes... it once got so bad that I lost my voice for a few days... but I got better. Well... after a very long and wet weekend it has come back, and it is really ugly this time! It started with a bad cough all day on Monday... but it was not enough to really slow me down. It got really bad Monday night and then morphed into what it is now on Tuesday. I have a huge weight on my chest, and it hurts to take deep breaths. If I do anything at all (including talking) I start having a coughing fit that will take me to my knees. I have not run a fever... and other than this I feel OK.............. Dee is taking good care of me.... and she is working overtime with a group of students that are here so that I can stay in and rest. I am going to see a doctor, but it will be tomorrow before they can see me.... so..... feel free to pass on any thoughts... prayers... or home remedies....... I don't know the last time that I was this sick!

Behind the camera...

It is a funny thing to be on this side of the camera. What you see really never tells the whole story. You guys see the peaceful mountain lake, but you never see the 18wheeler nearly blow me off the road while I snapped the picture. You guys get to see the beautiful old building but never see the grafiti on the building next door. So.... I have decided for once to pull back the curtain and let you see what is going on behind the camera.


What you see:

Beautiful and sleepy harbor after a long day of work:







What you don't see:

Stinky (wet) neighborhood dog that has been pestering me for the past hour... wanting me to throw sticks and a plastic bottle for him to fetch.







What you see:

Beautiful 14th century Norman castle reflecting in a perfectly still lake.







What you don't see:

Neighborhood dog spraying me with the stinky lake water as he shook it off.






There is always something going on on the other side of the camera. I enjoyed the peace of the day... and I did enjoy my new little doggie friend. Here is the catch. What was the first thing Dee said to me when I picked her up after my little adventure? "Whew! What did you step in?"


Yes.......yes......... I did!


Now my friends, you know the rest of the story.

What did I just say?

Here are a few things that I never would have said before I moved to Ireland:

Said to a group of friends: "How are ye?" (This is one of my favorite things that is said here... but I miss a good southern Y'all from time to time)

Said to a friend: "Look at the pretty hooker out there!" (A hooker is a fishing boat in certain areas of Ireland)

Said to a friend: "Are you going to hurl this year?" (Hurling is a sport in Ireland)

Said to the shop keeper as he stood behind the main counter: "Do you have any craic?" (Pronounced 'CRACK' - it is Irish for good news/fun times)

Oh, Happy Day...!

Today..... yes.... today.... is the happiest of days. I have been looking forward to this day for several weeks now. It is the winter equinox... mid-winter's day.... the shortest day of the year. Back home in the states this would not have been a big deal to me. Here it is so crucial to my mental health. I'm sure you know by now that we are far enough north that the winter's days are incredibly short.... Today is the turning point. Today is as short as it is going to get.... From here on out each day will get a bit longer and a bit closer to the long days of summer.


Taken at noon.... just kidding... it isn't that dark here!


It is funny.... I never would have thought that the short days would bother me... but they do. Don't get me wrong. It isn't depression... just simply a tiredness that seems to hang on every person. I find myself ready to call it a night and go to bed at 5pm each night. Strange. On the other hand, the long summer days have the opposite effect on me. I am up until midnight completely unaware of tiredness. It won't be long now.....!

Relief and Retreat (part 2)...

Well supplied with all that I would need for the day I sat in the car trying to figure out where I wanted to go. The decision was not hard. I wanted to go to my favorite spot in all of Ireland... a small loch in the heart of the mountains. It is one of those out of the way places that most tourists never see.... hidden far off the main tour route. Discovering this place has been a bit of a process. We first went up the road a bit last Christmas when R & B came to visit... but we got distracted by sheep dogs working on the mountain side and didn't drive far enough to discover the loch. We drove a bit of the road this summer with Dena & T but stopped short again... Then this summer we went all the way to the loch with my parents. I am so glad that we did. The quiet beach, with its coffee colored sands, sits nestled between mountains in much the same way Loch Ness does in Scotland. That summer's day picnic with my parents is one that I will never forget. A quiet moment in time where we walked the shore... laid in the sun... and laughed... a moment that I will always be able to replay in my mind and heart. The loch and beach were quiet on Monday afternoon. The winter's sun (even at mid-day) was not high enough to peek over the mountains and warm the sands.... there were not any kids playing in the water... no sounds of passing cars.... only the occasional sheep call... and me sitting on the wet grass in my good jeans with my journal and an apple. It was the perfect place to feel completely alone... to be able to sing without anyone hearing... to be able to pray in a way (and place) that the ancient Celtic Christians once did.... to stand in amazement of the creation and the power of the Creator...................................... I don't know how long I stayed there..... but it was refreshing... and humbling........



