Beta Blogger

Currently having some problems commenting on my favourite blogs so bear with me folks. I am still dropping by, via bloglines etc. Plus I haven't got around to putting some new blogs I'm visiting up here but will get around to it eventually.

Sorry but that is just plain weird!

Watching a programme on Channel Five right now and the people in it are weird to say the least. They are practising Attachment Parenting, where a lot of them are just 100% devoting all their time to parenting their children. Giving up work, breastfeeding on demand till whatever age the child wants to stop, home-schooling, never giving out to their children; using persuasion only, not using prams or cots; constantly carrying their children and even practising something called Elimination Communication where they never use nappies and let the kids just poop and pee everywhere.

Sorry but that's just plain weird, as well as ultimately being extremely unfair on the children. They will get some shock when they go out into the real world and realise that it doesn't actually revolve around them, the way that their parents have lead them to believe!

Technorati Tags: Attachment Parenting

Being an imitidating woman apparently

There are always moments in life that make us sit up and take notice and tonight I had one of them- I was talking to a woman who is slightly older than me and whom I have the utmost of respect for. She married a younger man when she was older than I currently am - but yet tonight she informed me to be careful, that I am intimidating to men! Not a position I'd ever considered myself to be in, to be quite frank! What worries me about the allegation is the sneaking suspicion that she is probably right!!

Now whilst I've never, ever thought of myself as a shrinking violet, likewise I've never thought of myself as a 110% gung ho woman who is intimadating to men!

But apparently I am, which: came as a surprise to me. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I don't exactly labour under the illusion that I'm girly girl or a sex goddess but I was knocked for six to be informed that I am perceived as ultimately very intimidating with regard to relationships to the vast majority of men in my social and work circle . And not only that but the remainder of guys in my social circle, could, apparently be forgiven for presuming that I'm simply one of the guys!!!

So my question is very simple; if you're not a girly girl. If fluttering your eyelids is something you don't do, unless you've a fly in your eye - where do you position yourself?

Where do you fit in if you're not a fluffy girly, girl but equally you're not a lesbian or a woman who does not want relationship?

I soo don't do fluffy: and what was clarified for me tonight is the fact that men actually find me either really intimidating or really amusing, as in, one of the lads!

My problem is that whilst I am a 100% hetrosexual woman I fail consistently to be anything approaching what men apparently consider to be either their ideal woman or approachable enough to meet them half-way - apparently what I am, with regard to men, is intimidating!

UPDATE: Mental note to self, do not post on blog in the early hours of the morning when drunk!

Good manners cost nothing

If there's one thing I can't stand it's really bad manners. Now I am not talking about watching all your P & Qs and all that etiquette stuff. I'm talking about down to earth simple things like please and thank you. It costs nothing but some drivers have just no manners especially when pulling out into the road.

If I stop to let you out please at least put your hand up to say thanks, it's not much to ask. I've been polite enough to stop, all you have to do is put your hand up, you mindless moron. But of course you won't especially if you're the type of driver that has never heard about the fact that there are indicators on the car for a bleedin reason or if you're one of those gobshites who believes that driving your car halfway out into the road is going to force me to let you out. That simply turns your behaviour into bullying as well as bad-mannered.

Be nice, it doesn't cost anything, won't take oodles of your obviously precious time and would make the roads more enjoyable for everybody.

End of rant.

Technorati Tags: Driving Good Manners

Lovely night

Well met my date last night for a drink. Not going to go into how we met yet, too complicated ;-). We met in a quiet local pub and it was a very pleasant evening. Conversation was easy and he's really good company. Apart from the fact that we had very different accents (he's English) and had to repeat one or two things the conversation flowed all night. Also, quite funny cos he's very skinny and I'm so not - what's it they say about opposites?

Will be meeting again soon I think. Watch this space.

Ssshhh!

Don't tell anyone but Curly K has a date tomorrow night - whey hey! Don't want to say too much right now but happy, happy days. Apart from the former Mr. Right Now I haven't had a date in over a year - jesus my mojo has doubled to dates two a year. If I keep going at this rate by the time I'm sixty I'll never have a night in!!!

