it's amazing what will happen when you turn off your TV. I never realized how the flashing commercial color and fast paced talking actors really overwhelm one's senses. In making that choice, a flood of realization. I'm thirsty and the way I was sitting was incredibly uncomfortable. I don't really want a cigarette but I do want to write something down. Or read something. What if we all decided to turn off our TVs at night and talk to the person sitting next to us on the couch? Or instead of chain smoking, dazed, you're drinking water and exercising your brain that you finally realized was dying a little? My eyes are thanking me for staring at the words on a page instead of flashing capitalized bold agendas trying to sell me. My ears are much more at ease with Dylan crooning in them instead of being yelled at to believe them. Life becomes a whole lot simpler when you turn off the TV.

We were all brought up losing ourselves in the voices coming from the radiating box pedestaled at the center of our family's community rooms, rather than listening to our own voices telling a story while reading. Maybe the days I can look to to find a time I was a lot less high strung, was when I was eight, fat and read books all day. I was fat, and in elementary school that's a bummer, but I was happy. When I was in High School and 5 foot Rockette- potential inches, a size impossibly small, I lost myself in fluff television shows. Puffed full of unrealistic future goals, I acclimated to envying lives of fame and fortune. Realities in books and novels don't have to be unrealistic. They don't make choices for you, you choose them. If you don' t like it, you can put it down and pick up another that speaks to you. But if everything on your television channels aren't playing exactly what you want, who's really making the choice of what you're watching?

Not only has my days of being a whole lot less high strung seem to be slowly creeping into my present, the realization of what can make you truly happy is pretty relaxing.

But until someone has turned off the TV, maybe it'll be harder to find. Not just turning off a TV, but turning off, completely. Your computer, cellphone, too. Ghastly thought, right? Or is it? Some of the best times I've had recently, leading up to my new found personal bit of sanctuary, were sitting in rooms with no televisions, talking or inventing new ways to enjoy time. It's fascinating how much more enriching time can be when you're forced to entertain yourself rather than be entertained. I propose a new movement. We've all been exposed to reinventing our food by going back to growing from seed, slow food. So why not go back to the seed of communication and talk to the faces around us instead of screens? Or reading the newspaper or a new book instead of watching CNN and watching a sitcom? We've wandered from just that and given into television, video games, high speed internet and smart phones. Not saying that I'm not a true fan of all of the above said, but I'm also quite the fan of living a relaxed, fulfilling and enriching life. So why not going back to the basics? After all, when I read, I write. The last time I indulged I was eight, fat, reading a book a day and... happy. Luckily, I'm no longer the fat kid in elementary school, but this life sure has been working out pretty swell for me, again. We all want to be kids again, and "go back to a simpler time," so who said that was ever impossible? You can, too. What's stopping you? Put down your remote and pick up a book, turn off the news anchor and get black ink on your fingers from your local paper, invite people over to play a card game instead of watching that movie. You'll be surprised. I was.

Boho magazine.

This is my favorite find in recent memory. This completely recyclable and recycled magazine touches on everything up in coming in the Eco-friendly and Green world. The magazine goes so far as to rate the green products they feature with their "shades of green scale." One leaf up to three leaves helps the reader and consumer know exactly how valid their green purchase is. They also feature ideas on how to recycle found materials into trendy styles, such as old watch faces on bobby pins and scrabble pieces for earrings.

One of my favorite features of this issue is the article about www.Beadforlife.org. Finding fashion based organizations that are out to make a difference is always refreshing. This mother and daughter team created Bead For Life with a passion to provide funding and education to three hundred of it's members. By hosting "bead parties," the money then goes to help women in places like Uganda. Beads themselves are made from recycled material, such as paper. You can also buy the products at the website, www.BeadforLife.org.

The magazine continues on to list multiple Eco-friendly clothing stores around the country and highlights Green styling products and makeup ideas. The magazine wraps up with a feature on charities around the country who are making a difference, complete with simple ideas that the reader can do to help the cause with changes in their daily life.

Lastly, the magazine proposes a challenge to readers on how to "Make the Change." They list eight simple things to do to promote generosity and spread good will to the people around them. Things like buying coffee for the person in line behind you or baking a cake for a neighbor made the list.

