House purchase is off

So that is why people describe the whole process of buying houses is a nightmare.

Auctioneer just rang and said that the sale is off. No explanation though the whole thing stinks.
You come to realise as you get older why people actually talking about doing something in good faith. Primarily it seems this is because so many people do things in bad faith. How could it take three and a half working days for a solicitor to return a call as to why house is no longer for sale? How could you agree to sell something on a Tuesday and by Friday morning be in a position not to?

You have agreed a price and paid a deposit, and then puff nothing.

Still no word.

I've heard nothing as yet about the house and the pessimism is growing apace. I've sort of dated people who were more communicative than this. I say sort of as I've occasionally dated people without being aware of it. Call it cultural differences or me just being blind to what is going on around me.

Anyway, this not knowing if I'm coming or going is very annoying.

Apparently, I'm sitting on a few quid.

My blog is worth $2,822.70.
How much is your blog worth?

Ghost house happenings

No word on the house, apparently the solicitor hasn't returned the auctioneer's call. Guess it is better to think of the whole thing being off. To comfort myself, I booked myself a quick flight to Germany for a weekend. Well, she/you did said to come over. So, I'll go and moan about houses. And interest rates and the falling value of the rand. Actually, isn't the rand named after some sort of animal must check that out.

Someone referenced this site about famous birthdays and I checked it, and guess what! I'm still not listed.

Those who are though include Linda Hamilton, Olivia Newton John, Ivan Pavlov (he of the dogs!), Serena Williams, Anne Robinson, James Caviezel (so that's where the messianic complex ended up) and T.S. Eliot and George Gershwin.

No news is no news.

No news as yet about the house. Rang the auctioneer and she is just back in the city, so it will be late afternoon before I know anything.

I'm expecting that the vendor's own purchase has fallen through and that's that.

I was past the house on Saturday evening and there was evidence of people there, so someone is about.

Also, in other news Liam Lawlor was killed in a car crash in Moscow and it seems the Sindo is looking a right rag for running with claims that the female passenger in the taxi was a teenage hooker which are unravelling faster than my house purchase.

Good for nothing, so called professionals

I hate to repeat myself but the standard of professional service in this country is chronic.

'House falls through'

I headed out to the house to watch the surveyor do his thing, expecting the auctioneer to be there with the keys. 4.30pm arrives and nobody about, I ring the auctioneer and she says the surveyor hadn't called back, so I ring him, he's a few minutes away (approaching the parywway) so I ring the auctioneer,get her voicemail and let her know he's close. Then while I'm waiting for her to call back, a car pulls up and the driver asks if I'm alright. Now, I get asked this occasionally but usually the person is looking for a scrap, or I'm looking half-cut. Since, even I'm not usually drunk at 4.30pm in the day (rugby international days excepted), I said, "yeah", the driver then informs me that the house is her sisters and I tell her I'm waiting for a surveyor and the auctioneer. Then the sister tells me that it's off. I was quite surprised, I mean I'm a real mover but even I don't think that a conversation with a car window is going anyway so fast enough for it to be something that was 'on' in order for it to be 'off'. Anyway, she's got a young lad in the front about 10, and buying the house is all the growing up I want to be doing right now.

Then the sister tells me that the solictor had rung the vendor in the morning to say that it was off and so no plans were made for the viewing. As it turns out when the auctioneer is talking to me next that the sister was the one who would have had the keys and would have been letting us in to do the survey. However, since it was 'off' she didn't have any keys. (Or maybe she did and just wasn't playing ball) Also, it seems the vendor is in England, whether for the week or the weekend is unclear at the moment. All this I gather as the sister rings the vendor. The vendor tells the sister she is going to run the auctioneer.

Then the auctioneer rings me and tells me that 'Mary' was supposed to be there with the keys, and it turns out the sister is Mary and I hand the phone to 'sister Mary' after the auctioneer tells me that the vendor has informed her that the solicitor rang her (the vendor) and told her it was 'off' (I'm not sure whether to make comedic comment about the vendor and the auctioneer or the vendor and the solicitor or all three together). And the auctioneer is half way to Dublin at this point. The sister talks with the auctioneer and then hands the phone back to me, but it's off! The phone that is.

