Mikael Fernstrom

>I need to write. More. Better. Last night, I wrote several pages, long overdue, but I was really happy to have eventually done it. Today, a bit of proof reading and correction. Finally a number of really nice pages of text with a good flow. This evening though, I’m scatter-brained again. Can only write shorter things and too much angst and adrenalin flowing around. I should be too old for this. But no. I really love writing – both text and music. In fact, I really enjoy every way I can move patterns from my mind into the world, wether it’s a text, sketch, doodle, sound, music, design, or whatever. I tell you, it’s a strange state of mind, but that’s how it works. Unfortunately, the mind wants to output patterns that are not necessarily needed now, and the recipients that are filling my inbox with crap about “you must submit [this or that] yesterday, or else”. Hey guys, just wait a bit and I’ll surprise you all. If you can’t wait for my excellent contributions, you don’t deserve to perceive them.

>So finally the US war machinery is starting to pull out of Shannon. There are, of course, claims that so much money was paid for every landing and refueling, but when looking at the few figures that are available, the markup seems to have been almost zero, hence there wasn’t really any contribution to the Irish economy (rather the opposite!), just flushing bad money through the system.
More important is that we should not allow any aid or abetting in the horrendous warmongery that the US is carrying out to manipulate the oil resources of the world.
I wonder if the CIA-flights (extraordinary renditions) will cease as well?

>It’s been a great weekend. Blue skies, sunshine, and about 26 degrees centigrade. I’ve been living more or less outdoors in the garden. A substantial amount of time went down marking exams. The rest have been relaxation and cooking, and walking the dog. They’ve cut the grass in the field in front of the house, and at times, sneezing and wheezing was causing problems, but thanks to antihistamines I’ve survived it.

>Last night we (L, A, M and I) joined a table quiz, in support of Limerick Animal Welfare. We didn’t win the quiz, but we won a free round of drink for best team name – Maniac Mongrels 😉

>Today, while making breakfast (pancakes) I had to reclaim our kitchen table. It’s been increasingly laden with papers, journals, student work, etc., and the actual table was not visible anymore. So, while making the pancakes I cleared the piles of dead-tree stuff that’s been clogging up the the space for several weeks. Half of the stuff I put into Recycling, the other half is destined for my office.

>This evening we went to the University Concert Hall for the play Alone it stands. It’s a comic reflection on the past victory of Munster against New Zeeland’s All Blacks team in 1978, but feels so RIGHT now after Munster’s latest achievment. Up Munster!

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Then, we had a monster evening with the [otherwise] daft Eurovision song contest. At times, it seemed to be the Eurovision dance contest, skimpy contest, singing-out-of-tune contest… But luckily Finnish Lordi saved the show. Well done Suomi Pojka!

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We had a terrific and fantastic afternoon – in front of the telly – watching Munster win over Biarritz in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. We were crying, laughing and having just a fantastic time. I think Ireland should build a similar stadium in Limerick.

>It’s just unreal. They are doing it – again. The Eurovision Song Crap. What makes it even worse (in Ireland) is that the daft puffter Marty Whelan is talking [crap] all the time. At times this evening it appeared to be the Eurovision Dance contest with a lot of wobbly bits being shaken.
To quote Garotta Di’ Anchovy (a.k.a. Sillstryparn): “And here’s ABBA, with plastic clothes, as dead as canned herrings.”

>Back in normal [!] space, the IDC at UL. My life today has been divided into 15 minute slots. When will I get time to think? NOW. The Portal is progressing quite well, thanks to all the brilliant students in the IDC. Still, I really don’t understand why I’m doing this. Of course, I enjoy designing things and managing projects and people. I also enjoy eating cracker bread and picking my nose. I have an endless list of THINGS I should be doing (or according to some – that I should have done already the day before yesterday). Perhaps one should approach this just like the piles of stuff I have in my study at home – if I haven’t touched the pile of papers for a year, they are probably irrelevant and should be thrown out and recycled (just imagine… if you don’t read it more than once, then eventually you get to wipe your bum with it).