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It’s been a while since I went to a club and drank many alcoholic beverages into the early hours of the morning. Having had a taste of just that the other night, not so much in the alcohol consumption but in the atmosphere and drink consumed by the free spirits all around me - including the occasional fantastically attractive female.
Those nights are always nice. It’s fun to go a bit crazy every now and then, though right now it seems I’m not able to do it, or in the mood quite often. It feels great to be busy, sometimes it feels great to be tired, because it’s tiredness from doing what I love.
It’s the weekend. Go nuts!
For over 2 years I have used the most clichéd self-portrait of a photographer ever as my avatar for most sites online; my blog, myspace, facebook (until just recently), bebo, lastfm and a few others. Yeah that one with the camera at my face, taking a photograph of myself in the mirror. The first was used from May 2005 - April 2007, the second from then until today.
It isn’t the most original photograph of a photographer, I know, though I didn’t want to risk taking one of me any other way. Since having that photo a few people have said that it’s a bit crap, and that as a photographer I should show some more ‘imagination’ by either using a photograph that I’m proud of, and also change the picture occasionally - or just use a better picture of me.
There is another photograph I use occasionally, though not sure entirely how much I like it, so it’s use will remain minimal:
To answer this, I want a picture that can be easily recognised through all the masses of avatars, to be static. I am not the photographs I take, or the people I shoot. It will be a photograph of me. Just a decent one, if that’s possible.
Recently, however, my friend Miriam took a a photograph of me from half way up Cave Hill that I quite like, and so this photograph will be me new avatar throughout the web for the next few months. Me, with my camera, and North Belfast and Belfast Lough in the background.
For those wondering why the hell I have just posted four photographs of myself (I’m beginning to doubt myself whether I should hit that ‘publish’ button), I am in the process of putting some thought into my online identities and how to make best use of them. The plan is the get a photo blog going again when I get a spare moment, as well as a redesign of icedcoffeewords.
These identities are important to me and so I want the content to be clearer, to readers and myself. It is a process I’m working through.
Why do you use your current avatar(s)?
Here is the message I was greeted with via instant message when I arrived home yesterday evening:
J - im sitting here reading, and i quote “The fund has already started for my MACbook!”
J - DUDE
J - wtf?
J - wwwwwwwtttttttttffffffffffffff
J - tyin u up to a life of apple that. unservicable parts, overpriced hardware, increase in viruses due to the amount of wabs usin them
J - ur warrenty will die and it will die
J - within teh same week
J - guaranteed
J - where havvvvvv ur balls gone?
J - y dont u jst get a decent laptop?
J - same price bt with all the jazz of windows and actually feelin ur a part of wat urdoin
And so it seems some people aren’t so fond of the idea of me getting a Mac.
Is there any truth in what I’m being told?
After six days without a functioning computer and having to enjoy a few home comforts as I stayed at my parents’ house in order to get work done on my Dad’s PC, I finally have my own back again.
Thankfully we have lots of spare parts from all the computers and upgrades my Dad and I have gone through over the years. After trying his graphics card followed by hard drive, we deduced that the problem was with the motherboard. With a couple of spares lying around we went for my old one. This board uses a different type of CPU but one was found. Hooked it all up and now I’m back online - a little less processing power than before, but hopefully not for long.
The fund has already started for my MACbook!
Being a bit of a nerd as I am I have always enjoyed doing nerdy stuff on my PC, but the time has come where that seems pretty irrelevant. All I want is to be able to edit photographs, browse the net, watch movies and listen to music.
I have problems with my pc so often that now it its just not proving reliable enough right now when I really need it. I’m finding more and more than I actually want a Mac. I can barely believe I’m actually saying this.
There will be many things that I will miss about windows, but it will be a new fun experience. I will sit on patches of grass and find wireless connections and have lots of fun understanding how it all works, my iLife will be transformed.
I have used a few Macs recently, for short periods at a time, gradually coming to like them. My time with windows could well be over.
I think I have been converted.
