How Old?!?!?

You Are 27 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Take the quiz and let me know...am I the only one acting older than I am??! ;)

Paradise Almost Lost

Back in December, a "Lost World" was discovered in the Foga mountains of Indonesia. Over 2 million acres of rainforest. An area of land where no human had ever walked. "As close to the garden of Eden as you'll ever find on Earth" was how one of the scientists described it. Click here to read about it. Mammals that were hunted to near extinction were found in abundance here. Over 2 dozen new species of butterfly, bird and frog were discovered. No traces of civilisation, no knowledge of any person ever having set foot within this paradise.

And do you want to know the strangest thing? These "wild" animals, showed absolutely NO fear towards humans. They had never known the cruelty that humans shower upon the animal race, and so had never known the fear that other animals have toward us. The animals walked right up to the scientists and allowed themselves to be picked up!

When we describe something as WILD we are defining what is "wild". Perhaps we are the wild ones. We are most certainly the ones who have lost our way; the ones who have lost touch with the natural world and all that encompasses it. We are the ones who are empty within, who believe that nothing else exists but us. A whole world has been developed where the only thing that seems to matter is the human being. We forget that without animals, without plants, without nature, we would not be able to survive.

The Earth willingly gives us more than enough crops to feed us, and yet we rape and pillage her. Taking without appreciating. As if she is there just to serve us. Have we forgotten the animals that share our earth?? Oh how greedy and foolish we are. These "worries" that we have. These "cares", they are not real. They are a part of this elaborate play of 'modern life' that we are putting on. Putting on for whom? For our own enjoyment??

Where did we go wrong?

More Than A Nina Simone Coincedence?

Does it mean anything that every shop I went to in town today had Nina Simone playing in it?
4 shops on different sides of the city...all playing Nina Simone...2 of them the same song at the time I walked in.
Does it mean anything else that these are shops I didnt mean to go into, but were drawn to as I passed?
Hmmm...I think I know what it means. But I dont think I can post it here. Let's just say, the universe may be telling me that I made a wrong decision with regards to a certain person lately.

The Respectable Dead

Francis Stuart, from "Things To Live For"

"There is an emptiness within the human breast, a hunger for we hardly know what, that is the deepest and wildest of all desires. It is the falling in love with life, the dark deep flow below the surface. Subtle, crude, beautiful, terrible. A few have dared to open their arms to it, to plunge into it, and always they are wounded and humiliated; but they have been touched, have been caressed by those fiery fingers that curved the universe, and there remains about them a breadth, a spaciousness, a warmth of genius.
...the wounds are as precious to me as the ecstasy. For both bring me close to that lovely, terrible, profligate, austere thing that is life. To love, that is all that matters. To lavish love even on objects unworthy of it is infinitely better than living a cold, ordered life in a study, in an office, or even in a garden tending flowers. It is only through opening one's arms to life that one will find the ultimate peace and security. Only through suffering and loving. There is no short-cut. Protecting oneself against life is not peace but death. Of all the strage varied people I have met it has not been the sinners, the degraded, the drunkards, the gamblers, the crooks, the harlots who have made me shudder, but the dead, the respectable dead; cut off like a branch from the tree."

Francis Stuart

For lack of anything of significance to write about, allow me to quote from a favourite book of mine, by a wonderful writer. From "Things To Live For", by Francis Stuart.
He speaks of Dublin and Ireland.

"I walked through those streets that I once fought to defend, feeling a little like a stranger. And it was this spirit of smugness and deadness that we fought against and were defeated by. The spirit of liberal democracy. We fought to stop Ireland falling into the hands of publicans and shop-keepers, and she has fallen into their hands...
...Democracy is the ideal of those whose lives as individuals are failures and who, feeling their own futility, take refuge in the mass and become arrogant in the herd. The productive worker, who takes pride in his work and exults in it, is never democratic because he feels no need for this refuge. He stands alone. He does not believe in the rule of the majority because he does not feel himself to be one of the majority. The skill that he brings to his work is something unique and differentiates him."

Image Is The Truth You Want To Know

It's all about outer image isnt it? Forget what's on the inside, if it looks good on the outside, that's all that counts nowadays. Things could be falling apart, but if it seems like its not, then its all fine. Let's build more roads and ruin more of the countryside. Yes, we know thats irreversible damage. The ruination of habitats and scenery. Yes, we know that. But we'll tell you what....we'll plant LOADS of trees and bushes, so you cant see the road. Then it will look like the natural environment still remains beyond those new trees and bushes. It seems like it, so unless you decide to delve deeper and investigate what lies behind the trees, you can safely go on with your ignorant lives believing that beyond the bushes there is no destruction. Closing your mind to the truth. That greed has led to more tar and cement.
God, I think its at the stage where humans KNOW they're stupid, but they just don't care. Because if they were to care, they'd have to do something to right the wrongs on this earth, and well quite frankly that requires time and energy. Two things that most people aren't prepared to give unless it leads to their own personal satisfaction and gain. What a selfish race we are.

