tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50333503723564476962024-02-08T10:55:06.646-08:00Random Etchings of a Fragile MindA blog of memories, ideas, events, travel and internal rantings that epitomize fragility!!
Live life, love life, breathe life!Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-51195824564020575812012-12-19T18:59:00.001-08:002012-12-19T18:59:27.907-08:00Absolutely Free<b>Absolutely Free:</b>
<br><br>
Are you awake, asleep or in a cage,
Locked inside a prism of rage,
<br><br>
Satisfied, neglected or defining a path,
Of success in your life or the money wrath,
<br><br>
Leave the life, set out in the past,
Dreams of material success just can’t last,
<br><br>
Denial, restraint and realisation of life,
Freedom arrives when you minimise the strife,
<br><br>
Are you absolutely free? Are you absolutely false?
<br><br>
A decision you will have to make.....
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-39783750057052714082012-12-19T18:54:00.002-08:002012-12-19T18:54:25.214-08:00I TriedI Tried: (17th June 2010)
<br><br>
I tried and I tried but I couldn’t get out,
Gave up trying and started to shout,
<br><br>
When shouting failed to raise the alarm,
I began using a smile and some charm,
<br><br>
When charm lost its once great appeal,
I gave a go to a touch and a feel,
<br><br>
A touch and a feel fell where it lay,
And here I am stuck, Its where I’ll stay.
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-70426841972782218292012-12-19T18:45:00.003-08:002012-12-19T18:45:54.790-08:00Mermaid<b>Mermaid</b>
<br><br>
Out beyond the breaking waves,
Where gulls dive and terns play,
<br><br>
A head appears above the sea,
No board in sight, a swimmer free,
<br><br>
I watch the figure appear and fade,
On valley and crest that the sea has made,
<br><br>
As it neared the standing depth,
Almost out of skin I leapt,
<br><br>
For coming nearer to the shore,
I began to notice more and more,
<br><br>
I spy a tail behind the figure,
A womans frame getting bigger,
<br><br>
All at once my doubt it fades,
What comes towards me is a mermaid,
<br><br>
Calmness descends upon my soul,
For once I realise my final role,
<br><br>
As I dove into the sea,
Lured by a voice calling me,
<br><br>
I look back once towards the land,
And wave goodbye with a final hand,
<br><br>
My final demand, my final wish,
To be turned from a man to a fish..
<br><br>
14th November 2010
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-32091286297326407012012-12-19T18:43:00.001-08:002012-12-19T18:43:43.026-08:00O Words of a Troubled Mind“O words of a troubled mind” (Summer of Writing Challenge 5 – August 27th 2010)
<br><br>
Life’s true words are red and white,
One for surrender the other for fight,
Let them float away on the tides of August,
Brushing aside the feelings of the past,
And replace them with future smiles at last,
<br><br>
Strength from solidarity,
And sense from regret,
Fend off frowns and auspicious threat,
A sunny seat by the arch of memory,
Flowing waters shall always be free,
<br><br>
A sky of luminescent dials,
Sprinkles light on land below,
Where the waves meet,
And the tide does flow,
That’s where I want to be,
<br><br>
A very important discovery of chance,
Imaginary or real,
It began with a dance,
Charting your life in months and years,
Through smiles and laughs,
And sadness and tears,
<br><br>
Fragility through words,
That pours from a voice of stone,
Soars high on the winds of change and alone,
Hurt from a sound,
And pleasure from a voice,
Words allow for freedom of choice,
<br><br>
From fields of inequity,
Arose a beacon of light,
Cast its rays down,
Upon the earths might,
Darkness descended without a word,
For it does not speak except to birds,
<br><br>
Smile with your eyes,
Laugh with your mouth,
Useful expressions,
Along with a pout,
<br><br>
Stare life in the eyes of the present,
Observe the past of lies and relent,
Broken but not finished,
Fragmented and far from diminished,
Healthy in mind,
Happy in body,
And calm in spirit.
<br><br>
Faces of ghosts in hidden places,
Lingering memories in elusive spaces,
Rhythm finds its perfect groove,
At last..
A sign…
A time to move.
<br><br>
<br><br>
Trevor Seery
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-50287340861742994942012-12-19T18:13:00.001-08:002012-12-19T18:16:59.476-08:00Lost and FoundLiterary Den Submission ~ Summer of Writing 2010:
<br><br>
45 lines
<br>
<b>Found:</b>
<br>
One hour from nowhere,
one mile to go there,
one smile in sunshine,
led by fingers tracing a line,
<br>
As he scratches among the dirt for pieces of humanity,
a puzzle of immense importance is discovered,
choose right or not at all,
the difference is irrelevant to those that fall,
picking up pieces, pieces of time,
small but significant arranged in a line,
<br><br>
Signs of morality and sinners for life,
pick up the phone, put down the knife,
To sit just to be sat, along a river, atop a lofty perch,
gazing at the steeples of a bell ringing church,
<br><br>
My mind is awash with thoughts of duress,
no job, no money, social unrest,
a light shines from a land of cloud,
hills and streams a chance to be proud,
<br><br>
A lily immovable on raft of water it lay,
from dusk to dawn way out on the bay,
normality rises and falls with the tides of spring,
follows the seasons, and the lunar ring,
<br><br>
Foot prints left in sand where you stood,
images of fire and pagan in hood,
the eyes of the cosmos beams and shines,
awakened by darkness but asleep by 9,
illuminated by fire, a beacon of hope,
the all seeing mirror of life and elope,
names in the sky and words on my lips,
the end of love, a momentary eclipse,
speaking to stars so difficult to see,
expressions, admissions a chance to be free,
what is that shape, tracing a line, a face a name,
so beautiful.., that used to be mine,
<br><br>
The end of this tale finishes in my head,
Cause its there that real magic happens,
Where fantasy is fed,
Normality is such a formal word, leads us to believe that were all going to be cured.