For more on Boho, visit bohomag.com or their blog bohomag.blogspot.com

ciao roma

Valentine and his horse Rocky. He was swindeling us for money because she needs new horse shoes...I was a sucker for it. But atleast we got to pet a horse and hear a really old half drunk irish man rant about how much he hates bush!
Guinness and I are friends.
The writer's museum! Cause i'm a dork!
mmmmmmmmmmmmm Irish coffeeeeeeeeee
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm squared.

a street by our hostel!

our first proper pint of guinness...yes that is my hand and yes I drank it. you would be mad if i didn't.
hoooraaaaaaaaaay beer!
This is atop the guinness brewery, called the gravity bar. once you get to the top of the tour you get a free pint. and all over the glass they have James Joyce quotes...because....he's the shit.
gravity bar. prettttyyy. They actually give you a map to help you try to find some of the landmarks from up there. pretty sweeet.

Hi friends. Today we arrived in Rome....WITH luggage in tow. Thank god for that. the flights were super short and great...they were filled with Italians...so we got to practice brushing up on our listening/speaking skills. We actually arrived IN rome (after the train ride from the bus station and a taxi ride) at 9 pm. Immediatley once we got into our hostel we wanted to run out the door and look around. We asked some of the other kids at the hostel where some places to eat were, then began wandering. We ended up at a little...kind of fancy...but really cheap pizzeria where it cost 6 euro for a pizza the size of an American pizza that would have cost atleast 12 bucks. so that was nice. then we split a half bottle of wine. And upon recommendation of a roomate in Dublin, I will now be keeping a wine journal, which i thought was pretty brilliant. So this one was a white wine...but i really could not get over the fact it tasted like freaking roses. I'm not joking at all. take the smell of roses and make it into a taste and you have that wine. it was bizarre. After that we walked to the Trevi Foutain..which of course...was flooooooded with tourists and street vendors and men shuving roses in my face to the point which i had no choice but to take one and john had nothing but $.40...so i only snagged one. so we got plenty of pictures of the fountain, which i'm sure you have all seen. but pictures will be up soon. The thing is throwing change in it...so...i did. cause well shit, we're tourists. After that we got some gellato...because we decided that we only have a little more than 24 hours in Rome, so who gives a damn if we look like tourists. So with that in mind...on our way back to the hostel...there were a TON of street vendors selling fake prada bags. And I'm not sure who the wise person told me was, but...as I remember it, "buy a fake prada purse....they look so damn real!" and ya know, I said what the hell not. Since they are vendors, I could talk them down. And seriously, they're damn cute. And no one can tell the difference. So whatever. So i bought a HUGE green and white woven..checked...looking prada bag. he first told me 40...but...After some mingeling I got it for 20. which was pretty sweet considering its the size of my bookbag. so now I have quite the collection of purses, one from dublin that's a short of rough canvas with different gaelic words written all over it, a 2 euro bag from the writer's mueseum and my cute fake prada bag. hooray! So now we're just sitting back at the hostel in our 6 person bedroom...with no one in it but us...everyone elses shit is scattered everywhere....but they must be partying. duh. But as for us, we wanted to come back and hang out and relax a bit. I was actually really impressed at how easily we started talking in Italian to all the locals. I guess since all we've been taught for the past two years is how to have conversation, it's a damn good thing to see my college money is going toward some good use. We're just really anxious to get out tomorrow and see old Rome. That's truly all I care about anyway. yeah okay and maybe some shopping. eee! But since I couldn't finish up my blog from last night, I shall continue and insert some pictures! hooray! So last night, was a perrrrrrrrfect way to end our days in Dublin. I can't tell you how many locals thought I was either Scandanavian, from Norway, or from Ireland. It was a relief actually to see that people don't look at me and think "that damn American,"...because John got that a few times a tthe second stupppppppid busy bar we went to. But I actually was also really relieved to see a buch of locals because their faces were small like mine! it was strange. haha. One of the older guys we were hanging out with told me about how many Liddy's there are still in Country Claire, where my family is from, and how alot of them are great musicians and great poets. so I'll definently look into that. But without further lallygagging, here are some Dublin pictures. enjoyy.

now I'm dozing off again. so more tomorrow after our awesome day in Rome. <3

last night in Dublin

Hey guys...

as the title says, it's our last night in Dublin. I don't have much time to type because John needs his laptop back to post pictures. (sixminutestolive.blogspot.com check it out for pictures!!). but we got our baggage at the last second before we were so fed up john almost took the bus to the airport...so! needless to say, we were so FREAKING excited. we took showers and went out with our new roomates. We had a memorable amazing last night with some locals that included singing a collection of Smiths' songs and some really random American songs such as "son of a preacher man" and others. by the way, all you hear in Dublin is American pop songs. I have heard "umbrella" more times than I ever heard in the States. but anyway. John's back now and needs his PC. I may never get a chance to update fully on the happenings of the night, but I will sure try. Because....tomorrow it's off to Rome....if god wills it..that is. sheesh. Wish us luck!

