One Man's Window

I know it's been a while since I sat down at this battered old laptop of mine and spent an inordinate amount of time producing a piece of work that really shouldn't take so long. But the truth is that I've had very little to give say lately. It's not that I'm not opinionated (anyone who knows me will tell you as much), it's just that well, I don't want to express those opinions right now. Aside from steering clear of whatever socially sensitive issues that Canada may have experienced in the last couple of weeks, I've found my need to blow off steam satisfied through other means, notably football or drinking. Only that's not the whole story. Because that takes care of the big issues. It's more accurate to say that this good weather we've been experiencing has mellowed me greatly. I no longer feel the need to prattle on about the inhuman beasts who, despite being blessed with the gift of earphones, insist on inflicting their misguided music tas...

I'm not going to pretend that I was entirely looking forward to St Patrick's Day. It's different on this side of the world. For one thing, you're expected to work. And by work, they mean actual work. Not sit around with a hip flask of Jameson and pre-drink. So, I did. And when I was finished, I got on the bus and fell asleep, because that's just what I do on the bus home. I woke, as per usual (I have the timing down on this, by the way), as the bus was entering it's Express part of the journey. This is really where this post originates. A guy got on the bus, clearly dressed for a party and talking - nay, pleading - with his girlfriend. Apart from the whining - "b ut I waaaannnnnnaaa . . ." - I was particularly impressed with the guilt trip that he managed to lay on her by way of "it's just like Valentines Day" , and thereby implying that while Valentines is ALL about the girl, Paddy's is a free pass for the guy to get drunk and do wha...

A Wonderful Discovery! On one of my many sojourns into webland recently, I stumbled across an absolute gem. A potent reminder of a wasted youth, to be frank. But before I get to that, allow me to digress. I've always been drawn in by computer games. Always. They are an excellent form of entertainment and escapism, and I am constantly thrilled at seeing what is new in the virtual world. Admittedly, since my Xbox360 is still in Ireland, I have rather less access to it than I would prefer, but how and ever, I can still keep track to some degree. Despite what some people may think, they can be a social device through the use of multi-player options, be it on the single console or through LAN and/or Internet connections. From a young age, I can remember playing a very, very basic Golf game that ran on an old MS Dos system. It had probably no more than 4 colors available to it (green, brown, blue and purple) and a very flat renditioning of several of the world's great golfing venues....

I am a Winter Olympics virgin There, I've said it. Now can we all move on? Look, I come from a place where, quite frankly, the colder version of the games was a novelty act for those who clearly had not the tropical climes to encourage them to take on the real sports of erm . . . boxing and eh . . . middle distance running. You know, the ones Ireland could be good at every now and again. And as such, they got very little tv coverage. And as such, I cannot remember watching a single piece of a single Winter Olympics pre-dating February 2010. That's not to say I'd never heard of it. I laughed heartily when I heard that we had a Bobsleigh team at Nagano (at least, I think it was Nagano), conveniently the first games which had a sufficient time gap to include competitors influenced by Cool Runnings . Incidentally, we out-ranked Jamaica at Nagano. Go us! And I scoffed mockingly when there was talk of an open top bus parade when our Skeleton racer type-guy (who defected to us cos...

So, annnywaaayyy . . . yeah, I was going to write here more often. But, fuck it . . . I'm not getting paid for this. Oral Stimulation of the genitals; Cunnilingus, Fellatio This is the definition of Oral Sex that had Merriam-Webster's English Dictionary pulled from one American school. Before we get into the Ins and Outs of the particulars of this case, I'd like to pose a general question about what is and isn't acceptable in the forms of censorship for children? Don't get me wrong, obviously, there is appropriate ages for the whole Birds and the Bees talk, but removing a tool as useful as the Dictionary from the classroom because of what some child may find therein, well . . . it boggles the mind. Children are curious creatures. They will find this shit out eventually. And it's not exactly like the above definition is in any way erotic whatsoever. Let an early teen loose in a library for 15 minutes, and they will have something far, far worse that this...

New Year's I'm not normally one for New Year's celebrations. It's normally a non-event, to be honest. A clock ticks past 12, everyone gets drunk and wakes up to "start afresh" the next morning feeling like they've just gone 12 rounds with a Siberian Tiger. People are cranky. I used to take it as a sign that the new League of Ireland season was only 3 months away, or that my car was worth a few quid less. And yet, I feel strangely compelled to buy into it in 2010. You see, 2009 seemed, for the first time, to provide some direction in my life. It's the first time I've spent a whole year away from Ireland, and steps are in place to make it a permanent move. More importantly, I feel like I've put down permanent roots here in Toronto, and the beginnings of a social circle of my own. However tentative a footing these might have, I believe that this city is where my life is going to take shape and look forward to the future I may have. A...

Okay, so I've been meaning to give this blog thing a proper go for a long time. And lately, I've been more than a little bit angered into taking it up and becoming one more nutter with a soap box. So here goes. Cheats Well, it's been 3 weeks since that fateful day in Paris when Ireland were dumped out of the World Cup. The now infamous French goal (I apologise for the music) controversy still rolls on. I think it needs to stop. Yes, mistakes were made, and it's not hard to feel like there was a conspiracy to get France through, but what's done is done. Get over it. FIFA, however, need to take action in some shape or form. Firstly, video referees need to be introduced. Whatever about these impinging on the dignity of the referee, or whatever excuse Sepp Blatter is hiding behind for not introducing them, the way that referee Martin Hansson has been hung out to dry by the world governing body is horrendous. How on earth do FIFA expect to grow the number of re...