A Knock Back
I’ve never really made it public on this blog about my intentions regarding… life I guess.
Often I sit around and wonder what I’m supposed to do with this blog, and the other day Kimberlee my beloved suggested that I blog about what my plans are. My plans are incredibly simple, but incredibly complex at the same time:
Move to America on January 31st.
I went back and forth to how best to start this process and like most processes it starts with cash.
This whole thing won’t be cheap and the primary expense is the plane ticket. It’ll probably cost anywhere between 550 and 650 euros. That’s a wedge of cash in my books and I think a lot of us would have trouble raising that sort of scratch in the current economic climate.
So I decided to start selling things. The first thing I decided to sell was a burberry coat that I own. I picked it up about a year ago, maybe a year and a half. I never wear it, because it’s too nice to wear. I know it’s stupid.
The knock back referenced in the title is my first attempt to sell the coat. It didn’t sell.
This was an immediate shock to me, least of all because it’s a genuine Burberry Coat; I’d assume people would have my arm off for it at that price. It’s missing the belt, but that’s the only problem with it.
It was difficult to understand that it hadn’t sold. I had to consider an unpleasant idea:
What if I can’t sell any of my stuff?
I spent the rest of the day rolling this over in my mind. Yeah, gamestop will take my DVDs, and any clothes and nick-knacks can be given away if I run out of time. It’s likely a lot of stuff will go to charity shops. But if I don’t sell my stuff, then that’s a significant amount of cash I had planned on being in the budget… not being in the budget.
Well you know what – fuck it. If I give up at the first hurdle I’ll sit here in this chair, in this house, in this place and I’ll never get anywhere. Sure, I might get a job, or find a woman, or any of that shit.
But that job won’t be my dream job and that woman won’t be Kimberlee.
No compromise, no surrender.
Go buy the coat. If you don’t have the money to buy the coat, spread this around until we find someone who does have the money for it.
Shaving My Head For Charity
So it’s been a while since I posted a picture of myself here. But that’s not what we’re discussing today.
Today we discuss giving money to Cancer Research. I can’t say that I’m big into charitable causes, but this seemed like an opportunity to give money to a cause that’s helping a lot of people every day.
I gathered some donations, pledged to shave my head, then I went and did it. I raised 55 euros.
A bunch of other people came along pledging to have their heads shaved, their legs or chest waxed.
Click after the jump for the after picture and some pictures of other volunteers.
Read more
Men in sheds have all the answers
So these two lads came up with a solution to the oil spill that’s in the gulf right now.
Haven’t heard about this oil spill? Have a quick read and get back to me.
Caught up? Good.
Now on to my point. These Guys came up with an innovative solution to the problem.
Hay. Pure and simple.
If you don’t fancy heading over to the page to watch the video, here it is.
So it’s like I’ve been saying all along – Men in sheds will save the world, and they’ll get it done today with duct tape, hope, dollar store tools… and hay.
The deadline has passed and so have I
Now, bear with me here.
Both of the welding tests have to be evaluated before they are sent to the certification board so I can get my papers.
I was waiting for a phone call today, and if I did not receive a phone call, I was to assume that I had passed the evaluation and my pieces were winging their way to FETAC so they can send me my papers.
Man I am happy as hell. I love passing tests.
Devolution passed!
It’s over. Devolution passed. Now Stormont has control over all of it’s own affairs, and the terrorists can go home.
For those of you out there that don’t know, ever since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, they have been trying to transfer power from London to Belfast in a process know as devolution.
The main issues have been:
1. The dismantling of the paramilitary (terrorist) groups in Northern Ireland.
2. The removal of the British Army and it’s bases.
3. Establishment of Power Sharing between the main political parties.
4. The devolution of policing and other services.
There are more issues than that, but those are the main ones.
The paramilitaries have disarmed (mostly).
And as linked above, the police are devolving.
There’s no point fighting any more on the part of the terrorists. All you’ll be doing is killing other Northerners. You can plant bombs, shoot cops, whatever it is you want to do… but there’s no point.
You’re not fighting for Britain or Ireland any more.
All you’re doing is blowing up your own people. Which is fairness, is what you’ve been doing this whole time.
It’s over. There are years of healing to go yet. I give it two generations before no one gives a shit any more.
It’s over lads. It’s over.
Today I became…
The Mad Welder!
This here’s my booth. After the jump the first pictures of my first welds.
Read more
All right; enough is enough
It’s never going to be perfect, and I’m not going to be properly ready to blog for another few weeks, but nuts to it, let’s get this damn show on the road.
