There's a FLOOD in my Hood

So we survived Hurricane Irene and even though the first two floors in our building were evacuated, we stayed put on the 5th floor and watched as the rain poured down like never before. By 9am, after a solid 12 hours of rain the floods were pretty severe. At noon we ventured out for a stroll and took some video and photos below. - Check out the 360 Panoramic too - Enjoy!

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Flood aftermath in our hood from PaddyinBA Quickroute on Vimeo.
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Tags: ..Hurricane Irene floods New York, New Jersey..

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Come on Irene

Ever had that moment of mixing up the lyrics for a famous song and when you sing it to somebody and then they look at you like you are .......dumb...nah me neither except for this...doh! As we await the onslaught on Hurricane Irene after the earthquake on east coast USA a few days ago, I started to sing the following lyrics to peeps in work but got some funny looks and couldn't figure out why?!

Come on Irene, oh I swear what he means   /   At this moment, you mean everything   /   With you in that dress my thoughts I confess   /   Verge on dirty, ah come on Irene   /   Come on Irene / Toora loora toora loo rye aye. 


OK - your turn - famous song - lyrics you misinterpreted - spill it?


Update: Was just sent this - Hat tip to Jack  


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Tags: ..Come on Irene..

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Twitter is DEAD, R.I.P. - Enter Google+ (plus) - Facebook Beware!

I've never been at the forefront of technology but I've never been too far behind the ol' techie-8-ball either. I was an early adopter of BBS (Bulletin Boards) for chatting / idea / file swapping back in the late 80's.  I was also an early adopter of FREE MONEY promotions on Amazon, eBay, PayPal, eTrade at the turn of the millenium when many scorned me as naive (aka there's no such thing as FREE! - Suckers were WRONG!).  I embraced blogging, Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin before most.  I believe Google+ will eventually blow many social network sites out of the water.  Why?  Listen up..

1. Google size and reach - they already have a huge user base and finally have a viable product (Google Wave/Buzz sucked!) - this is the bulk of the reason they will be 'WINNING' - it's simple - it works - it integrates well
2. Features - ease of use - everything every other social network has and much more user friendly
3. Customization - Privacy settings - Easy to configure - Unlike Facebook
4. Financing - Google has so much cash on hand - they can swallow / incorporate new innovation / talent with ease
5. Less restrictive than twitters 140 character limit and less susceptible to spam bots


Facebook is safe for now because it will be hard to knock them off their pedestal with a 3 year jump start of gathering a user base but they better stay sharp cos' Google+ will come a knockin'


p.s. Ya See cuz Brendan, I'm not such a die-hard Apple FanBoy afterall! 

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Tags: .Twitter is DEAD, R.I.P. - Enter Google+ (plus)..

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Las Vegas

Having arrived in New York with a lottery green card in 1995, I soon began my wandering ways  and ended up in Las Vegas on my first US vacation.  I still vividly remember the sight and sound of the slots in the airport terminal.  Just in case you couldn't wait to get to your hotel, you had the option of pumping coins in the 'one arm bandits' immediately after touch down or before take-off as you were leaving.  

Three Irish lads and a Scot explored all the brights lights and big city had to offer and then some.  We expected our entertainment would be slightly limited since one of our group, my wee brother, was only 18.  Vegas has always been considered a 'tolerant' city however, so luckily we were still able to do pretty much whatever we pleased. We partied and gambled the night away.  One of our group (who shall remain anonymous - let's just call him Junior) partied harder and gambled more at the casino games than the rest of us combined. When I awoke the next morning, he was AWOL only to be found a while later still at the black jack table at 9am.  His initial lucky streak had fizzled out in the wee hours and he would now need a loan from one of our group (who shall remain anonymous - let's just call him Senior) to subsidise him for the remainder of the trip.  

This was to be the first of numerous adventurous 'Lads Trips' in the following years. I've mentioned a few on this blog before but if my memory allows, I'll try and share some more snippits of those trips here in the near future.


Have you been to Vegas? - How was it? - Share your experience in the comments below.

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USA, Las Vegas, 1995 from Paddy Quickroute on Vimeo.

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Tags: ..Las Vegas..

