Thursday, September 3, 2009

File under: Inspiration (see also: Life List)

Last weekend, I checked the following grand items off of my Life's To-See-And-Do List:

1. Taking my first trip (ever!) to Europe--specifically, to Dublin. (Above, the River Liffey, alive with color and light at nightfall.) I don't quite know what took me so long to get to Europe, but it was oh-so-worth the wait.


2. Visiting the Long Room at the Trinity College's Library, where I soaked in some moments of sheer magnificence. Words pretty much fail to adequately describe the sight-smell-feeling of it all, but suffice it to say that I've never been inside a place that wasn't technically a cathedral but felt so cathedral-like, even still--a place that was so alive and so ancient at the same time. If you're a book lover, I highly suggest that you add this experience to your own life's to-do list. *Photo nabbed from the internet, as photography wasn't allowed.




3. Not quite on the Life List, but delightful just the same--I took pictures of a great many fine establishments bearing a certain very good surname!


4. Inexplicably, I also seem to have quite a few photos on my camera that feature pints of Guiness. Curious, that. :)

So there you have it--four facts from my four days in Dublin. (I know, far too short!! But happily, I can still hear the city's music in my ears.) I'm curious now, though--what things to see and do are on your own Life's list--in either the "Already Accomplished" or "Still Yet to Do" categories?

8 comments:

  1. WOW, that is by far the most breathtaking view of a library I have ever seen. It's huge! I must see that in person someday. Just, WOW. Your trip sounds amazing.

    I'm kicking myself for not seeing Europe yet either. I had the chance and missed it due to work. Yeah, I'd pretty much quit that job if I could do it over again! So that's definitely on my list of things to do. A few others are seeing the Northern Lights in Alaska, holding a published version of my books in my hands, watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon...just a few little things like that. ; )

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  2. Congrats! The pictures are fabulous. I've had a life's to-do list since I was about 12 and realize that I wanted to do so many things that I'd forget if I didn't write them down! Since I turned 18, I've tried to check off at least one thing per year.
    To keep with the travel theme, my top three countries to visit are Egypt, Greece, and Japan. I also must return to Australia (I spent a semester there and fell in love). Other things on my to-do list include making a quilt, volunteering in a third-world country, and going rappeling.

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  3. Beautiful pictures!

    What I have done: Paris last year. Yum. Got off the metro (from the airport) at sunrise on the Left Bank, and that was all it took. Fell in complete and total love.

    What is left to do: British Isles, next year or two? Back to Paris next fall?

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  4. I spent a couple of months in Europe in 07 and that was at the top of my TO DO list. I went to Dublin then and visited the long room at the Trinity College's library and just drooled. Pictures don't do it justice, it's truly mindblowing!

    You should have went to the Stag's Head. Apparently it's the best pub in Dublin (there for the world!) but I think it might be hard to find if you don't know where it is. Damn, now I want to go back!

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  5. I LOVE that you crossed off an item on your Life List. And wow that trip looks stunning!

    Visit Dublin. Just added to MY Life List ;)

    As for mine, in already accomplished, I think you know what that is and that it will be reached in approx. 2 weeks. !!!

    Two things on mine: I want to learn how to surf. Knowing me and how uncoordinated I am, I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it's still true. At least I want to TRY to learn. I also want to live abroad for at least a year... try a new place where I don't speak the language, see who I become by living there. One day.

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  6. Wow! Great pixs Molly. My hubby and I lived in Germany for 4 years while he was in the military and we traveled all over. I would really like to take my three boys to Augsburg, where we lived, and all the great places we had the chance to visit.

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  7. I'm SO pleased you did visit the Trinity Library. It is exactly that: cathedral-like and reverent and awe-inspiring...

    on my own to-do list? return to Ireland (I often refer to it as 'Home'), learn another language (or two), travel to India and Mexico...

    on the to-do list I wrote as a teen I also included 'to be well-regarded by those in my field.' I like to believe I've accomplished that.

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  8. Wow, now that's an accomplishment :) Congratulations and now you'll just have to keep adding to the list!

    I think my biggest "Life List" item (and possibly not possible - hehe) would be to live in Paris for at least one year of my life.

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