tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57929702011-04-21T19:26:47.964+01:00What do you describe it as? A blog from Ireland.....http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.comBlogger1831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1164040741142518742006-11-20T16:33:00.000Z2006-11-20T16:39:01.143Z

Just finished reading "Carry Me Down", by M.J. Hyland. This book is one that leaves you thinking about it long after you've put the book down. Some of the images portrayed in the book have haunting quality which lingers for some time after finsihing the book. The attempted murder by John, the books central character, of his Mother is strange and leaves the reader with a dislike for John, who up

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1163000582818970242006-11-08T15:39:00.000Z2006-11-08T15:44:50.460Z

Okay so two months later, I decide I better post something here.Baby Berries is due to arrive Monday. We sit at home each evening waiting for the Tsunami to arrive (waters to break). Mrs. B can't sleep, sit or walk without discomfort and neither of us is sure what to expect.But that aside, we cannot wait to see our baby!!Tags: DaBerries Baby

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1154619372747924702006-08-03T16:35:00.000+01:002006-08-03T16:36:58.750+01:00

Right, I'm still trying to reduce my outgoings everywhere I can. So I moved onto my credit card today. I have a balance on my card that rolls over from month to month. It's not huge but big enough that it is going to take me a while to get it down. It's a little hangover from our honeymoon. The card has been retired to the drawer until it's gone. So I rang my provider today who charge an APR of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1154513708036871242006-08-02T11:12:00.000+01:002006-08-02T11:15:08.050+01:00

Following on from my enquiries with my mortgage provider I've started a review of my finances. You'd be amazed where you waste money. Three years ago we bought a TV, DVD player and video for €700. We were about to move into our new house, so money was tight. In order to keep the cost down we decided, in our wisdom, to finance the purchase over 48 months with the stores finance provider. I just

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1153996044899852512006-07-27T11:26:00.000+01:002006-07-27T11:32:36.180+01:00

I took an SSIA out back in April of 2002. I decided back then in my wisdom to contribute the maximum to the scheme of €254 per month. My SSIA is due to mature next May. So what do you do with a bundle of cash that you never had in your pocket to begin with? What do you do with the monthly contribution of €254 that you haven't missed for five years? Well, I heard Eddie Hobbbs say you should pay

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1153953252472078392006-07-26T23:27:00.000+01:002006-07-26T23:40:37.603+01:00

Some images from Paris July '06Tags: DaBerries Travel Paris Photos

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1153485553013294352006-07-21T13:33:00.000+01:002006-07-21T13:39:46.966+01:00

Seeing as how the wife is pregnant I decided we'd better book us some quality time away before the baby arrives and before she can no longer travel. Going away on a spur of the moment will require military precision from November on. That and the fact that we only have 14 more weekends before our lives are turned upside down prompted me to book a weekend in Paris for the both of us.Okay so I'm

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1151679314512836822006-06-30T15:52:00.000+01:002006-06-30T16:10:43.460+01:00

I recently bought The People's Act of Love by James Meek. It was on some bestseller's list, the The New York Times I think. To say that this book is slow going is to be kind to the author. It's like watching paint dry and then sitting down again to watch the second coat dry. Really poor read, which left me thinking that the folks over at The Times need to start reading some of the crap on their

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1151446092777842862006-06-27T23:05:00.000+01:002006-06-27T23:12:51.003+01:00

I'm tired of the same old pub scene. So yesterday I got online and got some tickets to see The Frames live at the Marquee in Cork on Friday night. After all isn't that what the summer is about?Tags: DaBerries Music

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1150824170696641772006-06-20T18:17:00.000+01:002006-06-20T18:22:50.710+01:00

So after a long absence here's the latest update;1. Turned another year older May 12th2. Got married3. Went on honeymoon4. Came back to work after 3.5 weeks off (horrible)5. Found out I'm going to be a Dad (It may come as a shock to some because apparently some of you thought I was a chick:-)Needless to say it's been a busy year!!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1146661465701524142006-05-03T13:57:00.000+01:002006-05-03T14:05:14.986+01:00

Now these are some funny ads from AppleTags: DaBerries Apple

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1143097042486280682006-03-23T06:49:00.000Z2006-03-23T06:57:22.506Z

Yesterday I mentioned that I was given a monster truck instead of the car I ordered by Hertz. Well, wonder of all wonders tonight I think I got caught for speeding by one of the roadside cameras. I was doing 38-39 in a 35 zone. The reason I know this is because they have one of those odometers at the side of the road that I was busy looking at while braking when the camera took a candid shot of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1142999621308719742006-03-22T03:38:00.000Z2006-03-22T03:53:41.340Z