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How you can STILL Bulk Unfollow and Auto Follow on Twitter (tips, tricks)

Twitter has banned or severely limited most third party apps that used to allow auto twitter follow/unfollow.  Google+ (Google Plus) has the potential to seriously undermine Twitter in my humble opinion but for now I think I will cross post on both Google+ and Twitter.  Here is how you can trim down / remove all those Twitter spam bots you may have ended up following without having to click hundreds / thousands of times.

Update: Step 1 and 2 no longer necessary as ManageFlitter now has a Fast Select option


1. Use the Google Chrome Browser
2. Add the Chrome Extension - Check Them All
3. While already logged into Twitter - Goto this web Address - ManageFlitter - Click Start and authorize the app for your Twitter id
4. Click on the 'Unfollow' tab (up top) and 'Show All' (left border) - this will load the first 100 of the people you follow
5. Click the 'Check them All' button chrome extension - looks like a check mark (top right of your browser) - this will select all 100 people on the page - Uncheck those you wish to still follow
Note: the unfollow counter won't update to show you have selected all 100 users but once you click 'Unfollow x Selected' - all checked users will be unfollowed. (a message will confirm this)
6. Advance to the next page and continue / repeat as necessary (daily restriction = 1,000 unfollows)


Update: TwitCleaner is also worth a look as it analzes who you follow and bulk unfollows 


To auto follow people who follow you, you can sign up for Socialoomph and tweak the config options to auto-follow


Easy as 1-2-3-ish

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Tags: ..How you can STILL Bulk Unfollow and Auto Follow on Twitter (tips, tricks)..

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I'm black and I'm proud

There is a line in the movie the Commitments that goes like this "Do you not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once, say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!".


 I think the same could now be said of River Plate football supporters in relation to South America, Argentina, Buenos Aires, River Plate. This is one passionate River Plate supporter watching as his team gets relegated to the second division for the first time in it's 110 year history. Enjoy!

p.s hat tip to Duncan F. for link  

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Tags: .River Plate relegation..

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Road Trip - East Coast, USA

Recent photos (not in order!) from short road trip Red Bank & Long Branch, New Jersey - aka Jersey Shore, then onto Atlantic City for some gambling (won all of $25 but lasted 2 hours on the poker table) then west to Wilmington, Delaware, home of my wife's ex-boss Du Pont, then Annapolis, Maryland for a bbq with good friends, then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and finally Princeton, New Jersey - enjoy!

Tags: ..Road Trip - East Coast, USA..

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Happy July 4th, Independence Day, USA

Almost everyone in the USA gets a day off work and they celebrate with fireworks because way back in 1996, Will Smith fought off alien invaders.

Tags: .July 4th, Independence Day..

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HELP!!!

I'm still here - alive and well.  I seem to be somewhat distracted from the blogosphere of late.  I cant believe I used to update this blog two or three times a week. Where the hell did I find the time? ...oh yeah, that's right, I was jobless and/or globetrotting at the time.  My travels of late have been very limited.  I went to Wilmington, North Carolina for a weekend and...em..err.. that's it for 2011.  I recently celebrated a 1 year anniversary of being back in the land of the employed and an 8 year anniversary of being married.  No regrets on either of those - thankfully!  I was told recently at work that I had 30 days vacation remaining for 2011.  This turned out to be untrue.  I only have 25 days excluding bank holidays :-((

My dilemma is this: - Should I....

A.) dye my hair with blue rinse now and retire to a trailer park in Florida?

 or 


B.) get my nipples pierced and flip a coin to see what happens next?

You decide! 

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Tags: ..HELP!!!..

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PaddyinBA on Facebook

I've been a tad quiet here on the ol' blog recently but I'm still pumping out lot's of drivel on my new-ish Facebook page PaddyinBA.  Same ol' Irish half-wit humour - Same price (free).  Be sure to click the link PaddyinBA and click 'Like'    

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Tags: .PaddyinBA on Facebook page, Paddy in BA..

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Ireland for Dummies - Lessons #1 to 10

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #1: 'Culchies' are people from the rural areas aka NOT Dublin whereas 'Jackeens' are from the 'Big Smoke' aka Dublin. They tend not to like each other unless Ireland are playing England in any sport at which point they form an alliance which typically lasts until last orders in the pub.

