A read worth booking!

This is one of the best books I've read in a fair while - from one of the best writers working in any genre, anywhere in the world these days.

A simple tale, economically and elegantly told; with a perfectly flawed central character whose anguish you can almost touch as his world unravels before your eyes.

Proof that perfect stories don't need to be convoluted, less even comfortable, to be riveting. You could do a hell of a lot worse than entering this world - ye might even forget about your own troubles for a worthwhile few hours.

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Best in class!

Ship Shape

I took this picture last summer but had forgotten about it until I came across it while going through the archives the other day. It's a shot of the German Navy ship, Gorch Fock, which docked on the River Liffey over a year ago now.

The crew are busy hoisting the sails here but, as I was pressing the shutter, I remember thinking that despite the focus and teamwork required for such a job, the minds of each link in this human chain were probably secretly wishing for the end of the day, or, even, the whole mission, and yearning deeply, perhaps, for the solace of home.

Strange the kind of stories that a picture can conjure in the mind!

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Und get me the Fock outta here!

Rare Aul Times!

With so many gulls, pigeons, rooks, magpies and jackdaws ruling the roost round these parts, it's getting rarer to see any smaller birds at all these days - well, down this neck of the woods at least. Indeed, what used to be so common a sight that you wouldn't bother noticing in bygone days has now become a bit of an event.

Like when this little chap showed up out of the blue a while back. I ran for the camera and snapped him through the glass before he copped me snoopin' and duly slung his 'ook!

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Hedge or house, common or garden?

Utterly useless things I never knew 'til now #1

Walter Plinge is a pseudonym used in London theatre when a part has not been cast; when an actor is playing two parts; or when an actor does not want his or her real name appearing in the programme. The name was a homage bestowed by actors in bygone times to the landlord of a pub near the Lyceum Theatre.

The US equivalent is George Spelvin. David Agnew is a pseudonym for writers whose real names can't be used on TV while Allen Smithee is used by anonymous Hollywood directors. So there.

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My bible of useless facts!

Splendour falls ...

... on glassy walls and something summits, what's the story! Yeah, something about this shot, taken the other night, restricts my breathing and gives me palpitations! Could be a photographic metaphor for claustrophobia or some other kind of psycho-confinement. Or, then again, it could just be an unusual lookin' photo! Still, thought it worth posting.

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Taken October 20th on mine camera phone

In Livin' Colour

I've always reckoned that if you look at things a little more closely, or in a number of different ways, as with my living room side table here, more than likely they will reveal themselves to be much more interesting than you'd initially think!

And sez you, sure such is life!

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Better than watchin' telly!

Kaleidoscope Theatre

With all these reflective images I've been shooting and posting in the last couple of days ... well, I just got a tiny bit carried away! 

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Bored, Gosh!

As I was walking down the street ...

... I came across a luvly treat! Tis a great thing when the wind has dropped to nothing, you're on your way home for dinner and you happen to have your camera close to hand!

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Lights, camera, inaction!

And seeing it was a soft October night ...

Walking home can be such a delight - specially on a windless night like tonight!

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"Dublin can be heaven!"

A read worth booking!

This is one of the best books I've read from one of the best writers working in any genre anywhere in the world these days. A simple tale, economically told with characters whose anguish you can almost touch. Proof that perfect stories don't need to be complicated to be riveting. You could do a hell of a lot worse.

More soon ...

Best in class!

Sunday Morning Blues?

Well this might help! It's a just little ukulele instrumental I recently recorded of an old, old Ink Spots tune that was a hit way back in July, 1940. It's called We Three and it's a pleasure to play on the uke, especially the unusual chord change at the very beginning (from D to Bb here) but also the sweet Gmaj7 towards the end of the second phrase. So nice! Indeed they don't do write them like they used to.

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A spot of uke!

Lights, cameras, action!

Today marks a new departure. Back to college for me. Starting a course in Film today down Windmill Lane Studios way. The idea is to try to skill up some more so as to keep in touch with the digital explosion.

It seems to me to be all about moving images these days - even for the smallest of us fry. To turn a buck in this game you increasingly need to have a virtual film crew in tow - hence this investment. Not sure how it'll pan out but we can only have a punt and see what happens.

As the man once said: "do interesting things and interesting things will happen to you."

Here's hoping!

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New lessons to learn!

Blissful experience tells me ...

... that life can sometimes be about - getting things spot on!!! Come on you boys in blue!

Oct 1st being the time!

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