(Stayed tuned.... for the rest of the story...)




You can see the sun peeking over the mountain in this pic. I took it right at 1pm.

A Break...

This week has been nothing by winter storms. Wind gusts reached 70mph... lighting hit several houses on our street.... it has rained every day.... We lost power and heat for two days... The sun is setting around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Having said all of that... Dee and I are doing well and keeping busy. The weather gave us a welcomed break this afternoon and hopefully the storms are gone for a while! In honor of this little break I am posting a pic of some of our wintertime flowers. Hope you enjoy!

In and out of it...

I lay in bed for what seemed like hours............. drifting in and out of consciousness....... thinking.......... praying........ making 'to do lists'........ listening to Dee breathe........ thinking in Irish....... thinking about my hurting leg......... wondering why I can't sleep........ and then listening to the silence of the room.......... it was then that I heard an all too familiar sound........ the downstairs kitchen door squeak......... but then sounds of hard shoes on the tile floor................... .................. my heart raced............ Someone has broken into our house!................ I instantly began to sweat................ and without thinking I jumped from the bed, ran out of the bedroom and into the hall........... as I reached the top of the stairs I began screaming out at the top of my voice, "HEY!........ HEY!!!! ...................... ........................... at that exact moment I heard Dee's tired voice quietly say, "Wallace.... it is ok.... you are dreaming... it is ok ...........". At the same time that she said this I became very aware of the fact that sleet and hail were pelting the bedroom window.... and that I was laying in the exact position I had been in when I heard the sounds downstairs............ Dee told me that I had been yelling, "HURRY.....HURRY....". I laid there in the bed.... pulse racing... for a long time........ listening to the rain and hail....... Thinking about the fact that I had fixed the squeaky kitchen door almost two years ago........... wondering if I had really been dreaming........... and waiting to hear footsteps again..................... Thankfully, i never did............

Interesting...

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't  mttaer
in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht
frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl
mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not
raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Oops.... a language story

OK.... in order to understand this story you have to know a bit of the background. I have been feeling a bit off all week. I feel like I am fighting a head cold. We were coming out of a local coffee shop where for the last two hours we had sat with a friend and had a great conversation all in Irish. I was feeling a bit better and was really encouraged by our time using the language. Dee and I walked down the street to our car talking about lunch when from across the street we heard a woman yelling to us in Irish. It was not much just a quick sentence that I didn't hear really well. We arrived at the car the exact moment that she started yelling at us. Dee didn't see the car and kept walking while I paused for a second and responded to the lady and then called Dee back to the car. This all happened so quickly that when I got into the car I didn't really know what I had said to the lady. I had just responded in Irish without thinking about it in English. I asked Dee what she said, and Dee said that she thought it was something about how crazy the weather had been, and it is a good thing that there are so many ways to describe it in Irish. But that is not what I heard. In the midst of the moment I got pieces of what she said... and I connected the dots.... all I heard was her say something about "good Irish". In the split second this all happened I thought that she had overheard us talking in Irish in the coffee shop and was impressed with our "good Irish"... so what did I yell back to her in response to her comment about the weather? "Thanks, I think that we are improving!"

A Winter's Morn...

Winter officially started here twelve days ago... but today is the first real winter's morn. There is a dark stillness over the landscape here.... Not a whisper of wind or sunshine... only the sights of fleeing fog... the sounds of horses in distant fields.... and the smell of last night's peat fire still lingering on the crisp air...

Wales...

