Sofa so Good

So, Christmas is over and to be honest it passed by quite satisfactorily this year, think its the first time I really realised that it is only a few days altogether....it flies by so quickly now, unlike when we were kids when it seemed to drag out a bit.....it seemed to last forever. So, the first thing I did when I got back to Belfast was to go on a rage of buying and arranging things that hadn't been done while I was away...... So didn't I go and buy two new sofas in the January Sales....ticking off a big Item on my list along with the bookcases and Fridge Magnets....now I have a list of resolutions to write for tomorrow.

Steaks for Breakfast

What a wonderful Idea was had last week when I awoke last Sunday morning to eat prime steaks for breakfast....yum yum yum

Just a one nil at home

Just a one nil at home for Liverpool today against Man City, as usual it seems we made them look good, but still scraped a home win.....having the problems away from home only in the premiership despite us looking great in the Champions League.....such a strange season....

Went into Belfast and the continental market, it was great....I got a bag of german sausages and salami....for £10....there was loads of stuff in there....If you are in the city centre go and check it out. Its great altogether.

Michael Stone was on the rampage yesterday, his mullet gone now but he's still a dangerous character with a gun and knife....attempting to take stormont by force. The main talk at the moment is that the DUP staged the affair to avoid having to make a nomination for first minister.....and the pantomine of Northern Irish politics rolls on.

Feckin November already

Its the 24th November and Xmas and all the brokedness that it brings has just crept up on us again. Last time I remember thinking sure thats Holloween isn't it, as it just passed me by as a haze of rockets and people getting blitzed wearing pumpkin shoes....but now It's bloody Christmas (can't abide Xmas)....

So, this month I will be mostly cursing at the cold rain (cause it is feckin cold and rain like) and counting up the money I don't have while looking forward to shite tv....but on the bright side a few days off and big dinners bejaysis....and spending a bit longer at home....

A few days later

Sorry to harp on, but Got back on Sunday and found that the NTL box was still not working, had to ring them last night and now today they are sending over a technician. Isn't that typical, new cable set up and within 24 hours there was a problem....So, i suppose i should be typing this in a blog as inevitably, it will likely break down again.

On another note, had to watch a pitiful Liverpool at the weekend....I have never seen them be so over-run by the Arsenal in a game....its not yet getting better...its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so we can maybe put this season down to solidifying our team and allowing a few new players to bed in before a heavier assault next season. Losing so many away games is a complete disaster....and fans are showing their dissoultion for the first time since Houllier.

Ray Mears in the morning

I was like Ray Mears this morning, went to go into the kitchen only to find the door was blocked by something behind it. The only other way in was through the big balcony door and I needed a ladder for that (I live on the 3rd Floor)....So I had to use my survival instinct. A piece of cardboard under the door helped me move the object enough so that I could get something through to push it out of the way and hey presto.....here i am in the kitchen willing the NTL to work, as its doing some Tuning thing......might have broken the thing already......mumble....maybe forced to read a book or something....

Signed up the NTL hell again

After 4 weeks of only 4 channels on the television and only internet in work, I succumed to NTL and its ever unreliable service, god help me if anything actually goes right.

Even yesterday the technician said in response to something not going right 'Sure its NTL remember'...so that surely explains things anyway. Its crazy how important the internet is now, when we didn't have it it was really fustrating, especially when buying furniture and things for the house...I could only buy at work...at lunchtime.

But, now its back I have a smile from ear to ear.

New Flat taken all the writing thoughts away

Haven't been writing for a while, in fact looking at this blog its been since July, and heck....thats a long bloody time. I can safely say I haven't done anything too exciting in that time, apart from incurr a Mortgage, first proper month of it now, coping okay and fail my driving test again. Now, my main goals are to do finish the tiling in a bathroom, buy a huge bookshelf and writing table and lino the bathroom floor and then pass first my theory test again (I know, it was two years to do two practical tests...god)...and finally put some pictures up on the wall.

Its strange how sitting in the house in the evenings looking out at the dark and falling into television land sucks away your creativity......I'm attempting to jump start myself at the moment but I think my brain needs that table before I can really feel ready. Then it'll be a special pen.

Sven

He did well out of his stay in England, plenty of women, plenty of money without appearing to do very much. As a non-english supporter I have been delighted with is reign and hope very much that Steve Mc Claren continues in the same vein. Also, pretty happy about the bust up between Rooney and Ronaldo......be good to see Man Utd lose Ronaldo....

Snail eats meat

Got an email from a friend yesterday explaining that the snail I have been feeding lettuce actually eats meat and should be fed slugs. Its real owner is a vegetarian and i'm not sure how she will react to this new development?? I just know I won't be letting it crawl on my arm....

Just

Found a really great site called Coolhunting and through it have discovered a guy called Mark Ronson who has a my space page and on it you can listen to an amazing version of the Radiohead "Just" track......made my day

Snail watch

A friend of mine recently gave me her pet snail to look after. Its name being Stanley and it being both a boy and a girl are two of the more intresting traits. I have been fretting about it like it was a newborn ever since it came into my care. But, at the weekend I realised the true greatness of it. I put an apple slice into its little home and the wee snail went mad for it, all happy, it came out and poked its head from its shell and smiled a big snail smile and I went all warm inside. So, if you want a happy snail give it some apple. It doesn't just keep the Doctor away.