I'm officially knackered! A week of traveling in and out of different time zones is not good for the body. I'm back in the CA this week following my visits to L.A., Chicago and and a quick two day stop in South Bend IN. This week see's me in the Bay Area until Thursday. At least I get to stay in the same hotel room for more than two nights though, which can only be a bonus. It's official, United

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1142634779385350272006-03-17T22:31:00.000Z2006-03-17T22:32:59.403Z

In Chicago for St. Patricks Day. Went out last night and ripped it up big-style with one of my suppliers. Couldn't eat until about 2 o'clock today. I can just barely type. I need to learn how to drink again, although I'm putting the extent of my hangover down to being Jet lagged following two horrendous days of travel that saw me fly into LA from London and back to Chicago in 48 hours. I'm

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1141988573445604802006-03-10T10:57:00.000Z2006-03-10T11:02:53.460Z

Gavin is looking to raise funds for his cousin Victor who sustained a serious spinal injury whilst playing rugby with Longford RFC in October of 2005. Having played rugby for most of my life, I can appreciate the seriousness of such an injury. I remember whilst still quite young being carted off to hospital in a neck brace on a backboard following an injury sustained at the bottom of a scrum.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1141839394628736672006-03-08T17:34:00.000Z2006-03-08T17:37:17.213Z

From time to time I get what my family calls "The Latest Get Rich Quick" idea into my head. I become obsessed with the idea until it eventually goes out of mind or until I prove to myself that it can't be done. So my latest one is that you can make yourself a millionaire by building just six houses. Something similar to the £1 million property experiment. The difference here though is I think you

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1141297202563303202006-03-02T10:58:00.000Z2006-03-02T11:00:02.573Z

Looking at March I'm going to be a very busy boy. My schedule at work is choca-block. March 14th I'm in L.A. Following day, leave L.A. and head to Chicago where I manage to stay until March 20th. Then I leave for South Bend IN for a day. From there it's back west to San Francisco for three days before heading back to Ireland and a two day pre-marriage course in Cork. Okay so the course at the end

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1141211594948012002006-03-01T11:01:00.000Z2006-03-01T11:26:11.593Z

I've recently started reading the Ross O'Carroll-Kelly series of books by Paul Howard. Hilarious!! Having attended a school on the Southside of Dublin that was part of the whole Leinster Schools Senior Cup gig, I got such a kick out of these books. They're so close to the truth that it's uncanny. Guy's or should I say "Goys" I went to school with actually carried on like this and if I'm to be

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1140707433524182582006-02-23T15:08:00.000Z2006-02-23T15:10:33.533Z

Just looking at the last time I made an entry here. Over a month ago. I’ve been busy dealing with things that I need to deal with privately.Major renovations are under way at my house. Pre-wedding decorating it would seem is a pre-requisite. So last weekend was spent painting the dining room. Who thought duck egg blue and china clay were colours? Not me anyway. In my mind one is an egg and one is

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1136555723945798442006-01-06T13:51:00.000Z2006-01-06T13:55:23.956Z

After a blogging blooper, a string of e-mails and a little encouragement, I'm guesting over here today

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1136477818298546492006-01-05T16:14:00.000Z2006-01-05T16:16:58.310Z

Today should be a day of celebrations. I got my new desk diary. As I transferred all of my frequently used notes to the back pages of my new desk diary I couldn’t help but notice a note I made for January 5th 2006 in the year planner. It was a note I’d made sometime in August. It screamed at me from inside it’s little box. It simply read 21st. Today would have been my youngest brothers 21st

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1134984578267092662005-12-19T08:49:00.000Z2005-12-21T09:02:22.900Z

Reading this post kind of encapsulates how I feel about a Christmas this year, but for different reasons. Christmas used to be a great time in our house, a time for family. The one day of the year where we all knew where we'd be and what we would be doing at different times in the the day. It's an operation of military precision, presents, breakfast, Mass, cousins visit us, drinks in the

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1134571256431921762005-12-14T14:40:00.000Z2005-12-14T14:47:56.196Z

I just downloaded Jose Gonzalez's album, Veneer, from the iTunesmusic store. Not a bad album. I heard this the other night at a house party and knew one of the songs from the now famed Sony Bravia ad.On first impressions, the rest of the album is equally as good it would seem. Can't wait to listen to it properly on the way home tonight.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1134048092645682172005-12-08T13:13:00.000Z2005-12-08T13:28:17.156Z

I sent my iPod Nano back today. I tried to turn it on the other morning and it froze. Nothing for it. Got in touch with the Applestore and I returned it and will have a new one within whatever number of business days it takes to replace these things. Aside from which the thing was scratched all over. I bought the Nano tubes on a recent business trip to San Francisco and they seemed to do the job.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1133277438653510332005-11-29T15:06:00.000Z2005-11-29T15:17:18.690Z