<br><br>
45 lines!!
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-85571083175983458572012-12-19T18:04:00.001-08:002012-12-19T18:06:16.667-08:00Sexual Repression and PornSexual Repression Rant:
<br><br>
A kneejerk reaction to a facebook post on sexual education, porn, catholic repression and guilt from 2010.
<br><br>
"Its not alarming at all...
<br>
When you grow up in a society that doesnt inform you of what happening with your body, why your getting rushes of emotions and what do you do about it?
No parent, teacher or guardian explains what is happening? So you do your own research, in my time it was magazines and sometimes porn. How are we different. As a Teen it was not a preference for porn but a hunger for knowledge and education on what was what that no teen gets from who should be protecting them
<br>
Also a Catholic repression that looms like a fungal decay and plague eating away at the confidence of teens in my time that made you think and feel that you WERE not to look at girls not follow emotions or investigate them. Say prayers for your sins for "Touching yourself" or indeed "thinking unpure thoughts" is enough to turn any person into a confused frightened and emotional wreck that sees their bodies as vile and dirty things to not be touched nor investigated until one gets married. Thats the Catholic teachings that keeps people stupid about what turns men and women on, watching programmes like channel 4's revealing documentaries I GUARANTEE are switched off almost as soon as they start by parents afraid of their teen finding out more than they should.. A religious back bite of the disgusting catholic suppression of expression.
<br><br>
Growing up in a country that puts alcohol on a pedestal from anyone who is 18+ and having 8-10 public taverns in a town and village that has a pop of 1,000 or less. What do you expect that teens begin drinking so young.
<br><br>
They are thought CSPE, civic social and politicial education in school yet are told "NO you cant vote or take part in decision making till you are 18".
<br>
In conclusion. This does not shock me, examine the facts then begin to tell teenagers the facts.
I had sex ed in primary school from a nun in a wheel chair who told us not to have sex until we were married.. I learned more from porn than i ever did off parents, teachers, and even friends. Sad but true."
Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-17570553397193990082012-05-02T19:11:00.000-07:002012-05-02T19:11:10.360-07:00A Letter"Yes, that is exactly what I meant by it.. But I wasnt happy then because I was just on my own, I was happy in the knowledge that I was comfortable in my skin and ready to share that skin with someone else.
You remember when we watched that film (INTO THE WILD).I took so much from it. One of the quotes strikes me.
"Some people feel like they don't deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past".
and another towards the end of the film, "Happiness only real when shared" so yes I have been thinking whilst doing college work.
I dont mind been on my own or with someone but when you reach a point in your life and you're in college or working or having fun or not having fun. You just want to share those experiences with a person who is willing to listen, understand and advise or comfort you. To be understood does not come easy...
You just wanna say f#@k it,I dont wanna do something and not be able to share it with someone. Sharing with your friends is different. To share an experience no matter how boring or interesting it is, is a wonderful connected experience.. To be included in someones life is to be accepted, welcomed and nurtured.
Why are we here on this earth at all if we cant do those things that make us happy or included... there is too much exclusion in the world to not appreciate simple meaningful, or meaningless connections.
Become who you want to become and when you do, it becomes obvious that been able to do things on your own is fantastic and rewarding but when there is no one there to see you do this or have a conversation
with then you realise as i have realised that that quote "happinness only real when shared" is pretty true. I experienced it in New York in the mountains, I was ok but did miss having a person to share the experince with.
Even if it was a simple conversation which I ended up seeking out from locals to talk about how long the river was or the history of the area. I needed some one to share it with."Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-53047668131525574132009-08-01T03:36:00.000-07:002009-08-01T03:46:48.302-07:00Future flying of timeTime seems to blur and fly by when you close your eyes, tis almost the end of the summer and i havnt written much since april. <br /><br />Mental changes going on for the better. finished college, life ahead of me and funnily enough it feels brilliant, its like college was great but the best is yet to come. Ideas and opportunities flow endlessly from my head onto paper and screen,<br /><br />Thoughts of how to change, influence and invent jobs flow like a river, now its a matter of putting these ideas into practice.<br /><br />I have truely chilled out this whole summer whilst still getting tons done. Now all i need is a job to pop into my lap.<br /><br />I now have the job of writing some more stories from travels down so as i can preserve their memory.<br /><br />The music end of things is moving too, workin at Electric picnic and potentially Moondance festival so now for next year I intend capitalising and getting more into organinising and create ajob of some kind for myself.<br /><br />Life is ticking along at an almighty pace but in the most exciting and pleasurable way possible. <br /><br />Bring on the picnic! Live long and prosper.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-52352499762600349482009-02-12T17:00:00.000-08:002009-02-12T17:26:04.168-08:00The Good type of Doom!!Been listening to Sludgey,Doom groovey tunes all evening, stoner doom.. christ its got some good vibes to it... just sucks you in and before long your bobbing away!!! <br /><br />Mystic Krewe of Clearlight<br />Spirit Caravan<br />The Hidden Hand<br />Dalis Llama<br />Blue Cheer<br />Goatsnake<br />Sleep<br />Acid King<br />Witch<br /><br />Savage bands which really have some serious licks, If only they would play Ireland?<br />Music is a serious language of emotion i think. It just can reposition your mood to a better one or just allow you to melt into a song or just chill.<br /><br />That what I love about it, its escapism without the escape. <br /><br />I turned my back on music to go to pubs now its time to get back to it and immerse my soul in it!!<br /><br />Medicate the Nation!Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-14616513606029663622009-02-08T16:32:00.001-08:002009-02-08T16:50:41.270-08:00New York Adventures 2004 Part 1I went on a J1 Visa to New York in 2004, it was one of the most enjoyable trips I have taken on my own. I learned an unmeasurable amount about life, work (hard work), people, race, american culture and indeed myself.