That’s why I’ve been so quiet these last few months.

Lots of hustle, bustle and turmoil in this country of ours since then.

Pay cuts (in effect next Thursday), snow, ice, school closures and more.

Lots of fodder that I could have used to write posts about.

But, to be honest ….

I couldn’t be bothered.

Anyways …. a new year …. a new year resolution to become healthier and fitter!

Follow these guys as they operate to transformate!

Now …. I must quicken my step!

Hamlet (as recited by moi)

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your
gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,
that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen?
Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and tell her, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that.

I’ll still talk to you all when I’m famous ~ you can even send me a postcard via Hollywood Post Office.

Now where was I? …. ah yes! ….

Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble (Macbeth) …. oops …. sorry Grannymar …. I didn’t mean to take over your lines!

The Merchant of Venice (as spoken by Portia)

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence ‘gainst the merchant there.

A friend of mine has been involved in a bad three car crash.

He is in a coma in intensive care in Tralee hospital.

The most unassuming person you’d ever meet. Nothing is ever a bother to him.

The prognosis isn’t good.

Stuart Mangan is 25 years old.

He was educated at St. Colman’s School Fermoy and Rockwell College Tipperary.

He also completed five years of university studies, graduating with a Law Degree from UCC and a Masters in European Business from ESC Paris, before he was hired on a fixed term contract on the trading floor of BNP Paribas in London.

Stuart was a rugby player. His love of rugby, however, has changed his life.

He suffered a devastating spinal injury while playing on the 5^th of April 2008.

Stuart is paralysed from the neck down.

He will need specialist 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

I’m writing this post to highlight his cause. I would encourage you to read his story on the website set up to highlight this cause.

I’m also writing this post in tribute to Stuart, a man who can still smile and face his future with courage.

If you are in a position to help you’ll find ways of doing so here.

Wendy Richard of ‘Eastenders’ and ‘Are You Being Served‘ fame has told the world that she is dying of cancer.

She as written her will, planned her funeral and is planning to marry her long term boy friend.

I’m truly sorry to hear of her illness. She was a great actress and I’ve had many a laugh from watching ‘Are You Being Served’.

Thanks for the laughs Wendy. My thoughts are with you.

Got this from Laura’s blog. I’m posting it here in remembrance of my mother who died of cancer 5 years ago.

Rest In Peace Mother.

Following on from Grannymar’s Friday Filler:

• How you feel: Tired but relaxed.
• To Your Left: A 19″ Flat Screen Samsung LCD TV.
• On Your Mind: WordPress and setting up a niche site to make a bit of Adsense cash.
• Last Meal Included: Pork Chop, potatoes, carrots and gravy all washed down with copious glasses of milk.

• You Sometimes Find It Hard To: Motivate myself (living alone does that to me).
• The Weather: Doesn’t bother me at the moment. I guess I got what I urgently needed to do outside done during the summer. I have signed up for two (web business) online courses and I’m looking forward to getting my creative juices flowing.
• Something You Have a Collection of: Model cars, coins, music, computer cables and keyboards (garage is full of the bloody things ..)
• A Smell That Cheers You Up: Turf on a fire.
• A Smell That Can Ruin Your Mood: Burnt toast (it’s a morning thing!)
• The Current State of Your Hair: Short – got a number 2 done on it last week prior to returning to school.
• The Largest Item on Your Desk/Workspace Right Now (Besides Computer): Two 22″ widescreen monitors and an empty mug (I had tea in it). I keep a clean desk!
• Skill with Chopsticks: Never used them.
• Something You’re Craving: A Chinese take away!
• How Many Times You’ve Been Hospitalized This Year: None (yet … touch wood!)
• A Favourite Place to Go For Quiet Time: Home  and Kerry!
• You’ve Always Secretly Thought You’d Be Good at: Living life (still working on it)
• Something That Freaks You Out A Little: Drivers that cut me off.
• Something You’ve Eaten Too Much Of Lately: See the ‘craving’ section above 
• You Have Never: Used my time efficiently (no matter how hard I try).
• Never Want To: Die thinking I haven’t made a difference (I’d better get a move on so!).

Dolores Aguilar 1929 – Aug. 7, 2008

Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. She will be met in the afterlife by her husband, Raymond, her son, Paul Jr., and daughter, Ruby.

She is survived by her daughters Marietta, Mitzi, Stella, Beatrice, Virginia and Ramona, and son Billy; grandchildren, Donnelle, Joe, Mitzie, Maria, Mario, Marty, Tynette, Tania, Leta, Alexandria, Tommy, Billy, Mathew, Raymond, Kenny, Javier, Lisa, Ashlie and Michael; great-grandchildren, Brendan, Joseph, Karissa, Jacob, Delaney, Shawn, Cienna, Bailey, Christian, Andre Jr., Andrea, Keith, Saeed, Nujaymah, Salma, Merissa, Emily, Jayci, Isabella, Samantha and Emily. I apologize if I missed anyone.

Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. Her family will remember Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with herself.

As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again. There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart. We cannot come together in the end to see to it that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren can say their goodbyes. So I say here for all of us, GOOD BYE, MOM.

Read more here: Loving Dolores , Shameful Obituary

Regardless ….. Rest In Peace Dolores.

Thriftcriminal tagged me to say who I’d choose to star as me and my family in a movie about me.

I’ve been mulling it over and am finding it a bit of a toughie.

So I’ve come up with a compromise reply ….

I’m going to list some of the films I like and give a reason why I like them.

The Shawshank Redemption ….. ‘cos ‘good’ wins out in the end and I loved the scene where Tim Robbins is on his boat on a sandy beach as Morgan Freeman approaches him. I especially liked the line …. ‘get busy living or get busy dying’.

It could happento you …… again a ‘feel good’ type film …. Nicholas Cage plays the cop who wins the lottery, gives half of it to a waitress cos he made a promise to share it with her if he won …. and it starred Bridget Fonda (and she’s gorgeous … love her smile)

I like Saving Private Ryan …. I love the effect of the film on big screen … it was playing on a large flat screen in a shop as I went to buy my new tv ….. I was sold on it straight away!

I love the old black and white films also ….. good old fashioned violence … you can’t beat it!

Sorry TC …. best I can do.

Baino …. as you’ve never seen her before!

Sorry Baino …. I stole your picture …. but I wanted it on my blog!!

TC ~ let me think about your tag for awhile …..