2: Nerd camp day #2 was not as delightful as day #1, but it was still helpful and affirming.

3: Flew back eeeeaaarly from London and then headed out to Waringstown to spend some time with the Love for Life family at Santa’s Grotto. Amazing to walk back into six-year-old relationships like no time as passed.

4: Went to Mama Cheesehead’s for the weekly football watching and got treated to snow as well!

5: Three month review with my two supervisors went surprisingly well. I am exactly where I belong.

6: Ran errands in City Centre, tracked events at Truett which you cannot talk about and spent time with favorites.

7: Dinner at a nice Indian restaurat and then drinks at a typical Belfast haunt were the activities included in date number two. Pretty perfect.

8: Couch, nice boy and Shaun of the Dead meant I was a pretty happy camper.

9: Ulster Rugby! My first match and I managed to not freeze to death. Upon returning to Mount Charles, the night got random. But a really good random.

10: Great evening at Mama Cheesehead’s with the favorites, take-away and cheesy TV. Spent most of the latter part of the evening on twitter waiting for the announcement and then screamed when it come: RG3 WON THE HEISMAN!

11: Some favorites and I gathered at the Eggletine Inn to watch the X-Factor finale which was not even a little bit surprising. But there was also some pretty amazing ham.

12: MC43 Christmas Extravanganza! “i don’t like being partitioned!” third place. fenton. fantastic dinner. perfect secret santa gifts. laughing until we cried. why yes – I do declare the mc43 christmas extravaganza to be a whopping success.

13: Exhausted for most of the day, but hit up the delightful Lisa Hannigan concert with some favorites that evening. Also got to squeeze some time in with a cute boy. Winning.

14: Amazing lunch with a cohort favorite, then the department Christmas party, then the final module of the term (where Professor Sprocket drew elephants on the board) and then some see-you-later drinks with graduating favorites. Cap of the evening in MC42 kitchen, sipping tea and chatting with my girls; great way to bid Belfast temporary adieu.

15: Belfast -> Newark -> Yardley. Traded one home for another.

16: My first morning home included Wawa coffee and time with the puppy. Perfection.

17: Drove the car and got in on the correct side. Small victories are important.

18: Annual family viewing of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Yes, Brother still does a mean Grinch impression.

19: Got to break bread with the family at St. Andrews. Such a special reality.

20: Spent the day hating time zones and reading ethnographic research books.

21: Annual family viewing of White Christmas. Yes, we fast-forward through the awkward “Choreography” dance for the men of the family. We can only ask them to do so much.

22: Ran errands with Mama and tried to be productive. But who wants to read about ethnographies when they can hang out with their mom? Especially my mom who is fabulous!

23: My sister and I have become slightly obsessed with Downton Abbey – she’s newer to the addiction but no less fervent – so we watched several episodes. As always, we declared love for Dame Maggie Smith and hatred for O’Brien and Thomas.

24: Got to finally see a favorite and catch up on her wedding plans. She asked me to be a part of it and I nearly cried. Then, family dinner included duck a’lorange for me (so happy) and then Christmas Eve service included live animals. As you do. We also exchanged sibling gifts and mine spoiled me rotten. Crying too hard to say “thank you”.

25: Happy Incarnation Day!

26: The siblings and I went to see The Muppets and nearly danced with joy on the way out. Some of the best money I’ve spent in a long time. That night, Mom won the nut and my loosing streak continues.

27: Scandanavian Family Christmas! Tree lighting, carols and catch-up time with cousins I only see once a year.

28: Read some Foucault, drank some (okay, a lot) tea and snuggled with the puppy.

29: Delightful day of errand running with my mom and then settled in for the evening with the whole family to watch Baylor win the Alamo Bowl. SIC ‘EM BEARS!

30: Woke early for a few appointments and then raced to the Trenton train station to collect my precious Ndeko! So glad to have her within hugging distance, even if only for a few days.

31: Ringing in the New Year with the Yardley family, plus Ndeko and one of Brother’s best friends. Cannot wait to embrace the promise of 2012.

