I have never done a numbered list before (as far as I remember), and now two in one week… it isn’t something I plan on making too much of a habit of.
Peter Donegan suggested that we make a list of ten things that make us happy today to “cheers this country up.” So I thought I’d give it a go. I knew it would be difficult.
How specific to be? Life itself? Life, and generally living make me happy. But maybe a little more specific. My macbook, the internet, coffee etc. When I began making the list I got stuck after number 5. Eventually the rest did come to me.
Having gotten the list down, I will add that I am rarely satisfied. Maybe with an individual task or minor achievement, but never with the whole picture. Though I see that as a good thing. Always pushing...
Cherith called this a 'pointless waste of time' on her blog. How does it work? Well, Turn your I-pod on, Do the Shuffle and answer each question accordingly. I cheated once and skipped past a stupid one BUT other than that this is exactly how my iPod dealt my answers out, some of them are very interesting, perhaps too true? The first one made me YELP!!The Questions:1. How are you feeling today? Hear me Lord - George Harrison2. Will you get far in life? The Sidewinder Sleeps tonight - REM3. How do your friends see you? Apples aka Gino- Buddy Rich4. Will you get married? Lose it All - Rush Of Fools5. What is your life’s theme song? Whistlin' Past the Graveyard - Tom Waits6. What is the story of your life? Gong - Sigur Ros7. What was high school like? Coyote - Joni Mitchell8. How can you...
So. It’s here. Christmas. You may be reading this on Christmas day. What are you doing on the Internet on Christmas day? Family sucks? Guess its the problem a lot of people have. Understandable. Boxing day? Again, why aren’t you opening all those boxes? Not believe in Christmas? Again, Family suck? It’s okay, I understand.
Yeah Christmas has come once again. It always comes quicker than expected. It’s really only in the last two or three years that I have begun to realise the real meaning of Christmas - though I can’t help but put a pause in that sentence and ask for a hands-up for all those who really celebrate Christmas today? Very few of you, I’m not entirely surprised. I’m not big fan of the real meaning behind Christmas, though I am a fan of...
Having all of last week away from the horrid office workplace environment, I had to go back. I remember back in both primary and secondary school wishing that time would go so much faster. Now that there is no more school there just aren’t enough hours in the day for all the things I want to do.
I spent much of my week attempting to ‘get my life on track’ and be like those extremely organised people - by organising my bookmarks, firefox extensions, feed subscriptions and reading a few productivity websites such as the incredible Lifehacker, Lifehack. These sites always gets me motivated to start organising my normally very disorganised computer/hard drive/file system.
This problem stems from the fact that I have a few too many interests. Of course, having lots of...
Why is it that when my bank calls me they insist that I attempt my ‘password’ at least twice. I don’t generally forget passwords, the sort that I type, but those crap ones that have to be spoken over the phone I always forget. I put it down to the fact that it will always be completely different from any of my typical passwords for the obvious reason that it will be spoken and anyone may hear it. For this reason I try to make it something I will remember, though it definitely doesn’t help that it would only be every 6 months or so that I need to use it…
They called yesterday.
“Could you give the first and last letters of your password please” said the voice.
“No, sorry, I never remember it.”
“I’m sorry I’m going to...
Friday was, as is the norm, not without plenty of drink and photos to go with it. A truth revealing, thought provoking, musical night; of course I slept on the sofa again.
Before the afternoon arrived, I found myself at home, watching Heros; my latest obsession. Tonight I finished watching episode 12. Over the next few days I plan to get through the following 11 episodes, completing the first series, and all that has been aired so far.
On Saturday I had an Italian BMT in Subway
My brother and father recently discovered a love for a fairly unusual hobby: archery. I have never seen either of them play before, so today I went along to watch my father taking part in a competition, which he didn’t win in the end.
Whilst there, we found some very tasty wild berries, which we are going...
Theres that buzz, t he inability to think about anything else, wanting to do lots of nice things; trips to the beach, sip cocktails - its all there, but i’ll be damned if it ever did any good.
My search for a Summer Girl has been going a little better than originally expected - all that’s needed is sun, ice cream and Botanic Gardens - and time is running out. Summer is running out! Its been quite a shite summer too in terms of the weather. Alas, it is not yet over.
16 days until my trip to the States then 3 weeks of bliss, mayhem and madness, and I still haven’t done any preparation. One thing I have to do is start and finish a presentation on Ireland for Amy’s class of 10-12 year olds, I must dispel any beliefs in rainbows, gold, fairies, leprechauns, endless...
I woke up yesterday morning with an itchy armpit… Eventually it stopped itching. Around the time that I left work and had that brilliant walk home. Another one of those glorious days. I was sweaty. On my way home I passed Botanic Station and asked how much it costs to get a train to Larne. I heard form a colleague that there is a motor show there today with lots of classic cars doing laps of the town, finally stopping to be gawked at, and photographed.
