The Dole, The CAO, some chat, Some Cider, and a whole lot of trouble...

So on thursday i was a very busy day. First off was registering for the Jobs Seekers allowence (The Dole to normal people), or at least handing in a few forms to go through the means test for it.

Image via Wikipedia

 I hopped out of the Red Merc on the Quay's in Drogheda and struggled to cross the awful road. I poped my earphones in and started to listen to music as i nonchalantly  aproached to Dole Que. With people from all walks of life, and the odd stereotype affirming people i waited in the cold.

After struggling with the preamble of bad questions, and one's aimed at catching out non-nationals, i finally got my forms handed in. Although the scowls and lack of friendly-ness from the Social Service's counter woman, weren't exactly positive or encouraging, but i'm sure she's like that with loads of us dead beats....

I still had two items left to hand in. A proof of address, hard when i don't have a job history or reason to get many official letters. And a letter from Trinity College stating i am no longer a student at their fine establishment.

I was then finished and rang my father to tell him i was done.


So i waited in the cold, briefly looking in the Vodafone shop and waited again in the cold.

Eventual the familiar sight of a Mercedes Saloon circa, anytime, returned, it's only distinctive feature being slightly more rounded lights and a red wine colour. (More on this later)

We then headed into Dublin on, shock horror, the Dublin Road. Stopping off at the Train station to buy a daily return train ticket, off-peak, for a couple of euro less than a single would be either way. All so i could have a ticket for my way home. I hate to cheat CIE/Iarnrod Eireann/ The State, but it's cheaper that way!

We drove all the way into Finglas to my dads old school where a friend and workmate of his would explain the CAO application process and help me with it.

My dad attended to some of his IT duties and then we met up with his friend.

I checked my email and deleted Facebook notifications that i could check in the real deal, as annoyingly the filters and firewalls are rather good in my dads School. Can't even get to proxies or other service's that aggregate stuff from places like facebook, twitter etc.

One a facebook email from my sister, i was in trouble..... More later....

I went through a demo of the application process and hit a wall, i needed my old Examination number, from nearly 4 years ago!

So Directory inquiries, whats the number for my old school, no i'll call them myself.

"Hi i'm so and so, i'm an old student i sat my leaving in 2006, can i have my examination number..."

Well it turns out the secretary had to look for it, and i'd have to drop in, in person. Que having to go all the way to Ranelagh.


Now once i was finished in my dads school in Finglas i had to get a bus. So i hopped on the number 19.

1.80 to get to O'Connell Street. Took about 35 minutes. In a roundabout route and a lot of narrow roads, housing estates, and going past Met Eireann, the Botanic Gardens, the Ugly mass of the Phibsburough's shopping centre, then the train station that is now a bus depot and the through street's i'd never seen before. There's a lot of windy narrow inner-city streets behind Parnell Street that i'd never seen before.


Got off the bus at the large Spar and walked the rest of the massive Thoroughfare of our Iconic street and crossed the Liffy.

Down the opposite side of Westmoreland street, the semi-dead side, to avoid foot traffic, and then across college Green via the Front arch of College Green, and Up Lower Grafton street, my ankles already aching as the uneven paving and cold air were not the same as Scrub land and, flat and heat that i have recently been walking in Australia.

Image via Wikipedia

By the time i was dodging wayward pedestrian's on Grafton Street i had already seen 5 face's i recognised. In Melbourne i NEVER saw a familiar face. In the space of a few minutes and several hundred meter's in Dublin, i'd seen loads of people. I didn't stop to talk to any of them, most didn't noticed me, one even was yawning as she saw me, but didn't have that tell tale look of realisation.

I eventual got the luas and noticed that it had now been 42 minutes since i left Finglas. Good time, sort of.

Made it to the Beechwood stop in no time and walked through the back street's to my old school.

The new gym is a bit of a shock to my old memory. It was one of the 2 lunch breaks the school use's, as i could tell with the time, and smaller crowd of pubescent male's that it had to be the same system brought in my last year.

Up the new steps to the old House, the center of the school i sat and waited for the secretary who i had spoken to earlier.

None of the students were familiar, they were all 2nd years or 1st years when i left, or worse, non-existant, not liked i knew them anyway, i wasn't a prefect and as a 6th year our private form room was the place to be, especially in winter. (Ireland...)

The Drama teacher past me, I told him i was between things at the moment.

My old Form teacher of 4 and a bit years passed me, i automatically said, "Hello Sir." He just nodded and said Hi, nothing more, like he didn't really notice.

I received my Exam number and that was it. I walked out and passed what appeared to be 6th years returning from the Village with their lunch, not a familiar face among them.

