Zapa Tag

Finally, the future is here.
Open my wallet, and what will you find? A few crumpled notes, a driver’s licence, some stamps, a Cafe Sol loyalty card, a Lemon Coffee Co. loyalty card, a Bagel Factory “bagel” loyalty card, a Bagel Factory “coffee” loyalty card, a Tesco Clubcard (actually, two – one credit-card-sized and one key-fob-sized), [...]

Read Full Post »

Down with the Kids

Bass pounding the floor, guitar screaming, 1000 fingers pointed at the rafters, excited voices yelling:
Lost and insecure,
You found me
Lying on the floor,
Surrounded.
Why’d you have to wait?
Where were you?
Only possible at The Fray concert in Dublin.
I\’ll admit that I was surprised at the crowd they drew in. I discovered the Fray months [...]

Read Full Post »

If your child is screaming, the joke is over, bitch.

Sometimes adults just don’t get it.
Walking down Grafton Street today, there were the usual number of talentless hacks displaying their wares, with few to nobody watching. A trio of teenagers with instruments: the drumming looked so bad I didn’t dare take out my headphones for a soundbite. My personal favourite wastes-of-space, the statues, were not [...]

Read Full Post »

Wanted: One Irish Upbringing

Tonight I spent a marvellous evening at a charity fundraising concert, The Swell Season & Friends at Vicar Street. I went to hear Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, and I came back with some thoughts to chew on:
One, what exactly it is about the Irish culture that is unique. Now I [...]

Read Full Post »

Quite the Cads

On Saturday I went to see the Bodies Exhibition in Dublin. In short, it’s an art-meets-science exhibition of plasticised human bodies, enabling the viewer to take a closer look at the intricacy of the body; the skeletal and muscular systems, circulatory system, digestive system, lymphatic system, nervous system, they’re all there. Including a number of [...]

Read Full Post »

One year on…

Today marks one year since I started working in the finance industry in Dublin. A year ago, I was told (by my bosses) that the industry was facing some challenging times, now I’m being told (by the media) that we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
One year on, whenever I leave [...]

Read Full Post »

Simplicity – a follow on

I was asked a few questions by a friend, Ruth, in regards to my previous post entitled “Simplicity”, so I decided to make another blog entry rather than squeeze them onto a Facebook wall.

Is the experience you’ve written about something we’ll all face? Is it part of ‘growing up’? Is it the inevitable fall [...]

Read Full Post »

Simplicity

At university, I spent a lot of time studying money and the Biblical view of stewardship. I still have grand ideals about the stewardship of the resources God has given us – about giving, spending, time management, community and work, among other related issues. I read extensively on the topic, in particular on the theme [...]

Read Full Post »

The work-life balance?

Clearly my work life has changed in that I went from being a student to being a professional. The transition was steep: one day I could sleep until 12 even if I had 9am lectures, the next I’m sitting at a polished desk at 9am, wearing a starchy suit and squeaky new shoes, and by [...]

Read Full Post »

Change is the only constant

“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin

I would argue with Benjamin here, and say: “The only constant in life is change”. Maybe I’ve heard that somewhere before.

I have found myself in a place a great change in my life. Coming up on nine [...]

Read Full Post »