Anyway, watch this space............................................and keep everything ye have crossed for me!

Coming on holiday, do you speak Irish sir????

Just after watching the 9 o'clock news on RTE and can't believe what I've heard. This country is gone f**king mad. Excuse the language but seriously - An Bord Pleanala have apparently put a condition on a planning permission for a holiday home in An Cheathrú Rua. The condition is that anyone who will stay in the house for longer than a month must pass an Irish test. Now, whilst I understand the problem with the massive increase in holiday homes and the obvious detrimental effect that it can have on a community - how does putting a stupid clause about the Irish language into planning permissions help the situation? If that clause is put onto all new holiday homes in Gaeltacht areas effectively people cannot go and stay there for more than a month unless they are native Irish speakers. So, if I want to go on holiday for five weeks to An Cheathrú Rua, effectively as a native Irish person who doesn't speak Irish I can't go - yeah now that's logical!

Surely a tax on homes that are built solely as holiday homes would make more sense, it could be implemented on all such homes without creating the ludicrous situation that makes it impossible for tourists or non-irish speaking people to stay in the Gaeltacht for more than four weeks.

Technorati Tags: An Cheathru Rua An Bord Pleanala Irish

Subscribing to blogs & blog abbreviations??

You'd think by now that I'd worked out all the basics but still haven't gotten around to looking into subscribing to other blog feeds so any visiting I do is via web page (even from dial-up sometimes) shock, horror! So decided to ask before I do anything, what is the best way to subscribe to feeds? Might as well do it right first time.

Also, does anyone know if there's a comprehensive list of acronyms and abbreviations that are used in blogging to be found anywhere? Sometimes when I'm reading other peoples blogs I feel thick as shit, 'cos I don't know what the abbreviations stand for!

Technorati Tags: Blogging Blog Subscriptions Blog Abbreviations

Classically good-looking need not apply!

It's a long time since my very wise aunt told me "never go for really good-looking blokes; they've never had to work on their personalities" Her advice has always stuck with me and the wisdom of her words has slapped me in the face a few times.

But tonight I realised that as a general rule I've been equally, if not more, attracted to small guys; like all women who are not skinny or easily placed within the given template for what constitutes an attractive woman, in general small men have to know who they are and have something other than looks to offer. They do not slot easily into the common template of what is supposedly attractive in a man.

I realise that there a lot of men out there who are not attracted to a woman who is not you're classic beauty but likewise there are men who deeply dislike the current dictate of extremely skinny women as the supposedly ideal woman.

Likewise some of the fairer sex, me included, don't idolise the supposedly extremely handsome, six foot guys with a fabulous six pack (to some of us a six pack contains beer and rightly so!!!). Some of us prefer guys who are maybe not as classically handsome but have a hell of a lot to offer - vive la difference! Small, bald, no six pack - whatever, the art of conversation; a lack of arrogance; and a winning smile is sooo much more attractive!

Architecture

Modernism, post-modernism, Prince Charles' famous speech about the carbuncle that was the addition to the British National Gallery in days gone by! Being Curly K is not always easy but the great thing about it, is that, having arrived home after 2am in the morning and after at least 8 gin & tonics I end up watching and enjoying a programme about British Architecture. Points of note are as follows:

• I would love this programme just as much (and probably more) stone-cold sober
• Architecture is such a massively important part of the creative/arts world as well as being a critical part of an evolving society
• Society must embrace the joy of old, but not quite old enough, architecture that is currently being ripped out of the heart of Irish and British towns - not one with a great gra (love) for the Irish language but I must state the obvious on behalf of beleagured architectural styles; their day will come!

Is Friday again!

I get that sweetest feeling, honey the sweetest feeling......la la la la. It's Crunchie time again, thirty eight minutes and the weekend begins again officially. Who knows what it'll bring :-) !

Have a good one y'all

Bloody Jamster!

Is it just me or is Jamster the most annoying fucking pop-up website out there at the minute. Everytime I try to look at new blogs or even look for something simple on the net there it is - fucking pop-up of the century!!!