I got the back to the Luas and arrived in town. I was to meet my old nursing friend Budsey who i hadn't seen since the day before i left for Oz.

We decided on the Buttery in Trinity's Front Square to avoid the cold.

So i told Budsy what i got up to in Oz.

That is, a threesome with an Aussie friend i made online and her Boyfriend, in my sisters house, while she was away.


I won't go into full detail's, but i told of the story to PG (my ex) sort of a form of gossip, that i thought she would like to know. Mistake number 1.

Mistake 2 was that i pre-wrote the email in a word document to save using the internet to much, so as to not piss off my sister.

Well that document was apparently saved in 2 place's, and my sister found it.... She was not a happy bunny.

What doesn't make matters any easier is that my Parents are now In Australia for 3 weeks while i'm at home dog sitting.

I talked at length with Budsey about my time there, what i got up to, my crisis with my sister's anger, and of course how she had been since i'd last seen her and some idle gossip here and there.

We talked for age's in the Buttery.

I was due to meet DS for a traditional movie viewing at Cineworld at 3.10, but strangely i hadn't heard from him.

So almost out of character, i phoned him. Yes, i PHONED him.

Dear god is the world ending, Me, using a phone, for phone call's, speaking, on a phone, madness!

Apparently his phone was more fucked up than the gulf between rich and poor. And was unable to send and recieve texts.

So the movie was off. More time with Budsey.

We dragged our chatty on to Eddie Rockets and on the way, i saw more familiar Face's. More specifically people from the Society who i hadn't seen in age's, and i briefly remembered i offered to help if i was arround. But good conversation, or was it the fact i was talking about respective sex live's, kept my altruism at bay.

Wow the menu sure is larger in Empty Pockets these days. And there's an Aero 'Shake now.

I had that and half onion rings/ half chips, Budsey just the new 'Shake as she ate in the buttery when i was still saving for cinema popcorn and a real ticket stub.

I shared what photo's i could find on my phone of my time in Melbourne, mainly just attractive buildings, and more conversation.

Then we met DS at St Stephens Green and went to the Porter House for a drink or two.

We were there for a good two hours talking about anything from movies, to confidentiality to a guide to beer booklet that was sitting on our table.

Then close to leaving i found something on the floor of the bathroom stall.....

Possiblly the oddest thing i've ever found in a bathroom.

And Essay entitled:

The Potato's Contribution to Population and Urbanization:
Evidence from an Historical Experiment


This academic article, apparently, i say apparently since it use's americanised spellings, poor grammar and an apostrophe in potatoes, was just sitting there on the floor of the cubicle.

Covered in Annotated hand written notes, and a http of a TCD Gmail account i can only assume a Trinity Student took this article to the pub, and forgot about it.

I picked it up, it wasn't dirty, other than my own footprint, and brought it to Budsey and DS.

I discussed it and laughed, and concluded that handing it to bar staff wouldn't help, a facebook group was the answer.

So here it is, if you know who own's this article and if they want it back.

Go to this group:

Help Find the Owner of this Article i found in the Porter House.



That's all for now folks. Until next time.

It all looks different with hindsight...

 

Like the apove picture of Reagan visiting Russia it would have looked just like a normal stately visit back in the 80s.


Now it looks like Former President and current Premier  of Russia Putin was part of the crowd as a planted KGB member with a family, there to ask pointed and pre-scripted questions to chalange the western leader.

(BTW, he's the one in the left with the Camera, behind the boy)



I mention all this because i've read back over some of my old posts and i have to say this blog does need some sprucing up when i get back to Ireland. And by this I meand Re-writing history just a little, and making it all a little easier to follow and understand.


Currently i am posting on Reticulating Splines, although it's early day's and it's all quiet here in terms of actual things to say. But that's where my blog's are at at the moment, with the odd one on Social Media Dullard too.

This blog however needs some fine Revision. Some Editing, a lick of paint.

I thought about it before i left, and now i feel i have to actually do it. This blog needs some fixing.

By this i mean, A helpful index of what went on in my life in the past year or so, a guide to what are the key posts and not just narcisistic wankery. And even rename some of those posts so that they are easier to find.


This will also include fixing up the label's and making sure they are all in order.

As well as even sticking in annotations and links to further posts to guide any readers of my back catalog what happened when etc.


I don't actually know when i will do that. But it will be done eventually, and soon. Some time over the next 8 months while this blog is quiet. So expect to see that Helpful Indexing and Guide sometime....


In the Meantime follow what i'm up to or thinking on Reticulating Splines, and read my opinions on my Internet and tech blog Social Media Dullard.

Moving over to another blog...

Yep. My life and it's inner workings is now on the sister blog, Reticulating Splines.


