Friday, June 28, 2002

Friday Five #18:

When was the last time you...

1. ...sent a handwritten letter?

Sent one? Some time last year, I sent one to Griet (I think). It was quite a while ago. Written one? I wrote two just before my exams, but they never got sent. I'll so some shifty editing and get them sorted on my next day off. I must state here that I do actually write by hand quite a lot, since I'm a shite typist, and I just can't think and type and edit my words on screen if I'm writing anything longer than a page. When I was at uni I wrote all my essays by hand in rough sections before transcribing them onto the computer, then printing them out and editing again, by hand.

2. ...baked something from scratch or made something by hand?

I can't remember making anything from scratch, but if you mean cooking for myself, actually cooking a meal from different ingredients and not just bunging a frozen meal in the microwave, then I cook myself a pasta meal every now and again, and if I do have a frozen curry, I usually cook up some extra rice to go with it.... actually, I did make a Vindaloo from scratch once (with powder, not a jar of sauce). It made me realise that my tolerance level is no higher than Madras.

3. ...camped in a tent?

Technically never. Have I missed out? Probably. Though I still have the rest of my life to make up for lost time.

4. ...volunteered your time to church, school, or community?

When I was at school I helped out with open days and stuff. In my community? Personally never. I couldn't tell you why. I'm not even gonna comment on the church thing, it's irrelevant to me. Let's just say there are too many hypocrites around for my liking.

5. ...helped a stranger?

That depends on your definition of 'help'. I 'help' strangers all the time in my line of work. But if you mean, like, out of the goodness of my own heart, spontaneous helping of passers-by? I give people in cars directions as best I can if I get stopped walking around my neighbourhood, that sort of thing. Can't remember any specific time though.... well I do remember once, not when it happened, but what happened: I gave horrible directions, because I hadn't got a clue where the address they asked of me was (in fact, I had to consult the OS map afterwards, which confirmed my cock-up).

At least I tried. Most people just don't give a fuck. Hence my growing misanthropy.

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Get well soon Mat's mom.

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It's Friday night, which means wrestling's on d' telly, and I've been perusing the grapple news:

First of all, get well soon Bret Hart. Although you really shouldn't have been going so fast on that bike, should you?

Now, onto the Vince Russo controversy: apparently, he had this huge idea that got totally shot down via some nifty nepotism and protectionism. I must say that he's had some wacky ideas in the past, but he's also had some very good ones, and in my opinion, turning the Raw brand into WCW is not just a good one, it's an excellent one. Business is in a slump. They need something really big to shake things up. Stephanie McMahon is just not the person to do this. She may have grown up in the business and know the ins and outs, but she's compromised by virtue of her personal relationships.

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Thursday, June 27, 2002

The WWA has apparently cancelled their show at the RDS just over a week from now, but there's no news on the Ticketmaster website. I'm not too bothered, as I got fucked over on my seats, and now I won't miss a bit of the Tenacious D gig that same night.

In other news, I was at work till a quarter to 11 tonight putting out stock for this fucking sale we're having, and I don't feel so good.

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Monday, June 24, 2002

So Chris Jericho is finished with the Internet? To be honest, I can't say I blame him for feeling frustrated. A lot of fans on the 'net tend to be the backseat-driver kind. I must admit here that I didn't think that Jericho's match with RVD was perfect (specifically, there was a spot where Jericho missed his mark and had to edge himself along the mat about a foot or so on his back to get into position: sure, it was nothing like the Honky Tonk Man at SummerSlam '88 - if you've seen it, you'll know exactly what I mean - but I noticed it), but it was really fucking entertaining, and I was riveted to my telly. Besides, who the fuck am I to criticise a (really very minor) mistake when I've never been in the ring with either of them, and never will be (not even close)?

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This great article by the Doors' John Densmore (c/o Mat) reminds me of the Jello Biafra vs. DK's situation, particularly since the DK's played here last night. I didn't go. Did anybody? Today they seem tragic to me. That's not to say I don't feel similarly about Jello: if you ever read his label's website, it's like he's Jesus or something. I certainly got a feeling like that from the audience at the spoken word gig he did here a few months ago (ironically, at the same venue the DK's played last night). Even though, in fairness, he pointed out the ignorance of believing every word he says just because he says it, he wasn't exactly modest in the face of such unconditional, fawning adulation. I mean, take a look at his label's website - a great label, don't get me wrong, with a great mail order service - but there's somewhat of a cultish air to it (for a specific example, some of the language used in the label's official statement on the departure of NoMeansNo for pastures new).

