i've been busy

Today's song: "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - Martin simpson

So, no posts for a while.

I'm terribly sorry for those of you who actually read this nonsense, but i've been busy, i'm sorry, I promise i'll try harder, we can make it work.

A the weekend I was at portrush with Nixx supporters club. It was a fantastic day:



Me, Jo, Raj and Shiny Sarah went on the trip




We were having a good time on the beach. We decided to invent a game called "bum fort arse castle". The idea, as illustrated below is that you sit yourself down, dig a trench and make a wall, with turretts. Outside of those walls you build further protective walls. The idea is that you have to knock down the turretts of the main wall with a bouncy ball (which we won at an arcade).



While the ball is being thrown around the others you can fix your walls. No mercy is granted to those in mid fix when throwing the ball.

I will of course post the other's bum forts and arse castles in due course.

The game is named after the arse print left in the sand, and that indeed you are building a caastle.

Genius.

This month i'll be mostly listening to....

(you have to make a mix cd now that tapes are unavailable:)

1. The Island - PAUL BRADY

Paul Brady is a singer songwriter from Strabane, Northern Ireland. This is actually the first song of his i've heard, i heard the end of it on a show on BBC radio 2 and had to track it down.

The song is half observation about the violence in Northern Ireland and beyond, and the other half, a love song. The mix between the two made me smile. I can imagine the guy going off on a rant about the state of things, then catching himself on:

"but hey don't listen to me,
cuse this wasnt meant to be no sad song,
we've heard too much of that before,
right now i only want to be here with you,
till the morning dew comes falling."

After the main verses being quite heavy in content the chorus lifts the mood away from the subject matter at hand.

They're raising banners over by the markets,
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls,
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown,
No way our holy flag is gonna fall,
Up here we sacrifice our children,
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday,
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...

But Hey! Don't listen to me!
This wasn't meant to be no sad song
We've heard too much of that before
Right now I only want to be here with you
Till the morning dew comes falling

I want to take you to the island
And trace your footprints in the sand
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean

I'll be off to find his album then...!

2. Good hearted man - TIFT MERRIT

Sounding, in my opinion a little like Norah Jones, Tift Merrit has an easy feel to her music. "Good hearted man" is taken from her album "Tambourine" Which has had a lot of play on Radio 2, especially Bob Harris's friday night / saturday night shows, where she is a regular.

3. One Voice - THE WAILIN' JENNYS

Wonderful harmonies and minimal guitar make this track really appeal to me. The song starts off with, well, one voice:

this is the sound of one voice,
one sprit one voice,
the sound of one who makes a choice,
this is the sound of one voice...

The next verse brings in another voice, the next verse another and so on. The song builds.

this is the sound of voices two,
the sound of me singing with you
helping each other to make it through
this is the sound of voices two

this is the sound of voices three
singing together in harmony
surrendering to the mystery
this is the sound of voices three

this is the sound of all of us
singing with love and the will to trust
leave the rest behind, it will turn to dust
this is the sound of all of us

When all the harmonies are in the sound is beautiful. This song has been in my mind a lot recently with the G8 summit, live 8, the bombings in London, even the thought of friends of mine who are starting to build a church in Newtownards. There is a need now more than ever for us to work together in harmony, trust and love. This song, to me, is a great dipiction of what can happen when we work together, bring all our individual strengths together.

this is the sound of one voice
one people one voice
a song for everyone of us
this is the sound of one voice

4. Glory of true love - JOHN PRINE

My friend raj recently introduced me to John Prine. He is an ageing singer songwriter that mixes simple, straightforward, uncomplicated music and lyrics that range from deep and meaningfull to plainly ridiculous.

This song is a bouncy, foot tappin' declaration of how good love fells. Taken from his new album "Fair and Square" his first offering for about 20 years? He hasn't lost any of his 3 chord, country charm.

5. Heyday - MIC CHRISTOPHER

You might know this song from a Guinness ad that has been on for a while now, the one where a guy jumps off the cliffs of Moore and swims to New York just to say sorry to his brother.... then eyes up his bird! I found myself humming this once it had been on and decided to dig around for it.