I've spent the last few weeks becoming completely detached from my life. I mean I’m living it, but it’s a case of going through the motions. I go to work come home and sit in the armchair in quiet contemplation of a lot of things I’m struggling to deal with. I know myself I’m becoming distant, but it’s something I can’t help. At times I fall apart. Thankfully there is someone there to pick up the

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1131012498828221672005-11-03T10:05:00.000Z2005-11-03T11:13:12.443Z

I’d like to be able to write something witty, something insightful, something other than what has been continually running around my mind, but I can’t. The events of the last month and a half consume me. God, has it been a month and a half already? It’s not the big things that you miss, it’s the little things. Sitting in the car the other morning a song came on the radio. It made me think of my

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1129280592428512132005-10-14T10:02:00.000+01:002005-10-14T10:03:12.433+01:00

On the 18th September, I received a phone call from my father at 11.30 a.m. In what turned out to be a conversation I will never forget, he told me that my youngest brother at the age of 20 had decided that he had had enough of this world and had taken his own life. Some time early on Sunday morning, the 18th September, life got too much for him. I last spoke with him at 3.57 am on that morning.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1126026444059518482005-09-06T17:44:00.000+01:002005-09-06T18:07:24.106+01:00

If you think you can help, click on the link on the right. Habitat for Humanity will be helping to re-build the areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida that were affected by hurricane Katrina.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1124986481841051692005-08-25T17:12:00.000+01:002005-08-25T17:24:54.366+01:00

Jason Kottke has an interesting post on the price of going to the Cinema. You can read it here..It would appear that it's not only Ireland where the big theatres are ripping off their customers.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1124794318078161022005-08-23T11:46:00.000+01:002005-08-23T11:54:26.343+01:00

Another installment of 47 hours has started over at Thinking Out Loud. If you have the time and like short stories, then check it out..

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1124454992175032452005-08-19T13:23:00.000+01:002005-08-19T13:40:31.823+01:00

If you liked the television series The Office, then you'll get a great kick out of Ricky Gervais latest series Extras! On BBC 2 on Thursday evenings, the series features Ricky Gervais as Andy Millman, an actor who thinks he has a lot more talent than he actually has. Each episode features a big name such as Ben Stiller or Samuel L Jackson.Last nights episode featured Samuel L Jackson in situation

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1124369693035220012005-08-18T13:53:00.000+01:002005-08-18T17:40:46.403+01:00

Myself and G took some time off work last week to spend a few days with friends of ours who were visiting from the U.S. Our friends stayed with us from Friday until Tuesday of last week. We did the whole Plastic Paddy thing, brought them to the Jameson distillery in Midleton. The Titanic museum in Cobh (formerly Queenstown), kissed the Blarney Stone out in Blarney Castle and rang the bells in

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1123158498661320752005-08-04T13:20:00.000+01:002005-08-04T13:28:18.663+01:00

I've finally managed it. I've moved to Cork. No more 5.00 am starts on Monday's to drive to Dublin for work. I can finally get a full nights sleep on a Sunday night. I got a great job with a fantastic company in Cork and I'm really enjoying it. At the time I was made an offer with this company, I was also notified by my previous employer that I was being made redundant. With over 5 years service,

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1121122521301439692005-07-11T23:53:00.000+01:002005-07-11T23:55:21.306+01:00

Sometimes life just takes over and you can't spare the time for things you'd like to be doing. That's me of late.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1118147479613791412005-06-07T13:28:00.000+01:002005-06-07T13:31:19.620+01:00

Man have I been busy the last few weeks. I've had two interviews with a really good company in Cork and it looks promising. That and everything else that is going on in my work life keep me too busy at the minute. To top it all off, I spent the long weekend with my head air-locked with a summer cold that is doing the rounds.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1116578744395288732005-05-20T09:16:00.000+01:002005-05-20T09:45:44.453+01:00

RTÉ's Prime Time program last night covered the Cork Capital of Culture celebrations and the general feeling in Cork that not enough was being done to celebrate the fact that the "Real Capital" was in fact the European Capital of Culture.It's an argument that has been doing the rounds almost since day one and one which has prompted groups such as Where's Me Culture to set-up in an effort to get

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1116334151669158552005-05-17T13:19:00.000+01:002005-08-19T13:38:52.250+01:00

The Examiner reveals in breaking news that singer Kylie Minogue could face months of surgery and treatment as she battles to beat breast cancer. The singer joins a list of other celebrities including Anastacia who have developed the disease, showing that cancer is indiscriminate in its choice of victim.While it is generally thought that breast cancer is something that is limited to women over the

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1115902157312652632005-05-12T13:37:00.000+01:002005-05-12T13:49:17.390+01:00

