Feeling Better Now Thanks for Asking

I have returned to face this new week full of vim and vigour! I'm finally over all the illnesses which have plagued me for the last fortnight and will stubbornly refuse to succumb to any more for at least 6 months!
Despite both Offaly and Westmeath losing on Sunday the trip to Croke park went well - admittedly there was one disappointed slightly sulky father to deal with, but I have seen him in worse form after watching his county being trashed. Though in all fairness with 19 wides kicked in the course of the match Offaly just aren't good enough at the moment. Overall the standard of football on Sunday was pretty poor I much prefer hurling anyway...
The highlight of the day for both myself and the boy was the presence of a very vocal but barely cognitive Laois Man in the seat directly behind us. For the record I have nothing against people from Laois and this man could have been from any of the 4 represented counties and it would still have been funny. From the moment he sat down (which was after the game had started) there emanated a constant and bewitching string of abuse and foul language which would have made even Shane McGowan blush. (An example goes something like this - Aragh for fuckÂ’s saaake dey havnt settled douwn yet for fuckÂ’s saaake dey need te settle douwn cÂ’maaan Laaaayyse fur fuckÂ’s sake fuckin cunts de baaastards)! This scene was completed by his equally ineloquent family joining in with choruses of "C'maaan Laaaysshe" every few minutes at different volumes and intensities. I don't feel that my account of the scene has really done the encounter true justice but lets just say the memories of that day will live for a long time in my heart!

Pure Genius

Me that is! I have managed to resurrect my broken blog and put it back the way it was. Apart from a template change that is. It's a small concession and I quite like the simple lines of the new template so I think I'll leave it the way it is.
I also rediscovered my lost archives as well which is a small relief! Though reading through them its all total nonsense really!
By the way apologies for the space cadet entry for yesterday all I can say is "Drugs are bad kids" I should know better than even to attempt to function while on anti biotics! All I can hope is that I didn't do anything too silly in work...
On the up side I am feeling decidedly less disgusting this morning I had one of those fabulous nights sleeps last night where I didn't budge from the same position at all and didn't stir until the alarm went off. It was glorious and so good that I haven't really woken up properly yet... Could be another fun day in Fiona Land!
Plans for this weekend include myself, my completely insane father and the lovely boy spending this sunday afternoon in the hallowed ground of Croke park

GAA

. , where we will be planning on watching Offaly beat Laois and Westmeath beat Kildare. Hopefully. If Offaly lose we will then have to deal with my father's tantrum and disappointment which is generally on the one hand kinda funny on the other really tedious. I'll let you know how we get on...

Bloody Blog

I have no idea how I managed it but I've lost the links from my sidebar. Its still on the template but not on the site what the hell have I done wrong?

MIA

I'm back! I was missing in action for the last few days due to the development of my horrible cold into a more horrible and debilitating dose of sinusitis and an accompanying chest infection. See I wasn't playing it up I was feeling terrible! Well anyway I'm back at work still on anti biotics and definately feeling like I would much prefer to be back home in bed or better still stretched out on the sofa watching day time tv. There really is the greatest load of utter nonsense on the telly during the day. I think the show that gets my vote for being an inexcusable waste of my time and that of everyone involved in making it is called "Was I here before" (or at least I think its called that I was on drugs and my short term memory is a bit addled as a result). Anyway the premise of this show is that celebrities are put under the influence of hypnosis in order to unlock memories of their past lives the facts of which are then investigated by an Historian. I subjected myself to two instalments involving Jenny Bond (former Royal reporter and ex participant in I'm a Celebrity) and Joe Pasquale ( don't know why he's famous apart from the fact that he won I'm a celebrity get me out of here). The reason why I watched it is irrelevant, probably something to do with not being bothered to reach for the remote to turn over... Anyway it was the greatest load of crap! I'm not going to go into the details of their stories because its boring but what I do want to do is advise anyone out there who is planning on taking a sickie to avoid this show if at all possible.
On the other hand watch Dr. Phil! He gives out to people and is a bit rude and I like him.