This new blog will chronicle my time down under whilst THIS here blog will remain quiet for around 9-10 months.


So if you're a reader of ME, then head on over to the new blog to catch up on what i am doing in the world.


Read about the hot weather. The freak weather. The odd accents. The job situation. The People. The food. The overall strangeness of this place. And of course a new emerging social life, and my sisters new family/ my family in law.


See you soon. Over on Reticulating Splines.

Adventure's at home with the family...

Things are all quiet here at home. Well i say quiet, i really mean chaotic but homely. The past few days feel more like a week or longer.

It's not a bad thing, but it's confusing.


My sister is home and she's already settled in.

There's Diet coke can's everywhere. Wine bottle's empty quickly. A supply of beer only lasted a day. And the dishwasher fill's far faster. But that could be to do with the group of friends she had up, but still, that's a fuck load of washing!



What to write, oh what to write:

I tried to start writing yet another one of my story idea's. After a few minute's screaming at the Font feature's on Google Doc's i finally started tapping some words out. But they just pissed me off.

All show, and no tell. If anything it was Masterbatory. All look at me i have this universe and idea's and i can shove these layered characters in off the top of my head as i write, aren't i great, isn't this all sounding so cool, aren't i just the best. Eh no, not really.

I should be telling a story. I have yet to find that story. I do have a universe, a premise, characters i centre it all on and problems and dilema's and settings and so on. But a narritive.... Not yet.

I have no start, no catalysts, nothing at all yet. I really just hated what i started.

It was a list of the family involved and the setting. Not a story in sight. Great writing that.


Oh by the way, the quote "All art is Mastabatory" is possibly the best line i've read all year. It's from "How i payed for College by Marc Acito and i have to say i love that book.

And the fact i read it just before Glee started make's it even better in my eyes.


They say Write what you know, and about what you love. Most of my idea's so far are sci-fi or there abouts.


Well what i know is my life. Hence the blogging, obviously. But what i love to read is Diary type comedy-drama books!

Or at least it's all i have read in any great depth.

Andrian Mole

Ross O'Carol Kelly

and to some extent How i Payed for College.


All comdey-drama's and so on. And i love them. They're a type of book i love. And why i have yet to come up with a story, other than my own life, for such a book myself escapes me.

I've imagined tv-shows based on my high school life or college life all as sample's of Irish culture or of the Male psyche/ mental health. But i have yet to do anything about that. Maybe i should.

Why write about Pirates and keeping a secret for the greater good, or a kid whose imagination creates real worlds to help deal with his own, when i can Write about MEEEEEEE!!!



Hmm, i'll try that some time maybe?





Friendships and the long goodbye.


So i'm going to Australia.

I leave on the 20th.


My going away party is this friday, yes the 13th, but i don't think that's a bad thing.


I considered weighing it up and organising and other things.

But instead i said fuck it and sent out a Facebook evite to all my friends and other such people and did it anyway.

So i'll see them all on Friday and say good bye.

I may also hold a smaller doo here at home on Saturday. My mother kept mentioning it, but the logistics are confusing! And i seem to avoid it like most things at the moment.


I have several emails i should be writing to my friends. I should be sending more texts and so on.

In the case of PG texts don't seem to reach her. A technical glitch i can't figure out and she rarely has the time to discuss. I am glad we're not talking as much as we used to. But when i want to reach her and all i have is Facebook, which she only pops into now and then and never chat's extensively, it just gets annoying and off putting that i don't even bother remembering what i want to say and give up.


I have to say that i really do think i am a right shiteous friend some times. And being stuck at home isn't exactly helping either.



I should go to sleep now. I have shit i should be doing. And now i've added the fact that i want to do one or two more debates to my growing list of tasks. Go me...

Eager to write, but not much to say...

Uggghh i hate this feeling. I'm in a sort of zone here. I keep wanting to say stuff, status updates, comments, texts and tweets. But i'm not actually having conversations. I'm not actually doing anything!


I'm sitting on a plush couch. I've got newsnight on. Some conservative shite, then something else, now Al Gore on a satalite feed.


Yoono is open to the left of my I-bar and i am watching Twitter and Facebook as the evening where's on.

On my phone i have texts message's slowly trickling in organising my day tomorrow which is now almost fully organised.

I am going to the Cinema with DS, then meeting up With Gammaman with DS, for a catch up or some food. Then going to A Hamas Debate in the Society. Then heading home on a late bus to be able to up in time for last minute cleaning, to welcome my sister home.


PG's sick and thus not free for lunch. Budsey has yet to answer.  So i don't know what time i'll head into town yet, as i have no Lunch appointment, yet. I have an open invitation to all my friends on Facebook, but i doubt many will bite.

