tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51685465087267497082011-07-08T09:46:56.619+01:00Two kids from Toronto trying to make it in Ireland's Capital of CultureJonZorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295695280076474830noreply@blogger.comBlogger871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-12930880002422291062010-08-28T21:02:00.006+01:002010-08-28T21:09:29.968+01:00

... and I couldn't be happier.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-60270074251246726022010-08-13T17:46:00.005+01:002010-08-13T18:00:30.264+01:00

Oh, packing, why do you make such a misery of my life? Why is it so hard to start collecting you, dreaded piles of paper and books? Why do you seem so cruel, wardrobe of clothing? Why must you seem to give birth and multiply all around me, knick knacks and receipts? Why must this entire process make me feel so listess and so very inclined to watching videos for sad songs on youtube?Universe, I

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-32658737443471305442010-07-23T21:21:00.001+01:002010-07-23T21:23:58.230+01:00

One month until I fly home, and it's consuming my thoughts.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-43024122594864067332010-07-18T23:15:00.010+01:002010-07-19T22:38:01.884+01:00

For my birthday a few weeks ago, Jon got me tickets to see Cirque du Soleil in Dublin this weekend. They are a Quebec-based group whose shows have become famous world-wide, and we were very excited about this weekend escapade. The performance we saw was called Saltimbanco. It is one of their earliest shows, and it is still amazing. The whole experience is really wonderful. The costumes are

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-43887339297288198202010-07-05T20:37:00.019+01:002010-07-06T19:00:46.883+01:00

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.Dalai Lama As I mentioned a few days ago, I have been volunteering these last few months with an organization that helps people who are homeless. I have been very impressed by the work they do, so I wanted to write a bit more about it. They are

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-47283471268070407942010-07-02T17:44:00.004+01:002010-07-02T17:48:53.780+01:00

I bought my ticket home to Canada. I'll be flying on August 24th. Only 7.5 more weeks left in Ireland. It's strange how time crawls and even seems to stop sometimes, and now it's just flying forward too fast for me to catch up with it. I feel out of breath.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-77658930303086625752010-06-29T20:55:00.006+01:002010-06-29T21:05:34.753+01:00

I've been volunteering with an organization that helps people who are homeless in Cork. Often my work is inspiring, but unfortunately some days I see things that make me very sad and disheartened. Yesterday was one of the sad days.In the evening, when I was feeling very tired and down about the events of the day, my mother just happened to tell me that she was listening to this song and it

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-75595762690336930552010-06-27T15:28:00.005+01:002010-06-28T18:38:26.838+01:00

It seems that celebrating my birthday with a picnic is becoming a yearly tradition. I approve.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-24653706326638664562010-06-21T22:42:00.017+01:002010-06-21T23:06:22.133+01:00

Lately both Jon and I have been very busy and overtired during the week, making our weekends precious and much-anticipated. As an added bonus, it has been outrageously sunny and warm in southern Ireland - no rain! This past Saturday we went on a day trip with some friends to Youghal, a pretty coastal town about 40 minutes east of Cork City.We sat on the beach and soaked up some sun for a few

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-87965095280609773772010-06-13T21:05:00.005+01:002010-06-13T21:19:05.612+01:00

Couscous with Pine Nuts and AlmondsCookbook: the cooking bookEditor: Victoria Blashford-SnellCan be made ahead of time.A tasty alternative to rice; serve hot as a side dish or cold as a saladYield : makes 4 servingsPrep Time : 15 mins, plus standingIngredients: * 1 cup couscous * 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped * ½ cup raisins * ½ cup chopped dried apricots * ½ cucumber,

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-80146768145599324982010-06-12T21:28:00.009+01:002010-06-12T22:02:59.434+01:00

Today was sunny and beautiful again in Cork, a wonderful and much-appreciated Irish rarity. We spent the afternoon outdoors with friends, appreciating the weather. With summer come all the festivals, and this weekend there are two going on (that I'm aware of). We managed to see a bit of both. First went to see the Ocean To City festival from Lapp's Quay. We stayed long enough to wander through

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-68643561787003988642010-06-08T21:10:00.005+01:002010-06-08T21:24:38.478+01:00

I have been accepted to the Counselling Psychology M.Ed. program at OISE, a department of the University of Toronto, beginning this September. I'm thrilled!We certainly have a lot to deal with now, since Jon's work contract here in Ireland does not end until early December, but we will figure it all out somehow. I will find a place to stay on my own for a few months in Toronto and he will move