Mic Christopher was a dublin based singer songwriter who, unfortunately, passed in 2001. He was born in the Bronx, New York in 1969 and moved to dublin with his parents in 1972. He started a band called the "MaryJanes" in the 90's after being a busker, released a few albums then went solo in 1999. He recorded a solo album "Skylarkin" that i think must have been released after his death, and got Best Album at the 2003 Meteor Awards. "Heyday" was released as a single in 2004.

The song is a bit rough around the edges, but, for me that just adds to its charm. I'm going to track down the album if it is still on release.

And this is our heyday baby
and we're not gonna be afraid to shout
cuse we can make our heyday last forever
and ain't that what its all about
Oh living, in our own terrible way..

6. Superman - LAZLO BANE

The theme tune to the medical comedy "Scrubs". A cheery little number that they have speeded up to use on the show. The original track is great, got a little banjo plinking away in the background.

"I can't do this all on my own, no,
I know, I'm no superman"

7. Carry me home - HEM

Hem realax me. full stop.

8. Run - SNOW PATROL

I've liked these boys for a while now, but this track stands out above all the rest. A little depressing, but bizzarrely that cheers me up.

9. Somewhere over the rainbow / what a wonderful world - ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO'OLE

The dude is a giant. He's about 7 times the size of me, and now unfortunately dead. For being a huge huge hawian his voice is angelic and soft.

Lovely 'sitting on the back porch drinking rum strumming a mondolin' music.

10. Not so far to go - KELLY JOE PHELPS

I can't make out a word this guy says, and i can't find the lyrics online, so i'm destined to just like his music and the sound of his voice mumbling along.

The only line i can make out: (probably)

"long sleeves outdoor to keep the kids from crying,

its not so far to go to find trouble"

WHaaaaaaa?

11. Fix you - COLDPLAY (site does not work on apple macs)

I did buy their album, but the first time i heard this song properly - and took notice - was at live 8. I'm a bit of a sucker for coldplay, even though they are a bit trendy.

Chris Martin does overuse the old falseto and as a result sounds like a young choirboy, but i don't mind.

Their website doesn't work with apple macs, which is odd, isn't chris martin's daughter named apple? Doen't he care?

Photo foolin'

Flamin' Longhairs

I discovered these photos a while ago. I thought, cuse i've no shame, i'll share them with the world.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...

A week or two ago Joanne and I were driving to my house for tea, passing all the folks lighting bonfires and re-enforcing what I like to call the “super prod” stereotype. On the way through some of the estates between here and there I had to brake hard to avoid knocking down several 5 - 10 year olds clad in red white and blue clutching larger tins, staggering over the public highway.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there was a time in my childhood when my mum, dad, bro and I took a drive around and watched the bonfires and it was a festive occasion. Now though, it seems this is an excuse to just “get the boys together” play loud dance music and have the local unofficial neighbourhood watch out to display a “show of strength”, shooting their illegal firearms into the air triumphantly. Way to go boys, I know I’m proud. (…he says sarcastically, just in case you don’t get the tone of my rant)

Looking down from any vantage point on the North side of Belfast Lough it looked like we were under attack, smoke rising from the centre of most built up areas in sight.

When things get out of hand the natives decide to take any reason, like not being allowed to march this season down any given road, to trash their streets. I never understood this, why trash your own area in disgust? The only saving grace is that they aren’t hurting folks in other areas. That’s the best I have for an upside, that’s all I got.

This week the IRA have announced a formal end to all violent measures to achieve their political goals. This happens amid feuds and dissention among the unionist groups. The cynic in me immediately reacted internally thinking “yeah right, as if their word means a damn thing”. The very last thought in my head was that maybe this is a chance for a peace of any kind and maybe things could really happen as a result.

I was humbled to read a friends blog, who has been a Christian for less time than me, talking of how this is an excellent opportunity, how we should pray that God will use this situation to his advantage. This should have been my first thought too.

The easiest thing in the world to do is to lay doubt, discouragement and cynicism on this situation, but as Christians shouldn’t we welcome such a move, regardless of what we feel about the people involved.

Growing up I’ve met people who’s lives have been affected terribly by the troubles. Loved ones have been lost, quality of life destroyed, faith shaken.