PaddyinBA

Irish for Dummies - Lesson #2: Drink Beer {repeat as necessary}

PaddyinBA

Irish for Dummies - Lesson #3: Not all Irish people have red hair. We blame Vikings for that.

PaddyinBA

Irish for Dummies - Lesson #4: It's a long way to Tipperary unless you happen to live in Tipperary in which case it's a long way from anywhere

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #5: If offered a cup of tea, it's pointless to refuse but beware as tea is a gateway refreshment which leads to biscuits and sandwiches and cake. You have been warned.

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #6: Vitamin 'G' = Guinness = Good for you..

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #7: When you give someone directions in Ireland you MUST include at least one pub e.g. To reach the Post Office - "Go to the end of the street and take a left at Kitty O'Shea's then go past the Blarney Stone and you'll see the Post Office opposite the Stags Head.

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #8: Saint Patrick was an impostor. The patron saint of Ireland is actually Father Ted

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - lesson #9: Do not take offence when Irish people use words like 'feck' and 'shite'. We often use these as terms of endearment.

PaddyinBA

Ireland for Dummies - Lesson #10: Don't be too excited when your Irish friend invites you for a 7 course meal. It's just a 6 pack of beer + a pack of crisps (potato chips)

Click the pic (above) for more.....

Tags: ..Irish Ireland for Dummies..

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What Doesn't Kill You, Keeps You Alive

[cont'd from here] - I arrived in Victoria Bus Station in London on a September Saturday evening after a marathon three day bus/boat trip from Greece. I hadn't saved much money from my summer job and I blew what little I had in Greece, so I was now down to just enough for the train and ferry back to Dublin.  My parents would be none too pleased about the sorry state of my finances which were supposed to go part way to pay my fees. I must have been feeling fairly foolhardy or just plain dumb, since I decided to try and track down my cousin who was working in London for the summer between college semesters. I poured  some coins into a pay-phone (remember no mobile phones in these days) and called his home in Dublin and got his address from his brother.  I bid my college buddies farewell and headed off to try and navigate the London public transport system. I was now a seasoned traveller and had survived Denmark and Greece, so what could possibly go wrong?


By 10pm, I had finally arrived at the address of a very 'ethnic' neighbourhood in Hackney, East London and knocked on the door of the house.  I was wearing shorts and tee-shirt with a backpack and was sporting my newly acquired pink tan.  The door finally opened and I asked if Patrick was at home. The Carribean woman looked me up and down and must have put 2 and 2 together. This pasty pink Irish git must be a friend of the other pasty white Irish git that moved out 2 months ago. With a thick Carribean accent she said - "He no be livin' here no more, but me gotts' him address he be wantin' his mail sent to".  I wasn't too happy to have to head off to the far side of London - Brixton, but at least I had the details.


As I started to make my way back to the tube (subway) station, I noticed a dodgy geeza' (a rough looking individual) who seemed to be following me. There was no one else on the street and it was now dark.  He started to quicken his pace so I quickened mine. I had a heavy backpack on so had difficulty picking up much speed. I could hear he was gaining on me so I fumbled around in my pocket and took out my pen knife. He was now running after me so I ran as fast as I could.  When I realized I couldn't out run him, I turned around and warded him off with my knife (all 2 inches of the blade) and shouted "Keep the f#ck away, I have a knife!" .  He slowed down at first but then to my horror raised a brick he had in his hand above his head and with a muffled slurred voice said - "I'm gonna f#ckin' kill ya!"

His eyes were red and glazed over and he looked like he was off his head on drugs but he seemed hell bent on pounding me to a pulp with a brick. I was beyond scared.  I was terrified, so I took off as fast as I could running in the middle of the street with the psychopath giving chase.  A car was approaching, so as I ran towards it, I waved it to stop. The driver was a big Rastafarian and rolled down the window to ask "What the heck be goin' on man? " The brick wielding lunatic was still hot on my heels and was now chasing me in circles around the car.