About this point the surveyor arrives. I introduce myself and try to bring him up to speed, but I don't really suceed. The rate of knots this thing is unravelling at, I'm not too disappointed with my lack of success.

So, I ring the auctioneer again. She tells me she can't get the solicitor but that the vendor is of the opinion that the whole thing is off and no one is getting into the house today. So, I have to tell the surveryor who is after travelling for 45 minutes to get there for nowt.

It would appear to me that the vendor's solicitor only got around to telling the vendor today about the original sale falling through last week and confused the hell out of everything.

So, what have we learned? Essentially, Ireland's so called professionals are crap.

And these are the ones from professions that cap their numbers. the IEI or Engineers Ireland encourage more engineering places in colleges as when you get more makers more things are made and things improve on balance for people. Yet the 'professions' limit their numbers as if you get more of them they must make more red tape and crap all over everyone's lives.

Smooth Operator

This is moving quite quickly. Just like that 4th year humanities student who accosted me when I came back from Japan. Bloody hell, I didn't where I was. Kinda scary too.

I've paid my booking deposit, I've spoken to a surveyor and he hopefully will look it over on Friday, Monday latest. If he gives it the ok, then...I'm good to go.
And apparently the owner is ready to move Friday week! So, could I have keys in the 1st/2nd week of nov? Who knows. Have to dig out the Argos catalogue and ballpark furnishings. Need to start by making a list of what exists in each room. Like who thinks about toilet brushes except at times like this?

And I should tell landlord bloke that I may be moving out, and sort out how to move. A fleet of small cars perhaps. And get the tv fixed!

About the House

Seems I might be a home owner after quite soon after all.

This is the gaff . I had enquired about it before but it was sale agreed. Then I got a call on Monday as apparently the sale had fallen through.

I made an offer and it's been accepted. So.

XXXXs are a sometime thing

Following on from Sesame Street's efforts to highlight that cookies are a sometimes food, I thought I should mention that blogs are a sometimes communication method. After all, many people view them more as a diary and diaries are mostly about events that have already happened.

It doesn't make sense to announce upcoming events in blog. If those events are in the quite near future, posting them in a blog with any expectation that people will see them in time seems down right silly. There again, it's somewhat the corporate memo, you send it with the intention that no one will notice it, but have it to cover your rear and the proverbial hits the whirring thing at the end of the hall. You know what I mean.

I should state that the wearing of other peoples clothing of a gender to which you are not attracted post they wearing said items while exercising is horribliness of the highest order. The jury is still out on the issue of sleeping in the beds of other people in their absence whether or not you are attracted to them.

From Ed Brill's blog comes the best suggestion for the Office 12 marketing strategy
"Office 12 -- the features you've wanted, found after years of searching!"

I was looking for something in wikipedia and it occurred to me that recent popular culture say the Sprouts seem to be easier to find then crusty old academic information.

Cold, cold heart

Finally seem to be feeling a bit better.

Last friday morning, I woke up about 5am with a very sore throat. I loaded up on drugs and stayed indoors until the evening when I had to venture out get more meds. Dropped by the office and collected some bits and pieces. I stayed all wrapped up on Saturday and Sunday, postponing a trip home I'd intended to take as I reckoned a few hours on a bus might not be the best treatment. As the throat eased I started to cough a bit more. Tuesday evening I went to bed at 9pm and slept through 'til 10am. Last night I got some dimotane which got me over a particulariy painful or annoying coughing problem in the lead up to Christmas '03. It was so annoying that I didn't get properly sleep for about 10 days and was suitably grumpy with it.

Last night watched the match (Ireland v Switzerland) which was quite depressing. No World Cup for us! I'm usually someone who keeps faith with hopeless causes longer than is sensible as many people can swear to. While this has usually involved affairs of the heart it can shape my view of matters of a more pragmatic nature. Purchases for example. If I decide I want something then I tend to stick at it even when it no longer makes any sense. I should really think about being more rational about such matters.

Anyway, I'm inclined to believe we're in for 4/5 years of poor performances from Ireland.

