NOV POST

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The one with a birthday blog

Dear blog, even though the updates have slowed down to less than occasional, I still love you. Sort of. Your like a booty call at 5am. When there is nothing happening anywhere else, I know you're good for it.

So happy 7th birthday. I'll be round in a few weeks. X x x x x x

THE ONE WITH i

I woke up this morning around the usual ungodly hour. First thing I do is reach for the iPod in it’s docking station and hit the snooze button. This morning for whatever reason, maybe a good nights sleep, I chose to shut down the alarm and have a quick browse through twitter, which is my normal routine, after about 20 punches of the snooze button.
The first thing I saw was that Steve Jobs had passed away. Being half asleep and bleary eyed, I reached for my iPad. Same thing there. An amazing visionary had passed away. My first words to my wife this morning were not good morning or anything of the sort. She was awoken to the words “Steve Jobs is dead!”
I’m kinda late onto the apple bandwagon ( I was always a windows buff), but I was always aware of what Apple and Jobs were doing as a kid. The likes of Jobs, Gates, Sinclair etc. were always inspirational in my young book.
My first interaction with any Apple product was in a school computer lab. And I was blown away. Not so much by what was on the screen, but the actual design and shape of thing, compared to the IBM compatible monsters that were also lurking around the same lab. It took the bare bones of nearly 20 odd years after that for me to buy the original iPod touch. And since then; Nano’s, more iPod touches, Apple TV’s and an iPad 2 all have been purchased. Honestly, I believe the iPad is one of the greatest pieces of tech ever invented. It doesn’t leave my side and I couldn’t get through the day without it. Even for my (almost) 15 month old.His first interaction with anything tech was an apple product. He’ll quite happily sit in front of my iPad banging drums on Garage Band or laughing at a movie or interacting with Elmo. I would have been lost in NYC or Dubai or London or anywhere else I’ve been without my iPod touch. It’s rarely used for listening to music. Instead it has gotten me around subways, provided directions and even booked restaurants for me thousands of miles away from home.
Steve Jobs along with his vision and drive have made a huge impression on me. So it’s with a heavy heart that I write this. And whilst this is an incredibly sad time for the Jobs family and all that knew him it also needs to be a celebration of what was most certainly an incredibly gifted human being. He has changed and inspired the world by how we interact and communicate with each other forever. His vision has changed how we read magazines, listen to music, the list is endless. His vision has changed my life and it has brought smile after smile to my son’s life. And for that, I say “Thank You, Steve!”
As individuals Steve Jobs has changed our lives in ways no one thought possible years ago.
And it is only today that we realise, there is more “ i ” in all of us than we ever knew!

THE ONE WITH APPLE CORK FLAG AT HALF MAST

Jamie O Sullivan sent me a great (albeit sad) shot taken earlier today of Apple's European headquarters in Holyhill, Cork.

Via Jamie O Sullivan's Flickr

Sad day today, with the passing of an amazing visionary, Steve Jobs. It wasn't only in the world of technology Steve made an impact. He made a huge impact in the world of movies. One word. Pixar.

So may he rest in peace. Steve Jobs, the man who turned i into we!

THE ONE WITH NO TUNNEL THURSDAY

Today is the day! The introduction of tolls to the Jack Lynch Tunnel is now a large possibility. For most people who use the tunnel on a regular basis, normally twice a day, at a toll (for example) of 1.80 each way, 5 days a week, that'll set you back €18 a week. Which is €936 a year. Which is a family holiday! Which is health insurance for a year! Which is a helluva lot if you don't have it!

There is a huge knock on effect right across the board if the tunnel is tolled. It will effect traders in Cork, as people divert into the city to avoid the tolls, and in turn will bring the city to a standstill. It will be chaotic. It will effect Mahon Point. It will increase the cost of taxis, if they use the tunnel. People are paying more than over the odds for petrol, insurance, car tax, tyres, servicing. The list goes on!

So, here's what we're asking YOU to do! Don't use the tunnel today, Thursday September 29th. If you have nearly an extra €1000 to blow, by all means drive through it! This is about standing up! This is about people power! This is about highlighting what happens if you have to pay to drive through a tunnel that is less the 1km in length. It's about highlighting what happens if you have to pay to drive through a tunnel that is less than 20km from another toll. Most importantly, this is about YOU!!!

If the tunnel is tolled, don't be the one saying "I should have or could have". Today is the day you say "I DID!"

THE ONE WITH THE BEST EMAIL EVER SENT TO THE SHOW

Take a read of this! Best email I’ve ever received.

