Vive la Différence.

It's Day 10 at the new job and, as Captain Frodo says half way through the second tennis racket; so far so good.

I'm working as a Communications Officer for an NGO (non-government organisation... ie a charity but we don't like to call them that any more...) which believes in simple, affordable housing for all. Habitat for Humanity started in the US but has a presence all over the world now. The Irish operation is still quite small (only 6 of us in the office) but it's growing all the time. There are two main projects to the organisation: Global Village and the Local Programme.

The Global Village programme sends Irish volunteers to developing countries to work side-by-side with people helping build houses. They fundraise prior to departure and the money they raise makes a big difference to the communities they visit. The Local Programme builds and renovates houses here in Ireland. So far they've built 4 houses in Ballymun and we're about to break ground in Ballyfermot where we'll be building 16 houses: our biggest local project to date.

As Communications Officer I'm in charge of PR and general communication type stuff.....I think. Ok I haven't a clue what I'm doing but by God am I learning quickly! I more or less have autonomy over what I do so I'm tapping into wells of self-motivation, creativity and initiative that have lain dormant since college society days. As a teacher your day to day tasks are pretty straight forward and there's so little time for being creative that you might only spend 5 minutes a week on it. Here I'm learning and experimenting constantly. This is a good thing.

The office is so much more civilised than school. It's quiet and peaceful; everyone types away behind their partitions with the only interruption being the occasional phone call or when I have to ask an inane question of the others (I hate those first few weeks in a new job when you don't know where the stapler is....). There's no yelling or name-calling (and that was only the staff room), no thunderous bells ringing, no stampede at lunchtime, no psychopaths (so far as I can see) and, most significantly of all, no teenagers. What a relief!

It's strange—I'm working longer hours here but I leave the office less tired at 530pm than I did leaving the classroom at 345pm. I'm totally relaxed and respected here. It's...........it's actually, really, really boring........ I can't believe I miss teaching! One thing I could never say about teaching was that it was boring. Repetitive, stressful, emotionally draining yes...but never dull. I guess I can't judge just yet as I'm still just settling in and amn't doing half the work I will be doing as part of this job. For example, tomorrow I'm manning a stand at St Pat's International Day which is more or less like a Society's Day—that's got to be fun right?

I'm going to quit whinging now. I'm really happy to be exactly where I am right now. What would Kurt Vonnegut say?

“ If this ain't nice, I don't know what is....”.

Give a Squirrel a Twirl

Squirrels are adorable. They've got it all--bushy tails, cute button noses, not carniverous (the cat's main downfall) and a bounce to their step.

I want to adopt one.

How hard can they be to domesticate? All I have to do is collect a mini-mountain of nuts in my back garden and they'll be my willing slaves. I'm walking to and from work through Phoenix Park these days--it won't take me long.

According to the videos I've found they make great pets--Check them out.......
(they can even be taught to water-ski--a lucrative side-liner for me if Dublin Zoo will let me set up outside their front door)

Squirrels - how have we lived for so long without them?