Sorry that things have been quiet around the ol' website. Dee and I have been over in Wales for a friend's wedding. B - our friend- got married last week in northern Wales. The wedding was beautiful. The small Welsh chapel was filed to capacity with friends and family, and the service was sweet and beautiful. The Welsh are known for their singing... and the hymns we sung were belted out with gusto (I love to hear people actually sing with all they've got!). Weddings in Wales (and in Ireland) are very different to wedding in the USA. The service began at 11:30 and was an actual service with sermon and all. After the service, the happy couple held a reception that everyone was invited to. After this first reception, a second reception for close friends and family was held at a local hotel. Dee and I were so touched that we were invited to the second reception. It was lovely. The hotel was closed down for everyone on the guest list. We had the evening to sit and talk, mix and celebrate the couple's marriage. The evening ended with a very nice dinner. After the dinner toasts were made. I think the highlight was when the bride's father came in dressed as a cowboy (to make all of us yanks feel more at home). He dramatically reenacted B's asking permission to marry is daughter in his best American accent. The whole event was very classy and elegant, but most importantly, a lot of fun. The evening did not end till around ten thirty. We had a great, quick trip! Congratulations to B and S!

Paste

D’s random thoughts about Paste……
(the magazine, not the glue)

So, sit back, relax, and find your favourite snack, you may be here awhile…(I am eating leftover Papa John’s pizza and drinking a Pepsi)..First of all, I am a huge fan of Paste magazine. Paste is a magazine that follows signs of life in music, film, and culture. I have been reading it for several years and had a subscription several years ago. (I stopped, well, b/c international rates are expensive, AND it is now available in Ireland!- of course not at my local bookstore, figures) If you are a frequent flyer with American Airlines, you will be happy to know that Paste now occupies a whole channel on your in-flight audio! So, while I was back in the states a few weeks ago, I found myself at a Barnes and Nobles on one of my last days and grabbed the new Paste. Don’t be alarmed. The cover picture and main interview is with Kanye West. Don’t let that deter you. I almost didn’t buy it, but then realized that it also included interviews with KT Tunstall, Rilo Kiley, and the sampler includes Over the Rhine and the Frames. So in my book, a must have. Paste does a great job of keeping up with music in the worldwide scene. They also spend way too much time in the country music genre, but hey ……they get points for introducing America to great Irish music with the Frames, Fionn Regan, and Damien Rice. I hadn’t had the chance to read the September issue yet until I picked it up this week. I didn’t get very far when I realize that I know one of the folks who have written to the editor! I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t happen to me every week. So a huge hello to Mr. Kubina, my high school math teacher, and Mrs. Kubina, middle school math teacher! Mr. Kubina’s letter was chosen to be published in this issue of the magazine. Well, how about that……..If you are interested, Paste is also on the web at pastemagazine.com and www.PasteBeat.com

Camera Questions...

I have been meaning to post a note and thank all of you who leave comments on the posts. Dee and I really enjoy getting feedback and knowing that people are actually looking at this site from time to time.

Recently I have been getting emails and comments asking me about the camera that Dee and I use. Well... the answer to that depends on when and where the picture was taken. It (over the past four years) could have been one of four cameras. wow... saying that really sounds like we have a lot invested in this... but in reality the cameras are not super charged overpriced professional cameras. I give credit for the good photos to this amazing place. I have often said that it does not matter what direction you point your camera - you will get an awesome picture. I was reminded of this this past week as I took pictures out of our car window as Dee drove us home from Dublin.

Dee and I have two Fuji cameras that accompany us at all times. Her camera is a nice 5meg point and shoot. My Fuji Finepix (A205) 2.0mega pixels is a brick. No... seriously.... it is the size of a brick. It was my first digital camera, and I got it for free when we bought a Dell computer back in 2004. The camera does not have a zoom at all.... but I love it. It takes great pictures and is a work horse. I have gotten it completely soaked and dropped it more times that I can count (once while riding a bike down a very steep hill). It really takes a lick'n and keeps on click'n (Sorry... I couldn't resist). I keep this in my coat pocket for those pictures that I see during a normal day. Until recently I also used a 35mm (film) Canon Rebel 2000. I love this camera! It really takes great pictures and allows you to do everything manually or use automatic settings. The only thing is that it was killing me to develop the film. I felt like I couldn't experiment too much. An average roll of film here was about $6 and then developing it was around $11. Let's just say that the ladies working at the local health food store (where I got film developed) knew me really well. In July I got a new toy.... a Canon txi. It is just like my 35mm but is digital. It really is great to be able to take pictures knowing that it is not going to cost me if the picture does not turn out. I can't tell you how many pictures I have missed or ruined because I couldn't check the little picture preview display on the back of my film camera. I usually don't carry this camera around with me everyday but only take it when the weather is especially nice or I know that I am going somewhere different.