Of course I can find no one to join me - but again, its their loss, heh.
I had my first weekday hangover in quite a while. Though it was quite mild, with not much drink drunk, my head still hurt a little. Its just one of those things thats done every once in a while. All you want to do all day is sleep. Instead I played pool during...
“The biggest global experiment to take place on the internet” is the idea of Denis Bystrov and Michael Taylor, they have proposed tomorrow, 24th March 2007, as International Shutdown Day, challenging the world to switch off their computers for a whole day. In this age of computer dependency is this possible for many people to do?
The website has two buttons, “I can” and “I can’t”. Its safe to say that “I can” is in the lead. But will it work?
How sneaky to have it on a Saturday. No work, so more time to spend online. I was hoping to have a camera to play with tomorrow, and to take part, though there was a slight problem with my order, so although the camera has arrived and is safely in my parents house, I have no lens until next week....
I never did really get st. patrick’s day, and I still don’t.
After the two drinks I had in the afternoon made me feel like crap, I decided to give it another go at 9pm. I managed to blag my way in the side entrance while there was a massive queue for the main door. They were all pretty drunk. Luckily they were about to leave to a house party we had all heard about. After much drunken skipping around the subject of ‘what’s going on’ we left to the off-license, which naturally took much longer than it should have.
Then it started raining.
The house wasn’t too far away. We sang songs. I pretended to be drunker than I was, you know, shouting and talking much louder than necessary and generally being more enthusiastic than you should be.
There was a...
The first thing I read this morning was “St Patrick wasn’t a Saint”. This came as quite a shock to me, so I read on, and followed the link to the Wikipedia article:
For most of Christianity’s first thousand years, canonisations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after the death of people considered to be very holy people, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints. As a result, St. Patrick has never been formally canonised by a Pope, but he is still widely venerated in Ireland and elsewhere today.
Aw well, we’re all still going to get drunk aren’t we? Though unless things change a little, I won’t be.
Strange as it may seem, I’ve gone off alcohol lately. In the last few weeks (maybe...
For some reason I never quite caught on to email. I get plenty, though most are not from real people, instead I get more forum reply notifications, blog comment notifications, and newsletters from Slashdot, Play.com etc.
The last person I person I wrote an email to was my domain host’s support team asking them to update my wordpress, which they kindly did.
Don’t worry, I’m not looking for sympathy, its just the way it is. If I wanted it to change I gotta change things myself. In a way I do want things to change; I know they should.
Besides not initiating much interaction through email my other problem is replying to the rare personal email I do get. I should be so excited at receiving an email from someone and immediately start writing a reply. The fact that they have...
My index finger is sore from scrolling. All the constant scrolling I’ve done over the last few hours has actually made my index finger sore. Darn RSS reading and all those unread posts. I can say however that I am fully caught up with my Irish bloggers blogs.
My Mum emailed me this evening saying she read through my blog. Thankfully I haven’t used the word ‘fuck’, ’shit’ or ‘bastard’ too much or documented crazy adventures of the destruction of body and soul through the consumption of unholy substances. No nothing of the sort.
Maybe I should though.
One of my house-mates gave me a chocolate bun this evening. That made me happy. Half way through the week already!
Copyright Phil O’Kane © 2006-2007This feed is indended for personal use...
I don’t like it. But then I don’t have any reason to like it. I do however know some non-single folk who also hate the day, seeing it as the most commercial ‘holiday’ in the calendar; nothing other than making certain businesses more profits. All those cards, flowers and ’romantic’ meals.
Okay so there is supposed to be something else behind it, something about showing your significant other than you love them, or something. But if that can’t be done on any other day of the year, surely it becomes less romantic doing it today.
There can’t be very much romance on a day where it is all expected to be done. Breakfast in bed, flowers, a card with a sickening poem, followed by a romantic candle-lit dinner.
Why not just skip all the crap and and...
I don’t like it. But then I don’t have any reason to like it. I do however know some non-single folk who also hate the day, seeing it as the most commercial ‘holiday’ in the calendar; nothing other than making certain businesses more profits. All those cards, flowers and ’romantic’ meals.
Okay so there is supposed to be something else behind it, something about showing your significant other than you love them, or something. But if that can’t be done on any other day of the year, surely it becomes less romantic doing it today.
There can’t be very much romance on a day where it is all expected to be done. Breakfast in bed, flowers, a card with a sickening poem, followed by a romantic candle-lit dinner.
Why not just skip all the crap and and...
With all the wars, politics, economics, poverty, celebrities etc - we need more fun.
Every so often we hear of wonderful acts of kindness and people being good en mass. Although I have never gotten around to joining him, I have great respect for Danny Wallace. In 2002 Danny started a cult which, at the time had no purpose. He simply placed an ad in a local classifieds publication Loot with the words: “JOIN ME, send one passport-sized photo to…” followed by his address. Soon after Danny met his first Joinee by the name of Christian Jones. He was “a do-er”. Soon many others sent passport photos and, still not knowing what they were joining, they were still willing to join. Soon members began to question what it was they were joining. Soon after Danny set out...
