The Trouble With Boredom

Coming back

2011-04-12T19:05:00.001+01:00

Or even, starting.

I haven't had the concentration to stick to something regular in years. Not even a TV series. Not even my daily walk from work, which generally ends up a meandering wander through Dublin sidestreets with as little people as possible.

That tells me something though. Maybe it tells me I'm hiding from view. Or maybe it tells me I'm looking for something. Maybe both.

Maybe I'm looking for something that's hiding from me.

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

On Procrastination

2010-03-30T01:05:00.005+01:00

Procrastination is a terrible thing. I suffer from it greatly.

Almost dearly.

For me, I tend to get very sentimental when I procrastinate. It's an excuse of course, almost Freudian, except I figured it out. I'm smarter than my subconscious self, see.

Generally, I’m a sentimental person anyway. For anybody that wouldn't know me very well, that would come as a surprise. I keep a box of items that have certain meaning to them. Pertaining to certain events I like to remember and whatnot. For example, it's without question that I keep all concert tickets. This is waning however, as concerts are getting more and more like sponsorship junkets.

I fell in love with procrastination when I did my Leaving Cert in 2002. I'd neither intention nor inclination to study. For me, school was another institutional thing that we all just had "to do", until the next thing we had "to do". It was at this point that I also found that it was possible to be creative in life and thus subvert the institutional way of life. So, during my Leaving Cert, I started to teach myself music.

Like most teens who only wanted to find a lady (cough) and rebel, I of course picked up the guitar. In 1991, my brother bought a classical Spanish guitar, because his teacher told him to and they were going to learn music. Now it was later found that he was of no way shape or form musical - he was actually found to be autistic - so that died a death and the guitar went to the "spare room" (read: personal rubbish dump of items with a sentimentality rating of 0.01). Several years later, when it was my time to join the same music class, I eagerly rescued the then-beauty of an instrument and went on my way to future musical stardom.

I went to school in Tuam, the Christian Brothers. Grand place, never had any problem with it. I started school around the time Capital Punishment was abolishing (I think), so all my teachers were young, upwardly mobile, fresh out of Uni' and probably some form of drama person/arts student. There was one nun, but we'll leave her alone. She was grand once you wrestled the lump of a sellotape ring from her. Or as we called it, Brass Knuckle Junior.

First guitar class, grand, we learned G, C and D and was sent off with Leaving On A Jetplane to learn for the next week. It was a fitting song, since me trying to learn that was nothing short of a plane crash. Grand, my brother was a bit slow so maybe I was too - I’d hope in myself - I’ll stick it out.

Second guitar class, a wet Wednesday in 1994 when I really just wanted to go home and eat my fish fingers and beans and watch the Turtles, we had all failed miserably, and were told to try the chords again, this time with E and A to lump on top. It couldn't be done. It wasn't either, since The Den was probably especially good that day.

Third guitar class. Somehow the other lads had received some miracle over the week and excelled in their chord structuring skills. It must have been my latent, ten-year-old concept of atheism, but no dice for me. I'd blame lambing season, but it was April and I was a lazy farming son anyway.

I think I managed a D and a G, but week 3 brought the major F. This was like asking to join in with Man United with a broken leg. There was no way. What was the song? It was Tuam. We know all the major chords now lads, so let’s go for it. The Saw Doctors - I Useta Lover. Fast, familiar, c'mon, ye'll have to know this lads, right?

Besides the fact that this song (other than mentioning the town, the school, and a vague but growing concept of a girl), was completely irrelevant to 10 year olds. Never mind learning the chords, trying to remember the lyrics while my mind is stuck on Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles (and, how crap Biker Mice From Mars is), I had no hope.

And so, my earliest and therefore most sentimental memory of procrastination is this:

I'm sitting on the side of my bed at home. I'm miserable. I'm 10. I'm getting this feeling I’ve never felt before. Do I sit, and push myself, and learn this song if it breaks all the fingers in my little left hand, and the skin of my fingers is coarse and bleeds; or do I quit. Will I go and ignore what I have to do, or will I just go and do something else and forget about it for now.

And quit I did. I wandered around in the woods for a while and said nothing to nobody. I think I even "lost" the sheet into the fire.

I walked into the class on the Wednesday, 4pm on a Spring day in 1994.