Social networking? What Social networking?

Does anyone really do that?


After all, few of my friends are as techno-dependent or savvy as myself. I love the idea of Tweeting and the impending possibilities related to Geo-location status updates and augmented reality. Everyone else is more worried about when they can have lunch or fit study in.


I guess when you spend as much time as me on the web, the possibilities of new technologies seem all so great. And yet no one i actually know use's current one's. If they do, they do it on an as needed basis, or when it suits them. Some people still have, "out of date", mobiles. Nokia 3210's and so on.

Others have gotten a new one every year, or even more frequently. Most have iPods and so on, and some even have Laptops, Netbooks or the alien white of Apple's. But this is all for practicle use. Study, work, some recreation and procrastination.

But using social media, to actually socialise. No not yet. For the moment most of my friends seperate reality and social network socailising. Sure status updates and internet meme's cross over into everyday life as source's of information. But they rarely use them as tools for social, activity or change.

Sure Facebook event's are used. Sure Youtube perpetuate's meme's. Sure online article's and blogs are shared information. But very few actually use them.

Very few even update their status, or comment extensively.

Even chat's with relative stranger's are hard to translate into the real world. People react differently to you as a real person compared to your name and display photo.

So why do i love the idea of Augmented Reality and Geo-location? Is it because i'm a geek, or is it because i finally relish the idea that my idea of communicating with the world is becoming more accessable with the real world?


A lot of people HATE iPhone Users. Hell commuters hate those who listen to music, or those still using Broadsheets or reading Chic-Lit. How will they feel when you snap picture's of the world around you to access more information.

To Find out a resturant's review. If your friends want to meet you there, or have been there before. If there's a news story or history to a place. If there are photo's from a venue publically available, or if a product or album is reviewed or previewable on the mobile web.

That's what Augmented reality will do. You walk around the normal world, but can access ALL the information of the web, via applications on your mobile device. Layers of information right there infront of you, and you won't have to be at a computer.

Imagine how this will drag the geeks out into the open. Or make life easier.

Now if only my friends loved techy toys as much as i do.


Hmm, maybe i should write some in-depth email's to my friends. Pass more time.

Oh yeah, i have to organise my own going away party to, forgot about that...

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.

I want a new mobile....

Is it too soon to want a new mobile phone?

I got my INQ 1 back in March or there abouts, as a belated birthday gift. And i love it. I really do. But i kind of want more from my phone. That's why i was eager to upgrade to the INQ Chat 3G when it comes out, which is expected around next month or so.


Now i have no garuntee that it will work when i go to Oz, or if i can even get it down under, but i would love it. But considering the whole "new" network thing and new country aspect i am considering other options. And truthfully i would like to upgrade to a Smartphone.



Now i am an avid, anything else user. I like to use underdogs and unpopular tools in most aspects of my gadgetry and computing. Okay, so i use windows, but thats about it. I use everything else that isn't windows after that.


My toys are visable here:




And this is my current Mobile:






But since i'm upping sticks i'm considering what i would like to buy at the other end.



Firstly i DO NOT want an iPhone. I may have an iPod and may have had a first generation one all those years ago but i'm not a Mac person. Never was, never will be. I like the clunky messyness of Windows and the free market that sprung up around it.

I don't want my computing or gadgets all uniformed to one sleek white style or using all the same software. No, i like variety, and I LIKE FLAWS. It let's you know what you're lacking, and what can be improved. Thats the essance of a good free consummer market. Feck brands and monopolies, give me choice and different standards of quality any day! As long as it all works of course...



Altough, i must conceed that i am a fan of Google. So on the smart phone front i am tempted by anything that runs their "Android" software.


The HTC Hero is the current top dog in that department:



It's sleek, and it's nice. And has all the usual google toys and an app store, small yes, but it exists. And as far as i know it's the second largest.


The next big thing in Android phone's is the Motorolla Droid.

The droid is at war with the iPhone claiming it does things the iPhone doesn't.

I don't get all the hype, but i like the phone.


It looks very nice, but for the near-by future it looks like it will be an America only thing. Not exactly buyable down under then.




Now the iPhone may be a piece of cake and popular, but i don't want it. But i would like a slice of this iPhone Cake:



Fecking nerdy wedding cake, still looks nice though.



Now the Nokia N97 is the Scandanavian offering to the world of Smartphones. It's nice, i do like it, i've held one in stores and i do like the feel, and the qwerty keybored is a plus.

It also has an app store. Via Ovi. A company Nokia swallowed to make it's new toys for their toys. It also aims to be a very social collection of aps, with geo-location, events, calanders, facebook, twitter and other things.

