06 AUG 2003
Get me out of here. Someone just help me to move on with my life. :) ---> :(
23 MAY 03
Whoops
Did you know that updating a file on your computer doesn't mean you update it on the Internet? How odd. Now, I knew that, in fact, I have suffered from this mistake before. But do I learn? Then again, does humanity ever learn from its mistakes?
In the intervening time since I last ranted at you, you anonymous few, you band of inbred cousins ;) I have decided on many things. Then again, sometimes the game changes under your feet - so you have to be ready to recognise the board from very few clues - without warning.
I'm not going to leave this crummy job early - what would be the point? This is money for shit, yes, but it's still money. As secure as I am for next year now, every penny towards being more secure is a valuable resource. It shouldn't be wasted. Also, I leave, the forces of shit win. And thats that.
I love fantasising(sic?) about the destruction of things I hate. Everyone gets this though.
Also, I started work on a book. It's about the ten thousandth piece of writing I have indulged in, but this is going to be done with the express idea of getting sucessful off of it. There's an awful lot of shit out there in the published world. There's an awful lot of mildly - better - quality - shit in my head. Has to count for something. Even vomiting on a page can get famous these days. I'm sure.
Now, less talking, more of the ordering off Amazon. Can anyone say "Internet Whore". I can. And so can my credit card.
Later, donalfall
30 APR 03
testing my sanity
I have difficulty appreciating the new fad for "tests" on the Internet. I realise that the point of them, in general, is to have fun and supply some harmless graphics/text content to a users livejournal, blog, what have you, but the amount of people pissing their time away on them is becoming unreal. Not to mention the amount taking them seriously.
Also, unlike psychology tests - where many, many questions are repeated to give crossed results and check for errors, there's just a little too much "absoluteism" in these f*#king things. But anyways, ones which throw up amusing results do catch my eye, and I occasionally do a few. So when I saw The Dante's Inferno test linked to on fearghus' LJ, I just had to do it. And here's how it panned out for me. Particulary rough I feel, but at least fearghus won't be alone on the 8th circle of hell, right? Sounds like a kickin' place to be anyways.
The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Eigth Level of Hell - the Malebolge!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
Level | Score
Purgatory | Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo | Very Low
Level 2 | Very High
Level 3 | Very High
Level 4 | Very High
Level 5 | Extreme!
Level 6 - The City of Dis | Very High
Level 7 | Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge | Extreme!
Level 9 - Cocytus | Very High
Level descriptions: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-information.html
Take the test: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.html
Yeah, it looks better with the all colour version - but I don't do tables anymore :)
Summary: Don't trust a man who doesn't like internet quizzes
Later, donalfall
25 APR 03
Oh what fun explosions are
Dealing with exploding electronics is always fun. Seems to be a common theme in my life these days - first my old computer, now fuse banks at work. I recommend running with a fire extinguisher, especially if you can get it to keep hitting you in the knees.
I'm starting to feel like a character in Something Positive, only without the redeeming factors (like sexual contact or heavy liver-damaging drinking). The whole social thing in Galway is over-rated. Go to a club. Check out cute people. Note that even the cute people look about as sweet natured as 1,000 lemons. Talk to them (read "chat them up"). Discover that initial assesment is, indeed, true. Everyone is becoming, well, thorny towards people they don't know. Or maybe it's just me.
Nothing for it but to retreat and spend more time "socializing" through RPG's I guess. Sad. I want GNE back. Then I can at least claim I'm being friendly and supportive to people I don't really know.
later, donalfall.
24 APR 03
Nothing to see here...
Making a new version of this. Busy. Trying to help out with a magazine as well, one in good company amongst previous galway rags. Muchos busy.
Something at work blew up just as I was typing this. What fun, must run with fire extingusher NOW.
Later... that was fun.
Hurriedly, donalfall.
22 APR 03
Mail Order...
It must be the season for re-aquainting oneself with old friends. And making new ones. After what seemed like a long cocoon state, things are looking busy socially again. Just as I'm planning on wrapping up this job too. Good show! It bodes well for the months to follow. Everyone I used to know and have spent my time since going "wonder where they are" or "wish they'ld show up again" are getting in touch, phoning, e-mailing what have you.
