Friday, April 29, 2011

34 Years Old + 234 Days

Thursday...

Linda went over to the ceardlann today for a while, and in that time I folded some clothes, studied some php, and practiced my first two katas. I felt really good after the katas and the study. We were meant to go into town to the board game club but it was cancelled as we were not sure if there was going to be a key holder for 091 labs (where we have our games). So Mart, Marielle, Rick but also PJ and Decco came over, it was cool and good in equal measure. Linda could not play as she was busy :(

Good day.

34 Years Old + 233 Days

Wednesday...

I turned up, and very much looking forward to karate but it turned out that it actually was not happening today afterall, I landed back at the house and hung up my karate suit again, I realised that of all the clothes I own, and indeed of all the things I own, my suit and belt are some of the things I keep in the best condition.

There was a big do for Trevor in Tí Shé for it was announced that he has been offically voted in as a member of the Seanad. He is a senator now! It is good, for he put so much work into his political career so far. Enough said though, it seems strange talking about him like this, it sounds as if I am fake or something. But I am not.

34 Years Old + 232 Days

Tuesday...

Trevor has gone up to Dail Eirean to see if he is going to be voted in as a member of the senate.

We came down from Castlebar today. It was actually a really good stay up in Castlebar. We saw Lindas brother and sister in law, we saw her parents of course and we saw her sister and soon to be the latest member to be married into the family, Mark. When we were leaving it was like a holiday was finishing.

The Ceardlann in Spideal was having it first (after a whole 27 years!) open week. There will be crafts and etc and more etc there. Fun will be there too, and she wants to hang with you man! But it looks cool.

Monday, April 25, 2011

34 Years Old + 231 Days

Monday...

Happiness... today I did some stuff of my own for myself. Hence the happiness. One thing I did was to finally, yes finally, post up some pictures onto the lonelyatoms.com. That is my other website that I am using to test out my php, html and javascript on. I could do everything on it a million times faster with a blogging program, much like this program blogger.com but I want to learnt it all myself.

I did loads of work so far on a board game that I am creating with another person (Mark Ahern being the other person). It is falling out cool enough so far.

34 Years Old + 230 Days

Sunday...

Easter!!! First thing we did I am happy to say, considering it was Easter, was to go to mass in the main church in Castlebar. It was the children mass. There were adult at it, but it was the mass that was considered ok for kids to be screaming and talking through it, which is good. I went with Sophie and Lucy into the sacristy with around 2 other kids. Sadly a large chunk of the time was spent taking the names of the kids. It was explained to me twice that the reason that the names were taken was for protection of the children. The world has gone so paranoid and careful about anything to do with kids. Not everyone is bad, not everyone wants to harm kids. As they appoligetically handed me a sign in form to put my name on they explained to me again that it was for the safety of the children. Sadly, I guess it all has to be done. If I sound off about this it is for the following reason. If it comes to children being protected and people who harm them being brought to justice it ultimately comes down to what rights kids have vs. what right the people who harm kids have. In which case, the people who harm kids actually have loads of rights, and in out state, as in Ireland our governments do not care about children. Not really. Going to Galway city this morning I passed over a road works on a road that in my opinion (and I drive on it a few times a week) was ok. This road work cost how many thousands? How many? We have a new motorway going all the way now from Galway to Dublin... how much did that cost? How much has the state wasted on the banks? On tribunals? Lawers? Private jets... junkets to USA for "trade meetings". Cover your teeth if your going to stand in front of me and tell me that the Irish government cares about children or I might knock them out of your mouth. Did you ever visit a womens shelter where women have to hide from their alcholoic husbands.. shelters that survice mostly if not totally on fund raising, where women come to hide with their kids....

34 Years Old + 229 Days

Hello... is anybody in there... just nod if you can hear me... is there anyone home?
Saturday...


We visited Paul Reilly and his wife Clair who is "with children(?!?)" in Sligo today. With my camera I did a huge decision, you see, in general I am happy with lots of my pictures that I take. But I normally take them in RAW format. When a picture is taken in RAW, 100% of the data that the camera produces in taking the image is kept. This is as opposed to JPEG, where not 100% if the data is kept. Ergo, if you want to manipulate an image, it is better to work on a RAW than a JPEG because you will have more information with work with.