Arrogance of youth

What is about being young that leads people to be so blindly arrogant to what is around them?

I should start by saying that my definition of young has expanded quite a bit in recent times. I would now almost automatically include most people under 27. Prior to this point, I would have thought it was just the under 20s that ticked me off. It is odd, since in many ways I continue to believe I can relate and talk with young people, (Christ what am I like referring to ‘young people’, perhaps it’s a sign of impending middle age.) What I think I mean is that I’m reasonably lacking in some aspects of maturity and so share many of the interests and motivations of people younger than myself. However, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not forcing the youthfulness. I can't do the arrogance. It is just a fact of being aware of my own failings sufficiently that arrogance doesn't work anymore. I have the slippers, perhaps the pipe is next.

In parallel, there seems to be so much spite and petty vindictiveness about and it’s so negative. It’s all fun and games being a tad bitchy once in a while, but it is so morale sapping if that is all you get up to. True, some are just naturally up themselves, Mocking Birds for example. Yet there are others who I suspect are playing up to it. And what for exactly? Is no one supportive anymore?

Of course, without that arrogance many people would never attempt the things that later come to mean so much them. Yet, it is an attitude that continues to rankle with me.

I saw the 'killer driver' today, he was stopped outside the Groody apartments so he must be a local. Have to drop into the local cops and report that. Also, Laune Rangers set up a semi-final meeting with Dr. Crokes of Killarney. Mike Frank against Gooch, should be interesting.

Interesting quote in the IT today, in a article about Harold Pinter's 75 birthday. It concerns Michael Gambon who left Dublin age 6.

"Gambon was born in a house in the city too, but still "loves Dublin". As a boy he accompanied his father to Camden town in London and once asked him why so many Irish lived there.

"It was as far as we we could carry the cases," was the explanation."

All hail our tubby lord.

Another one of those 'who are you' online thingies. Not surprising results really.

You scored as Buddhism. Your beliefs most closely resemble those of Buddhism. Do more research on Buddhism and possibly consider becoming Buddhist, if you are not already. In Buddhism, there are Four Noble Truths: (1) Life is suffering. (2) All suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the craving, attachment, and grasping that result from such ignorance. (3) Suffering can be ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment. (4) The path to the suppression of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. These eight are usually divided into three categories that base the Buddhist faith: morality, wisdom, and samadhi, or concentration. In Buddhism, there is no hierarchy, nor caste system; the Buddha taught that one's spiritual worth is not based on birth. Buddhism 67% Paganism 63% agnosticism 63% Islam 58% Christianity 54% Hinduism 54% Satanism 46% Judaism 33% atheism 33% Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com

You're not paranoid if they are actually trying to kill you

So, yesterday evening someone actually tried to kill me. I was cycling home after popping into the local 'Get and Go', after take the roundabout at the Groody apartments, I noticed a bit of revving behind me and reckoned that's all I need someone looking to speed past me over the speedbumps when there is oncoming cars. However, he didn't overtake when he could have between the speed bumps so I was a bit conscious of him on my rear.

I turned right after the last speed bump after looking back to see that there was enough of a gap between us and he crept around the corner after me. At that point in the road there tends to be a line of cars on the left in front of two houses which makes things tight. Two cars can't pass each other there, and someone passing a bike needs to make a effort to avoid squeezing a cyclist into the parked cars. It's kind of a horizontal car tunnel.

As I passed the first of the cars, the car gunned past me and then veered into the kerb on the right hand side of the road, broke sharply, did a 180, acrossing someone's front lawn and stopped to face me. This is just at the last left hand turn up the hill to the house. I reckoned there must be some thing up so rather than take the turn, I pulled in between two of the cars that were parked on the turn in front of the wall around the corner house. The car then accelerated at me, veering off at the last moment and then stopped, at which point I took his reg.

He was stopped because he was again that the entrance to the car tunnel, couldn't make it through. He came back, and I decide to walk on the rest of the way up the hill to the house. After 15 feet, another car came out of the car tunnel rather quickly and the mystery driver took over at pace. About 3 secs later, someone shouted out to the wind to stop that racket.

I went into the house and after a slug of water, rang the gardai. I reckoned it was either a stolen car, or someone being drunkenly reckless.