God help me but I'd love to wring Jamster's neck, if it has one!

End of rant.

How do I remove scratches from CDs?

I've managed to scratch a brand new CD quite badly - duh!!! Anyone got any tips on how to remedy the situation? It was the first bleedin time I played the damn thing!

Also, excuse any funny things going on with the blog at the moment - have just switched to the new Beta Blogger and currently playing around with it to see how it works!

Technorati Tags: CDs Repair Beta Blogger

The rise and rise of RoySeven.......

RoySeven are a fantastic Irish band who are on the way up - fast! They've been signed by Universal and their first single "Older" is due for release on the 8th September and they are playing Whelans on the 25th August to launch the single. Paul Walsh, their lead singer has a fantastic voice and his lyrics are wonderful.

Hotpress spoke very favourably about them back in June;

"One band to agree are fellow Dubliners Roy Seven, formely known as Jove, who have got their just desserts after playing a string of highly acclaimed shows around the capital. Their place of residence didnt stop them attracting interest from as far east as Universal Germany. "Basically someone tipped off Universal Germany, they came to see us one night in Crawdaddy, put their money where their mouth was, and that was that," explains frontman Paul Walsh. My, he makes it sound so easy. "It's cool because there's a great history of Irish bands who sign thier deal outside of Ireland and then come back, or who have made it somewhere else first. Ourselves, we signed a worldwide deal, so we're not focusing on one country". Being signed by a label as far abeit as Germany, is it diffcult to attact a similiar buzz in Dublin? "I don't think it's difficult," he answers. "The cream will always rise. If you're good, you're good. People will acknowledge that. In Ireland as a whole though, it's much more marketing and TV-Led. If you're frok down the country and you do The Late Late Show, then your famous, no two ways about it",!!! What will be their first step as signed artists? "The best thing about the deal is that we had the album written and ready to go, so it's out in July. We knew what we wanted and they essentially gave us the money and left us to it,". Epic and grandstanding in the vein of Muse, RoySeven's debut album The Art Of Insincerity is released in mainland Europe first to coincide with a festival appeatance at Rock am Ring In Germany. An Irish release will folow in September which, Walsh says, "is prehaps a good thing because it's much more of an autuminal album".

Visit their website http://www.royseven.com, join them on bebo or even better buy the single for only €1.99 on www.cdworld.ie You won't regret it, these guys are going to be big, you heard it here first!

Technorati Tags: RoySeven Universal CD World Music

BlogDay 2006 coming!

Today I was searching out blog terms etc. on the net trying to come up to speed with all the acronyms etc. that I don't recognise on blogs when I came upon Blogday on Wikipedia, which apparently is 31st August, which of course I didn't know because I wasn't blogging last year.

Seeing as the whole spirit of the thing is that each blogger recommends 5 blogs, preferably from outside their own country or culture I just wanted to the heads up to others like me who hadn't heard of it. Hopefully it will allow us time to come across blogs that we recommend from outside our own current circles. I don't know about anyone else but it can be quite difficult to get to blogs outside your circle sometimes without having to go through a million absolute crap ones.

So here's what's supposed to happen according to the BlogDay website:

"What is BlogDay?
BlogDay was initiated with the belief that bloggers should have one day which will be dedicated to know other bloggers, from other countries or areas of interests. In that day Bloggers will recommend about them to their Blog visitors.

What will happen on BlogDay?
In one long moment In August 31st, bloggers from all over the world will post a recommendation of 5 new Blogs, Preferably, Blogs different from their own culture, point of view and attitude. On this day, blog surfers will find themselves leaping and discovering new, unknown Blogs, celebrating the discovery of new people and new bloggers.

BlogDay posting instructions:

1. Find 5 new Blogs that you find interesting

2. Notify the 5 bloggers that you are recommending on them on BlogDay 2005

3. Write a short description of the Blogs and place a a link to the recommended Blogs

4. Post the BlogDay Post (on August 31st) and

5. Add the BlogDay tag using this link: http://technorati.com/tag/BlogDay2006 and a link to BlogDay web site at http://www.blogday.org

Celebrate!"

