1 Year on, 17 Days till Australia...

That's right people, this blog is a year old, sort of. And in 19 days i am jetting off to Melbourne with my sister.


At this time last year i was elated, but still licking my wounds. The Cork IV was a great fun  time. I had a new peer group, i enjoyed what i did despite being bloody awful, 2nd worst speaker in the competition, and not too phased about it. But i had failed to be successful with Hope and i was still alone. I walked extensively in that strange city with a 3 liter bottle of coke under my arm and didn't look back. That one night i was at risk but also terrified. But i stuck to my guns, didn't listen to myself and came out on the other side with an elated feeling for a couple of days. And i Started this blog.

I have chronicled the past year once or twice already this past year. The specific post is proving elusive to find, but it's buried in there somewhere. Note to Self, re-name, and edit older posts!



I don't regret the past year. I love my new friends, even if i could be closer, or know people who suit me better. I admire this peer group. I even envy them. I may never exactly be one of them but i don't have to be.


When it comes to debating, it's a spectator sport as far as i'm concerned. I enjoy watching arguments better than giving them. I enjoy picking them apart, or oooh-ing and ah-ing and generally being in Awe of other people's vocal dexterity and mental prowess.

I was far to rusty and far to nervous to be anywhere near as confident or talented as other speakers.

I was there merely for the craic, and to support Ming. And for the most part i felt i did that. However he out shun me by a mile.

I was thinking of chronicling my weeked at the UCD IV with the Society and Ming as my partner in-depth, and over at least 3 parts with this being a 4th post.


But frankly despite the depths of detail and analysis i could give to it. I doubt i could give any of it justice. Because i am not sure yet what any of it means. Or what it means to me.



On Friday myself and Ming did perfectly average in our debates. Then Following that, on our way home he was faced with a rather difficult matter relating to his GF. And his mood completely changed. I offered all the support i could, but it didn't make much of a difference so i backed off.

His sofa bed also left me unable to sleep. I toyed with my phone, frustrated i tossed about and listened to my iPod. It was at least 3 by the time i got to sleep.


When we got up the next morning we were straight out the door. We walked and talked and that walk and talk was all the way from Smithfield to Nassau Street. We almost beat the Luas to O'Connel Street, but that would negate the idea of zone 1 travel, now wouldn't it...

At Nassua street we bumped into Malcovich and an old Other Society member who sort of "retired" last year, who i'll call Ted.

We arrived very early and there was little to do. But eventually we got back down to debating.

In between the 3rd and 4th round i chatted with a girl from DCU and i have say there was a small sense of 
Mamihlapinatapai between us. For those who don't know what that word means, it is the world's most Succinct word. It means, "a look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that both desire but which neither one wants to start." Or at least some kind of friendly interest from a stranger who would like to know more. Although sadly it never happened, i'll return this later.

Ming and myself did well on an arts round but it went down hill from that. The true failing of our "Parternity leave" motion was when Ming sat down after his speech and simply said, "Cluster Fuck".

And i tried to cover it but it was such shite and i had so little i gave up at about 4 minutes into the speech.

The 5th round was no better. My mind collapsed and i couldn't comprehend the motion.

"That this house believes in a right NOT to be offended".

We correctly argued that this would get nothing done, and so on. And i did understand that the prop were suggesting some kind of "though police" or so on. But most of the right answers only came to me later on. I gave only about 40 seconds of words explaining how i hadn't a feckin' word in my head.

So it was then the semi-final and final's and so on.

2 Society teams and 1 other society team broke. As in qualified for the semi-final. This was great.

After the semi-final there was food, and then free drink.

People changed into their Halloween costume, the Americans dressing the most revealing. Shocking levels of skin available. Like, only buyable in an adult store costumes. I guess it's the cultural difference of the irish dressing like that on the weekend anyway, just not as revealing. Shocking really, it's halloween, not a porn set.

We watched a bit of X-factor and the girl i had a moment with came over to me again. But she recieved a phone call from her sister.

The Final was brilliant and we from TCD had great fun. The Society were all together but most of the Others had spread out elsewhere. This added to our chants of T-C-D, Trin-ity and so on. As opposed to UCD, Kings Inn/ O-A-P and strangely U-C-G for NUI Galway's team. Can't even name their own college!

Then we had to wait for the result.

I floated around different groups. I couldn't quite "call" the result. When out in the main area i went to the bathroom.

Some how most guys were going at once and there was a large enough queue. The floor was also slightly flooded.

In the sink was a man in a Toga....

I escaped the flood with my balance and dignity intact and floated between groups again.

Then i ran into that girl again and this time was able to talk to her. Someone else who was standing with me walked away and i was left talking to her. However i fluffed it. Instead i started discussing the course's available in DCU in-depth. It felt like such a face palm moment. She said she was getting a lift from her sister and would be gone soon.

I felt upset by this and grabbed a couple of cans. At the same time i was discussing by text with my dad what time i would get the bus home. But instead i just thought i would stay out now. Enjoy the evening. I cheered and roared at all the congratulations, awards and thanks over the course of the IV. I then noticed that the girl in question had returned again.