Today ,it turns out Jim saw it from the house. Well, he saw the 180, and the car heading at the wall but not me between the cars.

Of course, the same sort of thing happens in Jacob's Ladder!

Thinking of carrying a heavy spanner in future.

Intelligent Design

Apparently, those who favour the teaching of Intelligent Design as science have adopted the story of Penguins as 'evidence' for their approach. However, I doubt if they would be so quick to adopt this little fellow though it all sees to come naturally to him. Personally, I wasn't aware that the Dark Lord was allowed in on the creation game. I thought he was purely in the peddling of influence game.

The idea was advanced today at coffee, that Intelligent Design should be promoted as being evidence of the work of our alien overlords. Of course, as one of the sanctioned agents of our alien overlords in the area, I was compelled to pooh pooh the idea*

For some reason I'm not getting my Popbitch's each week which is quite annoying.

*for more on pooh, poohing, I refer to the military genius of General Melchett.

General Melchett: Is this true, Blackadder? Did Captain Darling pooh-pooh you?
Captain Blackadder: Well, perhaps a little.
General Melchett: Well, then, damn it all! What more evidence do you need? The pooh-poohing alone is a courtmartial offense!
Captain Blackadder: I can assure you, sir, that the pooh-poohing was purely circumstantial.
General Melchett: Well, I hope so, Blackadder. You know, if there's one thing I've learnt from being in the Army, it's never ignore a pooh-pooh. I knew a Major, who got pooh-poohed, made the mistake of ignoring the pooh-pooh. He pooh-poohed it! Fatal error! 'Cos it turned out all along that the soldier who pooh-poohed him had been pooh-poohing a lot of other officers who pooh-poohed their pooh-poohs. In the end, we had to disband the regiment. Morale totally destroyed... by pooh-pooh!

Another year older, none the wiser though.

OK, I think people are getting the wrong end of the stick here. I wasn't into broadcasting that yesterday was my birthday as I don't particularly like making a big deal of my birthday or New Year for that matter. I find both occasions to be quite depressing. And both occasions tend to allow the same type of people be very false, and that makes me even more annoyed. There again, I didn't exactly hide the fact either.

As for what I did, I stayed home as I felt somewhat under the weather (still do to be honest), ordered a chinese in the evening and rang home to thank mom for having me. That was the extent of it. Didn't even have a drink, unless you count Lemsip.

I'll happily go for a pint or two at the weekend if people are up for it. Just don't expect me to provide the reason.

For the record,

I'm 35 (again!). As of yesterday.

To elaborate, I wasn't born 35 years ago. I believe I pointed all this out in the 80s, eighties 80 post.

I'm just saying I'm 35 for the next few years. You'd think someone would have paid some attention to the little details. Boris and I share a birth year and he is younger than I.

No cup for him to drink from...

King Puck will have to drink from the well like the rest of us for this year.

Tyrone over the course of the game itself and the championship played the better football of anyone involved. I think that they had a better game plan in the manner in which they slowly settle into the game, and build their momentum.

As for Kerry, I think that had we met Armagh in the semi-final rather than Cork it would have been much better preparation for the final. I think that the Tyrone half back line was very effective at preventing the Kerry half fowards from showing for the ball. Declan O'Sullivan in particular and Galvan somewhat seemed to be anonymous at times but that was largely down to the marker I think.
I think that Joe Brolly lost the run of himself saying it could have been 7/8 points. Kerry showed they are still reasonably close to Tyrone and hence Armagh and should be there or thereabouts again next year. We really need to meet one of them in the semi-final to steel themselves for the final. But that's the luck of the draw, if the lead up didn't suit us this year then it more than did last year.

Side points, how did the ref manage to blow up with a minute to go? I reckon we probably wouldn't have scored the goal we needed, but it's the sort of thing that takes from the overall professionalism of the organisation generally. And what exactly did happen to Gooch that he ended up on the game in the 1st half, I think rte let everyone down when they appear 'not to have had a camera on it'. There was a danger of the game descending into nasty for a bit after that since the ref didn't do anything about what was a off the ball incident.

