My New Toy

After a couple months considering whether or not I wanted to buy an iPad, I decided to get a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.  I've been mulling over the decision for the last 2 months and then in the last two weeks the momentum just became too great to resist.  I finally broke down yesterday and bought the Galaxy.

I was originally going to wait for the Adam by Notion Ink (an Indian start-up) but I got tired of waiting for them to get their product through FCC approval.  Additionally, I decided that I wanted something smaller that could fit in my jacket pocket.  The Adam comes in at 10 inches, slightly bigger than the iPad.  I also considered waiting for the iPad 2, but couldn't want to wait until April (the supposed release date).

So why the Galaxy over the iPad?  First off, as I just said, I wanted something smaller.  At 7 inches, the Galaxy fits in my pocket, where the iPad with its 9 inch screen is just a little too big.  Other selling points for the Galaxy were the removable/expandable microsSD card, the front and rear mounted cameras, and its ability to run flash applications.

I spent a lot of time justifying this purchase and after owning it now for 24 hours, I think it was a good purchase  I think that the tablets have a ways to go yet and perhaps when I'm ready to upgrade in 2 years the products will be more mature.  For now, I'm happy that I bought it.  (and am now addicted to Angry Birds)

Underdressed

It's kind of funny that I should write a blog about being underdressed while I was in Dublin.  Since I've been there, I've been dressing up while at work - always wearing a suit or at minimum a sport coat and slacks (but no ties).  So how is that in one night, I felt SO underdressed twice?  Let me tell you the story . . .

It started with the intention to go on a Literary Pub Crawl and when that plan fell through (due to lack of interest), we decided to have a pint at a pub then head on the Dublin Ghost Bus Tour.  Neither of which would warrant anybody wearing anything more than jeans and a hoodie . . . so that's what I wore.  My colleagues wore similar.

Little did I know that the evening would take a turn to the more formal.  The Ghost Bus tour was full and we started our progressive dinner (more details).  As we departed Yamamuri and headed for Fallon & Byrne, we didn't realize how classy our next destination was going to be.  When we got to the restaurant, we could obviously tell that we were underdressed, but for some reason I still asked the maitre d' if he had room for 4.  He did.  In the back corner by the kitchen.  Sitting next to the kitchen in my hoodie, jeans and sneakers, I would have just as happily been sitting in the kitchen.  The men in the restaurant weren't dressed up so much (collared shirts & slacks)as the ladies (dresses).  Alternatively, would have been content if the maitre d' had turned us away for our dress (or lack thereof).  To his credit, he tried his best to make us feel comfortable.  It didn't work.  But, we stayed because the food was excellent!

By midnight, we were looking for one last place to have a drink and were guided to the Cafe En Seine (a.k.a. Cafe Insane) by one of our single colleagues.  I haven't been to a meat market like this in over a decade.  On our way in and before I said a word (and an accent could be distinguished) he said to me:  "An American are ye?"  I could only nod as continued.  "Ye couldn't dress up a little?  The ladies like that.  Jaysus! Ye're wearing runners for chrissake."  I guess we Americans have a habit of showing up to Irish clubs underdressed.   I replied, "I'm not looking to pick up any ladies."  After a little more slagging from the bouncer (". . . . well the men like it, too . . ."), we were finally let in.  Once inside, we all noticed how horribly under dressed we were.  We stayed all of five minutes before leaving.  I waited until the bouncer had his back turned and was talking to somebody else before I snuck out of the club.

To tell you the truth, after being here for 18 months it was good to be recognized as an American regardless of what stereotypes it perpertuates.

Lobster Stop

Due to a labour dispute at Aer Lingus, I had to take an alternate route home on Friday.  The route included a layover in Boston for 3 hours.  But the good thing is that I made it home - albeit 7 hours later than I would have been home if the direct flight from Dublin to Chicago wasn't canceled.

Anytime there is a customer service opportunity like this, I like to ask for a little extra.  Originally, I was going to ask for a free upgrade to business class (I think they would have done it considering my frequent flyer status).  However, I spotted a colleague of mine near the back of the line (and the line was not moving quickly ) so I asked if they could book my colleague on the same flights.  Aer Lingus were good enough to help him out.

So it was nice to have a colleague and friend on the same route.   He was appreciative of the time I saved him and the fact that he'd be getting back home to see his pregnant wife.  We had some lobster and beer at the Boston airport before flying back in to Chicago.  It was a good time and it was good getting to know him a little better.  But still, it was a long day.

Last Weekend Completed

Last Friday, I listed a bunch of things I wanted to do over the weekend.  The weekend went a little differently than planned.  After getting some feedback on the Literary Pub Crawl, we (myself and a few colleagues) decided that we didn't want to do it.  Engage the backup plan:  Dublin Ghost Bus Tour.