So.... there you have it. That is what we use. I really think the key to taking good pictures is not to be in a hurry. Be willing to stop and take the time to look around and take a billion photos! Also... don't forget the most important rule: never go anywhere without a camera!

Modern Ireland...

If you were to look through all of my pictures you would think that I was living in the middle of a timeless Ireland. An Ireland filled with rolling farms and farmers moving their cattle and sheep down the middle of the road. In reality, Ireland is very much a modern country and the people here are just as busy and as modern as the average person in America. There is, however, a flash of the disappearing Ireland from time to time. The traffic clears way long enough for cattle to cross the road or a man sitting on the windowsill of a local pub catches my eye and makes me appreciate how tradition does play an important part of the culture here. Moments like this can't be planned and can't be counted on... but when they do happen the tourist inside of me jumps for joy, and I am reminded how cool this place really is.

It happened again today as I was driving the busy highway near our house. I passed two men working to re-thatch an old cottage. I raced home, grabbed my camera and went back as fast as I could. We actually know the people that own this house. It was built by hand by his great grandfather. Here are a couple of the pictures I took about 30min ago. Hope you enjoy this bit of timeless Ireland.

Popping....

It is not a secret (in my family at least) that I am not a very good shopper. I tend to run in and make a decision very quickly and then stick by my decision until the very end. This style of grab and run shopping worked very well for me when we were living in the USA. I would run into Wal-Mart and be out in no time (well… it was Wal-Mart… so it wasn’t that fast)… or the corner grocery store… or one of the million other strip malls lined with Goodies, Kohl’s, etc. Things here are very different… surprise, surprise! We don’t have a Wal-Mart or anything even remotely close. When we need something more than just food we pop into the city. The only thing is that it isn’t as whimsical as popping would sound. Popping into the city usually turns into an all-afternoon/day adventure that we take every week or so. Now… remember… I am not a shopper. We have to drive into the city… fight the traffic... find a parking space… pay for a parking space (a fact that still bothers me)… and then walk to the shopping area of the city. Dee is content to walk the shopping streets and to take her time going from shop to shop. I have several shops that I routinely hit (used books & occasionally a coffee shop) but I am usually ready to leave the city long before Dee is. This, however, is very different when the weather is nice and I have the camera. You never really know what you are going to get when you go into the city…. But I am always amused. This week I walked along the docks and out to a small island with a lighthouse (see picture in the post below). I then went on through a park area where a kite surfer was practicing in the safety of the green grass. I stood and watched him being pulled across the cool wet grass… but it didn’t look much safer than if he had been on the water. After leaving my surfer friend I wandered up through the medieval streets now turned into shops. It was there that I discovered one of the best street performers I have ever seen. Two African immigrants were singing and dancing in the street. A crowd formed a circle around them and watched as they dance, joked, and did the limbo under a burning pole. I thought that the show was going to be over when a garda (the police) car pulled up and the guard rolled his window down. Both the crowd and performers stood in silence as the guard began to speak over the loud speaker. He said, “These guys need more money… be sure to give them more money”. The two performers began dancing around the cop car and kept the hats full of money passing around the crowd. It was awesome. I hung out and watched for a while and then slowly made my way to meet Dee. She was still shopping.

One of the life lessons that I keep learning over and over is to slow down. Life is not a race. I need to take time to really breathe in the things around me. I need to take time to really "be" here and not to simply pass through. It is when I do this... and slow down... that I am truly grateful for the things God has blessed me with... and when I am going slowly the hassles and all the things I have to do seem to melt away and be such a big deal.

