Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Westlife Interview About Farewell Tour
Leap Year Day - Woman Can Propose To men
Today is Leap Year Day where the Irish tradition is that for this day alone a woman can ask a man to marry her.
It is said the tradition began in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget bitterly complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait far too long for men to propose. Centuries have come and gone and that's a problem men still have.
So according to legend says that St. Patrick decreed the women could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
The tradition was then taken to Scotland by Irish monks. Back in 1288, the Scots passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their dreams in a Leap Year. The law also stated that any man who declined the proposal in a leap year would have to pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
There is also precedent in English law. February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. People believed that traditions would also have no status on that day and that it was possible to have women propose thereby altering an unfair custom that only let men propose marriage.
In the United States, some people refer to February 29th as Sadie Hawkins Day with women allegedly having the right the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
So all of you woman who are reading this get away from the computer, put down the IPad or your phone and go get your man. At the very least you'll get a nice dress and a pair of gloves.
It is said the tradition began in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget bitterly complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait far too long for men to propose. Centuries have come and gone and that's a problem men still have.
So according to legend says that St. Patrick decreed the women could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
The tradition was then taken to Scotland by Irish monks. Back in 1288, the Scots passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their dreams in a Leap Year. The law also stated that any man who declined the proposal in a leap year would have to pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
There is also precedent in English law. February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. People believed that traditions would also have no status on that day and that it was possible to have women propose thereby altering an unfair custom that only let men propose marriage.
In the United States, some people refer to February 29th as Sadie Hawkins Day with women allegedly having the right the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
So all of you woman who are reading this get away from the computer, put down the IPad or your phone and go get your man. At the very least you'll get a nice dress and a pair of gloves.
The Irish Accent
A recent poll by Parship.ie, an Irish dating service for straight and gay members, revealed that Irish people from County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland have the sexiest accent in the country.
42% of Irish women and 39% of Irish men have admitted they go weak at the knees listening to the north-west accent.
I have to admit that my Gareth can make talking about medical stuff sound sexy with his accent. Sometimes I'll tease him as he's talking about something by sitting on his lap and I'll play with his tie or give him kisses on his neck and forehead telling to him to keep talking. I'll ask him to repeat a certain word a few times. Then I'll tell him how sexy he makes the word sound. The first few times I did this he would say the word and play along not realizing while it was sexy I was just teasing him. It was a good way to seduce him and get him in the mood for awhile. Now when I do it his face gets red and if he's in the mood he'll either play along or tell me to behave myself.
I have to admit that my Gareth can make talking about medical stuff sound sexy with his accent. Sometimes I'll tease him as he's talking about something by sitting on his lap and I'll play with his tie or give him kisses on his neck and forehead telling to him to keep talking. I'll ask him to repeat a certain word a few times. Then I'll tell him how sexy he makes the word sound. The first few times I did this he would say the word and play along not realizing while it was sexy I was just teasing him. It was a good way to seduce him and get him in the mood for awhile. Now when I do it his face gets red and if he's in the mood he'll either play along or tell me to behave myself.
The company's dating expert Avril Mulcahy said 'Accents have a way of drawing you in and holding you. It might sound assertive, confident, powerful or just downright sexy.'
The Tipperary accent finished bottom of the list with just 1% of women and 5% of men describing it as the sexiest accent.
Galway born television presenter Grainne Seoige was chosen as Ireland's sexiest female celebrity voice, getting 48.7% of the male vote.
Peter O'Toole topped the poll with a third of Irish women voting his the sexiest male celebrity voice.
My favorite Irish celebrity voice Shane Filan.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Rugby's Finest - 2012 Calendar
Montgomery Clift
Got home this morning from spending the night on the ship, took a shower and got something to eat. I tried to take a cat nap on the couch, but the only one sleeping was the cat. Since I couldn't fall asleep and Gareth was home we decided to watch a movie. He put in the movie From Here to Eternity with Montgomery Clift. I'm a huge classic movie fan, always have been all my life.
Gareth had never watched this movie before and I had to laugh when he mentioned that he never realized movies from that time period could be as sexual as From Here To Eternity is with one of its story lines. For me, I remember watching this movie when I was just a kid and thinking before I even knew what the word gay meant that I really liked that Pruitt guy. There was something about him that got my attention.