It's nice, but it's main failing, it's a Nokia.

I've always disliked Nokia. I don't sware by any brand, and in mobile terms Nokia always seemed like Apple to me, before Apple came along.


The nice, but to nokia, Nokia N97





For a non-smartphone option there is the slightly odd Samsung Ping.

Now the mobile phone critics, yes they exist, don't like it. But i think it has a charm. And a slight brilliance.


It has some in-built Facebook and twitter aps, but not of the same standard as other phones, and not as nice as INQ. But look at it!



Not the best colour, or angle. But it's Qwerty, with a sideways numerical keyboard, along the side of the screen, or the top of the keyboard, depending on your angle.


The Number keys work as a normal phone when in phone mode.

But then you can pop out your QWERTY keyboard and chat away like mad.

I like it. It's not pretty, but it has a charm, and it has the right idea.


The Nokia N97 and the Droid have this, but they're very powerful, very specialist and very expensive, and not garunteed to be available down under.

The Ping however, is odd, a normal phone, and has a nice keyboard. I really think it's quaint and i wouldn't rule it out just yet.




But the Piece de le resistance, the one i have wanted ever since i heard of it, is..... The INQ CHAT 3G!!!


It's an INQ. I love my INQ. It's mobile web and social networking and handy, but it's cheap and friendly. It's a starter phone for those looking to use all mobile internet has to offer.


And now it's new generation has in-built twitter. The chat is even better, with a Qwerty keyboard.




But the problem with INQ, that i can anticipate is that it doesn't have a long lasting sustainability. I already want to replace my INQ 1 for this better one. I know i can add Java based applications as i wish, such as Snaptu(a handy multible tool) and Google Maps and Opera MINI ( a web browser), but what about a year or two down the line?


My old phones, were that, just phones. I didn't expect them to update. But with the demands of the mobile web and social networking trends are driving change in mobiles.


To ride the wave of this change it would be almost better to get a phone that can change with the times. That does update.


Android phone's will do that. Future Nokia smartphones will probably do that. The Palm Pre and blackberry's will certainly do that, but they're also expensive.

The iPhone. The iPhone was always a scam. The first model a tease. The second a further tease. The 3rd almost what you'd expect. But it doesn't have MMS, or didn't at first. Instead people fork out money for several dozen apps to get the cool toys and useablity they should have had as standard but have to pay for themselves.


With Android phones, there will also be expense, with Nokia, expense, with Blackberry, expense. With INQ Chat, there isn't.


It does, almost all of what i want from the get go. And any freely available programe i want i can add as needed.


The only thing it doesn't do, that i would love, is have better picture useablity. Maybe a inner-camera for video phone, which i'd never use.

A Light/flash.

A stronger camera.

And Twitpic. I love blogging, i would use the QWERTY keyboard and the web, or inbuilt GMAIL to blog. But if i take picture's, i would like to blog them!


iPhone and other people are blogging with picture's on Twitpic and yFrog right now. Why can't cheaper mobile users do the same?


Maybe i'll just wait.


I hope to get my INQ chat 3G before i go, hopefully. And take it with me. But who knows.....


I still can't decide, but i do want to deeply consider this before i get there, and when i get there.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

A new blog, soon....

As i am moving to australia for close to a year, this blog will soon draw quiet.

But not to fret, this will be a month of good bye. And then a new blog, via the same account, i can't exactly betray google just yet...


So watch this space. When i reach down under there will be a new blog.

Until then:

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Less than a month left till i'm gone, let's make it a good one!

Yes, you read right. I'm leavin', on a jet plane, not sure exactly when i'll be back again, but it's in a years time....


If you're a friend or a stalker you will already know that i am upping my lazy ass and packing my not very warm weather orientated cloths to take with me.

I moving down under to get work and to help pay for a return to college at some stage.


So in lieu of my departure i will be celebrating my life in Ireland coming to a brief closure, by seeing "most" of my friends and aquatance's in some manner of farewell.



Firstly i'll mention the day i bought my tickets, Wednesday, and then i will discuss what i hope to squeeze in in some way, funding forgiving.



So at an un-godly and dark hour of 5 am i woke to join my mother on the bus into town. Yes the train is still out of service, how annoying.

I showered and collected all my things and headed off into town.

I almost slipped up buying a return ticket, for the train, by not saying "student". I may not be a student anymore but i still have a valid travel card until the end of the year. I almost had to fork out 18 euro or something. But i said, in shock, student, but the ticket was already printed, the guy re-printed. €14.80 please....

Eh... wasn't it 12.50??? So i scrambled for change and was left with no coins and only my dads visa for buying my way to Australia.