I try to take the teacher aside, but no dice. We're a small group, its casual - sit over on the bench there with the lads. Now, are ye ready to play. No. Why not? I didn't learn it. Why not. I just didn't. Is it too hard for you. I dunno.

It went on like this. I eventually just left the room. As anyone with a memory of their childhood knows, it's the worst feeling in the world to be sitting, waiting for the teacher to come check your copy, when you haven't the homework done.

So back to 2002. I'm doing the Leaving Cert. I'm not studying; I’m arsing around killing time again. I pull out that old guitar on a Saturday night and sit on the very same bed on which the last time I held this guitar in this seat, I decided for the first time that i'd quit. And I played a G chord. And then a D chord. I looked them up on the internet (not an early adopter - I'd won a Unison box in a draw some time before). I found a song - a personal favourite - Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.

E minor - D - C - G

Repeat.

I'm playing a song for the first time, and I was never as proud.

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

What to remember

2010-01-11T23:05:00.001Z

We're all moving through history. Individually, it's meaningless. Altogether - we are history - we create history. We define history, now.

So be careful nobody sees you when you steal your neighbour's magazines. Someday your grandkids might get famous and end up on "Who Do You Think You Are".

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

Meandering on making plans

2010-01-11T23:02:00.001Z

I went through a period of disregarding all future plans, and embracing a form of life that I thought was completely free, unpredictable, interesting, and refreshing.

Is it feck.

I'd completely no idea what to do with myself. I'd hate to say it was intended to sound bohemian, since i'm as "bohemian" as beans on toast. I just thought, if I expected nothing of life, i'd get more out of it. I'd appreciate things more. Open to all instances. All experiences.

No freakin' way!

What I found was maybe my true self, at least at this point in time. Quite boring, quite lazy. A barstool philosopher. At times, it's like looking at a life from the outside-in.

Not always a great feeling to "find yourself". Maybe you needed finding though.

Anyway, what i'm enjoying now is planning a trip to the US later this year, hopefully before the summer. Never been to the states, so why not?! Damn Hell Bitch!

Initial plans, New York, Boston and Chicago. A while back I got somewhat interested in Irish emigration in history, and the effects on local history (abroad). I don't know how I got to like this topic, maybe I just like to see the impact we had as a somewhat nomadic race, abroad. That strain has somewhat died though. Now we seem to just blot the beaches of Australia and Thailand.

I wonder if the people of Australia and South East Asia are absolutely sick of us?

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

What I do be reading...

2010-01-11T21:29:00.001Z

Thought i'd shtick up a few more links to blogs i've been following for the last while. I never said I was interesting enough to write about myself.

http://johnsmyth.ie/blog/

Been following this for a few months. The shots are absolutely stunning. Must get a few prints of them for the house.

http://www.headrambles.com/

"Rambles around the head of an Irish Grandad" is the masthead for this one, and it's certainly fitting - sure what else would it be? Interesting, funny, refreshingly honest and therefore often insightful. A favourite.

http://kottke.org/

I've pointed to kottke before, but I still love it for a random link when i'm bored.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/

More random articles. I always find these kind of sites are really good for starting you off on a tangent of researching (I use that term very loosely) something you'd never had looked up before.

http://www.pixel2life.com/

Loads of tutorials, from programming to graphic design to animation. Very useful.

http://www.thegoodmoodfoodblog.com/

Great for simple, cheap and tasty dishes.

http://www.ted.com/talks/browse

Finally, TED talks. Interesting people, speaking about interesting topics. Plain and simple.

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

Thought of the Day!

2009-12-29T21:42:00.001Z

I was thinking about living and dying and all that fun stuff, and was considering the mind from a biological viewpoint. The mind - as a consciousness - has to be biological, since I remember nothing from before I was born? Hence, when I die, who is to say any of my consciousness is to go on to another state?

No. We'll live and die and that's the end of it.

This week i'm watching Twin Peaks and finally going to actually sit down and make myself finish The Road.

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Posted via email from Mike's posterous

I love nutters

2009-11-08T12:09:00.001Z

Seriously, the fact people like these exist brighten up my existence. Just to offset the massive amount of God-botherers and politicians in the world who are supposedly "right".

We all know it's 99.9% likely he's wrong. But I always wonder, at what point do conspiracy theories become conspiracy theories, rather than just being theories?

