Got a tattoo and went West

KOI TATTOO - Probably surprising to many westerners is the large of amount of ancient myth that surrounds these beautiful fish in the Orient and their elevated status there.
Generally known here as the brightly colored fish that are common in public ponds and fountains, carp (koi is Japanese for carp) can be found in colors that include white, yellow, gold, a deep orange, and some are even calico-colored.

Particularly beautiful specimens have been known to fetch prices in excess of half-a-million dollars from private collectors who specialize in their breeding and showing. However, the koi is more than just a colorful and collectible fish. It is also one of the most popular and beautiful of Japanese tattoo symbols – a beauty which belies its symbolic meaning.

Although Chinese in origin, the carp is now widely celebrated in Japan, particularly for its manly qualities. It is said to climb waterfalls bravely, and, if caught, it lies upon the cutting board awaiting the knife without a quiver, not unlike a samurai (warrior) facing a sword. This theme dates back to ancient China, where a legend tells of how any koi that succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate (on the Yellow River) would be transformed into a dragon.

Based on that legend, it became a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement. Eventually, the stoic fish came to be associated with so many masculine and positive qualities that it was appropriated for the annual Boys' Day Festival in Japan where even today colorful, streaming koi flags are traditionally displayed for each son in the family.
In tattoo imagery, especially in combination with flowing water, it symbolizes much the same: courage, the ability to attain high goals, and overcoming life's difficulties.

Start playing this
The Higland Sessions (2): Suil A Ruin


Well, boys and guirls, since I last left you, hang on, I need to check this one…
Right, Cork got beaten by Waterford and the following week Waterford got beaten impressively by Limerick, well done Limerick.



Then I went West, turns out it works out cheaper than going to Amsterdam and places like Spain, way cheaper and lived like I was 70 years old and retired, but not quite dead, manys a good tune was played on an old fiddle, never really quite imagined meself playing the fiddle or violin, the only difference I think is the type of music played on them, but anyway for 6 days I was retired out west and the difference between having a good time and a wet time is a golfing umbrella, all you need is to get one and you’d never know what a rainy day is about i.e. not getting wet.




My daze consisted waking up, having a pot of tea, putting on the shoes and strolling over for the paper, coming back reading the paper and consuming more tea, having a bit to ate as the man said, going for a walk around lunchtime, maybe 10 kms to the next village listening to music no 70 year old would listen to having a Guiness or 2 (or maybe 3) and strolling back, lighting the fire, reading one of many books, then watching a movie, then see you tomorrow world, which I always would, I’m not that old you know !



Walked to Inchegela 3 times, walked back twice and over the O’Leary way, very nice.
The barman and proprietor, Joe Creedon put me on to a book I’ve always wanted to read about Celtic Spirituality ‘Anam Chara’, translates as ‘Soul friend’, I’ve always understood ‘Anam’ to be name, but it means ‘Soul’ and I suppose when you dive in, it makes a lot of sense, don’t go changing into your swimming attire just yet though.

Called to Art, the old Dutch guy up the road who as he describes it, his own piece or paradise, yep I’d have to agree, just yourself and a few goats, no cars and the like.
.

.



Got the first part of my tattoo done, getting it finished tomorrow, got some stuff together for that, so if it comes out good, it won’t be a complete fluke.
Started reading Zola’s ‘General’, very good, need to set a bit of time for that task.



Saw John B Kanes ‘The Matchmaker’, it’s about courting for boggers before they had nightclubs and you could pay a guy and he would tell you which person would be good for you, without even talking to them, and it was staring ‘Miley’ from Glenroe (Old irish soap opera series)

Across the road they had ‘Music on the hill’ (Good title) but for me it was ‘Music across the road, which it was, well anyway they had the ‘Black sea don cossocks’, some really amazing voices, has to be the best part of ‘Multiculturalism’, you get to see different things, not just the guy down the road singing after a few pints, because they were from Russia, so they wouldn’t know anything about the Irish goingons, because they’re not from here, the’re Russian, didn’t I just say that ?