John Breslin notes that it@cork are organising a Blogging For Business event on Thursday 6th June in the National Software Centre, Mahon. Now it@cork are not to be confused with the other shower CIT. Sure what would they know about blogging, they don't even do e-mail?Now, at the risk of sounding even more out of step than my pals at the CIT, I didn't even know we had a National Software Centre.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1115843598692573242005-05-11T21:24:00.000+01:002005-05-12T09:32:59.510+01:00

I recently applied for a job at the Cork Institute of Technology. The position that was advertised was Student Centre Project Manager. Having submitted my CV along with a cover e-mail, I received the following response from the Human Resource Manager;Dear DB,Applications are only accepted by normal post – email applications are not accepted.Please forward details of your application in hard copy

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1115672056776608632005-05-09T21:46:00.000+01:002005-05-09T22:15:17.003+01:00

After many happy camping trips in their trailer tent, my parents are looking to sell theirs. As they get that bit more mature (older), they've become accustomed to their luxuries when they go away on holidays or for weekends.The tent itself sleeps 6-8 people comfortably and comes complete with stove, sink and porta-loo. Also going with this are all of their camping accesories. It's free to a good

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1115552972827388412005-05-08T12:39:00.000+01:002005-05-08T12:51:43.306+01:00

Tom Zeller has an article in the New York Times today where he interviews Nick Denton, publisher of Gawker Media. The question asked is, "Is the blogging revolution really just another case of hype, similar to that of the 90's, where people thought the internet was going to change the way we do everything in business?" The answer is probably not. Just like the debate over the internet in the 90's

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1115199621095772572005-05-04T10:33:00.000+01:002005-05-04T10:40:21.100+01:00

I finished reading "Paranoia" by Joseph Finder last night. It was a fantastic book but I have to say I was a little disappointed with the ending. It’s like Finder got cheesed off toward the end and said, “Right, that’s enough to satisfy the publisher let’s wrap this up”. The adventures of Adam Cassidy will keep you up until the wee small hours wondering what's going to happen next. Anyway, this

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1114692823805245532005-04-28T13:48:00.000+01:002005-04-28T13:54:18.533+01:00

I spent a part of yesterday evening in Easons, looking for a couple of new books. I bought Paranoia by Joseph Finder. I'm only a couple of chapters in and already its a page turner. It reads a little like John Grishams, The Firm and seems pretty good. A lot of what I have been reading lately has been of a biographical nature, so I needed a bit of escapism and this looks just like it.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1114590498091002782005-04-27T09:25:00.000+01:002005-04-27T09:28:18.093+01:00

Did you ever have a morning that puts a bounce in your step. You wake up with no trouble at all, (usually I'm nailed to the bed in the morning), you take a shower a step out the door into glorious sunshine. All the way into work you listen to your favourite music until you arrive in the door of the office with a bounce in your step. Well this morning was one of those mornings.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1114158835331148272005-04-22T09:24:00.000+01:002005-04-22T09:33:55.333+01:00

Did you ever get to a point in your life where your not sure what the next step is? I'm at it. Self-employment seems a daunting step to take, but yet due to the uncharted nature of its course, it becomes more attractive each day. I've always been one for coming up with great ideas, anyone who knows me will be familiar with the following statements;"Do you know what would work really well here?""I

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1113476500826513832005-04-14T11:46:00.000+01:002005-04-14T12:01:40.826+01:00

Jeffrey Zeldman of A List Apart and Happy Cog Studios fame has started his own blog, Apartness, on Blogger. His reasoning is simple, it affords him a freedom his own brand does not,"After ten years of this kind of publishing, I finally get to enjoy it like a tourist."Zeldmans action begs the question, "Do bloggers become slaves to what they think their readership wants to read?", "Do you become

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1113474718228037522005-04-14T11:22:00.000+01:002005-04-14T11:32:45.806+01:00

I saw this on the news the other night: Toby the Rabbit will die on June 30th unless his owner receives $50,000 to save his life. More...

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112950185434027782005-04-08T09:40:00.000+01:002005-04-11T21:25:57.550+01:00

We recently picked up one of those retro games consols, you know the ones with the 5 different games on them. I'm glued to it. You can forget your X-Box and PS II! If you want a throw-back to your childhood days when gaming was only in its infancy, pick up one of these little consols. They plug straight into the AV or FAV of your TV and away you go. Pacman is brilliant in its simplicity and we've

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112806600225827632005-04-06T17:35:00.000+01:002005-04-06T20:11:27.280+01:00

Following the recent death of Pope John Paul II, the College of Cardinals will meet in the Vatican on the 18th April to form a conclave to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.Of the 183 Cardinals, only 117 are under 80 years of age and therefore eligible to vote. Typically they will select one of their number to the succeed the previous Pope, however, in theory any member of the