Boards.ie Conspiracy Theories board

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

Links post

2009-11-07T15:56:00.001Z

Random links!

Nathan Sawaya is a Lego Artist...

Famous movie quotes that are also the movie title. Bit of an overload on first viewing.

Via Kottke, a NY chef who wastes none of the meat.

I recently met Peter Mathews who has some great views on the issues within the Irish economy. Recently he's discussing NAMA in realistic terms - no spin here.

A psychological review of Twitter...

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

Sandwiches

2009-11-07T00:59:00.001Z

Life less than slow motion, moving as fast as it’s pushed.
A sedentary Atlas has fallen
Under his globe.
A world behind a door that opens inwards,
But the doorstop’s wedged tight.
Thick jam blood moves through these walls.
Crooked picture frames, shelves of ornaments.
Shirt buttons.
Cups of tea swirling.
Thick jam blood moving slowly.

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

Christmas

2009-11-07T00:21:00.002Z

Christmas is apparently just around the corner.

What do I want?

Jesus back.

:'(

This took ages.

2009-04-26T19:38:00.003+01:00

I originally had this on Facebook. It seemed to be received well, so... now it's here.

100 Things You Might Not Know About Me...

Answer these questions then tag 10 people to do the same.

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?

Fell off a round bale when I was a kid and got a piece of rock half an inch into my skull.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?

Nothing.

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?

Grind my teeth.

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?

I noticed on a sunny day that I have no "sunny day music".

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?

6pm on a Monday. Just in time for the news, and Live Aid.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?

The dissolution of the global capitalist culture from the instilled ideals of incentive and greed, towards a single humanist movement of progress, discovery and togetherness. That or... a ham and cheese toastie. Keep it simple.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?

The X-Files

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?

My vast intelligence.

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?

5'10 i think.

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?

No.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?

Only after watching "Night of the Living Dead", seriously.

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?

Adam Sandler. I thought Click was meant to be a comedy?

13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?

My worst fears are already prevalent, due to MTV, Heat Magazine and Fox News just to name a few.

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?

If they have eyes and/or hair, they're on a winner already. Have to appreciate peoples individuality...

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF PROPOSING?

Tough question. I'd imagine i'd need a time machine and some form of high-definition lenses, I wouldn't want to frighten my future self by appearing at my own proposal - i'd need to be at a distance. But then i'd already know that I was there, cause it'd be my future self... and really, since I more than likely would be unable to travel back, it'd actually be me i'm watching, just progressed some time. So it'd be current Mike watching future Mike, which is really current Mike plus time (Mf > (Mc + Tn))... Some serious maths going on here; i'll come back to this one.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?

coffee.

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?

BBQ Chicken. Hell's "Mordor" pizza is tasty.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

The aforementioned ham and cheese toastie.

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?

I like check shirts.

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?

Not that I can remember.

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?

Can't really say life, since it wasn't really a gift. Like you wouldn't turn up at a party, give someone a kid and go "happy birthday, here's some life..." Kids are for life, not just for birthdays... Probably the Jurassic Park jeep I got for my 10th birthday off Slopey.

22. EVER BROKE A BONE?

My wrist.

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?

Yep. Can dislocate my thumbs, bend my fingers, extend my shoulders and turn my feet 180 degrees.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?

Don't like wearing brands, I feel like i've joined a club or something.

25. WHO IS YOUR FAV FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?

Jaysus, I dunno. It's like saying "who's your favourite priest", but I know that one...

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?

No. I like to think i'm sharing Begley with Cora and Damien, but Damien doesn't like to share. Sniff sniff...

27. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU HAVE?

Haha... i'm way too poor and dependent on alcohol to even consider operating anything with internal combustion...

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?

Leaving what? The country? Probably not. The church? Feck yeah.

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED:

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?

Brunettes. I'm not confident enough for blondes.

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?

"I like big butts and I can not lie, you otha brotha's can't de-ny..." - Sir Mixalot

33. FAVORITE PLACE?

Bottom of a pint glass. Keep trying to get there, but can't never make it in...

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE USA?

Erm... Since 1984.

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?

Redheads, funny people and kryptonite

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?

Loads of middle-rung famous people. I think the most famous person I ever met was Patrick Stewart. He asked me for directions to Trinity.

