DUBLIN! GAH! DUBLIN IRELAND! ZOMG!!!@!@!!

It didn’t hit me until Sunday night, my first night in Dublin. I was crossing a street after a run, trying to avoid the cars which seemed to dart out of every direction but the “correct” one, when I realized, “This is my home. I live here. Wow…!”The travels were fairly easy and uneventful--nothing wrong with that! I arrived at my apartment in mid-morning with the bells of St. Patrick’s Cathedral serenading me from across the street. I couldn’t help but step out on my balcony to enjoy the free concert, then prop the window open as I finished unpacking.A quick run along the River Liffey kept my energy up in the mid-day, then I was out about for a quick walk through my new neighborhood. Just beyond my door are streets teeming with shops and pubs and people speaking all sorts of different languages.You may recall that I wasn’t too keen on Dublin after my first visit. This afternoon walk quickly dispelled any preconceptions I’d held. Looking back on that first visit, I realized just how bad off I was back then. I was alone, I was depressed, and I was a little bit lost. I’m glad I got a chance to sort that out.My last days in Austin were an absolute whirlwind, filled with seeing people, eating way too much, poking holes through my liver, and meeting some stressful working deadlines. I walked around almost oblivious to the fact that I was moving to another country in just a few days(!), hours even(!!!). With Rightside taking care of the travel and housing bookings, and largely keeping me out of the process, the move to Dublin seemed almost abstract. To that, a healthy to-do list at work ensured that my schedule was set. Yes, I’d be working in a foreign country, but on Monday morning, I knew I’d be up at 7am, be at work shortly thereafter, and keep it going on Tuesday and beyond.It all helped minimize the real-ness factor. Until now.Let’s get this started!