Good things so far about Sydney in the Winter:
- Its sunny and 20C
- All girls sound hot
- Aussie Relish with Scrambled eggs are pretty good (on top of toast)
- They have Krispy Kreme here
Bad things about Sydney:
- my first meal was at Hungry Jacks
- I keep on turning on the window wipers when I want to signal
- most blokes are still lazy dickheads
- Vegemite still is disgusting
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Singapore Changi
Phew... lots of time on my hands in Singapore, still about 2 more hours until my flight leaves for Sydney and all this free internet, whats a guy to do.. Might as well blog, huh, and make up for the sparseness and lacking of the past. Ill save the shopping for the return trip back.
My last blog btw was probably one of my fastest blogs ever.. I did the bitch in 12 minutes. Well I was under pressure, as I mentioned, I didnt want to miss my very important reflexology foot massage (which was chain-smoking-addictively sublime, goodnessgraciousme). In my haste however, I probably did not convey how much stress and pressure I was under. Its a tough life, mine. Suffice to say, if this was a work trip to the shitty side of India or maybe Beirut, or even say the likes of Arkansas, Id be like "Oh well, what can you do, sorry boss, cancel the trip, its a sign, maybe Im not meant to go. Look at the news? The worlds gonna end" In this case however, it was like a vacation, a jolly, like HAVING to go to Las Vegas for a work Convention ala Eric, or HAVING to go to Boston / New York to be a glorified drug dealer ala Jill. So I was motivated to make it work. And all the cancelations and news out breaks and public media crys to stay away from Heathrow was not going to deter me. I need to chance my arm.
And it was a rush... I intentionally checked into Dublin 4 hours early for the flight to Heathrow, with my flight being on hold until an hour before expected departure. I really didnt know if I was going to be able to go, waiting at the airport looking at and trading back and forth between the flight departures ticker and the Sky News updates every 10 seconds. And when the flight was finally reinstated (along with a chorus of angels singing Hellujah), only the 2nd flight allowed back into Heathrow actually... I found out I had only 1 hour to pick up my bags (Bags in Heathrow were not being transfered through for any flights that day, again because of the pompy british born plotting Terrorist) transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4, and then recheck-in, with the new "nothing allowed on the plane except your clothes and your passport" policy, plus the full scale/full body cavity search of everyone through airport security (they grabbed my ass cheeks and unzipped my fly! Well unbuttoned because I had a button fly). It was the biggest line Ive ever seen, all waiting in turn, to be willingly sexually assaulted. And the airport was in complete chaos. CHAOS. I just needed to focus. And you know how when you watch news on tv regarding any huge "breaking news" alert or disaster, and think "wow sucks to be there and be one of those guys" and then move on and flick channels to watch sports or oprah while eating a donut? Well this is the first time I was completely affected myself. Im now one of those guys.
So anyways, as you know, I did make it to the Singapore flight (again along with a chorus of angels singing Hellujah). And I sent back a taunting email to all my non-believing coworkers. Some of the casualties... apart from having to check in my laptop and electronics and books, I also needed to leave my camera at home because I could not carry on, and there was no way I was checking in my SLR. Oh well... Plus no change of clothes to carry on, so I have been wearing the same attire for almost 2.5 days by the time I get to Sydney. Good thing for the swimming pool and multiple showers at the airport hotel, otherwise, Id have the sour milk smell of the homeless.
Some of the plusses though; again Im in South-East Asia... where the Macdonalds serves Milo! ( I dont know what it is but Milo in Asia is 100 times better than anywhere else) And hot thai sauce for french fries as well. Good times...