Getting off the bus in town i told my mother of this and kindly i was able to recieve 5 euro to get me through my day. Possibly the last spending money i'll see for a long time.


I hoped on the dart in connolly to get to Pearse. It was raining and going via the Docklands is just not as nice as going up and down steps and ramps and being carried through the murk of 730am Dublin in Autumnal weather.

So in my computer loving way i thought, let's see if i still have access to the college network.


Aras an Phiarsigh... or IS services as i've always called it was locked, it was still not 8am.

The arts block however was open. Off i went.


Ahhhh computer fix. Okay so these awful College computers may now have Vista, but i'll use 'em either way!


This lasted till 930 or so and i hoped over to the Gimby for some newspapers. It was still raining, and i had only one task to do, with another in reserve, weather and time permitting.


I got into the Society and it was all so queit. Contract cleaners doing there thing and not another soul about.

There however, were NO newspapers. Just the dreaded TCD student newspaper.....

It was reading but it wasn't good reading. A Rockstar can and my iPod Nano kept me company whilst reading about college issue's, rejoice's about no fee's and a life that i have now left behind.


There i sat. A fresher couple on their laptops. A hanging guy crashing face down in a couch and the odd head popping in and out of the door.


Then in came Kaffee. He rounded the entire room before noticing me but came over and we started a good chin wag and catch up.


Then the "Tea and toast" service started. Dona and her boss lady, who's nickname i have forgotten rolled in and set up the wee event for Freshers and others.

At first i wasn't interested, but the smell of toast was all to good.


Dona, with her Tattoes, bouncy charm and Public Enemy t-shirt was happy to see me and everyone and handed out toast galore. With Spreads of Nutella and i think some jam available.

Although i'm actually doubting the jam... I think that essential toast-al condiment was ommitted for some reason.

Not being a flavoured water man i had no liquid to acopany my toast. But Dona soon rectified this by discussing how she and almost no one else she knew in the entire college didn't drink tea. I piped up and we shared some Semi-flat Cadet orange that was left over from a previous event. Dona mainly extracted this gloriously cheap muck as a means of getting on the wrong side of her OTHER boss lady, Boop.

I never got the full details but from what i could gather all is not so happy in the MC department. I want name names but it seems like its not exactly peachy.


Kaffee, myself and Ming sat down at the head of the room in a semi-circle and discussed, the society, life, friendships, and the social impact of facebook and it's wider implications on how we now live our lives....


IT's girlfriend arrived and Ming talk to her. So i then started to discuss the Society and college life with Kaffee. He's a tad disillusioned with the "cliques" and certain key figures about the place but instead of egging this on i just reassured him that he was still an important figure, and sort of a Yoda type. Dispensing little gem's and trope's of debating and knowledge wisdom. He listened but i don't know if it invoked the same zeal and enthusiasm by witch he has instilled in some like myself, or the same caffinated over-acting that Gammaman gives to any story...


I then slowly departed the Gimby with Ming in toe and we discussed my trip to Oz and how we should SO do another movie night soon. I suggested that the NEXT drinking game should be to all the "Fucks" in In Bruges.(A suggestion from my sister) I think it should be done. Just for the challange.


He also mentioned how my leaving is sort of like "abondoning" him. I don't take most of his comments about my leaving, or my failing nursing to heart, but i do sense he's uncomfertable about it. But we've made plans for another movie night and other stuff so hopefully we'll have a good friendly good bye and so on.



I walked across front square with Ming as we discussed my departure but then he ran into his GF so i waited a minute or so but then moved on waving goodbye.


As i walked to the travel agent i got out my notebook and sorted what page's of notes and information i needed. Oddly this meant i ran into Egyptian Paul as he was walking somewhere up Dame Street. I walked and talked with him briefly and then stopped, i had a bin to find for the ball of paper in my hand, there wasn't one. How strange. I walked back to Trail finders and walked in.


I had been directed to talk to someone specific that my sister knows from her School days. Some former Gonzaga or Clongoe's guy that she hung out with years ago. In short someone i wouldn't have met ever, so aiming to deal with him was optimistic at best.

I got to the visa desk and it was a slow process of odd questions and hovering pen movements to get it all finished. The woman who handled my visa application was nice and saw the funny side of the form and i exchange some words with her.

Then it was back to the front desk where i asked again for the stranger i was meant to go via, he was on the phones that day. So i was sent to someone else.

I told this guy where i wanted to go and he started typing and searching away.

Bermused by the lack of back and forth i mentioned the Date i wanted to leave, the city i wanted to go to and the specific airline. Why he hadn't asked me was annoying.

Then 5 minutes of silence later was the random question:

"Have you ever been to Israel?"

"eh, what, uh, no?"

