I was at the Veronica Guerin premiere in the Savoy last night, and the afters in Dublin Castle, the latter only for a short period of time. Celebrities aside, it was, IMHHO, a gripping and moving film, and I confess to being carried away by the film. I think it a very good work, merely glazed with occasional Hollywood glitz, as opposed to coated, and quite graphic in parts. Not so much a film to enjoy, but definitely one worth seeing. The presence of the Guerin family made it, of course, all the more emotive.
Meme You are a rapier! You"re fast and very sharp. your only weakness is that in certain situations you can be thin and easily breakable.
Today’s Words:
parvenu \PAR-vuh-noo; -nyoo\, noun:
One that has recently or suddenly risen to a higher social or
economic class but has not gained social acceptance of others
in that class; an upstart.
adjective:
Being a parvenu; also, like or having the characteristics of a
parvenu.
Let’s Get Cultural! Heading off to the premiere of the Veronia Guerin Story tonight, and looking forward to it as an interesting film, rather than one I expect to be enjoyable in the same way that, say, Charlie’s Angels 2 would be enjoyable (must go see that soon – even Gar gave it a rave review!)
And next Tuesday, in the Helix, there is something called the Saigon Water Puppet Theatre on whose guest list I have apparently been placed. Well now there’s something completely different.
Weekend Had some of the old college mates from UCD out over on Saturday – even Cthol – who was jetting off to NY to finish his Masters in Percussion the following day – showed up. We played board games and it was all good. That is until I got a really bad migraine that evening, thankfully as they were leaving, but sadly I couldn’t accompany them on the beer phase of the evening. Ah well. Wonder if migraine was part brought on by Brussels stress and ancillary emotions.
Leaving Work It was pointed out that I can’t take annual leave when I am in Brussels – if the EU Council is open, I must be there. Now there are 10 days at Christmas and 10 at Easter, but no days to take off at a whim, which makes things like Gaelcon a tight squeeze. Anyway, net result is that I am taking 2 weeks off in August – Jen being off that month – to go away somewhere and head off to Brussels earlier to settle in. Which means the work booze-up will be on the 14th August, and the general one will have to be soon after…me things that Saturday perhaps. There will be mails sent out in due course.
Belated congratulations to Rev. Hanly.
Today’s Words: -
1. provender \PROV-uhn-duhr\, noun:
1. Dry food for domestic animals, such as hay, straw, corn,oats, or a mixture of ground grain; feed.
2. Food or provisions.
2. bibelot \BEE-buh-loh\, noun:
A small decorative object without practical utility; a trinket.
3. inculcate \in-KUHL-kayt; IN-kuhl-kayt\, transitive verb:
To teach and impress by frequent repetition or instruction.
Today’s Haiku: -
Nettlesome fears
Arrayed in cloistered haven
Under lock and key
Monday and Tuesday saw me in Brussels primarily to book my accommodation – a small but very well furnished (even down to cutlery, ironing board and pans) 2 bedrooms flat – yes that means come on over and visit… just not at once.
Had my first experience of Eurocracy on Tuesday, in a meeting with delegates from all 25 countries, complete with translation booths and earpieces and all – just like on TV. Well, ok, it wasn’t the same room as the huge fracas that occurred in the Parliament recently, but it was still awe-inspiring and impressive. Look at me, Ma, I’m a Eurocrat.
