December 21, 2006
Well its been far to long and my blog has been lying silent and unused as honestly I’ve been far to busy to use it. With Exams a summer that so me spending the majority of my time on a bus, contracting in Thurles and having lots and lots of fun. And here I am now three months into my new job working as an automation engineer on contract in Intel Leixlip. I think it might be time to get this show back on the road…….
Oh well; we’ll see won’t we!
March 2, 2006
I woke up with a killer headache today and then had to sit in a test where trying to access any sort of information for my throbbing head was failing miserably. I also managed to second guess myself on a number of questions and scribbled out the right answer replacing it with a wrong one. Oh well college is going ok so I suppose I can’t complain; still have a good bit of work to do though. The next test is a practical and he’s taking the best two of three so hopefully I’ll be able to make up for this test in that one.
Thankfully the headache subsided somewhat and I’m doing good now!. Just sitting in the library after fencing. I didn’t do much today since I still have a wee bit of a dose (Don’t worry Hazel 
I’m getting much better X) It was a cool session; and I once again marvelled at how small the world is! A new member an ex-student of the college about 10 years ago came and joined our club today; and when he met me he was able to tell me who I was, what my brothers names were and where I lived due to my resemblance too my brother Darragh. Funny Stuff 
Went to the IT’s Song Contest today to watch the band Lumer (sorry guys not sure if the spelling is correct) perform; Well done guys you did great!! Well Impressed. Also playing today was my friend Joe Cleere. Joe was just playing for the entertainment though as he was the competition winner last year he decided not to enter this year. Joe also won the Perri 2fm song contest last Friday (Well done man, couldn’t think of a more deserving person!).
All in all life is really good!
February 27, 2006
Well today is an interesting day! I’m shattered, dying of a chest infection, a sinus infection and missing my girlfriend like mad! (Happy Birthday Beautiful sorry I can’t be with you to celebrate x )
February 22, 2006
I had one of the best weekends of my life this week and witnessed one of the saddest. I found a girlfriend that I adore and am absolutely crazy about while one of my closet friends, a veritable brother; lost his.
The weekend was tinged with sweetness and sadness for all concerned. Its soul tearing stuff to see a couple that had been as close as family to me fall apart. Writing this I’ve realised I’ve changed; in times past I would have said “such is life” but I doubt I will ever say that in such a context again.
Although with all the sadness of the weekend I discovered an absolutely amazing girl (I’ve mentioned her before! Hi Hazel ;)) who did me the honour of accepting to be my girlfriend and trusting me enough to believe I’m not an axe murderer in my spare time 
In my life I couldn’t be happier because I found someone just like me 
My friend Paul (oh he of the cat loving fame) took a few pictures when we went for a walk as a group during the weekend, which I subsequently did some work on:
Deer in Jenkinstown Park Kilkenny:
Floating Arches:
“Its for you Deer……(sorry)”:
February 16, 2006
Well its nearly Friday. My cough was killing me this morning so seeing as I had a few free periods first thing I headed down town to pick up some meds. Feeling much better now. Just out of the shower after a hectic fencing training. Only a few of us there tonight but I had some good bouts all the same.
Considering fencing is the only sport to which I’m in any way commited I’m surprised I haven’t mention it more often. For those of you who don’t know what fencing is wikipedia describes it as:
“In the broadest possible sense, fencing is the practice of armed combat involving cutting, stabbing or bludgeoning weapons directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot or thrown (in other words, swords, knives, pikes, bayonets, batons, clubs, and so on). In contemporary common usage, fencing tends to refer specifically to European-originated schools of swordsmanship and to the modern Olympic sport which has evolved out of them.”
Fencing for me is a great way of getting a bit of excercise and in my opinion its almost as much a mental workout as it is a physical one. Your mind must always be alert looking for any weaknesses in your opponents defense through which your blade might slip.
I took some fencing photos and my fencing master Tim took the photo of me fencing against my team mate markus.