The end of an era. There was a place known as 57 hazel park. 'Twas a veritable commune, with such luminaries as Charles, Kris, Paddy and myself alongside many others living there at different points, different times. But no matter how far away you went, there was always a little piece of you there. Or there in you, depending. Now it's being sold by its owners. Our gaming/smoking/partying area of the last six years is to be taken away from us. It is a terrible, dirty place (the upper end of the term squalour) but it is our dirty place. And it will be missed.
sadly, donalfall
18 APR 03
Back to work again.
Had two great days away from work - the last two days. Hence the quiet. I need Internet Access at home, but it's still a mug's game here in Ireland. It just costs too much for too little return. Someday, maybe soon, there'll be a drop in local phone charges - hell, even a drop in price of dialling your ISP - and then we'll hit saturation. Everyone in Ireland is bursting with enthusiasm for the provision of the net to their homes. Everyone is developing a strong, huge Internet literacy. The Celtic IT boom may be long over, dead with America's (or in a coma - I think more accurate than dead), but for regular Joe Soap there is a strong desire to become Joe Net-Set.
Is anyone listening? My Grandmother uses the Internet. Older guys who work with and for me use the internet. Kids are using the internet. They're all opting to 'cafe it out. While there's no problem with the cafes making money, it should be as easy to do it at home.
Weather is beautiful here at the moment. Absolutely. We're getting the tail end of the Sirocco(sp?) which has covered our cars in dust and our towns with sunshine and high pressure. Nicest in years.
Check this out. What? There's also rumours of a movement of "Knights". I'm getting close-ish to that one, I'll let ye know what I find out. These are a new bunch, not the usual group of whacks.
A friend sent me a letter the last day. Despite seeing this friend almost every day and actually living in the same town. It's revealing signs of depression. Mankind's tendancy to being a social species is also one of the most dangerous things for our mental health, I feel. On the bad days :|.
I may be really sick. Physically sick, before anyone starts! It's nothing that can't be overcome, not cancer or anything, but I may be sick for a while from it. Which means that I'll defineately need the Internet at home if this goes as bad as it could. I don't want to be vague, but I can't say anything more yet. I don't like talking about these things until I know the whole story. Then I'll discuss it more.
Waiting,
15 APR 03
Sigh. So much to do, so little time.
I'm getting that "why the hell am I working for a living" feeling again. Though at this stage, everyone expects it from me, so no-one is paying a blind bit of heed. Really, this feeling only overcomes me when I have to deal with Managers. Not managers, as in the poor unfortunates who through no fault of their own end up with a position of responsibility. But big-m Managers, the guys who want to do that kind of shit.
'Cos basically I'm in the first category, along with some very decent people I have the pleasure of working with. But there's an awful amount of pricks in the second. Yeah, it was a bad meeting. Yeah, I was right. No, they didn't listen.
There are some strange chinks in the human psyche.
I want to get back out and finish my art projects that I keep whining about :). One of the oldest, my set of photographic tarot, was reminded to me there recently. All my preparatory work still sits on my burnt old hard drive. I must see if someone can fix that for me, or at least rescue some stuff off of it.
I think I'll call down to the guys tonight and begin preparations for the next part of my GURPS WWII - Weird War II game. The guys played the americans over the weekend and really, really enjoyed it. Now it's the time for the Germans. Soon, those links up the top of the page will become active & I'll be putting in full run-downs of what's going on, session-by-session. Doing some write ups now and it's coming out really well.
later,
14 APR 03
Been thinking about the music thing all weekend, still no deep conclusions, but it was a kind of deep question. I felt so anyways. My friends - when I mentioned the concept to them, were more confused than anything else. I don't think they could see a point to the exercise. I don't think there IS necessarily a point to the exercise, like most homework, its only a thought project. Anyone got songs that describe them? Oh, that was one result over the weekend - we said a better word would be "describe" than "define". That was what I meant, I don't think any human being can be defined in a couple of loose phrases and melodies.
I had a theory a few years back, that if a picture was "worth 1,000 words" than a song was worth a couple of pictures at least. That I think is where this thing is coming from. (But then again, I get a lot of theories)
Anyways, I'm quite a thoughtful, sometimes introverted, but dark kind of person - but I'm also an incurable romantic - so my list would certainly cover ground like:
- donalfall's songs
- Echobelly - Dark Therapy
- Curve - Doppleganger
- Therapy's version of Joy Division's - Isolation
- Stone Roses - Sally Cinnamon
- Radiohead - The Bends
- Beth Orton - She cries your name
This is still in embryonic form. I'm kind of pushing it together in my head at the moment. But it's looking about right.
