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I had a fantastic idea

3 November, 2009
Posted in: Reading etc.

For Nablopomo (if you have to ask, this post is not for you), I was going to give you details of my favourite blogs. My favourites list is not up to date. I was going to do it in November. It’s more time consuming than I had anticipated.

Instead, I am going to read my blogroll every day and give you some links to posts I like.

So starting with this one. It is technical, it is perhaps a little tedious but so many people get this wrong, people who should know better and it drives me bananas. Please consider, the difference between the Council of Europe and the European Council. I particularly enjoy the way all the comments are further refinements by fellow obsessives. This is starting off all wrong, isn’t it?

I wish I’d read this before we’d got our cat.

The White House Government blog – oh the disappointing dullness of this. However, I can’t help feeling that this picture is going to make the religious right quite cross.

Unlike the Government blog, the flickr stream is always worth a look: careful, interesting shots.

This is a hilarious blog about bad writing – here’s an example. Subscribe, subscribe, you will not regret it. Though you will cringe when you see your own particular faults lampooned.

I am sure you are aware of the excellent Mr. Kottke. I have found many of the blogs I read regularly via his site. May I give you a sample? Just tonight I had a look at strange maps, a bizarre banner ad and one for generation text.

Isn’t this clever? And it’s not just techno tips for old people either. Well, it depends, how old is old?

You know who dooce is, of course: this appealed.

I love this woman. She has proper standards and she is not afraid to say so. I am still very glad that she was not at mass with me and my children on Sunday.

The weirdness of Americans. Be very afraid, where America goes the rest of the world follows. I mean, why are we all celebrating Halloween? Can I take this opportunity to point out that this is an Irish festival exported to the new world with the bulk of our population. You can see though why pumpkin lanterns were always more likely to take off than turnip lanterns which they were using at home in the absence of exciting new world vegetables. I digress, regular outrages are available here from the woman who let her nine year old ride the subway.

Living on the Edge

2 November, 2009
Posted in: Siblings

Text message received from my sister on her way to a wedding in Poland:

So, arrived at airport at 6.55 for 7.20 flight. Had checked in at home but they wouldn’t accept bag. Didn’t have time to go all the way back to car so went to left luggage. Put absolute essentials, dress, present in a paper bag. When I got to gate flight was closed but they let me on. Ryanair wouldn’t, I’m sure. Analysing lugggage, I think I will have to buy shoes. Why am I always surpried by how long it takes to get to the airport?

Nablopomo

1 November, 2009
Posted in: Reading etc.

Really, why would I do this again? Particularly when I can’t even work out how to put the logo in my sidebar. Sigh.

The Epitome of Cool

29 October, 2009
Posted in: Ireland, Reading etc.

Myself and Mr. Waffle went to see the Saw Doctors on Saturday night. As we were going into the Olympia, two young men about town were passing. We were happened to overhear a snatch of their dialogue. “What’s on?” “The Saw Doctors.” “Ah, that old shite.”

The Saw Doctors have been around for about 20 years. They have a particularly Irish flavour to their music and very funny lyrics. Mr. Waffle maintains that the further you are from rural Ireland the more you will like the Saw Doctors. He is a bigger fan than I am but his friend from Fermoy (not a fan) is married to a Londoner who is wildly enthusiastic.

They attract a bizarre demographic. Sitting in front of me was a bald man of about 70 wearing a suit and tie and a fáinne. Beside me was an older gentleman wearing a baby blue v-necked golf jumper. He was accompanied by a young man of 17 or 18. They both knew all the words of all the songs. The concert also boasted a couple of children and loads of 20 somethings.

The Saw Doctors themselves are not as young as they once were. When they sang about leaving “the Christian Brothers’ school“, I couldn’t help thinking that it’s been a very long time since they left the Christian Brothers’ care. That song, about emigration, is topical again for the first time in 20 years so maybe the Saw Doctors are due a serious revival. Again, when they sang “Red Cortina” (remember the Cortina?) and mentioned “Christmas party 77”, it was clear that a large part of the audience wasn’t even born in 77 let alone meeting a first love (though a significant minority would have been 20 years married in 77). I’ve been humming it all week. What’s great about the Saw Doctors is that they sing about a very specific Irish context. Their songs really couldn’t have been written anywhere else – I mean, take for example the one about baling hay.

Apparently they’ll be back in Dublin in February, there’s something to look forward to.

Landmark

28 October, 2009
Posted in: Princess

It’s a long way from this:
img009

to this:

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Weekend round-up (late for every event so only appropriate that this is late too)

23 October, 2009
Posted in: Dublin, Family, Hodge, Ireland

Friday night
7.00 – Arrive home from work
7.30 – Leave for 50th birthday
2.00 – Stumble into bed
Saturday
9.30 – GAA. Herself refused to play and the boys drew the line at hurling. Michael got lost. Not a success.
12.00 – Lunch
2.00 – Horseriding for children in the Dublin mountains. Their kind aunt got them vouchers. They absolutely loved it. I spoke to a mother on the sidelines. “Three children riding, it’s going to be bread and water for you from now on.” Hmm. They may have to contain their enthusiasm.
4.00 – Work thing for me.
Sunday
13.30 – Lunch at a friend’s house
16.30 – V. pleasant walk in the war memorial gardens at Islandbridge
18.00 – Arrival of Hodge.

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