I'm here now, just about alive again. Friday turned into a very good Friday at a house party that was mighty craic.
Saturday turned into up, eat, drugs, bed, sick, bed, up, eat and then here....not so good.
But at least there are two more days of till work. Ah well...probably see all none of ya on Tuesday.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Easter Thoughts
When I was in primary school the teachers were very keen to let you express yourself. Each Friday afternoon after the last break, we were allowed to do whatever we wanted - draw, read, do your homework, whatever.
I loved it as I used to draw maps of countries, draw flags or try and copy pictures from books. The odd time I used to read (mainly because I found a Ghost Story book that shouldn't have been in the school and then hid it each week from other prying eyes). Also at Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas and other such holidays (even after Summer) we would draw pictures of the events or make things and have them hung around the school.
One Christmas after being bored of drawing the same old stable scene that everyone else draws every year, I decided to draw something different. I made a storyboard of the Christmas story from Mary and Joseph heading to Bethlehem right through to them legging it to Egypt. The storyboard was about 20 -25 cells but each picture was a silhouette rather than full content. I just thought it was better looking for what I wanted, but also because I was allowed to use a black pen for the drawings rather than use pencil, markers and crayons like everyone else.
It turned out really well - if I do say so myself - and was hung in a prominent position in the school and looked good. The shadow effect made it look better and there were no words on the pictures which added to it. The teachers loved it and some of the lads in the class thought it was cool.
And so it came to Easter. I thought that I would do the same sort of thing but rather than tell the story of Easter I would take one part of the story and make another shadow-effect drawing. I had to choose a part of the story that on-one else would draw. No one could see it until I was finished and I was left at it. On Holy Thursday I gave the drawing to the teacher very happy with the outcome except she didn't think so.
Most others drew Jesus rising from the dead or the stone removed from the tomb with the chicks chilling outside. Some drew the Last Supper or the lads all having a hooliy on the Mount of Olives.
I drew Judas hanging himself with the pieces of silver on the ground and had only Judas in the picture. I got a rap on the knuckles with a ruler and was given out to by the teacher. The picture was sent home to my parents with a note attached saying they weren't happy bunnies about the picture.
Needless to say the picture wasn't hung up and was never talked about again. I was 10 at the time. And you know something? I'd draw it again if went back in ages. I just think that sometimes you have to let children's minds wander, explore and use their imagination. There is too much conforming today and less individuality.
Or maybe not. Either way, I don't care and it is one of the pictures that I am most proud of even though I won prizes for other pics.
I loved it as I used to draw maps of countries, draw flags or try and copy pictures from books. The odd time I used to read (mainly because I found a Ghost Story book that shouldn't have been in the school and then hid it each week from other prying eyes). Also at Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas and other such holidays (even after Summer) we would draw pictures of the events or make things and have them hung around the school.
One Christmas after being bored of drawing the same old stable scene that everyone else draws every year, I decided to draw something different. I made a storyboard of the Christmas story from Mary and Joseph heading to Bethlehem right through to them legging it to Egypt. The storyboard was about 20 -25 cells but each picture was a silhouette rather than full content. I just thought it was better looking for what I wanted, but also because I was allowed to use a black pen for the drawings rather than use pencil, markers and crayons like everyone else.
It turned out really well - if I do say so myself - and was hung in a prominent position in the school and looked good. The shadow effect made it look better and there were no words on the pictures which added to it. The teachers loved it and some of the lads in the class thought it was cool.
And so it came to Easter. I thought that I would do the same sort of thing but rather than tell the story of Easter I would take one part of the story and make another shadow-effect drawing. I had to choose a part of the story that on-one else would draw. No one could see it until I was finished and I was left at it. On Holy Thursday I gave the drawing to the teacher very happy with the outcome except she didn't think so.
Most others drew Jesus rising from the dead or the stone removed from the tomb with the chicks chilling outside. Some drew the Last Supper or the lads all having a hooliy on the Mount of Olives.
I drew Judas hanging himself with the pieces of silver on the ground and had only Judas in the picture. I got a rap on the knuckles with a ruler and was given out to by the teacher. The picture was sent home to my parents with a note attached saying they weren't happy bunnies about the picture.