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112289281284888172005-03-31T18:08:00.000+01:002005-03-31T18:14:41.286+01:00

I found this via Kottke. It's one of those weblog art projects similar to the Journals Project. Some are a bit creepy.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112221089583681832005-03-30T23:14:00.000+01:002005-03-30T23:18:09.583+01:00

If you need a laugh check out Twenty's photoblog on Flickr. I cried laughing.Viewed as a slideshow its even better!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112217926222736412005-03-30T22:19:00.000+01:002005-03-30T22:25:26.223+01:00

I have one utterly massive pain in my barse (not quite yer balls & not quite yer arse) looking for a job in Cork. You've heard the analogy about Bill Gates and his money stacked end to end going to the moon, well if I was to stack the number of PFO's I've received in recent weeks end to end, they'd give Bill a run for his money.Who ever said we never had it so good? Is this something we just tell

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1112096372021444572005-03-29T12:33:00.000+01:002005-03-29T12:39:32.023+01:00

I'm not really a betting man, but I think I could become one. I can see what the attraction is. I back horses in two situations, 1. When I get a tip on a sure thing (if there is such a thing) & 2. when its the Grand National.Anyway, armed with the tips from the pre-race commentary on RTé I went down to the local bookies and stuck a few bob on Numbersixvalverde. What do you know he won! With odds

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111950489755657632005-03-27T19:58:00.000+01:002005-03-27T20:08:09.756+01:00

Yesterday, after a beautiful lunch in sunny Cork City, we went to see Willy Russell's Blood Brothers in the Opera House starring Rebecca Storm. It's a fantastic production and a powerful musical. The show runs for four weeks as far as I am aware and if you get a chance, I'd urge you to go and see it. It's a truely touching tale and Rebecca Storm is absolutely fantastic in it.The Opera House is

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111764966173622002005-03-25T15:34:00.000Z2005-03-25T15:36:06.176Z

I just found this via Twenty Major. It would seem that there is a new "in crowd" in town. If you sign up, they'll give you a little button like the one on the right absolutley free. No - non Irish need apply, or so the FAQ's would have you believe.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111758373294384782005-03-25T13:38:00.000Z2005-03-25T14:46:12.300Z

I got sick of looking at the blue every day on DaBerries, so I've updated it with a standard Blogger template until I've time to look into to doing something a little more groovy. In the process I managed to muck up comments, so they'll be out of action for a while until I get the time to fix them.I've also stuck on an xml feed compliments of Feedburner, you can get it here.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111683573123564642005-03-24T16:51:00.000Z2005-03-24T17:00:30.116Z

Anyone who has been to New York during the winter or has seen a film depicting New York in winter may have wondered about the clouds of steam that you often see emanating from manholes or big red & white funnels. John Emerson over at backspace.com explains.Its something I've always wondered about. Is it the sewers? What causes the steam? Surely it can't be healthy.You can read all about the

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111600713455321832005-03-23T17:49:00.000Z2005-03-23T17:58:33.456Z

I noticed this first at Derek Powazek's site. Then an hour or two later I saw it at Jason Kottke's site. How can the entire blogosphere be having massages and where can I get one?I soon figured it out.....So I'm having one too!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111588320518756712005-03-23T14:19:00.000Z2005-03-23T14:32:00.520Z

You may remember a while back I wrote this piece in relation to reports that the Revenue Commissioners were not refunding individuals on the PAYE scheme of tax for popular expenses such as medical expenses. Well, having filled out the relevant forms and sent them off, I received a cheque in the post yesterday from the Revenue Commissioners for a whopping €26.56. Cynics among you may say it was

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1111443138886196552005-03-21T21:21:00.000Z2005-03-21T22:14:29.560Z

If you've been too busy of late to keep up with what's hot and what's not in the world of blog then you may have missed Jason Kottke's latest project. Quite frankly, I'm sorry I didn't think of this myself. Essentially Kottke has quit his full time job as a web designer to go it solo blogging for a living. Is this lunatic for real I hear you say! Crazy I hear you cry! A large sandwich short of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1110533292288244312005-03-11T09:23:00.000Z2005-03-11T09:29:45.310Z

Today is Daffodil Day and volunteers all over Ireland will be selling Daffodils in the cities and towns around the country. Make sure you support the Irish Cancer Society’s drive to raise much needed funds to support the ongoing delivery of nursing care to cancer patients.If you can’t buy a Daff today for whatever reason, then click on the link in the nav bar or above to make a donation on-line,

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1109952756661285732005-03-04T16:02:00.000Z2005-03-04T16:12:36.663Z

