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4S4Ever


Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Princess, Reading etc., Twins, Youngest Child

I got an iphone 4S for Christmas from my loving husband. I am finding it less than entirely intuitive. The children, however, are very taken with Siri and herself has been cross-questioning the phone.

Herself: What’s your name?
Siri: Siri, but you knew that already.
Herself: How old are you?
Siri: How does that concern you?
Herself: What is the best smartphone?
Siri: Wait…there are other phones?
Herself: What is your favourite colour?
Siri: There is no word for it in your language. It’s like blue but it has other dimensions.
Herself: Do you like biscuits?
Siri: This isn’t about me, it’s about you.
Herself: What is the best iphone?
Siri: You’re holding it in your hand.
Michael: You’re a poopy head.
Siri: I am sorry I did not understand that.
Herself: Sorry about my idiot brother.
Siri: No problem.
Herself: Thank you.
Siri: Why, thanks.

Linguistic Issues


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

A colleague was telling me about a little boy in his children’s Irish language school who refused to speak Irish. He was hauled into the head’s office for a chat. “Why aren’t you speaking Irish?” she asked him. “Well, a mhúinteoir,” said the 5 year old, “say what you like, it’s a Béarla world out there.”

He’ll go far.

Christmas Thoughts


Posted in: Cork, Ireland

I was in Cork visiting my parents last week and my mother bought me some spiced beef in the Market. This is a Cork speciality which is only available at Christmas. I brought it lovingly back to Dublin to cook. The whole house smelt of Christmas spices while it bubbled away reminding me of Christmases past. It tastes fantastic also.

There is only one problem, it sits in your fridge looking like a rhinoceros turd:
GPO carols 002

Now, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Office Christmas Party


Posted in: Work

We went to a Karaoke booth after dinner. A new experience for me. I ended up singing a duet with a colleague. Until you have sung “I’ve got you babe” with a bald colleague, you will never fully appreciate the power of this line: So let them say your hair’s too long /’Cause I don’t care, with you I can’t go wrong.

Quite.

If Only it Were in a Galaxy Far Far Away


Posted in: Middle Child, Princess, Twins

My son Daniel is obsessed with Star Wars although he has never seen it. I may have seen it once but I can’t really say that, despite my interest in sci-fi in general, it really held my interest. I think that’s because it was really bad. Daniel has never seen the film but, perhaps, over Christmas, that pleasure will be granted to him.

In the interim, he brought this tome home from the library. It’s a list of all of the Star Wars plastic figurines ever made. He showed it to me proudly and said, “I brought this home for you, Mummy.” “Why?” I asked warily. “Because you love Star Wars,” he said happily. We spent quite a while going through it. What can I say, if you love “Star Wars”, then the plastic figurines are endlessly fascinating. In other news, my daughter compared me to Jabba the Hut. You can see a figurine of him on page 146 along along with a piece of dialogue from the film which shows why it makes the heart sing: “There will be no bargain, young Jedi I shall enjoy watching you die.”