Well I have switched my camera to take JPEG images, not RAW. The reason I did this is becuase it is another and slightly time consuming step to convert an image from RAW to JPEG. So, now that I have done this it is easier to "throw an image up". Why am I calling pictures images?


Anyway, this image is funny, Lucy was amazed at the "old skool" telephone box. So choosing to ignore the fact that it is probably used as a public toilet or supermans jockstrap changing room I let her go on the phone. You know whats funny, now that I am writing this, I have no idea how much a call would have even cost. Oh how technology has changed things for the much better!



Friday, April 22, 2011

34 Years Old + 228 Days

Friday....

Finished work at 4pm. Got out to Carraroe at 5ish and had dinner, Mom and Dad came up, myself and Linda packed the car. Linda had already done all of the hard work of the day, packing, sending Sophie off to Castlebar with Finola and Mark. It was then a nice spin up to Castlebar where we met John Reilly on arrival whom himself arrived in Castlebar last night.

34 Years Old + 227 Days

Thursday....

Linda got her chip and put it her phone and got it up and running today. Cool in the gang for Linda, she now had some of the most desirable pieces of hardware and software. The phone really is sexy.

We went down to Mart and Marielles when the kids were asleep. Finola + Mark came over and stayed the night and let us go. We had a game of Settlers of Catan with M+M and Rick and Paula. It was a good night, even if I was kinda cranky and tired, and taking it out on Linda, sorry Linda :)

34 Years Old + 226 Days

Wednesday....

Linda got her iPhone today! It is cool and it is everything good that people say about this piece of technology. The only problem is that the chip was not in with the phone so Linda will have to get it tomorrow.

Our good friend Paula arrived today too... I did not see her yet though.

34 Years Old + 225 Days

Tuesday...

In at work... worked away... home... dinner... sleep

34 Years Old + 225 Days

Monday,

I get up at around 6am. Like 6:15am is good, if I am out of the actual bed at that stage I know that I will have a good day. When I get up that early I have enough time to look at television, some Euronews to see what is going on in the world, I have time to have a full breakfast, like toast with marmalade, maybe a strawberry yogurt if it is there, a glass of orange juice - made from concentrate but still yum (or is it made from concentrate?) - I also have tea and a great bowl of cerial. All this when I get up at 6ish am.

This morning I got up at close to 7... in a blind panic I bearly made it into work on time.

34 Years Old + 224 Days

Sunday...

With no dad on the scene, we ended up having a pork chop and chips and peas dinner. I was going to a roasted chicken that I had planned to get from Spar but by the time I did actually get to it they were all gone, but the chops were really fantastic. Mmmmm

Myself and Linda went out to Beofest 2 today. We met Rick and Dara, it was cool. Last year I was whoring away over in the cafe, but loving it. This year I was kicking it in the marquee, and loving it.
Today was really nice and easy going too, this weekend really felt like a weekend now that I am working in Galway.

34 Years Old + 223 Days

Saturday


It was a lovely day today and it was really cool to just stay at home. We did not go anywhere or do anything for anyone. I cleaned windows, we tidyed up. I took the flat wheel off the green van and we basically hung around outside for a good long while. It was a really nice day.

34 Years Old + 222 Days

Friday


You know, it is interesting how boring life can be in a way. I am writing this "after the fact". It is a few days after this day that I am filling in the blog. And you know what, you look back at the week and you realise, nothing really all that great happened. It was very much as case of I got up, went into town, worked. I visited dad again. This time the kids were with me as Linda was in town. So after dad we did some aldi shopping and then had a bite to eat in McDonalds. Home. It was all nice and pleasent though.

At night time, Mart babysat for us and we went into the cinema. We saw Your Highness. It was good, not great, there were some funny bits in it, but it is one of those films where all the funny bits were shown in the ads. Still, Natalie Portman + Linda + Zooey Dechannel all in my field of vision at one time, not bad.