Technorati Tags: BlogDay2006 Wikipedia Blog Terms August 31st

BA Announcement

Until further notice BA has halted all flights from the UK.

BA announced: "I aint getting on no god damn plane, you crazy fool !! "

Technorati Tags: BA

Stress is catching!

I've had my fair share of stress along with every other thirtysomething. It's not fun, and it's really horrible when you're going through it but I've also recently come to the conclusion that it's fucking contagious. Walking in after a stressful day at work with a face like a smacked arse stresses those who are around you. I've tried to de-stress my life as much as possible in recent years, moving, changing job etc. and I've been successful to a certain extent. You can never get rid of stress, we need a level of it in our lives to get things done etc. But up until recently I felt I had eliminated a lot of the excess stress.

However, being on the receiving end of a face like a smacked arse every evening is in itself stressful, particularly when you are just at that point in the evening where you've managed to forget about all that you have to do in work tomorrow, all that you didn't get done today etc.

I am philosophical about this, this too shall pass and I shall return to being one of those barren spinsters who is, in fact, quite able to live alone, without someone else in the house!

Moral of the story is that I believe that people in their thirties are too old to have housemates. Partners, husbands, wives fine, but housemates no! (or maybe it is just me!)

Show a little kindness

Today, as the madness prevades what with the War in Iraq, the War in Lebanon, the terrorist strikes in Israel, the raised terrorist threats in the UK and US and the numerous other atrocities currently being inflicted on our fellow human beings can we take a moment out.

How about starting something good amongst the debris of human nature going wrong? Hate, anger and violence escalate at a phenomenal rate but so too can kindness, empathy and love. So today and over the next few days if we all tried to carry out at least one act of kindness to begin a chain of kindness at least some light is being spread.

Don Morris over on SelfGrowth.com and Oprah to name but a few have advocated such chains for a while and I just think if at least one other person who reads this blog does something kind we can put a little goodness swimming around out there. The idea is that you do selflessly do something unexpectedly nice for someone else either someone you know or don't know. Hopefully a dominor effect is created. As Don states "One person receives a kindness, then passes it on to others, who pass it on to still others. Tiny points of light are multiplied, until the whole world becomes brighter."

While you're at it, why not take the time to smile at that old person standing in the queue next to you - little things make big differences. Yesterday I was driving up town and a young guy who obviously had spina bifida was trying to cross the road. I stopped to let him cross and his smile was something to see, honestly - it would light up a room.

All I'm suggesting is that we try to re-balance our world a little. Positive energy is just as strong as negative energy!

"Kindness gives birth to kindness."

Author:Sophocles (447 BC)

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."

Author:Winston Churchill

"A person's true wealth is the good he or she does in the world."

Author:Mohammed

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Author:Maya Angelou

Technorati Tags: Don Morris Kindness Chain Oprah Smile

Grocery shop from home my arse!

It's wet, it's miserable and there is no food in the house. Curly K decided to join the new millienium and order her groceries online. No driving, trying to park, remembering to bring bags, lugging the bags to the car, loading the car and unloading after the drive home - fantabulous! You think? Well folks if you don't live in Dublin or Bray online shopping ain't an option with Superquinn and as for tesco if you don't live in Counties Dublin, Meath, Wicklow, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Clare, Waterford, Kildare and Kerry you don't have the luxury of grocery shopping either. Dunnes Stores or Lidl don't appear to offer any online service!

Question: what about the rest of us? Surely those of us living outside the above mentioned Meccas deserve some service too? It's the Twenty-first Century for God's sake!

It's beyond ridiculous that there is a tesco store nearby and I can't avail of the service. At least the Superquinn site encourages you to register, even if you are living outside the delivery areas as they hope to broaden their horizons.

So for now I have to go and get the bags and begin the haul to the shops - bugger!

Technorati Tags: Online Grocery Shopping Tesco Superquinn Dunnes Stores Lidl SuperValu

Hungry men find big women sweet!