Another Converse Day! Wahoo!

I realize that this won't mean much to most of you, but the fact that I have been able to wear Converses all week is amazing! They only come out when it is dry and not too cold. After the horrible non-summerlike(is that a word?) weather we've had, it's great to be outside and breathe in the fresh air without freezing and getting drenched. So in honor of the good weather, I am posting a picture taken at the beginning of the summer when we went away for a retreat with some friends. Another great weather day involving hours of reading and Bert time(listening to my ipod).


Currently listening to: Eisley and RED
Currently eating: yogurt covered peanuts

Roller Coaster...

The past few weeks have been a real roller coaster. There have been the mixed emotions of joy – getting to see family – and grief –Kim’s death. I feel blessed that we were able to be with Dee’s family during this time. One of the costs to being overseas is that we miss out on many important occasions in our families’ lives. We are sad to see birthdays, recitals, anniversaries, and family gatherings pass us by, but it is truly devastating to not be with our families when tragedy hits. Thankfully, our four and half years in Ireland have not seen much tragedy……… I think – also – that it was just time for us to go back for a little while. We would have gone two years without being home…. That is just too long. I do not want my nieces and nephews to grow up not knowing us. I do not want to become out of touch (even though I already have) with my home culture. I am grateful that on this trip I was able to really come to know Dee’s family. I have been around her cousins, uncles, and aunts before, but it has always been for a single event (a party or celebration). I have never really had the time to see their humor… to pray with them… to play with them… to be a part of their lives. I am so grateful that I was able to come to know and come to really love them these past two weeks.

Dee & "the girl cousins"

Update from the states...

Dee and I would like to thank all of you that have been praying for us. This past week has been a roller coaster of emotions. There have been moments filled with hope and anticipation followed by loss and grief. Dee’s aunt passed away early on Sunday morning… she was surrounded by her husband, father, and brothers and sisters. We will be in the states the rest of the week…. And we appreciate your continued prayers. I’ll update again soon.

In the USA...

Just a note to say that after 24hours of travel we are back in the USA. Kim's (Dee's aunt) condition continues to not look good. I'll update you just as soon as i know something... as for now - we are off to the hospital for the day...

Flying...

Just a quick note to update everyone... Dee's aunt has had a massive heart attack and is not doing well... to make a long story short - we are going to fly back to the states. We will fly out tomorrow morning and will be in the states for a couple of weeks. We will keep you posted. Thanks for your prayers.

A Sad Day in Mudville..

Well... Friday was a sad day around here. My parents went back to the states. I chose (and I am choosing) to take my mother's advice to count my blessings... and I am so grateful that they both got to come and spend so much time with us. We did a lot of fun things... and we saw a lot of beautiful things... but in the end here are the things that I enjoyed the most:

- Quiet mornings and coffee with my parents

- Afternoon walks with my dad

- A picnic lunch by a mountain lake

- Climbing hills with my dad

- Watching my mom enjoy the wildflowers

- Seeing Ireland through my dad's eyes

- Feeding swans and seagulls with my dad

- Looking through photo albums with my mom

- Hugs

- Having help driving

- Hearing my parents laugh




We had a lot to laugh about while my parents were here... but here are just a couple of funny things that happened:

- Before my parents came I sent out an email to my co-workers to remind them that they would be here with us. I made mention that this was my dad's first overseas trip... the only problem is that instead of saying that this was his first time out of the "country" I said that it was his first time out of the "county". Sorry dad.... but we are still laughing about that one!

- I always enjoy people's reaction to driving on the left side of the road. I always get a laugh out of people trying to get on the driver's side of the car here by accident. My father, however, did a first. I was not sure if he was kidding with me or if he did it on purpose... but when he got into the car for the first time (on the front left side) he automatically adjusted the rear view mirror as if he was going to drive. He did it out of habit.

Hang'n On...