<br /><br />I got a job working as a labourer with my uncle in law, the construction sector in New York city is a massive employer in the grand scheme of things, it employs a lot of Irish and Mexicans which you would never know of. <br /><br />My first day on the job was seriously hot, it was on amsterdam avenue in the basement of Columbia University, the job involved carrying rubble in buckets from the basement to a skip 2 floors up. Lovely sweat inducing work alright. <br /><br />But the wages were fantastic $20 an hour so I shall not complain. New York City proved to be a very attractive place to me as a young (19) Irish wide eyed lad, I couldnt believe the immensity of so many people in such a small area. My first trip into the city, I was scared due to all the hype about the subway being so dangerous but I had no problems. I was staying in the Bronx in the Irish Area where Katonah avenue and Mclean avenue are. I got a bus to Woodlawn subway station and caught a 4 train to the city. I asked a man on the subway how long the journey took and it turned out the man was from Contae Cabhan and used to know my Great Uncle there. He ran a pirate Trad station in New York for 20 odd years.. very nice man.<br /><br />I got off at Grand Central Terminal and walked and walked before I knew it, I was in China Town and it was 9Pm. 6 miles or so I walked that day taking in Central park, 5th av with sachs, Loui vuitton and many other spots.<br /><br />I was thinking I should head back to woodlawn when I realised I had lost my wallet, you don't know the shit hemorrhage I had after realising I had no money to get back to the Bronx. Thankfully I had some dollars in my shorts, see thats what happened, the shorts pockets were crap and it just slipped out. <br /><br />I was at Mulberry street subway station but it was shut so I walked to the next one in Chinatown and silly me bought a ticket the wrong way, I appealed to the good nature of the ticket seller claiming stupidity and I think it was the mixture of fear and Bambi eyes I gave here she let me through the correct gate to the awaiting 4 to Woodlawn.<br /><br />When I got back to Woodlawn station, I heard my name been called and turned to see my aunt standing there. A cop had found my wallet and rang the number (my aunts) I had left in my wallet in case this kind of thing happened. She thought I had been mugged as I had no phone to call or text her.<br /><br />My first day in New York City was a serious adventure, I got my wallet back with the cards then next day.<br /><br />Do not wear shorts with crappy pockets for holding your wallet. A phew moment.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-53657335192057333992009-02-08T16:14:00.000-08:002009-02-08T16:28:58.896-08:00Conversational Thoughts through TimeIve decided not be so composed about my words as i used to be, writing should flow from the heart but i suppose sometimes need structure but not always. <br /><br />I am in a very new place, only one more project to do in college then I am straight into my dissertation on River Management. Time is ticking by to my last days in DIT and it is sad but also pretty cool at the same time. I have realised that I love solitude, been on my own gives me time and energy to focus on my thoughts, ideas and what I need or want to do. BUT I also love hives of activity, helping people in volunteering circles. Its what drives me to be passionate about life. <br /><br />I hear many people saying they live for the weekend, I dont get this, I live for EVERY day as each brings something strange and unique that makes you frown, smile or cringe.<br /><br />Life is definitely moving along at a fair pace for me. I have just spent a bit of time typing ideas for the DIT Green Week this year when I should have been doing a Risk Management case study. Its strange what and how we spend our time doing.<br /><br />I was on a lunch date today with a girl I met a week ago, went ok, but that spark wasnt there, that moment you can chill and just talk about whatever. The conversation went ways and directions I couldnt turn back from, many holes were dug, but I dont feel so bad about it because I have realised that some people are compatible for short periods of time and others for life time.<br /><br />I 'looking for anything, just to meet some really interesting people and talk, the topic of conversation has been lost in this dying Celtic Tiger economy. Somewhere between double vodka and redbull and hammered. The need for people to get blotto incenses me as it induces a very different type of person to come leaping forth from a person. The same is true of me, I do not like the very drunk me as I forget names and the detail. The 'detail' is the best part about conversations, the moments a spark can be lit between friends or lovers to make a conversation truely satisfying and enjoyable.<br /><br />I am not using this blog to complain too many people do that already. From now on I choose Life, I choose to go to places I can talk, have the craic. Loud places are now beyond me except for gigs.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-44971911577914870942009-01-17T18:31:00.000-08:002009-01-17T18:34:03.509-08:00Shivers in the CityCalmness in the city, stillness in the air, <br />people walk by with many a care, <br />frozen breath exhaled by all, <br />the suns early morning shadow flickers/snakes along the wall, <br />numbed fingers fumble for heat, <br />under cover in glove and underground in pleat, <br />red cheeks, chapped lips, sighs of melancholic bliss, <br />happy, sad, lonely or not, miss loathing, enjoy the lot, <br />begin with a smile, a flash of the teeth, and take it from there till the next time you meet. <br /><br /><br />06-12-2008Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-12354537682144134112009-01-17T18:20:00.000-08:002009-01-17T18:22:00.281-08:00Words of randomized disorderUnderneath the sky of sorts, hung over angst, new sense of things, a bigger outlook, a more insightful glimpse at misfortune, an expanded view of the world, a step outside of the focussed world through the looking glass of life, misaligned musical troposphere, kaleidoscope of wonder that is life. Cacophony of immense virtue to be virtuous and be victorious to rise above your moralistic sermon and responsibilities to be an animal but to hold onto what is the essence of human compassion and innocence a world divided by suspicion, intolerance, skin badness beauty surrounded by elegance hidden inside for discovery, step by step, what is it that makes you honourable selfless but incomplete, guided by my head, led by my heart, respect forgiveness, freedom of choice, solitude acceptance, rebirth rejoice, renew ignite ambiguous interpretation, passion senses, pulsing emotions, floating ideas, world improve, coexist, exit fin.,,<br /><br /> 12/12/2008Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-65918470426993811282009-01-17T18:12:00.000-08:002009-01-17T18:15:07.607-08:00Wave of TimeWith a wave of hands and shouted goodbyes, <br />a close of the doors, as years pass by, <br />o my how the time flies, minutes 2 hours and hours to days, <br />before you know it, years mark graves, <br />births, anniversaries of all kinds, <br />some full of happiness, some full of doubt, <br />others mean nothing, expressions of mouth, <br />is happiness a memory, a feeling