THE SMILEY FACE, RIDICULOUS

OK I may be the stupidest man on the planet but I was looking at my screen from a funny angle today, I was sending my friend a smiley face on our work instant messenger and realised I had never noticed if you turn a colon and a right bracket 90 degrees, it gives you a smiley face. I honestly just thought it was a msn and phone shortcut to give you a picture of a smiley face.

Why would you want to be my friend? (On facebook)

Weather: Shitty
Bank Balance : Around the -400 mark -- only 17 days till payday :)
Mood: Energetic
Drinking: Agua
Music: Richard Ashcroft - Keys to the World
Reading: Tony Parsons - One for my baby



Logged into facebook last night, the usually nonsense 44 notifications about shit I didnt need to know. Note to self dont ever be the camera man for an event again and then post the photos on your own page for people to tag and comment. After browsing through that nonsense, I noticed I had a friend request. Who the fuck is Steve MC?

I clicked on his name and fortunately it wasn't set to completely private, I could go in and view some of his photos. I also noticed we had one friend in common, a girl I knew from DCU. Click on photos, oh so thats who you are! Steve MC is not a dj, hes a Mac something. I think I know what his full name is but I wont divulge it here, in case he googles his name someday. (I think I do this about once a month, sad I know. I do find myself eventually on page 8 with a film review I did for film ireland)

Anyway he's a dude from primary school, he was in my class for a few years. Nice bloke, didnt beat me up or steal lunch money. I dont remember us being friends in school or anything. If I passed him on the street now, I would probably nod a hello and move on. Is that enough to be a facebook friend? I used to see him in Quinns when I was about 18, he was going out with a girl I kind of know but even shes not on his facebook friend list so why am I? I dont know, what was I suppose to do reject him? Thoughts on a postcard, or leave a comment.

Before I fall to pieces

I went to the doctor this week for the first time since I blagged some student doctor at DCU to give me a cert for missing an exam in DCU.

Basically, I have been having a problem hearing lately and decided I better get it checked. I had a similar problem when I was about 11 or 12 so I wasn't too worried about it. The good thing about good old Ingerland is going into a doctor and not paying him a penny. NHS BABY! Suck on that Harney! The bad thing is the rest of the people in the waiting room looked like they were about to drop. Everyone has been picking up bugs this year its ridiculous, apart from me im hardcore. Im like that dude Jim from 28 days later.

Anyway, the ears arent too fucked. Should be able to hear fine again in a month with the help of some ear drops.

Took my subscription to Boots.
"12 pound please"
"But it says four quid on it"
"Thats without the subscription"
"Can you buy it over the counter without a subscription?"
"Yes"
"Il do that then."
"Four pound please."

Cant get good staff these days.

Oh yeah my eyes are fucked too, 230 quid for glasses today. Fubar!

Judy Blume - The Fudge Series

I was somewhere between ten and eleven when I bought this book. I wasn't a big reader back then and only remember having read a few books before that. Mainly famous five books (I received off some well meaning aunty who never heard of a megadrive), there the only ones I can remember at any rate. I haven't actually thought about this book in years. I have a vague memory of seeing a tv show called Fudge that was based on the five books in my teens. I am pretty sure it was a show on the Den but I was in secondary school at this stage and probably thought it was for kids.

Anyway, a book fair came to our school and each class was given sometime to go and have a gawk and buy something. I was in fifth class at the time if I remember correctly. My da had given me a few quid to get some books so when I came home with the Gladiators annual and Ryan Giggs soccer skills book he wasn't too impressed to say the least. I remember my mother telling him off for telling me off and he gave me another few quid but I knew I was expected to actually buy a real book this time.

I wandered around all the tempoary shelves they had erected in the hall and I really didn't know what I wanted to buy. I remember the teacher telling me in his big bogger voice "if your getting something get something". He could have done with a bit of a reading himself to broaden his vocabulary. I could see Harro (teachers name, there was two of them teaching in the school, brothers, scary bastards) about to lose the rag with me and probably hit me a whallop so I grabbed Joesph Mohan. Fuck knows how I still remember his name. "What's a good book to buy?" He pointed me to good old Judy Blume and he said she was funny.

