Friday, February 26, 2010

These Things Do Change


So it's been a few of those days that have been insanely busy and yet nothing seems to happen. You know how those go? You rush, rush, rush, are absolutely exhausted, then you look back and it seems like nothing has been done. Yep. It's been some of those days. Life sure doesn't stop for you when you're sick. There's still studying to do, errands to be run, and people to see.

The service for my uncle was delayed till next weekend due to the ground being frozen solid! However, my granny still wants to get home. With my parents working and me in school there really wasn't much in the way of being able to get her home when she wanted (which happens to be only 4 days before we are making the 5 hour journey). My other grandmother being the generous person she is drove 5 hours with her friend to come and get my granny and take her home. So kind. At this point though it makes me quite worried. My granny has been great to have around this winter, but it is still very stressful since she is mostly immobile. I don't want my grandmother to be rushing to take care of my granny since they live so close. It's not something she should have to do even though they get along so well. On a similar note, I found out today I only get 4 tickets for graduation since they have such a large number of graduates this spring. Now I'm trying to find someone with an extra so my parents, grandparents, and granny can all attend. Life. What are ya gonna do about it?

What do you do when you fight with your best friends? Not me, no...not me. But a friend of mine. She's having a tough time and without knowing the specifics I don't know what to say to comfort, help, or advise her. I wish I knew what to tell her. Things change, life changes, we change. People grow together and apart, and back together again. My best friend and I fought horribly for well over a year. There was tension, animosity, and a feeling of discontent every time we spoke. So much so that for a time, we didn't talk for months. I even resented her when she forgot my birthday. I though, did not forget hers and made sure to call then, Christmas, and other important times. Just to let her know I still cared and wanted her as a friend. It wasn't easy that's for sure. But now we are still greatest of friends and I'd say closer than before even though we still live a distance apart. Can't wait for this fall when we'll at least be in the same city and maybe even at the same school. That one's my 2nd choice though, so we'll see. Hey, this is the same friend who showed up at the concert wearing a Guinness shirt. Guess who now has the same Guinness shirt?! And for 8 bucks too! Fun stuff. Anyhow, the point of this story was that change happens. It is the natural order of things, and while it is never free of pain, trials, or tribulations, one thing is certain. We will make it out the other side. We may be a different person than when we began the journey, but we will survive. It is the time during the change that truly defines who we are. Not that which comes after.

Do you ever wonder what makes us do some of the crazy things that we do? Like me cutting class and traveling all over the continent...I think it is part of this never ending change. I hit a spot in life where significant change occurred and I was really truly happy again. Now I seek out that thing which makes me happy. Travel and Celtic Thunder. I'm looking forward more than ever to getting to see the friends I have made through this wonderful group. They truly are a new kind of family to me. Sure, some may not be as close as others and we may have our disagreements, but in the end we all come back together for the love of the music and the love of our friendships. It even seems many times that we Thunderheads have this odd and inexplicable connection. I tell you it's borderline creepy at times. But for now we are all quite excited as the lads are once again Stateside for PBS promotions! It's going to be so much fun to see them up to their antics joking with the PBS people and each other. This will be my 1st promo tour as a Thunderhead. I can't wait! Although I do think it will break my bank. One of my besties (there are many) wants to do Pre-show M&G. Well, they've been running $500 a pair and she wants me to front the money! Oh dear, oh dear. Oh mom! lol! Ultimately it's okay though since we don't have to pay for lodging. The best of craic it will be!

Anyhow, I've now written a novel about basically nothing. Here's to old friends, new friends, and friends who are only in our life when they are supposed to be.

Peace,
Elina

Enjoy the photo. It's from this past Christmastime in Derry.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Never Say the Americans Don't Know How to Party...


It has been a crazy 3 days since my last post. Monday started with class in the morning and the return of our first test grades. Not so good on this front. An 84! Awful, awful grade. I tell you Celtic Thunder has made me a bad college student. I spend time online chatting with my Thunderhead peeps instead of doing homework, and I cut class to travel to only God knows where all over this country to go to shows! I must buckle down! Anyhow, class, lunch & a quick wardrobe change, lab, then off to see Flogging Molly. Although they are American-based, the lead singer and his wife are Irish and the music is completely Irish influenced.

Flogging Molly though, is not traditional music. They are more like hard-core Irish punk. Cut to me dressed in black leggings, a plaid skirt, tank top, in the middle of the most insane crowd I've ever been in. The venue is not a large one and there had to be at lease 1,000 people in there. It was hot, sticky (hello spilled beer everywhere!), and packed with people. We started the night standing 3 people deep from the stage for the 2 warm up acts. The Architects and Frank Turner who, as he told us many times is from Winchester in England. Both were fabulous. When Flogging Molly took the stage, the scene that ensued was pure madness! The entire front half of the venue turned into a mosh pit. Trying to keep track of my friends was a near impossible task, as was holding onto my shoes and remaining upright! No drinking involved on my part mind you. My best friend surprised me by showing up (in a Guinness shirt. Jealous? I think so :P ) with her "sister" and boyfriend in tow. This boyfriend I must say, I like. He seems like a decent and respectable young lad, who will treat her well. I just hope she doesn't push him away and screw it all up. It was a good thing she brought him along though. There was some serious male bonding going on between him and the two guys from school who I went with. It's funny how guys do that where there is something "manly" going on. In this case it was hard-core Irish punk music. The two guys I rode up with reminded me of puppies as we were waiting for the show to start. You could practically see their tails wagging in excitement, and they were literally jumping up and down. It was quite adorable, and must be a similar look I have when getting ready for a Celtic Thunder show to begin.