or a moment in time, <br />to be lost to the stars or forever be mine, <br />lost in the dark, lost inside my head, <br />up the stairs thread by thread, <br />include those thoughts in a letter, <br />why hold back, you will feel none the better, <br />what is not said, what is not heard is the most important part of this microcosm of a world. <br /><br /> 05/01/2009Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-59140035141675353672009-01-17T17:59:00.000-08:002009-01-17T18:06:54.449-08:00Growth of man, Death of EarthNest are built in the tallest tree, <br />clad in an ivy rich green sea, <br />winds do whisper stories and fables, <br />they are caught by the branches of lime and maple, <br />gnarled and wind swept, exposed to all weather, <br />used as a home and a post to tether, <br />to dig the soil and plant a seed, <br />is a wonderful magical worthwhile need, <br />from the ground grows a stalk, <br />to make the neighbours jealous and baulk, <br />all it takes is an idea, a future plan, <br />for without trees and water there would not be man, <br /><br />pleasure and knowledge are gained from the land, <br />whether in field, mountain, or wood where you stand, <br />a concept of the future and the children yet be born, <br />what do we pass on, what do we offer, nothing and loss and a fistful of scorn, <br />our kids are the future, they have to survive, <br />without food they cannot eat or oil not drive, <br />solution pollution, where have you been, <br />open your eyes to truly see. <br />Angry, bitter and annoyed with my peers, <br />I choose to change and influence their fears. <br /><br />03/01/2009Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-33399222142634433752009-01-17T17:53:00.000-08:002009-01-17T17:56:51.931-08:00UnspoiltAnd if the days were to turn to dark, and the nights never stopped, <br />I would still feel the same way I felt on that hot day in June, <br />the sun beat down so stifling a scene, Such a beautiful flower,<br />untouched unspoilt but experienced in the ways of the wild world, <br />beyond virginity of nature, above ridicule of senseless acts, <br />drink now for in refusing water, you thus refuse life, <br />fear not the elements of far away clouds, <br />they are but a merry array of senseless spurned souls, <br />beauty is but a passing seed on the wind, intrinsic beauty is held within forever, released only in death to the blood red skies of winter, <br />to forget the reason you’re here is to have lost your purpose of life,<br /> <br />Alone with my thoughts and dreams again, meandering miles of river leads me to a place of wonder, an icy eclipse of my mind, all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain, your eyes draw me in until I get lost in oceans of dizziness, inhaling sleep off the pillow, listening to the cool night shimmer and disappear, winds hide whispers barely audible to ears, if I could live forever, swimming in life, I would be happy to float, to pursue dreams remote, removed from my tree top honey love.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-1245488066860577492009-01-01T19:14:00.000-08:002009-01-01T19:52:08.120-08:00Happy Sad Happy GladIs love a feeling or an act to which we gravitate? <br />to want someone for who they are is friendship, <br />add hearts and is it love or selfishness enshrined in a bubble. <br />Do we really know what is good for us until its too late. <br />Why do we question our hearts when our minds can’t make that decision?<br /><br />Life is a funny instrument of learning, to hurt yourself, you must trip and fall to truely know it hurts.<br /><br />In love, it seems like you are indestructible but the problem is people are not. Hearts are broken in an instant.<br /><br />People tend to not reveal their true selves to others, I find this easy and difficult to understand. To reveal your true self is baring your soul, to be stripped of all that makes you strong. It may be all that you are, in allowing someone to see exactly who you are, gives the power to the looker. Depending on their character, the looker could choose to strike that revealer down or embrace their most beautiful qualities with that of their not so appealing qualities.<br /><br />To be judgemental yet not take a look at your own person is hypocritical, reminders need to be given to all who forget.<br /><br />To see beyond normality to the frailest part of a human being, their minds. This is what I strive to do, perfection is a mystery of the modern world. To be perfect is in fact a feeling not an image, a feeling that crawls through your whole body, from brain to spine. When you view a person on image alone, it is false to forget that hidden qualities only reveal themselves in comfortable and unexpected moments of conversation.<br /><br />Everyone is guilty of forgetting to appreciate the simple things that lay before them, gentle persuasion by guidance is the best way to get your opinion back on track but normally it is by sudden and detrimental means that derailment leads to permanent destruction of a friendship or relationship.<br /><br />Presumption rather than direct conversation takes over as the hundreds of internal conversations in your head begin and end yet the spoken word between two people does not happen.<br /><br />What exactly am i saying?<br /><br />Well basically all fights or disagreements occur due to a lack of revealing of souls to one another but the catch 22 situation is how much does one reveal before they are completely exposed. Holding back is the defence mechanisms people use to prevent their spirit from been crushed completely.<br /><br />But I see trust where i see suspicion, what are we doing here on earth if we decide to hold back in any form of friendship or relationship. Christ man we could come to a horrid end in the near future or last for 100 hundred birthdays. The point is to use balance i suppose but also to use and abide by that phrase Carpe Diem, seize the moment or the day. Regret i do not believe in because i take chances in everyday life that lead to a good or bad outcome. I have to live with that decision but at least i did or chose to do a certain act, try a certain activity or attempt a new challenge.<br /><br />There is a word to describe every moment in life. To have hope is to be alive, to be alive is to believe in a dream, to have a dream is to see a future!<br /><br />I have many dreams, some i shall never be able to realise, some i am striving to achieve in the immediate future. Self improvement is rife in this age of New Years resolutions but most are based on image and health, give up drink, smoking, more fitness etc. <br /><br />It is good and bad, but self development in terms of taking a step back and looking at how your life is going is a major change. <br /><br />I do this in hard times to remind myself how minor the problems I have are in comparison to the world. <br /><br />To have a go get em personality is not everyones cup of tea but to have a proactive or positive outlook on every day things sure makes life go a lot smoother.