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-41236610149086986942010-06-04T17:15:00.016+01:002010-06-04T17:43:18.248+01:00

Having just returned from Tel Aviv, and with so much of my family living there, it is impossible for me not to feel strongly connected to the recent news from that part of the world. For anyone who may not know about the flotilla story, you can check out these links. For more information, google the words "gaza", "flotilla", "israel", etc.I have discussed this issue at length with many, many

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-55091431716946453482010-06-01T13:00:00.016+01:002010-06-01T14:09:46.558+01:00

In Canada, hurling means throwing up. It took some time for me to get used to the fact that here in Ireland, one of their national sports is called hurling. According to wikipedia:Hurling (Irish: Iománaíocht / Iomáint) is an outdoor team sport of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. The game,

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-86316263256988272182010-05-31T01:25:00.007+01:002010-05-31T01:34:17.928+01:00

It was also my dad's birthday a few days after I left Tel Aviv, but we celebrated while I was there. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABA!xox

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-46901159519128728112010-05-30T23:23:00.025+01:002010-05-31T00:43:53.654+01:00

So much to tell.Jon & I made the final lap in our wedding extravaganza. This one, organized by my mother and held in Tel Aviv on April 30th 2010, was a luncheon affair. Despite the fact that it rained a bit, a rather shocking weather event for Tel Aviv at the end of April, the party was wonderful and we all enjoyed ourselves. The photographer, Nicole de Castro, took some fantastic pictures:After

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-68623813126287332242010-04-15T03:05:00.034+01:002010-04-15T04:50:04.062+01:00

Recently the sun has made an appearance in Cork, and with it came a flood of happy pedestrians in skirts and shorts, eating ice cream and popsicles. Those first few days of warm weather are always like a drug, it seems.Even before the really warm days arrived, we took advantage of the slight upward swing in temperature and went on a little weekend escapade. Jon's ex-coworker invited us to a party

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-71342569499917094832010-03-18T17:05:00.021Z2010-03-19T16:00:49.611Z

Last year was our first St. Patrick's Day in Ireland, and we dove in head first. We were full of enthusiasm, and we celebrated until we could not celebrate any more.This year we were a little more relaxed about the whole thing. Amazingly, the weather cooperated again (no rain for two years in a row is a big deal around here). It is a day off work and school for everyone other than some bartenders

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-30117267494564991792010-03-14T16:40:00.008Z2010-03-15T14:14:51.432Z

Canada vs Ireland Snippet:In Toronto and most of Canada, the way people pronounce the letter "r" is "are". Here, they say it more like "or". We sometimes listen to an Irish radio station called RTE and I find myself repeating their name out loud, trying to perfect my Irish accent.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-37658693065431537832010-03-13T19:27:00.008Z2010-03-14T14:21:10.147Z

Jon's co-worker lives on a farm in County Waterford, just east of Cork. She has three hens on the farm, and mentioned to Jon in a conversation not long ago that they lay eggs every day. We were surprised to hear that every hen lays an egg every day, being the city folk that we are. She also mentioned that she sometimes gets a bit sick of eggs. Less than a week later, she brought these beautiful

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-71777029559843658932010-03-09T17:58:00.003Z2010-03-09T18:03:30.620Z

Hey, you know what I love? I just adore loud construction outside my window really early in the morning. And then I love when the drilling, banging, and other unbelievably loud sounds and strange vibrations continue all day. For weeks and for months.Ha, ha. Kidding. I don't love it.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-28258058257581882102010-03-09T11:36:00.010Z2010-03-09T13:46:05.835Z

A few week ago J & I decided that we would like to see more theatre in the upcoming months. Cork has a lot of cultural events to offer, so we thought we'd check out some shows. We live a few steps away from the Cork Opera House, which is a major hub of drama, music, dance, comedy, and opera. After checking out their program, we chose to buy tickets to the musical Rent and to the Cork Cine Club,

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-36010570280796122572010-03-08T16:08:00.003Z2010-03-08T16:10:45.871Z

Some background into how OK Go made their video here.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-6998968500357071942010-03-06T02:33:00.006Z2010-03-06T02:48:29.188Z

This new video by OK Go is being lauded by blogs, twitter posts, facebookers, and others all over the internet, but it is just too good not to mention again. It isn't even the song, This Too Shall Pass, that really does it for me. It's the video itself. And who would have thought? Usually I find music videos boring, repetitive, and totally inartistic. It doesn't help that they tend to use

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-49397462203073629602010-03-06T02:25:00.004Z2010-03-06T02:30:37.878Z

I was going to write my own post about this absolutely shocking ad, but I simply could not say it better than M. LeBlanc, so here is a link instead (Just click on the word 'link').

