I'm Back, Nerds

(re: the title - I just wanted to make a Liz Lemon reference.) A number of semi-humorous things are currently happening in my life. I'll just make a list.

1) I went to see The Social Network the other day. This, in and of itself, is not terribly humorous. What is funny is how it happened. I was working on a paper Tuesday afternoon and got really stuck. I couldn't think of anything to say, my thoughts weren't going anywhere, you know the drill. I decided to look up the times for The Social Network, thinking if there was one later that night I could invite some people and make it like a reward for working hard throughout the day. You know, motivation for finishing my paper. When I googled the times, I discovered the only showing that day was at 3:30. It was currently 3:10. Impulsively, I decided to change my reward into a study break. I also decided to go alone. This was the first time I had ever been to a theater by myself, but I've always thought that that wouldn't be weird. I mean, once the lights go off, you can't talk to whoever you came with anyway. So I grabbed my coat and off I went to a matinee of The Social Network by myself.

Once I got there, I tried to go to the ticket booth. No one was standing there. I rang the little bell they put on the counter like 4 times. No one came. I tried shouting, "hello!" No one. I was the only person in the lobby besides the guy working the concession stand. I went up to that guy and asked him how to buy a ticket. He asked if anyone was at the ticket booth, I said no. He shrugged and was like, "Don't worry about it then. Just head on in." I was like, "Wait... seriously? Without buying a ticket?" He was like, "Sure, no problem. Just go on into the theater."

So in I went. I was the only person in the theater designated for The Social Network. As 3:30 drew closer, I began to wonder if anyone else was going to show up. No one did. And they played the movie for me anyway. I got a free private screening of the film. It was kind of awesome. What was awkward, however, was during the funny bits. I would laugh out loud and be the only person in the theater. That felt kind of weird. But overall, it was a very pleasant, although somewhat disconcerting, experience. Can you imagine someone in an American theater being like, "eh, just head on in without buying a ticket?" No. Never.

2) I am participating in a swim meet on Sunday. Or, as the Irish call it, a swim gala. I am swimming the 50 fly, 100 IM, and 100 free, plus two relays. Now. Keep in mind this is a collegiate swim meet. In America, you are not allowed to swim 50s competitively once you are eleven years of age. 50s are strictly for 10 and unders. (with the exception of the 50 free) Here, the only 100 available to swim is the IM and the free. I am swimming the 100 free because my coach wants to see me do "distance." The 100 free is distance. This is incredible. Also, I am 23 years old and a graduate student. I have not swum competitively in 5 years. I really feel like I'm in a time warp. I think the meet will be incredibly humorous. We're swimming against University College Dublin, for what it's worth. I just can't believe I am actually doing this. Annemarie is going to come, and she claims she is going to make a sign.

3) At a party last night, an Irish guy told me I was smart "for a woman." I don't even want to editorialize on that. I'll just say that one. Although I will tell you I was so enraged that later that night (probably two hours later), I was still fuming about it to anyone who would listen. The woman who sold me my chicken nuggets at McDonald's. My roommate when we met in the kitchen at around 3 a.m. I made Annemarie and my friend Mike listen to me rage about it at least three times each. I sent emails about it. I. Was. Furious. And probably pretty humorous to watch. I can't really think of anything else that has made me that angry off the top of my head. Now, in the light of day, I guess I can see it's mildly humorous that someone can both think that way and ADMIT OUT LOUD they think that way in the year 2010. Maybe humorous isn't quite the right word, but that's probably the correct word for what I'm sure was an outrageous display of rage in my reaction.

I will be home in less than a month!