Christmas

Christmas is apparently just around the corner.

What do I want?

Jesus back.

:'(

This took ages.

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

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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:

2

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?

11

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

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

Quit Twitter

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...

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

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
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