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-30550667394120933822010-02-25T03:38:00.009Z2010-02-25T04:02:17.428Z

We got the rest of the pictures of our Canadian wedding party from our photographer, Noor Al-Mosawi. We had so much fun looking through them. For me, looking at photos is a great way to re-experience an event.Here are some highlights:OK, so maybe that was more than a small taste. There were almost 200 pictures, and it was so hard to pick!

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-80090126036512108432010-02-24T18:54:00.014Z2010-02-24T19:38:21.497Z

Jon surprised me this past weekend with a trip to Kilkenny. He rented a car and we spent Saturday & Sunday driving to Kilkenny city and through part of County Kilkenny. It was such a great gift!The photo above was taken in an area across from Kilkenny Castle which used to be the horse stables. The old building is still there but has been converted into some stores, craft shops and art

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-9768982521649341462010-02-11T02:37:00.007Z2010-02-11T02:48:24.215Z

When we had our wedding party in Toronto back in December, we hired a friend of a friend to be our photographer. Since she is a busy woman with a very full life who does her photography on the side, she let us know that it would take her a few weeks to go through all the pictures after the party, touch them up, and then send them to us. Well, a couple of days ago we got the first few. Here is the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-47242464291394253912010-02-06T05:35:00.007Z2010-02-06T05:48:43.459Z

While we were in Canada my mother bought me some pot holders (same idea as oven mitts) from a store called Kitchen Stuff Plus. I tend to be very sensitive to heat and we only had one oven glove, so it was a thoughtful gift. Check them out:Yes, the top one is a hippo and a the other one is a monkey! And yes, they come in many other animals & colours.In other news, we finally broke down and bought

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-48854118962328219972010-02-03T05:11:00.003Z2010-02-03T05:15:03.070Z

Just was I was feeling gloomy and down in the dumps, along came NUTELLA.Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-27215900657573790482010-01-25T17:55:00.005Z2010-01-25T19:00:58.895Z

Our visit in Snitterfield was nice, as always. Unfortunately I had a bad cold and Jon felt a bit under the weather too after all his travelling, so we just took it easy.Abbe & Claes & Ella took us to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see RSC's Arabian Nights. It was a great production, full of magic and fun.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-43471241344865318612010-01-15T04:16:00.008Z2010-01-15T04:37:39.161Z

These last few days I, like the rest of the world, have been thinking a lot about Haiti. I couldn't pass up the opportunity give you these links:1. Chris Sacca's exellent blog post, Six Ways You Can Help In Haiti. Very succint and easily readable.2. One of my favourite organizations, Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans Frontieres) is on the ground in Haiti. They have an Irish branch as well as

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-67946542911219024352010-01-14T03:15:00.004Z2010-01-14T03:19:08.223Z

Possession - Sarah McLachlanListen as the wind blowsFrom across the great divideVoices trapped in yearningMemories trapped in timeThe night is my companionAnd solitude my guideWould I spend forever hereAnd not be satisfiedAnd I would be the oneTo hold you downKiss you so hardI'll take your breath awayAnd after I'd wipe away the tearsJust close your eyes dearThrough this world I stumbleSo many

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-56454391848167150502010-01-12T03:31:00.013Z2010-01-15T04:32:59.001Z

I've been really loving board games lately. I always enjoyed games like Boggle, Scrabble, Clue, etc. I think I liked them because I was good at them. Now I'm entering a whole new phase of game-playing in which I really appreciate the brilliance of the games themselves. And it's ok if I lose (although J might tell you otherwise).The game that started this board game obsession for was Settlers of

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-88723588716294286752010-01-11T07:06:00.004Z2010-01-14T03:23:52.530Z

Happy Birthday to my favourite Nerd.Much love,L

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-16856343841188224622010-01-10T23:10:00.021Z2010-01-12T03:26:04.275Z