How must we proceed, how do we continue.

My aim is to glorify God in every way I can in my day to day life, to spread the love he has given me to others that they may see him through me and come to know him too. That, for me, is the meaning of life.

While talking to a bunch of friends in tech around about 1996, the topic cropped up: “how will we (in northern Ireland) ever bring about peace”. I blurted an answer that was misunderstood. I said “you know, if we were all Christians, this would not be an issue”. (I was 16). One guy snapped back at me, “oh yeah, religion solves everything doesn’t it.. that’s what got us all here in the first place.”

He’s right, RELIGION did get us here, mixed with hatred and hurt. I wasn’t suggesting religion. Religion never helped anyone.

What I was suggesting, though not putting across well, was that if everyone knew the love of Christ, and if we treated each other as we have been commanded in the bible, then this would not be an issue.

The misunderstanding lay in confusing religion with a personal relationship with Christ. The two are not the same.

If we were all able to live by the following 2 commandments:

Matthew 22:37-39 (The Message Version)

Jesus said, ""Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: "Love others as well as you love yourself.'

If we loved God with all our energy and then loved others with the enthusiasm that we love ourselves would we not be in a better place? I think so, there should be no room left for hatred, we would genuinely do all we can to help others. Imagine that.

It all comes down to love. Love is what is important.

Lets love each other, that is how we will change things.

“I know its already been sung,
can’t be said enough,
love is all you need,
all you need is love, love, love”

“Love boat captain” – Pearl Jam – Riot Act

Hararya?

Fergoodnessake?

I've been busier than a big old hive,
and if I forgot to call let me apologuise,
its not really that i'm neglecting you at all.

Don't go thinking that i just don't care,
haven't had time to change my underwear,
might not see me, but can smell me down the hall.

(updates to follow, if i have neglected you then write to: matt.mcivor@gmail.com)

Current music: Bright eyes "take it easy (love nothing)"

wedding photos

incase ya didn't see um:

click here

All photos by Joanne Ham / Blue ice media

What scrubs character am I.....?

This was awkward, there was no link so i copied the source from the page....

Which Scrubs Character are you?

You are...J.D. A.K.A. "The Dork" Hello? Yoo-hoo! Hi! Say, have you been tested for Attention Deficit Disorder? You've got your head in the clouds, my friend, but it helps make you a more interesting person. Your friends may think you're a bit of a dork, and you may make the wrong decisions on occasion, but you're a sweet, happy person who's on the right track in life. You may want to hire a bodyguard, though...you're the type to attract stalkers.

Great video player....

Ok, i admit, i have an apple mac powerbook G4. I'm proud of it. It works every time, first time, at everything.

Except, that is, when you want to look at video files with various codecs. Quicktime does not always cut it for AVI and DivX formats. Dang. A snag.

Fear not, i found an excellent player that can play all types of files, and can que them up in play lists: VLC.

Here is a link to the site, it works for both Mac and PC.

No more having to make excuses, my mac now rules at everything, its thinkin' Land Rover baby!

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Damn heat!

Today the office is about 30 degrees C.

The windows and doors are open, the constand threat of wasp attack looms.

Though i'm nervous, i know its worth it to not be boiling my sox off. Actually, hold on, i'm still boiling my sox off!

Anyone for water?......... or margaritas? Where is my brother's excellent drink preparing skills when i need them!?

Among the expressions i've heard today the best is: (while getting out of my car a random passer by said:)

"Here.... big lad, bet you're paar boyled in lur... ( I'll bet you are power boiled in there)"

Hiks. Honestly.


Here are some images of me trying on my mother-in-law-to-be's old sunglasses that they found during a clearout, just for fun:

YAY Meelan!

Meelers passed her driving test yesterday (friday 8th), and had a BBQ to celebrate.

I'm not sure if i was happier about the test or the BBQ.

It was really nice to have some time, not rushing about, eating some chow with my family and young Brian Rainey (as good as family).

Meelan made some beef curry/chilli mix that i was slightly scared of at first, and tried out of politeness, which turned out to be blinking marvellous. Being the glutton that I am, i added this mix to pretty much everything I ate last night!



