This post is mostly for Jim Chambers.....

Ok, so I don't update this blog as often as I would like to, or even as often as Dermo does, but there is a good reason for this.

My day is usually quite boring. If I were to tell you about everything I did every day you would read this blog even less than you do now!

For example, here is my day so far.

I woke up about 10am after a phone call. I got up, got washed, drove to Paul Fellowes' house, drove him and his brother Davy into town for a coffee or two, then met up with former boss Bob Zeller to advise him on some laptop work I'm doing for him, met Paul and friends in 'The Grill" bar on the way back to the car park (but no drinkin', i'm drivin), bought a book lon how to play the mandolin, drove home, updated my blog.

Later I'm going to a Giants game, where I will be running the show and playing the music just like I do every week. We are playing the Basingstoke Bison, if the Giants continue on their current form we shall be slaughtered. Joy.

Here are some photos I took on my travels.

I used to live here:














This is Margarita Plaza in Adelaide Street, Belfast where I shared a flat with a fella called Andy. I found out after I left that it was the biggest brothel in Belfast. Yay.

I used to work here:














Lyle-Bailie, formerly McCann-Erickson. An ad agency full of ego driven maniacs who make, among other things the road safety adverts in this country. The best and worst job I ever had. Bad because the management were awful, good because after I worked there I could work anywhere.

If you are lucky, I'll update on the Giants game later.

Bye for now,

M

Merry Christmas

(and happy hanukkah, good luck with those Dreidel thingies.)

I believe I can fly.....

I got lots of nice things for Christmas, but my most surprising is a flying lesson!

Look out good people of the Newtownards area, I'm gonna fly over you!

Also, anyone know how to play a mandolin?

May God bless you.

M

Christmas Spirit (24 hour party people)

I was talking to the lads in work today and we were discussing how people who are normally pretty mannerly, even cordial to strangers, the most humble characters turn into monsters at the shopping centres at Christmas.

I was in town not 5 minutes when I started realising how rude people have become.

I was standing in HMV looking at some cd's. I was in a bit of a dream world. I reached out to the shelf that was less than 2 feet away from me and several chav's decided to walk through me. They actually pushed my arm out of the way to get past.

The best one was in Abbeycentre. I was in the shop Game looking for goodies. They still have an xbox360 on display and you can play the demo's of such fun games as "Call of duty 3". I decided to have a blast. While I was standing at the console a large woman pushed me out of the way with her considerable posterior. She nearly knocked me to the floor and was now occupying the space I was in seconds previously. She was talking to the sales assistant, asking about various deals. I glared at her in wonder as to why she just pushed me out of the way but she just glared right back as if to say, "Hey, I'm shopping here, what business did you think you had standing in my way?"

I had 2 possible reactions planned out. 1. Punch this 'lady' square in the face and say "how do you like that, HUH?" 2. Sigh and just walk away. I took the second option, and here's why; I've noticed the distinct lack of any kind of Joy this year and I'm trying my damnedest to try to redress the balance.

People are so determined to get the bargain or present of choice that they don't care who they trample to get it. God has no place in this new commercialised Christmas, except to be a politically incorrect notion that your average retailer would rather forget. After all, what is Christmas about, and how long is it before we have to refer to it as something like "festive season" or "holiday season" like they do in the states. (Happy holidays!) NO! Happy Christmas, Christmas, CHRISTMAS!

Its not about the presents or how drunk you can get for a few days. Its about celebrating our Saviour's birth. Ok, its not the exact day, but its the day we choose to celebrate.

In the spirit of this season of love and forgiveness I'm biting my lip every time I get shoved into. Actually sometimes I'm apologising. My Canadian friends should be proud of that. Canada is the only country in the world that I know of that when you bump into someone they apologise!

May I encourage you to do likewise. Lets remember the reason for the season, may God bless you all.

/rant.








One last thing as I close. Marks and Spencer in Newtownabbey is now open 24 hours a day. I dropped Jo off tonight and thought I'd go in to see what kind of wierdos would be walking around there after midnight.

The food court was bunged, but I wandered upstairs to the gadget/toy part. I was the only wierdo up there. I laughed to myself about that for a second which attracted the attention of a nearby security guard. I though i'd tell him what I was thinking, but I figure he'd just think I was a wab.

Goodnight.

M.

December Blues

Its December and I should be feeling festive.

I've just got over the cold/flu and have been feeling rough since last Friday due to something I ate. The mornings and evenings are dark. I have little time to do anything besides work, study, Giants and sleep. Oh Joy.

I was fixing a server t'other day and this happened.

Oops.

Of all the silly things for me to do......

Tesco Value Coffee.

Every little (you throw in the bin) Helps!

It tastes like sawdust. For the good of anyone you were thinking of making it for, for the love of all that is good in the world, don't do it.

I made the mistake of buying some of this for our office thinking how bad can it really be? Let me tell you friend, real bad.


Currently listening to:
Song: When I fall
Artist: Barenaked Ladies
Album: Born On a Pirate Ship