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Another 8-day stint at work completed. I don't want to think about it now. I still have the rest of today and tomorrow to enjoy my freedom from the machine.

I was up early this morning, met up with some of the guys at an anniversary mass for Paddy's dad. I felt a bit weird being there, not being a believer anymore and all, but it wasn't about me, was it?

Not long after I got home, my exam results arrived in the post. I wasn't even really thinking about them, until the letter arrived, and I suddely got all giddy and couldn't wait to rip open the envelope. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the examination judgment, and it still hasn't settled in really yet: I got a 2.1 (62% on the button) in Philosophy and a 1st in Information Studies. I guess this calls for a YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

From now on, ye may address me as MacDara Conroy, BA (Hons.).

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Friday, June 21, 2002

We were playing the new Guided By Voices album over the sound system in work this afternoon. I must say, it's much more interesting than Do The Collapse (I haven't heard Isolation Drills yet, but I'm sure it's much like its predecessor). In fact, it's an excellent gem, and I'm going to buy it. You should too.

Oh, and here's Friday Five #17:

1. Do you live in a house, an apartment or a condo?

In a house. An actual, proper house, made with bricks and everything.

2. Do you rent or own?

I live with the family (yet to vacate the nest, so to speak).

3. Does anyone else live with you?

My mum, my grandad, and the dog.

4. How many times have you moved in your life?

None that I can recall. I dunno about other parts of the world, but here most people aren't terribly transient, most likely due to the extortionate cost of housing and rental.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?

Working all weekend, probably (hopefully) going out tomorrow night since it's Andy's last day. We're all going to Tenacious D in a couple of weeks anyway, but still, it's his last day. (Update: I went out for a few hours, but got locked on one pint o' the black stuff, had to sober up with a rock shandy.)

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Tuesday, June 18, 2002

Can you believe this?

It's obvious from the events of the last few weeks that the man has problems. Following him around in a helicopter isn't going to help the situation, is it?

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Monday, June 17, 2002

I've made some subtle changes to the website code, replacing some tag attributes with additions to the stylesheet. As you can see, the navigation box on the right has a new - just about perfect - look to it, and if you're funny about adherence to standards, every page on the site, bar this one (it's the Blogger tags and my shoddy paragraphing methods, y'see), now validates as XHTML 1.0 Transitional.

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Hooray for Nickelodeon!

They're actually not so shallow and evil and corporate after all.

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I might go see The American Analog Set next week, if I feel like it (although it is at the Shelter, and that's along walk back to my bus stop). Hopefully I won't be totally worn out and not bother like I did with the Oxes gig last Thursday.

Sweep The Leg Johnny are playing here too, not 'til September though. I really wanna see them, if only just to take photos and say I was there.

I need to get out to more shows. I haven't been to a gig I enjoyed since the Trail of Dead show in Toronto, three fucking months ago! Then again - save for the Oxes show that I'm sorry I had to miss - there hasn't really been much on. Fugazi would have been playing here tomorrow night, but real life got in the way of that one.

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There's something really peaceful about walking in the cold air in the middle of the night. No people to disturb you. No traffic save the odd taxi and squad car. No worries or troubles.

Half an hour ago, walking along the Howth Road, I heard birds singing. It was beautiful. No other way to put it.

But now I must retire, because I'm really fucking tired.

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Sunday, June 16, 2002

I've had a busy few days. On Friday afternoon I went to see Spider-Man with Dave and Groves. I think I'll have to see it again. Groves wasn't exactly in the most sociable mood (in hindsight I can hardly blame him, what with the travelling and the reverse culture shock and all), the screen at the UGC was full of talkers and rustlers and cellphones ringing, and it was a shitty day weather-wise anyway. It was good - parts of it were excellent - but I didn't really enjoy it as much as I could have, so it would be unfair of me to give it any kind of review.

Yesterday, I made my way out to Tallaght for the Irish Whip Wrestling matinee show. It was bound to happen; I got hopelessly lost in a maze of roundabouts and motorways, alighted from the bus at the wrong stop and had to hike along the hard shoulder of the Tallaght by-pass to a petrol station to ask for directions. Lucky for me the people there were nice and ten minutes later, after negotiating a series of pathways and tunnels, I was at the National Basketball Arena, with (unbeknownst to me at the time) 20 minutes to spare until the opening bell.