Dad was doing the honours, a BBQ veteran, and as yet, no reports of food poisoning!

To celebrate, we got meelan a slinky (a spring type thing that walks down steps), cuse she hadn't had one before. Every kid should have one!

Congratulations meelan!

AOL SUCK!!!!!!

Live 8, the most monumental media event ever.

I have been sitting in my dressing gown all day, putting off getting ready to go out, i showered during UB40's set. I've been waiting to see Dave Matthews Band live in Phillidelphia all day. I've always wanted to witness a live Dave matthews band gig, its an almost 10 year ambition. This is probably as close as i'm going to get.

(AOL were the only people you could watch the concerts with, i started streaming from them before the start of the show at about 1pm today in anticipation.) AOL's player started to malfunction just before the start of his set and insisted that i watched Snoop dog, as well as whatever else i wanted to see. The Dave matthews section of the concert was played every other frame, and the sound of both concerts mixed. Good job i'm not epileptic.

AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!

DAMN YOU AOL! WHY WAS YOUR FOOTAGE OF THE BLACK EYED PEAS PERFECT? SURELY YOU COULD HAVE USED THE BANDWITH OF THESE TALENTLESS MORONS FOR ANYTHING ELSE!!!!

AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

I HATED YOU BEFORE, NOW I"M FREAKIN FURIOUS!!!!

Live 8

So there i was 20 years ago in a cravan just outside York, in England. We had a small black and white tv and i'm told, (cuse i can't really remember), dad, mum andy and I watched live aid.

I remember a few things about that trip. We went into York Minster, a fantastic old church building, and I remember my neck being sore looking up at all the artwork in the celing. Dad stopped, double parked outside a music shop and bought Dire straits's album "Alchemy"



A few things have changed. I'm now sitting in my living room watching a much larger tv, with cable attached, looking at Travis performing live in hide park. At the same over broadband connection Phillidelphia, i'm now watching an ageingJohn Bon Jovi.

Technology is scary, they say over 85% of the world is watching, billions. The biggest event ever to occur. WOW.

Shame they let miss dynamite perform, that was just a waste of time. Still, anything in aid of a good cause.

Was anyone else slightly freaked out by Bill gates appearing live in the UK? Just me then?

On an up note, the fellowes brothers appear to have arrived in the US, and got through customs! I got a text message from paul asking me to call his parents and tell them he's ok, i did then told him to buy a phone card.

Continue to pray for them!

M

Cheeeecago......

The brothers Paul and Davy Fellowes made it off to the US of A today.

Does the continent know what's hitting it?

Good luck boys.



(any christian folks out there, please pray for their safety.)


Current listening track: Chicago - Doobie brothers

Never mind your new car....

A variation on a theme......

Spot the joke......(steria employees)

The work do...

The time has come for us all to drink lots of alcohol and think outside the landrover.

BEHOLD! the landrover....!

excellent wedding photo

Joanne took some beezer pictures of us on the beach at crawfordsburn, here is one of them....

another few (in jokes) - sorry

Getting the band back together.......

A big thank you to the boys of "Perfect Score" for helping with the wedding, here are some fun and frolicks of practice:

speeches....

Here is what i said in malay, i think, come on now, just say it like it is...!

The wedding..

Andy and mee-lan got married on wednesday, and oh what a day we had.

Many thanks to all who made it special, y'all know who you are.

Check the photo's online here.

Hate that damn frog....

If you hate the crazy frog like all civilised humans, click here.

An in joke....

sorry, if you don't get this, call me, i'll explain it.

lots of stuff, but no time to update.....

Yeah, so, there you go, the clue is in the title, i'll put a proper post on later.

In the meantime:

CALLING DAVE ALLEN, ANY CHANCE OF AN E-MAIL?

Bye

....and stay out!!!!

After exhaustive upgrading of Joanne's computer:

• New Hard drive (motherboard crapped out)
• New mother board
with
• New Processor
and
• New Ram
(which didn't all fit in the old case)
• New case

I couldn't wait to visit the Bruslee recycling centre.....



