Life is never enough - it's all you get

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:24:23 GMT

I hate starting work at six in the morning. HATE it. Oh well, just today, the 28th and 29th and nearly 2 weeks of holidays. LOVE it.

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:35:03 GMT

What was the last concert you attended?
It was either Bill Bailey's comedy gig which was a huge letdown or if you want something completely musical without the comedy, the Castle Party.

What bands have you seen in concert the most, and how many times?
I think I've seen Ministry the most amount of times with 3, any other band seems to be on two.

International?
Right here goes. I've seen Mogwai in Glasgow, Depeche Mode in Paris, Laibach in Helsinki, Vive La Fete in Barcelona, the aforementioned Castle Party in a place in Poland called Bolków, there was the Lowlands festival in Holland/The Netherlands, Killing Joke twice in Paris. I think that's them all. Oh yeah, Von Sudenfed in Glasgow, Mogwai again in Belfast and Bjork in Belfast.

Do you have any setlists? From what bands?
No I don't bother with that too much.

Are there any CDs in close proximity to you? Which ones?
My room's a mess and of course there are lots of CDs "in close proximity"

What band are you in the mood to see live right this second?
I could go to a good Maximo Park show, or another Aa show.

Have you ever been on a tour bus?
No.

Have you ever partied with a band?
Not really, but sort of I guess.

How many states/provinces have you been to concerts in?
Dublin, Paris, Bolków

What bands did you see live the month of May?
None.

What CD are you addicted to at the moment?
Well I bought the new Vive La Fete album so......

Who is one band that you used to like, but now you can’t stand?
I don't think there's any I can think of.

Have you ever been on anyone’s guest list? Whose?
Haha, no

Last band person that you got a picture with?
There was the old mobile pic of me and Sascha Konietzko

How old were you went to your first concert?
11

Who was it?
The Prodigy

What artists haven’t you seen yet that you want to see?
There's just too many to mention here.

Are you wearing a band shirt right now?
No.

What band do you own the most merch of?
That's impossible to say really

Do you ever do anything crazy at shows?
Don't think so.

What are your favorite venues to go to shows at?
Dublin - Tripod, Button Factory ( much better as Temple Bar Music Centre ), The Academy
London Barbican
Glasgow Barrowlands ( been there once but it's a real dodgy fucking place ) and The Arches. Small venue but lovely all the same.
Paris - Le Trabendo where I seem to remember the girl behind the bar wanted to get me drunk on red wine when I wanted a Red Bull. I've also been to the Stade de France.
Belfast - Spring And Airbrake and the Waterfront. The Waterfront in Belfast makes all venues here look pitiful. Though having been in the o2 here, it's not that bad.

What band do you have the most performance pictures of?
I never take photos

Would you ever get a tattoo representing a band?
Never

How many concerts do you average a year?
I'd average about 9 or 10 a year but now it's been cut down to 4 this year. It's too expensive to go to gigs here in Dublin. You can almost go to see the same band play in Belfast ( if they play up there ) for the same price including the train up and back! I suppose it doesn't help that I budget how much I'd be willing to pay for a gig. And unfortunately it seems I'm priced out of the ones I want to see.

Upcoming Shows?
I want to see Laurent Garnier play in March. Maybe Killing Joke in Poland in April. Anything else is up in the air at the moment.

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:38:03 GMT

Right now I've got the idea for getting a TEFL course done and hoping that I can pass it so that I can make a new life for myself in another country. It's something I must do.....but hopefully at the right price. It's been in my head for the last 3 weeks or so starting out with the thought of moving to Norway but the more I look the more think it's a sound choice. I might as well accept an early grave the way I'm working here.

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:37:27 GMT

The prices that are quoted here are outrageous. My money would be gone in one single transaction just to get my health back on track. I'd rather do it somewhere cheaper but.....I don't know if it's entirely possible.

