...but ne'er a drop to drink.

Cork is submerged. And quite frankly, I like it! Yesterday, during the first class after lunch, the vice principal made an announcement over the intercom asking teachers to allow students use their phones to contact their parents. We were being allowed home early due to 'adverse weather conditions'. That's not necessarily a quote from anyone; I just thought it looked better in inverted commas.

I fecked on out of the place anyway. The problem is a bit bigger now though. Water was released from Inniscarra Dam during high tide, and so the city flooded. Washington Street, Grand Parade, over by the Mercy, Western Road and all around UCC, out the Carrigrohane Road and anywhere in between were turned into rivers. All bridges from Inniscarra to the city were closed. It was bad.

Houses and businesses in the city have been destroyed. Student accomodation was evacuated. UCC's new IT building has been severely damaged. Schools were closed. Underground carparks filled up with water, ruining cars. A five-star hotel was evacuated. West Cork under water too.

Having seen pictures, it is absolutely awful for anyone whose house has been damaged, and for the money lost by traders. There's still a little part of me that wants to go into town for sconce around. I'd love to find a little boat, and sail around the city centre. Flood waters appear to be clearing, but high tide is at half 7 or so tonight, and more water will probably be coming down from Inniscarra so we'll have to wait and see whether I can go for coffee in town yet or not.

Water supply has been turned off due to flooding of the water treatment plant on the Lee Road. So, there's a new meaning to the phrase "Water water everywhere, but ne'er a drop to drink'.

Anyone with a boat, please leave a comment. A canoe/kayak will suffice.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday I have Irish in a classroom with an amazing view. When I sit down in the back corner of the room I can see all the way up as far as the city centre.

From day to day the view varies. Some days it's raining and misty and dull and cloudy. Others it's sunny and bright and clear and fresh. It doesn't matter whether it dry or wet, there's still something absolutely magical about that view. It's like you're here, inside this classroom, with a 28 other people wearing the same clothes and listening to a woman try to teach you something. Only a few metres away, there's a completely different world going on. There's women (and men) doing jobs at home, or watching tv, or on the phone. There's people commuting to and from work, meetings, catching up with friends. There's students struggling to drag their hungover heads out of bed.

And all this, separated by a mere sheet of double-glazed glass. You are so near, but yet so cut off, and so separated from this world you desperately long to be a part of. I can see various UCC buildings. It makes me think of how the only reason I am sitting in classrooms for 7 hours a day is so that, in two years time, I can be there. I can be sitting in lecture theatres learning about stuff that interests me; that is my passion.

And for a split second, I am motivated by that thought. But then I come back to reality; I focus on the teacher, and I wish, I wish so hard, that I could be a kilometre downstream walking around the Quad, or strolling down College Road, or having a coffee in town. I want to be living a life out there with the rest of the world.

Being me, and enjoying the little things, one day at a time.

What a weekend.

What I hate about this though is that I really can't expand on that statement too much for my own safety and livelihood. So maybe that means I shouldn't be a 'blogger'. This is too public now though. It's up on irishstudentblogs.com with my name so it's not such a good idea to be blabbing on about stuff.

'Twas the jazz weekend down here anyway. I did get a good bit of live music, but not all jazz. Went to see the Coronas in Cyprus Avenue on Saturday. Good enough gig once we managed to get in after the doors opened an hour later than stated. (Not cool Cyprus - although I do know there's always issues with opening on time.) I didn't do the whole getting stuck into the middle of the crowd and jumping around thing this time round. Kinda weird, but I was just back in the bar part with another friend for a good bit. It was everyone else that missed out...that barman was HOT. After the gig we went and sat in the back while trying to change the date on Heather's swipe card using tipp-ex and a marker. Complete and utter fail, not that we actually needed it in the end. We were probably the only people in the place not pushing their way up to the table where the Coronas were and screaming for autographs and hugs and pictures. It was amusing to watch. The lead singer dude was staring at us for a while, probably in awe of the fact that we were managing to restrain ourselves, something he's probably not used to. I had a nice chat with the hot one, Dave, though. he's nice.

Aisling had a semi-free gaff that night so she said we could all stay at hers after the gig. By semi-free gaff, I mean that her parents were gone but she was supposed to be minding her sister. She left town earlier to go pick her sister up, and after a quick trip to Centra the rest of us got the 14 back to Togher bai and climbed the hill to her gaff, passing some drug dealers en route. All in a day. It was a calm enough night, and I scrubbed the place at about 1am with orange-scented washing-up liquid, domestic goddess that I am.

Sunday involved two drooping eyelids, so I went to bed at like half 3, got up for dinner, and then went back to bed again. Sign of a good night right?!

Yesterday was probably the best day of the bank holiday weekend. It began with a nice trip to town during the day, and some damn good coffee in Cork Coffee Roasters. A nice chat there for over an hour, from where we headed on the Jazz Fest Club in the Metropole. Brought back memories of last year, but I havta say this year was a tad better. After I went home for dinner, it was back out again to Liam's FG for a little gathering, which involved his sister's assistance, a pack of cards and copious amounts of tea at half 10. Fun times. Sadly though, the tea (Which I made. Told you I was a domestic goddess.) and water did not have enough effect on Aisling and her mommy was not too happy with her. All will be revealed when we go for coffee later.

Those aunts of mine are actually coming down today, in like an hour, so I need to go have a shower and perhaps get a start on my homework. Then town for an analysis of yesterday.

So long folks! And well done if you managed to get this far!