34 Years Old + 222 Days

Thursday


In town again, afterwards I was going to go to the board games club but I ended up not going.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

34 Years Old + 221 Days

Wednesday...

Visited dad again... a nice little visit again, but again, it takes chunks out of the day. I thought that I would not get to go to the camera club in Spideal because I would still have been coming out of Galway, however I was there perfectly on time as it so happened.

The camera club was interesting, it is going through a transformation at the moment where it is seeking to be more organised. But that depends on each member speaking up and saying what is on there mind. I am glad to be in the club at this stage.

So nothing great happened apart from that.....  ahem.... now Wallace :)

34 Years Old + 220 Days

Tuesday...

Visited Dad today, who was in massive agony, what with the broken rib and stuff. But he is in the right place, that being the hospital. He is in Merlin Park now, a hospital on the Dublin Road. It was nice to visit, but it takes a sizable chunk out of the day.

34 Years Old + 219 Days

Monday...

Karate today! It was good and cool. I did not go in to visit Dad... because as I have said so many times about karate... "its a commitment". Now, with that said, it still hurts my mind to think that I missed last weeks karate.

Monday, April 11, 2011

34 Years Old + 218 Days

Sunday....

Seems like dad has a spot of pneumonia so I took him into hospital. We were there at some time like 4ish and I left at 10ish after they realised that he would have to stay in hospital for a few nights. My day was planned totally differently, I had a really relaxing day planned were I would work on my game, plant some potatoes, chill the beans in preperation of my busy week next week, but it was not meant to be.

I stayed in Barrys place in town, it was cool. He told me to make myself at home so I did, and I felt very relaxed at last. I was better to stay at Barrys since I could than drive home to Carraroe just to go to sleep and drive in again really early in the morning again. So I was happy. I missed the kids and Linda and I had pity for dad. But what do you do....

34 Years Old + 217 Days

Saturday - Murder Mystery Dinner Night!!!!

We, Linda and the kids and I, spent all day pretty much prepping the place for the murder mystery dinner that was going to be at our house at 8pm. Basically, that was all we really did till 8.

The dinner itself and the whole night was cool. I did not actively partake in the event, I was the "cook". As in, I gave them the food, and I was mega happy to do so. Linda was the "waitress". She was itching to be involved in the actual dinner itself, be one of the 8 that were actually in the mystery, but we were delighted that Dara and Rick were able to be in our places. It was a good night...

34 Years Old + 216 Days

Friday...

Dang, I was tired today, and by contrast the amount of stuff that I got done was signicifantly less easier than when I was wide awake. However it is Friday and I was out by 4pm. Rock. I meet the Linda and the girls and we did some shopping in town but we were out soon enough.


Mart had an unplanned film night but I could not go nor could Linda cause we were keeping an eye on kids.

34 Years Old + 215 Days

Thursday...

I was really full of beans today. That means I had alot of energy and I did a million more things than I normally would in the same time. It is amazing what going to sleep at 10pm does for you! I had a good day really. Then whilst I was in town anyway I went to the Board Games Club in Galway. It was good, I find something very interesting about the whole thing. Home late though... it is 1:20 before I actually get to bed....

Thursday, April 7, 2011

34 Years Old + 214 Days

Wednesday...

In all honesty nothing is happening to me these days except getting up early in morning, going into town and coming out again (from the work I am doing in town). I fixed some computers this evening when I got home and yesterday too actually so I actually a bit organised.

I gave up finally on the whole water thing, a bit, and I had a shower. The water is still unclean and I am sure that I can feel it burning me a bit but what do you do. When it comes to showering the kids I will use clean water but for myself, and Linda is doing it too, we are switching to normal poisionous water.

34 Years Old + 213 Days

Tuesday...

Man, I was busy again today and I had to get up at 6:30 in the morning. I left wanted to be in town at 8am so as long as I leave the house at 7am when the news is on I will easily be on time in town at 8am. However, for some reason I ended up not leaving until like 7:10am and I ended up being in town at 8:20! Bloody traffic!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

34 Years Old + 212 Days

Monday...