There was much in the ways of emotional experience, but more on that in my LJ (yes it’s getting a use) in a few days,
Stolen from Silja, but more about me that any other meme I have seen
THREE PEOPLE I LOVE:
01 | Jenny
02 | Mum
03 | Dad
THREE THINGS I LOVE:
01 | The smell of an old book
02 | Autumn
03 | The sound of running water
THREE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME LAUGH:
01 | Dave
02 | Fergal
03 | Wookie
THREE THINGS I WOULD SAVE IF MY HOME WENT ON FIRE:
01 | My writing folder
02 | My copy of Elphias Levi “The Historty of Magic” (1st ed)
03 | Cuddles, the soft dog I’ve said since I was a wee lad
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME:
01 | Thunder
02 | Precipitous Heights
03 | Hurting people
THREE THINGS I HATE:
01 | Pettiness
02 | Narrow-mindedness
03 | Hard tissues
THREE SMELLS I LIKE
01 | Oceans
02 | Tiger Balm
03 | Rich vegetation
THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
01 | Quantum Physics
02 | War
03 | Necrophilia
THREE THINGS ON MY DESK:
01 | Box of Smints
02 | My watch (don’t like wearing it when I am sitting down
03 | Box of Beechams Hot Blackcurrant
THREE ANIMALS YOU LIKE:
01 | Dogs
02 | Horses
03 | Snow-foxes
THREE THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW:
01 | Printing out a diary (for work)
02 | Thinking about a RPG-Boardgame-wargame
03 | Listening to Nickelback on the Radio
THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
01 | Be published
02 | Act on Stage
03 | Visit Egpyt
THREE THINGS I CAN DO:
01 | Meditate
02 | Work through difficult times
03 | Write fiction
THREE LAST BOOKS YOU READ:
01 | Bunny – the unofficial history of Playboy
02 | Who’s death is it anyway – a book on Euthanasia
03 | Witching Hour – by Anne Rice
THREE WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY PERSONALITY:
01 | Pensive
02 | Not really as sleazy as my persona
03 | Caring
THREE WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY LOOKS:
01 | Frizzy
02 | Attractive at a second glance
03 | Thin
THREE THINGS I CAN'T DO:
01 | Drive
02 | Swim
03 | Ride a bike
THREE THINGS I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO:
01 | The band Rush
02 | Everyone who passes your way
03 | Oneself, through all the fears
THREE THINGS I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO EVER:
01 | People who only say destructive things at you out of their own situations
02 | TV Evangelists
03 | People who say out flat that your beliefs are wrong
THREE THINGS I SAY THE MOST:
01 | “Minister’s office, Colm here”
02 | Sure
03 | Aye
THREE OF YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FOODS:
01 | Ice Cream
02 | Onion Soup (from Tante Zoe’s)
03 | Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes
THREE THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN:
01 | How to play piano
02 | How to sing properly
03 | Latin
THREE BEVERAGES YOU DRINK REGULARLY:
01 | Water
02 | Diet Coke
03 | Tea
THREE SHOWS YOU WATCHED WHEN YOU WERE A KID:
01 | The A-Team
02 | Automan
03 | Robin of Sherwood
THREE THINGS YOU WEAR A LOT:
01 | Black Jeans
02 | Glasses
03 | A hair bobbin
Today's Word: -
interstice \in-TUR-stuhs\, noun;
plural interstices \in-TUR-stuh-seez; -suhz\:
1. A space between things or parts, especially a space between
things closely set; a narrow chink; a crack; a crevice; an
interval.
2. An interval of time.
Today's Haiku: -
A Shadow of Time
Spec'tral Inversion alight
Soul Smiles, derisive
I talked to the poeple in Foreign Affairs to day, crossed some "t"s, dotted some "i" and got formes to fill out for health insurance and whatnot. Not in triplicate though, with which I had a vague, untraceable surge of dissappointment. But it was quite informal, pleasant and located in a Building site. Or at least that is how their building seemed, as they have recently moved office to Harcourt Street abd a *lot* or work is being done. So much so, in fact, that I had to enter the building through a rather dodgy looking plain black metal door - the kind you see in dark future manga night clubs - down the bottom of brand shining new sheet metal steps. Behind this door was a gruff-looking, but amicable, be-jumpered man who merely nodded when I said my name. I began to felt like maybe the position of "cultural attaché" was meant in the Russian WWII spy sense...
Conclave
I went down in Don's convertible, and let it be known that anyone else who has long hair who is planning on riding in Cars with Don, wear a hat or be sure your hair is well tied back that you do not endure the Scourge of the Lashing of A Thousand Whippling Hairs and the Few Annoying Ones that Go Into Your Eyes even though you are Wearing Glasses :)
We arrived in the afternoon, had food, drifted a bit and went to the pub. On Sunday, I demoed some games - one thing I will say about Conclave is that it has a huge membership of young children, which I think is missig from most other cons, and is heartening to see. Over all, I don;t think I was at much of the con to make a proper judgement, but it seemed "organic" (read un-timetabled), a bit scattered, but a lot of fun. Personally, I am reaching the stage where I think I need a break from cons for a while. I think in all things, Brussels will be good for me.
Today's Words: -
1. panoply \PAN-uh-plee\, noun:
1. A splendid or impressive array.
2. Ceremonial attire.
3. A full suit of armor; a complete defense or covering.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