Eurovision

I swore to anyone who would listen that there was no way I was going to sit through the semi finals of the Eurovision last night. No way! Never!
But what did I do? Yep I bloody watched it. Admittedly I flicked around a lot between it and other choice offerings such as the new episode of Charmed on Living and the Abi Titmuss documentary on Channel 4 but unfortunately the lure of the flashing lights and shiny sequins drew me into their spell. Oh dear God. What have I been reduced to?
There can be no doubt that there were more bum notes on the night then there are in the audition rounds of those Pop Idol shows. I can't believe some of them actually qualified. I'm thinking of the (I think it was Romania) little girl with the big yellow drums in particular for this part of the rant!
Anyway I patiently waited for Donna & Joe to do their thang as I had heard the rumors of Riverdance type choreography and considering the beat of the music was decidedly Eastern European in flavour I was curious about how that would fit in.
I will never learn.
It didn't fit with the song for those of you lucky enough to have missed it. Neither did Joe fit with the song. I spent the whole 3 mins (or whatever it was) of the performance mouth agape, turning slowly purple with embarrassment. I thought I had grown out of the need to hide behind the sofa whenever something horribly embarrassing happened to someone else on the telly. I definitely regressed last night.
I feel sorry for Donna she has a good enough voice but the song and her brother were a total disaster.
The block voting by the Eastern European countries would probably mean that we will never get into the competition proper ever again and judging by last night I think we should just cut our losses on the whole affair and keep our remaining pride as a nation intact.

Faux pas anyone?

I am still contemplating the amazing and completely inexcusable faux pas perpetrated by Conor Lenihan yesterday in our national parliament. It is beyond me how it can be considered to be adequate for him to apologise for the remark and for that to be the end of the matter. The problem with this bigoted, racist and close minded country has once again been demonstrated by our elected representatives. How can there be any hope for proper integration and acceptance of the badly needed migrant workers who are keeping this economy afloat by doing jobs we feel we are too good to do now that the Celtic Tiger has roared into our lives? I am whole heartedly disgusted by what happened yesterday.

Friendships

Despite my moaning and the fact that I was feeling very crappy yesterday (still do if anyone is interested) I dragged my ailing body out to meet some friends last night. 2 friends to be precise at different times and different places. It turned into a very emotional night for me. One mate I knew was having difficulties and I am glad that she can talk to me about it and I love that fact that we are so honest about how we feel. So despite the fact the subject of our conversation was mostly difficult and upsetting it was a positive encounter and I think we both felt that everything was better out than in! So I was a little tired but feeling good after seeing her and definately a lot happier about how she was coping with all the crap she has to deal with when I headed off to meet friend number 2 for what I thought would be a little walk and a big catch up session. No. It turns out she too was having a serious crises the type that turns your life up side down and inside out and she had been keeping it all to herself for the past 6 weeks. I felt so sad on her behalf and so helpless. All I could do was listen. But what else is there to do?
I still feel a bit shell shocked and I can't help wondering if I am feeling this bad how is she managing to not let the whole world know that she is feeling all that pain and anger and upset. The up side is that she said that she felt stronger and better for having spoken about it which I suppose is why they say that a problem shared is a problem halved.
I think I'm just feeling a bit guilty because things are going pretty well for me at the moment. I have a great boyfriend, plans to see the world, a pleasant if not dynamic working environment and a fantastic supportive family. I am grateful for it all and I know better than most that things are not always good so I have made a conscious effort to realise it when it is good and to hold on to it for as long as I can. So I should stop feeling bad and just be glad that I can be a shoulder to lean on or cry on if necessary because I don't have to deal with bad things of my own at the moment .

Ups and Downs

Well the weekend went to plan and it was lovely and relaxing. But now I have a cold.
This always happens to me when I start calming down. I'm miserable and I hate everything.

Yeah!! Its the weekend!