January

1. Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith (read for fun in South Africa)
2. Room by Emma Donnahue (read for fun in South Africa)
3. Children, Youth and Spirituality in a Troubling World by Almeda Wright and Mary Elizabeth Moore (read for independent study)
4. Dual Image by Nora Roberts (read for fun in recovering from jet lag)
5. Untamed by Nora Roberts (read for fun in recovering from jet lag)
6. Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenedies (read for fun on extended layover in Philly)
7. Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli (read for fun on extended layover in Philly)
8. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas (read for fun)
9. The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
10. Justice and Reconciliation in Post-Apartheid South Africa edited by Francois DuBois and Antje DuBois-Pedain (read for independent study)
11. Theopolitical Imagination by William Cavanaugh (read for independent study)
12. Hungry by Chrystal Renn (read for independent study)

February

13. A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore (read for fun)
14. Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
15. Almost Christian by Kenda Creasy Dean (read for independent study)
16. Terror in the Name of God by Mark Jurgensmeyer (read for independent study)
17. Discourse on Free Will by Erasmus & Luther (read for Text and Traditions Two)
18. Table for Five by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
19. Passing Through Paradise by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
20. A Year of Living by Julia London (read for fun)
21. How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
22. Columbine by Dave Cullen (read for independent study)
23. Cry, the Beloved Country by Allen Patton (read for independent study)
24. Shopaholic and Baby by Sophia Kinsella (read for fun)
25. Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh (read for independent study)
26. After Mandela: The Battle for the Soul of South Africa by Alec Russell (read for independent study)
27. Vision in White by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
28. The Adolescent Journey by Amy Jacober (read for my job and because she’s awesome)
29. Happily Ever After by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
30. Violence and the Sacred by Rene Girard (read for independent study)
31. Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
32. Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
33. Prospect Park West by Amy Sohn (read for fun)
34. Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz (read for fun)
35. The Antelope’s Strategy by Jean Hatzfeld (read for independent study)
36. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by Christian Smith (read for independent study)
37. Let Sleeping Men Lie by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
38. The Royal Brotherhood: Part Two by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
39. Tonight and Always by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
40. A Matter of Choice by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
41. Endings and Beginnings by Nora Roberts (read for fun)

March

42. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls by Joan Brumberg (read for independent study on adolescents)
43. Ambivalence of the Sacred by Scott Appleby (read for independent study on religious violence)
44. Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery (read for fun)
45. Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (read for fun)
46. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (read for fun)
47. Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun on Spring Break)
48. The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount by Julia London (read for fun on Spring Break)
49. Silk and Stone by Deborah Smith (read for fun on Spring Break)
50. The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurents (read for fun on Spring Break)
51. On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah (read for fun on Spring Break)
52. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead (read for fun on Spring Break)
53. Cocktails for Three by Madeline Wickham (read for fun on Spring Break)
54. If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern (read for fun on Spring Break)
55. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen (read for fun on Spring Break)
56. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen (read for independent study on adolescents)
57. Crisis and Renewal: The Era of the Reformations by Wayne Holder (read for Text and Traditions 2)
58. Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs (read for fun)
59. War in the Hebrew Bible by Susan Nidtch (read for independent study on religious violence)
60. A Dangerous Love by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun)
61. A Wind at the Door by Madeline L’Engle (read for fun)
62. A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L’Engle (read for fun)
63. A Reformation Reader by Denis Janz (read for Text and Traditions 2)
64. Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy (read for fun)
65. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (read for fun)
66. Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin (read for fun)
67. Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich (read for fun)
68. Susanna Wesley: Servant of God by Sandy Dengler (read for preparation for a paper)
69. Susanna Wesley by Kathy McReynolds (read for preparation for a paper)
70. Susanna: Mother of the Wesleys by Rebecca Harmon (read for preparation for a paper)
71. Trauma & Grace: Theology in a Ruptured World by Serene Jones (read for Religious Violence class)
72. Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism by Mabel Brailsford (read in preparation for a paper)
73. Pia Desideria by Philip Jacob Spener (read for Text and Traditions 2: Reformation Theology)
74. Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews (read for insomnia coping)
75. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (read for insomnia coping)