Went to see ‘The Importance of being Ernest’, great show, which it was, I knew that, if memory serves me, Susan was being a bit under the weather because she is a bit of a ‘Daddys little rich girl’ and wasn’t going to be entitled to a grant, awwwwww. Flash backs of Annie ‘…the sun comes out tomorrow’, get on with it !!

Went the Bantry masters festival and saw Steve Cooney among other’s, quialty, quality, quality is all I can say, ok so, quality, do you need to hear it again ?

Put some ‘Magic beans’ on my Facebook profile and I did get an offer from some guy
Goodday to you Seller, I want to know if this particular Item is still avaliable for sell, If yes then i will like to buy it from you and you should he me send it to me sister In california. She is handicap, so i will like the item to be ship to her door step. Please calculate the shipping cost and add it to your Item fee. I will pay for it as well.

This is how i would look on the Simpsons


Didn’t think that would come to much, how much are Magic beans worth these days, especially with the world markets being in the state they’re in ?


Now watch this, it doesn’t have any sound, the boys order a shot in barcelona



Vivian from the Galapagos on the beach

Went to the wedding of the Planet or just plain old Kerry

I didnt do any of below last Saturday, but i was at a wedding, but if i could, things might have been differnt, or maybe not, we will never know!!!



Well well well

I was going to write something (and don’t worry, I’m not going to try and extort money from you by not, although if you really needed to read these words and I could get a few quid from you at the same time, things would be different and your credit card would be down a 0 or 2, but that’s wishful thinking and that’s not going to happen, maybe not in my lifetime (Here’s a mathematical joke) there you go joke over and you keep your money) and if that was all a bit too much for you, don’t worry, I guarantee you, someone out there will still love you, maybe love you even more because you don’t.

Anyway, I want to show you people some photos first, then I will kill you, not with love or kindness or empathy, all I say is give me time, maybe I will send you to heaven…… before I send you to hell, or have a cup of tea, or maybe I’ll have a sleep and we can so it all again tomorrow, or maybe not.

Going to Canada


50 Cent played in Cork last week and without further adue



Slightly confused ? Dont know what to do ? No Problem...


Wedding of the year you say, were there any photos.
Oh since you ask, here you go, Password is 'cork'
Wedding

Fraying at the edges here, and i'm not doing so well, no stories only feckin' pictures.

So some stories, hung out with Hughie on the weekend, slept in the same room as him, seperate beds, all good (I think we were all glad of that, only joking)

Well anyway went there on Friday night, charged a lash of beers to the wrong room, could have been an innocent mistake, i'm not that innocent, lost that years ago)

Met up with Hughie ahd a great time, wedding went well (Please refer to photos)

Skip to story 21 (I cant remember the others)

I wake up, i'm in 1 bed, Hughie is in the other (Believe me this is a good thing)
I ring reception at 10.45 (I know breakfast ended at 10.30)

Me: Hello there, I'm in a room with 4 walls and i would like some breakfast
Receptionist: Sorry, Breakfast ended at 10.30
Me: But you can give me some food, go on
Receptionist: Sorry, Breakfast ended at 10.30
Me: Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on,
Receptionist: Sorry, Breakfast ended at 10.30
Me: Just bring it up, in a roll if you can, we're wearing clothes and everything, you sound like a nice girl and everything
Sorry, Breakfast ended at 10.30

Cant remember the rest

Then...................

Hughie calls for milk for a cup of tea (And i answer the door)

Me: Hello (Very good way of introducing yourself........ sometimes)
Servent: Hands me a big plate of milk saches (For little cups of tea, at least 15 in fact)
Me: Erra, that wont do him at all (Pointing to Hughie)
Me: He's a Culchie from the country, he milks cows and sometimes he milks bulls
Servent: Says nothing and leaves

10 minutes later
Knock knock (No joke here folks)
Hughie opens the door
Servent hands him a full pint of milk (In a pint glass)
We're pissing ourselves

I drink the pint of milk, it was nice, nothing like it after a big wedding night !!!

Not much to add for here


Oh booked tickets to Amsterdam, will get a bus to Paris, fly to Barcelona (for the second time), but this time i have a friend there.
Then England, then home to Cork, then US, then South America, then Feck, how would i know ?????