Rasta dude got out of the car to intervene.  Thankfully, he was built like a ox and in a flash grabbed the drug crazed nut job, pushed him up against a wall, knocked the brick out of his hand and shouted "Get the f#ck outta my turf man!"  I didn't wait around to thank my Rasta saviour. I simply turned and fled.  I saw a bus pulling up at a bus stop and jumped on.  It didn't matter where it was going.  I was back among people - safety in numbers and all that.


Once I was well clear of the scene of the crime, I splurged on KFC for dinner and then a taxi to reach my cousins new abode in Brixton and got there around midnight.  It turned out to be a grafitti riddled squatted council flat.  The neighbourhood was not at all inviting.  Gangs of kids were hanging out on the corners smashing bottles.  I knocked on the door several times but no one answered so I sat on the front step and wondered WTF was I going to do now. I was already short of the money needed for the train / boat back to Dublin. Western Union didn't exist in those days and even if it did, I was going to get a 'boat' load of grief asking to be bailed out after 'working' all summer, so I was rightly up shite creek without a paddle.  At 2am an unfamiliar body drunkenly stumbled up to the door and asked in an Irish brogue "who de feck are you?"  I'm looking for my cousin Patrick" - I explained. "Ah yeah, Patrick moved out a few weeks ago - Not sure if he's still in London" - he said.  He could probably tell I hadn't had the best of evenings.  "You can stay here if you want, but just for tonight."  "Thanks" - I said. All I wanted was the safety of 4 walls and some sleep. Hopefully I'd  figure something out in the morning.

I slept late the next morning and finally woke up when my host turned on the TV. It turned out I went to high school with his younger brother so we chatted about what each of us had done for the summer and I told him of my adventures the previous night.  "So you have no idea where my cousin is? - I asked. "No, he was due to go back to college soon so he may be back in Dublin already" - he replied.  There was a knock at the door so he went to answer it.  "Ah it's yerself!" - I heard him greet the visitor.  And there, drunk as a skunk, wobbled in my long lost cousin Patrick.  He greeted me with indifference in his intoxicated state.  "Ah it's yerself!" - he said, immediately followed with "Jaezuz - I'm burstin' for a pish!..is there any beer in the fridge?"


He eventually sobered up enough to realize it was no small feat of chance and adventure that we had managed to meet up at all.  He had only showed up at his old temporary abode by chance to pick up his forwarded mail. We recounted our summer adventures over beers that evening (as the Irish do) and we headed back to Dublin the next day on the 24 hour journey of train and boat.  It was one of the roughest vomit comet ferry crossings I have been on, but just a small chink in the armour of this road weary traveller. This had been a summer, I would never ever forget.  They say what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. I now have a much better appreciation and understanding of that expression and a strange but understandable affinity for Bob Marley's music .



     

Tags: ..Ugly Mugger Fugger..

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Jason Days wife Ellie Harvey Day is Smokin' Hot!

The US Masters golf just finished up with South African Charl Schwartzel emerging from the closest scramble to the finish in years and unfortunately 21 year old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy who had led for 3 days, faltered at the last hour to drop far behind.

The buzz on Twitter, which I tuned into in the final few holes was not about the golf, but rather about Aussie golfer Jason Day's wife (Ellie Day). She was shown waiting anxiously on the 18th green and the cameraman and producer seemed to take a shine to her as they kept zooming in on her again and again.  Apparently Jason met the Ohio beauty in an Irish pub called Mavis Winkles where she was a waitress.

I find it interesting that social media is changing the way we interact with more traditional media like TV. Your thoughts?

Here's some more pics of Ellie below

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Tags: ..Jason Day's wife Ellie Harvey Day is Smokin' Hot! Photo Pics..

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A Greek Tragedy

Having worked like a 'Double Whopper' for the summer of 1987 in Burgerking Copenhagen, I headed to the Greek Isles for some R n' R with two college friends before recommencing our student endeavours in Ireland.  We purchased a one way airfare from Copenhagen to Athens and left the rest to fate (something we would later regret).  Athens was a chaotic polluted mess and a far cry from the organized multi-lingual Danish experience. It was a bit of a struggle but somehow we managed to reach our intended destination, the island known as Ios (pronounced 'eeeos' and not to be confused with Apples 'iOS' since iPhones and technology like internet, mobile phones, Skype etc was still a very very long, long way off.)

