Another character leaves the stage!!

Wanted to blog today in the hope that some of my inane ramblings will spark some inspiration and I can finally write that magazine article that i've been struggling with over the last 2 days, deadline is tomorrow so i better get a move on, i've even though of plagerising something although right now i'm thinking of the concept of "flow" or authentic happiness as the next step, i have already written 15 articles for this mag so i don't want to be repeating myself either, i think i'll do authentic happiness, i'm feeling really happy myself these days, i have appreciation, i feel i am doing work thats worthwhile, i'm definately putting something back, and i have a fairly positive view of myself and my world.

it's good!

My friend David died last night, i have been happy and sad all day, happy with the memories and sad that a young vibrant life should just dissapear like that, i met some friends for lunch and we laughed so much with stories and memories. I'm not sure people ever get to see or really believe the appreciation that other have for them, maybe we are as well off, we might get arrogant and conceited, but still every know and again we should be really let people know what they mean to us while they are around to hear it. It's the rare compliment that goes astray, even if it's shrugged off at the time, it will usually be remembered at some quiet moment when it will bring a quiet smile.

The session tomorrow night should be some fun, it will bring together a lot of the ludhers who have been on many trips.

World Cup

It's been really great fun so far, England are crap, Argentina are magical and the supporters are not half bad either, what more could you want.

Great Karoke party on Sat night with the best selection of songs i've ever seen, i gave them a green day trilogy, cathy and I did american idiot and holiday and i did minority on me own, such craic.

Sunday was the Rossies, brilliant first half, dire second half, but still not so long ago we were always dire in both halves, we had a good day out though, all those who were laughing at the raincoat and hat earlier were too bloody wet and grumpy after the game to comment.
the Ocean FM job is going really well, we are making great strides.

I had some real surprises today!

Oedipus, Sophocles, Ajax and the rest of the lads!

A passionate man, who did his country some service, but was unable to control his mercenary side which ultimately lead to his betrayal of this republic and the values it's founding fathers held dearly and led to his disgrace in the eyes of many.

A mercenary man, who did his country some service, but was unable to control his passionate side, which ultimately lead to his betrayal of a nation and it's people in the cause of self justification, and lead to his disgrace in the eyes of many.

Of course have their followers, blind to reason or fallibility, who will continue to misrepresent their legacy, exaggerating their strength and minimise to their weaknesses

History will remember both of them well, like those great Greek heroes who we're ultimately exposed by their weaknesses, it's the basis of all tragedy, this apparent fact that we have all been given feet of clay

I feel an opera coming on!

Lovely and Sleepy

ah yes, i love the feeling of my eyes just beginning to droop, and i know i have to go to be and that I will be deliciously asleep 30 seconds after my head hits the pillow.

lots of interesting stuff going on, played a lot of football last week and made my peace with the roscommon masters team over the dilemma last year, in fairness the 1.3 i scored probably helped, but i really enjoyed it and am delighted with my decision to stick with the primrose and gold.

spent a couple of hours surfing tonight and came across myspace.com, what a weird and wonderful place, they have 24 million members, 24 million, it was set up in 2003 and now it's got 24 million members, that's 6 times the population of the free state, put me thinking about how i had origonally intended the business to have a strong online presence, i really must make it a project now for me to get cracking on..... next week is the busiest week ever, just took on far too much but i'll get through it.

apart from that all is well, my friend Mr. A is wrecking my head with all this analysis, spiritual stuff and how i can live a much better cleaner life and be at one with myself and all that jazz, i am sure he is appalled by my views on love and religion and spirituality, but sure let him off.

Maggie and the girls are well, the girls are getting so grown up and Joy is a real teenager now, oh the tiredness is catching up with me, i have to snuggle down........ night

Nervous!

Ok So the Nigella pic has nothing to do with the blog, who cares?

It's Tuesday morning after a great bank holiday weekend, the sun cracked rocks all weekend and I had a ball, busy with the GAA on Friday and Saturday organising golf classics and flag day, party on Sunday, great party, will be getting feedback from the neighbours on this one i'd say, and monday a lovely chilled out day at the beach, along with the other 10'000 people who chose to go to the same beach. Mind you the scenery was fabulous even if the sea was a bit cold, still had a good swim though, can't be showing hesitancy on front of the girls.

I'm nervous because I am starting a new project tomorrow and it's going to be somewhat new to me, plus i am not entirely sure what is expected of me, i would have liked more detail and structure before starting but hell what can i do, bowl into it and see what emerges, i know i am pretty good at what i do and can make some difference to these guys so i might as well have a crack.... the first job will be to get a good rapport going and get them onside and i know i can do that.

otherwise the head is fairly good, still a bit upsy downsie but i'd expect that anyway, it's not easy getting into a groove after all the fun and enjoyment i've had, still the summer stretches out in front of me and i'm doing my best to look forward rather than back, now the person i was supposed to meet this morning at 10.30 still has not shown up and it's 11.05, so i better make a few phone calls.

Cheers

friday evening, bank holiday weekend

life is good, it's friday evening, tough week workwise, but now it's 3 days of taking it fairly east, as you can see from the pic, the weather is beautiful, it's shorts and a tee shirt.... can't take the tee shirt off anyway after the burning i got in Portugal.

Cathy is gone to the beach with friends, Joy is headin off to a party now, and Maggie gets home from the states tomorrow, i have a flag day still to pull together for tomorrow, and a golf presentation tonight, but otherwise, the lawns are cut, the house is clean, and i have nothin to do, no plans except to take it easy and enjoy the beautiful weather.

life has been really hectic lately, some wonderful times and some rough turbulence, but i hope the captain will be able to turn the seatbelts light off soon.

i'm also in the middle of one of my periodic "ramadans" a case of too much partying, the impending serious football championship season, and most of all, the feeling i had that saturday on fifth avenue. that day i noticed all those people in thier 40's and 50's and it hit home like a hammer how important it is to be in shape. The ones in shape all looked young and vital and vibrant and just great, but all the one's out of shape we slouchy, looked grouchy, heads pointing at the pavement, like life was something that happened to them years ago when they we're young and fit....... and i decided that it was time to cut down on somethings and gear up on others, so i'm back training, off the beer, and smoking very little.... i'm eating carefully and much much less, and the great thing is i can already see the signs, after only two weeks, i look better, my skin is better, i feel really good and my belt had slipped a whole notch.

it would be such a pity to move forward in a slouchy feeling sorry for myself whingy sort of way, it's just not for me, it's time for head up, back straight, chest out and smile!

enjoy the weekend.

20 years on!

This may have been brought on by that show on RTE 1 last night called "20 years on, Ireland 1986 - 2006" but today i have this strange feeling that the world is passing me by quicker than i can keep up, i'm only 41 but i feel like Buster Keeton trying to keep up with the train, desperately hanging on, but knowing full well that no matter what i do it's going to get away from me, and the really strange thing is that lots of my friends are not even net savvy.

This leads me back to a question that has been bothering me for sometime, would a man lead a happier life if he grew up in a little villlage in the west coast, lived all his life there, knew everyone, never left and died there surounded by people he knew and loved. Or would he have lived better if he left at 16, emigrated to England, then went to America, made a fortune, travelled the world, and spent his whole life trying to catch that train that always seems to be going a little bit faster than you are, more knowledge, more travel, more money, more opportunity, more expectations.

I suppose i ask the question as a traveller, in the last month I've been to france, NYC and Portugal, I have "chasing" in my blood, chasing trains, sales, fun, life, but i often wonder, is it better to just live a quiet life in a quiet place?