April

76. Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten City by Greg Grandin (read for research on conflict countries)
77. Courting Catherine by Nora Roberts (read for insomnia coping)
78. A Man for Amanda by Nora Roberts (read for bad day coping)
79. Susanna Wesley: God’s Catalyst for Revival by Donald L. Kline (read for Text and Traditions 2: Reformation Theology)
80. For the Love of Lilah by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
81. I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (read for fun)
82. All the Possibilities by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
83. One Man’s Art by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
84. Souls in Transition by Christian Smith (read for independent study on Adolescent Faith Development)
85. This Lullabye by Sarah Dressen (read for fun)
86. Playing the Odds by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
87. Tempting Fate by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
88. Little Bee by Chris Cleave (read for independent study on conflict countries)
89. Sites of Violence, Sites of Grace: Christian Nonviolence and the Traumatized Self by Cynthia Hess (read for independent study on religious violence)
90. Sing Me Home by Jodi Piccoult (read for fun)
91. Skin Deep by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
92. Without a Trace by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
93. The Search by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
94. On Suicide Bombing by Talal Assad (read for independent study on religious violence)
95. The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark (read for fun… and honestly regretted it)
96. Matrix of Meaning by Craig Detweiler (read for independent study and TA job)
97. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (read for fun)
98. Dangerous Liaisons by Elizabeth Hoyt (read for fun by the pool)
99. Face the Fire by Nora Roberts (read for fun by the pool)
100. Shiver by Maggie Steifvet (read for fun by the pool)
101. The Chief by Monica McCarty (read for fun)
102. Peacemaking and Religious Violence: From Thomas Aquinas to Thomas Jefferson by Roger Johnson (read for independent study)
103. Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald (read for fun)

May

104. How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu (read for fun)
105. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (read for research)
106. The Hawk by Monica McCarty (read for fun)
107. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (read for fun)
108. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (read for research)
109. Bossypants by Tina Fey (read for fun)
110. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson (read for research)
111. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (read for research)
112. A Thousand Sisters: My Journey in the World’s Worst Place to be a Woman by Lisa Shannon (read for research)
113. Judge and Jury by James Patterson (read for fun)
114. The Sweetness at the Bottom of a Pie by Alan Bradley (read for fun)
115. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (read for fun)
116. A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber (read for fun)
117. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (read for fun)
118. Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts (read for fun)

June

119. Second Nature by Nora Roberts (read for fun on the flight over)
120. Lessons Learned by Nora Roberts (read for fun on the flight over)
121. Only a Duke Will Do by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun in Sicily)
122. After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart (read for fun at sea)
123. In the Prince’s Bed by Sabrina Jeffries (read for fun at sea)
124. To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (read for fun at sea)
125. Wading Home: A Novel of New Orleans by Rosalyn Story (read for fun in Ephesus)
126. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn (read for fun in Ephesus)
127. More Than A Mistress by Mary Balough (read for fun in Rhodes)
128. No Man’s Mistress by Mary Balough (read for fun in Istanbul)
129. Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson (read for fun in Istanbul)
130. Someone Like You by Susan Mallery (read for fun on the ship)
131. Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary (read for fun on the flight home – and it’s a novel set in Northern Ireland!)
132. The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz (read for consultancy job)
133. Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise (read for fun and jet lag coping)
134. Secondchance Pass by Robyn Carr (read for fun and jet lag coping)
135. Beverly Hills Adjacent by Jennifer Steinhauer (read for fun)
136. The Bride by Julie Garwood (read for fun)
137. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (read for fun) (note: if you enjoy historical romance, Quinn is second to none)
138. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
139. Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener (read for fun)
140. Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
141. Indigo: In Search of the Color That Seduced the World by Catherine E. McKinley (read for research)
142. An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
143. Dreams of Desire by Cheryl Holt (read for fun)
144. Sleepless in Scotland by Karen Hawkins (read for fun)
145. The Bride’s Farewell by Meg Rosoff (read for fun)
146. Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork (read for fun)
147. The Wedding by Julie Garwood (read for fun)