A Full Fat Mistake?

For the past few years I have been annoyed over and over again by those who feel obligated to question my choice of foods.
"FULL FAT MILK??!!"
"REAL BUTTER??!!"
"OH MY GOD, WHITE BREAD??!!"
Yes, bar the white bread which I agree is less tasty and nutricious than its brown counterpart, I feel that if I want to eat or drink something, I want to eat or drink something that doesnt taste like its been put through a rubber factory. Additives, Preservatives, EI this, BA this, Vitamin this, Mineral that. It really is a bit too much to handle at times. And well, forgive me if sometimes I feel the need to have something NATURAL in my system. Sure, real butter has some fat, but is that a bad thing? It has taste! It has quality! And to me, thats worth the extra millimetre around my waistline. I remember living with this over-weight, obnoxious, arrogant girl who was always trying to lose weight. It was quite amusing watching her have dinner every night, because along with the pound of lard, she always made sure to have skimmed milk! Got to have your priorities right you know!
Of course, as it is with all media inflicted ideas, there came a time when I too began to question my choices. Began to question whether I too was committing a sin with each gulp of full fat milk cascading down my throat into my stomach. Whether "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" applied to dairy after all.
Finally though, what did it for me, was the fact that dairy actually clouds your aura. Its not good for your vocal chords, and apparently not good at all for your spirituality and to be honest, when I was feeling quite misty and aura-clogged the other day, I decided that I needed to cut down on my dairy consumption. Granted, it was neither concern about my weight nor my physical health that prompted the shift in perception, but a concern for my other-wordly qualities, I was sure that this new outlook would be greeted with agreement, acknowlegment, a "well, its about time"!
Going into a random little shop I came across, I walked confidently over to the fridges, and reached for "LOW FAT MILK". Imagine my suprise when, as I placed the milk on the counter to pay for it, the old woman behind the till gave me the look I had been on the receiving end of for many years, and with a voice full of disbelief and worry at the tragic mistake I was about to make, turned to me and said "No dear, you must have made a mistake, this is actually LOW FAT MILK!!"
*Sigh* You just can't win can you?

Nee How! I Want To Send Fax!

It's a truth universally acknowledged that not many people in China have a need to telephone Ireland. Or maybe they do and I've been kept in the dark...until this morning that is. This morning, I was fortunate enough to be the lucky person to be called from China! About 10 times to be exact actually!
4:30 AM, did I mention it was AM???!!!! My home phone starts ringing. Oh this piercing, shrilling, God-awful sound that awakened me from the depths of my slumber. I answered:

"Nee How, I want to send fax! Can you turn on machine?"
"I'm sorry, but you have the wrong number."
"Long Number?? Oh hee hee, ok."
"Bye"
"Bye!!"

So I thought that was that and I could go back to sleep. Nope..that would just be too easy. It's no fun doing something if you don't do it right you know! Snuggling under the duvet, I was just closing my eyes when the phone rang again!

"Nee How, I want to send fax! Can you turn on machine?"
"This is the same number. Wrong number."
"Oh! Solly! hee hee"
"Ok BYE"
"Bye"

Obviously Miss Nee How didnt believe me when I said it was the wrong number because what followed within the next 20 minutes was a series of, im not joking when i say 5 or 6, 2 ring calls. Her obviously hoping that by typing in the same number over and over it would magically get her through to the right number! No! That's not the way it works!!
I lay awake staring at the ceiling, waiting for the next 5 second ring, and eventually picking up the phone and although there was no-one on the other end explaining: "This is a home phone number. Wrong Number. Do not call it again!"

It must be remembered that prior to the interruptions I was having a wonderful sleep. Dreams filled with good times, and happy times and great things! Well, ok I don't really remember what I was dreaming, but I had been asleep and at 4:30 AM that is the state I most prefer to be in!

Finally the phone rang AGAIN. I picked it up before they had time to cut off. It was a man. Mr. Nee How I'm thinking? And oh the noise in the background! It sounded like a betting office, a greyhound track, a restaurant and an underground black market organ selling den all rolled into one!