All in all, well done to Tyrone. The game should stand as one of the best All-Ireland's in recent times. It was fiercely competitive and the skill level is high on both sides. And I think that Tyrone demostrated they can certainly play the football!

There is but one Kingdom and

King Puck is its Lord. However, we are proud to let Mr. Sam Maguire reign in a model of democratic co-existence. (Mr. Maguire is the one on the right)

Mike Frank Russell, Liam Hassett, Gooch and the rest of the lads are great fellows to have labouring in the name of the Kingdom. Jeez, I sound like some old timer from the 50s. Still, it's kinda nice to have something to get sentimental over. More factually, I find this is quite a good site for Kerry GAA factual matters.

Best of lucks Lads! and whisper it...

Com'on de Kingdom!

Like a record, baby

So, what with indoor soccer being off the agenda due to the changes in management style at the arena (arena managers, phutt, they are flithy people, we shall speak of them no more!), I decided that I need to engage in some new form of regular exercise. I looked at all the options and reckoned that since I know how to ride a bike, spinning might be a good choice.

The class I signed up for is the 7.30pm to 8.30pm Tues/Thurs for six weeks, I've done two class so far. What's my opinion you might ask? Well, I see it essentially as aerobics on a bike. you sweat like nobodies business to begin with, and the coordination of moving your arms or whatever while standing and pedalling is a little off putting, but you're not being marked on presentation or style so just do what you can.

I did have one occasion on the first night where my stomach muscles (such as they are) announced that if there was an more strain they'd start to spasm and I'd be dry retching all over the place. Thankfully, we had a breather at that point. And I had a chinese on Wednesday evening and was slightly concerned that I'd be announcing that fact rather loudly during the class. Thankfully, I kept it together. That also would be one of my main reasons for avoiding yoga! Thanks to Billy Connolly for that information.

However, my saddle did decide to tilt upwards during the class which left me a tad sore in a tender place but that will pass. Note to self for the next day, ensure saddle is at the correct angle and securely locked. It can have some quite negative effects!

I'm thinking of going to one of the staff/Postgrad pickup soccer games too! And perhaps the gym for some lifting and such like. I'm toying with the idea of doing the Plassey Christmas 5 mile, but I postively hate running.

Blogs and false transparency

One of the problems with blogs or any kind of public posting of one's activities is the appearance of transparency that it gives.

This tends to means that the absence of blog entries can be taken to imply that people are keeping things from those who read the blogs as sources of updates on what people are up ta, when it's really most probably laziness. This can especially be a problem when filled with enthausism people blog loads starting out and then it all trails off.

So, remember take your time, start as you mean to go on and if there people haven't posted in a while don't worry that they're hiding things from you. They're just busy living!

80s, eighties, 80s

So, New Order have a single out, Depeche Mode are releasing one Oct 2nd which I caught on Top of the Pops last Sunday evening, and Kate Bush has an album due next month too! It's all like a familiar fruit you haven't tasted in ages.

Have to say, it's good to see Dave Gahan looking well again. It is strange as you get on a bit who it is that you find are your contempories, Dave's birthday is 9 May 1962. I've been...err... familiar with ladies older than that! Of course, that's more down to my toyboy or youthful looks than anything else.

There again the person who informed me by winning Wimbledon before I'd left school that I was past it sportswise was born on 22 November 1967. Pup! Wish I could celebrate my birthday just once like this.
I'm not sure but Louisa (ah), one time housemate has a birthday round then (Nov 22nd) , not sure about the year though. Well, not sure enough to post it here and risk losing a limb. And Maire from the same house is due a birthday in the next few days, and I suspect Annette Gill's birthday is around now too. And I should point out I've shared houses or streets with these ladies which is why I have some ideas of those dates. Other than that I'm hopeless...sugar, I forgot my Godson's birthday again! That was just last week!

I'm actually working on a listing of places I've lived and who lived there, where I was working and people I know at the time. I will post it once I've worked it all out. I have to edit some places out, least certain people come looking for me. This will be of use to biographers no doubt. Other peoples, not mine. Who is likely to write about me? Apart from those writing up notes in Arkham. Me and that Joker!