Needless to say the picture wasn't hung up and was never talked about again. I was 10 at the time. And you know something? I'd draw it again if went back in ages. I just think that sometimes you have to let children's minds wander, explore and use their imagination. There is too much conforming today and less individuality.
Or maybe not. Either way, I don't care and it is one of the pictures that I am most proud of even though I won prizes for other pics.
What is the right thing to do?
I was watching Sky News over the last few days and they were getting very heated over the arrival of a convicted paedophile from Australia. This fella, Raymond Horne, moved to Oz with his family when he was five. At an early age he was convicted of a minor offense but then 12 years ago he was found guilty of something like 14 offenses against children and sent to prison for 12 years.
He was released earlier and the Queensland government decided to deport him as he had never taken Australian Citizenship and therefore was still a British citizen.
Sky were of course building this all up and using every available person to report on it, showing his arrival in England and making it all dramatic. They were asking, in the tone that only Sky news readers can, if he should be allowed back. In all honestly, the man done his time and was being deported as is their right to do. The Oz authorities had noted that the man is high risk and should be monitored at all times. Really everything they done is within international law.
Fair play though in that Sky read out posts from both sides. One post noted that Britain is trying to send prisoners who are not British citizens back to their countries to serve their time and why can't other countries do the same. Another gave out about that fact that Oz had done this but they couldn't. But then Britain is trying to do it under Human Rights law.
Personally I think Oz was well within its rights. The person is not a citizen of theirs and so why should they live in fear with this fella? They have every reason to send Horne back and they did. Britain should just get on with it but then that is just my opinion. I would like to think that I would have the same opinion if the person was Irish and we try and sort it out but then all the kiddie fiddlers here seem to be men of the cloth !
He was released earlier and the Queensland government decided to deport him as he had never taken Australian Citizenship and therefore was still a British citizen.
Sky were of course building this all up and using every available person to report on it, showing his arrival in England and making it all dramatic. They were asking, in the tone that only Sky news readers can, if he should be allowed back. In all honestly, the man done his time and was being deported as is their right to do. The Oz authorities had noted that the man is high risk and should be monitored at all times. Really everything they done is within international law.
Fair play though in that Sky read out posts from both sides. One post noted that Britain is trying to send prisoners who are not British citizens back to their countries to serve their time and why can't other countries do the same. Another gave out about that fact that Oz had done this but they couldn't. But then Britain is trying to do it under Human Rights law.
Personally I think Oz was well within its rights. The person is not a citizen of theirs and so why should they live in fear with this fella? They have every reason to send Horne back and they did. Britain should just get on with it but then that is just my opinion. I would like to think that I would have the same opinion if the person was Irish and we try and sort it out but then all the kiddie fiddlers here seem to be men of the cloth !
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Easter Egg
With Easter around the corner and plenty of egg's on the go here's one for ya....
What Easter Egg do you think you most closely resemble and why??
What Easter Egg do you think you most closely resemble and why??
Monday, March 17, 2008
Ho, ho...ye found me pot of gold..
Happy Paddy's Day to all ye beer swilling, kebab eating bolloxes.
Ye are only bolloxes cause Im neither eating or drinking at the moment.
Bolloxes.
Ye are only bolloxes cause Im neither eating or drinking at the moment.
Bolloxes.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Mind yer bags...
Was getting off the plane in Dublin on Saturday and watched the dude who unloads the bags take no care whatsoever with them. When I saw him just drop the first few bags from chest level onto the van yoke I thought I would record what he was doing. I know these lads really couldn't care less about our stuff but still...
Puerto Rico - The week in review
So, not long back from a lovely relaxing week in Puerto Rico in the Canaries. Had an absolutely great time with my wife and have to say I would defo go back again.
We stayed in the Marina Suites Hotel in Puerto Rico which is just minutes from the town centre and close to everything.The hotel is very nice and the rooms were fab. Lovely big bedrooms, small kitchenette (although you can only use the oven/hob for max of 10 mins so you can't really cook there). The sitting room area is cool and nice and comfy. Decent size balcony and all rooms look over the pool and ocean or the marina area. I would stay there again.
