He has done some brilliant illustrations of well-known characters, with a twist. ROWFL and Wookie The Chew being two of my favourites.

Favourite new find in a while.

They’re a bit shit really aren’t they? Knowing the weekend’s over & you’re back to work in the morning. Combine it with a case of “The Fear” after a heavy session on Saturday night and yeah, Sunday nights are a bit shit.

I was all tucked up in bed, nice & early last night when my average Sunday night turned into a pretty bloomin’ good one. No, not a school-night booty call, but a ping-back to this ‘ere blog, and one post in particular, which notified me that I had made it to the shortlist for the Best Blog Post category at this year’s Irish Blog Awards.

Well, colour me pretty jazzed, but how cool is that?! I am, you may gather, pretty gosh-darn-tooting excited about it. So excited I’m not being sweary… which is, in itself, a little odd.

Altogether there are 7 posts shortlisted in the category, and to say that I am in good company would be an understatement. These are the other posts I’m up against*…

• Grandad – Passive smoking is beneficial
• Twentymajor – It is time to turn our back on the criminal catholic church ltd
• Panti – No more Mr. Nice Gay
• Fatmammycat – Twilight, the horror, the horror!
• Stranded on Gaia – I heard there was a secret chord
• The Voyage – Just as he is

And this is the post that I’m shortlisted for – I Wasn’t Ready.

I don’t really like reading this post, for reasons you’ll understand (or this one, which followed close after). Although I have always been a little pleased with how it turned out, the subject matter still bothers me a lot.

Huge thanks to the judges and indeed the Irish Blog Awards organisers. I’m genuinely a little blown away by a) people thinking it’s pretty good; good enough to shortlist and b) the standard of the other posts in the category. I don’t honestly feel as though I deserve to be amongst them, really.

That’s not false modesty, I don’t do that, it’s bullshit; christ, I barely do modesty really. To which end, I wish all of the others who are shortlisted good luck on the night… but I wish myself a fuck-load of awesomely good luck as well; I’m going to need it apparently.

Happy out!

*(yeah, yeah, me up against a post, fnar fnar & oo la la… but this isn’t one of THOSE posts people!)

However, one Sunday a couple of weeks ago, I managed to drag myself out of the house on a typical bleak mid-winters day to go on the first outing of Peter‘s band of merry men, aka The Garden Group. And I was really glad I did as well.

The Garden Group’s inaugural trip was to the National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge. A genuine hidden treasure, it’s a really lovely place, which I had no idea even existed (which is the way with hidden treasures); overshadowed as it is by Phoenix Park, which is directly opposite, across the Liffey.

We were given a really inciteful tour around the entire park & gardens by the lovely, and might I add ca-yute, Craig. This is what made the whole trip really interesting, to my mind anyway (the incites people, not Craig!). I’m a bit of a history geek and I’ll happily admit to having somewhat of a nerd-on throughout the visit.

For such a tucked-away, almost secret, and comparably small park, there was so much to take in, I was really bowled over. The design of the park is symmetrical throughout, right down to how the roses are planted in the sunken gardens and the various paths, or more accurately, the avenues.

The highlight for me was learning all about the symbolism that was weaved into the design of the park, from the water fountains which look almost like candles and sit either side of a large stone “alter”. One of the things that I really loved was the trees planted along the main avenue which represented the foot soldiers of the 16th Irish Division – 8 lime trees planted either side, making 16 in total; which are overlooked by 8 holly trees, representing the Generals, standing a tier above.

I could go on and on about it all day (and indeed did at one point… this post was going to be about 17 times the length it is) as there was a story to every area of the park, which fascinated me.

One thing that was disappointing though was that it was February and therefore there wasn’t much colour in the park – not the park’s fault, but the climate really. What it does mean though is that I will definitely be going back to check out the huge range of cherry trees when they bloom in a few weeks and then again in June/July to check out the sunken rose gardens in all their glory.

I loved finding this little pocket of greenery so close to the city centre and it is officially going to be my picnic spot of choice from now on. I’m also seriously looking forward to what the next Garden Group outing might be. Rumour has it the next one’s going to be a corker!

Have a nosey for yourself if you get chance. In the meantime here are some pics that Peter took, which frankly do it infinitely more justice than I was able to do with my crappy iPhone camera. And there are also some extra special ones over on Jenny’s blog too.

oh yeah, here’s one of Craig, for the ladies

Oh yeah… here’s a picture of Peter (that John took) as well. He’s also cute!

Roide!

Withnail and Vadar and Surmontil 50′s

Droids on a booze hunt & lacking auditions

Accident blackspots and lightsabre fights

This awesome mash-up rocked my Thursday night

Because, seriously, what’s not to fucking LOVE about it. Two of my favourite things all mixed together in a huge ball of BRILLIANT! Watch, enjoy, try not to get aroused…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmxra03b1nQ

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3EVuoOo3kA

Flirty & Dena

No longer will my desk be so barren. Thanks Fran. You’re a legend!

Happy out.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVy1g6TsRSA

This phrase in particular comes directly (well not directly per se as I paraphrase, but I digress) from the comic genii that were Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, as Derek & Clive.

This song, is brilliant. But I will warn you, it contains a few of those er, sweary words… but the song title should probably have made you aware of that.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZEEgIti8sM

Laugh? I… you know the rest.

And don’t even get me started on this sketch.

So, I’ve been having a trawl on the t’interwebz for things that I like and would like to own. Here’s a few gems that I’ve come across so far from the sublime to the ridiculous and all the nonsense in between.

• Poster from Present Joy
• Penny Sweet Clutch Bag by Natalie Thakur from The Shop Foor Project
• A beautiful “batchel” in either navy blue or brown (vintage or dark), with my initials on (massive hint to the folks on that one!)
• Dyptique candles as all mine have run out. Baies Noir to match myperfume (which I could do with a new bottle of also btw)
• Nahara Trench Coat from All Saints
• A Duffle Cape from ASOS. Bargainous at only £65 and will look lovely with my Aran scarf & gloves too.
• A Flip HD Camera in lovely black. So cool & very cheap (for what it is) and looks like a lot of fun!
• Christmas-tastic trapeze necklace & parcel bow head band which will totally ROCK with my new hairdo!
• Printing stamp letters to cover off my most narcissistic tendencies from the always fab Graham & Green
• This super cute Lipstick dress from Betsey Johnson
• If anyone feels like really splashing out I’d be VERY grateful for receiving these bad boys. Sexy!
• And they’d look really amazing with these Vivienne Westwood dresses below!

Oh yeah, and there are a million & one books I’d like too, but frankly it made for a much more tedious list.

So, there you go Mum (and other gift buyers) I hope this helps. Now just to figure out what to get for you lot

...Jesus is coming!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1rZqw5bXb4

By Eepybird.com