"Hello?? HELLO??" (I was getting mad at this point!)
"NEE KEE!!! NO! NAI! NEE KEE! Koni chios rhgoish kos hai haa hoo hee, oh *realising he had made a phone call to the other side of the world* Nee How? Nee How?"
"Yes, HELLO. You have the WRONG number!! WRONG NUMBER! NO! NO FAX."
"Nee How? Nee How? Koni choigh chi ni ho di!"
Apparently he thought I spoke Chinese, I dont know. But I hung up.

Don't worry though. He rang me back! Did you think I'd be lucky enough that he wouldnt?
I couldnt take it anymore!! I just couldnt!! Before he could even say anything, I picked up the phone and just let him have it!

"THIS IS THE WRONG NUMBER! IT IS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT HERE AND WE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP! SLEEPING! SLEEPING! NO CHINESE HERE! NO FAX! WRONG NUMBER! PLEASE DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER AGAI.."
He hung up on me!

I didnt take anymore chances though...I unplugged my phones!
I still have his number on my caller ID though... And the temptation to do the same to him when he's asleep is oh so strong!! Nee How anyone?

Still Smiling!

Strikes me as typical that a blazing sunny day would turn to rain the minute I'm too far from home to walk back, in shoes that were NOT meant for the rain! *sigh* It's ok though, I'm still smiling! ;)

A Day In The Life Of......

The Sexual Politics of the Vegetarian Section of the Freezer!

Was doing my grocery shopping today. On my way to the vegetarian section of the freezer, I noticed there was a man choosing some vegetarian frozen options. Noone out of the ordinary, your average Joe if you will, but you know what? I stopped in my tracks because at the moment that I noticed him, I had to mentally slap myself on my mental behind because not only was I shocked, but I was also puzzled. Puzzled that a MAN would be buying vegetarian food. Had it been a woman I am certain my reaction would have been blind indifference. However, here was this man making the choice I agree with and do you know what rushed through my mind?? "Huh! What's HE doing there? Oh, he's probably buying for his girlfriend!"
Can you believe that?? This is what society has reduced us to! It's a truth as old as time, but for a man not to eat MEAT points negatively toward his masculinity! For a woman, it has always been expected that she would ensure her man received the meat, since he was the dominant member of the family and for the dominant member of the family, the best foods are firstly his. Confound it, but I still cannot believe I subconsiously associate men with meat and meat with power. But I do. I do, and I believe that mostly everyone does too.
This was the idea behind an extremely interesting book I read last year. Click here
to check it out. The objectification of animals is equated with the objectification of women. The consumption of meat, equated with the consumption of women (whether through pornography or rape). It's an extremely interesting book and one which I would encourage anyone to read.



According to the website here's a little peek at what to expect:

- Sexualized fragmentation. Fragmented body parts of animals who will be eaten depicted in such a way that thoughts of women as sex objects are clearly evoked as well. Breast and thighs advertised on menus, as well as specific examples like "We serve the best legs in town," draw upon the patriarchal fixation on women's bodyparts.

- Animals feminized/sexualized. Animals presented in poses and clothes human females are represented in our culture (svelte legs, a "chick" in high heels, often animals posed like women, animals who are four-legged made to appear both "sexy" and bipedal, animals in bikinis). "I ate a pig..." Exactly who are they referring to?

- Back-entry shots of both animals and women. In pornography, back entry shots are constructed to convey both women's accessibility and imputes to them an "animal-like" nature, that is, "animal-like" in a speciesist culture, a view that sees women as desiring being sodomized; sometimes animals who are seen as consumable are positioned that way as an invitation to consumption.

- Connecting flesh eating and other forms of animal oppression to prostitution and pornography ("strip", "buck-naked", "Live Nude Lobsters!", and the "Happy Hooker," etc.).


Now you must excuse me, I have some peas to shell and a hut to clean... "COMING HONEY"

The Sagernator

THE SAGERNATOR...

Possibly coming to an Irish City near you soon!! Stay Tuned!!

Don't Correct Disney! Or Israel!

Listening to the "Tiny Cities" album by Sun Kil Moon, those of you in Cork, you should have read my review on it! In the fabulous An Sceal... No? *sigh* Yes I know, I hadnt heard of it either, until they asked me to start doing reviews that is.

Today, Liam Thornton told me a story which I think pretty much sums up the attitude taken by the States (and its Corporations) towards Israel.
While in school, him and his class were taken to Euro Disney, Paris, for a trip. Anyhow, some ride, I think it was "It's A Small World" (the classic that it is), showed the countries around the world and their respective capital cities. Jerusalem was listed as the capital of Israel. What was the capital of Palestine? Nothing, since there was no mention of Palestine...at all. Liams teacher stood up and brought to the attention of the workers there that the information shown was wrong, and that Jerusalem is NOT the capital of Israel. The capital of that "country" is Tel Aviv. Simply a teacher of Geography pointing out a simple mistake. Like if they listed Manchester as the capital of England. I'm sure it would be EXPECTED that someone would point out the mistake.

