Waaaaaaaaaaaa A new job!

So folks, I got the JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just couldn’t be more delighted. This recession has taught me some hard lessons I can tell you. I have a much better appreciation for money firstly and also having an actual job to go to! I won’t be moaning on a Sunday evening about having to work on Monday for a long time I can assure you. It’s been over two years since I’ve been employed last and I’m super excited about getting back to the work force, earning some mula and getting some bills paid most importantly. And it all happened so fast. Got the call yesterday, got the job today and start working tomorrow! The minute I get my first pay cheque there’s gonna be some celebrating, you can be sure. Boom!

The Champ makes his return this Saturday, he’s running in Gowran Park and the bould Paudie Roche is taking up his rightful place on board for the occasion. Hope I won’t have to WORK now and I’ll be able to go and cheer him on. Especially since the head of the syndicate and main owner my good friend, Header Magee can’t make it. We’ll hopefully have some support for the little hero no matter what happens. So fingers crossed for the big boy and I’ll let you know how he does.

So that’s all the news for today. Short and sweet as I may hit the hay early and be fresh for my first day in the morning. It’s going to be awesome!

Just to add quickly, I have the best friends in the world and want to thank them for all their finger crossing and just general delightedness for me the last day or two..

So for you guys still out there stuck in the rut of unemployment, keep your head and your spirits high as best you can and just keep looking, even though it doesn’t feel like it something will eventually turn up. I’ll be rubbing the Buddha’s belly everyday for all y’all.

 

 

 

S’Craic for the weekend?

Shtory folks.. Nearly the weekend, well for the working population out there. There’s no such thing for rocknroller’s like myself! Having the family over for Sunday lunch this weekend. So naturally I’m stressed to the eyeballs. Cooking a roast dinner for six people isn’t the problem, the problem is I’ll be feeding my Mother. Now Mother is lovely and sound and all that craic, but Mother is a vegetarian, slightly OCD and obsessed with how food is cooked. The cleaning commenced today, not that my house is so disgusting that it’ll take four days to clean, but no nook or cranny will escape scrutiny albeit subtle, so a good spring clean is in order and it’s spring today anyway so why not.

Now the problem with spring cleaning is once you start cleaning like that, there’s no end to it. I cleaned the kitchen door today and ended up washing all the doors. Started polishing some cutlery and ended up re washing and polishing all the cutlery along with the cutlery tray and the drawer. Its seems to be some type of viscous  cleaning trap that just sucks you deeper and deeper the more you do. At the rate I’m travelling there’ll be no lunch on Sunday. I may just cop on, stop fannying about and get it done!

Had a job interview today. Another one. Interviews are so nerve-wracking. Of course I didn’t sleep a wink last night in anticipation, thinking over and over in my head possible answers to possible questions. Which is fairly futile if you think about it. Of course one should prepare themselves for the interview, but apart from doing a bit of research on the company, you know what you know, if you know enough and have the experience and qualification you’ll get the job.  All the while obviously showing them that you’re not a total dickhead and are fairly sound. So why do we stress out so much!! Maybe that’s just me. Maybe most people are cool as cucumbers, breeze in, have a chat, hit em with some info and boom, job in the bag.

Obviously the stress stems from the absolute chronic need for Europeans, not the human type the paper type. Not having had a job for nearly two years I’m pretty well at the end of my tether when it comes to cranking out the bills every month so a job would be amazing. Well wish me luck and fingers crossed. Interview went well so hopefully. I’ll do plenty of Buddha belly rubbing for luck!

So enjoy the weekend folks..  Yes Thursday is the start of the weekend and always has been in my eyes.. So if you’re sitting in feeling shite and fed up, out with ya and kick for Swifts.. You’ll meet Scomes in there on a work night out, no doubt tearing up the dance floor..

Peace out.

Wine. The grape of wrath.

Wine truly is the grape of WRATH! There is no better description for the beverage. Now of course if consumed sensibly no issue should arise, however I’m Irish as are all of my friends and as much as we’d like to simply enjoy a glass of vino with dinner it rarely if ever occurs. Instead, we start with a glass before dinner or during preparation. This is a mistake! As soon as that fruity grape juice hits an empty tummy it will unleash the goo to beat all goo…. and I do not know one single person that can resist that kind of GOO!!

As a result of recent wine craziness I am officially off it! No more wine for me for the foreseeable future. Not only does it get you absolutely shit faced, out of your mind drunk but it’s also packed with calories and as I’m on a diet and trying to lose weight it just doesn’t make sense to drink it ever again!

I had my first chance to say the big NO to wine on Sunday night. I went to Suzie’s for dinner, which always always ends in copious wine guzzling and severe hang overs.  So instead of giving into Suzie’s wine pushing I opted for a vodka and soda instead. There was no way I was getting away being teetotal! Not a chance.

So two drinks before and during dinner, one after then up to the pub for three more in total. So for those of you who can’t add that’s six vodkas, after which I was feeling great, just slightly buzzing. Suzie on the other hand had shared a bottle and half of wine with another dinner guest and was slightly worse for ware.

