Reclaiming the kitchen table

Today, while making breakfast (pancakes) I had to reclaim our kitchen table. It’s been increasingly laden with papers, journals, student work, etc., and the actual table was not visible anymore. So, while making the pancakes I cleared the piles of dead-tree stuff that’s been clogging up the the space for several weeks. Half of the stuff I put into Recycling, the other half is destined for my office.

Munster evening - Alone it stands

This evening we went to the University Concert Hall for the play Alone it stands. It's a comic reflection on the past victory of Munster against New Zeeland's All Blacks team in 1978, but feels so RIGHT now after Munster's latest achievment. Up Munster!

Monster evening: Finland 292

Then, we had a monster evening with the [otherwise] daft Eurovision song contest. At times, it seemed to be the Eurovision dance contest, skimpy contest, singing-out-of-tune contest... But luckily Finnish Lordi saved the show. Well done Suomi Pojka!

Munster afternoon: 23-19

We had a terrific and fantastic afternoon - in front of the telly - watching Munster win over Biarritz in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. We were crying, laughing and having just a fantastic time. I think Ireland should build a similar stadium in Limerick.

Eurovison crap

It’s just unreal. They are doing it - again. The Eurovision Song Crap. What makes it even worse (in Ireland) is that the daft puffter Marty Whelan is talking [crap] all the time. At times this evening it appeared to be the Eurovision Dance contest with a lot of wobbly bits being shaken.
To quote Garotta Di’ Anchovy (a.k.a. Sillstryparn): “And here’s ABBA, with plastic clothes, as dead as canned herrings.”

Pain in my diodes and recycling

Back in normal [!] space, the IDC at UL. My life today has been divided into 15 minute slots. When will I get time to think? NOW. The Portal is progressing quite well, thanks to all the brilliant students in the IDC. Still, I really don’t understand why I’m doing this. Of course, I enjoy designing things and managing projects and people. I also enjoy eating cracker bread and picking my nose. I have an endless list of THINGS I should be doing (or according to some - that I should have done already the day before yesterday). Perhaps one should approach this just like the piles of stuff I have in my study at home - if I haven’t touched the pile of papers for a year, they are probably irrelevant and should be thrown out and recycled (just imagine... if you don’t read it more than once, then eventually you get to wipe your bum with it).

The dark lunchtime of the soul

So, now I'm in Heathrow. Long and boring wait for flight to Shannon.
There's definitely something outright ugly with Heathrow, and the only thought that lifts my spirit is the quote from Douglas Adams 1988 book "The long Dark Teatime of the Soul":

"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, 'as pretty as an airport.' Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort."

So taking Douglas' advice from the Hitchhiker's Guide, let's get a few pints and some peanuts before I eventually board the Vogon, ah, I mean Aer Lingus flight. Let's hope the captain doesn't try to read any of his poetry.

Yet another ConGas day

Today, it's ConGas Management Committee meeting. Not as fun as scientific (and artistic) presentations we had yesterday. Despite this, many interesting links and ideas flying around, e.g. Sound to Sense, Sense to Sound, Sound and Music Computing.
This evening,. demo time and then concert.

ConGas in Leeds

I'm having a good time, meeting up with old friends and colleagues, also new, at ConGas meeting in Leeds, UK. We need some new awareness among funding agencies about this area of work... Hopefully, we'll get some coherence in all good ideas tomorrow.

Retirement

Why haven't anubody, or, any country, suggested the following retirement scheme:
Age 50: 3 day weekend
Age 55: 4 day weekend
Age 60: 5 day weekend
Age 65: 6 day weekend
Age 70: 7 day weekend
I'd say that a lot of people would be a lot happpier if we tried this and I bet it would increase both productivity and employment.

Memory

This evening, I was trying to remember who played in what band, what we called the bands, etc., for the last 30 years or so. I couldn't. I did a Google for Mixie and many other great musicians. No luck. I phoned our old lead-guitar man, Pelle. He didn't remember either. So, if anybody is still alive out there who ever played in a band with me, please feel free to send me a message, note, or if you're dead, try sendning me a sign or something.