37. FIRST JOB?

Galway County Council. I don't think painting walls or the one day I helped put up a wooden ceiling really counted.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?

Yeah. There's a Dr. Butt in Tullamore.

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOULMATE?

I think everyone has a certain smell, and you get attracted to the people that cancel out your smell, and so the world smells like a better place when you're with them. (from "Dating for Dummies by M. Flaherty)

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?

Evidently not much!

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?

Yes, twice. Not sure which one I preferred.

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?

My personality. I offer it to everyone.

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?

No, and i'm genuinely frightened of them.

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?

A fun time. Or AIB to nullify my credit card balance.

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT AND THEIR NAMES?

Three; that way, if one goes to a friends house, the others will still be occupied. Preferably have twin boys, then a girl. The redirection of time and affection after the second birth will allow the twins to try harder to look for affection, becoming overachievers, trying to outdo each other all their lives. The youngest will feel empowered by the affection, living a comfortable and creative life.

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

My uncle, I think. Weird since my dad is Mike as well. A crowd-pleaser from birth.

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?

There's a lot. The complete lack of rationality, logic and diplomacy being some.

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKE(D) ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

The craic, finding out about poetry, and...........?

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?

Head and shoulders.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

Yeah. It's unmistakably mine.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Corned beef.

52. ANY BAD HABITS?

Sometimes inappropriate humour. I don't get offended easily, so I tend to have to watch what I say around (normal) people.

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?

Used to be, got over it.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Dunno. Maybe. If I kept my hands to myself.

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?

It doesn't work, since people can't control their emotions.

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?

Depends what you're at. Nobodys likes messy code.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?

Hmm. Thinking about this question has raised further issues. I think I should see a counsellor.

58.WOULD YOU RATHER GAIN 58 POUNDS OR LOSE 58 POUNDS.

Lose

59. WHAT'S YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?

To be happy, and spread happiness. I want people to not care about life. To get rid of worry. Then we can get on with it, all of us together.

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?

A lighter. Oh, the fun we had.

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?

Don't know, about 160.

62.WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?

Still am

63. Do you use sarcasm?

"Uh, no? Gawd..."

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?

Never had macaroni and cheese. I usually can't eat food that has the inherent image of being processed and packaged. Unless i'm locked, but then I wouldn't be eating pasta and cheese.

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?

Being laid back and interested in the world.

66 NICKNAMES?

Mike G, Mickey G, Sleazy G, Flah, G-Man...

67. FAVORITE SUPER POWER?

Screw that. Batman is a proper badass.

68. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?

Simpsons, of all time

69.WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?

Let them be as they are

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?

Vanilla

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?

At the moment, yes

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?

Have a laptop that moves around.

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?

None.

74. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER?

On a mountain or beside a big field.

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?

Don’t care

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Lateralus by Tool

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?

A fine cup of tae.

78.LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

Wayne-sham

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?

Their proximity

80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Find ways of having more spare time

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?

Don't really hate anything, which is vastly more fun, since you have endless ammo for unexpected humour

82. FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR?

Winter

83. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?

Plain chocolate. If i'm feeling fancy, a Bounty

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?

Yeah.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?

Red/orange/Californian sunset

86. EYE COLOR?

Blue I think

87. SHOE SIZE?

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

Charcoal Grill in Galway

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?

I don't think the Sioux Grill in Krakow has been topped yet.

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?

Never had it.

91. WATCH TV TODAY?

Not as yet.

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?

Lets roll every Saturday of the year into one big SUPER-SATUR-FUN-DAY and have a massive worldwide festival celebrating the Saturdays of the past year. It'd just be one extra day off per year for everyone, and it'd be free of religion, national identity or branding. No sponsorship, no paid events, no central event or location, just people being fun and happy for the day. See what happens. It'd be excellent.

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?

Guitar, bass, learning keyboard... probably more I can't remember.

94. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?

Neither. You can't have one viewpoint on everything. Political parties are nothing but biased collections of groupthink. Give me some originality, diplomacy and empathy, not "the party line".

95. KISSES OR HUGS?

In for a penny, in for a pound

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?

See 95

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?

Buffalo Hunky Dorys

98. WOULD YOU EVER BE A HOUSEWIFE?

That'd be a shock

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?