July

148. Alice in Real Life by Deborah Smith (read for fun)
149. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
150. To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
151. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
152. Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie (read for fun)
153. On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
154. How To Change the World by David Bornstein (read for research)
155. Little Children by Tom Perotta (read for fun)
156. Dancing in the Moonlight by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
157. The Angel in my Arms by Steffanie Sloane (read for fun)
158. Minx by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
159. Election by Tom Perotta (read for fun)
160. And Peace Still Did Not Come by Agnes Kamara (read for reasearch)
161. It Happened On the Way to War by Rye Barcott (read for fun)
162. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
163. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
164. An American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin (read for fun)
165. A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey (read for fun)
170. Temptation and Surrender by Johanna Lindsey (read for fun)
171. Now You See Her by James Patterson (read for fun)
172. The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Connie brockway, Eloise James (read for fun)
173. The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw (read for fun)
174. ‘A’ is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (read for fun)
175. The Secret Mistress by Mary Balough (read for fun)
176. Sisterhood Everlasting by Anne Brashares (read for fun)
177. The Vision of Peace: Faith and Hope in Northern Ireland by Mairead Corrigan Maguire (read for fun)
178. Beach Music by Pat Conroy (read for fun)
179. The Price of a Dream by David Bornstein (read for research)
180. The Bridal Season by Connie Brockway (read for fun)
181. The Bridal Favor by Connie Brockway (read for fun)

August

182. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (read for fun)
183. The Devil in Disguise by Stefanie Sloane (read for fun)
184. One True Love by Susanne Enoch (read for fun)
185. Two Hearts by Karen Hawkins (read for fun)
186. A Dozen Kisses by Mia Ryan (read for fun)
187. Thirty-Six Valentines by Julia Quinn (read for fun)
188. It Happened One Night by Stephanie Laurens (read for fun)
189. Sizzle: A Novel by Julie Garwood (read for fun)
190. Enchantress by May McGoldrick (read for fun)
191. Her Master and Commander by Karen Hawkins (read for fun)
192. The Secret Wedding by Jo Beverly (read for fun)
193. When Harry Met Molly by Keiran Kramer (read for fun)
194. Nine Rules to Break by Sarah McLean (read for fun)
195. Ten Ways to be Adored by Sarah McLean (read for fun)
196. Eleven Scandals to Start by Sarah McLean (read for fun)
197. The Season by Sarah MacLean (read for fun)
198. Building Kwacha: Political Culture and Nationalism in Malawi by Joey Power
199. Marx, Durkheim and Weber by Ken Morrison (read for PhD)
200. A Short History of Sociological Thought by David Cheevers (read for PhD)

September

201. A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan (read for fun)
202. Bad Girls by Rebecca Chance (read for fun (in Belfast!))
203. Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keys (read for fun)
204. The Submission by Amy Waldmann (read for fun)
205. The Luxe by Amy Godferson (read for fun and barely finished it)

October

206. Religion in the Modern World by Steve Bruce (first PhD book)
207. Religion & Everyday Life by Stephen Hunt (PhD research)
208. Like None Other by Caroline Linden (read for fun)
209. Public Secrets by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
210. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (read for book club)
211. Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallory (read for fun)
212. Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (read for fun)
213. Religion as a Chain of Memory by Daniele Hervieu- Leger (read for PhD)
214. Sociology of Religion by Grace Davie (read for PhD)

