Thursday Thoughts

I'm finally back! Things have been busy recently and I haven't had time to blog but here I am at long last! I'm having trouble coping with suddenly having money in my pocket. I knew I would be better off than last year moneywise but I never realised how better off I am. No more trying to get by on €3 a week. It's kind of scary. It's as if I have suddenly won the lotto or something. I've already splurged my money unnecessarily on things like a bathroom towel, socks and even washing powder! Someone stop me before I get out of control!

I really need to get the apartment sorted and more homey. I've been there over a year now but what with the money situation and the breakup with E, I've not been in the mood to do that. And even though I'm considering a move abroad again, it's time to make this place look like someone actually lives there. I have some pictures of my nephews and nieces thanks to bro J and sis A but I don't have any pics of my family. I think the next time I am up in Donegal, I will go through the old photo albums. I don't have a camera and my understanding of the camera market is...well...basically non-existent so I'll the search for cameras for the future. So that just leaves getting more bookcases...yes that's right...bookcases plural. Besides sorting out some of my book collection, it will leave me more room for my bits and pieces. Once that's all taken care of , I'll see where I am. But the living room definitely needs some kind of personality first. I can work on the bedroom etc after that. Money doesn't make the world go around but haing some more is certainly making it easier for me to sleep at night.

UGC in Parnell Street have a serious mental block IMHO. Whereas they wisely pack the ticket counters with enough personnel, there is hardly anyone at the till in the sweets/snacks shop. In fact, everytime I go there, the queue seems to get longer and longer. Surely it should be treated like any other retail outlet, if the counter is busy, then someone should be roped in to take care of the customers. Since the customer has only a limited time until the movie starts, this would make sense. And considering that 30 or 40% of their income comes through the purchase of popcorn/nachos/hotdogs etc, wouldn't it be easier and more profitable to put more people on the counter? And now they've gone one better, to stop the supposed theft of soft drinks, they've put the lids behind the counter. A fantastic plan! Because it means there are pools of soft drinks coating the floor which not only is a health and safety hazard but a potential lawsuit in the making! Not to mention the poor sod who keeps having to mop it all up. If they're that concerned with the theft of drinks, then they should just move the drinks station behind the counter and save us all the hassle.

Having made that rant, I quite like UGC. The popcorn is always fresh and bar one occasion the ticket staff are quick and well mannered. It's just that 20 minute queue and that stupid lid thing is annoying me!

Why aren't ESB answering their own phone? Did they forget to pay their Eircom bill? Or did Eircom forget to pay their ESB bill and there is a secret war going on? Don't tell me it couldn't happen! Well since our single electricity supplier hasn't sent me a bill yet and they won't answer their phone, I shall have to give them a few more days. Perhaps I should them a bill for my inconvenience...

I really want my laptop back. Bah!

I think that's enough for today.

Books, Books and more Books!

I have a confession to make. It's been a deep dark secret of mine for some time but now I have to bring it out into the open. I like reading more than book at once. There! I've said it. That wasn't so difficult then! I've found that reading four books simultaneously seems perfectly natural. Five is too much and three seems not enough. Yes of course, sometimes, I'll read one book at a time. But four is normal for me. Does that make me a bad reader? ;-)

Currently I'm reading 'Archon' by Stuart Gordon which I haven't read in a while. It's not that engaging but I'm a sucker for anything to do with Gnostic literature. The second is a a library book. It's 'Paladin of Souls' by Lois McMaster Bujold, a sort of semi-sequel to the rather excellent 'Curse of Chalion' which I read last year. This also is proving to be an intriguing and interesting fantasy novel. But more commentry will have to wait until I've finished it. The third and fourth tend to be books of a more serious nature with no need to rush completion, often I go back and reread certain passages so these two will be mainstays for some time. The third book is Aristotle's 'Ethics' and the fourth one is Stephen Hawkings' 'The History of Time'. Both are very thought provoking. There is oodles to think about when reading these.