We were so clueless and ignorant of where we had ended up that we stayed in a room near the port the first night and all agreed that the island was a bit dead in terms of nightlife, since there wasn't a club in sight (fyi - we called them discos back then). It wasn't until the second night we discovered the mayhem and debauchery going on in the main town, 2 miles up the hill. Cheap cocktails with names like blow-job, wet-dream, orgasm and tequila slammer bars and clubs full of party mad drunken lunatics from all over the world.  It was a case of, 'if you can't beat them - join them' and oh brother did we ever join them.

 I finally made it to the beach about 2pm the following day with a motherfucker of a hangover and vague recollections of bumping into half a dozen old high school friends from Dublin. Ios was 'the' party destination back in the day and people came from far and wide to party like rock stars on a student budget .  After seven days of similar antics and having acquired a typical Irish pink tan, we headed back to Athens to arrange our transport back home to Dublin.

What we hadn't factored in was half of the European student population was also headed back from their vacations and last minute flights were extortionately expensive.  The only alternative was bus and boat from Athens to London. 3 long uncomfortable days on stinky, sweaty buses and vomit comet choppy ferry crossings all across Greece, Italy, France and UK.  Ah the follies of youth. The incident that awaited me in London (before I finally made it home to Dublin)  however was to be one of the scariest I have ever experienced, ah but sure isn't that a story for another day.
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Tags: .. Greek Tragedy..

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April Fools?

It seems Mother Nature has a cruel sense of humour and is having the last laugh on this April Fools. I thought it supposed to be Spring? How's the weather where you are?
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Tags: ..April Fools..

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Copenhagen - The Awakening of the Irish Gypsy Nomad

It was the summer of 1987 - Copenhagen was to be my first trip outside of Ireland (not counting camping with the parents in Enger-land).  With only a week left before departure, the original five adventurous college classmates eager to spend a summer overseas and earn some cash dwindled down to just two. The night before we were due to depart, the last brave comrade in arms phoned to tell me he 'lost his passport' and wouldn't be able to go.  I had already quit my prestigious part-time job stocking shelves in a supermarket, so I had little option but to go it alone.

I was a shy, innocent, clueless Irish Paddy heading off to the unknown.  My sisters boyfriends brother was supposedly aware of my imminent arrival so I least I had a contact on the ground...or so I thought.  On the plane to Denmark, I chatted with an Irish girl (Kathryn) next to me and told her of my plight.  "Who is supposed to meet you at the airport" she asked.  "John H.", I responded.  "I doubt it she said - sure isn't he away for a week at the Roskilde Rock Festival!"


I should probably write something eloquent like "on comprehending my imminent dilemma my heart sank...blah blah blah", but in reality I nearly shat my pants.  I was to arrive in a strange land with nowhere to go and no one to help...FECK!


On seeing my concern she said - "but there's a spare room above our flat where you can stay a few nights and I'll introduce you to the Irish Burger King crew".

It was only recently I thought about what a pivotal moment that was.  Without her contacts and hospitality, I might well have been back home in Dublin a week later with my tail between my legs and possibly never have been keen to leave the ol' sod again.  Instead, I got a job at Burger King <- [click me], and met a ton of wonderful people and gained an appetite for wandlust that continues to this day. Thanks Kathryn wherever you are..
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Tags: ..Copenhagen, Denmark..

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Kiss me Irish Arse....

........It's just like kissing the Blarney Stone and will bring you the luck o' the Irish. Just keep your hands off me 'Lucky Charms'

Happy St Patricks Day! ( Lá Fhéile Pádraig! )

Tags: ..Happy St Patricks Day!..

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St Patricks Day Parade Hoboken (Debauchery rehearsal)

The parade is held a few weeks early every year in Hoboken - New Jersey, since the main event in New York City on March 17th overshadows everything else.  I got to take part in the parade this year which was a blast.  The bars open at 10am and charge $20 entry and the lines go around the block so we bailed out of the parade early and crashed a party complete with beer keg and games of beer pong.  There is a really heavy police presence with a zero tolerance policy towards drinking or peeing outside or in a non designated spot. $2,000 fine if caught.  Some enterprising local put up a sign (see pic below) offering toilet facilities for just u$d10!