Not planning on doing much in the line of excitement this weekend which is why I am looking forward to it! I can't remember the last time I had no plans, agenda or needs to fulfil! I am not particularly tired so any rest I get will be a bonus, I don't feel like I should study or spend time doing any one task in particular and neither of us have anywhere that we need to go to. So I can just kick back leave all worries to one side and just be.
We might mooch along to the cinema tonight I haven't seen HHGG yet so that could be a possibility and if so I will post my thoughts on the subject to amuse myself next week!
The other news today is that I am no longer on probation and am now officially a part of the team here. As a result I made my feelings known about just how bored I've been in recent months, which came as a bit of a surprise to my supervisor! Whoops! Anyway she has taken this into account and has promised that I will be given more responsibility and projects of my own. Now many people would think "Foolish girl doss while you can" but I just can't I go crazy when I'm not busy and just end up depressed and miserable and that is just not a good way to be. So here's hoping that work life will become more fulfilling... but I won't hold my breath these not for profit lovely fluffy places just don't do high powered achievement in the day to day running of the business. I think it's me and my outlook that will have to adapt for the next year while I sort out the whole RTW thing and put my own life on a different track... Jesus I've managed to depress myself in the course of writing this blog! Snap out of it woman remember its the WEEKEND!!!

The Tara Skryne Valley and Woodstown Conundrum

I have been following the issue concerning the routing of the proposed M3 Motorway through the Tara-Skryne valley in Co. Meath and also the separate issue regarding the massive Viking complex found in Waterford with much interest. As a former student of archaeology, Viking and early medieval archaeology grabbed my attention and interest more than any other era and when I heard about the find in Waterford I was thrilled! I mean we haven't seen anything like the possibilities that this site could reveal to us since Wood Quay and Woodstown appears to be many times the size of the Dublin site. There was of course an accompanying fear that the government would do what it does best and decide to ignore all academic recommendations and would put the road right through the site anyway, afterall it had already been approved by An Bord Pleanala and these things are set in stone or so they would have us think. But not in this case it seems. Woodstown is being preserved and excavated properly and there is a possibility it will be made into a major heritage site. Great! But then can someone please explain to me why this is not also the case with the Tara-Skryne Valley area? I mean every dog on the street knows that Tara is a site of major historical importance. Not just the hill, the entire area. It's a settlement complex so detailed and complex that whatever excavations that have taken place there under the Discovery Programme are really only skimming the very tip of the iceberg in relation to this site. As a member of the public I only became aware of the plans for this road late last year. Now we have been told by Minister Dick Roche that any protests or concerns expressed in relation to this issue were all too late - the decision was made in August 2002 by An Bord Pleanala and there is no other option available in relation to changing the route of this road! Yet Woodstown was not a recognised heritage site and was discovered when the by-pass was being built but the road can be diverted to preserve it... This makes no sense to me. I appreciate for the record that the M3 is badly needed and long overdue for the commuters of Meath. But why can't they move the road to a less contentious part of the landscape thereby avoiding the inevitable legal battles which no doubt will follow on from the Ministers decision? Why do they insist on following a path which thousands of people concerned by this decision whole heartedly object to? At least if the route was moved the people would get their road cheaper and quicker and then surely most people would be happier?

Oh the pain....

I had tag rugby training again last night and it hurts like hell now and will probably get worse as the day progresses! I know its sad and I shouldn't moan but I want to! I mean if you ran around for 2 hours chasing a ball you'd probably hurt too. Especially if you haven't done much running in the last 10 years! Yoga did not prepare me for this...

Interesting Developments

I got a mail this morning from one of the editors of sigla with the scary information that people having been linking from this site to their!. This I did not expect I mean who in God's name would seriously be interested in reading this crap?
Anyway do go visit Sigla Mag http://siglamag.com its a great site and has kept me sane when boredom threatened to strike me down on many occasions in the last 6 months! So if nothing else at least your encounter with me might have that one positive experience!
On another note the weekend was lovely I went home and got drunk with my father on Friday night! I had no intention of being as good as the plan I outlined on Friday and knew that there would be lots of wine consumed by one and all! The good news is that the hangover while present was not completely debilitating so I made it to the Bog Train!!!! Yeah I know you don't have to say it! But it was grand! Really! We were both pretty tired so chugging along the bog in a little 3' gauge locomotive looking at the wild life wasn't the worst way to spend an afternoon! Having been brought up surrounded by bog it was nothing new for me but it was interesting to see the plans that Bord Na Mona have for the land that has been completely cut away by the harvesting of the peat. They are going to return it to the type of marsh land which originally existed there thousands of years ago and it looks great! Very primordial with huge rushes and lots of wild life! They are also replanting lots of hard wood trees as well which while only a small thing at least its better than nothing!