Went to Cork V Tipperary Under 21 quater final this evening, Cork went ahead at the 32nd minute and won it in the last minute (Won it by the grace of god) Great evening to watch hurling and have warm lemonade, warm chocolate and chew on 'milky moos' hard sweets that get softer the more you chew. It was like i was 12 all over again in one of the beast evenings Cork will see this summer. Lovely hurling

Peace out

K

The times are a changing

One from http://postsecret.blogspot.com/




Well it was recommended to me that i don't drink blog anymore and to be quite honest (yes theres always a first time) and this isn't the first time. Not as dangerous as getting into a car after a few beers, but the pen is supposed to be mightier than the sword and i really didn't realize i was doing that, well not much anyway, times haver changed and i wonder if the keyboard is as mighty as the sword, any ideas ?

I know what your thinking
Maybe cos it is i is black, 'Racialisim' as Ali G might call it.. (queue awkward silence)

~Er....Glad thats over, now for some Ali G



Well i thought I'd, write a few lines, and since I'm never really short of words, I'd see what happens and maybe a picture or 2 as well (I cater for all groups, well except for all the bastards in the world, which I'm told theres quite a few, a few too many and sometimes I'm no better meself)

Recorded heaps of music for my new Creative 30Gig music player, excuse me ? Did you say 'New' and music player, well your paying attention, I'll say that much, I'll say that much and yes i did.
What does that mean, long walks in the country listening to music that i can walk to without getting tired, my mother thinks i'm the 8th wonder of the world since i don't ever get tired, i don't know, i just don't get tied, not me.

Currently listening to Guns N Roses (Axle is having a rant, as only as Axle could) and it's great. Pity that rock doesn't really do it for me anymore, pity, maybe not.

The brother's getting married in Kerry this weekend and it's going to be a lovely little weekend with the family lovely that is as long as Cork beat Offlay in the hurling. I'll be happy then, and that game is on Sunday and the wedding is on Saturday, do you think i might be able to find some kind of Clairvoyant match results 'We tell you tomorrows news today', that would be very good, then i could be happy on 2 days instead of 1, spreading my happiness over 2 days, 'Easy on the happiness, don't want to be overdoing it there Kieran'. That bit of happiness will have to do me until i get paid on Wednesday, oh don't you love those people.

I think I'll get a loan from the credit union, and pay it back £10 a week, the happiness that is. What you say ? Can i have happiness for £10 a week, yes you can

Then, check the fine pint 'Happiness not guaranteed' and 'Theres one born every minute' Which is quiet true really when you think about it, my suggestion is that you don't! Think that is, don't think, I'm not and i feel fine.

Oh no, Axle Rose is ranting again !!!!!!!

I'm going to be on my best behavior, no drink, can you see a bit of a trend developing, no drink blogging, no drink wedding, what will they think of next, lots of little plans are being hatched, not unfairly i might add, the pendulum is swinging in my direction, finally at last some people are saying (Kieran steps to the side and back again, have to remember to move out of the way again)


Bought heaps of stock for a HIV treatment pharmaceutical company (good thing), sold (Some of) the broadband internet company ( nasty business but good thing too), since we're in a new tax year, i'm not too worried, and oh 'Happy new year, er well new tax year anyway'.
2 good things in 1 tax year, i'm on a roll (And speaking of rolls, one of the best things about Ireland is you can buy 'Jumbo Breakfast rolls', Ireland i love you!!)
It's an Irish breakfast in a roll, pure genius!!!

Some thing's always better that nothing and at least I'm giving you something, and now you say 'Yeah what does that mean to me, feck all' and 'Thanks, i think I'll click on this link about Prostate cancer'. Err, sorry, didn't mean to hurt you feelings.

Don't click on that, click your mouse on this below




Bye bye

Hope the sober results are worth it, i spell checked it and everything :)

Oh i just found this too, it's good!!!

Kieran feels like he's in the Truman Show in Stockholm

Well well, it's been a week and we all know what that means.

'You buy a ticket, you take the ride' thats what Hunter S. Thompson once said and since your here, your on the ride, no refunds, keep you hands by your sides at all times.