My last blog btw was probably one of my fastest blogs ever.. I did the bitch in 12 minutes. Well I was under pressure, as I mentioned, I didnt want to miss my very important reflexology foot massage (which was chain-smoking-addictively sublime, goodnessgraciousme). In my haste however, I probably did not convey how much stress and pressure I was under. Its a tough life, mine. Suffice to say, if this was a work trip to the shitty side of India or maybe Beirut, or even say the likes of Arkansas, Id be like "Oh well, what can you do, sorry boss, cancel the trip, its a sign, maybe Im not meant to go. Look at the news? The worlds gonna end" In this case however, it was like a vacation, a jolly, like HAVING to go to Las Vegas for a work Convention ala Eric, or HAVING to go to Boston / New York to be a glorified drug dealer ala Jill. So I was motivated to make it work. And all the cancelations and news out breaks and public media crys to stay away from Heathrow was not going to deter me. I need to chance my arm.
And it was a rush... I intentionally checked into Dublin 4 hours early for the flight to Heathrow, with my flight being on hold until an hour before expected departure. I really didnt know if I was going to be able to go, waiting at the airport looking at and trading back and forth between the flight departures ticker and the Sky News updates every 10 seconds. And when the flight was finally reinstated (along with a chorus of angels singing Hellujah), only the 2nd flight allowed back into Heathrow actually... I found out I had only 1 hour to pick up my bags (Bags in Heathrow were not being transfered through for any flights that day, again because of the pompy british born plotting Terrorist) transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4, and then recheck-in, with the new "nothing allowed on the plane except your clothes and your passport" policy, plus the full scale/full body cavity search of everyone through airport security (they grabbed my ass cheeks and unzipped my fly! Well unbuttoned because I had a button fly). It was the biggest line Ive ever seen, all waiting in turn, to be willingly sexually assaulted. And the airport was in complete chaos. CHAOS. I just needed to focus. And you know how when you watch news on tv regarding any huge "breaking news" alert or disaster, and think "wow sucks to be there and be one of those guys" and then move on and flick channels to watch sports or oprah while eating a donut? Well this is the first time I was completely affected myself. Im now one of those guys.
So anyways, as you know, I did make it to the Singapore flight (again along with a chorus of angels singing Hellujah). And I sent back a taunting email to all my non-believing coworkers. Some of the casualties... apart from having to check in my laptop and electronics and books, I also needed to leave my camera at home because I could not carry on, and there was no way I was checking in my SLR. Oh well... Plus no change of clothes to carry on, so I have been wearing the same attire for almost 2.5 days by the time I get to Sydney. Good thing for the swimming pool and multiple showers at the airport hotel, otherwise, Id have the sour milk smell of the homeless.
Some of the plusses though; again Im in South-East Asia... where the Macdonalds serves Milo! ( I dont know what it is but Milo in Asia is 100 times better than anywhere else) And hot thai sauce for french fries as well. Good times...
Friday, August 11, 2006
Heathrow
Dont know if youve been watching the news. My my my... why didnt I see this coming... and by this I mean Heathrow Airport getting a Terrorist Plot alert the same mutha-effin day I fly off to Sydney. The one trip that I REALLY look forward too in my 2+ years in Ireland, and stupid terrorists Plot foils me. Knowing my luck, which if it werent for bad luck I wouldnt have any, I should of seen this coming a kilometer away (metric system).
So I woke up this morning getting ready to pack, and then turn on BBC News, and then I see Heathrow in a state of alert and all flights cancelled. This is while Im packing my board shorts and tee shirts. Got a few calls from John and Fin and Murray at work, laughing at me because my trip was in Jeopardy... bastards (even though Id totally do the same). I had to try though... logic being that my flights are late enough in the day, and there would be no way airlines would be stupid enough to cancel long haul flights because of the logistical nightmare. I just needed to get to Heathrow.. which was the bigger problem... and my biggest pannick.. apart from the fact that no carry on luggage was allowed and that Id have to check in my laptop and .. gulp.. iPOD!!! Terrorist bastards...
BUT Im here in Singapore Airport now on a 14 hour stop over, by far the best airport in the whole world and the most ideal place to stop over. Just came back from a swim(had to buy speedos though because again I couldnt carry anything on), waiting for my reflexology foot massage, scheduled in 15 minutes, whilst surfing the internet for free here in one of the many superb lounges. Now only if Singapore can get rid of the musky too humid smell thats found everywhere (Korea -> kimchee... Singapore -> musty musky) Need to end this now because some Singaporean girl is waiting for me so she could oil massage my sore feet... its the least to expect on a stupid day... damn right.