"Down and Out in Paris and London" by George Orwell

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE?

Like a half boiled kettle in an empty house - Tepid and confusing.

Tetris HD

2009-03-11T21:07:00.001Z

Via Kottke.org

How pointless is Tetris HD ? You'd have to take a weekend off just to lose it. Once.

Posted via email from Mike's posterous

All i've got to say today

2008-12-24T13:19:00.000Z

Quit Twitter

2008-12-11T17:05:00.004Z

I quit Twitter. Oh shock!

Never really thought a lot of it. Its a good example of when social networking doesn't work; I didn't have any friends on it, I didn't like the people I "followed" on it, so its gone.

Now to get rid of the oul Bebo and Facebook... That's another story.

So ah...

2008-11-19T23:50:00.007Z

Sitting up late-ish, strangely calm. Usually i'm pretty stressed out this time of night, but I had fun the last evening and day, probably since I stayed away from the city centre all day. Yay for no hustle-bustle!

The city grinds me down. It's way outside of my comfort bubble. I can handle it, now. It look me the best part of eight months that Dublin was not Galway - and never will be. Of course I miss my home. I'm not heartless. Just a bit out of touch; ultra-rational. But you can't rationalise everything.

Don't I know it.

I've never seen myself as "a culchie". And I fuckin' hate the Dubs that will play on that horrid, catch-all, us/them mentality. Yeah, I hate ya. There's no need for it. What, so I didn't grow up in a place where you have to step over and around the strung-out junkies on the streets? Where every main thoroughfare is now a procession of Chinese restaurants, Carroll's Irish Trash shops and Londis shops - is it self-pity or pride that's going on here?

The Yuppies.

The yuppies kill me. I feel my lungs clench up and embrace my heart in my chest as if to protect me from them. I want to help them more than the homeless. Maybe its one positive thing of what’s going on in the world right now - maybe being let go from their companies will free them from their horrifically hollow and unimpressive lives. Then again, I’ve got other friends who are in no way yuppies, but also feel the need to express everything as the most impressive. Maybe I’m just not easily impressed.

But what I like about Dublin is - once you know how to handle it (and I’m a long way off, but at least I’ve got a foothold), is the craic. There's a world of craic to be had. It’s not as up-front as many parts of Ireland, you have to pick it out and make it your own. And when I say up-front, I don't mean the marketing, 'cause that’s there in spades... but the range is good.

It’s real good.

One thought I had lately that gets me through a bit, needs a little refinement maybe:

"Life is like the middle of a sentence; it rarely makes sense until it’s finished."

Night.

Blogging about Blogging

2008-02-06T02:32:00.000Z

I don't really "get" the blog thing. I don't know how these people can write all the time. Especially the new "professional bloggers" who actually do this for a living. But, they do it and do it well, so here's some of the ones I subscribe to.

Seth Godin (self-titled "Marketing Guru") blogs numerous times a day. He evens blogs about how to blog. Steve Olson writes in an interesting and informative bitesize self-help style, promoting realistic thinking and the power of hindsight. His many posts detailing life lessons learned from recalling past memories at times reek of those "unlock your inner (insert goal here)", but are generally insightful and at the very least, entertaining to read.

For the tech (and not so tech) heads theres blogs like Chris Pirillo's frequently updated text/video journal on the little hacks that are helpful everyday, from "How To Buy an mp4 player", "How To Save Money" to "How to Choose the Best Airline" and what to eat for the munchies. His video journal is based in his chatroom-slash-command centre, with open input from his many other subscribers.

Finally, there's Karl Hungus' film blog. I enjoy his humour and his honest reviews of current and classic films. His rather encyclopædic knowledge has opened my eyes to a few diamonds.

For the quick humour fix, theres always the webcomics:
xkcd
Dilbert
Piled Higher and Deeper
CTRL-Alt-Del

Torrent

2007-09-21T03:40:00.000+01:00

I'm hypnotised by a Torrent Swarm.
Its all downloading and none uploading.
I set it that way sometimes.
Even though it doesn't make a difference to my downloads.
I didn't set it that way tonight though.
Unusual.

Blog Update

2007-09-14T21:46:00.000+01:00

Ahoj! Realised I hadn't posted in ages so I threw up the random blog posts I put up on my Bebo.