If like me, you are one of the many people in Ireland with credit card debt rolling over from month to month you may be interested in this.I have a credit card with a well known provider of credit cards (the one that you get 12 leaflets for with the Sunday papers). The standard rate of interest with this provider is a whopping 18.9% APR. I rang them yesterday and explained that I was thinking of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1109068246118102632005-02-22T10:23:00.000Z2005-02-22T10:30:46.120Z

The Irish Cancer Society's annual Daffodil Day is aproaching. Over 5,000 volunteers are expected to take part selling daffodil's on Friday March 11th. For more information on how you can get involved or how you can help, click on the link above or the button on the right.Money raised from the sale of daffodils on this day will be used to help continue fund nursing care for those suffering from

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1108491030757273292005-02-15T17:35:00.000Z2005-02-15T22:05:42.356Z

I found this piece on Gavin's Blog (Love your site by the way!) which led me to this piece on blúire's blog (Love your site by the way!) in relation to an article that those bastards (and I may have used the word in the wrong context, so I'll apologise now) over at the Irish Times (Love your site by the way, pity about registration and subscription though!) published in relation to irishblogs.It

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1108460068043450062005-02-15T09:24:00.000Z2005-02-15T09:36:31.416Z

I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I think Valentines Day is just another excuse for the commercial powers that be to pick our pockets. I don't think I need an occassion like Valentines Day, created by a greeting card company to show how I feel about someone.So in a move to get away from the traditional Valentines Day commercialism, we celebrated our Valentines Day on Saturday just

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1107425555878958022005-02-03T10:10:00.000Z2005-02-03T10:13:29.683Z

I was left at home this morning with no keys to my car. I had to get a certain someone to come home from their workplace with my keys. Up early, left sitting in the house with no way to get to work that wouldn't take two hours, I never wished I could hot-wire a car more!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106762728380799902005-01-26T17:48:00.000Z2005-01-27T10:40:38.033Z

The Bloggies 2005 (site down due to bandwith) recently published their list of finalists. The list of finalists can be seen via weblogwannabe. I was intrigued to see the finalists selected in the category "Best British or Irish Weblog". All British no less! Kind of a pointless category if your not going to give any Irishblogs even so much as a mention. Surely there are Irishblogs out there of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106751182674600882005-01-26T14:51:00.000Z2005-01-26T14:53:02.673Z

A lot has been made recently of reports that the Revenue Commissioners have not being paying their dues to the tax paying public. It would appear that the Revenue Commissioners have been withholding a lot of taxpayer’s money and not refunding those who may have overpaid their taxes. Now to my mind this makes the Revenue Commissioners no better than former TD Ray Burke who was sentenced to 6

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106648118525481092005-01-25T10:12:00.000Z2005-01-25T10:15:18.526Z

Only 7 more days to get your Cultured Langers Journal 2005....... The're selling like hot cakes, so secure one while you can!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106563092361939412005-01-24T10:32:00.000Z2005-01-24T10:38:12.360Z

1. I hate Mondays, but today is made more bearable by the fact that I get paid tomorrow after what seems like the longest January in years! Note: I'm starting saving money this month to take the sting out of next January! 2. Too much drink gives you a really bad hangover. Take Saturday night for example, beer followed by Whiskey in large quantities means your head will be in a sling on Sunday.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106314610857688762005-01-21T13:34:00.000Z2005-01-21T13:39:47.170Z

Matt Cooper interviewed Jon Ronson on The Last Word shortly before Christmas. Ronson is the author of The Men Who Stare At Goats, a book that deals with the US military experiments to see if they could kill Goats just by staring at them. The experiments were focused on developing this skill so that it might be used on humans in times of war. It may sound whacky, but it was only one in a whole

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106233269896859192005-01-20T14:55:00.000Z2005-01-20T15:13:11.433Z

Technorati have introduced tags, which essentially allow bloggers to categorise their blogs and posts based on tags. Chief bottle washer at Technorati, Derek Powazek explains here. So I'm tagging this as irishblogs. Maybe bloggers should be called taggers?

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106212215697372872005-01-20T09:08:00.000Z2005-01-20T09:10:15.696Z

I heard someone say that at $40 million this inauguration was the most expensive house warming party ever!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106152811372070982005-01-19T16:37:00.000Z2005-01-19T16:40:11.373Z

Just got an update on the job saga. I didn't get it again! Now if that aint a PFO then I don't know what is. One word; Gutted!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106137119133823772005-01-19T13:14:00.000Z2005-01-19T12:18:39.133Z

Thursday, January 20th, sees the Inauguration of George W. Bush to his second term as President of the United Sates. A large number of events are planned to celebrate this occasion which it is estimated will cost $40 million, almost $10 million more than either former Presidents Bill Clinton or George Bush Senior spent on their respective inaugurations. The money has been donated in large part by

