things (which are hopefully more interesting than the title)

I was talking with my dad last night, and he reminded me of something I've been constantly aware of lately. "You've kind of been neglecting your blog recently, haven't you?" he asked.

I have been. It's been some time since my last post. I guess my rationalization for this is my life hasn't been all to, shall we say, exciting. At least as unexciting as it can be living miles away from Iowa in Edinburgh, Scotland. I've been working a lot - most of my hours are put in at the pub I work for, but I occasionally pick up shifts with the temp agency. My feelings of the two are starkly different. These feelings strongly reinforce my thoughts on ultimately making a decision with what I want to do with my life - you have to enjoy what you do.

I happily work just about forty hours a week for the pub. I find myself hoping I'm scheduled for more hours. I - as the British say - really fancy pub work. Fast paced. Constant interaction with customers. Always something to do. And really, it's good craic. I have fun at work - something which surely is important. As my friend Lauren told me the other day, you can't control a lot of things in life, but you can control things such as the job or employment that you pursue. Don't stress about those things you can't control.

So, though I've been neglecting my blog, I haven't forgotten about it. Nor have I forgotten about those of you who continue to check in with my travels.

I continue to be amazed at how small the world is. Now, to be fair, by the nature of the location of the pub I work for, I'm going to meet a lot of tourists. This being said, I served this American tourist the other night. After talking for awhile, we both confirmed the fact that we were from the states. "Where are you from?" he asked me.

"Iowa." I let him know.

"Oh really, where at in Iowa?" he asked.

"I grew up in Southwest Iowa, in Atlantic, and went to school in Iowa city," I told him.

Turns out, your man ordering a pint of Caledonian 80 was currently living in Arizona - but he was born at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. What are the chances?


Prior to my arrival to the UK, most of my conversations with people I met ended with the same thing - so, what are you doing after Ireland? I always had the answer. 'I have a six month visa in the UK - so, I'll head to the UK and figure it out.' I continue to meet people and often have the same discussion with them - literally daily. And, as in Ireland, it ends with - so, what are you doing after you're done in Scotland? Every time I'm asked this question I'm forced to consider what the next step in my journey will be.

I'm not sure what the answer will be. When I originally left home, the plan was to travel for a couple months and head back stateside. Now, as it's basically the first of April, I have just three months left of my UK visa. These three months will fly by. There is still so much of the world - of Europe for that matter - to see. I love the lifestyle I'm living, and while it will ultimately have to come to an end, I'm not sure when that time will be. Anyway, enough on that (which is coincidentally what I tell Brian any time he tries to talk about what our next step will be!). I can worry about that tomorrow ... or come the first of April.

Monday morning, I'm catching a train from Edinburgh to Newcastle, England, and a plane from Newcastle to Cork to meet my friend Lauren from home. We're going to spend seven days in the homeland (well, my home of four months). I hope it treats her and I as grandly as it did me for four months. I'm excited to head back. And, equally excited to see a face from home.

Happy Easter to you all. While you're all enjoying an Easter brunch, I'll be pouring pints at Deacon Brodies - but enjoying it. Oh, this lifestyle I've chosen. cheers, mk.