Next morning I was fresh as painted daisy’s!! A little tired because of the late night but otherwise fully functional, if I’d had two glasses of wine, the day would have been a total write off. Lesson learned, no more wine!! Ever!! Hopefully.

No more WINEFACE!

 

In other news I’ve lost four kilo since my dieting commenced in late January if anyone’s interested. My body hurts more and more every day but it’s a feeling I’m starting to enjoy! So hopefully I can keep it up. I’ll be amazing in no time at all.

Waiting for some dude to come and fix my new shower!! Why do they never come when they say they will!!! House  bound for the day it  looks like

Smell ya later folks.

More shit to be unhappy about! No Government involved.

Right then, since the January blues subsided I decided that there were a few things I need to start doing in order to make myself just a little happier. The main one is losing weight! I’ve steadily gained about a stone and a half in the past two years since I was made redundant. Reasons being, I’m lazy, I eat my body weight in almost everything, I absolutely never exercise and I started to really enjoy some junk that I never liked before, Coca Cola, chocolate and ice cream being the main ones.  Now in fairness I think I’m relatively lucky, I’m still wearing a size 12, albeit a bit tight, OK very tight and I still eat pretty much whatever I want, when I want. Portion control are not words in my vocabulary. I know people who gain serious weight by looking at a bar of chocolate, which is just so unfair. I commend these people constantly having to watch what they eat. I really don’t think I could do it.

So a new regime has ensued since mid January of walking/running every day if not twice a day.I haven’t so much as lost a pound! Now I feel a hundred times better, more healthy and have lots more energy. I actually do things all day as opposed to sitting on the couch watching daytime TV or reading books, so this is a great change. Now I very clearly know the reasons for my lack of weight lose and it’s simply stop eating Michelle or will be an elephant. But I just can’t stop! I love eating, I spend my whole day thinking about what I’m having for my next meal. My life would be total misery without it, or at least I think it will. I truly believe I have a food obsession. Not only do I have to eat what ever I crave but I have to eat so much of it that I have to be rolled down the hall to bed. Every night I go to bed feeling roughly six to eight months pregnant, vowing I won’t do the same thing tomorrow and lone behold the cycle continues..

 

The other thing I noticed the other day, while on the weight discussion, were old photographs of me from a couple of years ago. Looking back on them I realised how little and in perfect shape I was. Now I was working seven days a week in a very physical job and I was obviously in my early twenties which helps, but I soon realised that even then I was never really happy with my weight! Now understand, I am not now or never where one of those birds who are obsessed with putting on weight. Popcorn and diet Coke as a stable diet. Eating only soup when out for a meal. Those people always and still do annoy me. But I was conscious from time to time of my appearance and being in good shape, not skinny, skinny is not a good look and not something I could ever achieve even if I wanted to with my body shape.

So I suppose all this rambling really boils down to this question. Are we ever happy with ourselves? Are we only happy with something/anything retrospectively? And what is the story with that? Next year, I’ll be a size 14 looking back at pictures of myself now saying, “fuck thought I was big then, look a me now!”  Fuck off..

Lunch time now, I wonder what I’m going to have.. mmnnnn

 

* This what is I know a very menial post is simply a break in my own head from the doom and gloom of austerity, fiscal measures, possible referendums and all the other woo related stuff  that makes me angry and almost makes this country unbearable at the moment.

Good luck in the New Year

So five days in to the new year and my head is fried already. I spent the first few days feeling very positive, looking forward to the year ahead. Must be better than last. I love making plans there’s something therapeutic in it. You feel like you can change your life no matter what. Which I truly believe one can. Then just as your planning your new life on that amazing beach in Spain, where your job with clearly consist of drinking cocktails all day long, BOOM, as many bills as can possibly fit in your letter box. And not a screed to pay any of it.

Vodafone are trying to charge me hundreds of euros for data usage I didn’t use because they said I never informed them I using a Blackberry. Total bollox and according to their online complaints forum I’m not the only one. Well they’ll be waiting for it just like everyone else. Can’t give what I don’t have… Simple.

In the mean time while I try to figure out how to turn little money in to lots, I’ll continue planning my new life in Spain. I’m going to live in a wonderful little villa, beside the beach of course, possiblely work in a quaint little book shop while perfecting my Spanish and of course, lets not forget, meet the man of dreams. Yep that should do it for the new life. Deadly Buzz.

So happy new year ya’ll! Make great plans and fuck the bills.

Wishing you a Happy Christmaca

Happy Christmas everyone. Hope it’s a safe and happy time for all. May the Christmas be full of festive cheer and lots and lots of face stuffing. My favorite part and here’s a savage rendition of one of my Christmas favorites. Enjoy all.

