Michael Research

Doing some Michael research today. That's how I refer to reading my old journals. I really like this excerpt from March 2009 (taken from Michael Volume 2):

"In my favorite books - such as the Harry Potter and [Lost Years of] Merlin series -
there's a common theme that makes it all worthwhile, all of the previous adventures
and even the seemingly dry bits.
The characters go through many adventures, have incredible friends, a common enemy,
and a higher power of sorts.
And then everything culminates with a gathering of all things learned and all of the choices
and relationships that ever took place; typically a great battle ensues, and, while
there will be tragedy, unbelievable joy and peace spring forth - true victory!

Everything ties together to create the most unlikely, unbelievable outcome.
I dream of that...

I still do, and I'm doing what I can to make it a reality.

Next stop: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
After: Chicago, Illinois

MBL

Decisions, Mustaches, and other Relevant Things

Greetings, world.

A lot has happened since last we spoke:
-visited my friend Matt and his family in South Africa
-in the midst of selecting a law school to attend in the fall; insane opportunities, incredible adventures
-facial hair shenanigans and the like
-Spring Break: Bourbon Trail with my dad and grandpa, with a brief Tennessee trip at the end

I am approximately one week away from deciding/announcing where I will attend law school this fall. This adventure has been long, full of ups and downs (mostly ups, thankfully), and has taken me across the country to visit schools. There are a lot of great opportunities available, and I'm excited for wherever I end up. It's down to two and a half schools at the moment, with one visit left. It's still a ball game, to say the least.

And now for the real story - mustache mayhem! Some of you may know about my recent long-haired exploits. No haircut since before I left for Ireland, a grand total of seven months. I also experimented with facial hair for about two months, resulting in a wraparound chinstrap with sideburns, complete with a fu-manchu-style mustache.

As you may know, the fu-manchu is my dream facial hair. For over two years I've wanted nothing more than the mustache of Western movie characters, ranchers, and the occasional trucker. I got close, oh so close, this time. To my credit, the mustache came down to reach my jawline. Unfortunately, roughly a third of it was white, which made for poor contrast. And the mustache went askew, off to the sides a bit before stretching down. Imperfect though it was, I was quite proud of my fu-manchu.

Yesterday marked a new beginning - I decided it was finally time for a haircut. As I sat in the chair for the haircutting process, the lady shearing my locks had a startling realization: "Wow, I didn't realize you had a creepy mustache before!" Shocked by the "creepy" label, I whipped my head around to check the mirror. Indeed, even though my hair was only marginally shorter, my mustache stuck out like an oompa-loompa in Smurfville. I no longer had the friendly 70s-rock legend hair ensemble - I had become a creepy guy you might see on wanted signs in the post office.

I couldn't help but smile at this scenario. I looked "unique," shall we say, and I was just cracking up over my new look and the good chance that I would be the creepiest guy on campus for the nect few hours. As I smiled away, another haricutter noticed my grin and asked why I was smiling so creepily. It seemed that my incessant smiling made me look even more menacing, perhaps even worthy of a CNN sting operation. I tried to restrain my amusement at the situation, but to little avail.

I was a marked man for the next few hours. I saw a table of friends on campus and couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my new look. The reactions were priceless - gasps, an "Oh....my...God..." and a suggestion that I stay away from small children. I thought about photographing myself, but I was truly afraid of any picture coming back to haunt me later in life. I settled for a more subtle mustache last night, and now am clean shaven and "business professional." Hopefully this marks only the beginning of my facial hair shenanigans. Time will tell. For now though, I know how it feels to be marked by a mustache.

Good day.

What's the name of that Europe song...

...you know it's good when your "Greatest Hits" album is a single.

Well folks, I've less than two weeks left in Dublin town. I believe this merits a highlight reel of the semester thus far.

