As those of you out there who are freelance writers may be aware, it can be hard to convince people that working from home on projects that may be time consuming or not given the day is actual work. My way of life tends to confuse people quite a bit, and the majority of my friends are pretty jealous of my ability to work in my pajamas, on a plane or in a hostel in Killarney.
What most of them don’t realize is how annoying it can be. Not that I’m complaining–don’t get me wrong. I like the variety of work that freelancing can give you, and I love the fact that when the CYF told me she was planning on driving through Ireland for a week I could volunteer my questionable driving abilities without asking for time off from a “real” job. It does, however, pose problems when the rest of my group is on a well-earned vacation; when your life looks like everyone else’s vacation from the outside, it can be hard to convince those traveling with you that you do, in fact, need to sit in your hostel and work instead of going out for dinner or drinks.
Luckily, I managed to spend most of my time traveling through Ireland with my friends, and Killarney was no exception: even though I did have to sit in the hostel for a bit to do some translations and submit a few articles, we also spent our one evening there in one of the many pubs the town is famous for, watching a World Cup game and eating what I consider a stew but, I have learned since arriving in Ireland, is actually considered a casserole: chunks of meat and vegetable simmered in a rich broth that actually tastes of Guinness. As though that weren’t enough, there was a scoop of mashed potatoes plopped in the middle to soak up the gravy.
I may have had to follow it up with a handful of articles that I did not find at all rewarding, but I’m definitely not complaining.
Murphy’s Pub
College Street, Killarney
I’m complaining a little…had assumed based on the headline that as usual your wonderful photo and story would come with the RECIPE… 🙂