Today.................... today is the last day for me to be in my 20's. Wow... that is strange. Some of you probably know that I have had a bit of a hard time with my current change in age. I don't really know why... but it has kinda freaked me out a bit. I don't fear getting older per-se... I know that it is not the end of the world... it is just the fact that i still feel like I am 16. My whole life I have been 'little wallace'.... the idea of being in my 30's is just hard to believe. In many ways I am excited to be starting a new decade... and it is turning out to be a good thing. Here I am.... married... living in Europe... with a great people... and a great job. For the first time I feel confident about where I am going and that I can take care of myself and my family. I'm excited about the things that the future will bring...! But still.... there is this strange feeling - as if I have woken up out of a coma and people are telling me that I am older than I know that I am.

A while back I made a list of things I want to do before I die... I know that I am a long way away from it (I hope)... but as I have been reflecting on where I have come I keep coming back to this list.... and as I think about it I am excited that I have already done many of the things on it! Here is a part of my list... I won't tell you which of the things I have done! ;)

- Camp at a music festival
- Catch a foul ball at a MLB game
- Shave my head
- Meet the president
- Meet a member of royalty
- Jump from an airplane
- Sing in public
- Dance in public
- Meet up with my old DC group (Ed, James, Matt, Cooper)
- Go on a safari in Africa
- Go to:
Rome
Jerusalem
Paris
Pompeii
Boston
Cairo
Tokyo
Machu picchu
- Live in Europe
- Get my Master's Degree
- Write a book/be published
- Take a road trip across America
- Own a home
- Restore a car
- Own my own dog
- Teach
- Hold an art show
- And the list continues to grow...

A Side Note:

I have updated the side column with a separate page for our posts from Rome. Feel free to check out some of our other old pics on some of the other pages.

The Vatican...

Well..... Vatican city was not really what I was expecting.... and to be honest with you I was disappointed. Hear me out....


We started our day there in the Vatican museums. The amount of artwork was truly overwhelming. At first I found myself looking intently at every carved stone and painting, but I quickly realized that I was simply walking around hardly looking at the priceless pieces of art all around me. There was no way to see every exhibit (We would have been there for days), and a few of the galleries were closed. There really isn't any way to explain how it felt going through room after room of amazing artwork... And I enjoyed the museums, but I found myself wondering at the incredible amount of wealth contained in the halls. I found myself thinking about the billions of people living in poverty.... suffering with HIV... needing clean drinking water... and I found myself wondering about the good that could be done if some of the artwork was sold and and the money was invested in hurting people. I know... I know... someone out there is going to tell me that is crazy, that there is nothing wrong with a charitable organization (that is what a church is... isn't it?) owning billions of dollars in artwork while the world suffers... But I found myself haunted by these thoughts (sorry to be a downer).

These thoughts didn't leave me as we left the museum. In fact, they only intensified as we went to St. Peter's Basilica. This massive church (the second largest in the world) is the heart of the Vatican and is the seat of the Pope. The size of the place was awe inspiring. It was rebuilt in the 1500's and was one of the sources of major controversy in the Catholic church. Martin Luther, a German monk/priest/teacher, came to Rome in 1510 and came to a crisis of faith. While on pilgrimage up Pilate's stairs (an act of penance and devotion done on the knees while repeating prayers and the rosary), he became frustrated and stopped midway up the staircase. Luther became increasing frustrated with the lavish lifestyles of the church leadership and with the massive amount of money that was being spent on St. Peter's. He returned home but the frustration only grew as he watched people purchase indulgences (an "indulgence" is the remission of punishment because a sin already committed has been forgiven; the indulgence is granted by the church when the sinner confesses and receives absolution. When an indulgence is given, the church is extending merit to a sinner from its Treasure House of Merit, an accumulation of merits it has collected based on the good deeds of the saints. These merits could be bought and sold - (info from Wikipedia)). The sell of indulgences during Luther's day was financing the building of St. Peter's.

I couldn't help but think on these things as we walked around the massive (an understatement) church... and in a way it was because of it's beauty and extravagance that I found myself frustrated and disappointed.