-Toured the Dail (equivalent to Parliament building), sat in a senator's chair and voted "Ta," or "Yes."
-Handled and read a copy of Gulliver's Travels circa 1727. 2nd edition.
-Researched US Social Security and ways to reform American pensions.
-Took the LSAT in London and stayed with a wonderful family.
-Soup Run on the streets of Dublin, met lots of great people.
-Applied to 20 law schools, half while in Italy and Malta.
-Speaking of which, traveled through Italy and Malta for 9 days. Go to Malta if ever you get a chance.
-Toured the North with my study abroad group, did a picturesque run along the coast.
-Somehow ended up at a great church with wonderful people.
-Wrote roughly 15,000 words (5,500 to go, not including revisions and research).


Honestly, there's been a lot of stuff. But putting them in a list would not do them justice...particularly the wonderful people I've encountered this semester. Quality families, great friends, adventures where I least expected them...

Can't wait to share them with you. And I'm afraid I cannot adequately do it through the medium of blogging. That has been a big reason for my infrequent posting - I cannot post everything that matters in this format. My apologies.

Send me an email. A Facebook message, even. Maybe a phone call, or a text (if you must), once I return to the States. I've seen a lot this semester...not only that, but I've experienced it. Beyond the simple surface. Not with everything, of course, but as much as I could. I want to share this adventure with you. And I will, if you're interested. Just let me know.

South Africa in 12 days. I am very, very excited. Looking forward to seeing a brother of mine...
No idea what I'm getting myself into, but hey - that's a theme of my life.

Until next time, world. Looking forward to getting back, America. I've missed you. We have some work to do.

Much love,
Michael

Can Michael Speak Italian?

Hello, world. Long time, no correspondence. Sorry about that, but things have been ridiculously busy, as usual.

I'm currently in the midst of an Irish intervarsity volleyball tournament. I, Michael, am officially a college athlete. I'm having a blast playing volleyball for Trinity. 2 of my roommates and I are on our melting pot of a team, consisting of 3 Americans (us), 3 French, a German, a Chinese, a Filipino, and an Irish coach. Melting pot, I tell you. Great guys, good fun.

As the post's title implies, my Italian skills were put to the test recently. For Trinity's Reading Week, a week free of lectures and tutorials meant for catching up on reading, I spent 6 days in Italy and 2 in Malta. I went to Italy alone, with no concrete plans outside of hostel bookings, one train ticket, and a flight to Malta where I would meet a friend from Dublin. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but it turned out great. I made friends in hostels and got to explore cities with them. Nothing quite like an American/Australian/Swedish group of tourists galavanting around Florence! Made for a wonderful time.

Bologna was tough - not much to do, and not English friendly in the least. For those of you who know me, you may know that I took three semesters of Italian earlier in college, and it went pretty well. I was excited to put my skills to the test...until my plane landed in Venice. Then I was intimidated. But you know what? It turned out fine. My incessant grammatical correctness garnered some strange looks, but everything worked out. So the answer to the question, "Can Michael speak Italian?" ...not well, but enough to survive and have a few brief conversations. Hooray!

Here is a life tip for everyone. Forget your next vacation plan. Put it off, because you need to go to Malta. I could not believe a place like Malta actually exists; it is like a combination of Agrabah, Vatican City, and Florida all rolled into one small Vacation Island. Beautiful, friendly, English-speaking, and cost-effective. You will not believe your eyes. And there is no adventure quite like a Maltese bus ride. Please check out the pictures soon to be uploaded on Facebook. You will be rewarded for your efforts with this wonderful, little-known EU member state. Go there. Trust me.

Now I get to tackle essays for school. I have a lot, but some teachers were kind enough to give me extensions over the break. Those are much-needed, and much-appreciated. I've spent a lot of time applying to law schools the past 2 weeks, even during my Italy/Malta trip; you know it's bad when your parents tell you you need to stop working and relax. I'm getting old, it seems...

My life is full of adventures, and this blog does not do them justice. Please send an email if you would like to hear more. I'd love to share, this just isn't the best medium for it.

Much love,
Michael

Putting the "Study" in Study Abroad

(Scene from Giants Causeway)




Greetings, all. Big adventures afoot, before me and behind me. 2 countries, same coastline. Trying to solve social policy inadequacies. Having fun and living life to the fullest. If none of those interest you, you probably wouldn't care for this post.