November

215. Heaven’s Kitchen by Courtney Bender (read for PhD)
216. The Abduction of Julia by Sophie Hawkins (read for mindless entertainment)
217. One True God by Rodney Stark (read for PhD)
218. After Shock by Kent Annan (read for personal growth)
219. The Next Christendom by Phillip Jenkins (read for PhD)
220. Bible Believers: Fundamentalists in the Modern World by Nancy Ammerman (read for PhD)
221. The Globalization of Charismatic Christianity by Simon Coleman (read for PhD)
222. Religion in the Contemporary World by Alan Aldridge (read for PhD)

December

223. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kailing (read for fun)
224. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sara Vowell (read for fun)
225. Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein (read for research)
226. The Next Always by Nora Roberts (read for fun)
227. Women in the Presence by Joyce McKittrick (read for PhD)
228. Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James (read for fun)
229. Social Theory in the Twentieth Century by Patrick Baert (read for PhD)
230. Social Theory: An Introduction by Alex Callicinos (read for PhD)
231. Contemporary Social Theory by Anthony Elliot (read for PhD)
232. Dimensions of Sociological Theory by David Cheal (read for PhD)
233. Religion and Advanced Industrial Society by James Beckford (read for PhD)
234. Religion, The Social Context by Meredith McGuire (read for PhD)
235. Social Theory and Religion by James Beckford (read for PhD)
236. To Wed a Lord by Sabrina Jeffries (read for mindless fun)
237. Foucault: Key Concepts by Dianna Taylor (read for PhD)
238. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes by Robert Emmerson (read for PhD)
239. A Proper Englishwoman by Elisa James (read for mindless fun)
240. Confessions of a Little Black Dress by Elizabeth Boyle (read for mindless fun)

~*~

40 over my goal! I think I’ll keep the goal at 200 for next year, knowing that much of my academic reading is articles and that pretty soon I’ll be writing more than reading. We’ll see how I’m doing by July though, and maybe tentatively raise it.

What are the best books you’ve read this year?

movies

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two
2. We Need to Talk About Kevin
3. Crazy, Stupid, Love
4. X-Men: First Class
5. The Help
6. The Muppets
7. Love and Other Drugs
8. Moneyball
9. Captain America: The First Avenger
10. Ides of March

podcasts (all available on iTunes)

1. “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me”
2. “Hang Up and Listen”
3. “Cultural Gabfest”
4. “XX Podcast”
5. “Stuff You Should Know”
6. Guardian Book Podcast
7. “Stuff You Missed in History Class”
8. NPR Book Podcast
9. “WTF With Marc Maron”
10. “This American Life”

tv shows

1. The Big Bang Theory
2. Downton Abbey
3. How I Met Your Mother
4. Modern Family
5. The Hour
6. The Good Wife
7. Parenthood
8. TrueBlood
9. Homeland
10. Game of Thrones

As far as music and books go, sometimes I’m behind the times. So below are the top ten of each I enjoyed this year, regardless of their year of publication or release.

music

1. Adele
2. Mumford & Sons
3. The Avett Brothers
4. Yo-Yo Ma
5. Ingrid Michaelson
6. Lisa Hannigan
7. Dave Barnes
8. Andrew Peterson
9. Darren Criss
10. Craig Colson

books: non-fiction

1. Terror in the Name of God by Mark Jurgensmeyer
2. Almost Christian by Kenda Creasy Dean
3. After Mandela by Alec Russell
4. The Body Project: The Tortured History of American Girls by Joan Brumberg
5. Sites of Violence, Sites of Grace: Christian Nonviolence and the Traumatized Self by Cynthia Hess
6. Bossypants by Tina Fey
7. Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? by Mindy Kailing
8. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
9. After Shock by Kent Anan
10. Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein

books: fiction

1. Room by Emma Donahue
2. Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
3. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
4. Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
5. Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork
6. Sisterhood Everlasting by Anne Brashares
7. The Submission by Amy Waldmann
8. Cry, the Beloved Country by Allen Patton
9. Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
10. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

~*~

What are your favorites? Is there anything you’ve encountered this year that I simply must add to my list?

For the uninitiated, Pintrest is easily the most social acceptable addicting thing I participate in. It’s an online series of corkboards, which allows people (yes, mostly women)  to “pin” images from around the internet onto themed boards and then allows other users to browse said pins. It’s like a delightful tumble down Alice’s rabbit hole.