Addiction

I think I'm getting hooked on this blogging lark I can't stop thinking about it and the stuff I can do with it! I have set up a sister site which I am going to use to waffle on about stuff I've seen and read or even place's I've been because lots of people do it already and I want to join that gang!
I feel like my creative juices are beginning to flow again! Though knowing me I'll get bored waffling on to myself about stuff I know already! But until then I'm going to run with it!
I had my final exam for this half of the year this morning. I should pass it. Am somewhere far beyond tired now though and I really want to have some kind of alcoholic beverage tonight, probably won't be a good idea as I haven't had more than one bottle of beer in many's a week but I have a self destructive need to drink at least 3 tonight despite the fact that I know I will feel absoloutley horrible and sick tomorrow. I know I'll have 2 drinks and then collapse into my leaba and sleep like a baby until I have to get up and bring the lovely boy to get his hair cut and THEN because I have practiced a little bit I'll have 3 drinks on saturday night and sleep off any potential hangover on sunday! Oh yes that is a good plan me thinks!
Just had a thought will probably be going on the bog train run by the Bord na Mona http://www.bnm.ie/ tomorrow so will review it on my new site on Monday! How exciting!

Diversions

I have just figured out why my pictures won't appear on my site. It seems that my work computer won't let me download the proper program's so unless I get a chance to play around with it at home at the weekend the site will remain pictorially vacant which is a pity!
Right now I am trying to read through my notes so that it won't be a complete disaster of an exam tomorrow but as you can see I am doing anything but that!
I'm constantly seeking diversion at the moment I think its just the tiredness. Well at least it'll be over for a few months once tomorrow is out of the way!
Isn't it amazing the way you can dread something happening for so long and when it actually comes to pass its generally easier and a lot less painful then you thought it would be. Its the same with these exams in October the world was ending before I sat the damn things yet in April while it was tough it was beyond doubt a much easier experience and I'm not anticipating the next batch in Octiber with the same sort of dread.I hope that complacency won't be my downfall.

A new look

I have just changed the template to the blog the pink was just too overpowering and I felt it looked a bit much everytime I logged on. The green is better at least its less cluttered and over bearing but no doubt I'll get bored with it too eventually. I still haven't figured out how to post pictures I have one of those Hello things hooked up and followed the directions but there is no sign of the picture appearing yet! Maybe it'll surprise me when I least expect it!

The weekend

I keep hitting return on the title bar when I start a new post which is really beginning to tick me off! Then I have to go and edit the post as there is nothing in it! As you might imagine I'm not the best when it comes to hitting buttons!
Well I had a most wonderful weekend for the May bank holiday here at home. We hired a car and spent most of the weekend driving and walking in the beautiful Burren area of Co. Clare. unfortunately I don't have a digital camera yet but if I had I would publish some images as it really is a beuatiful place! Needless to say it is on the agenda to purchase one before we head off on our travels!
I also spent time at home with my family which was long overdue! My little sister Ro was in a pantomime style play at home based on the story of Snow White and was a highly entertaining grumpy dwarf! I have a photo of her sent from her phone which I will stick up as soon as I've figured out how to do that!
I'm back in work today and have to face into another exam on friday for the course I've been doing for the past 2 years. Its company law and I knew it inside out a few weeks ago for the law society exams but just know I'll struggle to remember anything for friday. The extreme tiredness and slight feeling of depression due to overactive hormones is of course not helping me to feel motivated for this particular test.
Anyway on the up side I'm going home again at the weekend to spend some proper time with the folks cause if I don't do it now I won't get to see them as I will be back hitting the books shortly. I can't wait to have all of these damn exams behind me so that I can have my life back again.