For starters, the academic realm. Classes here are much different than at Mizzou. I have no tests, save for one take-home exam near the end of term. There are no quizzes, no steady flow of grading. Instead, I have essays. Six or so, to be somewhat precise. My days are filled with research, currently on social security and pensions in the United States. I have a 5000 word project to do on that subject. In addition, I have a 4000 word essay on prison systems/policy, a 3000 word essay taking a comparative look at the US welfare state, two 2500 word essays about different areas of EU policymaking, a 2000ish word essay about European Societies, and a presentation and speech this week to boot. I have no idea how I will have enough time for all of these. I may need to cut back on sleep, eat/exercise for shorter durations, or (my preference) get a Timeturner, Hermione Granger-style. However, I am really enjoying what I'm learning. Lots of great material, lots of new ideas and perspectives. I have access to wonderful academic opportunities, and I'm trying to take full advantage of them.

Thankfully there have been "abroad" experiences as well. I got to go to Northern Ireland with my study abroad group (about 32 of us) this past weekend. It was simply stunning. We only stayed in Belfast for a couple hours to do a black cab tour of noteworthy sites of the Troubles. Great tour, very informative. I got to leave a message on the "peace wall" separating a Catholic and Protestant neighborhood. Unity is a very good thing - we need more of it.




This is the peace wall in Belfast.












After Belfast we took a coach (bus) north to Portrush, a smaller town directly on the northern coast of the island. Our hotel was opposite a beach, and we visited some breathtaking touristy places around the area. Saturday we visited a rope bridge connecting an island to the mainland; the Bushmills whiskey distillery, oldest one in Ireland (1608); and Giants Causeway, a curious arrangement of naturally hexagonal-shaped rocks, cliffs, and some of the best views of my life.



Scenes from the rope bridge. It was a rainy, windy day, which added to the experience. People were shocked when I bounced on the bridge. Crazy kids...

I strongly encourage you to look at my pictures on Facebook. Much easier for me to upload and comment.

Incredible weekend, great people, great food, and scenery that I have locked into my memory for its immeasurable beauty. Please. Look at the pictures. Adjectives cannot properly convey what I'm getting to see and experience.

On the future "abroad" front, I will finally put my Italian education to use - I'm going to Italy for Reading Week, a week of no lectures and tutorials in which students are meant to catch up on reading and start essays. There's a reason I've already started most of this...I don't anticipate a great deal of actual reading during reading week. I am going to Venice and Bologna, and everything else is pretty up in the air. Furthermore, a friend from the other study abroad program and I are going to Malta for a couple days afterward. I know nothing about Malta. There is no way this won't be great...

Life is hectic. Life is good. I'm busy, but I'm getting the most out of this experience. I've made friends from Ireland, India, France, Italy, Malta, England and more, and they are wonderful. I am exceptionally grateful for the opportunities I have. Thanks to everyone who made it possible, especially my parents and grandparents. You are wonderful.

Much love,
Michael

Is the past tense of Irish "Irash?"

Just a musing. And amusing. You be the judge.

Returned yesterday from a short trip to London, primarily for business. And by business, I mean a standardized test. The testing itself was a great experience, believe it or not. It took place in a picturesque, Hogwartsian building for Ironmongers, which I believe means "those who mong iron." My testing room had an ornate vaulted ceiling adorned with plaster cherub faces, wood-paneled walls covered with coats of arms, and a delightful elderly British lady proctoring the exam.

Note for the world: Every standardized test should be proctored by an elderly British woman with a sense of humour. Makes for a wonderful testing experience.

Though the test was my primary purpose for my London trip, it was not the highlight. That honour (like the European spellings?) goes to the French/English/American family I stayed with. They were great - loads of fun, grand conversation (though I couldn't understand some of it), and warmhearted hospitality. Great adventure.

