Bridget McNulty

Me in DC.

// May 31st, 2009 // 2 Comments » // travelling

Uh huh. I should be in Congress.

The trip so far…

// May 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Laughter, Time, travelling

I know, I know! I’ve been terrible at keeping you updated… But I’ve been having so much fun!

Even now I’m reluctant to sit down in front of a computer when I could be hanging out with my friends. So I’ll do a Highlights Tour:

NEW YORK CITY HIGHLIGHTS:

* My first afternoon in the city happened to be a public holiday – Memorial Day – so my friend Dan took me to a double barbecue, one at Prospect Park (where I saw hundreds of New Yorkers barbecuing, lying in the sun, playing volleyball and throwing frisbees), and one on a rooftop, where I ate a hotdog and my first ever S’More (melted marshmallow, biscuit and chocolate combined – delicious!)

* Met old friends and new for tea, soup, drinks and catch-ups. You’d think after four years it would be awkward to bridge the gap, but so far it isn’t. It’s just fun to see people again.

* Met my publisher for a delightful (swanky!) lunch.

*Ate the famous Magnolia and Sugar Sweet Sunshine cupcakes (Red Velvet flavour, because I’d never had them before). The verdict? Delicious, but I think I can make just as delicious cupcakes (gasp!)

* Walked allll over thc city with my friend Dan, taking ridiculous photos (which you’ll see once I upload them) and talking nonsense for hours on end.

* Ate great Mexican food.

* Went to the People’s Improv Theatre for some really funny improv (starring a friend from college).

I feel like I had a truly New York experience – I saw so much, and so many parts of the city, had a bit of nature time, and LOTS of city time, and walked my feet to the bone. Surely that’s what being a New Yorker is all about??

I then took a magically-internet-enabled bus to Washington DC.

WASHINGTON DC HIGHLIGHTS:

* Spending every available minute with Jen and Julia and laughing till we cry.

* Having a great welcome dinner with them and their significant others – a loud Mediterranean dinner filled with laughter.

* Going on a staff-led tour of the Capitol because Jen has connections in high places. What a cool building!

* Lying on the couch watching TV on her giant television.

* Hanging out, catching up.

* Going shopping in Georgetown ($5 Urban Outfitters sale, be still my beating heart!) and having a girl’s dinner out (more giggling).

* Walking around the very cool Eastern Market on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

* Checking out the monuments from afar, and deciding to go home and make Rice Krispies treats instead.

* Watching rom coms together.

* Late night jacuzzi dip… Turns out there’s one in the building!

* And today – a baseball game! Can’t wait…

I’ll update again soon (well, in less than a week, anyway!) I’ve been totally disconnected from the blogosphere and online communities, and I have to say it feels quite nice… Not so many voices in my head!

So how are YOU doing? Any highlights from the last week?

The Zen of packing:

// May 22nd, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Decisions, Time, travelling

I studied in the States, so I’ve done this whole long-voyage-across-the-seas about six times… And every single time I would pack at the last minute, totally stressed and strung-out, and go to bed either with things strewn about my room, or with a suitcase so full there was no hope it was ever going to close.

This time, however, I’m packing in style.

Mainly because I have what is without a doubt THE most beautiful suitcase I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I was never excited about a suitcase before I saw this one… Take a look:

It’s a chocolate brown Samsonite. With all kinds of cool little bags to put things in. I think I’m in love! It has four wheels (instead of two) so it slides along so smoothly (I was dancing with it yesterday!), it’s virtually indestructible (I’ll be testing that out!) and it is just so lovely to look at… Really.

Still, I had a mound of things to pack into it. Gifts for seven people I’m staying with, book gifts of Strange Nervous Laughter, and 3 weeks worth of clothing… Not to mention the diabetes supplies, toiletries, accessories and mini juices! (in case my blood sugar goes low). I’m not kidding when I say there was a mound of stuff to pack:

And all into one little (lovely) suitcase!
Never fear… I had a secret weapon. They’re called Vac Bags and I’d never heard of them till yesterday, but they totally saved my life. Basically, they squeeze all the air out of your clothing, so that it ends up taking up the minimum amount of space possible. Genius!

So all of that, turned into:

This! Hardly anything.

Which meant that instead of sitting on my suitcase, sweating, trying to fit everything in and feeling my heart rate shoot through the roof, I could simply place my bags of clothes into my suitcase, and calmly go about my business. Best of all, this means I’m not going to have to repack my suitcase every time I need to get something out (my naturally messy nature usually means that if I try to get one dress out of a suitcase, the whole suitcase ends up on the floor). Nope, now I shall be calm and tidy, and simply undo the bag I need, while leaving the rest tidy. Fabulous!