Today I went into town to do something that I always look forward to. Every time it rolls around I’m more than happy to get it done, even if it’s difficult to pay for.
I’m talking of course, about an eye test. I love getting my eyes test, and sleep deprivation not withstanding, I had a blast. I know this all sounds really dorky, but I genuinely enjoy it. I didn’t go to my usual guy, which is kind of annoying because my usual guy has an unusually soothing voice, but I digress…
As is par for the course these days the hardest part was trying to get what I wanted for a price I could afford. With some finagling, a gentle nudge of a 25% discount [supposedly only for the over 60's], and a mid sized thwack from my medical card I was able to get a very nice pair of glasses, with decent lenses for 80 euros. Not bad at all.
They’ll be available for collection on the 18th of this month, so I’ll try and get a picture up around then.
Other than that I paid the rent and got a haircut. The before and after pictures for the haircut I will post somewhere in the next few days if I can manage it.
Tomorrow is the second day of my welding course, and the first day we actually start welding. I’ll try to remember to bring the camera.
I am working on getting character bios for some of the characters of the fictional Irish city: Castlefinn City.
The first [and hopefully more] of these will be posted soon along with an illustration of each character drawn by Frank.
Nonsense to waiting, and enough hanging about. Let’s blog this shit.
Wednesday
I flew home today… Hardest thing I ever had to do. I love you Kimberlee.
Click through for trip pictures.
Read more
Little Moments in America #10
Under the pier at Huntington Beach. The Pacific is cold.
Read more
Little Moments in America #7
An airship, above a doughnut shop. On 7th by Pacific Coast Highway. A very American moment indeed.
Read more
Little Moments in America #5
Little Moments in America #4
Some days, the little moments are a lot like the little moments at home, just a little bit different.
What would you do for a klondike bar?
Little Moments in America #2
All the stars in the sky are airplanes.
Follow me past the jump…
Read more
I’m in California
Before…
After…
I got the number one.
Travel Thursday
And there is a picture of me at the gate in Schiphol. That’s the plane that took me to America. One of the most uncomfortable 11 hour periods of my life. Next time, I’m making my transfer in Chicago or New York. Or London. Not that there’s anything wrong with Schiphol but I’ll do anything to shorten that flight.
You know, I got stopped for an hour at passport control. After having my bags searched and having what I can only describe as a nice chat with an immigration officer I got my I-94w for and my stamp and I’m good to stay in America until I fly back.
The name of the Immigration Officer’s badge was “Carpenter”.
The Mad Carpenter is going to America
Ahh. America. Such a grand word…
I’m flying out to Orange, California at 6am on Thursday the 12th. I’ve wanted to visit America for years and now after a year or being in love with an amazing woman I’m finally doing it.
I fly from Dublin to Amsterdam for a near 2 hour stopover, then I get on the plane and fly to LAX airport in Los Angeles from whence I shall be collected by Kimberlee.
I’ll see Kimberlee at around 1pm local time. I don’t know when I’ll see all of you, but I’ll be taking lots of pictures and posting when I can.
If I don’t update between now and when I get to America, I’ll see you all on the other side. California… Holy Hell.
Wish me luck in the comments everyone.
Friday
Watching Scary movies. It’s what Frank wanted for his birthday. Happy Birthday Frank.
Sunday
Still sitting around with the buddies. Becky might be moving in. Which I think is fantastic news. She’s a stilt walker, circus performer and prop maker. She alters her own clothes, and all that sort of stuff.
Frank’s an animator, Mary plays music, Sin writes, and I work with wood. We could start a little commune. If you want to see a picture of Becky, look after the jump.
Read more
Extra Monday
My brother Eamon was hired to be an extra in a TG4 production known as Ealu II, a series of recreations of famous prison breakouts from Irish prisons, mostly during the early 20th century (That’s 1900’s) It features stories from both male and female prisoners, and from what I’ve seen today, it looks really good.
Pictures and more info after the jump.
Read more
Audition Wednesday
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the mad carpenter.
There’s big plans in the works for the near future, including branded clothing, custom coffins and even an advertising campaign BUT…
Today we talk about something else. And the thing we talk about today is the media career of The Mad Carpenter. I went out for an audition today, to play the role of an extra in a TG4 production called Ealu II. The information I got about the gig, both from Mema who found the announcement in the paper (Thanks again Mema) and from the staff at the audition, Including the director, is that it’s about famous Irish prison breaks.
We went in in groups, chatted a bit about our experience in media/acting filled out the usual forms. Now answer me honestly here people – Do I look like the sort of guy that would be in prison in the 20’s or the 40’s in Ireland?
Thought you’d say that.
