The Week in Review

This week has been topsy-turvy, to say the least. I moved from the temporary place to my new place on Tuesday. My two huge boxes from Jacksonville were moved in on Saturday. In order to get the remaining stuff out of the temp place, I had to move two big suitcases packed to the brim and my laptop. I am proud to say that I didn't take any cabs during this process. There were two trips - one on Monday night and one on Tuesday morning. Toward the end of each trip I thought I might die. It was kind of a long way to drag a suitcase, and my LUAS (tram) stop is upstairs! I was trying to accomplish two things by avoiding cabs - 1) saving money and 2) proving to myself I had the stamina to do it. On Tuesday night, when my knee was shot, I realized I should have probably taken the cabs. My knee is feeling back to normal now, but for a few days I was really in pain. The bad thing about being without a car is that if your knee hurts, your choices are either get through it or stay home and do nothing. I chose to get through it. I had a couple of shopping trips to get stuff for the house on Wednesday at lunch and in the evening after work, but Thursday I took it easy. It helped to relax that night I think.

Initially, my relocation service contact set up a cable TV appointment for Friday (the 11th) and informed me that I wouldn't be able to get internet for 10 business days. Then some of the supervisors on my team told me I could get internet through Vodafone. They offer a little broadband modem that works right when you plug it in. So of course, this is what I started looking into. My first trip to the Vodafone store was a bomb. They told me I needed identification (had it) and proof of address. Now, the proof of address required very specific formats - none of which I had or could get quickly. But I remembered the bank had sent me a letter, so I brought it to the store the next day. The same girl told me I needed a bank statement. I started getting testy at this point, not understanding what the difference was. I thought she was only being difficult, so that night, I took the same letter to a different Vodafone store. Rejected again, but the guy explained why and the explanation was reasonable so I was less irritated. On Friday, after I got my cable hooked up I took the bus to O'Connell Street to pick up some things from Penney's for the house. Noticing a Vodafone store, I thought a cable hook up receipt might get me what I wanted. No dice. They again told me I'd need a bank statement. Rejected again, I headed down the street. A few doors down, I noticed a bank branch, so I went in and requested a statement. They couldn't give me one right then, because apparently the statement printing is outsourced. Seven days until they could get it to me via mail (which they call post here). Feeling sorry for me, the bank teller gave me a statement he printed from his computer and stamped it, hoping that would work instead. So I marched back over to the Vodafone store and gave them the screen print. It didn't work, since it didn't have my address on it. However, the guy told me they would definitely accept a letter from the bank saying I was a customer and my address. So I walked back over to the bank, which was very busy now. The lady was super-snippy with me at first, saying there was no way she could do it because it was way too busy and I'd just have to wait. When I explained my situation, she was nicer to me and gave me a letter finally. Well, Vodafone accepted the letter, although begrudgingly, and finally sold me a modem. Persistence paid off! However, if I don't bring the statement that is coming to me in the 'post,' they will cut off my service. I'm not worried - I'll bring it as soon as it's in my hands. So that's my long story about internet service.
In other news, it SNOWED several times this week! On the bus on Monday, we could see snow piled on the cars on the road, and it snowed during work on Wednesday. On Friday morning, we had big fat fluffy snowflakes, and lots of them. You could actually see snow sitting on the tops of the mountains! I thought it was very cool.
Tonight I went to my first rugby game. It was lots of fun, and a pretty big match. It was exciting and very interesting to see the Irish at a sporting event. When the teams try to kick the ball through the goal, everyone in the stadium is dead silent - like golf silent - and at one point this little kid who couldn't have been more than six yelled out "GOOOOOOOOOOOO LEINSTERRRRRRRRRR!" It was hilarious.
Well, I guess that wraps up the week as far as noteworthy items. If I recall something I need to report, I will post again.