Now, you might be wondering why I care so much about how easy or difficult packing a suitcase is, but it feels like it’s indicative of the whole trip. I used to get really stressed and dramatic about leaving home for the States (I was too young, it was fraught with emotion) and this is the first time I’m going happily and excitedly. I’m older, hopefully wiser, and a lot more calm and centered, and being able to pack with such ease bodes extremely well for three weeks of happiness in the USA!

I’ll still be blogging as much as possible, although not every day, so check back often to see how the trip is going!

Meryl: a podcast from Strange Nervous Laughter

// May 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Downloads, Strange Nervous Laughter, podcast

Would you like to meet Meryl? She’s beautiful, if a little cynical and difficult to get to know… but once you crack that exterior, there’s a whole different person inside. Listen to her podcast to find out more!

“The fifth chapter from Strange Nervous Laughter, a novel by Bridget McNulty, in which we meet Meryl, a Guinness World Records representative bound so tightly in a corset of cynicism that she finds it hard to breathe…”

Click here to download the MP3 from Strange Nervous Laughter, a novel by Bridget McNulty ...

Listen to the MP3 online!

Meryl from Strange Nervous Laughter, a novel by Bridget McNulty

Getting all my ducks in a row…

// May 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Time, travelling

So I’m off to the USA! On Sunday night, but leaving Cape Town tomorrow morning for Joburg, where I’ll do a writer’s workshop at a high school, and spend some time with my man’s brother, sister-in-law and nephew. He’s coming with me, tomorrow, but I’m saying goodbye on Sunday… for over three weeks!

I’ll miss him.

My trip is jampacked full of people I’m dying to see, though – all my friends from college that I haven’t seen since I graduated four years ago, and a few new friends that I’ve picked up along the way. I’m having lunch with my publisher (ladida!) and various tea / lunch / dinner dates with other friends… I am so excited!

I’ve reserved today to get all my ducks in a row. I want to pack slowly and calmly so I don’t forget anything, and I want to leave home in a peaceful way. It’ll be the first time I left for the States peacefully if I manage to pull it off!

So what do you think? What’s the one essential thing I can’t forget? I’ll add it to my list.

Happiness is…

// May 20th, 2009 // No Comments » // Life (and the living of it)

… Getting your passport back in time to go overseas, when that seemed impossible a few weeks ago!

Ah… what a lovely feeling!

“A highly anticipated novel”

// May 20th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Blogs, Reviews, Strange Nervous Laughter

Check it out! Strange Nervous Laughter is on the list of Arizona Foothills’ 10 Newly Released Summer ‘09 Fictional Reads!

First on the list, nogal! What a lovely start to the day…

You have to wait for the fish to come to you.

// May 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Inspiration, Time

I went for a walk on the Sea Point Promenade with a friend this morning – a glorious, sunshiney, blue skied walk, and we were filling each other in on all the news from the last month or so.

I said to him that we’ve sent out all these proposals for funding for our Round the World trip (read more about it here) and that now we’re just waiting to hear back from people… not really my forte, waiting and patience and all that.

And he said, “Well, obviously you have to wait – you have to wait for the fish to come to you. You throw out your net, and then you wait for the fish to swim into it. It’s no good jumping in the water and trying to catch the fish with your hands, you’ll just get tangled in the net. If you’re fishing in the right spot, you just throw it in and wait.”

Huh. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

10 Questions:

// May 18th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Blogs, Inspiration, Strange Nervous Laughter

All about inspiration, heroes, holidays and South Africa… Check it out at the South Africa Portfolio Travel Blog.

(Also about my favourite breakfast spot in Cape Town!)

A weekend of sloth.

// May 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Life (and the living of it), Time

After the extreme busy-ness of last week, with the blog tour and all the advance planning for my US trip, I was really ready for a relaxing weekend this weekend…. And hoo boy did I get it!

My man and I met friends for drinks on Friday night, and then came home and watched Seinfeld (oh how I love Seinfeld!)

On Saturday morning we woke up to pouring rain… and so decided not to get out of bed. We stayed in bed till 1pm, reading, sleeping, chatting, eating breakfast and drinking tea. And then we got up for a book launch (of Aenigmata, check it out here) and a great opening night for the Labia Celebration Exchange (their website is here). Sunday morning was chilly again (although not raining), so we decided to stay in bed all morning again! It was heavenly. It’s amazing how much your body can sleep if you just let it. We spent the rest of the day baking a cake, going for a walk and watching movies on TV.

And when I woke up this morning I felt fantastic! So full of energy, clean and clear and inspired and ready to start the week. Just lovely! How often does that happen? Usually weekends are so full of having fun that by the time Monday rolls around my head is full. But today, thanks to a whole weekend of sloth, I feel rested, relaxed and revitalised (rrrreally!)

When was the last time you gave yourself the gift of a weekend of sloth?