Finding Merritt

Part 1: Keep calm and move to Ireland

4,530 miles. That's how far I am from the place I grew up. Seattle Washington has always been home to me, but as of two weeks ago I left Seattle and all I have ever known for Dublin Ireland. Two months ago I packed up everything, climbed on a flight to Dublin and turned over a new chapter in my life. You see, two months ago I turned thirty. I had a mild freak out...ok maybe a major freak out and decided to take an assistant Ad agent job working for my new bestie Kelley MacAroy at Dark Rock Brewery. Wanting to feel like I was going somewhere and fast at this milestone moment in  my life was all I could think about. So I took the job and counted down the minutes until I would be living in Ireland. Crazy right? Nah. I have always been one of those girls who acts first and thinks later. Not always my best quality but this time I took a gamble and so far its paid off. I went from working for my mothers boutique in Seattle with no love life and no real future goals, to living in a foreign country with my bestfriend/boss and having loads of adorable Irishmen buy me "pints O beer" everytime we go to a pub. Oh and did I mention that I LOVE my job. I sale beer ads to local businesses and entertainment outlets. My co-workers are totally goofs and pretty much all guys. I enjoy being the only girl besides Kelley in our department and the lads have accepted me as one of their own. My life has difinately changed and it's so much better now. Yeah, I might get home sick from time to time, but then I remember that I am thirty and that I don't want to let anything hold me back anymore from living a life full of passion. It also doen't hurt that my bestie Kelley who lives with me is always making me laugh and pushing me to succede. She is amazing, an Irish tour de force. I envy her self confidence and her perfect strawberry blonde hair and pale blue eyes. I mean I do fine with the male sex but Kelley puts me to shame in the game department. Men pratically fawn all over themselves to get her attention. Thanks to her perfectness we haven't paid for beer at a pub since I moved to Dublin.

Which is where today's massive headache and slight double vision comes into play. Last night Kelley and I decided to ditch our  Sunday night routine of cooking at home and watching footy ( futbol or for my fellow Americans soccer...I know! *gasp* I used that word) on the tube and opted for a few pints at The Porterhouse pub. We love the scene there complete with live bands and some of the best beer in the world. However, today I feel like the live band is in my head and I am trying to see through the bottom of a full pint of beer. Note to self: no more pub nights when I have to work the next day. Kelley and I both got ready this morning in our apparment without a word. Thank the Lord we have a two bed two bath flat. No words just coffee and ibuprofen, the breakfast of pub night champions everywhere. Too bad mine hasn't kicked in yet, ugh what the hell did I drink that gave this kind of one two punch? Something called an "Irish car bomb" I though the cute red headed guy said to me as he swagged himself over to our table holding three in his hands. I have to stop taking drinks from strange men no matter how cute said man maybe. Oh for the love of Couture! Someone answer my damn phone for me! Can't yall see I am hungover and nursing a massive pounding in my brain. Without looking at the caller ID on my office phone I pick up the receiver and try to fake enthusiasm "Good Morning, Dark Rock Brewers ad agency, this is Merritt Blake how may I help you?" "Merritt shut the hell up! Look at your damn ID. I need you in my office in 10 minutes and make sure you are presentable. Luc is on his way down and has asked to have a meeting with us." Kelley managed to choke out in a rush. "Oh bloody hell Kel, am I in trouble?" I asking feeling like a 16 year old who has just been caught sneaking back in at 3 am drunk off her ass. "No i don't think so Mer, he mentioned something about how our ad sales have grown by 7% since we hired you. I think he just wants to see what or who all the fuss is about." Oh wow the CEO of Dark Rock taking time from his busy schedule and comfy office on the 16th floor to come meet me. This could not have come on a worse day! Damn Kelley and her spontaneity from our safe normal routine that would have had me looking fresh and rested today.  Oh but no, now I have 5 minutes to pull my hot mess of a self together and look like a respectable business woman. Shit! I am going to be sacked.