One of the trends I’ve noticed lately is to post visual “bucket lists”. I found one particular person’s this morning when I clicked on the graphic at the beginning of this post. What struck me is that I had done almost everything on that person’s list. They want to go to Prague – check. They want to eat a cheesesteak in Philly – check. They want to go to Platform 9 3/4 – check. They want to finish a graduate degree – check. I’m sure there are other dreams this anonymous user has that I have not fulfilled and never will, but I had this moment of gratefulness. I have had an incredible journey and one which promises to be more incredible as the years go on.

I’ve decided to make a bucket list myself – but specifically one just for this next calendar year. I have some seriously promising adventures coming up but some others I’d like to craft. In the monotony of my daily life – reading, writing, tea drinking – I want to remember to find joy in those moments and be thankful for the privilege of my life in Belfast. It feels more celebratory than resolutions, doesn’t it?

What are your resolutions/bucket list items for the next season of your life?

… to snuggle with family

… to be warm and dry

… to break bread and sing hymns with the family at St. Andrews

… to finally win the nut

… to see a favorite’s engagement ring in person and be able to squeal with her not over Skype

… to drink fresh Wawa coffee

… to enjoy White Christmas and The Grinch,  as is our family custom

… to be in the City of Love that is Brotherly

… to rest in people who believe in me and cheer me on and love me despite myself

 four sleeps. i am ready.

Belfast had it’s first snow on Sunday evening. I was at Mama Cheesehead’s for our weekly American Football watching party and in the midst of all the festivities (which included filling in Sad Eli’s thoughts about his hat and his favorite colors – but that’s for another post) we looked out the window to see snow falling. Of course pictures had to be taken.

Earlier that evening as we were on our way, Penny and I paused in front of the SU. “Let’s just look at the moon and the tree and the Lanyon Building and be thankful,” she said. It was beautiful and peaceful and wonderful and I was, indeed, thankful for my life here.

I fly home one week from tomorrow. Between now and then it’s supposed to snow almost every day here. The mornings are crisp and cool and conversations with everyone include “it’s so flipping baltic!” My days are plotted around where I think the warmest location is at any given time. But in the midst of being cold, I am thankful.

I am thankful I have found family here in surprising ways. I am thankful for new adventures and old ones, a new library to explore and a new institution to complain about. I am thankful for technology which allows me to stay connected to my other worlds and for times when I can switch that technology off and be fully present in this one.

I am deeply thankful for all of those things, but as I stood in front of the Lanyon Buliding that evening, the thing I was the most thankful for was my family back in the States who are counting sleeps with me, who are taking off from work to collect me at the airport, who assure me that my house is ready for Christmas and the only thing that’s missing is me. I am thankful that their dreams for me are bigger than mine for myself. I am also deeply thankful that it is only eight sleeps until I get to hug the Yardley contingent. Eight sleeps!

2: I read. I wrote. I drank a lot of tea. Typical day.

3: Fantastic lunch with Shaza who always speaks wisdom and joy into my world lead to one of those days where I kept pinching myself that I am lucky enough to have this life.

4: Lunch date with sweet boy, productive conversation with Professor Sprocket, drinks with MC favorites.

5: Worked, hung out with preciouses at Club at the Hub and then the evening went wonky.

6: Was treated to an amazing afternoon with Muzzo and our beloved Yoder.

7: Woke up incredibly early to journey to Belfast International to board the flight to Amsterdam! After finding our hotel, we grabbed a quick lunch and then Penny and I boarded our Canal Bus boat tour and started snapping pictures of canals.

8: Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Dutch Apple Pie, cultural escapes, shopping : day two in Amsterdam was a complete win. Penny and I conquered the day.

9: Spent the morning touring Anne Frank’s house and attempting to step into the shoes of those who suffered. Then tiptoed through tulips in the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, grabbed lunch at a local cafe (with a fantastic soundtrack) and then took a boat cruise for the remaining few hours of our Amsterdam Adventure.