Well lads and lassies, as of this Friday, my baby-making equipment will be put absolutely and verifiably beyond use.
Sinn Fein are calling my act of decommissioning an historic event in Irish history, while the DUP are typically cynical of the move and want to watch every last ounce (ewww) be deposited in a concrete bunker. Pervs.
Anyway, I got a call to tell me that there’s been a cancellation, asking if I wanted to come in for the vasectomy on Friday. “Absolutely” said I, with glee.
People I speak to about the vasectomy usually wince and act like it’s something to be afraid of, but personally I’m looking forward to it! Until now, the equation went:
Unprotected Sex = Good times + Chance of babies
In a few short months, unprotected sex will only mean...
Mrs L wrote about PostSecret back in September. It’s a site we keep going back to, partly because it’s an open door into people’s innermost secrets.
In public, people tend to conform to societal norms. Don’t they? But while many people give the impression of normality, there are often thoughts or emotions that they leave repressed for fear of looking stupid or weird.
PostSecret allows people to lay out their unconventional side for all the world to see. Of course, each ’secret’ is posted anonymously, which means people have no fear of reprisals or ridicule from friends/family/co-workers. Basically, you create a home-made postcard with pictures and words and express what you’re feeling. Often the people who submit these make fantastic pieces of art...
I’m sorry to say that The Levee Breaks has fallen by the wayside recently. It’s got swept up in the general madness that is life at the moment.
My political blogging has run out of steam to a degree – when all you’re shooting for (pun not intended) is people to settle down and live in a civilized Northern Ireland, you don’t have history on your side! You certainly don’t have a guerilla movement and hundreds thousands of dead bodies to lend legitimacy to your argument!
Unlike my compadres in the Unionist/Nationalist blogging communities, I can’t abide repeating myself ad nauseum, even though I think my argument makes more sense.
Frankly, in Northern Ireland the same issues still exist: one part of the population wants to be Irish, the other British....
I came across this list of 10,000 reasons civilisation is doomed. It seems to be an open list of all the reasons people think civilization (as we know it) is on the rocks. Among the contenders:
Overpopulation - over time, larger population v non-renewable resources. Seems like a no-brainer, but no-one’s stepping in on this issue. Why not?
Capitilism - because profit isn’t the purpose of life. Everybody trying to make a quick buck at the expense of everybody else - amateur property developers, suing your friends and neighbours, etc.
Avarice in the hearts of apathetic consumers who feast on fried fat, luxury cars, and infinite unnecessary gadgets when millions die annually from malnutrition, murder, and disease. How can one purchase thirty pairs of shoes, $100 meals, and...
I came across the following quote on a website tonight:
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.
I have my own thoughts on what it means, but I’m finding it hard to put in words. Anybody care to help out? Translation please!
(via World of Inspiration)
Discussion, Inspiration,...
It all started with The Matrix although I didn’t know it then…
Back in 1999, I had just started in my current job, and was hungrily pursuing a corporate lifestyle: introducing new technology, writing management reports, answering calls for support. In my private life, I was following the six-step Social Expectations programme : graduate, get job, buy house, get married, have children, work until retirement or death.
In 2001, something happened which has been gnawing at my soul ever since. Our daughter was born the month after 9/11.
It’s hard to explain the effect this had, but I ended up questioning the world we had brought our child into. Essentially, I didn’t want my child to have the same predictable life mapped out for her, to become a societal drone. Can you...
I’m curious what you guys think about this. Back in December, when we went to Rome, I was held back by Airport security at Aldergrove. I was a bit surprised - this had never happened before - but I went with the flow.
The security guy took my backpack and opened it up, taking out my digital camera, the two iPod shuffles we’d brought, mobile phones, an assortment of batteries for the camera, spare XD cards and some guidebooks about Rome. Oh, and Joe Cahill’s biography, which I was reading at the time for a review here. Once the bag was emptied, it was also swabbed inside for testing.
Between myself, Mrs L, Sister In-Law and her boyfriend, there’s been much heated debate about whether the Cahill biography was the catalyst for this. I am not so cynical, I thought it...
I meant to write about Chris Jackson’s The Abundance Site some time ago, but this has been languishing in my drafts folder, so I thought I’d share it here.
Unhappy People Living Unhappy Lives
Mrs Levee and I know (more than our fair share of) miserable people. People who feel they are downtrodden, that the world is against them in every conceivable way. People who simply don’t enjoy life. Nothing ever goes right for them, people talk behind their backs, they’re always ill with something or other. They’re incapable of caring about anything other than their own problems, such is their self-involvement.
I find one of the common characteristics of these depressing, misguided creatures is the sheer chaos that defines their mental processes. So disorganised are...