(post editors note: speedos as in board short speedos. And one-use only cuz they were ugly grey with built in underwear)
So I woke up this morning getting ready to pack, and then turn on BBC News, and then I see Heathrow in a state of alert and all flights cancelled. This is while Im packing my board shorts and tee shirts. Got a few calls from John and Fin and Murray at work, laughing at me because my trip was in Jeopardy... bastards (even though Id totally do the same). I had to try though... logic being that my flights are late enough in the day, and there would be no way airlines would be stupid enough to cancel long haul flights because of the logistical nightmare. I just needed to get to Heathrow.. which was the bigger problem... and my biggest pannick.. apart from the fact that no carry on luggage was allowed and that Id have to check in my laptop and .. gulp.. iPOD!!! Terrorist bastards...
BUT Im here in Singapore Airport now on a 14 hour stop over, by far the best airport in the whole world and the most ideal place to stop over. Just came back from a swim(had to buy speedos though because again I couldnt carry anything on), waiting for my reflexology foot massage, scheduled in 15 minutes, whilst surfing the internet for free here in one of the many superb lounges. Now only if Singapore can get rid of the musky too humid smell thats found everywhere (Korea -> kimchee... Singapore -> musty musky) Need to end this now because some Singaporean girl is waiting for me so she could oil massage my sore feet... its the least to expect on a stupid day... damn right.
(post editors note: speedos as in board short speedos. And one-use only cuz they were ugly grey with built in underwear)
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Best Store in the World
Most people that know me, know that I take shopping very seriously. I dont lie, my hips dont lie, and I never lie about shopping especially. Its a part of me. You would also know, the eight of you that still acually read this thing, that I love shopping in London. Its one of the greatest places in the world for retail therapy. And, funny enough, at the exact same time the worst as well, since its so bloody freakin expensive; infuriatingly expensive.
Well this weekend Im in London again, for shits and giggles (Im absolutely loving the fact that I could conceivably visit the likes of Paris and London for shits and giggles... like, what a bizarre station in life. Who the frig am I?) And again I praise the shopping potential of this town, its un-freakin-believable. Let me praise one particular store individually this time; Selfridges on Oxford St. And I absolutely do not hold any punches by sayings its literary the holy grail of shopping. Its the mecca, its the Mt. Everest, its the Heidi Klum. Seriously it has absolutely everything you coud dream of, but unlike Harrods, actually hip and cool. If you could imagine a store that successfully combined every possible thing you could be looking for (Seven, Nudie, Bang & ofussen, Bose, Ted Baker, Miu Miu, Y3 Adidas, Tumi, Crumpler, Agnes b., Hummel, Ted Baker, Paul Frank... I could go on forever ) selling ,computers, clothing, books, elecronics, furniture, housewares, sporting goods, mountain bikes... but all with a hip and modern super chic bent. Any kewl brand the awesome side of Walmart, its there. It honestly does blow my mind everytime I get to go, its the coolest store in the world, and my most favorite store ever, with FAO Swartz in New York a distant second. Yep its that good.
And I didnt buy anything today. Spent 3 hours in that mo fo... and bough zilch for myself because Im Po... honestly its self inflicted masochistic torture. And feck ya, Im going back tomorrow...