 Gotta Pee? $10 please!

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Tags: .St Patricks Day Parade Hoboken..

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Jersey State of Mind

Newark, New Jersey gets a bad rap next to its famous neighbor New York. It smells worse, it's a bridge or tunnel away, It's the reason for 'Jersey Shore' but it still has a sense of humor.  This is a piss-take / parody of  "New York - Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z | Alicia Keys - Check it!

Tags: ..New Jersey State of Mind..

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Winter Wonderland

It's hard to motivate yourself to go outdoors in this weather but with cabin fever setting in, I eventually dragged my sorry Irish arse off the sofa and headed out to stretch my legs.  There have been record snow storms in the North East this year and the fact that I've not had to deal with a really cold climate for five years makes it a little tougher. (I may have gotten a bit soft!) The thought that the worst of the weather may yet be to come is scarier still. It does make good photo material however. Check the slideshow below. How's the weather where you are?

  

Tags: ..Winter Wonderland..

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Angel Falls, Venezuela

In 1998, while we were living in New York, my GF and future missus got offered an au pair (nanny) gig in France for the summer looking after a French diplomats kids and once that was done (trivia fact: France won the World Cup that year), she headed direct to Buenos Aires to visit her family. I decided to head down to Argentina to meet the potential new in-laws but I made a few pit stops along the way (it's the backpackers equivalent of stopping off for a wee dram for some Dutch courage).  This was not one of your standard luxury all inclusive holidays.

I flew from New York to Caracas (not my fav city) and then after eventually finding the bus terminal (thanks for nothing Lonely Planet!), I took a non air-con local bus along the North coast of Venezuela where despite the stifling sweat bucket conditions, I think it was the breath taking scenery and interaction with locals bemused by why a gringo (the only gringo on the bus) would take the slow uncomfortable bus complete with chickens in cages, still ranks high on my all time most memorable travel experiences. 

After arriving in a hot and humid Puerto La Cruz, late at night and securing a very basic windowless room with just a  fan and 3,000 mosquitoes who proceeded to feast on my pasty Irish flesh, I continued by bus the next itchy morning to Ciudad Bolivar where I caught a propeller plane to Canaima which is the jumping off point for the infamous Angel Falls (tallest waterfalls in the world).

It took a day and a half by canoe to get to the base of the falls with our guides 'Tarzan and Jane' a French expat couple, who wore only loin cloth (no joke).  We slept in hammocks in the open air at night with another 3,000,000 mosquitoes who turned my belly in a mogul slalom course.  If only they ate the blubber and not the blood?!!


Despite the near death malaria experience, food poisoning, heat stroke and some weird parasite worm in my stomach / stool samples - discovered 12 months later, I highly recommend this trip to everyone.  You know what they say.., What doesn't kill ya .... doesn't kill ya! 


Alas - I didn't have a still camera back in the day and this is all that remains of my tardy recording of the trip :-(( 


Angel Falls, Venezuela - 1998 from Paddy Quickroute on Vimeo.

Tags: ..Angel Falls, Venezuela..

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Downtown Manhattan, NY with a big ass cruise ship as a bonus

One of the best sky-scapes in the world - second only to Hong Kong in my humble opinion...check out Statue of Liberty at 1:02....

Update: The one above is from my iPhone - I found this one below a few days later

NYC - Mindrelic Timelapse from Mindrelic on Vimeo.

Tags: ..Downtown Manhattan..

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Growing Old

Here's a few snaps from the Xmas / New Years holidays along with a few of home base during the same period. It's back to reality with a 'brrrrrr' now and the snow is still piled high on the footpath (sorry that's sidewalk in Yankee speak) outside.  The warmth of Florida seems like a distant memory and more snow is on its way.  I'm beginning to understand why the 'blue-rinse' crew fly south for the Winter. Could it be true that old people aren't daft after all? ...or am I just getting old myself?

 Meanwhile down South.......

