Spring has Sprung

Hello everyone!
Ages since I've updated. I am really not cut out for blogging. Anyways, that is neither here not there because here's a new post for your perusing pleasure. Lots has happened in the last age.
1) My family came to visit. Which was amazing! And my dad managed to drive us around Ireland without crashing into anything or giving my mom a heart attack. Well done dad! We had an amazing time. Did a big loop starting off in Dublin, up through the north to Giant's Causeway, down to Letterkenney, where one of my housemates is from, down to Galway and then to Cork and Cobh. It was a wonderful whirlwind tour!
2) I have a thesis adviser and topic. Huzzah! This was not achieved without a massive amount of drama. My original choice of adviser is for lack of a better term quite clearly a jerk. My new official adviser is both not a jerk and seems extremely excited about my project. I am writing about integrating ideas of social capital into the discussion of human rights. In short, I am hoping to present a case for why human rights are an attractive option for governments like Georgia etc. to focus on because they lead to political stability and economic gains. The current approach to discussing human rights seems to be "Because it's nice and because the UN will write you a very nasty letter if you don't." Doesn't seem like the most attractive of options, really does it? Here invest millions of dollars in this thing called human rights, for no apparent pay off, because the UN will be very grumpy with you if you don't. If that is the way criminal worked we would be living in anarchy. So seems there is a void and hopefully my thesis can in some small part explore how best to fill that void.
3) I am in the midst of finishing both my papers. One is on tied food aid, the other on Microsoft and freedom of information. I cannot wait to be done with them! I feel like I've been working on them for ages, and the more I do the more questions I seem to come up with. Never thought I would say this but 10,000 words barely does these issues justice....
4) I have started hanging out with the housemates! We went Irish dancing last night which was both confusing and great fun. Also went out for dinner and pints last Friday. I am going to a table quiz one of them is organizing tonight with great prizes that I think I have very little chance of winning. Table quizzes are sooooo difficult.
5) Max did my hair again, but it looks about the same. Just the roots were really getting a bit out of control. He is such a genius and I certainly can't complain that he does it for free. I baked him a pie last week to say thanks!
6) Spring is here, kind of, it was here ages ago and then it left and now it is back. Fickle. But, it is beautiful and sunny and I absolutely cannot wait for Galway during the summer.

All in all things are good! Hope all is the same with everyone!