Well, Jon has left for his sciencey escapades and I am here freezing my butt off alone. Good time to write blog posts under the blankets.In December I took part in a really neat gift exchange. My artsy, funky, creative ex-roommate who now lives in Vancouver decided to organize a holiday CD swap via facebook. She invited lots of people to particpate, so most of us didn't know each other. Then once

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-69358329319634611282010-01-09T02:50:00.007Z2010-01-09T03:19:24.304Z

OK, I'll admit that I was not thrilled to be back in Cork. It's true. Luckily for me, though, tonight my Corkonian spirits have been lifted and I've been reminded of some of the pleasures of living here.Jon is turning 34 on Monday but he will be in Bath, England doing a sciencey thingy (as he is wont to do), so I organized a little pre-birthday celebration for him tonight. We went out to a nice

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-18268945869262497412010-01-06T04:01:00.010Z2010-01-07T01:05:03.581Z

We've just returned from our trip back home to Toronto. While we were there we celebrated the end of Hannukkah, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and our 2nd wedding party. It was very hectic but absolutely wonderful. In fact, when our Air India flight touched down in Toronto I got so emotional that I couldn't hold back the tears. Although I didn't grow up there, I feel such an intense attachment to

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-40550991018567122442009-12-14T02:15:00.002Z2009-12-14T02:21:43.576Z

Today we had a lovely Sunday afternoon with some friends who threw a little holiday shindig at their house. The whole affair revolved around some delicious mulled wine that the hosting couple made for the guests. It was very yummy and it made the house smell really good. Everyone was so cozy and happy. Ah, life.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-11096071982891794002009-12-09T19:21:00.002Z2009-12-09T19:22:59.077Z

When I go for a drive I like to pull off to the sideOf the road, turn out the lights, get out and look up at the skyAnd I do this to remind me that I'm really, really tinyIn the grand scheme of things and sometimes this terrifies meBut it's only really scary cause it makes me feel sereneIn a way I never thought I'd be because I've never beenSo grounded, and so humbled, and so one with everythingI

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-83019913860734760122009-12-02T02:53:00.022Z2009-12-02T05:18:02.543Z

November was eventful for us here, with our first year in Cork quickly nearing its end and our married life just beginning. It feels like the universe is reminding me that the cycle of life just keeps on spinning, always changing and moving forward.We spent the first weekend of November on a mini-vacation in Amsterdam with our close friends L & C. It was definitely too short, but it was also

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-82186588433236052212009-10-28T03:35:00.010Z2009-10-28T04:17:43.119Z

This past weekend was a bank holiday in Ireland (a 3-day weekend), which coincided with the Guiness Jazz Festival here in Cork. Over 120 acts appeared on 28 stages around the city, in theatres, hotels, pubs, and lounges.On Friday night we joined J's workmates at South's, the bar of the Imperial Hotel, for some big band and types of jazz. The place was packed, mostly with tourists who had come

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-19401929142737045882009-10-16T17:28:00.011+01:002010-02-11T02:49:28.514Z

A few new things to report:1. We're married.Yup, we had a civil ceremony here in Cork on September 25th, 2009. Jon's brother came from Canada to be his witness, and Jon's cousin & her daughter came from England to join in the fun. My friend Lyne was my witness. The ceremony took about 5 minutes, and then we all went out for lunch afterwards. I posted some pictures on facebook, and someone I know

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-56032547471553399712009-09-17T22:44:00.003+01:002010-02-11T02:50:43.653Z

Jon made some steamed kale for dinner last night but for some reason it didn't taste very good, so we agreed that we would try to do something with it today to make it yummier. I used handy-dandy old google to look up kale recipes and ended up choosing this one:BAKED KALE CHIPSINGREDIENTS * 1 bunch kale * 15 ml olive oil * 4 g seasoned saltDIRECTIONS 1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-71116875477036047722009-09-12T02:10:00.017+01:002009-09-12T04:11:26.255+01:00

Despite the fact that I did not grow up in Toronto, the city and I have a very warm and enthusiastic relationship. I lived there from 1997 until I left for Ireland in 2008, and I still consider it my home. I love its neighborhoods, its nooks & crannies, its festivals, the sound that the subway doors make when they are closing, and the fact that there is always a park nearby.I can't wait to sit on

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-55203296480257333272009-09-01T04:00:00.014+01:002009-09-01T23:13:44.117+01:00