There was a period of about two years when I seemed to stop reading altogether but thankfully I've regained my reading mojo and I even go to the library regularly. (That reminds me! I must return some books tomorrow when I'm in town). Although I like going to the Central Library, I do think that Dublin deserves a better library. Not just because it's the capital city but any major city in Ireland should have a decent Central Library in a separate building with at least more then one floor to accomodate all the facilities that the Central Library should have. Not that there is anything wrong with the current one. I just think we could go one extra though. I know that investing in a library is not necessarily as important as investing in education or medical care or public transport but it's still something worth contributing towards. Sadly, it's not something that the government would consider investing in. Libraries have never been hot political issues.

I've started buying books again too. Last year was lean on the finances so it wasn't part of the budget. I look around in a few places but generally I've started buying books in 'Chapter's' on Abbey Street. I remember there used to be dozens of second hand book shops in Dublin during the '80's and early to mid 90's. But most of them are gone now and I miss that feeling of finding something unexpected or just getting a real bargain. Even so, 'Chapter's' has a very good selection of books (both new and secondhand) so I shall probably be taking a look tomorrow to see what they have!

That's all for this blog. More next time.

Television doesn't rule my life...Ha!

I am so tired today. I don't know why, I just woke up that way. Oddly enough, it only meant that it took me three extra minutes to get up. I swear I'm starting to work on automatic pilot these days! Breakfast was black coffee again...maybe I should venture back into cereal territory once more. Weetabix maybe? Or shall I go for the sugar rush of Golden Grahams? Ah decisions, decisions, decisions!

So by my calculations, I watch 9 hours of television a week. I think that's good. Is it? It doesn't sound too much. Last night I watched SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis. I like those series and having them back to back on Sky 1 is helpful too. I think David Hewlett who plays McKay is probably excellent and that character is proving to be the strongest so far in my opinion. Also when we are going to see the wonderful Erin Chambers/Sora again? They should make her a semi-regular at the very least! Oh well will discuss more SG-1/SG:A another time!

I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer last night. I wouldn't mind but I reminded myself three times. So what's on the dinner menu tonight? Not much obviously since I didn't take the aforementioned fowl out! And I finished the chilli yesterday too...so it looks like I'll have to switch to Plan B. And me so organised recently too!

So it's not just me! As talented as U2 are and although they do amazing concerts...somehow all their music sounds the same to me! I just heard someone else mention it at work so now I know I'm not the only one! It's a good feeling to know that I am not a complete aberration!

And on that note, I'm going to end this blog for today!

Back to Reality

Well I'm back! I had a brilliant time visiting my Dad. I hadn't had such a long break away in ages so it was well worth it. My Dad and I got time to talk and I was pretty active while I was up there - not that I'm lying around usually :-). Also I found some of my personal stuff in storage including clothes, books and a motherlode of stories, first drafts and poetry that I've collected throughout the years so that was a big bonus to my trip! Speaking of trips...I twisted my ankle while I was up there. It's a bit achy and it's badly bruised but I'll be fine! It's not like I'm a professional athlete or something and need 12 weeks off to recover ;-).

So I've been back in Dublin since Wednesday evening and I've finally gotten the apartment kicked into shape. Well until this weekend anyway, when I really should do a clear out - a 'spring clean' if you will. Now that the place is in a reasonably good order, it shouldn't be too difficult. And that should take care of the major domestic work for the moment.

So what else have I been up to? I went into town last Friday and bought a book: "The Harlequin's Dance" by Tom Arden. I haven't read it yet and it will be added to my list of books to read. I'll mention what I'm currently reading in a later blog. Also on Friday, I went to see ' Elektra' with Jennifer Garner. It wasn't bad but not as good as 'Daredevil'. I'll probably see another this weekend so more on that next week. I bought a pair of runners (trainers or sneakers to those outside Ireland) and a new bathroom towel. Hmmm, I'm getting very domesticated these days...I'm going to have to watch that! ;-)

So that's it for today. More coherent gibberish tomorrow...hopefully!