In other words, sucker, there ain't no other

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:18:59 GMT

God I've got so weary in the last week. They've been laying on the hours of overtime way too much that eventually my body and mind just couldn't cope with the continuous hours being handed down again and again and again. I went to the doctor to see if there was some problem because I have been having difficulties with swallowing/gulping for a while now. The tests have seen inconclusive at the moment but I have to ring a clinic so that I can get ultrasound scans on my abdomen and h pylori breath test as well to measure what is the problem. My health's really been suffering since I had a respiratory tract infection back in October. I've started questioning why I'm subjecting myself to this time and time again. I almost feel like a zombie. If I did the total hours this week without going to the doctor it would be touching near 60 hours. There's just no way I could do that even more so now that overtime payment seems to be gone almost completely. There's just no way I can do it. But yet, you almost find yourself in a Catch 22 situation.

Eventually, the hours of sleep will probably catch up on me in the new year. Though I should really consider my options as to what to do next. I can't live like this forever.

Love songs playing in the restaurants. Airports playing Brian Eno!

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:16:09 GMT

Apologies that I haven't posted here for a while, there's been too many things going on. Love affairs, a brand new laptop and it's hard to talk about what has gone on in the last two and half weeks when you're extremely tired. Facebook solves these problems. In anyway, it's going to be a harsh month for me a) starting at six in the morning for work is not going to improve my mood. And b) things just seem a complete mess for me at the moment.

Since last week I felt horrible. Working 50 hours plus and everything else left me feeling really disorientated. When I get home, the one thing I want to do is either go to bed or go on the Toshiba laptop that I bought about a month and a half ago. If there's one thing it has done, it's the feeling that I can almost say that I've got peace of mind from it. No problems of waiting turns or shit like that.

In almost less than a month I'll be off for the new year on a double trip. I'm going to take the flight to Norway to Sandefjord and then the next day go to Lodz in Poland to meet up again with my girlfriend. It's been a rollercoaster ride these last few months and even before then in general. I don't know how we changed from good friends to lovers but it's something I couldn't do without. If it wasn't for the amount of work and the distance between us, I'm very happy. What more could anyone want? Well apart from the closing of the distance.

I want to bypass Christmas altogether. Let's go straight into the new year.

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:44:20 GMT

Well this last week has seen me get sick for some reason or another. My stomach seems to be in tatters and I don't know what I can do to stop it. I thought it was getting better but obviously it hasn't. I really can't understand it.

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:10:42 GMT

Paris is so bloody hot. The showers are a nightmare at times! I wonder how much weight I've lost because it's impossible to eat here almost at anytime.

As I write this I'm irritated by the hiccups I have.

Tragedy, luxury, statues, parks and galleries.

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:43:26 GMT

Well in 9 days time I'll be going to Paris for the third time in 12 months. I know I'll like it because it's Paris and having the sense of freedom and knowing that there will be things in Paris that will interest me. Plus there's the Depeche Mode gig to go to. So obviously that will be good.

Next month I have a week in Poland to look forward to. I'm pretty sure it's going to be good. I'm already excited about that due to Castle Party there but in a sense, that's the not really the reason being there. In a way, it'll be nice just to get away from everything.

I'm also looking forward to the flight to Poland because it will be the first time I will fly with another airline other than Ryanair or Aerlingus. I'm going with Air Swiss. It will be nice for a change because with Ryanair flights, it's a depressing experience just going from flight to flight and being lumped with these extra charges either due to laziness or due to the fact that you have absolutely no idea where these extra charges coming from. It just makes the whole thing feel like a hassle. But the unofficial motto is "Put up and shut up" and that's what you do. The change here is that I'm asked what type of meal would I like with my flight. There's just no way that would happen at Ryanair.......unless you want to pay extra for it.

Here's to Air Swiss for trying to compete with Ryanair with some lovely ideas. And I get to stop off at Zurich. What's not to like?

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:39:37 GMT

Well it's finally over.......normality is starting to creep back in and no more going to internet cafes unless I have to book a holiday. It's been a long time really but I'm glad it's over now. It probably shows how little I have a life when I say I missed being able to talk to someone up until 1 or 2 in the morning. I still have to get a laptop for myself because I'm using my mam's ( the other PC just doesn't work ).