<br /><br />Take a break and sit back and laugh the next time it pisses rain on top of you amd not a an umbrella to show. Or any problem that builds, grab a hug off a good friend or smile at a passerby. <br /><br />On my way back from college one day, i was really in a bad mood, i was wearing a santa hat and the rain was pelting down. I had my head down and then just looked up, i locked eyes with this lady passing by and she smiled, i smiled back and in that split second, i had a flicker of christmas spirit renter my body and it was suddenly quite funny to be walking in the rain wearing a santa hat.<br /><br />The world is a lonely and hard place to live in if you let it get on top of you, immerse yourself in family, friends and the activities that make you smile. <br /><br />To be intrinsically happy either single, attached or in between is the most important thing for the health of any person. Mental health although underrated is what keeps us going, is what motivates us and makes want more of life.<br /><br />For this new years resolutions, I intend to talk more to people, drunk or sober, preferably sober as it is then you can really know a person.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-9505278042802071892008-12-25T18:33:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:34:29.386-08:00Lunar ThoughtsThe Sun, the Stars, the Moon and Mars, <br />Too distant to touch too close not to clutch, <br /><br />All things connected to me, round the world forever to see,<br />The sun lights the way, the moon burns through the grey, <br /><br />Stars like eyes that shine as brightly like the first time stares turn to cares,<br />Pick a star and close your eyes, take me to that place of ice, <br />Cold but bright filled full of memories of mine, <br /><br />Ploughs pull lines arranging the skies in organised disarray, <br />My mind is a cavity missing that time and day, <br /><br />To wish the past undone is to be a fool, smiles were had but only as a rule. <br /><br />The future is on its way, the past exists but not today,<br />The present I make up as each day disappears into a fade. – <br /><br />24 June 2007 2.38 amCaptainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-11218338546784944642008-12-25T18:31:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:32:40.428-08:00AnonyminityAnonyminity is the pinnacle of popularity..! Have you ever experienced the feeling of walking into a room where you know no one and feel eyes upon you.. the feeling of power is unreal. The feeling that you control that room for a split second in time. A brief period of anonymous drink sipping before mingling with unknown and malevolent vultures. Purity before innocence, Feasting before indulgence, Pity before respect, Head before heart. – 27 June 2007 12.41amCaptainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-10398837514170808382008-12-25T18:28:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:30:52.931-08:00Strange FruitLyrics of "Strange Fruit" by L. Allen, the version I prefer is by Mark Lanegan in the Twilight Singers, very historic and emotional song about changing times, racism in the world. <br /><br />Southern trees bare strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the roots, black body swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.<br /><br /> Yeh.<br /><br />That stolen seed, from the darling south, the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, steel magnolia, sweetest red, there the sun has smelled of burning flesh, yeh. illicit fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain to gather, for the winter sun, for the sun to rot, for the trees to drop, there is a strange, yeh, bitter crop.<br /><br />Yeh, yeh, yeh.<br /><br />Southern trees bare strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the roots, black body swinging in the southern breeze, yeh, strange fruit, its true, strange fruit.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-78898096268141250432008-12-25T18:25:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:26:36.317-08:00Quotes and Sayings of yester worldThe fisherman has two homes. If he tires of his shoes, he can pull on his boots; sit in his boat or Currach out on the tops of the waves. Doesn’t the man who has fishing in his blood prefer the thwart to the stool, the line to the spade, the sound of the waves to the chattering of home? Eoghan O’ Colm<br /><br /><br />Athnionn ciarog, ciarog eile! – One beetle recognises another.<br /><br /><br />“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things” – Niccolo Machiavelli (The Prince 1532)<br /><br /><br />“The world that we have made as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far creates problems that we cannot solve at the same level we created them at” – Albert Einstein.<br /><br /><br />"Cad a Dheanamhfaimid feasta gan Adhmaid" – What will we do without our woods, from the 17 century brehon poet.<br /><br /><br />A sound man is good at salvage, at seeing nothing lost. – Lao Tze, 500 BC<br /><br />“square their actions by the square of virtue" and to learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind".<br /><br />Freemasons..<br /><br />“Ireland without its history is nothing” – Paul De Paor.<br /><br />There are three lines on your finger, each one an inch – A Perfect World, Kevin Costner.<br /><br />Don’t take life too seriously, you may never get out alive – Van Wilders Party Liaison.<br /><br />Mar is ar scath a cheile mhaireann na ndaoine – we all live in each others shadow – 03/06/2008<br /><br />Only when the last trees have died, the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught, will we realise we cannot eat money – Cree Indian saying. <br /><br /><br />"And when the future hinges on the next words that are said, don't let logic interfere, believe your heart instead."<br />-- Philip Robison<br /><br /><br />"If you love someone, let them go. If they return to you, it was meant to be. If they don't, their love was never yours to begin with..."<br />-- Unknown<br /><br />"There is no remedy for love but to love more."<br />-- Henry David Thoreau<br /><br />"Within you I lose myself Without you I find myself Wanting to be lost again."<br />-- Unknown<br /><br /><br />“I’m looking for the least possible amount of responsibility” American Beauty.<br />Manage the unavoidable, but Avoid the Unmanageable.<br /><br />The hand remains on the branch but not on the bush.Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-43498534543452605292008-12-25T18:16:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:22:12.265-08:00Oxegen Bliss<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTrev%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="time"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning:14.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">I was fortunate enough to win two camping tickets for Oxegen 2006 off the Dave Fanning show on 2FM back in March 2006, it was on one of those nights when I should have been studying, what’s that?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">On Friday the 7<sup>th</sup> July I got a phone call from Tom Dunne(Today FM) who was to be doing the Pets Sounds stage at Oxegen, he wanted to know how I was going to get to Oxegen and how prepared or unprepared I was. He said that 2 FM would ring me over the course of the weekend, so off I set with gas cooker, poncho, eggs, bread, beans, rice, oil, noodles, Irish stew in a can and 2 slabs of beer (Fosters as always).