The only thing that is holding me back now is iMoney!
Surprise surprise,
My computer’s gone haywire once again.
Everything e’se has been called off. All money is going into the newly created ‘computer fund’ - motherboard, CPU, memory, new hard drive. Though I do want to go to Paris in the next few months. My plan of not drinking for the whole month of February will help.
==============================
The exhibition finished on Sunday. It shall be a three weeks that I won’t forget too easily. Ups and downs. But mostly ups. Fall-outs and bad reviews aside, I am very pleased to have had the opportunity and I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Sean Kelly, festival organiser, and everyone else involved in putting on such a great run of events. In my mind it was a great success. Having attended most days, I can say that there were some great performers each day, as well scrumptious lunch.
A great way to combat those January blues.
Every day things happen that only motivate me to continue doing what I love even more. Always taking the good with the bad, conflicts and friendships, knowing that the good is always much better than the bad.
This blog, for those unaware is for me to express myself through words, and pictures. The photographs have a back-story. I have a back-story. This is where I tell it.
I never said everything I write is the complete truth. Nothing should be taken that way without consulting me first. Sometimes things are embellished slightly.
This is my place to speak my truth - exaggerated or not. For further details on anything leave a comment or drop me a line at phil @ iced-coffee. com.
But I never lie.
It all becomes clear. It makes perfect sense now. The reason we make ‘new years resolutions’ is to try to prevent ourselves from recreating the events of Christmas which are still so fresh in our minds, if even just for a few weeks.
Christmas day was the usual quiet day at home with the family, a couple of beers, some wine over dinner followed by a movie - Garden State. Yes I don’t even watch T.V. at Christmas.
Each year, however, I look forward to Boxing Day more than the day preceding it. On this day my whole extended family goes to my Auntie and Uncle’s house; drink, eat, be merry and give out presents to each other. When I was younger I loved it for all the presents I would end up bringing home with me, but now that I’m older, and a little more mature, I enjoy being around my family, the kids, and the drink.
All the kids running around makes it so much fun. Always up to something, or saying something funny.
By 10:30pm, having polished off quite a few glasses of wine and taking plenty of photos, it was time to head out with my cousin Helen, and a few of her friends.
A couple of years ago I decided I would never go to the Limelight again - for the club thing anyway, only gigs. The last time I was there was Boxing Night 2006. It takes me a year to remember why I don’t go back. The next time will be Boxing Night 2008.
It was both good and bad. Though had I been a little more sober there may night have been the slight bad in there just for good measure. I may also not have had to walk home in the rain.
The following day all I could taste was melon Schnapps.
Of course I do try to go with the motto ‘No Regrets’, and regret my night I do not. Live and Learn. It’s all about experience.
So have I got new years resolutions? In a similar vein to Andy Goodonpaper, they will likely be more aims than resolutions. First, and probably the hardest, will be to quit smoking.
Many of these I will take from my big list of life-long aims I first created 2-3 years ago over at 43things.com. Many are psychological things, like improving my general personality, but I guess that’s the same with many resolution-makers.
Becoming more confident and self-assured, is something that I am slowly improving in myself - I will say that I am a hell of a lot more confident than I was 3 years ago, but that can always be improved upon.
To become a better photographer will be a big one for this year. To take more meaningful photographs too. The photography thing in general will be a big one for this year.
To learn to cook. That’s also quite a big aim. To make it more achievable I will go for setting goals, such as learning a new meal every 2 weeks, something like that’s gotta do the job.
Managing money better. I have put quite a bit of effort into this one in the last few months - much more to be done to be perfected.
One for the next few months; get a new job.
Have a great weekend and New Year’s Eve whatever you do!
So. It’s here. Christmas. You may be reading this on Christmas day. What are you doing on the Internet on Christmas day? Family sucks? Guess its the problem a lot of people have. Understandable. Boxing day? Again, why aren’t you opening all those boxes? Not believe in Christmas? Again, Family suck? It’s okay, I understand.