Apparently Disney didnt take lightly to this simple correction...they threw the teacher out of the ride for Anti-Semitism!!

A Helpless Situation?!

I've always been told never to talk about religion or politics. Why? Because it just leads to arguments. Somehow though, I seem to always want to talk politics. And I'm not referring to internal national politics. I'm referring to INTERNATIONAL politics. Especially things close to my heart...for example the Palestinian situation.
I cannot explain how much what's happening to the Palestinians upsets me. Even talking about it upsets me, and what gets me the most is that way that the majority of the world are Pro-Israeli. Or if not Pro-Israeli, then Pro-letting it all carry on the way its been for the last century because they couldnt care less.

This is the problem with the world...they couldnt care less. As long as they're happy, as long as they are not directly affected, they're happy to carry on even while this injustice is being carried out not very far away.

Im so sick of it, because I don't know what I can do. How can I make people care? How can I change the way people think? How can I make some people realise that the way they are thinking is completely one-sided and totally influenced by Western media? I dont know what I can do. I don't know what I should do. It feels like such a helpless situation. For once in my life...I feel totally, completely and utterly helpless.

The Sugar Hut

What an amazing end to a brilliant weekend!!

Last night we went to what has to be one of the coolest places I've been to in a long long time. The Sugar Hut.

The girls made reservations, and we arrived to the place. All that marked The Sugar Hut out along the street was a massive, black, iron door towering over the sidewalk. No way to open it from the outside. Just a doorbell, and a small round peep hole of sorts.
We rang the doorbell and waited...
A dark shadow was cast upon the peep hole as someone plainly stepped up to the door and looked us up and down. Slowly the door swung open...
"Can I help you ladies?" A bouncer of gigantic proportions stood in the doorway, and by his side, a little man that couldnt have been taller than our waists.

Our names were on the list, and the, now gentle, giant stepped back, and let us through. We stepped into the dark and with a flourish, the BFG had parted the thick velvet curtains that hung before us. We had arrived. We had discovered an eden among the dark, dirty streets of London. We were home.

Before us lay a sea of people lounging on sofas, cushions, tables... the air was thick with the smoke of a thousand cigarettes and a hundred shieshas. The atmosphere was static. The crowd electric. The mood chilled. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings, candles lit the tables...and in the background. In the background was the funkiest beat I have ever heard. Every atom in your body was vibrating with the need to dance. The desire to move. Of their own accord your walking feet stepped in time to the bass. Your hips swayed in time to the rhythm. Whatever you wanted to say or do was put on hold... the desire to surrender to the mood, surrender to the music...the desire to do so was overwhelming.

We were shown to our table, and then began one of the funk-tasti-est nights of my life!
One of the best things about The Sugar Hut was the feeling, nay the knowing, that what happens in The Sugar Hut, stays in The Sugar Hut. No matter who you were, no matter what you did, the fact seemed to remain that within the confines of that eden in Fulham, you were merely another person searching for that perfect beat in that perfect place. The band who were playing there were called "Rain" and if you EVER get the chance to check them out I couldn't encourage you more. Although the vocalist brought alot to the performance, you knew that without him the beats would still be just as freaky and just as freaking good.

Service at The Sugar Hut was very good, with

taxi just came! ill finish later

Dancing With The Common People

Well its a bright, crisp, fresh morning in London town and I've just had my breakfast and had a daily dose of Sex in the City...the TV series that is!
Absolutely WRECKED! Got to sleep at about 7 this morning and subsequently dragged myself out of bed 4 hours later! The LAST thing I want to do while in London is sleep! Although, believe me, the need to do so is quite over-whelming!

The girls are still asleep, and rather than wake them up too early, I'm going to update everyone on our Saturday night escapades.

First and foremost, before I delve into our midnight adventures, I feel that I really must tell you that I fell in love yesterday. Somehow deep in my heart I know this is neither fleeting nor superficial. It's as real as I am, and I'll tell you this much...I'm a changed woman. Yesterday in Portobello market, I found the shoes that I want to spend the rest of my life with! They were f**king amazing boots, and I was so close to bringing myself to the point of bankruptcy and shelling out the 600 pounds for them there and then! Only thing stopping me was the fact that they didnt have my size yet. Still though, like I said yesterday... at least I had my moment with them!