The world according Fools

I was browsing through the BBC website when I stumbled upon this wonderful website. A man has built a map of the world according to things that he has heard stupid people mention about geography. It is wonderful in the extreme.

The most expensive Sandwich ever

Was browsing through the guardian online when I happened upon this story about a chef creating the worlds most expensive sandwich at £80

Make your own

· Two slices of freshly baked sourdough bread
· Roquette dressed with avocado oil
· Confit of sweet peppers and grain mustard
· Unpasteurised Brie de Meaux cheese
· Sliced English plum tomatoes
· Fresh lobe foie gras
· Wagyu beef - a densely marbled meat from a traditional Japanese breed, which retails at up to £500 a kilogram

Grand National

Its the race everyone comes out and has a flutter at and I was no exception. £5 on Clan Royal to win and it fluffed it up coming in 3rd. Should have went each way on it, but hey its either win or nothing with me. Had Hedgehunter in the Gold cup at Cheltenham and so didn't go with it again.....it came 2nd...

Josh Ritter

Seen this guy a good few years ago in Auntie Annies play an amazing set of music and have been an unquestioning fan ever since check him out:

http://www.myspace.com/joshritter

Australia

The Belfast Poets have been invited to do a tour of Australia, and we are going to work towards this in August complete with fundraising for a little battered tour bus.

Can't wait to go, I'd say it'd be great craic....Sydney, Victoria and Melbourne here we come.

Knights of the Round table

Been a busy boy recently. The Belfast poets have been collaborating with a group of artists and musicans called the knights of the round table to great effect. We perform every Thursday in a pub called the Pavillion on the Ormeau rd at 9pm and its great craic altogether. Anyway, meeting loads of interesting peoplem, so much so that I have begun to neglect this blog, but all that is to change now.....I've got my blogger cap on again and will get back to business asap.

A poem a Day

I've created a wee place for my poetry on blogger and you can check it out by clicking on the following link:

http://www.ruairimc.blogspot.com/

It will be available from http://www.ruairimcnally.co.uk when the server refreshes (about a day).....anyway, keep an eye out, I'm going to keep it updated daily if I can with new poetry.

You thought he'd moved on but

Popey mc pope from popetown is still alive and well smoking polish dope and dancing with dancing ladies round poles

Mortgages

Yesterday should officially be known from now on as Mortgage day.....the day I finally stepped up to the plate and finally got in front of the banks and financial advisors to talk about the dreaded "M" word. A stepping stone experience and one that may happen many times in the future, at 27 its about bloody time eh.

Hulk and chewbacca

Got an email the other day highlighting some of the most wonderful finds in the present, a couple of highly entertaining blogs brought to us by some crazy individuals hidden away somewhere or anywhere.

One from the perspective of everyones favourite green monster hulk

another from good old hair hunt of mess chewbacca

Enjoy!

Pandora

I have discovered the most wonderful music tool thing on the web and it has changed my whole need for a radio station. Pandora and their Music gnome project (probably powered by magical gnomes with funny hats) allow you to input an artist (not a piss inclined) that you like and it will fire back songs that are of the same style. I have discovered so many new musicians that I never knew and would never know......

check it out

The Daddy of Ireland

Read an article there now which explained that most Irish men descended from one man, isn't that a fact.....eh....fascinating, and I always thought I knew my Daddy.

Poetry Superheroes

In the factoum magazine that circulates the Greater Belfast Urban region they created a comic poster dedicated to our very favourite Northern Irish Poetry Superheroes; I thought it was great, you may too, click here to find out.

Charlie Kennedy

I always liked the ex-liberal leader, mainly because he wasn't afraid to make a twit out of himself and at least he had the balls to go on shows like 'Have I got news for you'. Just like Boris Johnston he appealed to me because he didn't hide like Tony Blair hides and now he seems human as he stands down and hands over the reigns. I hope he doesn't disappear entirely as the ginger sap is an interesting character and throughly entertaining.

Celbrity Big Brother

Its all kicked off again and we will be glued like goldfish to it now for 3 weeks, watching Z list celebrities scramble around in a house for something to do. This time we have the advantage of the appearance of Michael Barrymore; with his impending mental breakdown (like Les Dennis) on live television looking more and more likely. A bit of totty in Jodie Marsh, some Baywatch woman and a model who is just pretending to be a celeb. Oldies in Galloway and your woman who used to be married to the guy in minder and then a few unknown singers and a freak. Then theres Dennis Rodman who doesn't really know why he is there. He's a paranoid american on a British reality show....obviously took a wrong turn somewhere.

Gerard's Blog

A guy unlike many before him or after him, check out his website and tell him I sent you like a whisper from my chimney.

Addicted

I have came back to life in Jan 2006 addicted to Sudoku. I didn't know much about this craze at all pre-xmas and then I decided to check it out.....now I'm bloody hooked. I can't go past a paper stand now without twitching a bit at the thought of another puzzle. I still can't really do the difficult ones but I reckon that just takes time doesn't it.

Happy New Year Everyone

Its the first day of a new year and so I thought I'd better update this page. As usual on this day the television is full of new year films, currently Zulu is on in the background, but as one of the resolutions is to watch less tv....I better switch it off. Anyway, hope you all have a great day and a wonderful new year.