Does anyone still use Livejournal? I kinda feel like I'm the last of the users who still uses this site. Even when I haven't actively used it for something like 2 months now. It's not my fault really

Sat, 09 May 2009 20:30:08 GMT

Since the renovation work has begun at my house I've barely had the time to say anything of note here. I don't know how long it will last. It's a bit depressing because I liked going on the computer a lot. Now I'm going to internet cafes just to keep track of things. Perhaps a bit too obsessively but what can I can do. Looking forward to a return to normality when it's all done and over with.

I think the simplest explanation is that I had these experiences!

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:58:22 GMT

There are some things that freak you out. Some that I'm not going to go into over here because it would be pointless but some like on the weekend are just entirely baffling. Like a middle aged woman shimmying with her arms in the air and her cigarette in hand and singing something very faintly. It just seemed bizarre as she stopped me. I didn't know if she wanted a lighter or something like that. But she stared at me weirdly. I just walked off immediately because I didn't know what was going to happen next.

Pursued by hatred and their misery

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:46:39 GMT

Finally the last two weeks are over. One mindfuck after another. A lot of 12 hour shifts, weekend work. My body feeling weary. Skipping dinners because I wasn't hungry. It just felt like a never ending punishment. This morning was horrible though. Waking up, I felt that my knees were quite sore. They were alright once I got back into the swing of things but I think to be on the safe side, I'm going to put a pillow under my knees just to keep them from being in unbearable pain. For the most part I'm going to take it easy. Just don't do anything too strenuous. I'll go for a swim but that will be about it really.

This weekend will be all about rest and relaxation. Because it feels like a long time since I've been able to do that properly. I've bought some CDs and DVDs to get me into the mood for that.

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:34:32 GMT

I think I'm going to have to get a tooth taken out because I had a filling put in there a couple of years ago and now the other side of it is beginning to disintegrate. And this was an extensive filling so I just have this bad feeling that if that completely goes, the filling will collapse altogether.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:38:54 GMT

I wish I could take more than just one day out of life.

He walks as an empty tourist

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:09:11 GMT

Front 242 gig was awesome. My legs might still be a little sore from all that jumping around.
The old footwear manager is now in charge of clothing and so far, it feels slightly more comfortable, perhaps. The real change is that there is not much talk. Which has it's advantages.....but there's definitely no cliques.

I've been back from Poland about 5 days and already it feels like it's in the past. I don't understand how it goes just in a snap of a finger. I guess because I have a trip to Milan coming up, I'm trying to stave off any gloominess. That and Auschwitz is something you wouldn't want to dwell on too much. In some ways, I just wish I could be stuck in another country. I think I've got to go back to studying though. The more I think about it, the more I think it makes sense. But perhaps I should make more of an effort into doing something more.

Still, as long as I've got something to look forward to......even if it means nothing to anybody else. I've always got something to hang onto.

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:12:20 GMT

Holidays are fun until you have to come back to reality.

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:02:53 GMT

I wish I could do a disappearing act. Just like that. The one thing that I never fail to admire is someone who is able to just disappear off the radar and sort of live off in a bunker mentality. That would be awesome. No doubt about it.

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:47:31 GMT

One of the guys in work has broken his arm one year on from when I fucked my wrist up. Considering this guy still has problems with his wrist, he could be out for about six months give or take. February might as well be called Casualty Month here where I work, it's that bad.

Evacuees and refugees, presidents and monarchies

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:35:51 GMT

It's amazing sometimes the amount of shit I can write in this thing.
I haven't really done that much today, just slept and watched TV.......I guess there is the feeling that I'm going back to work now tomorrow which is depressing me at the moment.......but I can take solace from the fact that I'm on another holiday in another 2 and a half weeks from now. If anything it's reassuring. Is there ever such a thing as being a travel junkie? An aeroplane addict? There must be with the way I go on holidays. A total need to travel the world, that's my call in life. Not to go to bed with all these girls, not to go out drinking with mates, just........going to all these destinations - fashionable and unfashionable. Anywhere to get away from dreary Dublin.

