Checking Off My List

I am a compulsive list-maker--I don't know, it just helps me relax and feel like I have everything under control. At the moment, there are 8 sticky notes in front of my computer with lists of things, including a series of novels I'd like to buy, two similar lists of important things I need to do soon, souvenirs to buy, and even a breakdown of Irish currency.

Now, the past few days I've been trying to actually do some of the stuff on these lists and thus reduce their number. Instead, I just added a new one to the inside of my planner. They seem to symbolize my procrastination: every day I wake up with the best of intentions and somehow spend the day reading a book or watching horrible Australian soaps or doing something else unproductive and unsocial.

So from tonight (after I finish aforementioned book), I vow to start crossing off items from these lists. I will buy that sweatshirt, I will print applications, I will finally buy stamps so I can mail letters, I'll even look for batteries that'll work in my camera. I will. And if any of you sense me slacking off again, yell! API warned us about not getting out enough and not being proactive, and I can already sense myself getting used to the routine of avoiding errands and enjoying my quiet, lonely room. I need to do stuff! With Irish people, too!

I did sign up for several societies today to try to overcome this. There was a fair in Aras na Mac Leinn, although main ones that I was interested in (like the Archaeology Society) weren't there. However, the Food & Drink Society looked good (free tastings! yum), as did Choral Society (Orchestra wasn't around) and the Sewing Society (although I don't have a sewing machine, so I can't do much). We had to leave pretty quickly--Alice is an art major, and was having a tantrum about the manga kids. She insists that manga and anime are not art, so we had to leave before she started beating them up.

Today was also the first day of Irish language classes. I feel like I'm drowning already. Everything is so different and it's nothing like Spanish--you can't sound it out. I'm supposed to already have memorized some basic phrases, but I just can't remember them. I'm also supposed to practice every night with a CD...somebody make me!

I'll include some of the phrases that we learned today. The first line is the actual spelling, second is my version of how to pronounce it, and then the translation. There should be accents in here, since that drastically affects pronunciation, but oh well.

1. Dia duit.
Dia hush (the first h is guttural, kind of like the German "Bach").
Hello (to one person).

2. Dia daoibh.
Dia eve.
Hello (plural).

3. Dia is Muire duit.
Dia iss mirra hush.
Hello (in response, singular).

4. Dia is Muire daoibh.
Dia iss mirra eve.
Hello (in response, plural).

5. Cen chaoi a bhfuil tu?
Cain hwi a wil to?
How are you?

6. Ta me go maith, go raibh maith agat.
Ta may ga mah, ga ra mah at.
I'm well, thanks.

7. Cen chaoi a bhfuil tu fein?
Cain hwi a wil to hane?
How are you (response)?

8. Nil me rodhona anois.
Nil may rohahna anish.
I'm not too bad now.

9. Ceard fut fein?
Kiert fut hane?
What about yourself?

10. Ta me togha, go raibh maith agat.
Tah may tow, ga ra mah at.
I'm grand, thanks.

11. Cen t-ainm ata ort?
Cain tanim ata ort?
What's your name?

12. Jessica ata orm.
Jessica ata orim.
My name is Jessica.

13. Cen t-ainm ata ort fein?
Cain tanim ata ort hain (in response)?
What's your name?

14. Slan.
Slahn.
Goodbye.

15. Slan go foill.
Slahn ga foil.
Bye for now.

16. Ce thura?
K husa?
Who are you?

17. Is mise Jessica.
Iz misha Jessica.
I'm Jessica.

18. Gabh mo leithsceal.
Gaw moh leshkale.
Excuse me (to one person).

19. Gabhaigi mo leithsceal.
Gawagi ma leshkale.
Excuse me (plural).

20. Cupan tae le do thoil.
Cupa tay lay do hul.
A cup of tea please.

21. Ta me ag foghlain na Gaeilge.
Ta may eg folam na Gwayga.
I'm learning Irish.

22. Labhair Gaeilge liom, le do thoil.
Lahwer gwayga yom, le da hell.
Speak Irish to me, please.

23. An dtuigeann tu/sibh?
An digan to/shib?
Do you understand (singular/plural)?

24. Tuigim.
Tigum.
I understand.

25. Ni thuigim.
Ni higum.
I don't understand.

26. Abair airs e.
Aber (with rolled r) arish ay.
Say it again.

27. Abair go mall e.
Aber ga mall ay.
Say it slowly.

28. Abair nois moille e.
Aber nees mwilya ay.
Say it more slowly.

29. Le do thoil. OR Mas e bhur dtoil e.
Le da hell. OR Mush ay da hell ay.
Please (singular).

30. Le bhur dtoil. OR Mas e bhur dtoil e.
Le ver dull. OR Mush ay ver dull ay.
Please (plural).

31. Ar mhiste leat e sin a litriu?
Air vishta lat ay shin ah litru?
Would you mind spelling that?

32. Ar mhiste leat e sin a scriobh?
Air vishta lat ay shin ah scriv?
Would you mind writing that?

33. Ar mhiste leat e sin ah ra aris?
Air vishta lat ay shin ah rawr rish?
Would you mind saying that again?

34. Ar mhiste leat e sin a ra aris go mall?
Air vishta lat ay shin ah arish go mall?
Would you mind saying that again slowly?

35. Cen Chaeilge ata ar "book"?
Cain gwayga ata air "book"?
What is the Irish for "book"?

36. Cen Bearla ata ar "leabhar"?
Cain bear la ata air "lahwer"?
What is the English for "leabhar" (which means book...)?

37. Abraigi le cheile e.
Abrigee la kaylay ay.
Say it together (plural).

And I'm supposed to remember all of this and start using it on random people. Yeah, right.

The class is, aptly, held in the Aras na Gaeilge, where you're only allowed to speak Irish in the halls or else you'll upset the balance of non-English-ness. So what I and my fellow Americans do, at least until this point, is just not talk until we get outside. I'm really enjoying the chance to see Irish culture and roots through their language, but I am afraid I'll never be able to wrap my head around it in the next few months. And that's without learning any grammar--just random phrases. Oh well.

That's basically all that happened today, besides having to pay 10 euro to get my laundry done in town. At least I finally have clothes again!

I hope my guide here helped--try and figure out my pronunciations, I dare you! For tonight, then, slan go foill!