I found reading this inspiring, and have decided to begin a list of my own. So, without further ado, here are some initial thoughts for my 100 Things To Do Before I Go:Take pottery lessons again.Have children (by birth or otherwise).Exercise regularly for 6 months.Bring people together to form communities.Have a job I enjoy and feel proud of.Create art on a regular basis for 6 months.Stay in the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-7629264849779958942009-08-29T22:53:00.021+01:002009-08-30T00:08:39.129+01:00

I just found out that this week has been Heritage Week in Cork, and one of the events today was Cork Heritage Open Day. Luckily we found out about it yesterday, so today we were able to take part in it!Here is how the website explains Cork Heritage Open Day:For one day only over 30 buildings open their doors free of charge for this special event. Members of the public are allowed a glimpse of

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-45542886971623951192009-08-29T22:42:00.001+01:002009-08-29T22:45:31.855+01:00

(B.Benjamin/S.Marcus/C.Cadwell)Baby do you understand me nowIf sometimes you see that I'm madDon't you know that no one alive can always be an angel?When everything goes wrong you see some badWell I'm just a soul whose intentions are goodOh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstoodYou know sometimes baby I'm so carefreewith a joy that's hard to hideThen sometimes again it seems that all I have

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-31813172884183619512009-08-27T03:37:00.004+01:002009-08-29T22:46:37.792+01:00

Things On My Mind at 3am:1. Why do I feel so heavenly and comfy when I fall asleep on the couch, but then when I get up to brush my teeth, wash my face, etc, I suddenly feel wide awake and energetic and *hungry*??2. I am so lucky. Really lucky. One of the current "dilemmas" of my life is choosing which European city J & I should go to for our next holiday. It'll be about 5 days... Who could

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-42818847848612079232009-07-27T04:38:00.008+01:002010-02-11T02:51:11.414Z

Transcribed:Roses are Red Violets are BlueCome Watch the Muslim Marry the JewFrom the Roads of Mecca to the Mountains of ZionNo Need to Get Dressy or Put a Tie OnWe know it’s a Sin so Let’s all Pop a Cork,Have Sex Before Marriage and Eat Lots of Pork!Thanks to Everyone for Coming So Far from HomeAsalamalakum and a Big Fat Shalom!!From http://www.blushingbridezilla.com/muslim-marry-the-jew/

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-81682733677225721202009-07-26T03:19:00.011+01:002009-07-26T04:42:06.641+01:00

This time it was Kevin & Gabriella, good friends of ours from Toronto, who came to taste the beer and pick the clovers. After hanging out in Cork for a couple of days, we took them on a 3-day trip to Mizen Head, Sheep's Head, and then back through the Gougane Barra Forest. It was fun, beautiful, and very typically Irish. We had sun, we had rain, and we had fog. We had little local pubs with live

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-36398927600494765142009-07-14T14:36:00.032+01:002010-02-11T02:52:49.204Z

1. Our friend D came to visit us after his adventures on the Camino de Santiago. One day we took him to Fitzgerald Park, where we marvelled at the magical mirrored tree. And played in the playground.And then in the evening, went out dancing, leaving us in a sort of exhausted euphoria.2. Our next highlight was a visit to Tel Aviv. We got a chance to hang out at the beach, walk around the downtown

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-74835708350964304592009-05-18T12:35:00.015+01:002009-05-21T13:15:17.360+01:00

Whoa, I seem to have lost momentum on my blogging project in a bad way. Well, I'll just pick myself up and dust myself off. Rather than trying to catch up from where I left off I think we'll just gloss over some highlights of the last few weeks, whaddaya say?Remember when I mentioned that Jon's parents were coming and we were going to spend the weekend at Loophead Lighthouse? Well, it was

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-78842023548683349812009-04-28T12:56:00.004+01:002009-04-28T13:45:19.742+01:00

We met a couple at the communal Passover Seder that I mentioned a few weeks ago. We've hung out with them a couple of times, and it turns out that they really enjoy singing. He, in particular, has a great voice and actually led the Seder ceremony. They told us about a weekly singing session they go to at a pub called An Spailpín Fánach. Every Sunday night the Cork Singers' Club meets on the 2nd

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-50180651939346285442009-04-25T23:42:00.007+01:002009-04-26T00:42:47.844+01:00

I've chosen to stay home on this Saturday night, and by some lucky fluke the radio is having a full hour of Roy Orbison. Mmm, just the right atmosphere.Next weekend is a long weekend here because May 1st is what they call a Bank Holiday. It means we get a 3-day weekend, which is great timing since Jon's parents arrive on that day. After some research, we decided to spend those days here.For those

