#317 - Pop goes Norn Iron

The Troubles at 50

I was watching the series on the Troubles at 50. I can't quite believe that I'm still here. I arrived in 1998. No one knew anything, although the IRA had been under ceasefire now for a few years. But the killings and attacks on Catholics still continued. And the bombings still continued, although the character of the conflict was now very different.

I watched footage from that wet, rainy night in Stormont and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement... then after that the long long walk back to freedom. To the relative peace which we have today. That we have now. The Orange Order was still trying to march down the Garvaghy Road, East Belfast was still rioting, Derry was still Free. It was a strange time. Everything was possible. There was this rawness which now we can look back and think it's great. But back then, nothing was certain. Nothing.

We have lived through the rebuilding of the place. We have lived through the financial crash of the early 2000s and then the mid-2000s. The heady days of the Celtic Tiger. Then its death and the corruption of the banks. The establishment of the DUP and Sinn Fein in the Assembly. It's collapse. Through it, my children have grown up, entirely shielded, although my elder son is now learning about it.  We have always lived relatively normal lives now. I remember the army on the street. I remember the armoured cars. I remember the closing off because of suspect devices. As the 21st century rolled on Northern Ireland became safer as the world became more dangerous.

Now here we are - I am nearly 50 now. It seems incredible to hear myself say it. In a few months time I will be 49. I have spent 22 years here now. I have now spent as long as I have spent in Singapore as I have lived abroad. Possibly more.

Yesterday I also watched lots of documentaries about bits of history from YouTube as I folded the laundry. Peter shouted at me about leaving his laundry on the floor of his bedroom, and I was like, meh. Really, meh. They had gone away to leave mice traps in the house for mice. So I don't know when they are planning to go back to remove the mice from these traps. It's mental. So much for being a Buddhist I guess. I never say anything to Peter because questioning him just ends up with more shouting. So I just leave him messages on Messenger. I do that and I don't think he reads them because he doesn't respond to them. But at least he knows I tried to communicate with him. It is really pathetic but I am frightened of saying anything to him.

Because, like yesterday he shouted at me... but I no longer let people get under my skin, so it really was meh. I did some admin yesterday and then I went for a late brunch with the boys at the Asian market. It was very civilised. After that I did the laundry. Oh yes, I went for a run too. And did some planning. I have decided that coffee does nothing for me. I get this very VERY temp high and then I end of feeling sleepy. I can fall asleep an hour after drinking a double espresso. Whatever way it works, coffee doesn't have as much an effect as black tea.

Right... I said I would do a review of my teaching year thus far. So I should do that now...