Back again.

So I haven't written in this blog for a week! I've been using my private blog more, though, so I guess that could explain it.

I've also been spending a lot of time reading up on politics in the States. I used to be completely disinterested by them, but I think it was Obama's speech on race and Richardson's subsequent endorsement of Obama that really pulled me in. I'm a sucker for reading a good speech, and I'm a sucker for Bill Richardson. But we all knew that.

Yesterday during 'big tea' at work, we were talking about politics and I felt unbelievably well-informed. If I thought I was moderately well-informed before, then I've become a 2008 GENIUS. ha. right. That's not the case, but I felt good after spending a couple of weeks really observing the issues before us for the 2008 election. It helps that Clinton fudging how much she actually did in Northern Ireland really brought the campaign to a local focus for me here. Granted, the Bosnia lies were the ones that got to the forefront (NI faded away, inevitably, with Saint Patriack's Day), but it really put together the paper I am doing on American involvement in the Northern Irish peace process and the election.

I'm at my dorm right now when I should (theoretically) be at work. I am so exhausted. I think that I'm getting sick. I wake up nauseated in the morning and am super tired during the day. I also get dizzy at random times. I woke up at 7am like normal and emailed the office to tell them I'd be in after lunch. Laurie emailed me back to say it was a wise idea. I mean. I was to be there from 9am-5pm then we would have left for Ards. Ards is to be from 7pm to about 10pm. So, after waking up at 7, I would have had a 15 hour day. They way that I felt when I woke up would NOT have allowed me to get through that.

The work that I'm doing with the UDA/UVF men is super interesting. It kind of makes me want to be a journalist that focuses on the current issues that these men are going through and getting through. I guess the part of historian/researcher is good enough. The UDA man I met with on Sunday was fascinating. He's doing positive things that are unheard of in his community. He was very open and willing to talk to me about any question I had. I love it when people with very serious pasts will talk more candidly than carefully about them. I'm excited because today I get to talk to 3 UVF men, one being the brigadier. It's crazy.

Yesterday was really great. We had big tea, which is usually my favorite part of the week (partly for the conversation, partly for the scones), and laughed and joked and talked. It's always better when Brendan is there because he's such a silly man with such a serious job. When he laughs, he LAUGHS. It's awesome. Everyone is really sad and anxious to see him go. It's a strange way to observe an organization.

At 1 we went to the "Associates Day" where Brendan meets with the development team (staff, in-office) and all of the out of office associates. It's basically a big peptalk, but it served a little different of a function this time, because it was Brendan's last one. It tried to explain what he saw mediation being, where he saw MNI going, and took into account the worries of his associates. It was a good class to see and I got a good lunch out of it!

Okay, last but not least, I got my internship at the American Irish Historical Society this summer! It's so scary to think that I'll be moving to New York, but it's also really freaking cool that they want me as their intern! It's in a swanky part of NYC, so I'm a little worried about that (commuting/what I will wear/etc.), but besides that I'm excited to call the director this afternoon.

Alright, long day. I should probably do something a little more productive, but this is probably what I would be doing at work too. ha. Except for the listening to music part. Okay okay.