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">And of course the comfort accessories to include Aldi tent, sleeping bag, 3 legged folding chair all packed into a giant rucksack that was taller than me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">At round 6 on Friday evening we arrived to Punchestown Race course and then had to choose among 5 of us where to go. campsite A or B. “Which is closest?” “A I think”, so it was decided A was the hotel for the weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">No matter how much planning <b style=""><u>or not</u></b> you do, that walk is always a killer especially with 2 slabs of beer on your shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">We ended up walking to Camp area A22, don’t know why, it jus felt like the right thing to do, we wanted to see where that white bricked road ended up. Tent up, feet up, chill, sit, drink and banter.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">Best nite to be at Oxegen is the Friday, everyone goes crazy and it’s more a gathering of soul stumbling going on. There was a bet on to see how many camping pegs we could collect, the wan that got the most got a slab of beer. But it didn’t work out coz I got caught and chased by this dude who thankfully was off his face and fell while running after us.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:12;">Saturday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">Fri nite came and went, Saturday everyone’s hopes were drown literally, it poured down from the early hours till about 3 or </span><st1:time hour="16" minute="0"><span style="font-size:12;">4pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-size:12;">. I got out the cooker and lashed together beans, French toast and a cuppa tea, its amazing what u can do sober. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">The first band I saw was Bic Runga at the Pet sounds stage, very chilled out start, then Jose Gonzalez who was taken aback and had to stop playing his well known ‘Heartbeats’ song as everyone had joined in. He put in a particularly soothing performance, ‘Crosses’ coming across a crowd pleaser also. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">Then came We are Scientists and Dirt Pretty things, The sun showed itself later on in the afternoon, have a few blanks where the hours flow by rapidly, then The Who and The Sorely missed Mr James Brown got his funk on in style. (RIP)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:12;">Sunday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">Sunday started off with everyone a wee bit woozy, the beer and craic from the nite before needed to be replenished, I had some beans and French toast, no queuing for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-size:12;">Bell</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size:12;"> X1, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Placebo, Manu Chao played throughout the day with the weather holding off just grand. Finest performance of the day was Rodrigo Y Gabriela who I went to see instead of the Chili Peppers. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">Last band was the Chili’s who put in an average performance in my opinion, then the partays began, kickin’ off the last nite of an exciting, exhausting but equally exhilarating July weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:12;">Monday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">“O my head”, last day was Monday, with the alcohol low and the sun starting to rise in the sky, Carnage began to take hold, packing up time is not the nicest after a savage weekend, by the end of the festival YOU WILL have made friends with everyone from the next door neighbor to the cleanest toilet cubicle. And then there’s always room for romance, you could find the woman/man of your dreams or some fun in the sun. Sitting in a field doesn’t seem like the best place to meet some one but it happens I can testify to that. Savage Cabbage.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">And finally for the whole weekend, I spent a grand total of €7.50, all due to my fantastic cooking skills, don’t knock it, if it saves you €€€’s and also the time queuing for the rubber burger.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">So get your ticket, tent, sleeping bag and all related paraphernalia cause its coming, with the line up at the moment been Muse, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, the beautiful Tori Amos and many more still to be announced.. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;">I would like to mention a significant incident that happened at the Oxegen weekend 2006, a crash occurred in Co. Laois where 3 Festival goers died in an unnecessary car accident, remember to drive safe on your way home from the festival, don’t drive if your still inebriated, its not worth the carnage.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:12;">B safe, B seen, Breath </span><b style=""><span style="font-size:14;">OxEgEn…</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">
<br /></p><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTrev%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Edit-Time-Data" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTrev%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso"><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Rockwell Extra Bold"; panose-1:2 6 9 3 4 5 5 2 4 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning:14.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><b style=""><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Rockwell Extra Bold";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:162.75pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Trev\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="static_sitemap_A"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Trev/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.jpg" shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="217" height="252" /><!--[endif]--></span></u></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">