(why bruslee? when did dumps become ninjas? - just a thought)

Quote for today....

(while trying to remember the name of a DJ)

Matt: What do you call that guy from Belfast... the one that did oceans 11?

Co-worker: Martin McGuiness?

Oh, how we laughed!

The worst tribute band ever.....

For those of you who remember happy hardcore chunderers Scooter, you will no doubt be filled with dred and memories from the early 90's, a bad time for radio. Scatman John had been and gone, everything was "Ebenezergood".

Scooter were terrible if not worse, listened to by a select group of addidas wearing urine stained spides who made life in school particularly difficult. I loathe this genre of dance music, if it can even be referred to as music.

If you can bare it though for about 1 minute and 47 seconds, why not try take the self confessed number 1 scooter tribute band - MOPED

Moped seem to be taking the piss at the highest level, and though the heckles on the back of my neck were raised as i listened, i laughed my way through their rendition of coldplay's Clocks. Click here to go to their site, then scroll down to [ Clokchs ].

It is horrible dance jim, but not as we know it.

More tea vicar?

P.s. Thanks to Michael "oids and eggs" Con-iod for the link

Kills all.....

I got a new coffee mug. Its a bit of a rant against legalism in Christianity, when the traditions become the focus and lead people ultmatley away from Christ....



Don't get me wrong, I believe in Christ, he is my saviour. I'm not ranting against him. I'm venting some of the frustration that has built in me about the people, who claim to be his, yet don't act like it.

I'm not getting on my high horse, i've been as guilty as the next guy, i've screwed up mighty and i'm sure i've been a discouragement to others.

Change is needed.

To my brothers and sisters in christ, while spreading his message just remember, before you speak: All you need is love, love, love.

Ross and Ali's wedding

Congratulations and a big Hararya to Mr and Mrs Ross Thompson.



Ross is a good buddy, and he and Ali are a lovely couple. Pictured below is Ross' legendary Christian Rock band "5 dollar soul" here they are:


Andy, Aaron, Ross, Matt

The wedding was in Randalstown, and even though me and Jo were going to be on time for the service there was a major accident on the M2, holding up most of the guests and the groom! All is well that ends with an "I do".

I'm not the biggest coldplay fan in the world but...

There is no justice being denied your first ever number 1 slot in the UK charts by a pain in the ass ringtone.

Is this what we've sunk to? Has hope for music run out? Yip.

Coldplay, if nothing else, no matter if they aren't your taste in music, are hard workers. They write songs, good ones. Anyone who attends university purely and solely for the purpose of improving their song writing ability deserves a pat on the back.

Ok, they have had there fair share of nonsense. "Yellow", by own admission of lead singer Chris Martin, is a light love song with not much substance, "the silliest song i ever wrote" i believe he said at one radio one road show. I like it. its well written and of good cheer.

The only thing left to do now is inflict my wrath on the thing that has kept a hard working, yet maybe slightly repetitive band away from their goal....



AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH! I feel better.

Weapon of choice

This online test came curtosy of Dean, the numerical one:

Shotgun You preferred a weapon with 50% power over speed and 74% range over melee.

You use a Shotgun. While not the fastest gun in the west, a shotgun's raw power and ease of use make it an extremely potent weapon. Some shotguns can also be loaded with many different types of ammunition, providing a versatility many guns don't have. Choosing your shots, you fell your opponents immediately and without pause.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 65% on power You scored higher than 87% on range

Link: The What's Your Signature Weapon Test written by inurashii on Ok Cupid

Team orders

While discussing tactics over lunch, it would appear that the team orders for tonight are "be carefull as frekin' possible, cuse if we make an ass of ourselves we'll get thrown out."

Below are some rather boring pictures of me pete and michaeloid driving back from lunch. An extra one of pete's face is thrown in for embarrasment!

Karting tonight

The steria (insert name of your nemisis here) Karting challenge is this evening. There have been training sessions on how to "Back end" and "overtake aggressively". Team orders will be in effect. The tension is unbearable.

I got some practice in on the way to work this morning.



(i love photoshop)

north coast e-bay pics

Joanne Has her latest excellent offerings on ebay, click here to check them out if you have a sec.