Dee with a Dali Painting

Inside the Vatican Museum

The ceiling of Sistine Chapel
(from the left - The creation, the making of Eve, the temptation)

Us with St. Peter's Basilica in the background

Me - Seeing the light in St. Peter's

The front of St. Peter's Basilica.
I collected water from the fountain

So... you might be wondering... what did I love most about Rome? Stay tuned...

Milestone

Just a note to say that our little website hit a milestone tonight. We had our 15,000th visitor. Thanks for coming by and checking on us!

Is it really number 8?

I can't believe it... Dee has stuck with me for eight years now, and it looks like she is going to keep sticking around (Said with a smirk and a sigh of relief). It was eight years ago today that she became my bride. I look back at all of our old wedding photos, and I can't believe that those kids are really us. Were we really that young? Man....! A lot has happened over the past eight years. We have moved four times... Lived in two states and two countries... Changed jobs twice... Earned two master's degrees... We have traveled more than I would have ever dreamed... and in the process I have fallen deeper in love with Dee. I am grateful that she puts up with me more than she should... that she has a sense of humor... that she loves the same things that I love... and that she loves me unconditionally. I don't know what the future holds, but I am excited to be moving into it with my best friend.

I love you, Dee!

Silence

I wanted to post a quick note to say that things are going to be a bit quiet around our website this week. Dee and I are away with work this week. I promise to be back posting next Saturday!

Joel Curry

I received devastating news yesterday................... My childhood friend died in a tragic car wreck on Sunday. His death has really affected me.............. and I find my self heartbroken and grieving for him.

Joel had been in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief for F-15 fighter jets and had served a six year tour in Saudi Arabia (starting after 9-11). He was married with a little girl, and they had just had a second child five weeks ago. This, however, is not the Joel that I knew.

The Joel I knew:
Joel was cool even before I really knew what cool was. He was the first kid that I knew to get a TrapperKeeper, a wristwatch that beeped on the hour, and the first guy our age to have a real girlfriend. He taught me to cuss and how to wrestle, and he was with me both times that I broke my arm. Joel introduced me to Boom-boxes, skateboarding, spitting for distance, the Beastie Boys, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. We learned to build forts in the woods together and how to use mud clumps as grenades against my neighbor. We had a daily ritual of turning our fifteen minute walk to school into a forty-five minute adventure. We learned all the trails in the woods together and how to get someone unstuck from a drain pipe. We learned that crab apples make an amazing mess when run over by a car. Joel covered the top of my hand with miniature band aids after I scraped all the skin off while skateboarding (I still have the scar on the top of my hand). Joel even helped me come up with the excuse for how it had happened. The poster of Jose Conseco he gave me for my birthday still hangs in my old room. Adventure always seemed to follow Joel. I was lucky to be his friend.

We eventually lost touch. Our high school was big enough to loose friends in... I have not seen him in at least eleven years.

I miss Joel.
I really do.
I hate that I will not get to see him at some reunion or that I won't get to run into him when I am home visiting....
I do miss him........

Spring of 1989 in one of our forts.
This is the only picture that I have with my friend.

Big...

I had a strange moment a few weeks ago. Dee and I watched the movie "BIG" with Tom Hanks. I have always loved this movie... in fact, I was about the kids age when it first came out. I remember thinking that I wanted to be a fun adult when I grew up. I had a lot of the toys that were in the movie... and I remember really identifying with the young guy. As I watched the movie I was enjoying this little trip down memory lane............ that is until it hit me: I am now the age that Tom Hanks played! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! (sitting here in a "Home Alone" pose - hands on cheeks screaming!)

It isn't a secret that I am quickly heading towards the big 20-10.... but when I found out that Tom Hanks was big and really old at the age of 30 I had to sink out of my recliner and onto the floor! When did this happen? When did I become Big? In many ways I'm a bit troubled by this recent revelation... but I am also comforted to think that I have not really grown up. I find that I have more in common with Tom Hank's character than the other grown ups in the movie. I mean - hey... I still want a trampoline...and bunk beds... I still love to play Nintendo... I still think that it would be cool to have my very own coke machine.... I still love silly string and baseball... and I still think girls are weird! So.... even if it is inevitable that I will hit the 20-10 mark.... I'm not worried! Thank you Mr. Hanks.