I went to Sweden and all i brought with me was no expectations, and a bag full of books that i didn't bother reading some of them had pictures so i suppose there was no excuse for me except i was having too much fun, every single night too, not a bad effort considering that most backpackers stay away away from the place like the plague, but that's also the story for the Galapagos and they stayed away from there too, not very smart....the backpackers that is.

Me too, not very smart that is, but no man can be smart 24 hours of the day, a smart man once said that, and by repeating it I'm hoping some of that smartness will rub off on me, I'd doubt it, but it's worth a try.

Basically all i knew about Sweden was Ynwie Malmsteen (See below)



And the Chef from the Muppet show (See below)


What did you do ? What did you do you say, well the first night i arrived, seemed a bit strange the fact i couldn't book any accommodation in Dublin for Stockholm for my first night, but then the words of Dean Morrarity from Jack Kourack's 'On the road' came to mind.

Basically he was saying people when wanting to travel from A to B worry too much about where they will eat, sleep, piss, whatever that they usually end up being deterred about going and don't. But you always eat somewhere, sleep somewhere so don't worry about it, just go, so i did, with his words in mind, and i didn't mind.

Arrived, and tried to find accommodation, i tried, then i said feck it and went for a beer, met some people, went to a club met some more people, ended up drinking beer on the street until 8am and then went to check into the hostel, citybackpackers.se i think.

The helpful and later on became a bit of an issue and I'll get to that too was looking at the sky and then looking at the clock set me into a bit of a confusing state, i call this confusion, if i was i was a physiologist I'd have a better word to describe it that i still wouldn't understand, but some guy sweeping the street in Sweden would, how can their English be that good ? The confusing thing was Do i sleep or wake up, eat, drink (Didn't need any reminding there) ?

The next part of the story is called 'The chicks run the game in Sweden' and this is true. Seemed a bit strange to me anyway that in Sweden, women walk home, cycle home, do everything by themselves.

As one girl said 'Boyfriends, what do we need them for' and the proof of this was the morning of 'Glad Midsummer' they were all walking to the train station, oh yeah, they all pretty much left town, bad weekend to leave town, well so i was told, me thinks not, and for the first time i thought, I've met women who are like me, well except they all look extremely hot, me? Not, well not yet anyway, but I'm trying anyway.

The point is, it's a very very safe city and men are more afraid of women that they are of them, basically it's the complete opposite of Cork which is more like a cross between Mel Gibsons Apocolipta and Brave heart, which had me wondering.
Why is Mel Gibson making movies set in Cork ?

Speaking of Cork, i came back one night and i had to watch this.

Best hurling goal ever




See what i mean, the place was driving me crazy, well my head anyway. It's too perfect and that would drive anyone crazy !
Compared to do whatever you like South America, and I'm going back. I need anarchy, i love it!!

Actually i created a Job profile on Monster.com stating I'd be interested in a job in Sweden, but not too much.
I felt like i was on a Hollywood set half the time and half expecting I'd walk around a building and it would be all cardboard from behind a bit like that Jim Carey big brother movie The Truman Show, very annoying indeed. There all laughing now i bet, I'll bet.

Went out with a hot Lesbian to a club with a German guy, yeah even the lesbians a hot, what the hell.

Here it is, the Vikings came to Ireland, took all our gold, raped pillaged and stole all our beautiful women and now they're in Sweden, i did try asking for them back, it got a few laughs, good trade, beautiful women for a few laughs.
Maybe i should have asked for Magic Beans, that would be handy, i could climb it and get a golden goose.

On a happier note
Got an email from Kieran from Cork, don't get me confused with the other kind (Galapagos) and i could be going to the US well east coast, the west coast is locked in, well at least in my mind anyway.

Peace out for now.

P.s.
Back to the peoples republic today, Cork are playing Kerry this weekend in Kerry, wouldn't mind going, but time will tell, and I'm not in Sweden so i can be guaranteed that if time says 11pm, it will be dark, oh what Joy. Joy to the world, which
reminds me, Handel's Messiah was first performed by Himself just around the corner (Christchurch Dublin)

nuf