Things going strange lately. Slow, fast, slow. Slow with college, but then I came up with a marvelous little project that should wrap my thesis around itself very nicely (thank *eck).

Then fast, going through Europe like a dose of salts. Poland rocks the socks, but think twice about Slovakia... just my experience is all...

Then slow, having dead meetings in college with people who seem to be figments of my imagination.

But sure you'll have that.

Chat soon.

Why I Hate (almost) Everything But Don't Lock Myself In A Small Dark Room Crying For My Teddy

2007-09-14T21:45:00.000+01:00

Imagine you're a turtle on a beach.

There's never been anything but you and your turtle friends on this beach.

You were born on this beach, and you'll die on this beach.

You've never seen anything past the horizon of the water or the dunes of sand on the beach.

Your life on the beach is a fine, quiet life, and it's all you know.

So, Turtle on a beach... try explain the concept of Government.

How the hell do you know?

The Battle of the Power Ballads

2007-09-14T21:41:00.000+01:00

While walking out of HMV, me miming the words to Whitesnake's classic power ballad "Is This Love":

Colin: "I hate Whitesnake... Nothing compared to Journey..."

Sunday Boredom & Juggling

2007-07-08T17:06:00.000+01:00

It's Sunday, hence the most boring day of the week. It's also raining torrentially, so you can't actually go outside and do anything. Argh!!

I've taken up juggling as a new hobby, and i'm really enjoying it. It takes a lot of concentration, and a hell of a lot of practice, but its quite fulfilling. Its handy to have YouTube and a friend who juggles professionally to pester for tips!

I used to juggle when I was a kid, about 10 years old or so. I taught myself, by just copying clowns and such; yes, for a while I wanted to be a clown. I'd still take it up, honest job - always wanted to be an entertainer! Not fit enough to commit to pro-wrestling so i'll leave that one. Anyway, I knew I wasn't juggling "properly", since I had taught myself, but I bought some juggling balls (thuds) and practiced a bit. Apparently what I had been doing is known as a Shower, which is not what you start off learning as a juggler, apparently is hard for some jugglers to do :/. So, before my head swelled, I went to square one.

First thing you do is look up. Look where you want the ball to go. Don't look at the ball in your hand. Then, throw one ball into your vision, in an elliptical pattern, and catch with the other hand. Do it 10+ times with each hand 'till you're comfortable. Then try two.
Hold a ball in each hand, throw your dominant hand, and when it reaches its peak, just at the point when its about to fall, throw the other one a little to the side of that one. Catch this falling one, and repeat - throw, apex, throw, catch, apex, throw, catch. Do it 10+ times, mix it up, and master it. Move on from there!

Two paragraphs, simple enough, but it's taken me four days to do this badly. I'm happy enough with it, the hardest part is getting the rhythm right. Just don't look at your hands, and stay slow!

The Shower is the passing of the balls in a circular patter, ie throw your right up, at the apex, throw the ball from your left to the right, catch falling ball with your left. It should resemble balls travelling around your upper body in a circular motion.

Much fun, and apparently good exercise for body and mind. Studies have shown juggling is the first pastime/activity proven to increase grey matter in the areas of the brain related to advanced functions, such as memory, cognition and coordination.

The Trouble With Boredom

2007-06-29T16:16:00.000+01:00

I'm bored, awful bored. I've been looking at the same page on and off for about 3 hours.

The problem is; its a table of contents.

"Table of Contents Syndrome" is a worrying problem. All it makes you good at is making Lists. But Lists are generally a preface to a more in-depth discussion of topics mentioned in the List. But what if you don't know what you're talking about?

The List can have two forms: Large and Small. A large List can be a very good thing. If you are writing for volume (which I am) then you can easily break up the text into smaller sections that can be independent, while the List takes care of any notion of flow.

If, however, you are writing for specification or description, a List can be a mixed blessing. Imagine writing a 2,000 word paper (about 4.5 typed pages). A large List will have basically written the paper for you, although if too large then you will only provide minimal detail and probably end up making a very poor and unclear, if succinct, point.

In this case, a short, broad List is more useful. You know what you are writing about, and by keeping your List short and broad you have more room to be creative and descriptive.

So, remember: when you are writing, plan it out – and keep your Lists tidy.

Back to the Table of Contents I go.