Timeless leaders standing tall

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:25:27 GMT

The flight home was nice.....even if there were some boisterous German schoolkids going on their first trip together. I slept for most of the flight like I usually do because I'm exhausted and I pick the worst flights to come back home from. It almost feels like drifting into space. My breakfast consisted of a bagel and coffee in Dublin at about half past 8 or something like that. The one good thing about it being German schoolkids is that they don't have these unbearably deep serious accents and they sound like they're having fun. Even if they are screaming when the flight takes off or is preparing to land........it's still annoying but.......having watched German TV, I know it could be so much worse.

When I got home, I went straight to bed, it was just the right thing at the right time. I didn't do much yesterday, I didn't even unpack ( I still haven't ). I was amazed I slept 8 hours last night considering the amount of sleep I already had but I probably needed it. Getting the bus to the airport I just read 2 chapters of Philip K Dick's Dr. Bloodmoney to keep myself amused. I wasn't in the mood for sleeping just yet because then I'd have to wake up again. In those situations, a book can be useful if the book is visual enough. By that I mean that you can create your own little private cinema in your mind. If the book is just fancy words being wrapped around each other with no particular vision in mind, it's hard to get excited. But you might disagree.

I am looking forward though to the next holiday. I love going away, getting lost on new journeys because it's something that keeps me going. The fact that it can be done cheaply is a bonus. Well that is, when it's within Europe for me. Still.......here's a song that's close to my heart

Shut up Marge and let's get down to some efficient German sex.

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:43:25 GMT

I really shouldn't have worried. Düsseldorf has absolutely nothing. I barely spent much. German TV infuriates me. Here I am in the model of efficiency. Efficient sentences. Short. Sharp. Concise. To the point. I think the German way of living is effecting the way I type. Ja scätzchen, ich liebe dich für nur ein mehr Tag. Listening to German's not quite the same as it used to be. I prefer French. It's more soothing. I'm actually looking forward to going home. Spend a few weeks working. Then I'll meet you in Poland, baby.

The East is calling, and I'm feeling nervous.

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:01:52 GMT

So tomorrow I'll be in Dusseldorf. It's the first time I've actually been nervous about a holiday in a long time. I've barely got any money. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive and it really says something when I'm counting the cost of everything before I go. Doing some mental arithmetic in my head for the first time in a long time and see how I will survive. And this is the first of three journeys so I've just got to stay out of town for the majority of my time now for the next three months. God that's going to be hard. But then again, I might get used to staying in bed watching DVDs and reading books. Maybe I should've been doing that a lot more back then but I just wanted to be out of the house. Oh well, I'll see how things go. I'm bound to be short of money when I come back but I don't think I'll be buying anything extravagant. If I manage to watch a football game over there I'll be very happy.

I've decided I should pack a lot of books with me because I won't have an awful lot of money to do things and I'll just read and read and read. Have a walk around Dusseldorf or perhaps Dortmund on Wednesday but other than that just do not waste money unnecessarily. This is the first time I've gone into a holiday thinking that. It's really strange. Holidays are supposed to be carefree but not this time. If I manage to do this right I'll be laughing. And make sure I have enough money for the next couple of trips. Kraków and Milan. It seems weird to be going into the new year with so many holidays lined up. I even have Paris in lined up in June. It's a very weird set of circumstances for me. It might be good though that I'll be reading a few books. Despite my lack of interest in books, they can be useful.

It's only an early morning dream and the whole world will be alright.

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:21:43 GMT

Today's just been weird. Being in the other warehouse with the usual guys but with some of the guys I left. At times my old job felt alien to me and at others it didn't. The time did some strange kind of warping too. It was almost disorientating at times. It was just totally weird. I don't know if I'm going to get my passport on time. I've to give the passport office a ring to tell them to make sure they make it quick so that I can go to Germany. If they can't make any promises then I will have to cancel some things. It would be a major pisser if that happened but ultimately I realize it would be my mistake in the first place.

Maybe when I go to sleep tonight, I will be alright.

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:30:17 GMT

What is it about these Russian posters that keep adding me these days? I don't speak the language.
Things are a bit fucked up at the moment. Trying to get a replacement passport because the other's been lost somewhere. And other things but I really don't want to get involved in talking about them. It's just too much worthless shit that's not worth wasting energy on. Still, life goes on and all that.