Oh yeah Breaking Dawn

Only because I’ve mentioned it already I have to talk about it. So what did I think. OK I thought it was good. Not brilliant or amazing but good. I liked the way they made mouthbreather Bella look so horrendous, it was very well done. The bit with the wolves talking in their heads was slightly strange and there were a couple of cringe worthy moments during the wedding/honeymoon. I don’t know what people who haven’t read the books think, because I don’t think they explain things well.
The best part of it was of course Edward. It was nice to see him less animated, with a haircut and a long over due smile. The couple of smiles at the beginning of the movie made up for the last two films of full time sulky pout face.
He’s still amazing though.

What a lash

The Christmas is nearly upon us!

So we won’t feel the Christmas now. Only sixteen days until the day some people long for all year. I on the other hand, slightly dread it. I hate to be a Grinch but the stress of the Christmas can sometimes be too much. I used to find it stressful when I had a full time job and plenty of money, so as you can imagine on the dole it’s a total nightmare.

Anyway less of the negative and more about the Christmas things I enjoy. I love Christmas day, when all the stress of presents and trying to invent money is over. What you’ve bought is bought, wrapped and under the tree, no going back now. My Mum still calls us super early on Christmas morning,  she’s always the most excited about opening the gifts. The best part of the whole day has to be the feast, Turkey baby. Turkey, stuffing and brussel sprouts are my absolute favorites. My ingenious Mother makes the best sausage meat stuffing that I’ve ever had. There’s nothing like a midnight snack of turkey and sausage meat stuffing sandwich, nom nom nom. I’m getting excited just thinking about it.

The other part of the Christmas I love is hanging with my friends and having a Christmas night out. We usually make a good effort and don a little black dress or the likes to make it more of an occasion so it’s not like any ordinary night. And in fairness we always end up having savage craic. Looking forward to Christmas drinks night this year so we may get the finger out and get it organised.

 

Trying to get some Christmas feel in the house last night I got some lights and ornaments up. Still trying to figure out where to get a Christmas tree in Killenaule.  It’s not like Drea’s in Kildare, go in pick one out and they drop it to your door. Tipperary needs a Drea’s.

Not a great shot but this is how my fire place looks at the moment.

Second best part of Christmas day is of course, Christmas movies! I absolutely love Christmas movies. My all time favorite has to be Miracle on 34th Street. It’s such a classic and Richard Attenborough is Santa Clause. No matter what I see him in I immediately think, ah Santa. He’s the best Santa there ever was. Next in my Christmas movie list is ELF! I just love love love this film. Will Ferrell is totally brilliant as Buddy the Elf and so funny.  I can’t wait to see it.

Here’s  a little clip to get you in the mood. It’s totally worked for me.

Busy two weeks. Great craic though.

So busy two weeks. Well busy for me anyway as I don’t ever have much to do.
Have to start with the Champ! He ran his little heart out last week in Fairyhouse and finished a massive second. What a miracle legend horse considering he should have never made it back to a racetrack. What a great day with plenty of excitement and worth every bit of nerves and fear! Here’s hoping he crosses the line first next time out!!

Donned a little frock on Thursday for the Black Tie. Everyone was looking marvelously smart. Unfortunately I was too busy skulling wine and having craic to take any pictures but I can assure you everyone was looking well and great sport was had. Think we finally finished up around six the following morning. Except for the head cases who jumped on the air coach and headed for more booze god knows where. I have some seriously crazy friends. Fully nuts.

Come dine with me dinner and birthday night was hosted by my good self last night. Five heads and I sat down to a feast of smoked salmon mousse followed by roast chicken, stuffing, bread sauce, gravy, the works! All cooked by my brilliant Nigella self and it was pretty good if I do say so. Owe big credit to my good friend Suzie for supplying the mousse and bread sauce recipes well worth the stress of cooking something new.
After we gorged ourselves on the feast we proceeded to drink copious amounts of vino. The grape of rath. Which invoked some serious karaoke singing and even a full dress rendition of the Rubberbandits, which as you can imagine was priceless! Plenty of rest now for the weekend and hopefully we’ll get another dinner night going next week. At someone else’s house obviously! Here’s a picture of the head the ball dinner guests. Good times!!

The Headers!

Racing and Black Tie make for an exciting week!

So busy week ahead. Racing in Fairyhouse on Wednesday. The Ethiopian (aka The Champ) is having his third outing this year  and after finishing third on his last run in Galway, the Ski Magee syndicate are hoping for a good things! Fingers and toes crossed anyway. Here’s hoping for a good run and maybe even cause for a celebration. (Not wanting to get too excited or carried away)

The Ethiopian coming back into the parade ring in Galway

 

Thursday night is the Cunningham’s Black Tie. The Black Tie is an annual charity night held in Cunninghams Bar in Kildare town. It’s an excellent excuse to get dressed up and all for a good cause. The tickets are usually €20 and this years event sees the Injured Jockeys Fund benefiting. I’ve been attending for probably eight or nine years and it always makes for a brilliant night. Well worth a look if your in the area this week. Will follow with some glitzy pictures over the weekend.