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-58401255505923829572009-04-22T19:55:00.003+01:002009-04-22T20:03:35.629+01:00

Today I am thinking about health.Health and lack thereof.Someone I love is having some problems of that type. I feel so helpless.All I can do is send my love: LOVE

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-79908023743065739482009-04-21T01:41:00.006+01:002009-04-21T02:02:44.655+01:00

We watched Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Last Night. I'd seen it before, but got the chills all over again. What a movie, what a cat.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-655417937854973712009-04-14T22:08:00.019+01:002009-04-21T02:01:48.480+01:00

Map of Ireland:Hello dear readers in all parts of the world,My parents returned home yesterday. We had a nice time together and did a bit more Irish traveling over Easter weekend, since Jon had a couple of days off work.I've been on 3 separate car trips in SW Ireland over the last month, so I thought I'd do an overview. This is a total injustice, of course, since each trip deserves its own

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-38681624154177338222009-04-07T18:05:00.016+01:002009-04-07T19:23:21.979+01:00

Some random thoughts:1. I listen to RTE radio a lot, and I noticed that at 6pm they always say "... and here are the angelus", followed by what sounds like church bells and then the news. I actually thought they were saying "...and here are the angels" at first. I used google to educate myself:The Irish national broadcaster RTE broadcasts the angelus bells at 12pm and 6pm every day on the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-36867420106366362192009-04-05T17:13:00.006+01:002009-04-22T19:55:39.919+01:00

I've been on the move a lot these days. In the last few weeks I've been on two car trips that have covered a large part of southwest County Cork. What a beautiful place. But more on that later! For now, a quick note to say that last night Jon & I watched the movie The Blues Brothers. He could not believe I hadn't seen it, and right he was. What a cast. I had no idea Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin,

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-82427846363110987392009-03-25T15:06:00.009Z2009-03-25T15:44:10.304Z

When we left Canada for Ireland, our goodbye/welcome gift from Abbe & family was particularly creative. She researched theatres and culture in Cork, and ended up giving us a gift certificate to the Cork Opera House. Fantastico!Last night we used the gift certificate to see a musical play called Michael Collins, based on the true story of the famous Michael Collins who fought for the liberation of

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-51607149543587749782009-03-20T11:03:00.008Z2009-03-23T13:08:28.399Z

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-6123302521033318172009-03-19T23:56:00.012Z2009-04-14T22:12:13.101+01:00

Jen & I headed off to see the Blarney Castle & surrounding area today. Again, she managed to bring the sun to Ireland! The morning was very misty, which added a certain air of mystery to our arrival at the castle, but the afternoon was bright and clear and warm.We began by climbing to the top of the castle for Jen to kiss the Blarney Stone. Unfortunately the tour buses had started to arrive and

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-27953373896482012682009-03-19T21:16:00.017Z2009-03-20T10:25:19.545Z

Introducing Jen!Our friend Jen arrived for a visit in Cork the night before St. Patrick's Day. We took her out to a pub that night, and the three of us were in slight shock at the bedlam on the streets. The pubs were *completely* packed, and the streets were full of stumbling drunks - particularly teenagers. It was very misty weather, making the whole scene rather surreal.The next day we headed

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-72649884409869028442009-03-15T19:48:00.016Z2009-03-19T21:11:40.878Z

My trip to Waterford was a nice little getaway. I was not enchanted with the town itself, but there were some nice things to see there. Also, my relationship with Waterford got off to a bad start when the Bed & Breakfast we had booked in advance told us upon our arrival that the heating had stopped working! We decided to stay there anyway, but it did get rather chilly by the end of our stay.The

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-37348725153595871532009-03-11T20:15:00.004Z2009-03-15T21:34:07.728Z

Well lookey here. I found this description of the Mutton Lane Inn on the Frommer's website:Old Cork is alive and well at this tiny pub down an alley that was once a pathway for sheep going to market. It was opened in 1787 as a public house by the Ring family, who sold their moonshine whiskey here. It's still got an old-world aura, with lantern lights, dark-wood-paneled walls, exposed-beam

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-88910894527513459872009-03-11T09:46:00.007Z2009-03-15T21:35:15.730Z