The town itself if nice and chilled out but I hate the fact that you can't walk past a restaurant without being harassed. It doesn't really endear you to the place especially the way some grab your arm or essentially say "you, come in here". Some were a bit more pleasant and nice about it but still I always think that if you want to eat somewhere then you will go in. We tried a few places but Oscar's Restaurant was really, really nice. Prices are comparable with Ireland but it's worth it for the quality. We ate in one place (and I would suggest to avoid in the future) called Mama Pinu and ordered chicken burgers and chips. Chips were overdone and the burger was a Tesco Value processed chicken burger and was foul.
Other places were alright but in most places the menus were the same; lasagna & chips, steak & chips, pizza, pasta, and other meats...with chips. Quality on the whole wasn't too bad.
Near Puerto Rico is Puerto de Mogan and Amadores. Amadores has a fab beach, which is man made, and some alright little restaurants around. The beach is better than the one in Puerto Rico. Puerto de Mogan is a cool little place with markets. We went there on the Friday on the ferry (€10 return from Puerto Rico) and spent the guts of 4 hours wandering around which was cool. The markets themselves, while they have the inevitable tat, also have some really good stuff and at good prices. You can get pretty much anything and everything and when finished, head for the restaurants and have waffles, magnificent vanilla ice cream, strawberries and fresh cream.
Overall, I would say that it's a good location to go to. It's it Irish Bar's you want there are loads (Flanagans, Maggies, The Harp, The Shamrock...), loads of English Bar's (The Rovers Return, The Queen Vic,..), Norwegian Bar's and loads of typical holiday shops. Food is good and fresh. Lovely cocktail bar called Bacara, lovely bar called Charlie'z and Friends and lovely restaurants. It's only 35 mins from the airport and close to other cool little towns.
Now, time for sleep...
Friday, March 07, 2008
Only a week late but....
Well, unlike everyone else I'm a week late with my post about the Irish Blog Awards. I had a really long and tough work week and the thought of spending another hour at the old 'puter was just too much. However I had an absolute blast at the awards.
Damien, hats off again for an even bigger and better show than before. It was truly memorable (before the copious amounts of alcohol).
Alexia, lovely to meet ya and well done for saving the oul technologicallyable side of things.
Rick, great presenting again and too see such a pro shite themselves beforehand is great. I love backstage info.
For everyone else I met thanks for making it a great night and for those that are giving out about it and who won and about it being a back slapping happy event - don't come next year. The event is done arranged by Damien and assisted by volunteers. Money is raised for charity, no one gets paid for it and for that back slapping is well deserved.
Ryan, Annie, Johnny, Conor, Twenty, Sinead, Una, David, Marcus, Steven, Jonathan, Grannymar, Grandad, Niall and all the others than I had the priviledge to meet and chat to thanks for the making the night it was.
And next year ye better take the fluffy drink or else *ggrrrr*. I will update with links at some stage but now Im off to bed as holliers in the mornnnn...wooooo hooooo.
Updated with links
Damien, hats off again for an even bigger and better show than before. It was truly memorable (before the copious amounts of alcohol).
Alexia, lovely to meet ya and well done for saving the oul technologicallyable side of things.
Rick, great presenting again and too see such a pro shite themselves beforehand is great. I love backstage info.
For everyone else I met thanks for making it a great night and for those that are giving out about it and who won and about it being a back slapping happy event - don't come next year. The event is done arranged by Damien and assisted by volunteers. Money is raised for charity, no one gets paid for it and for that back slapping is well deserved.
Ryan, Annie, Johnny, Conor, Twenty, Sinead, Una, David, Marcus, Steven, Jonathan, Grannymar, Grandad, Niall and all the others than I had the priviledge to meet and chat to thanks for the making the night it was.
And next year ye better take the fluffy drink or else *ggrrrr*. I will update with links at some stage but now Im off to bed as holliers in the mornnnn...wooooo hooooo.
Updated with links
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