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<br /><b style=""><span style="font-size:14;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:14;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size:14;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;" align="right"><b style=""><span style="font-size:12;">By Trevor Seery.</span></b><span style="font-size:12;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-27494437341976108772008-12-25T18:14:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:16:04.783-08:00South African Adventure<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTrev%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="date"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning:14.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to tell you a story, due to semesterisation of my college year, I saw a perfect opportunity to take a wee bit of a trip abroad as they say, the destination South Africa…my holiday took in many parts of SA but the most unbelievable one that stands out is a nite in Cape Town in the southern tip of SA.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On </span><st1:date year="2006" day="12" month="1"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">the 12<sup>th</sup> January 2006</span></st1:date><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, my friends and I went to a restaurant called the Green Dolphin, had linefish a few beers and a bottle of wine. After dinner the group of us headed to a bar called Cantilla Tequila right on the waterfront for a few more drinks. Started dancing to some great tunes and soon this chic starts dancing with me, nice looking body with hair combed off to the side. We started getting closer then she invites me to sit down with her friends, her name was Tazneema and she had another friend with her wearing a head scarf.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before we left this pub her other Dutch acquaintance told me to be careful, I thought nothing of it. The group of my mates and the 2 of them went to a Scottish bar, tazneema brought me off to the side and we talked bout different things. Towards the end of the night we went to the exit of the waterfront to look for taxis, my 3 friends got into one taxi and said id get another one but ended up sharing one with the 2 “ladies”. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I asked where they lived they said only ten min away, but I said id drop them off so they would get home safe (Irish naivety) then head back to my own apartment cause I wasn’t feeling well. After 5 min driving we stopped and changed taxi, I asked why and they said that that taxi didn’t go out the direction they lived, warning bells were ringing but I was drunk and easily led. So paid 50 rand and got into another taxi, I noticed we were heading towards </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">cape town</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> airport, I freaked as the alcohol began to subside from my system. They were talking Afrikaans to the taxi driver so I could not understand the jist of the conversation. I shouted STOP!! And he did, I said how much further and where so we started driving again and turned left into a place called boethanfontein, a very dodgy looking place I must say. At this stage I realised what the fuk am I doing here. And took my money out of my wallet as well as my credit card and put it inside my sock but she noticed and started grabbing for the money. She asked me to get out of the taxi but I told the driver that if he drove me back to </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">cape town</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> pronto id pay him double. The driver took off at speed the door of the taxi banging open and closed like in those classic chase films. The two girls at this stage know where my money was and were each reaching for my socks, the driver drove to a police station but it was unmanned then he drove to another but I had had enough at that stage and jus before he sped up I opened the door and bailed out rolling onto the hard motorway asphalt, as soon as I got up I ran in a dazed crazy rabbit way down the hard shoulder of the A1 and thank god saw a police car coming towards me I waved and shouted to get their attention and they pulled in beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The taxi was pulled up 100 yards away with the driver and 2 girls hassling each other, I explained my situation in between puffs of much needed breath to the smiling cops. We all walked back up to the taxi and the cops asked the girls questions they got stroppy an were put in the back of the paddy wagon, the taxi driver explained his side and said he would take me back to cape town with no extra charge I relented as I had no other way back, he bought me a cup of tea and said that he had 600 rand in his pocket and that the girls could have robbed him too if they had had a knife or gun. We sat and talked about the crime problem in the area and in SA for a while then I returned to my apartment dazed but still alive. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This story is a reminder to those travelling anywhere in the world to be aware and switched onto entrapment situations. It is not a condemnation of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">South Africa</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> just an experience I encountered and wanted to share as advice in the future. Safe trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p> Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-50535962838845422712008-12-25T18:08:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:10:51.651-08:00Romancing the Student<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTrev%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Is there any romance in students nowadays or has it all turned into drunken grunts and nods towards the neon exit door for a quicky and a cigarette afterwards.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Good question, is romance dead in college or hidden beneath last weeks Dominos pizza boxes. Lets examine the DIT campus break down for further info. Who I am doesn’t matter, I wish to stay anonymous for this article to save face. Literally.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Well DIT has a population of 20,000 students give or take, I’m bad at maths so we’ll have a sliding scale of <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">1.] Scoring Heaven,<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>2.] Even Stevens<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>and <span style=""> </span>3.]Sausage Factory/Fanny fetale.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Aungier Street -</span></b><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> The newest and biggest of the DIT’s has what I would call scoring heaven potential but if you are a culchie knock it down to a mediocre as fashion decorum is essential to score with the clientele therein, new clothes everyday essential. Not for the tenaciously thrifty or shower in a can type of people. Bizeeness, journos, media and the future suity types study here.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:street><st1:address><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Bolton Street</span></b></st1:address></st1:street><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> - The bogger haven and industrious engineers den of D North side marks a poorly sausage factory rating from my point of view. Its like that veritable end of nite desperation dive where you see a lonesome lassy on her own but she has been spied by another competitor. Do you a.) keep your dignity and walk home alone, or b.) try to score her by frantically competing verbally with the other guy with one arm braced on the bar to prevent collapse. </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Bolton Street</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> needs nae deserves more female students desperately. Necks crane at the slightest female presence. Observe starvation at its best or worst.