Me & My Sabre…..
Me lunging an attack at Markus (taken by Tim)
I was just messing with the reflections in the windows in the room where we fence.
And tomorrows Friday!! wohoo
February 15, 2006
So this morning dawned bright and beautiful and as usual I awoke thinking its Thursday! despite the fact that it is indeed Wednesday…… Suppose I should be getting used to doing that at this stage. If only I knew why I do it on Wednesday mornings and no other mornings of the week.
Pretty quiet day so far. Just sitting in one of the library labs while the college’s computer society are busily beating the life out of eachother at CS Source; the typical Wednesday night noise. Thank god for Nick Drake and headphones
I got a copy of Lost Series 2 from a friend today so I currently have up as far as episode 12; currently 10 episodes ahead of Network 2. Happy Days
Time is going really slowly this week edging towards Friday; its like a kid before christmas sort of thing. The more you look forward to something the longer it takes to get here! wonder if theres a term for that? I suppose time is just a matter of perspective in the end.
Got my test result back from last week 65% not to bad I’m avaeraging in at around 75% so if I’m lucky I’ll be able to pass this subject solely on continuous assessment!
February 14, 2006
Being my usual self and always in the pursuit of the miprovement of my general knowledge and with today in mind. I posed myself the question where exactly did Valentine’s day originate? Was it here all along; before the appearance of the consumer holiday (and I pray to god it was or what have we become as a race when we rely on commercial industries to tell us that today is the day for us to show our love) or what?
After a bit of research on the net I discovered:
“Centuries before Christ, The pagan Romans celebrated February 15 and the evening of February 14 as an idolatrous and sensuous festival in honor of Lupercus, the “hunter of wolves”?
The Romans called the festival the “Lupercalia.” The custom of exchanging valentines and all the other traditions in honor of Lupercus - the deified hero-hunter of Rome- was also linked anciently with the pagan practice of teen-agers “going steady.” It usually led to fornication. Today, the custom of “going steady” is thought very modern. It isn’t. It is merely a rebirth of an old custom “handed down from the Roman festival of the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of February, when names of young women were put into a box and drawn out by men as chance directed.”
When Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire there was some talk in church circles of discarding this pagan free-for-all. But the Roman citizens wouldn’t hear of it! So it was agreed that the holiday would continue as it was, except for the more grossly sensual observances.
It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that the holiday became a “Christian” custom. ” As far back as 496, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on February 15 to St. Valentine’s Day on February 14
Valentine was a common Roman name. Roman parents often gave the name of their children in honor of the famous man who was first called Valentine in antiquity. That famous man was Lupercus, the hunter.
The Greeks called Lupercus by the name of “Pan“. The Semites called Pan “Baul,” according to the Classical Dictionaries. Baal - mentioned so often in the Bible - was merely another name for Nimrod, “the mighty hunter” ( Genesis 10:9) It was a common proverb of ancient time that Nimrod was “the MIGHTY hunter before the Lord.” Nimrod was their hero - their strong man - their VALENTINE!
How plain that the original Valentine was Nimrod, the mighty hunter of wolves. Yet another of Nimrod’s names was “Sanctuc” or “Santa“, meaning Saint. It was a common title of any hero-god. No wonder that the Roman Lupercalia is called “St. Valentine’s Day”!
But why do we associate HEARTS on a day in honor of Nimrod - the Baal of the Phoenicians and Semites?
The surprising answer is that the pagan Romans acquired the symbol of the heart from the Babylonians. In the Babylonian tongue the word for heart was “bal” (Strong’s Concordance Number H1168). The heart - bal - was merely a symbol of Nimrod - the Baal! or Lord of the Babylonians!”
Fascinating stuff when you think about how all the main cultures of the world religious and geographical have melded to create Valentines day. In the end of the day the spirit and message of Valentine’s day is a beautiful one; but why should we limit ourselves to one particular day of the year in which we show people how much we love and care for them?