Fun times last night at a great little bar called Mutton Lane. The entryway is a small alley (or lane, I suppose) covered in a huge mural:Inside the pub our Aussie friends, our Quebecois friends, and ourselves enjoyed making faces at our new camera:

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-77594570791536759852009-03-10T00:38:00.025Z2009-03-10T20:31:46.041Z

Hello Dear Readers,It's been a while since I updated the blog.We've continued our lives in Cork. Jon is still really enjoying his work at Tyndall, and I am still jobless but searching. Both of us still love Cork itself. In the last few weeks we have been on a few long walks around some very pretty neighborhoods that were new to us.As for me personally, I have my good days and my bad days. That

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-15976362485713545192009-02-23T15:14:00.009Z2009-03-19T21:13:36.777Z

Hello there. Not too much to report here. Life has been fairly commonplace this last little while. The weather has been nice, though. We've had lots of sun, and very little rain. It's a delight.We finally got around to buying a new camera for Jon's birthday (which was in mid-January). It's sooo much better than our older one, and we're really enjoying playing with it. Here is a photo of the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-70963848246628395752009-02-15T00:28:00.010Z2009-02-15T01:01:36.225Z

Jon's friends from work organized a costume party at a nice bar/lounge in Cork last night. It was an official event of their Sport & Social Club, which holds events every month. I love getting dressed up, but this time I was not particularly inspired about who or what to be. When I woke up on the day of the party, all I had was this blond wig.We ended up going with the cheap-and-easy (but rather

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-56653952514830743922009-02-11T20:51:00.005Z2009-02-15T01:40:49.315Z

Yeah, OK. I may be procrastinating just a bit. Here's my secret: http://www.says-it.com/

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-38992175422018130052009-02-10T00:42:00.007Z2009-02-15T01:39:57.446Z

This weekend we had lots of fun inviting some of our new friends over to our apartment. On Saturday night we made dinner and I tried a recipe that my mom sent me ages ago for Broccoli Salad. It sounds boring, I know, but it also has roasted cashews (delish!), and everyone kept raving about it, so I gave it a try. It turned out to be really great. Very unique and totally yummy. Here's the recipe

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-65519943126497154212009-02-08T13:06:00.005Z2009-02-15T01:38:54.382Z

Yes, that's right. The grocery store next to our house is having a weekend-long 25% off sale on all beer. How Irish.

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-24752849192911309412009-02-08T02:43:00.007Z2009-02-08T12:53:09.258Z

I've discovered something called PokeTalk (www.poketalk.com) and to my happy surprise it really works. It is a system that allows you to call overseas for free. (I know, FREE!) They make their money from ads on their website. You can call from Canada to Ireland, from Israel to Ireland, and many other combinations. See the website for a list of countries and all other details. Unfortunately,

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-19625334940411848212009-02-02T19:02:00.009Z2009-02-15T01:42:52.406Z

Today is a very cold day in Ireland. Here in Cork this evening it is -1 degrees Celsius, and it has been windy and snowing all day. I know you Canadians are guffawing and saying "pshaw" at my lame complaints, but listen. I am Canadian. I am cold here today. Cold. Red-cheeked. Raw. Icy fingertips. Frozen Toes. Honest. I swear.In other news, my Aussie friend could not find work here and has decided

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-24010948954303948232009-01-28T20:33:00.014Z2009-02-15T01:29:53.856Z

Typical Cork City scene.Hello friends,Life has been quite active and interesting since I last wrote. My mother visited for a few days, Obama became the President of the United States, I joined a yoga class and signed up at a volunteer agency, and of course my daily search for a job continues.In social news, an Australian girl I met at the USIT orientation when I arrived in Dublin has moved to

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-42735656936860899812009-01-18T14:44:00.007Z2009-01-21T23:02:18.890Z

Well, we still do not have internet in our home. We do have a home phone, but I don't think we can use it yet, for reasons which I trust will become clear below.This city, and Ireland in general, are not as Internet-ready as the fine city of Toronto. There's fewer options for broadband, especially downtown, so no cable; we had to go with either DSL or wireless. Since we want a home phone (so we

JonZorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295695280076474830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-5309706747635562942009-01-15T12:41:00.010Z2009-02-15T01:27:48.163Z