While waiting, I was struck by both a) the lack of people in attendence (I had virtually the whole bleacher section beside the entrance area to myself) and b) the disproportionate number of children in attendance. And I don't mean teenagers: there were at least thirty kids there less than five years old, running amok in groups, without a parent in sight. Boy, would they be in for a surprise later on...

Without going into too much boring detail, and too much criticism (since it was a wonder they were able to plan a show like this in the first place, let alone run it), it was okay. A bit too much old-school stuff, pandering to the (miniscule) crowd, a lot of mismatching (for instance, Mike Modest - a great wrestler but a small guy - against the barely-recognisable PN News, a huge man about four times his size) which didn't really bring out the best in anybody, and some blatant money-grabbing (€10 for a polaroid with and autograph from Tatanka, a man with a gut to make a pot-bellied pig envious? No thanks).

But the main event - Zandig challenging Justice Pain for the CZW Championship - was good. I'm sure there was only a small number of us in the crowd who really knew what to expect (presumably myself, and the people who started the ECW-style 'holy shit!' chant). I mean, when something is advertised as a barbed wire match, one shouldn't presume that they're not going to use real barbed wire. We're talking about guys from Combat Zone Wrestling here. Of course they're gonna use the real stuff. And use it they did: Zandig in particular juiced considerably from his forehead after a couple of rakings with the barbed-wire-covered hurley, and it stuck to Pain's t-shirt when Zandig struck his back with it.

And then it got better. Zandig swung the hurley with such force that half the barbed wire coils flew off out of the ring and almost hit the first row. Then there was the whip into the security barrier that nearly knocked over a kid who shouldn't have been standing there anyway. After the barbed-wire table spot, I think they decided it was time to wind things up - most of the crowd was more stunned and confused than entertained (for the record, Zandig won the title, which I would assume is probably the first time the title has changed hands outside of the United States - nice one).

Lessons to be learned? I'm guessing that they just wanted paying customers there, that it didn't matter what age they were, but a hardcore wrestling show is no place for anyone under the age of 12. As a result, the show ended up being a bit of a mess with no real direction.But on the other hand, it was only the first of two shows. Maybe the evening one more than make up for it. But I wasn't there, so I don't know. At least they tried.

Whatever the case, I have to laugh at their own assessment of the day, and their highly inflated opinion of themselves.

After the show, I got myself all lost again. Buses were zooming by, but there was no bus stop on the north side of the Tallaght by-pass (which is extremely annoying - it's barely 30 years old, but Tallaght is undoubtedly the worst planned area in the whole city), so I had to walk back past Arena to the traffic entrance through Tymon Park to catch a different bus. I eventually made it back into town and then home in one piece, just in time for dinner.

And that was me done for the wekeend. I watched Ghosts Of Mars on DVD last night (with the John Carpenter/Natasha Henstridge commentary on, making the film that bit more entertaining), overslept this morning, and I've done feck all today. I feel good.

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npimh: Minutemen 'June 16th'

It just dawned on me that today is Bloomsday. What with all the kerfuffle about the big match today (that I'm not even watching), I suppose it was bound to get overshadowed.

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This just made me laugh out loud.

But even so, it still doesn't do it for me like Pookiemon does.

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What a jingoist plonker.

Oh sure, he can say whatever he wants - free speech, freedom of opinion and all - but that doesn't mean he speaks the truth. He's the pinhead.

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Friday, June 14, 2002

Oh no! Tenacious D are playing Whelans on the 6th of July, which just happens to be the same night the WWA is coming to town. Aaaargh! I already have tickets for the wrestling so I have to go.

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I dunno about you, but if I were one of the people subjected to this so-called 'prank', I'd sue MTV too.

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Jeez, it's been a week since I've posted here. Well, I have been working since last Saturday, and therefore have had no life to speak of. Not that I have anything to be depressed about; the week went by pretty damn quick. Today though really dragged its ass. I had no motivation whatsoever. Luckily the manager was preoccupied wth an in-store signing - some boy group called E-Male (puh-lease) - so, as usual, I just kinda drifted along doing what I do.