Yeah Christmas has come once again. It always comes quicker than expected. It’s really only in the last two or three years that I have begun to realise the real meaning of Christmas - though I can’t help but put a pause in that sentence and ask for a hands-up for all those who really celebrate Christmas today? Very few of you, I’m not entirely surprised. I’m not big fan of the real meaning behind Christmas, though I am a fan of the fact that family will always play a big part in the meaning of Christmas for me.
Though in this Christian country and time of Christian celebration I feel that it would be a good time to think of all those who will not get presents in this time of giving. Yes, lets take some time to reflect all those who will not be given gifts by their loved ones. Lets think about the non-Christians.
It’s a strange thing to think about, though having recently, be-friended someone of a non-Christian up-brining, it has made me think about those who don’t know of Christmas and the traditions that revolve around it. I have never known someone who didn’t know of Christmas and the ways in which it works. Simple things like Christmas Crackers - I was even asked what the meaning was behind them. I’m going to guess it’s just a part of the celebration, happiness and so forth - and probably of pagan origins.
I believe we should spend time reflecting on those who don’t have anything to celebrate on this Tuesday…
Well, in the last week or so there have been a few gigs, I had my last few days of work until this Friday, a whole week off work, and general partying. Having spent the the last three nights drinking, plus tonight if you include the wine I polished off.
On Thursday I made the decision to go to Gifted in the Empire. Starting promptly at 9:30pm, Geoff Gatt got the small crowd warmed up for what was to come, with a full band, so to speak; camel on lovely vocals and occasionally gazing lovingly into the eyes of Geoff as he sang songs likely to have been inspired by her. He was also joined by Bongo John on the bongos and Cully of the Delawares on bass guitar. This was I’m sure an attempt to create a fuller sound for the Empire’s large hall, though so early in the night and with so few punters through the door as would soon cross the threshold it wasn’t as well received as it one day will be, though none of that could possibly have taken away from the Geoff the great entertainer.
Cat Malojian, were next to the stage, hailing from Lurgan they have a brilliant sound which I have longed to hear since first seeing them perform in May of this year as part of the NIMIC CD launch in Custom House Square. They were great.
I hadn’t heard of Kryon and The Strangels before just a few weeks ago, though having listened to their Myspace tracks a few days before the gig I found myself singing along, which was nice, and doesn’t often happen. Check out the tune ‘Walking My Dog’!
The Delawares. Not to seem blasé about them. In fact not in the slightest. If I ever say ‘they were as good as ever,’ I mean that with the deepest respect and love. For I do love their music immensely, and each time they play I don’t understand why they are not bigger that they are. Well in a way I do, if analysed, maybe something to do with the fact that it’s not completely ‘mainstream’ music. But that is the idea. Their music is not mainstream at all. They never claim to put under that huge umbrella of ‘popular’ music. But someone please see the large audience, and potential audience they have!
On Friday Boathouse played at Common Grounds Café. They were superb as always.
Serpentine Smile also played, I’ve only managed to see them since beginning a few months ago. Paul’s song writing is great and the music that goes with it is enjoyable to listen to. He likes to keep busy with various projects, this one is an odd mix of guitar, vocals and drums, though you can’t go wrong with Bongo John’s drumming.
Saturday was spent at my own house, when the crew from Common Grounds, as I live with 2 current employees and one ex-employee, I guess it made perfect sense.
On Sunday I began my Christmas shopping. Went to a party. Left my phone there. Went to Auntie Annies for Cutaways, Panda Kopanda and Clone Quartet. Such a great lineup.
Soon it was Monday. Christmas Eve. Hard to believe. I woke up, hungover, and with less than 50% of my shopping complete, I had to get into to the city centre as quickly as possible. Within three hours of leaving the house, I was back again and chillin’ with two of my house-mates, with a beer in my hand.
I could finally relax. And here it is. It is Christmas Day. I hope you all have a great one!
of…
two female drummers in one night
two quite attractive drummers at that.
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