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why are you people involve in my issue concerning musicians and rap artist from USA such as jay z, rihanna, kanye, lady gaga and others? how are you people connected to this people and why is victor barry, dave mac and some of you people saying things about my family? why cant you people email me or write to me, do you people have my compensation from this above named musicians and rap artist? if you all do why dont you people pay up, is this a kind of robbery tactics? for almost 3yrs why did victor barry whom i have never spoke to or met in person follow me all the way from athlone and how is he connected to  elan pharmaceutical athlone and athlone laboratory roscommon? did the named pharmaceutical companies send or involve you people in this act? where is my money? who have it?  the HSE they are playing a major role in this matter did they  sent or aprove of you people and your involvement in this issue? reply i live at the above adress or email.

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THE ONE WITH I’M BACK FROM HOLIERS

Right then! Only a few hours to go before I head back to the airwaves on Monday morning. It’s amazing how quick 2 weeks can go. We spent a week in the Wicklow mountains in one of these…

which was great except it had a shitty TV…

But with views like this, who cares…

And when it didn’t rain there was an epic double deck…
We trundled around Bray and went to an aquarium, which to be honest, was a bit shite. Not a patch on the stuff they have in Dingle..

There was also some kind of Disneyland rip off on the Bray seafront , which was rather exciting as you can see…

After paying some carnie types to hook ducks and squirt water, the smallie done rather well…

From there we made for Howth to hang out with some of my “celeb” pals…Alas none were home, so we got fish and chips x 2 that cost 21 quid. That was after we took a hurricane swept walk on some well known pier

We then paid another 20 odd quid (on another day) to get into some place that had a few fields with some animals

It also had a maze, but it started raining and we couldn’t get lost..

On another day we decided to go to the Zoo and compliments of Google Maps we ended up here

Which was great except all I wanted to see was monkeys and shit on the particular day. Instead we continued taking directions from Google and ended up on the set of Braveheart (recognise the bushes?)

After much driving around Sally’s gap (or something) we eventually got some monkey action.. Who thankfully weren’t throwing shit, but rolling around in it instead. Evolution eh?

We also got to see the ape from those Clint Eastwood flicks…

From there we ended up on the set of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, where the Gorilla’s were more interested in breaking the fuck out of the glass..

We saw other shit too, like this orange pussy cat…

and a drunk Giraffe and passed out Rhino

The smallie started some exploring

And we ended up in some field near with a picnic, a waterfall and more skin eating flies than you’d see in a Concern advert on the TV. And we had to pay for the hassle as well

And then, on another day, we found that tower that’s on a billion copybooks…

There was plenty of other “antics” but for legal reasons, I can’t put them up here (or in other words, I can’t be arsed), but here’s a taster
I’d certainly staycation it again, but I could have probably got a month in Dubai for what we spent…

THE ONE WITH ONE

Thursday the 14th @ 18:46 I’ll have been a dad for exactly 365 days. More importantly, Cameron is the magic 12 months old.

It’s pretty mind boggling to think the last year has gone so quick. Professionally and personally it’s been a long, hard one but I’ve come out the other side.

I reckon we’ve gone through well over a thousand nappies in the last 12 months on an average of 3 a day. Not to mention formula and all the gadgets and shit that comes with a bambino. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. 366 days ago I never could envision myself as a Dad. I was never the one that was comfortable handling babies. I would dread the thought of visiting friends who had churned one out, as the “Have a hold there will ya” was inevitable. I never thought I could.

But, I, like millions of others, got on with it. Ger had a c-section, so the midwife done the first dirty nappy. After that, it was all me, for the best part for a few days, on the physical side of things. It’s funny how this “Your kid needs you, so wake the fuck up” instinct hits you like a tonne of bricks. It’s pretty mind-blowing actually. Even more mind-blowing was the absolute raw emotion of hearing that first cough from Cameron and what melted my head completely was him opening his eyes, looking into mine.

So it’s funny, to me at least, the way the last year has had an impact. Don’t get me wrong, it’s bloody hard. Personal life can take a bit of a hit. Relationship’s can struggle. You might have to do a feed, in the early days at least, at 2am. But for me, that’s not the hard part. The hard part is the trips to the doctor, the trips to the A&E. That’s the hard part.The great parts though, are endless. The first smile, the first words, the first attempts to walk. That list is constantly growing.

Overall though, I can’t pay tribute enough to Ger who has being amazing throughout the last 12 months. Duck to water comes to mind. As for me,I can change a nappy blindfolded. I can not bat an eyelid at being covered in shit, puke and piss. I can get up after 3 hours sleep and be happy as larry playing with Cameron. And, contrary to my original thoughts, I can be a Dad. And it’s epically awesome.

Enough of my gushing!

THE ONE WITH A LOST CAMERA BAG

For reasons beyond me, I left behind a small, Lowe Pro camera bag, with a 18-55mm lens and a filter inside. It was left behind at the viewing point on Lake Road in Cobh. It was left resting on a bin. On the very off chance that you or someone you know might have found it, please give me a shout. vicbarry@gmail.com
It would be greatly appreciated!!!!