During my time studying in Dun Laoghaire, I have grown quite fond of my fellow film students. We’ve spent time bonding and exploring, visiting the horse races, and playing football during our lunch breaks.
Most recently, one student hosted a party with her host sister. Dana played a fantastic round of Beirut, I lounged on a sun chair with my first legally purchased bottle of wine (that makes it sound like I’ve illegally purchased bottles of wine – which I have NOT – don’t worry, Mom), dinner invites were exchanged, and fervent pacts were made to watch Legend of Korra and/or The Bravest Warriors during next week’s lunch break. Quite possibly, the most memorable part of the night was the walk home (buses stop running at 11:30). Armed with a Google Maps app, we braved the streets of Ireland, encountering – among other things: walls of mist, shadowy street foxes, strange fields with Will-O’-the-Wisp bog lights, bright constellations (I tell you, the StarMap 3D+ app is a beautiful thing), and a startled sprint away from IRA hecklers. I opted for a hobble-sprint as I was recovering from an intense pickup football match. Everyone killed it, and I was so eager to play that I went out barefoot (hello permanently black feet-bottoms, lost (there’s a euphemism for ya) piece of toenail – luckily the astroturf was there to staunch the impressive flow of blood, and vastly swollen reddish purple pinkie toe (newly christened Violet Beauregarde).
I was truly tempting fate after that first ankle break scare (woohoo got my first X-ray), but I had forgotten how much I miss soccer. I feel so alive when I play! And there’s something so freeing and empowering about playing barefoot – I feel so light on my feet and in touch with the ground (literally). I don’t take enough time to appreciate the physical capabilities of the body. Also, how awesome is proprioception?! I’ll stop before I start waxing poetic and philosophizing, but I want to quickly revel in how high we can jump, how fast we can spin, and how we manage to do it with barely any thought. Oh, and let’s appreciate how obscenely sore muscles can get after all that jumping, spinning, and reveling.
We also went to the Leopardstown horse races where I promptly lost two euro in my first ever bet. I put it all on Spirit, hoping he’d be as spirited as The Stallion of the Cimarron, but the slacker came in second. Not at all disappointed, I bought a meat sandwich, dropped some meat on the ground, ate it anyway. Drank some wine. Listened to some live music. Stared at some dapper guys in suits. All in all, a good day.
Film Rogues. Irish Escapades. 