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:street><st1:address><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Cathal Brugha Street</span></b></st1:address></st1:street><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> -</span></b><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> Interesting one this. More girls than guys but still a scoring heaven if not for the flesh but for the food cooked by present culinary students. Go try cathal brugha street food, it will scintillate the pallet more than any dodgy breakfast roll. And food is the way to a guys heart. Get cooking. But the goddamn stairs will kill you, the neverending staircase, does anyone know where it actually goes? Stairway to Heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:street><st1:address><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Kevin Street</span></b></st1:address></st1:street><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> – E = MC something or other. Haven’t been up this direction in a while but its kind of fairly evenly distributed so even stevens. But still its got a swimming pool and for any voyeurs among us who want to feast their eyes on Irish milk bottle tan of students male or female it’s a good place to go. But mind the floating plasters, ah no they have this sorted out now. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:street><st1:address><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Mountjoy Square</span></b></st1:address></st1:street><span style="" lang="EN-IE"> – The arty students among us with the intense artistic genius to derive pleasure from the most inanimate of objects, and it is definitely a scoring heaven for lads or even a fanny fatale. Hmm. But does anyone know where it is? Its like that Zoolander expression “But how do they fit the kids into the school”, I will never know. Portland Row has its own elite who scowl at your mere suggestion that they study in </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Mountjoy Square</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="" lang="EN-IE">. Don’t tempt fate or you will get bitten.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Now there are other campuses but c’mon don’t have word limit for the 50 other ones, so what does this all have to do with romance, what does anything have to do with romance. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Well your college environment can shape the way you view people and sometimes compatibility comes into it. What the fluck is that, a 6 pack and a naggin and anyone is compatible, right or roysch for Southside campuses?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE">What am I trying to say, well think outside of your stereotypical niche in your college and explore the vastness of </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Dublin</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="" lang="EN-IE">. Some students finish their study having gone to only a small number of places due to handiness. Venture across that river and see what the other side has to offer not only in watering holes but artistic and architectural richness. There’s more to do besides drinking, it’s a brilliant part but try everything once and you never know, romance could tap you on the back looking for a light or to beat the living crap out of you for 50 cent.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;" align="right"><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE">Space Cadet </span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family: Wingdings;" lang="EN-IE"><span style="">J</span></span></b><b style=""><span style="" lang="EN-IE"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033350372356447696.post-67013264024738426912008-12-25T18:02:00.000-08:002008-12-25T18:05:29.272-08:00The Merits and Joys of Tea, the Saviour of allTAE! what would we do without it? It’s a drink that begins friendships, breaks silences, soothes exam stress and nerves, or as a greeting when someone enters your house. Irish people as a nation consume on average about six cups of tea a day, that equates to 3.2 kg (7lbs) a year!<br /><br />But what of the history of the cuppa, well Tea drinking came about due to Ireland’s association with the British Empire, and tea in loose form was imported in 1835. Only the most affluent drank it due to the high import price. But as the popularity and thirst for it spread the price dropped and tea houses opened up all over Ireland. <br /><br />Tea was sold loosely in grocery stores for all to buy, in shops such as Barry’s grocery store in Cork. There was a lack of enthusiasm for bagged teas due to the belief they were of inferior blend and quality but J. Lyons & Co. (Ireland) improved the quality of the blend and the popularity for bagged tea increased.<br /><br />There are three basic types of tea: <br /><br />Black tea is fully oxidized as part of its processing. Most Irish teas are of this type and yield an amber-coloured beverage with a hearty flavour. There's good reason for that. It's often said that a good Irish cup of tea is "strong enough for a mouse to trot on." <br /><br />Green tea isn't oxidized, has a more delicate flavour and is lighter in colour. <br /><br />Oolong tea is partly oxidized and has a distinctive taste that is different than either black or green tea.<br /><br />If you are a serious tea drinker, you will understand the negligible but glaring differences in tea taste! The question springs to mind, are you a Lyons or Barry’s person? The difference in taste stems from the origin of the tea leaf or blend which in Irish terms is sourced from East Africa and Sri Lanka. Did you know that there are three grams of Tea in a tea bag and 50 thousand litres of the stuff is drunk per person per year in Ireland.<br /><br />Many other black tea brands exist on the Irish market to include Tetleys, Tesco, Aldi, and then there’s the green teas that elicit a very wry guffaw from my direction when talked about.<br /><br />Another question springs to mind in the make up of a cuppa, are you a strong tea drinker with the tea bag squeezed to an inch of its life or a weak tea drinker who prefers the dip and lift technique of lightly coloured or what I like to call pissy tea.<br /><br />And then there’s the absolute ultimate question whether you are a biscuit dunker or not, I have gotten many strange looks from people when dipping a biccie in a cuppa, but god man, if you haven’t tried a sufficiently dipped and tea soaked biscuit or piece of chocolate in a cup of tea then you cant really call yourself a tea appreciator.<br /><br />There’s a precise point called soakage limit or break off point that you need to know to be a successful dunker. If you go over this stress/strain point or if the limit of proportionality is breached, you will end up with fatigue failure and burnt fingers trying to fish the biscuit out if there isn’t any spoon. It can get very complicated as there are many types of biscuit out there, but all it takes is practice and a little experienced dunking. So go forth and drink tea and dunk like you have never dunked before.<br /><br />Trevor Seery.<br />Captainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12580330623821590949noreply@blogger.com0