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1106069581100537302005-01-18T16:42:00.000Z2005-01-18T17:33:01.100Z

If, like me you spend at least 2 hours a day sitting on the M50 carpark, sorry, motorway then you might be interested to hear about a campaign being fronted by Senator Shane Ross in relation to the West Link Toll Bridge. A recent price hike has resulted in a negative reaction from the public who use the bridge on a daily basis travelling North to South of Dublin and vice versa. On January 3rd of

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105981752806041032005-01-17T16:45:00.000Z2005-01-17T17:09:12.806Z

I found this piece on Planet Potato via The blog and I. What I thought was funny was the description of the type of man in question. I know a guy just like this down in our local in Cork. He never made it to the city though preferring to keep to the boreens in and around Mitchelstown where he owns a bit of land and a few head of cattle. (Rough Translation: He's fucking minted!!). Anyway, PJ has

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105719649711138692005-01-14T16:17:00.000Z2005-01-14T16:20:49.713Z

Talk about a roller coaster of a week. Last Friday I rang the recruitment agency that I was going through for the job in Cork. The conversation went like this; ME: “So, Bob any news for me?” BOB: “Yeah, how’s it going DB. They’re making a decision on the position today, so I should be back to you this afternoon” ME: “That’s great, how do you think it’s looking?” BOB: “Well, I put it to you

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105626313593957082005-01-13T14:16:00.000Z2005-01-13T14:25:13.593Z

Saturday evening last was spent in Cork City watching the awakening ceremony for the Capital of Culture 2005. To be fair the fireworks were better than I expected. Despite not having a ticket for the any of the quays overlooking the actual display in the river, we got a good spot up on Anderson's Quay, next to Jury's Inn. It turned out that this was actually a great location to be. From where we

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105625166102855342005-01-13T14:02:00.000Z2005-01-13T14:06:06.103Z

I’ve been keeping busy these last few days. January is one long month, which requires me to keep my head down and be as frugal and thrifty as possible. My wallet took one serious hammering over the Christmas period, something I hadn’t planned on happening this year. So in order to avoid being in the same predicament this time next year, that is financially embarrassed, I’m starting saving for

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105054361960198202005-01-06T23:03:00.000Z2005-01-06T23:58:40.986Z

Cork is the European Capital of Culture for 2005. The festivities get underway this Saturday the 8th Jan in the City Centre with street entertainment in and around the top of the South Mall, Grand Parade and Pana. Later that evening there will be a fireworks display in the Lee ( I ask ye, a fireworks display in a River, only in Ireland). This is a ticketed event to stop half the county and city

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1105021393113135642005-01-06T14:20:00.000Z2005-01-06T14:23:13.113Z

And we’re back! Happy New Year to all! Christmas seems like an alcohol infused fleeting memory. It was nice to just be out of work for more than a couple of days and the bellies of all at DaBerries household were filled with fine food and plenty of drink on many an occasion over the last two weeks. It truly was a Merry Christmas. Got a couple of fantastic gifts, amongst them CD’s I wanted, yes,

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1103890251704799312004-12-24T11:37:00.000Z2004-12-24T12:10:51.706Z

I've been knocked for six the last few days. I woke up on Monday morning last and felt like an elephant had been sitting on my head. I drove up to Dublin from Cork and by the time I got to the house in Dublin I was shivering and felt like crap. Right, nothing for it, into bed with a hot drink and two duvets. I slept solid for eight hours. Woke up for a leak, two paracetomol and another hot drink

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1103118043779905192004-12-15T13:34:00.000Z2004-12-15T13:40:43.780Z

I have my interview all set for Friday afternoon. I've to meet the HR Manager of the prospective new employer at 2.30 and the General Manager at 3.30 in their offices in Cork. Fingers crossed, I really want this job! I've also taken Friday as a day off to allow me to travel down on Thursday night. I had to spin some yarn to get the day at such short notice.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1103046917543212142004-12-14T17:53:00.000Z2004-12-14T17:55:17.543Z

Finally after many applications I've been called for an interview with a company in Cork that I've been trying to get into for some time now. Looks like my persistance with the recruitment agency I was dealing with has paid off, also another factor has contributed to this, which I will go into detail on later......