"okay."


And then more silence.

Asked for visa. Used it. Done.

He went away, came back. Went away, came back. And i had a printed ticket. A few awkward thank you's and goodbyes and i was done.


I left and phoned the Dad and i was done. Now for more hanging out in the gimby.

No one was about, and no newspapers. So i used the computers in the attic.


Eventually Gammaman replied to my question about free for lunch and we met up and walked and talked.

I had had a Londis roll earlier and was left with no money, just change. So we went to M&S.


He got pasta salad while i bought a Doughnut for 60cent.


We went back to his room in Goldsmith, it has a hidden courtyard behind Pearse, pretty cool.


Then we sat down as he wrote his speech for that nigths debate. He paced and discussed stuff while I, well i just listened and played the wii. Yeah he has a Wii. Lucky bastard.

It was a pretty good speech.

Over to the debate and i spent time with a few people a few hello's etc but mainly sat beside Ming who gave the first Op speech. It wasn't that bad, but he seemed a bit upset over how it went.

The first expert's speech went on a tad too long and i had to leave after it for the 9pm bus. I walked fast and got it on time.




So here we are now.


And the plan for the next month is not exactly set in stone.

I hope to do the following over the next few weeks:


Lunch with Budsey and PG in Eddie Rockets.

Another Movie night with Ming and his friend Ché.

A movie and meet up with DS when he's back at the end of this month.

Maybe the UCD IV as a novice or to help some newbie get by.

Then maybe a movie night of my own, The Godfather Trilogy, all at once???

A Goodbye party, or two.

One with the society people in town, and another at my home close to when i leave, and when the trains are back.

A Chamber Debate on the wednesday before i leave, as a final goodbye to the Society.


All will be planned over the next week....

Until then toodles bloggers, readers, stalkers and wierd people i may like or fear some day.

I'm Heading Down Under...

Yes indeed.


On monday i was doing the usual, chore's and next to nothing. Things are bleak here in ireland and my parents know this.


So while i was sorting my dad's receipts in date order and then collecting copper change into money bags my dad discussed the possiblity of sending me to live with my sister so that i could get work and money for college.


Since failing Nursing i have been unemployed and frankly ireland is really really not a place to get a job these days, and i don't exactly have much work experiance.


So i'm being shipped off to the southern hemisphere and a country emerging from a recession.



So that's where i'm heading in the foreseeable future.

Some time in November or December i will be flying off to get work and to fund my future.


That future is not set but i'm looking at returning to college. Trinity is out of the question as none of the course's i'm interested in are available to me with the points i got in the leaving cert 3 years ago.


So i'm applying for either an Arts degree in UCD(D) or English with film or journalism in Scotland.


To Study Arts here in Ireland require's me to pay for my first 2 years as i have already recieved them for free, in my first 2 years of nursing. I still owe 7 grand for my repeat year. So working and getting money together is essential.

Scotland is an option because that's what my sister did. She got "free" education there. And so does my friend DS. I can't pass up that option at all because it's cheaper and yet another life affirming choice.

Ireland is my home. I will miss my friends in Trinity and from Nursing, i already do being cooped up at home, but Australia is on the other side of the world. UCD would be a return to my Southside "roots" but i'm not that pushed about it. Scotland however sounds so promising. To do what i want to do in another world and be independent while doing it.

And of course if i choose Napier, my sisters college, i'll be in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a great city, and it means i can host friends who pop over for the Fringe and comedy festival's, what's not to like about that?



It's all ahead of me now.


PS: Sorry for the lack of blogging, but i don't have my own computer or the same amount of time on my dads laptop. I also have far less to blog about stuck at home!

The Open Road: A dream

I should probably be eating an apple for my lunch but i went to the computer, shock horror, and i can't help but dream of spending my life exploring the world.


I don't really want to be a nurse. And even if i want to be a writer i may need more to write than my imagination.

I've mentioned my American Road Trip before. DS and myself have been talking about it on off since Transition year.

And now, really thinking of our futures it really is a dream we want to fulfill. Even Gammaman a devote Photography lover has expressed an interest to tour the world also.

In lieu of this i have thought how best to start out?

What journeys do we take?

Of course how do we fund this?

And how will we do it?



First off Either Inter-Railing or E30:

Everyone knows of inter-railing. It's a well known Student journey around Europe's rail networks. And often very cheap and life changing and so on. Well it's a must do, but it's also pretty easy so to speak. All the cool kids are doing it.