I don't think I could hear properly for 24 hours after the show. The silence being the first thing I noticed after collapsing into bed that night...erm...well, morning. It was even more difficult to get up for class Tuesday and take an exam. Which I found out today I passed!!! Very grateful there as I did exactly zero studying. Oops. Today's email brought confirmation from Duke that my application is being processed. This is the worst part this hurry up and wait stuff. It's killer already and it's going to last at least another 1-3 months. There will be plenty to keep me occupied though. The schoolwork never stops, and now I'm looking at applying for a part-time job. Let's hope I can do it all. I need money for the fall Celtic Thunder tour!

Well, it's now time to run off to karate & cardio. Have a great one!

Peace,
Elina

This posts' picture is from someplace in Co. Tyrone I believe.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat...


Today is the day when we realize that no matter how much we try to control life and that which happens to us, we are eventually going to spin out of control. A very dear friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer about 1 1/3 years ago now, survived the harsh treatments, and just underwent reconstruction this past week. This is the first week in a very long time we have not ridden to training together. Being alone with your own thoughts for an hour and a half drive can't always be the best thing. Conversely it can be a fabulous thing simply for the ability of not having to think. There's just you, the road, the car, and the stereo. Perhaps these days the word stereo is no longer appropriate. A more suited word is maybe entertainment system, surround sound, or pure bliss.

Yes, music is that important in life. It brings us hope when and where there is none. Of all the images from Haiti, the one that impacted me the most was when the rescue crews pulled a woman out of the rubble after more than a week. She came out singing. If this does not attest to the power of music, then nothing will. No rules define music. It can be anything from the rock metal of Three Days Grace, to the soft acoustics of Joshua Radin, to the electo-funk sounds of Bjork. Music is a thing of art. Carefully crafted, lovingly developed, and wholly a part of the person who created it. Although we may not understand the true underlying meaning of a song, that person has allowed us just a glimpse at themselves. That's something pretty significant.

All this rambling about music. Can we tell it's late again and that I am in need of sleep? What was the initial purpose of this post? Oh yes, while we have one survivor of cancer embarking on the next step in her healing process, another battling the disease has left this world. Just 2 days ago my uncle passed away from a long and painful battle with cancer. Although saddened, I can not help but feel relieved for him. The next world, no matter what you believe it is, has to be better than the one in which he was living. This is a particularly difficult time to loose someone as the Kensho Kai is rapidly approaching. This is the time which we martial artists celebrate the memory of those past and honor their strong and courageous spirits.

It is very nearly one year since I lost one of my fellow martial artists and dear friend. He was just 16 years of age and the 2009 Kensho Kai was dedicated in his memory. That day was one filled with sadness, heartbreak, laughter, and tears. All we can do in times as such is turn to each other for support and keep going. We can not ignore the passing of a loved one, but we can not dwell long either and allow life to pass us by. Instead we honor their memory by continuing on and striving to be the best we can be in all we do.

This post is now much long than I ever intended and it is now half-one in the morning. Yes, yes I did just use the Irish way of saying time thank you very much. But anyhow, I really must be off. Class in the morning (as there always is for a college student), followed by a Flogging Molly concert tomorrow night. Should be great craic! We can only hope the weather holds. Oh, that thing about music...quick! Without Googling (and don't even think about running to iTunes!), who's album holds the same title as this blog entry?

Always remember:
Without without life there would be no music, and without music there would be no life.

Peace,
Elina

PS: Enjoy the photo. It's from somewhere in Co. Donegal at sunrise.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Life on A Sandbar


So I've started this blog to simply have a place to write about life. Those random thoughts you have that you feel don't really matter much, but may be interesting to go back and read later. As a place you can go back and sort through things, make sense of life. This past year has been a turning point in life, and if you're reading this you're going to hear a whole lot about a group called Celtic Thunder. They're a wonderful group of lads from across the pond in Ireland & Scotland who sing amazing music. If you haven't heard of them, go check 'em out at www.celticthunger.ie. Because of them I've seen more of the U.S. & done more things I never thought I would. Say Elina, you're going to drive to Canada with people you've never truly met to go see 5 Irishmen sing. If you'd have told me this back in early May 2009 I'd have laughed in your face. Now I've been to Toronto, Baltimore, and Nashville; and met some of the nicest and most caring people I've ever met.

As of right now I'm looking forward to graduating from the local community college in May and transferring to a 4 year in the fall. Two of the applications went in the mail this week and one more this coming week. I can't say that This idea necessarily thrills me. The thought of leaving where I'm comfortable, it's scary as hell. Yet at the same time I'm stoked for a whole new adventure! The culture of a big city, the diversity, the music, the possibilities....it's all so different than anything around this place.

For now I'm just working on keeping ahead of the homework and looking for a job. With it not being tourist season such things are scarce. But I need to find one to save up those dollars for the fall tour. My best friend wants to get M&G tickets for a show since we won't have to pay for lodging. Boy I sure hope my old car keeps going so it's not an added expense.

Well friends, it's late here now and tomorrow is an early morning. Yes, even on a Sunday. This thing we call life...it keeps going without thought to exhaustion, excitement, love or loss. Have a good one, and keep 'er lit!

Peace,
Elina

PS: Enjoy the picture of life on a sandbar. :)