I was pretty nervous but was now diving straight in to just enjoying myself.

Then the Result. We WON!!! WE WON!!! The Society WON!!! We had 2 teams in the finale, 1 at each end of the table, and 2nd Prop, Joker and Pippa won! The other team was Jayne and Nescafé. Basically all of our best speakers.


I also saw Ming and I's results. He was mile's ahead of me, even beating Letch in "speaks". But i didn't care.

I was more interested in reviling in the collective joy of the society, getting to Joker and Pippa and congratulating them and maybe, just maybe, catching that girl before she left.

And after a lot of nervous crowd floating and collecting and protecting of my belongings i finally got her alone. And asked for her number.

My exact words were something along the line of :
"I may not know much about DCU, but would it be alright if i got your number?"

She entered her number, fiddled around trying to select the field for name entering and then handed me back my phone.

I said thank you and felt proud of myself. Not quite the grabbing a spoon moment that i attribute to Daisy, but a minor league success either way. I didn't think i'd see her again that evening, and since i couldn't remember her name it would take a while to find it in my phone book. Not because i'm popular, but because all my Facebook and MSN friends are also on it, a lot of strangers!


Then we got the buses in. I was sitting beside Egyptian Paul and he discussed an Irish poem that had to be Sung with Ming, a newbie and Letch.

Boop, Jayne, Malkovich and Goldylocks and Nescafé were on the other side.

There were a few good laugh's including Goldylocks leading a half arsed rendition of Build Me Up Buttercup.

Then the pub. A long night. Many a different occurance. A stranger from some other college latched onto me and the group of Other society people i had been around with Ming, before he left. He had been a bit odd after the art Round earlier that day and strangely was still around, wearing a T-Shirt hell t-shirt with the famous Evoloution Progress of man line up, but with the man complaining "stop following me". There was something about the guy that was just freaking me out.

At one point the group of American's spilled inside our dancing circle and were giving it loads. It led to several worried, disapproving, and commic looks from all of us trying to avoid there brand of Dirty dancing and over-zealous smuttiness. I didn't disapprove, but i didn't think it was at all necessary.

I then noticed that the girl who's number i had gotten was now in the club. How odd, maybe i had another chance.


This however never happened. In-fact, Sherminator got there before me. And i won't go into detail but they either knew each other already or he was rather succesful at wooing her. Out of the corner of my eye this was slightly upsetting but i just kept on dancing and so on. I didn't even know the 2 girls i was with, or the assorted people from the "Other" society but i didn't mind.

At one point we migratted over to what was left of the Societies people and out of the corner of my eye i realised something i had never noticed before. Goldylocks and Nescafé are a couple. Fair fucks to them. It does mean however that Trinities top 2 societies buck the national trends of sexual orientation statistics!

According to a survey i read while in the STI clinic on placement last year, 4.8 % of Women in Ireland are Lesbians. And surprisingly 2.6% of men open gay men, with a far larger margin of doubt compared to women who "experimented" or claim to be bisexual. It really did show a lot about Irish Society, or at least the sample groups the HSE covered and then rounded up to the entire population of ireland....

The Society, and the Others, in no way reflect those numbers. Hell the Society is probably 30% lesbian, and probably 38% Gay like Kinsey's studdies found about men in the 50s.

But anyway i didn't mind. Hell i didn't even think about those 2 as straight options as it was, so it was even less likely that their orientation would lead to any lewd thoughts or change in opinion about them as people.


The night wore on until closing and then the groups split. Non of my friends were left and i didn't want to impose myself on those where were left as i didnt know them to well.

I was hungry, and had some drink over the course of the night but i just walked all the way to where i would stay. The 24 Hour internet café on Talbot Street around the corner from Busaras.

I walked all the way from Parliment Street in Temple bar to Talbot street, in scrubs, in the rain, with my 2 bags.

The armys upon armies of Undead, Sluty people, beggars, puking people, fighting couple's and comatose was shocking. I had never seen so many out at once. Or indeed walked such a distance on a night that would be this busy.

I ruled out any eatery, on my own. It was far to crowded.

The internet Café was fine.

I over slept the next day. Not good. Didn't fully recover till Monday.











Now what's next.

A movie with DS before he leave's on Sunday. (Either Tomorrow or on thursday)

Lunch with Budsey and PG. Possibly on wednesday?

My sisters return on Thursday afternoon.

And then my Good bye party.

I hope to find a day that suits both Old Nursing friends, old school friends still around, at at the most part all my Society Friends. DS will probably miss it, and thus if i don't go to the cinema i'll miss him, as i'm not home till next Autumn.

I would like it if my friends were actually the one's organising it. But they're all busy. I'm at home all day. I will be doing it. I just seems slightly pathetic that i have to ask people to say goodbye to me. Instead of the other way round.

My parents have also suggested allowing friends up here to this house as well. So who knows what i'll do.

Maybe a pub/and or diner thing as well as a more close friend thing here at home.

I also want to have one last debate in the Chamber, the wednesday before i go.


Who know's. I will plan, delegate, and arrange this all tonight, and over the next few days.

Until next time.