I've been back on the ground floor since Sunday. It took some getting used to (it really does feel like the centre of the world sometimes, especially coming from the relative isolation of the basement), but I'm making my groove in the sofa again, so to speak. I've been getting to know my co-workers too, they're cool, and doing well despite the shoddy staff training (standards have really fallen in the last 12 months).

I met Rory at work this evening. He was just looking for something to pick up in the sale. He said our exam results are out on the 24th. He said (or at least I think he said) that he got some of his already, and he did realy well (we're talking a first here), so good for him.

Groves is home, so that's yay for me, but I don't know about him. I guess I'll have to ask him. He's probably still at John's place right now. John invited me but I didn't get the text until an hour ago.

Which reminds me, I was going to go to the Oxes gig tonight, but to be honest I just couldn't be arsed. I had a long day - the 12:30 to 21:00 shift is a killer - and getting the bus home seemed much more perferable to spending the evening in a crowded pub full of pretentious wankers (and not being able to get any decent photos to boot).

I wanna go see Spider-Man tomorrow afternoon with Dave and Groves. Hopefully we can make some arranements in the morning. I have to go in anyway to run some errands.... I need change for the bus. Damn these infernal €2 coins.

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Thursday, June 06, 2002

Don't go here if you're at work or school or you think you might be embarrassed if someone catches you. Otherwise, do.

My personal favourite is 'Auditioning Peter Tork'.

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Finally finished my eight-day stint at work. I dunno what to do with myself now. I went up to Xtra-Vision earlier, got out Heist and The Pledge (it would be great if this was a movie about a can of polish spray) on DVD, but I don't feel like watching either right now.

I played The Sims for an hour or so this morning. Don't wanna get too addicted to it, like I did with SimCity 3000 a couple of years ago.

I bought some more stuff yesterday at the end of my shift, like the new Boards Of Canada album (which is really good - I didn't think I'd like it at all), and that Modest Mouse mini-album that came out last year. It's all sitting in front of me; I guess that's why I just thought about it.

I'm feeling a little guilty about messing with a customer's head yesterday. He came in looking for, what he said at first, a hard disk. We don't have those, I told him, whilst simultaneously wondering why someone would go to a music store to look for a hard disk. Then he said 3.5" disk, and it automatically clicked in my head that this guy knows fuck-all about computers. So I said 'ah, you mean a floppy disk' and the guy looked pretty perplexed (obviously he'd never learned that hard - non-floppy - plastic 3.5" disks are called 'floppy' because the term refers to the floppy, round magnetic disk within the plastic casing.... I guess that's where the 'disk' part comes from too). Then he started saying stuff about saving e-mails on them (which, well, definitely takes some explaining to do for a novice). He was confusing himself with this talk, I could tell by just looking at him, but however much I was tempted to sit him down and give him a lecture in Computer Usage 101 (and put my three years of Information Studies to good use), that just isn't in my job description. Besides, I was in a pissy mood anyway, it being my eighth day in a row stuck in there. So I sold him a pack of floppy disks, and as I was handing him his change and receipt at the till, said to him that even though it says on the box that the disks are already formatted, he may have to reformat them to suit the needs of his particular operating system. As the words came out, I could almost see the cogs in his brain rusting. Boy did I feel clever! I actually revelled in his predicament. But now I feel bad. Should I? I mean, it's not like I swore at him or insulted his mother or something. But I can't help feeling just slightly remorseful.

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Wednesday, June 05, 2002

Careful if you watch this, your sides may well split.

(Especially if you like Captain Lou.)

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Tuesday, June 04, 2002

Ughh. Today was so fucking slow. Tomorrow will be even worse, what with the match and all (I say we'll lose 2-0 to the Germans).

It was totally dead after 7pm this evening. The only highlight was discovering what we (Kevin and I) believe is a promo release of the new Prodigy single. We're not 100% certain, since it's only an instrumental, but it's the same tempo as the small snippet I heard on an ad on MTV a couple of days ago, and it sounds like something they'd come up with these days anyway. I'll find out tomorrow, I'm sure.

Update: I just had a look on Google, and found a site that has the promo for sale - the clown-face-looking label matches the one we have in stock (which means it is the Prodigy after all) so I'll let the people know tomorrow.

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Monday, June 03, 2002

np: Cex 'destination: sexy'

I'm working an 8 day week, with 2 days to go. I am fucking knackered. I'm praying to the gods that tomorrow and Wednesday are easy days. I just want to rest.

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random linkage:

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