When I grew up and watched the movie again I finally understood why. It was also about the same time I was struggling with the fact that I was gay. As a kid you're shielded from certain comments, but as you get older and you're watching a movie or reading about some celebrity people would make remarks such as "he's so handsome, too bad he's gay" or "What a nice guy, too bad he's gay" and "Such a good actor, but he's gay." Of course, to them it was just a comment and life moved on. But my ears picked that up and filed it away. It also engraved in my mind that every time someone mentioned the "gay" word, it was in a negative tone. Something to be ashamed of and only whispered about, but never spoken out loud. So of course that reinforced the belief in me that I couldn't talk to anyone about what I was feeling.
Usually the names being mentioned as being gay were people I wasn't anything like. Even when I heard names of people and celebrities linked to the gay word, I would think I'm nothing like them. Most were usually effeminate men and I was definitely not that. Even when a name like Cary Grant was mentioned as being bi-sexual, I couldn't relate to him because I wasn't the sophisticated, suave man like he was in life and on screen.
Then one day I watched From Here To Eternity with Montgomery Clift on a Sunday afternoon. I didn't remember much about the movie except I remembered he was cute. I didn't realize at the time that in real life he was gay. Even though the story was set at the beginning of World War II it wasn't long before I saw on screen a character that I could relate to what I was dealing with in my own life. The character in the movie and me in real life were both trying to do the right thing and stay out of trouble and fights. I was constantly getting into both and after several visits to the school and with police I promised my Dad and Mom I wouldn't fight anymore and try to stay out of trouble. Both the character and I failed at that attempt.
It was only after I watched the movie and mentioned to someone that I thought it was a good movie and I really liked Montgomery Clift did someone mention he was gay. I then went out and got the movie and watched it again. Even though the character he plays isn't gay, I still related to the character and now knowing he was gay in real life I finally found someone that seemed to be like me on screen. I remember wanting to know more about this man and when I found out the details of his life and death, I started to wonder if that was the ending all gay men have? I was depressed for days. We're we all doomed with a lifetime of alternating between hating and accepting who we are, and only for a brief few moments in between that struggle could we find love and live a normal life? Knowing that in the end we'll fail and are doomed to die sad, lonely and broken.
Fortunately for me, the time when I dealt with my acceptance and when he dealt with his were like night and day. Now that my life is settled and I've found my place in this world, when I watched the movie today I didn't just see the Pruitt character he played and think to myself how much I could relate to the character. I saw Montgomery Clift, the man and wondered what was he dealing with inside when he was making this movie? Did he ever know any happiness in life? Did he ever get a chance to really love someone and be loved by someone? Knowing how his life ended, I wanted to reach through the screen and put my arms around him and give him a hug and tell him it does get better as I'm sure his best friend Elizabeth Taylor did many times. She'll always have a special place in my heart for what she did for boys like us. I can't help but wonder how many others have passed through this world not being able to be who they were intended to be?
In his time you could be jailed for kissing another man or given electric shock to try and reset the brain, or tucked away in an insane asylum, or you could lose your whole career, family, and friends. Although the struggle he had in life in accepting himself is familiar, we can never know how hard it was for those who came before us. Yet even today we need a campaign to tell others that it does get better. We have Matthew Shepard's being left to die alone in fields and politicians using marriage as a political weapon. Even though we have more freedom now than Montgomery did in his day, we're not there yet. There is still a lot of work to do to get equality in all fazes of life. A song just came on the radio here from Gary Alan that sums it up, "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride."
This is one of my all-time favorite scenes from a movie. Playing taps after the death of his friend.
When I grew up and watched the movie again I finally understood why. It was also about the same time I was struggling with the fact that I was gay. As a kid you're shielded from certain comments, but as you get older and you're watching a movie or reading about some celebrity people would make remarks such as "he's so handsome, too bad he's gay" or "What a nice guy, too bad he's gay" and "Such a good actor, but he's gay." Of course, to them it was just a comment and life moved on. But my ears picked that up and filed it away. It also engraved in my mind that every time someone mentioned the "gay" word, it was in a negative tone. Something to be ashamed of and only whispered about, but never spoken out loud. So of course that reinforced the belief in me that I couldn't talk to anyone about what I was feeling.
Usually the names being mentioned as being gay were people I wasn't anything like. Even when I heard names of people and celebrities linked to the gay word, I would think I'm nothing like them. Most were usually effeminate men and I was definitely not that. Even when a name like Cary Grant was mentioned as being bi-sexual, I couldn't relate to him because I wasn't the sophisticated, suave man like he was in life and on screen.