Click on Slideshow Below for more pics....

Tags: ..Holiday Travels..

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White Stuff Everywhere

Everybody is talking about snow and ice and cold and when you turn on the news it's nothing but blah blah blah about white stuff everywhere.  I specifically flew south for Xmas to avoid this crap but what happens?....There's feckin' white stuff everywhere here too..

OK - I guess white stuff on the ground isn't always bad... and now Trivia time for Pensacola Beach:

1.) This beach was completely fu(ked by the BP oil spill earlier this year but thankfully has recovered rather well. 

2.) The Native American Indian Geronimo (now there's a real American Hero)  was sent here (Fort Pickens) after his capture.  Must have been quite a contrast from his homeland of New Mexico.  
   

Tags: ..Pensacola Beach, Florida..

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2010 - The Year in Review

Since this blog is more of a diary, I feel compelled to share that 2010 is a bit of a blur (nought to do with beer - well maybe a wee bit..).  It was a challenging year to be sure.  The missus and I flew from our abode in Hong Kong and spent the last week of 2009 slummin' in a swanky Singapore apartment courtesy of my cuz' and his missus ('grassy arse' B & J) who headed to the snow and ice mayhem of London / Dublin for their Xmas break including an unscheduled free stopover on the airport floor for a night in Luton.  Deja Vu if you look at the weather forecast in those parts of Europe at the mo'.


We were back in Hong Kong just in time for a spectacular New Years fireworks display with a large party crowd on a glitzy junk boat on the HK harbour, where I got spectacularly busted trying to 'borrow' a bottle of champagne from the 'non communal ice box'.  The problem with a boat is there's nowhere to run and hide from dirty looks and worse (for 90+ slow, tick-tock, agonizing minutes....cringe).  Note to self - only steal champagne on land from now on - lessons learned.

The jury is still deliberating as to whether I had been avoiding work or it had been alluding me but alas in February 2010 opportunity knocked and I answered and after some back n' forth and see-saw, a potential international relocation for June/July once again presented itself to the already road weary Mr and Mrs Paddy in BA.

And so it came to pass, that we Irish/Argie gypsies packed up shop once more and headed off into the sunset to arrive at an already familiar destination (NYC/NJ) where upon six months has now passed and I'm happy to say no regrets (apart from the B&T label). We've reconnected with old friends and made new friends and with the exception of owning a home (we rent), and having 2.5 children (New Years resolution) and a dog (not likely) and a car (maybe) we are living the American dream (subject to recessionary scaling).

Here's Wishing Best Wishes for the Holidays and Happy New Year to Y'all!

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Tags: .2010 - The Year in Review..

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Rubberbandits - Horse Outside

How to pick up the ladies in Ireland....

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Tags: ..Rubberbandits - Horse Outside, madeline mulqueen..

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Scarred for life by the brute force of Irish hospitality

The Irish have a reputation for hospitality which is renowned the world over.  When you visit someones residence you will typically be offered a cup of tea.  This apparent gesture of goodwill should not be taken lightly.  Do not under any circumstances accept a cup of tea.  Tea is a gateway refreshment which leads to more and more varieties of snacks and food you don't want.  If you accept the tea you will be asked if you want sandwiches, cake and on and on it goes.  Before you know it, you are presented with enough food to feed an army

The fundamental problem with Irish hospitality is the shameful lack of moderation and restraint.  As a wee lad visiting friends and relatives in rural Ireland I still have torturous memories of being subjected to unwieldy amounts of hospitality.  I remember the pre-visit strategy where my parents would warn us kids not to say 'yes' to any form of refreshment. This rarely worked as my Mum would eventually be forced into submission of 'just a cup of tea' and before long the mountain of sandwiches were in front of us.  The amount of butter on these sandwiches was criminal verging on manslaughter.  Thick dollops and wedges of artery clogging butter that made me want to vomit on the spot.  My Dad would lean over and whisper to us - "Yiz better feckin' finish those sandwiches now, 'cos we don't waste food around here."  

To this day, I still gag at even the thought of butter and I eat only dry toast.  Scarred for life at an early age by the brute force of Irish hospitality.

Tags: ..Butter..

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