The story is about a family, the Hatchers. The Hatchers consisted of Peter, his little brother Fudge and his parents. Peter receives his first pet during the story and the story ends with Fudge eating his turtle which dies in his stomach. Peter is obviously very upset so his parents buy him a dog which he calls Turtle in memory of his beloved turtle Dribble. It doesn't sound like much of a storyline does it but its definately the first book I loved. I probably had it read in a day or two because I remember I made my mother buy me part two very shortly after. Right now im on Judy Blumes website and I think I have read three out of the five fudge books. The series started in 1972 and the last one was published in 2002.

Its quite a remarkable achievement. She has sold over 80 million books worldwide and she wrote the last Fudge book due to pressure from her only grandson who loved the series but wanted another book and for it be dedicated to him. I think its amazing a woman at 70 can still have such a connection with kids and make them laugh out loud and be able to imagine the world she has created in her work. Ive just looked on Amazon and I think next payday I will be splashing out on the Fudge Box Set(Hardcover).

Congratulations Obama from Spain

An early present came to the White House today addressed to Senor Obama from the Spanish ambassador to America. As is custom the ambassadors present was some home made chocolate sweets.




























The Michael Jackson special edition box was sold out.

Edinburgh

Ive decided to go up and see the cousins in Edinburgh. There not Scottish, there actually from Galway but went to the Edinburgh Comedy festival and kind of fell in love with the place. So its about time I took advantage of Ryanairs low cost travel and got my arse up there. I have heard nothing but good things about the place.

I have been to Scotland twice before. To the not so lovely Glasgow, although I must admit I had a great time on both occasions there. Its a bit like O'Connell street in the early 90s. Got that picture in your head now? Well thats Glasgow. Tracksuits and knacker tashes.

I want to do some more travelling this year instead of spending my money on shite I dont need. I have become a bit better at shopping for food and therefore I am slowly learning how to budget a bit. I know for a fact some of my housemates live on half my wages so I do sometimes wonder where does it all go. Therefore I am adding the following my new years resolution. I want 6 weekends away, attend Glastonbury and go on holiday for a week. Going home to Dublin doesnt count and if I go to London or Brighton for a weekend they dont count either.

So first stop Edinburgh, then maybe Amsterdam in April. Any suggestions more than welcome.

Gazza: The sad clown

I swayed back and forth while watching this documentary last night. I didnt know what I felt for this once extremely gifted footballer. When I first seriously got into football at age ten or eleven, Gazza had just joined Rangers. I never really got into the whole your Irish and Catholic its your duty to follow Celtic bullshit. I thought Scottish football was shite(I still do), and never paid too much attention to it. The first time, I got to see Gazza in action properly was Euro 96.

The thing that stands out for everyone in that tournament is McCallister missing a penalty and 40 seconds later Gazza scoring a wonderful goal, flicking the ball over Hendrys head and burying it past Goram. I was only 7 when Italia 90 was on and dont remember much about it, apart from the nation standing still to watch Ireland.

My first memory of footballers making the front pages instead of the back was just before Euro 96. The England squad had been off in Spain or somewhere on a training camp and had been given a night off. They decided sensibly to go straight into a tourist area and get plastered. Gazza and Teddy Sheringham were pictured having shots thrown down there throats while sitting back in a dentists chair. The papers made a big fuss of it at the time and the nation werent impressed. That footballs coming home tune was number 1 in the charts at the time and the english public really did think they had a chance until, the PENOS!

Two years later, Three lions song was released again. It had a new line "Gazza good as before", Glenn Hoddle didnt agree and he didnt make the final squad for the 98 World Cup. It was the beginning of the end for Gazza after that. He had been pictured the week before the squad was announced pissed out of his brain in a kebab shop and wondered why he was left out. It seems ten years on and nothing has changed. He appears his own worst enemy and beyond redemption. He chain smokes, is an alcholic and is a disgrace to anyone who ever played football at any level. A man whose best mate is Jimmy five bellies, who Gazza employed as his minder when he went to Lazio. What the locals must have thought of those two.

Gazza has attacked his wife about letting Channel four interview there 12 year old. When Gazza was in the house all the family seemed happy he was there but he couldnt handle it. He disappeared and went on a bender as his ex-wife wouldnt let him in her bed only for the papers to eventually find him of all places on tour with Iron Maiden. Channel four isnt innocent in all this, this show could easily have been title Gazzas last days if things had gone wrong for Gazza not wrong for Channel four. His wife obviously got a few quid for it, his step daughter will probably have her tits out in some mag this week but there was no show without Paul and he turned up and cant blame anyone but himself for the mess his life is.