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1102934796060911612004-12-13T10:45:00.000Z2004-12-13T10:46:36.060Z

I’m having car trouble. Typical, right up on the mouth of Christmas my car decides it’s had enough and wants to spill water out of the bottom of the engine. I think the radiator is banjaxed. Knowing my luck this will cost a pretty penny to fix. Pennies that I just can’t spare right now. I better get on to the mechanic and see if he can look at it for me this evening. Always a disaster! Am I

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1102607978645466512004-12-09T15:49:00.000Z2004-12-09T15:59:38.646Z

Christmas is fast approaching and I'm beginning to feel that inevitable pressure that I think everyone suffers from in the run up to Christmas. So much to do / buy and so little time / money. What gift do you get Dad, he's impossible to buy for. Is the gift you got such and such a person okay? Is it any wonder most people sleep after dinner on Christmas Day. Despite this I quite enjoy Christmas.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1100870963554948462004-11-19T13:28:00.000Z2004-11-19T13:30:10.140Z

Captions please for this photo;

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1100785743295298682004-11-18T13:31:00.000Z2004-11-18T13:49:03.296Z

Some are touting it as a general election post-mortem congress for the Democratic party, however, today sees the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center. Only the 11th such library in the US (Nixon's has not been handed over to the NARA yet), the Clinton libray is due to be handed over to the NARA Presidential Library System shortly after its dedication and opening in Little Rock, Arkansas

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1100768314165797502004-11-18T08:43:00.000Z2004-11-18T08:59:26.070Z

I found this piece on ObscuroRant and was intrigued, particularly by this piece in the letter; “If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter.” I wonder how many of the American troops who have been engaged in Iraq over the past few

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1100623728156747012004-11-16T16:36:00.000Z2004-11-16T16:52:12.746Z

I began the job hunting in earnest last night. I spent a couple of hours trawling through sites like Recruit Ireland and Irish Jobs in search of the perfect job. After 10 mins I realised that I'm not going to get a job paying €250,000 a year for becoming a man of leisure, so that strategy didn't work out, but I saw a few close matches and blasted my details C.V. and all out to a few recruitment

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1100279403536594252004-11-12T17:02:00.000Z2004-11-15T18:03:53.050Z

This week has been a bit hectic. I graduated on Wednesday after 4 long years of college by night. I am now officially a Bachelor of Business Studies. Wednesday night was spent having a few pints with the lads from college and Thursday spent nursing my head. I'm in the process of looking for a job in Cork again. At this stage there is nothing really to keep me here in Dublin. So here's hoping I

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1099592995624860692004-11-04T18:27:00.000Z2004-11-04T18:29:55.626Z

Words can't describe the disappointment I feel at the outcome of the election in the U.S. these past few days.

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1098431171454645872004-10-22T08:37:00.000+01:002004-10-22T08:46:11.453+01:00

I wrote something quite long and insightful here, but then blogger calved on me so I can't be bother trying to re-write it. The gist of it was my plans for the weekend. Anyway, if you'd like to see what I'll be doing check this out

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1098344450995305182004-10-21T08:30:00.001+01:002004-10-21T08:44:52.920+01:00

I recently created a world of sh*t for myself in work, so this last week has been spent playing office politics, screaming and I mean screaming in rage at my boss, something completely out of character for me, and generally trying to clean up the mess I made of something that happened to be quite high profile. Sometimes I wonder when the world got so competitive. In addition to that I

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1097168007736664862004-10-07T17:48:00.000+01:002004-10-07T17:53:27.746+01:00

If theres one thing I hate its people arranging my time for me without consulting me. This has happened twice this week without much consultation. P*ssed off is not the word!

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1096617698318028422004-10-01T08:38:00.000+01:002004-10-01T09:01:38.320+01:00

Democracy in Ireland is expected to die at noon if Dana Rosemary Scallan fails to gain the 20 signatures required from members of the Oireachtas to mount a challenge to the incumbent President, Mary McAleese. Having failed to gain the support of four county councils, Dana has written to all members of the Oireachtas seeking their support. Dana requires 20 signatures by noon today in order to be

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1096560735099374352004-09-30T17:05:00.000+01:002004-09-30T17:12:15.100+01:00

I got a call from the Branch Manager of National Irish Bank, in fact I got two. One to ask what my problem was, incidentally this was the seventh time to explain the quagmire to a NIB employee. I explained it to him and hey presto we are starting to get somewhere! Then he had the audacity to ask me to call him in the morning for an update. Eh, who's the customer??

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1096531009202536922004-09-30T08:53:00.000+01:002004-09-30T08:56:49.203+01:00

I have serious issues with National Irish Bank. I went to do my banking on Tuesday afternoon. With the end of the month fast approaching I had to withdraw some money to pay a few bills, namely the mortgage and a loan we have out. Anyway, my current account with National Irish Bank has a daily withdrawal limit of €450, which can be extremely annoying. I needed to withdraw €650 in order to cover my

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792970.post-1096279698373401562004-09-27T11:05:00.000+01:002004-09-27T11:08:18.373+01:00

Our neighbours invited us over for a drink last night and you'll never guess what. They too are getting married. They got engaged over the weekend while away in Dingle. I told you they're dropping like flies....

.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09960715355277200261noreply@blogger.com0