How about the E30. A linking of motorways from Cork City, County Cork, Ireland to Moscow, Russia. It's a designated route and technically on maps. Cork to Rosslare, Rosslare to Fishguard in Wales, maybe a stop in London, Then Felixstowe to Hook of Holland, divert to Amsterdam, then back on the road to Hannover to Potsdam, Germany or Berlin then Frankfurt-on-Oder, Warsaw,Poland to Brest and then Minsk, then Smolensk and finally Moscow.

Now it's not exactly a sight seeing route, but it's a route. And as a test bed idea it would be good to see if a group of friends can stand each others company by doing a mad dash across Europe on Motorways. It would most likely cost the same amount as Inter-Railing, possibly less.

As Europeans we have free pass all the way to Belarus!


Inter-railing is also an interesting venture as it's a free rail pass for 20 days or more over 20 countries. You can go around in circle's basically, pop around the place over those days, a different city and or Country every day. More of the Journey than the sight seeing. And also the company of thousands of unique fellow travelers.




The Next big journey, and the original, Trans-America:


This could start anywhere. All depending on money really.


The Cheapest place to start from would most likely be Orlando, Florida. There is "cheap" flights from Liverpool and Edinburgh for British Tourists. It's a way of cheating so to speak.

But the real journey would be to start in Boston.
Take in
Salem,
Boston,
Providence,
New York,
(Buffalo + Niagara Falls, ? Toronto? Visa permitting)
Philadelphia,
Baltimore,
Washington D.C,
Richmond,
Greensboro,
Charlotte,
Myrtle Beach,
Jacksonville,

Spur 1:
(Montgomery)
(Birmingham)
(Memphis)
(Little Rock)
(to Oklahoma)

Or Spur 2:
Daytona
Orlando,
Cape Canaveral
Orlando,

Tallahassee
Mobile
New Orleans
Baton Rouge
Houston
Dallas
(Oklahoma City)
Albuquerque
Phoenix,
Las Vegas,
Los Angeles,

Spur 3:
(San Diego)
(Tijuana? visa to Mexico permitting)


And then there's the Question of How you get home? Do you fly from L.A or do you do the California Coast Road and then Up To Washington State?

Then Take in Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Denver, then the cities you missed in a round about way Like Kansas City and St Louis and end up In Chicago, then Cincinnati and back to New York?

Either way its a journey not to be missed.



Journey 3:

London To Sydney, Overland!:

London to Sydney via OZ-Bus, "only" £4399.

London, England
France
Belgium
Germany
Czech Republic
Austria
Hungary
Bulgaria
Turkey
Iran
Pakistan
India
Nepal
India
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
Australia
Sydney


Now once you get to Sydney or a stop else where in Australia do you finish there or do you do more?

They offer the London to Syndey trip to coincide with New years in Sydney Harbour, a September start time. Or if you went earlier and also took In The east coast of Australia.

Left the Tour at Adelaide, Went down the coast to the Twelve Apostle's "close" to Melbourne, and then Join my sister In Melbourne, Then onto Canberra, Then The Real Coast road, Sydney to Brisbane and take in the Great Barrier Reef. Then Fly back to Sydney for New years and then spend some of the summer, back "home" in Melbourne.

I'd so do that! Also if i got nursing and with my sister being a naturalised Aussie now, i could end it all off there, or keep going...


There is still South America to see. Still Africa.

And Of course China or The Trans-Siberian Railway.



The ultimate Dream Would be to fill an entire passport with countries within it's lifespan. A souvenir to show off to your grand kids. A blog and photo's won't last forever, but that passport could last a long time.



But it's not impossible. Hell why not throw in an Olympics along the way?

2016 is either Chicago, Tokyo or Rio de Jeneiro.

Or even 2020 or 2024.

My New passport has be from 2010 onwards, 10 years is there maximum for an adult isn't it, or can it be extended? How far can one go in 10 years?

Now of course i don't qualify till 2011, there's several long periods of Saving that would have to be included.

However if i wasn't tied down to much, then all my income could go to these trips?? Well not all, but if i was able to extend my overextended welcome in my own Home it could easily be economically possible.

My first income from 4th Year and employment Part-time and qualified, goes towards the €6 grand or so of the past year. Then in late 2011 i should basically be out of debt and ready to start saving.

For the 3 journey's i listed extensively we're talking a lot of money.

Basically €700 or more for inter-railing, adding MINOR expense's.

£4399 in 3 instalments for Oz-Bus. Plus additional €2,000 ( $(aus)4,000+ )or more for the coastal road trip and flight back to Sydney or Melbourne, then €1,000 or so to get home, or use up a work year in Australia in order to be able to return home or start the next trip.


America could be hard to calculate. But I'm guessing around €3,000 or more. Which by that time could be anything in US dollars.


A dream i would love to live. Document in blogs, photo's, a book or two, and to tell my children or grand children.