10: Training in the morning, lunch with a cohort member and then date number two with a sweet boy who knew to take me to the theater.

11: Office productivity day!

12: Tacoma and her delightful friends made us a Mount Charles Fakesgiving and then we watched X-Factor. Capital day.

13: Felt quite under the weather, so spent a good chunk of the day in bed watching old episodes of Big Bang Theory. Then went to Mama Cheesehead’s to watch American Football and was forced to hear Joe Buck. Ying/yang kind of experience.

14: I was up quite early for an appointment and thus spent the morning being productive. At around 3:30, I wandered into the kitchen to grab a quick cuppa and ended up talking to my delightful housemate, Simba, for the next three hours. And then there was Pub Quiz. Great day.

15: Delightful sushi lunch, packages from home, time with new favorites : all in all a great day.

16: Grabbed breakfast with the MC girls in the morning and then worked all day in the office. It wasn’t particularly productive, but things were done.

17: After a delightful morning with Mama Cheesehead, I had a productive meeting with Professor Sprocket in which he told me I was going to be able to differentiate in April instead of June and begin my research in July. I was giddy for the rest of the evening, so when the girls and I went to the Ulster Beer and Cider Festival that evening the good times continued.

18: Productive day, awkward coffee conversation, dinner with Penny, evening with Muzz. Capital day.

19: Quiet morning and then some fantastic conversations with Ndeko. Then off to the Continental Market with the girls, which also turned into an adventure for cultural escapes and an evening spent laughing and snacking.

20: Still feeling a bit under the weather, so took it easy before heading to Mama Cheesehead’s for some good old American football.

21: Worked at the office, worked in my room and then Penny, Tacoma and I watched Downton Abbey. Oh, and since it was Monday, then we went to Pub Quiz. 4th place again, but we cleaned up on the Thanksgiving round!

22: Found myself stuck in the library for the afternoon with a few texts which must remain there. I hate libraries.

23: Read. Wrote. Rinsed. Repeated.

24: Started my Thanksgiving in Waringstown with Love for Life favorites and ended it in Belfast with QUB favorites. Topped off with phone calls to family and a successful casserole contribution – excellent day.

25: Morning spent in Lisburn with a beloved friend and then the afternoon and evening spent with other beloveds. Also introduced Penny to Singing in the Rain, so excellent evening.

26: Ran errands, uploading pictures, braved the Belfast weather and then ended up at the Odyssey with Mama Cheesehead and Penny for a Belfast Giants ice hockey game. We finished the evening with tapas and grieving for the future generations.

27: Didn’t pick up a book all day and that was wonderful. Church of the Res in the morning, time with my Muzz in the afternoon and football with the girls in the evening.

28: Laundry. Reading. Just another manic Monday.

29: Productive day! Had coffee with a favorite and a great meal for dinner, finished three books and wrote four summaries. Then went to Crazy Tuesday movie with the girls to see My Week with Marilyn and discovered that milkshakes are difficult to make in Belfast.

30: Industrial Action/Strike Day meant little productivity and lots of bonding time with Mama Cheesehead.

The Irish Hunger Memorial is located on a small piece of land – just a half acre – right next to the Hudson River. A strange island of calm in the midst of the hustle of Manhattan, the memorial invites visitors to contemplate both the victims of the Irish Potato Famine and victims of hunger the world over. You enter through a dark passageway, which as quotes backlit lining the walls. The quotes – some in Gaelic, some in English – regard all forms of hunger and offer voices from the world over. As you walk up the passage, mournful Celtic music swirls through the air. Then you pass into a re-creation of a 19th century Irish farm house. After exiting the house, you begin the slow climb up the incline. A winding path through wild grass and heather awaits you and the path is marked by 26 large stones.

Each of the stones is marked with a county name since each stone came from one of the 26 counties of Ireland. I paused at the ones which were the homelands of my beloveds – Tyronne, Fermanagh, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Wicklow. Below is the one for County Armagh, which is where I was living when I fell in love with this island.