Well this weekend Im in London again, for shits and giggles (Im absolutely loving the fact that I could conceivably visit the likes of Paris and London for shits and giggles... like, what a bizarre station in life. Who the frig am I?) And again I praise the shopping potential of this town, its un-freakin-believable. Let me praise one particular store individually this time; Selfridges on Oxford St. And I absolutely do not hold any punches by sayings its literary the holy grail of shopping. Its the mecca, its the Mt. Everest, its the Heidi Klum. Seriously it has absolutely everything you coud dream of, but unlike Harrods, actually hip and cool. If you could imagine a store that successfully combined every possible thing you could be looking for (Seven, Nudie, Bang & ofussen, Bose, Ted Baker, Miu Miu, Y3 Adidas, Tumi, Crumpler, Agnes b., Hummel, Ted Baker, Paul Frank... I could go on forever ) selling ,computers, clothing, books, elecronics, furniture, housewares, sporting goods, mountain bikes... but all with a hip and modern super chic bent. Any kewl brand the awesome side of Walmart, its there. It honestly does blow my mind everytime I get to go, its the coolest store in the world, and my most favorite store ever, with FAO Swartz in New York a distant second. Yep its that good.
And I didnt buy anything today. Spent 3 hours in that mo fo... and bough zilch for myself because Im Po... honestly its self inflicted masochistic torture. And feck ya, Im going back tomorrow...
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Early Morning
Another snap shot that captures a brief moment in Nolis Irish life. Irritated to hell that I just woke up at 4:30am and couldnt get back to sleep... probably only about 4 hours sleep total... which now means ill be in PMS mode for the day. Im absolutely raging! Its 6am.. Thursday. Completely off my head pissed out right now, and all I could do is roll over and open the lid to my iBook.
Got nothing else to talk about really, its 6AM and Im lying in bed staring at the Ceiling. I should do pushups maybe. OH yeah... heres something, last week I was informed that there is a 95% chance I will be going to Sydney Australia in 3 weeks for work... which means day stop overs in either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore there and back as well... (Its 23 Hours flying to Sydney one way... youd need to break it up with a restful overnight in a 5 star hotel, purely for health reasons and correcting bloodflow... its a must. Health and safety first). I should really erase the last paragraph becuase the trip is not totally confirmed and I probably just jinxed it right there... but Im too lazy because highlighting and deleting the last paragraph will be too much effort as id have to prematurely manuver the trackpad. Ill just wear my underwear backwards and do a few eyelash wishes and prayers to baby Jesus later, that should be well enough reverse any jinxes...
Might as well go to the gym then... no choice now, it opens at 7am... which will definitely leave me dead tired and sleepy by lunch time. Until then Ill karate chop my pillow, and throw in a few flying elbows. Happy Days...
Got nothing else to talk about really, its 6AM and Im lying in bed staring at the Ceiling. I should do pushups maybe. OH yeah... heres something, last week I was informed that there is a 95% chance I will be going to Sydney Australia in 3 weeks for work... which means day stop overs in either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore there and back as well... (Its 23 Hours flying to Sydney one way... youd need to break it up with a restful overnight in a 5 star hotel, purely for health reasons and correcting bloodflow... its a must. Health and safety first). I should really erase the last paragraph becuase the trip is not totally confirmed and I probably just jinxed it right there... but Im too lazy because highlighting and deleting the last paragraph will be too much effort as id have to prematurely manuver the trackpad. Ill just wear my underwear backwards and do a few eyelash wishes and prayers to baby Jesus later, that should be well enough reverse any jinxes...
Might as well go to the gym then... no choice now, it opens at 7am... which will definitely leave me dead tired and sleepy by lunch time. Until then Ill karate chop my pillow, and throw in a few flying elbows. Happy Days...
Monday, July 24, 2006
Only thing I can think of saying
Went down to Dublin to watch Superman Returns today. It was only the second cinema movie I got to watch this summer, and the last one was well over 7 weeks ago when I was in Paris with Kevin, where we watched Xmen III at Les Champ-Elysees. Kevin had a solid quote then "... this is wierd... come out of the theatre, just finished watching X Men III, and oh! look over there... Its the fuckin Arc de Triomphe..."