On Friday evening I got to see Winter's Bone, a movie set in southwest Missouri of all places. I hadn't heard of it, but those who were familiar with it assured me it was good, and were shocked that I was unaware of this movie, what with its Missouri focus. It was quite good. It depicted a scene of poverty that seems very possible in the Ozarks. Broken families, meth labs, a search for a father who missed his court date, a 17 year old girl responsible for her two younger siblings and her mentally sick mother, and even a (hardly) veiled reference to Truman State.

The movie was great, but here's what was on my mind following it. I watched this movie in London, presumably surrounded by Londoners. How many of them do you think were familiar with Missouri? This may be the only depiction they get. Insert one Missouri resident into this audience, familiar with some of Missouri but now presented with an untraditional look at poverty and familial duty. It wasn't the Missouri with which I'm familiar, but it was no less authentic. Except for the part with the chainsaw...but I won't ruin that part for you. Good broadening of horizons, funny scenario. Who would've thunk?

Now that my test is complete, I have large chunks of free time scattered throughout my week. Things that may fill this time:
-Busking practice; some lads and I have high hopes for music-ing on the streets of Dublin.
-Traveling; my frugality threatens to hold me back from visiting continental Europe. This will change.
-More debating! Last week's speech on Turkey joining the EU went well, loads of fun. This week's speech has me arguing in favor of legalising prostitution. Subtle shift, it is not.
-Furthering my goal of becoming a Scandinavian techno sensation. This one is still in the works.

Be sure to check out my pictures on Facebook. Beautiful scenes from the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, and more.

Oh yeah, my Elementary Irish classes are going well. Hopefully I'll be able to write a song in Irish by the end of the semester...

Slan,
Michael

The Real School Year Begins...

The Trinity term has officially started; I am finally among "real" Irish students, as well as a smattering of others from around the globe. France, Germany, Australia, Malta, Latvia and more...thanks to the influx of new students, I am now among the American minority. Beautiful. This is a new situation for me, and in some cases it makes me the sole representative of over 300 million people. Take for example my Comparative Welfare States Social Policy class; now that my teacher knows I am American, I will provide the class with an "American" viewpoint. Oh boy!

I have gotten involved in several college societies over the past week. I am considering the basketball and volleyball club in an effort to become a college athlete. After one basketball practice, it seems it could be a real possibility. That is, assuming I improve my handling skills. I may do volleyball instead...we shall see. I am also a member of The Hist, the oldest college society in the world (allegedly). It is a debating society, and next week I will try my hand. I am looking forward to it. My first assignment - "Why this house should allow Turkey into the EU." Right up my alley, given my rich Mediterranean heritage. I am also a member of the Food and Drink Society, the Indian Society, the Politics Society and the Vincent de Paul Society. Fun stuff.

Speaking of my Mediterranean heritage, I attended a concert at the Icelandic Music Festival last weekend (like the transition?). It was a band called Amiina, former comrades of Sigur Ros. They were wonderful - I greatly enjoyed the show. They switched between many instruments, everybody trading places and walking around the stage during the songs. They had singing saws. Singing saws! Please observe this phenomenon. Click the link. They also randomly used a megaphone during a song. Delightful.

All in all, I am keeping very busy. There is a lot going on here - lots in school (a large stockpile of readings, but only 1-2 essays for the entire semester...and that's it. Quite different than the States) and out. I have a little test in a week and a half in another country. I'm excited. I shall not elaborate further.

Planning a weekend trip to Doolin, the capital of traditional Irish music, this weekend. Hopefully all goes well - if nothing else, there should be some great adventure. Oh, I've successfully made brown bread three times now. The second batch was spectacular. I apologize for not having pictures. I planned on photographing the third batch, but it had some room for improvement. Still tastes good, though.

Keep classy, America. I'm keeping an eye on you via various news outlets and the like. The Irish are very well-informed of American current events, a very admirable trait. The world seems a bit smaller now.

There is a fun fact I would love to share but cannot due to likely security reasons. I am currently two blocks away from someone you know. I'll leave it at that.

Good day.
-Michael