Ima means Mom in Hebrew, and it's what I call mine.In a couple of hours I am going to the Cork airport to pick her up. That's right, it's going to be an Ima weekend chez Jon & Linor! I'm looking forward to it.Amazingly, it's rather sunny and beautiful today, so she'll get to see Cork in all its glory. The last week has been awfully rainy and windy, so this is a welcome change in weather at the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-992299975335072252009-01-11T14:20:00.010Z2009-02-15T01:26:53.438Z

Jon playing air guitar at age 32, above.And today Jon turns 33. Trust me, not much has changed. He's still a smarty-pants scientist with a major funny bone.Last night when we went for a midnight drink to celebrate the beginning of Jon's big day, we found a little Irish pub not far from our house. It was a warm cozy place, and partway through the night a table of middle-aged men & women at the

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-3490141434755971702009-01-07T15:47:00.004Z2009-02-15T01:24:59.788Z

I know, I know.I have no right to complain.My life is good, my day was alright, my health is ok, etc.So anyway, here is today's whiny complainy voice in my head:Got up early to join Jon at the bank on campus before he began his workday. Radio informed me that a ceasefire has not yet been brokered in Israel/Palestine. More deaths. At the bank, we needed to add my name to Jon's account. It was very

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-47644839189312466902009-01-03T17:27:00.012Z2009-02-15T01:21:03.064Z

Jon and I have just returned to Cork from England. Since I last wrote, we had a few wonderful days in London with our friend Liz. She was a great hostess - warm, friendly, and patient with our touristy interests. We walked along the Thames, went to the Tate Modern, the British Museum, to a show at Leicester Square (Avenue Q), and lots of other fun Londony things.On New Year's Eve the three of us

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-66207350637008878242008-12-29T12:05:00.017Z2009-02-15T01:19:43.210Z

We're leaving in a few hours for London and I am still in my pyjamas, bags waiting to be packed, so this will have to be quick. Just a short note to say that the visit with Jon's cousins in Snitterfield has been really nice. Since Claes is Swedish, we celebrated Jul (Yule, aka Christmas) with them on the 24th. It included a lot of singing and eating and candles and gifts. I even got to dress up

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-50528488068501480972008-12-21T20:00:00.003Z2009-02-15T01:18:04.981Z

My random thoughts in list form:1. Our place came furnished (as rentals do here), and I'm so glad the couch is comfy for napping.2. We have no TV and no internet yet. Interesting how much it changed a lazy Sunday for me.3. You need a license to own a television in Ireland.3. In Cork, houses & buildings generally do not have front lawns. The doors open onto the sidewalk. Gardens (as lawns are

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-23157773036599058602008-12-19T16:56:00.003Z2009-02-15T01:14:17.325Z

Today I miss all of you a lot. I know it's very snowy in Toronto - All your facebook info told me so. It's just damp and chilly here. I slept in more than I intended to, and now there are some annoying loud kids in the internet cafe. I'm not in the mood to write a real update. I just wanted to say that I miss you! I want to show you the new apartment, I want to ask you for your advice about how

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-20102485267419499652008-12-18T13:31:00.013Z2009-02-15T01:13:17.877Z

Dear Everyone,Hello! It's so great to finally sit down and write to you, and to ourselves, and to the internets out there. I often wish that I recorded my thoughts on a regular basis, so hopefully this blog will be a sort of semi-regular updater. As far as what to write in this first entry... Where to begin?? So much has happened since I left Canada!As Jon mentioned, he flew to Cork (our new home

Ms. Exuberanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182537331844642258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-25083564264207543532008-12-13T20:31:00.005Z2008-12-13T20:51:25.184Z

After a harrowing journey on the high seas, I finally arrived at my destination, Cork. Linor had gone on to Dublin to arrange her work permit stuff, so I arrived alone in Cork airport (yeah, I flew. I'm not cool enough to take a ship - what, are you? ... I thought not.)The guy at immigration asked me a bunch of questions, which I answered dutifully, if a little bit incoherently. After he

JonZorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295695280076474830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168546508726749708.post-25573168450322672452008-12-13T18:58:00.002Z2008-12-13T19:45:39.918Z

Hi everyone!!This blog is our main way of keeping you, our friends, family, admirers, arch-nemeses, and passing acquaintances, updated about our livings, travels, and lives in Cork, the Republic of Ireland's second-largest city and the European City of Culture in 2005. We'll post pictures, talk about our experiences, and entice you to come visit.Just in case you don't know, we came to Ireland so

JonZorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295695280076474830noreply@blogger.com0