Raymond Hainey in the over on Scotsman.com reports that men" who have skipped lunch find larger women more attractive than their slimmer counterparts, new research has revealed. A team of psychologists established that men who are hungry are attracted to plumper women, but the researchers found that, once they had eaten, men's taste in women reverted to those with slimmer figures....."

So that's the secret I've been missing! If men who have merely skipped lunch find us fuller-figured ladies more attractive then logically men who are starving would find us irresistable - anyone know where I can find some hunger-strikers???

So Friday approaches and regular readers will know Curly K loves Fridays. I'm off work tomorrow and heading for the sunny south-east. What do reckon my chances of finding a hungry man down there are?

A bientot, mes amis!

Technorati Tags: Men Attraction

300,000 euros for loo with a view!

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A ramshackle public toilet could fetch 300,000 euros (205,000 pounds) -- the price of a new house -- if politicians in western Ireland get their way. The town of Lahinch reckons property-hungry buyers will snap up the dilapidated, out-of-order loo because of its great location -- a surfing beach on Ireland's rugged Atlantic coast.

"You could leave the toilet block and be in the sea in less than 40 seconds," local politician Martin Conway told Reuters, but admitted: "It's quite remarkable that an old toilet block would fetch 300,000 euros". The average cost of a home in Ireland, where house prices have gone up 15 percent in the past year, is 299,929 euros.

Local property auctioneer Nicola Leyden said the site, overlooking Ireland's best known surfing spot, was breathtaking: "It's probably the most sought after pee you'll ever take on the west coast of Ireland".

(c) http://uk.news.yahoo.com/02082006/80-132/300-000-euros-loo-view.html

I have three loos in my house, wonder if anyone would take two off my hands?? Sure I only need one and as it doesn't look like I'll win the lotto anytime soon, I could do with the cash!

Technorati Tags: Property

I think too much!

When I began this blog I probably expected it to be more political, opinionated on what's going on in the world. Whilst I've given my tuppence worth about some world events etc. I still haven't managed to blog about things such as the appalling situation in Lebanon and Israel. That is not to say that I don't have opinions on such matters, nor that I haven't thought about them or tried to inform myself about what's happening.

It comes down to a couple of factors. Firstly, for some reason the blog has become somewhere where I can dump random, even silly thoughts that go around in my head. Secondly, whilst I can easily discuss such matters face to face and throw out opinions/rebuttals at will in conversation, I always feel that if I write down my thoughts on situations such as Lebanon, it should be done with care, a lot of thought and from a very informed position. Such precision takes time and effort and I don't always have both to hand easily. Thirdly, I am reluctant at times to write really long posts. Personally, when reading blogs I find that long posts have to be very engaging for me to stick with them sometimes.

One thing I have learned since I began blogging is that I think way too much. Maybe in ways my blogging began as so many interests such as Sudoku do, to distract me. If I'm sitting with nothing to do my brain just doesn't stop. From what I have to do/didn't do at work, to mundane things I have to do in the house, to how situations such as Lebanon could possibly resolved, it's non-stop.

A former Linguistics lecturer of mine once told us "we are constantly doing language", ie even when we are not talking there is a constant stream of language going through our minds. My God he was right.

Think I need to go back to Yoga, it's the only time I've ever been able to really switch off and get to that floaty place where there is no background noise!

Technorati Tags: Thinking World Politics Blogging Yoga

Yellow "Ugly Bug"

Picture the scene; mid 1970s, small town Ireland, little girl, curly hair in pigtails, shirt with big collars ........ you get the idea. When I was little I used to have this really, really cool bicycle/pedal car thing. It was a yellow, four-wheeled, with two bug-eyed lights on the front and had a bar to steer it.

Now try as I might I cannot find anything about such a thing anywhere on the internet. Incredible - is my memory playing tricks on me, am I heading for premature dementia or did such a thing really exist. As far as I can recall it was made by Raleigh.

Does anybody else remember something similiar? I would love to find a photo of one to post here - they were just so cool.

Answers on a postcard please. (If I receive no answers I'm heading for a check-up to ensure demetia is not setting in!)

Technorati Tags: Ugly Bug Raleigh Nostalgia 1970s