It was a holy few moments. It happened to be the end of a very interesting day in Manhattan, but that only added to the calm which the memorial demanded. I’ve thought about that day often since I’ve been here.  The direction of the nation and the island and, in fact, their identities, are marked by the Hunger. Personally, I was grateful for that opportunity to pay my respects to the people who lost their lives to something beyond their control.

Can I admit something? Celebrating Christmas in another country is hard. I know that I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult. Every commercial, every song played in a shop, every piece of tinsel reminds me that this place is not my home. In my home, we celebrate Christmas with cookies and not mince pies. We celebrate with shopping trips to Target, not Marks & Spenser’s. In my home, we celebrate Thanksgiving and Santa comes at the end of the parade.

I am not trying to pitch any sort of hissy fit – those of you who know me know I am gifted at those – I am simply remarking that this particular season is bittersweet.

You see, as hard as it is, I love the trappings of Christmas in the UK. I love Christmas markets (like the one at Belfast City Hall pictured above) and mulled wine and yes, even mince pies. I love the special Christmas adverts they’ve started showing on TV and I am pretty excited that when I go to London next week it’ll be decorated for Christmas. I am so glad I’ll get to spread Christmas cheer with favorites here and that I’ll be able to do some of the advental season of waiting with Church of the Resurrection here. I really am. I promise.

It’s just that… well, Penny said it best yesterday when she remarked that this season is a constant series of visual reminders that this place is not our always home. Our mothers are Americans and we have always celebrated Christmas as Americans. (Except for the one night where my family celebrates it as Danes, but that’s another post.) As I wind things down here in Belfast, I am often torn between laughing joyfully at the present moment and turning a longing eye to Yardley.

As it did last time, being here makes me see Advent in a new light. I understand longing and waiting and anticipating in a different way. I know the joy which is about to dawn and I am eager to embrace it, but I know there are daily tasks of life which must happen in the meantime. I am constantly living in the already and the not yet, which I suppose is the whole point of the season.

So, my darling American friends, enjoy the first weeks of December for me. Enjoy the red and white shopping bags and the trips to introduce your children to Santa. Enjoy lighting candles on Sunday mornings and singing hymns of hope. I’ll be enjoying the same hymns in different accents while I pop open Christmas crackers and watch the X-Factor finale. But I’ll see you soon.

As the tinsel which is draped around Belfast seems to signal to me, Christmas is just around the corner. Every shop is hawking its wares, beckoning people to come and buy their things for loved ones to celebrate the holiday season. It’s kind of overwhelming.

Of course, there are a growing number of alternatives if you’re not someone who wants to give perfume gift sets from Target. Oxfam, Heifer, and the like all run Christmas catalogs where you can purchase life altering gifts for others around the world. For instance, instead of buying your best friend a scarf, you can spend that $10 and buy a goat for a family in Tanzania.

However, if you want to buy tangible gifts made in other countries for your friends and family, the process is a little difficult at times. Unless you physically fly to the other nation, making sure the gifts are actually handmade or that they’re actually benefiting people can be really difficult. Thankfully, Charity Gift Market is here to help.

CGM is a non-profit organization which essentially serves as a middle man between organizations and you. It’s a partnership between CGM and the individual charity which allows you to purchase gifts which directly benefit charities around the world. You can shop by charity, by cause, by product, by country. The website is easy to use and well worth your visit. Their motto is “shop for a gift that tells a story” and their products certainly do.

If you’re looking for a place to start, may I recommend a few charities?

Amani Ya Juu: Women helping themselves and their villages and their families. The products are fantastic and diverse and unique. I own several pieces of their works from a few different countries and I would wholeheartedly recommend each one.

Thirst Relief International: Great gifts which go to make sure that people get clean water. Fantastic.

Below is a short video about the process of Charity Gift Market. I hope you head over there and shop a bit. It’s a fantastic website.