Portobello Market was great. The atmosphere was addictive and there were some unbelievably original clothes, shoes and accessories! All types of people, all types of things...a perfect metaphor for the city of London itself.

We tried to get a table at Nobu for dinner last night, but unfortunately we couldnt. Even though Mudawi has Virtue, which is this cool phone that provides access to a concierge 24 hours a day. Usually he can get you anything...but apparently last night Nobu was the exception. Not to worry though, because we went for the most delicious Japanese noodles in Soho instead! Yum!

For an update on what else we did check out Buthy and Leen's blog...I'll add their address to my quick links on my sidebar.

Our clubbing experience was cut short by the arrival of some obscure pop star called Antoine (WHO?!) and his entourage. Honest to God, they even had a camera man with them. I use the term "man" loosely, as he more resembled someones 12 year old brother with a camera on his shoulder. Honestly, I felt like a second class citizen! The bouncers were pushing everyone out of the way for these people who obviously believed they were much more famous than they really were. They had a table, which we didnt. Nope, we were resigned to standing on the dance floor...the cattle mart that most clubs are! A table for our crowd would have cost 1000 pounds! One Thousand Pounds?! No thank you! Maybe if it was somewhere incredibly amazing, but this was just an ordinary club. Nothing more, nothing less. So we danced with the commoners while Antoine and his not-good-looking-at-all posse watched on. Hmmm..somehow, no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't pull off that LA gangster feel that you know they so desperately were trying to project!

Needless to say, we left for greener pastures! Something a little closer to home, and had hummous, fatayer, sambousa, and all the rest of it in a cosy little Lebanese place that apparently never closes!

So that was yesterday, and today's today, and I've wasted too much time telling you all about it! It's time to go get ready and head into town.

LONDON BAYBEE!!!!

It's LONDON BABY!!!!

Arrived in London this evening...and already I can feel adventure in the air!
The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, the rain is raining...it's all good!

I finally met the infamous Leen and I'll tell you this much...she doesnt disappoint!
It's going to be a great weekend chilling with the girls in London, and apparently I'm supposed to get as much sleep as I can tonight, because I won't be sleeping anymore!

So it's off to Portobello Market tomorrow morning with Buthy and Leen, then going to one of the hippest restaurants in town where Lionel Richie and Kevin Backstreet Boy are frequently seen! After that, we paint the town red! ;)

I'm going to SLEEP!!

Can I Take Him Home?

Haven't posted in a while, as I've been busy playing perfect housewife, cooking, cleaning and wiping snotty noses. The latter belonging to my cats! We sent our housemaid back to the Phillipines, and so now, being unemployed and unproductive, its all down to me!

Leaving AD on Friday... going to miss everyone so much! Yas, Ismaooool, Pieri, The Sagernator... what will I do without you guys??

I'll be chilling in London for a few days with the one and only Bathoona! Can't wait! Plus I get to meet the infamous Leen!

Then its back to Cork, where my friends are all waiting for me! And I'm so looking forward to seeing them all again! Dana, Shelly, Jacq, The 2 Liams, Daryl, Tara, Char, Ciara...to name but a few. Of course a very large amount of study is also waiting...not as enthusiastic about that!

On another note, my hair has grown already! It's no longer shockingly short anymore! Ahhh
Hmmm...maybe I should chop off a bit more before I leave?
Or else just take Nicola the genius hairdresser with me...I wish!
Having said that, if I could take people home with me...I'd take someone else as well!

Acting Like An Ass Day It Seems...

Everyone has been pissing me off today.
In fact, if you know me, I would seriously recommend keeping your distance for the day.
Of course, some of you may have already noticed that...

But WHY are you all acting like asses today??!!
Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I'll be ok by tomorrow....

Daydreaming Is Good For You

When I was younger, I used to daily disappear into daydreams. My mind would just think about everything and nothing at the same time, and for what seemed like a minute I would just zone out. When I'd snap back to reality I'd realise that more than 15 or 20 mins had passed! I'd feel fresh and energised, but I never thought of them as anything more than day dreams. After all, I was, and still am, a dreamer!

As I got older, there were such "important" things to do that I didnt allow myself the time to just think about anything, everything and nothing. I pushed myself to constantly do something productive, never allowing myself the chance to zone out.

What I hadnt realised was that those "daydreams" were actually meditation!
Without consciously deciding to meditate, my body and subconscious, daily encouraged me to do a little bit of meditating, knowing that that was what my body needed to recharge its batteries.

Today I rediscovered the health benefits of just zoning out and disassociating oneself from daily reality. Today for over 10 minutes I "daydreamed" again, and I gotta tell ya... I'm going to be doing it everyday! I feel great!