Monday, oh double edged sword. I was "doing stuff" today and that was brilliant but it meant that by the time I was out of Galway it was nearly 7pm. Karate time!

But then a phone call came, and I took it. It was about a computer that needed really to be looked at straight away. So I did, and in the process I lost my first karate class :(

*********      *********
                *
              ^
Yeah so that sucked alot basically. If I find myself doing karate chops on poor innocent bystanders I blame the world and not myself. Then of course, there was no water.

You know this whole water thing is strange. I have seen very little finger wagging. In fact I have heard very little about the whole thing in general. I was actually thinking, could I sue someone? But who do I sue then? The County Council? Do I sue the Acadamh? No one is blaming anyone for anything. I have had to wash my kids with a bottle of water. You think thats funny acadamh, is that funny county council. Feck the lot you. When I had the cafe people wanted to rip my balls if they heard English in the building. Now no one is saying anything because of the holy grail that we find erected in Carraroe that is poisioning young kids and old people. But will anyone say anything? Oh no... thats where Irish comes from! Like a uranium rod pulsing out its radioactive culture and killing its slack jawed believers, the poision pours out of the acadamh.

Oh wait a second, did I speak about the way that the acadamh was making people sick and say it in Irish. Opps, my bad.

Monday, April 4, 2011

34 Years Old + 211 Days

Sunday


We got up early, like we were down at the breakfast at 10am I think. Something like that. But this was the first time I was eating in the hotel and I was hungry. Man we had a georgous breakfast. Of course we had to leave the hotel at 12 but we stopped into the Liffy Valley Shopping Center to get a frappachino in that coffee place, Starbucks? Jesus, how have I forgotten the name of it?

Not too soon, because we missed our kids so much, we finally got Castlebar and picked up our young-uns and headed down home. Mom had an extremely welcoming fire down for us when we got there. It was nice to be home, were it not for the bloody water... still poisonious.

34 Years Old + 210 Days

Saturday


Shanes wedding! Shane is a friend of mine that I met in Ros Na Run. He got married to the once Mary White. The wedding was fantastic and it was one of those weddings that had a funny priest so it made the whole thing easier. The reception was in a hotel off the M1 motorway. We were staying in a hotel in Balbriggin. And I have to say, there is something kinda strange about Balbriggin. Linda was looking for some small bits of jewelry so we looked around the local shop and the jewelers were strange! The were all talking about horse racing, ignored us for the most part. Its like, dudes! we're here to buy stuff! There was a nice open beach down at Balbriggin too. And it is a fairly photogenic place, although interestingly, it is more a
place I would like to paint I think than photo.

We left the wedding kinda early, 1am. I still wasn't feeling 100% It was funny being at a wedding and not feeling like throwing up because you ate so much! It felt nice actually. Control!

34 Years Old + 209 Days

Friday


Today we had to go up to Dublin because we have a wedding to go to tomorrow. Lindas Dad got the rooms for us in this hotel. So we dropped off the girls in Salthil to Lindas parents. We got to Dublin around 6ish but Linda drove most of the way. When we got here we had a fine meal. Problem was, I had picked up a bug at this time. So a short while after the food was laid down on the table - I had to go to the bathroom and throw up. And did I throw up. Afterwards I sat down to the dinner table again the table looked fantastic. So I ate the soup and some fish that was delicious. However, it was too much too soon. Off to the bathroom again, knelt down to the toilet and threw up again... then I found myself staring at my hand. It was over my face... a
few moments later I realised that my head hurt a tiny bit. I was breathing gently, I was extemely relaxed. Then I realised I was laying on the floor of the cubicle I was in. I slowly picked myself up and joined Linda again in the restaurant. I went up to my hotel room and quickly fadded off to sleep.

34 Years Old + 208 Days

Thursday...

We had gaming in Galway this evening, it was class. It was good because there were actually loads of people. I think at one point there were around 15 people at the games, and that is without alot of the regulars. So well done Mart and Marielle!

34 Years Old + 207 Days

Wednesday...

Opps, somehow I missed out on this day, sorry. This happens to me every now and again.

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