So thats the last time I watched a movie this Summer, which is poor, considering that I usually make a decent effort to watch loads of movies during the summer. Not that all summer blockbuster movies are noteworthy or even worth it, but but but, like playing beer league softball, it just seems like the thing to do. Watch movies. I was exchanging emails with Marty, he got onto the topic of which movies hed seen this summer, when I realized I hadnt really watched any lately. Huh. (thats what I thought to myself. Huh. A poors mans substitute for ambivalent bewilderment. I wonder how often Stephen Hawkins does that in the span of a normal Stephen Hawkins day. Huh.) Naturally, the reflex reaction then was to watch something, anything just so that I could maintain some sense of normalcy for myself; to make myself feel better about... myself. So today I went down to Dublin and watched Superman.
I should do these type of things more often as well cuz its one of the few things I can do over here that geographically warps me back home. Much like how Kev kinda alluded to above, movies are brilliant for transporting you back to home, no matter where you are. Its a dope way to trick your mind, and everyone thats done it would agree as well i think. Like when you are in a foriegn country and decide to watch a Hollywood movie in a theatre, for that brief instance, while you are in that viewing environment, you really honestly forget where you are. Ive watched a lot of movies in different countries, and literally I forgot where I was every single time. The lights go low so you can hardly see anything but the screen, American accents populate and carry through the room, and dark theatres look the same everywhere whether you are in Edinburgh or Singapore. And the only time I snap back is when the movie ends; you get up and leave the theatre, and everyone starts speaking French... or the lights come on and everyone looks Korean. Its like "where the feck did that come from?". Its trippy and pretty freakin cool. The most memorable one, apart from all the movies watched in asiany countries, was watching a midnight screening of The Two Towers with Linda in London. I was totally convinced I was in a Vancouver theatre when I watched it, because I was only on vacation in London at the time, and plus I had been so unbelievably excited about watching that movie, waiting for almost a year. But then the movie ends, and it hits me that everyone is raving about the movie in English accents and then later we get outside and its bloody Leicester Square, and we need to walk back to Picadilly Circus. I looked around like a dumbass during that whole walk back with Linda. (At least she had her sweet aussie accent)
So yeah.. Superman. It was okay enough... would only half recommend it, though. Need to watch the wind that shakes the barley next week. Although that movie probably wont work cuz its actually Irish.... oh well. Maybe Cars then. It just came out (stupid Europe).
(Post Editors note) I forgot, I did watch Omen 666 in the Theatres with Jo for shits a giggles on 06/06/06, but that didnt count, cuz that movie wass a non-runner. But it was fun in a way that Ive never heard a girl scream so loud in a movie and cry begging to leave only 30 minutes in, hiding her eyes for the last hour... Jill styles.
Thoughts on songs that were playing at Random on iTunes while I typed this post:
Ani Difranco - Untouchable Face... one of the coolest songs ever... with the word "fuck you" in the main chorus. Also a cathartic song to listen to when someone breaks your heart...
Eva Cassidy - Song Bird... absolutely best sounding song I have when playing on the Bose speakers
Sarah McLaughlan - Ice Cream... Sarahs ice cream is better than Kellie's milkshake
Beth Orton - Central Reservation... man i have a lot of chicks songs on my iTunes..
Supertramp - the Logical Song... thank Goodness for a change of pace... otherwise Id have to shave my head and become a man hating lesbian.
Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb... good follow up to Supertramp actually... its as if I was making a mix tape.
Ignition - R Kellis... this was our 2003 Las Vegas trip theme song. It shared the title with 50 Cent In da Club... good times.
Hysteria - Muse... my new favorite work out song. You know how there are those few songs where when they come on, you get animated and automatically turn the volume louder? Yup... on the list.
Robbie Williams - Angels... I dont like this guy as you all know, but its good song though...
So thats the last time I watched a movie this Summer, which is poor, considering that I usually make a decent effort to watch loads of movies during the summer. Not that all summer blockbuster movies are noteworthy or even worth it, but but but, like playing beer league softball, it just seems like the thing to do. Watch movies. I was exchanging emails with Marty, he got onto the topic of which movies hed seen this summer, when I realized I hadnt really watched any lately. Huh. (thats what I thought to myself. Huh. A poors mans substitute for ambivalent bewilderment. I wonder how often Stephen Hawkins does that in the span of a normal Stephen Hawkins day. Huh.) Naturally, the reflex reaction then was to watch something, anything just so that I could maintain some sense of normalcy for myself; to make myself feel better about... myself. So today I went down to Dublin and watched Superman.