In my opinion if you love someone you should show it each day and in every way you can even if its only something small. Don’t get me wrong Valentine’s day is a lovely holiday with a great message but one day a year simply isn’t enough.
February 13, 2006
I found a verse of this scribbled in the back of an old chord book at home. I just thought it was an amazing poem and I was surprised that I hadn’t heard more of Thomas Kinsella before! This is a great piece and seasonal too ;).
The day dawns, with scent of must and rain,
Of opened soil, dark trees, dry bedroom air.
Under the fading lamp, half dressed — my brain
Idling on some compulsive fantasy –
I towel my shaven jaw and stop, and stare,
Riveted by a dark exhausted eye,
A dry downturning mouth.
It seems again that it is time to learn,
In this untiring, crumbling place of growth
To which, for the time being, I return.
Now plainly in the mirror of my soul
I read that I have looked my last on youth
And little more; for they are not made whole
That reach the age of Christ.
Below my window the wakening trees,
Hacked clean for better bearing, stand defaced
Suffering their brute necessities;
And how should the flesh not quail, that span for span
Is mutilated more? In slow distaste
I fold my towel with what grace I can,
Not young, and not renewable, but man.
February 10, 2006
Well just out of the exam and alls well; I’d say I averaged about 68% and the study last night helped out a lot just sitting in the lab taking a quick breather before I head back to the house and pack; no Networking lab today!
My brother Ross, his wife Lucy and my twin sister Rachel are going to be passing through in around an hour so I’m grabbing a lift home with them. It’ll be great to see Ross & Lucy! granted I saw Ross last month but its always good to see him but Lucy hasn’t been back from the states since last Summer.
The family is having some sort of get together on Sunday so we’ll all be there; I wan’t to try get a picture of my four brothers and I. I was thinking about it last night and its approximately 9 years or so since there was a photo of the five of us taken together.
I was the smallest back then so it’ll be a bit of a role reversal; pity there were no photos taken in between. Although thinking about ity maybe it was a blessing
Probably going to get thrown into some gardening work the minute I get home; me being at home for any number of hours is a rare commodity so I’m sure the parents will take full advantage of my skills in heavy lifting and strimmer / lawnmower usage. Oh well they’ll wan’t the house looking nice for Sunday and if I do it today it means I can relax tomorrow.
Going to the Happy Medium gig tomorrow in the pumphouse. My old friend Kieran Byrne is playing support and I have to pick up some of my equipment from him; looking forward to hearing some of his original material too! Haven’t seen the Silloheuttes before so I’m interested in seeing what they sound like. Also the upstairs of the pumphouse has been converted and I’, looking forward to seeing what changes they made.
Although being completely honest most of all the main thing I’m looking forward to is next week
February 9, 2006
The weeks are really flying by; seems like only last week that next week was a month away. Strange night last night our cat (I’ve renamed her “Kissen” its Swedish slang for cat) didn’t show up 
Maybe she decided to stay in her real home; hopefully we’ll see her again though. Was a bit restless last night couldn’t really stay still kept wandering back and forth between the sitting room, kitchen and my room.
Eventually ended up dozing off on my bed round 12.30am although my housemates woke me since I’d gone to sleep with Johnny Cash blaring “Hurt” (such an amazing song) and they were a bit tired of it since it had been looping for about an hour.
Didn’t get back to sleep till around 3am then; I picked up the guitar and just starting playing everything and anything that came into my head. Bits of riffs making up songs off the top of my head as I was playing. Its weird I can actually make reasonably decent songs that way! its just that I can never remember them afterwards (I really should just record myself but its kind of a spur of the moment thing).
Trevor came down today he’s staying over and packing up his stuff to leave tomorrow; so I won’t be moving rooms till Sunday. He keeps telling me to remember that his room is freezing and that I won’t last in it; but its got an electric heater and its exactly the same (insulation wise) as my room so I should be grand
All in all life is good
