1,000 Things to Do Before You Die

Last Christmas in that time between Christmas Day and New Years Eve, I was in a bar with my sister her boyfriend, G and a few friends. We were talking at that time, as you do, about New Years resolutions and the like. One of the things we said we would do was make a list of 1,000 things you want to do before you die. The idea was that we would meet up each year, with our lists, and check off the things we’d done. This was by way of making sure each of us followed our dreams and done what we could each year to follow these dreams. It’s no use saying after all if I had my time again I’d do it differently. I mean why dream about doing something when you can get up off your arse and do it.

So in keeping up my end of the bargain here’s some of my list, the plan is to start following through on it just as soon as I finish my exams….

1. Learn to surf
2. Take my grades in guitar
3. Take one superb picture per month
4. Buy a Jet Ski
5. Start fishing again
6. Start my own business

May Day Celebrations

On Saturday May 1st, ten new countries will join the EU. As Ireland currently holds the Presidency of the European Union, it will host a series of meetings with Heads of the existing member states and the new accession states.

Cork has been chosen to host Slovakia on May 1st, for what is being called “The Day of Welcomes”. Cork City Lord Mayor Colm Burke will kick off the celebrations with an Official opening of the Day of Welcomes. This will be followed by a series of performances by a range of local and Slovakian artists on the City’s main thoroughfare, Patrick Street. Further details of performances can be found here.

Meanwhile in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the Irish Army have erected razor wire around Farmleigh House, the site of meetings between European Heads of State. This security precaution is as a result of perceived threats from Anti-Globalization campaigners and other Anti-Europe groups such as Another Europe is Possible. Local authorities do not want repeat scenes similar to those seen in other cities around Europe on previous May Days.

However, despite these threats Dubliners can expect much celebration in and around the streets of the capital. One of the cooler ideas is by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and is being called Dublin Elevation. This is a site where users can design their own light show which will be seen up to 15 kilometres from its site on O’Connell Street. These designs can then be dedicated to someone or some cause. Nifty eh?

Tired Out

I'm exhausted.....all play and no rest makes Jack a tired boy.

The Bachelor of Business Administration

All that stands between me and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree is six little exams. In three weeks it will all be over. I've been really busy with project work lately along with working eight to eight for the last few days straight.

I'm getting pains under my arms which I'm attributing to a reaction to the deodorant I use and my head is thumping this last three days with what I hope is only a tension headache, because if its not, I think we might have a problem.

Scared shitless it might be the Big "C", but I suppose that’s a hangover of the paranoia that goes with someone close to you being diagnosed with cancer.

If I keep running around in circle like this I'll meet myself on the way back……

Now This Looks Like Fun!

Check out Parkour. The giving up the notion of becoming a Jedi line made me laugh...

He Got His

You may remember me talking about the guy with small man syndrome. Well he got his today. He’s been out on holidays for nearly three weeks now and in his absence I’ve been covering his work. Well today he got his. Turns out I managed to make an impression on some of his peers and his seniors in his absence. As a result he has no control over my work for the next few months. It’s a relief not to have to endure the pedantic way he carries on. The project I’m working on, one he would normally be responsible for has been given to me to run with as a standalone piece of business. You see people with small minds forget that wheels turn and that what goes around comes around. In addition to this he’s been told to get used to working without me, as there are other plans around here for me, something that he was not too happy with. His empire is crumbling before him and because of his unyielding attitude and inability to be flexible there is little he can do to fix it.

I need to be careful what I wish for though and make sure I make the right impression and create the right opportunities for myself in this…..

The Customs Officer

Two days in every year pubs in Ireland close. Christmas Day and Good Friday. So as is the custom we had a small party on Good Friday Night. G’s Sister and Brother-in-law came over to our house for a few drinks and eats, which were badly needed after the roller coaster that was last week. There’s something about sitting in your own house entertaining friends that makes these nights special. Friday was no different and we had a great night just sitting around sipping on beers and wine and fresh salmon and home baked brown bread bantering about this and that. G (The Officer of Customs) was quite the entertainer, officiating at the custom that is Good Friday drinks, ensuring everyone was comfortable, well watered and well fed.

Another Officer of Customs had a different attitude on Saturday morning when my brother was coming home from L.A. He arrived into Dublin Airport after an awful flight. Apparently the baby sitting in front of him did not stop crying for the entire flight, so sleep was not an option. The kid sitting next to him decided to throw up just as the flight was landing and as if that wasn’t enough, when he finally got to clear customs he got stopped. A guitar he had bought himself apparently should have been declared. He thought because he was coming home he didn’t need to declare it. He’s an Irish citizen as are all the family. This Customs Officer was not the entertaining type, ignoring anything the poor kid said. The result was his new Fender was confiscated pending the production of the original receipt, 21% VAT and 3.5% Import duty. In addition to this he may have to pay twice the actual cost of the guitar. What does this mean? Well, it means that a guitar that cost him $700 in L.A. will have cost him in excess of $2,100 to get back to Ireland.

The Conundrum of Blogging, Ranking, Newsfeeds

I spent some time today looking at the manner in which Blogs are ranked in Google and such like. It doesn’t make sense. Blogs are based in simple terms on linking and newsfeeds. Now if everyone is linking to each other and ranks are based on most popular how can this be news even if it is fed. In order to link to it you must already have read the content, by which time it is no longer news. Should it not be turned on it’s head and rather than being ranked by most popular should it not be ranked by least popular? If it’s not popular by the ranking standards, it would seem no one is linking to it. If no one is linking to it, less people have read it, therefore it truly is news when you stumble upon it. Just a thought!

The Builder Saga….

The builder saga continues. I rang him today and told him I wanted the cheque that he agreed to give me for the damaged mattress. He agreed to give it to us (Under protest I might add) and we collected it today.

I can’t wait to finish work this week it’s been one of those roller coaster weeks of ups and downs that leaves you feeling only down