It was only after I watched the movie and mentioned to someone that I thought it was a good movie and I really liked Montgomery Clift did someone mention he was gay. I then went out and got the movie and watched it again. Even though the character he plays isn't gay, I still related to the character and now knowing he was gay in real life I finally found someone that seemed to be like me on screen. I remember wanting to know more about this man and when I found out the details of his life and death, I started to wonder if that was the ending all gay men have? I was depressed for days. We're we all doomed with a lifetime of alternating between hating and accepting who we are, and only for a brief few moments in between that struggle could we find love and live a normal life? Knowing that in the end we'll fail and are doomed to die sad, lonely and broken.
Fortunately for me, the time when I dealt with my acceptance and when he dealt with his were like night and day. Now that my life is settled and I've found my place in this world, when I watched the movie today I didn't just see the Pruitt character he played and think to myself how much I could relate to the character. I saw Montgomery Clift, the man and wondered what was he dealing with inside when he was making this movie? Did he ever know any happiness in life? Did he ever get a chance to really love someone and be loved by someone? Knowing how his life ended, I wanted to reach through the screen and put my arms around him and give him a hug and tell him it does get better as I'm sure his best friend Elizabeth Taylor did many times. She'll always have a special place in my heart for what she did for boys like us. I can't help but wonder how many others have passed through this world not being able to be who they were intended to be?
In his time you could be jailed for kissing another man or given electric shock to try and reset the brain, or tucked away in an insane asylum, or you could lose your whole career, family, and friends. Although the struggle he had in life in accepting himself is familiar, we can never know how hard it was for those who came before us. Yet even today we need a campaign to tell others that it does get better. We have Matthew Shepard's being left to die alone in fields and politicians using marriage as a political weapon. Even though we have more freedom now than Montgomery did in his day, we're not there yet. There is still a lot of work to do to get equality in all fazes of life. A song just came on the radio here from Gary Alan that sums it up, "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride."
This is one of my all-time favorite scenes from a movie. Playing taps after the death of his friend.
Monday, February 27, 2012
A Long Night
It's almost 5am now and we're finally done installing and testing the new equipment. Since we had to hang out to test the equipment we put the Academy Awards on. I had all but the best actress picked, but the woman were so good this year it doesn't surprise me that Meryl Streep finally won an Oscar again. I have to say it was kind of boring but I did get to see Uggi the dog a few times. I loved when Jean Dujardin picked him up and included him with the winning cast when they won best movie. Class act Mr. Dujardin. Going to my bunk now to lay down and get a bit of sleep before morning.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Academy Award - Movie
My pick for Best Movie of the Year is The Artist. I am a fan of classic movies and that time in history of Hollywood so I loved this movie. But I have to say I also loved War Horse, Midnight In Paris, and The Help. So if one of them pulls off an upset I wouldn't be upset.
I loved that we get to see war through the eyes of an animal. We often overlook the hell that animals go through during man's inhumanity to man so I loved this point of view.
I'm not a fan of Owen Wilson or Woody Allen and when I watched this movie I wasn't expecting to like it. But as I watched it I felt myself really getting into the movie and it's now one of my favorite movies of the year.
Race issues of the last century have been covered many times in movies, but not from the view of the help. So while it was somewhat predictable, the acting is what made this movie. Plus it taught me to never eat anything made by someone who is mad at you.
Academy Awards - Actors
Jean Dujardin - Best Actor - Could he become the first French man to win the Best Actor Oscar?
Christopher Plummer - Best Supporting Actor - What a sweet performance.
Here are my two picks for the acting awards. While the woman have competition in their category, I will be shocked if these two men don't go home with Oscar tonight.
Canada Seeking Irish Men
The delegation, which includes representatives of the British Columbia Construction Association, Alberta Construction Association and senior officials from the British Columbia Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation hope to identify sources of skilled labour.
It will also be attending the Dublin Working Abroad Expo/Jobs Fair next week.
They are a projected 335,000 job opportunities arising in British Columbia and Alberta between now and 2014, especially in construction. The biggest demand relates to carpenters, electricians, welders, plumbers, heavy equipment operators and millwrights.