Uh-oh, we didn't book ahead of time for the Ghost Bus Tour and both tours were already booked for the night.  What was the backup to the backup?  We didn't have one, so we made it up as we went:  Progressive dinner at three out of the four places that I wanted to eat at before I left:  Yamamuri, Fallon & Byrne, and The Port House.

At Yamamuri we had excellent sushi - but an even more excellent Plum Sake Martini - for starters. We were under dressed for Fallon & Byrne, but their main courses were great.  Dessert at The Port House was my favorite and I ended up going back for tapas lunch on Sunday. 

On Saturday, I did get to feed the seals at Howth one last time (and managed a visit to the Antique Radio Museum).  Sunday was so beautiful that I couldn't justify going to indoor exhibits.  Instead I walked all over Dublin one last time visiting places like Merrion Square, St. Stephen's Green, The Docklands, The Point (and a ride on the Ferris Wheel), Grafton Street and Temple Bar.  Once the sun went down, I did manage a visit to Ireland's National Leprechaun Museum (fun but not worth 10 euro).

The cherry on top of the weekend was a Bears victory over the Seahawks.  Bring on the Pack!

One More Weekend in Dublin

That's right, it's almost over.  I fly home next Friday and shouldn't need to spend any weekends here anymore.  What does that mean?  My longest trips over here should only be for a week.  I'd fly out on Sunday evenings and back home on Fridays.

So this is my last weekend in Dublin - oh what should I do?  I'm thinking that I'm going to clean up a couple of things that I haven't done yet, like the Literary Pub Crawl and the National Museum of  Ireland.  I am also I'm going to try to get to my favorite place (Howth) to say goodbye to the seals.  All the while, I 'm going to eat at some of the places I've loved to dine at and try a couple that I haven't made it to yet.

One thing that will be on the docket will be a trip back to The Book of Kells.  I went to go see this exhibition early in my expatriation and sped through the exhibit because I didn't quite get it.  Now I get it and I'm going to try to get back to actually enjoy it.

Last but not least will be a visit to The Woolshed Baa & Grill to watch the Bears game.  Go Bears!

Dublinitis

We've coined a new phrase on our project team: Dublinitis.  You might think that Dublinitis is a good thing, that it is refers to a longing to be back in Dublin.  You would be wrong.  You might then think that it has something to do with drinking a little too much of the Guinness.  Once again you would be wrong.

Dublinitis refers to any type of illness that one catches in Dublin while working on our SAP project and is often brought home to our families.  Because we have over100 people who fly into Dublin on a weekly basis, there is ample opportunity for somebody catch some kind of bug on the airplanes coming into town - be it a cold or one of various strains of flu.  We don't segregate any more.  Swine flu? Avian flu? La Grippe?  It's all Dublinitis.

It's gotten to a point where our project management office has asked HR to procure flu shots (or "flu jabs" as they are lovingly referred to over here) for the team.  I sat through a meeting on Tuesday where our Project Manager told everybody that getting sick during our Northern Ireland deployment go-live was unacceptable because they were providing the flu jab.  Granted, I know she was kidding, but Dublinitis has taken it's toll on the project team (and our families).

I got to share Dublinitis with my family over Thanksgiving.  My son threw up on my wife just as she sat down to eat at Thanksgiving dinner.  They, in turn, shared it with family and friends as well. It's the gift that keeps on giving; it's always very contagious.

I think the next time I go home I'm going to have live in quarantine for a week .Sláinte

Clonmacnoise

Along the Shannon River in the western part of County Offaly sits a monastic site known as Clonmacnoise.  This abbey was founded in 548 AD by Saint Ciaran.  It is famous for two reasons: 1) Having two of the best preserved Celtic High Crosses in Ireland and 2) Being the location where some the oldest texts in Ireland were written.

The Celtic High Crosses have been moved indoors to better preserve them and replicas have been staged on the grounds.  Even so, it was an impressive place to visit.  On the left is a picture of the cross of the scriptures (in it's new protected location).  On the right, you'll see a picture of the replica in with the replica South Cross in the back ground


One of the manuscripts written at Clonmacnoise, The Book of the Dun Cow (oldest text written in Irish - circa 11th or 12th century), is now housed at the Royal Academy of Ireland.  The book was named so because of the belief that it was written on the hide of St. Ciaran's fabled Dun Cow.

The site - in addition to being the final resting place of St. Ciaran - is also thought to be the final resting place of many of the Kings of Ireland, specifically of the Kings of Connacht and the High Kings of Tara are buried here.  It's location which is the crossroads of the main thoroughfares of 6th century Ireland (the Shannon River running North to South and the East-West road running along glacial eskers from Dublin).

It's religious significance was recognized by Pope John Paul II in 1979.  It is believed that missionaries from Clonmacnoise brought Christianity to his home country of Poland.