Ick. Kind of depressing indeed. ;|
With tongue at least partways in cheek,
11 APR 03 15:47GMT
How easy it is to blame others for our own failings...
Got some very sad replies to my rant from yesterday. I didn't even think I was being coherent enough to justify responses, I was just kind of angry and needed to let it out. Though response is the point of a blog, right? Maybe.
So I'll forget about war commentry for the moment. Had an interesting thought though. Could you pick ten songs that would kind of hint at your personality? Not necessarily your favourite songs, just songs that reflect your usual moods. So people who had never met you could listen to those songs and get an idea of what to expect.
More on this monday, 11 APR 03, along with the final revamp of this site, as I try to decide on ten songs that "define" me.
The Beat of the (Anti) War Drum
I didn't really want to comment on the whole war thing. My opinions - as an amateur history student & tactical hobbyist - are very complicated. Much like War, indeed. I find more and more as I get older and research into root causes for events that nebulous things such as "blame" is not easily attributed, especially in the case of modern governments - say (nearly) eveyone from about 1800 onwards (obviously, Stalin, Hitler, the Kmer Rouge, Pol Pot and their ilk took what can be justified from their point of view far beyond what anyone could defend. There are more examples, but I still feel that these are the exceptions of evil as opposed to the norm of self- and national- interest.).
But I digress. I just want to say one or two things regarding the civil and military aspects of this war.
One, I would like to congratulate the American and English armies. I wasn't pro- (or anti-) this war, but they have taken a very professional, serious and humane direction with every aspect of a very tough and confusing situation. They truely - IMHO - embody what a modern, humanitarian fighting force should be. War is messy and confusing. Tanks and Guns don't fire Nerftm bullets. They fire masses of high velocity (and indeed, High Velocity) bullets, a dangerous toy to try and control. And, in the use of their guns, tanks and bullets in an urban setting, they have made every effort to stay precise & controlled. Non Com casualties are - in fairness - minimal. What an excellent way to fight.
Two, I would like to openly deride the majority of journalists stationed in the Gulf at this time. Not all, but the majority. They are building a false image, slowly but surely. This is one of the first examples of Info War. I can't believe the quantities of bad reporting coming out of Iraq. It's a disgrace. "They" are giving the general public an impression that the US & UK have some kind of obligation to commit no sins, despite the fact that there's a war. No one is allowed to die, and when they do, it is exploited and turned into lurid headlines and daily counts of the possible deaths, casulties, injured, whatever.
This will probably eventually get held up and I'll be accused of being right wing or something. Journalists presenting an unbiased report of the war - showing both sides without bias but remembering that this is combat - well done to you. There are a few.
And I cannot even think of what to say of the behaviour of the International "Human Shield" brigade. You people make me sick. Did everyone else see the girl who spent her time shouting at the US Army combat patrol that the children of Iraq were "going to grow up to be terrorists and come bomb your country". Sickening.
Later,
donalfall
27 MAR 03
Sometimes everything's just good.
My baby has arrived! That's right, I have replaced my poor unfortunate exploded computer with a beautiful laptop from Dell. It makes my firstborn look like a Dinosaur, so perhaps this is what God felt like. (If God bought his creation on-line with his credit card. I can see it now Fiat Lux - now only $99 from Amazon.com with super saver delivery discount!!!)
Well, you know what I mean.
To say that I am tired of my job would be like saying that God (see how I make these things circular) was tired after making all of creation. If I ever see this sickening blue-and-white place again after I leave (now a 4 month dealine) It'll be way, way too soon.
'She stood in the streetlight, offering what was his, back to him. He found it hard to breath, just
enraptured by the simpicity - and the divinity - of the scene. Never had it been more obvious to him that even the
light of halogen lamps could carry an emotion, a power. He reached out and their fingers made brushed conversation.
"I'll see you soon" she said, turning "call me friday".
"friday... sure."
All fans of Curve - go to MNS and buy all the recent stuff. FANTASTIC!
donalfall