Canada differs from many countries seeking workers abroad in that it encourages long term inward migration by specified groups and facilitates family settlement.
Uggie The Dog - The Artist
Irish Calendar
Tonight I'm working on the ship with a co-worker Ian updating some equipment. He is a tall, thin fun, charming, dark-haired cute guy around 22 years old and if I have to be stuck working the night shift with someone I am glad it's him. We made small talk for a few minutes and made some tea on this cool and misty night wondering if it was going to rain anymore and wishing for Spring weather.
We then settled into unhooking the wires from two bulky monitors. We always joke around when there is a limited crew that we may see a ghost and all that stuff. Tonight we even talked about how we should put a spooky movie on one of the computers as we worked. See if we could summon up something from the dead as he said. As we worked we kept joking with each other telling different ghost stories that other people experienced on the ship. Even though neither of us were really feeling scared, it puts the thought into your mind.
We continued working for a while trying to untangle the mess of wires and except for a few comments about the wire mess and some heavy breaths and sighs at how much it was annoying us to untangle the mess, the room was really quiet. Only the sound of the ocean and other outside muffled noises could be heard. You don't realize how much your senses relax and your body becomes calm when the environment is quiet.
Needing to move the old monitors out of our way before installing the two new ones, we each picked up one and started to carry them through a passage way and to a storage room. As I followed him, one of the doors that led to the deck opened and slammed shut at the end of the hall in front of us. With this loud bang, he came to a sudden stop and I heard him make a guttural noise as his body twitched causing him to almost drop his monitor. As he tried to hold on to the monitor he took a step back and banged right into my own startled self as I tried not to drop my own monitor. We both sat the monitors down in the hallway and leaned against the wall as he muttered a swear word. Looking at each other with a "that was not funny" stare, we agreed no more talk of ghosts tonight and we're going to put a comedy movie on instead, but not Ghostbusters!
We then settled into unhooking the wires from two bulky monitors. We always joke around when there is a limited crew that we may see a ghost and all that stuff. Tonight we even talked about how we should put a spooky movie on one of the computers as we worked. See if we could summon up something from the dead as he said. As we worked we kept joking with each other telling different ghost stories that other people experienced on the ship. Even though neither of us were really feeling scared, it puts the thought into your mind.
We continued working for a while trying to untangle the mess of wires and except for a few comments about the wire mess and some heavy breaths and sighs at how much it was annoying us to untangle the mess, the room was really quiet. Only the sound of the ocean and other outside muffled noises could be heard. You don't realize how much your senses relax and your body becomes calm when the environment is quiet.
Needing to move the old monitors out of our way before installing the two new ones, we each picked up one and started to carry them through a passage way and to a storage room. As I followed him, one of the doors that led to the deck opened and slammed shut at the end of the hall in front of us. With this loud bang, he came to a sudden stop and I heard him make a guttural noise as his body twitched causing him to almost drop his monitor. As he tried to hold on to the monitor he took a step back and banged right into my own startled self as I tried not to drop my own monitor. We both sat the monitors down in the hallway and leaned against the wall as he muttered a swear word. Looking at each other with a "that was not funny" stare, we agreed no more talk of ghosts tonight and we're going to put a comedy movie on instead, but not Ghostbusters!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Hot Chocolate, Fireplace, and a Shave Chest
Gareth, the cat, and I have escaped for the weekend to a friends cabin as I call it or cottage as Gareth calls it. Not sure what the cat calls it but he wasn't in the mood for a car ride today. He is definitely happy to be in something that isn't moving on down the road.
The place smelled mossy when we arrived, but after lighting the fireplace and some fragrant candles it is much better. Gareth made grilled chicken with peppers and onions soaked in lemon juice and some potato's for dinner. I love watching him cook for me, I find it to be very sexy. After setting the table I walked up to him as he was washing a pot out in the sink. I wrapped my hands around him and gave him a hug and told how good it feels to get away and be alone together. I unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons and reached a hand inside to tease him a bit and I felt something weird. I said "What the..." as he burst out laughing. I quickly spun him around and unbuttoned more of his shirt to reveal he had shaved his chest. The beautiful hairy chest I loved was shaved completely off.