I should do these type of things more often as well cuz its one of the few things I can do over here that geographically warps me back home. Much like how Kev kinda alluded to above, movies are brilliant for transporting you back to home, no matter where you are. Its a dope way to trick your mind, and everyone thats done it would agree as well i think. Like when you are in a foriegn country and decide to watch a Hollywood movie in a theatre, for that brief instance, while you are in that viewing environment, you really honestly forget where you are. Ive watched a lot of movies in different countries, and literally I forgot where I was every single time. The lights go low so you can hardly see anything but the screen, American accents populate and carry through the room, and dark theatres look the same everywhere whether you are in Edinburgh or Singapore. And the only time I snap back is when the movie ends; you get up and leave the theatre, and everyone starts speaking French... or the lights come on and everyone looks Korean. Its like "where the feck did that come from?". Its trippy and pretty freakin cool. The most memorable one, apart from all the movies watched in asiany countries, was watching a midnight screening of The Two Towers with Linda in London. I was totally convinced I was in a Vancouver theatre when I watched it, because I was only on vacation in London at the time, and plus I had been so unbelievably excited about watching that movie, waiting for almost a year. But then the movie ends, and it hits me that everyone is raving about the movie in English accents and then later we get outside and its bloody Leicester Square, and we need to walk back to Picadilly Circus. I looked around like a dumbass during that whole walk back with Linda. (At least she had her sweet aussie accent)
So yeah.. Superman. It was okay enough... would only half recommend it, though. Need to watch the wind that shakes the barley next week. Although that movie probably wont work cuz its actually Irish.... oh well. Maybe Cars then. It just came out (stupid Europe).
(Post Editors note) I forgot, I did watch Omen 666 in the Theatres with Jo for shits a giggles on 06/06/06, but that didnt count, cuz that movie wass a non-runner. But it was fun in a way that Ive never heard a girl scream so loud in a movie and cry begging to leave only 30 minutes in, hiding her eyes for the last hour... Jill styles.
Thoughts on songs that were playing at Random on iTunes while I typed this post:
Ani Difranco - Untouchable Face... one of the coolest songs ever... with the word "fuck you" in the main chorus. Also a cathartic song to listen to when someone breaks your heart...
Eva Cassidy - Song Bird... absolutely best sounding song I have when playing on the Bose speakers
Sarah McLaughlan - Ice Cream... Sarahs ice cream is better than Kellie's milkshake
Beth Orton - Central Reservation... man i have a lot of chicks songs on my iTunes..
Supertramp - the Logical Song... thank Goodness for a change of pace... otherwise Id have to shave my head and become a man hating lesbian.
Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb... good follow up to Supertramp actually... its as if I was making a mix tape.
Ignition - R Kellis... this was our 2003 Las Vegas trip theme song. It shared the title with 50 Cent In da Club... good times.
Hysteria - Muse... my new favorite work out song. You know how there are those few songs where when they come on, you get animated and automatically turn the volume louder? Yup... on the list.
Robbie Williams - Angels... I dont like this guy as you all know, but its good song though...
Monday, July 17, 2006
Cute Babies Post
Hi. I want to introduce everyone to cute little Keira Lynn Mulleda, the daughter of Fred and Coleen (which in Irish is pronounced "Coh-lean" and when directly tranlated from Irish to English, means "girl" or "your one") Consider me the Irish Sesame Street...
And here we have Taylor Renee Cagampan, daughter of Zeb and Jen. I call her Renee though, because thats the way I roll, even though MJ will probably steal and use it too (biter). See that Man U jersey she is wearing? I bought that!!! ME!!! And the shorts. And the dry fit socks!! Cuz you know why? Im like the best Tito of all time.
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