Cheers!

day two!

Hi guys. well. we're still in dublin and our bags still aren't here yet. i had a bit of a traumatic morning because i realized that my delivery address was home in west chester. and i about lost my head. but we caught it before it was an issue. but....to make myself feel better i bought a cute bag....and went to a chocolate coffee shop....yes....a coffee shop/chocolate shop. heaven? again, yes. so eventually....all was well. but anyway, just a quick update. john and i are off to the guinness brewery and possibly seeing some writer things...cause...it's us. but anyway. keep the emails coming! love you guys!

Via Dublin..

Hi guys! we're here. and alive!

the flight was great. actually...kind of fun. which is silly. but I actually wanted to stay up because we were getting so well fed and...well...cosmos with 80 proof vodka is fun too. but anyway! like i said, the flight was great...butttttt after the flight wasn't so great. we got off the plane with no bags waiting for us. then a few of us got called to the desk to tell us taht our bags are still in the states. charming huh? a couple that was with us in columbus to dublin also had no luggage. so obviously, delta was lazy and didn't rush our bags to our connecting flight. we did have to run mind you to our flight because our first leg was a few minutes late. but still. no excuse. that's their job. but anywho, it SHOULD be here tomorrow by noon. so let's cross our fingers.

so john and i had to run to the nearest department store called "Dunnes." because well damn, its like....50 degrees here. which damn, coming from the US where its 90 is a huge change. so needless to say, i got a damn cute outfit because delta has to reimburse me for one day of clothes. take that delta. i just don't know how i'll cram it into my luggage. whoops. but after our clothing excursion and a four hour nap because my body HATED me for being up for 48+ hours..no joke...we found a cute coffee shop and asked some of the other customers where they recommended going and it just so happened to be next door! where...i had my first pint of guinness. yes, that's right. Sarah marie frances Carr drank beer....and it was freaking great. if i DIDNT come here and drink that, everyone would smack me in the mouth and call me stupid. so. saved myself that one, eh? so we're now off to going to a few other neat bars we saw on the way back to the hostel...which is also really fucking great. as i write this...they're playing a mixed beatles cd. no joke. heaven? i think so.

tomorrow we're off the guinness brewery, seeing the book of kells and a museum that has an Irish writer thing going on right now. so john and i are stoked of course. but for now...i'm going to appease my john and go buy a pint at as many bars as we can. one a bar. makes sense right?

more tomorrow! wish us luck on getting our luggage. cause frankie needs a shower :)

love you guys! Cheers!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my last day in the states. Tuesday, I leave for what I believe to be as an adventure of a lifetime. Expectations and anticipation are killing me. I have no idea of what I am about to experience. I have have thousands of conversations with people about how jealous they are and how I'm going to have such a great time. And I believe them...but I can't quite grasp it just yet. The living room at my house in West Chester is absolutley scattered with all my belongings that I have to cram into my two pieces of luggage tomorrow afternoon. My sewing machine is waiting for me to finish two more skirts. My hair is yelling at me to color it before I forget. And my list of to do things isn't getting any smaller. My brain is soooooooooooooooo scattered. And I love it.

I always knew I would study abroad...but I can't believe it's actually about to happen. Not only am I studying abroad...but I'm visiting the one country that I never thought I would ever see, Ireland. It's going to be incredible. I can't even fathom it. And all the while I'll be with one of my favorite people in the whole freaking world. I couldn't have imagined it being more perfect.

48 hours from now I'll be over the Atlantic ocean. geeeeeeeeeee. Drugged...of course. Flying and I do not get along. But like my mom said, if you like traveling, something's gotta give. So! Drugged it is. Hopefully I'll be conscious enough to see the sun rise as we land in Ireland....and conscious enough that poor John doesn't have to drag me off the plane with all our luggage.

This past week I have done nothing but sit on my ass, see my friends, laugh a whole lot, eat alot of food, buy tons of things, and hang out with my parents. I needed this week like woah. So now, I wait to embark on packing, waiting, and hyperventilating, which, of course, was a given.

I will keep this updated, hopefully, which a bunch of beautiful pictures of me being a silly tourist. But hey, can you blame me?

So...the next time I will be writing may be in Dublin. God damn. Happy day :)

Until then, ciao i miei bambini.