He told me was itchy and decided to shave it off this morning before we left. I knew he was complaining of being itchy lately and I'd seen him scratching under his t-shirt or at the top of his dress shirts when unbuttoned the last few days. I yelled at him and told him its winter, you have dry skin. You moisturize. You don't shave the chest hairs. Oh those lovely chest hairs. But of course he just found humor in the situation and admitted he knew "there would be skin and bones flying" when I found out. Then a thought popped into my head on how far did he go with this? So I stuck my hand down the front of his pants and he burst out laughing and said he only trimmed below the belt. He said "I was itchy, not trying to be twelve again."
All through dinner at the table I kept pulling his shirt open and looking at his shaved chest. Of course he kept cracking on about me letting him eat his dinner before I molest him any further. After dinner as we cleaned up the kitchen I took his shirt off so I could see it all in the light. I didn't want to tell him even though I missed the hairy chest, I still found him hot. So I just sighed and shook my head. I left him put his shirt back on after he complained about being cold. You never complained about being cold before when you had a hairy chest, serves you right.
It's late now, almost midnight and Gareth is in the kitchen making us some hot chocolate and playing ball with the cat. Thought I would pop on for a moment and get my complaining and whining out. I feel much better now. In reality though, I've never loved or been loved by anyone as much as Gareth. It doesn't matter if he is hairy or smooth as long as I can wrap my arms around him and get lost in us.
The place smelled mossy when we arrived, but after lighting the fireplace and some fragrant candles it is much better. Gareth made grilled chicken with peppers and onions soaked in lemon juice and some potato's for dinner. I love watching him cook for me, I find it to be very sexy. After setting the table I walked up to him as he was washing a pot out in the sink. I wrapped my hands around him and gave him a hug and told how good it feels to get away and be alone together. I unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons and reached a hand inside to tease him a bit and I felt something weird. I said "What the..." as he burst out laughing. I quickly spun him around and unbuttoned more of his shirt to reveal he had shaved his chest. The beautiful hairy chest I loved was shaved completely off.
He told me was itchy and decided to shave it off this morning before we left. I knew he was complaining of being itchy lately and I'd seen him scratching under his t-shirt or at the top of his dress shirts when unbuttoned the last few days. I yelled at him and told him its winter, you have dry skin. You moisturize. You don't shave the chest hairs. Oh those lovely chest hairs. But of course he just found humor in the situation and admitted he knew "there would be skin and bones flying" when I found out. Then a thought popped into my head on how far did he go with this? So I stuck my hand down the front of his pants and he burst out laughing and said he only trimmed below the belt. He said "I was itchy, not trying to be twelve again."
All through dinner at the table I kept pulling his shirt open and looking at his shaved chest. Of course he kept cracking on about me letting him eat his dinner before I molest him any further. After dinner as we cleaned up the kitchen I took his shirt off so I could see it all in the light. I didn't want to tell him even though I missed the hairy chest, I still found him hot. So I just sighed and shook my head. I left him put his shirt back on after he complained about being cold. You never complained about being cold before when you had a hairy chest, serves you right.
It's late now, almost midnight and Gareth is in the kitchen making us some hot chocolate and playing ball with the cat. Thought I would pop on for a moment and get my complaining and whining out. I feel much better now. In reality though, I've never loved or been loved by anyone as much as Gareth. It doesn't matter if he is hairy or smooth as long as I can wrap my arms around him and get lost in us.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
What Shall We Do On A Saturday Night
Ireland vs France Tonight
This video is from last year but still gets you in the mood to watch some Irish Rugby.
It's a freezing cold winter night and the field is icy around the edges, but no matter the weather it has become a must win night for the Irish after their loss last weekend to Wales. Lets go boys.
Sean O'Brien talking about the team preparing for France and the cold weather.
Hysteria
What if pregnancy was officially outlawed?
http://www.rte.ie/drama/featured/storyland/
This is one of eight online dramas featured from Storyland which is RTÉ Drama's competition.
Each time a new webisode is shown you must vote for your favourite. The webisodes that get the most votes get commissioned to make the next episode. After four webisodes one series will emerge as the winner of Storyland 2012.
Trouble Times Three
This is one of eight online dramas featured from Storyland which is RTÉ Drama's competition.
Each time a new webisode is shown you must vote for your favorite. The webisodes that get the most votes get commissioned to make the next episode. After four webisodes one series will emerge as the winner of Storyland 2012.
Trouble Times Three is an RTE Storyland webisode that follows the lives of three woman, impregnated at the same time by the same man. Apparently Irish men are very potent!
