Gone to America » 2005

Friday 23rd 2005f September 2005

Manhattan

Blog

, posted by Anthony in the evening.

I’m sitting in the Housing Works Used Book Cafe where I sometimes come to do some writing after work. It’s just around the corner from the office and it’s open until nine. I buy a beer and a sandwich, grab a table, whip out my tiny laptop and… Well, surf the internet. There’s a free wireless access point here. I also write. Sometimes I’ll even buy a book or so.

This evening there was a reading by Davy Rothbart. I hadn’t heard of him and that’s not why I was here, so I put on my headphones and started tapping away on the balcony out of the way. I couldn’t help listening to the start of his first story, and it sounded familiar. I couldn’t place it, so I looked around the internet and realised I’d read a while ago online while looking through a site I’d linked to for another purpose entirely. So I read along a bit as I listened. It’s a good story. You should check it out.

It was kind of strange, but it’s the kind of thing that happens when you hang around Manhattan, apparently. I may find this kind of thing occurring all the time when I move here in a few weeks. I’ve gotten myself an apartment in Central Harlem. It’s a little more expensive, but it’s a one bedroom with a fair amount of space. I’m really cramped where I am now, although I like the neighborhood, and my roommates. I’ve been living with Vanessa for over a year and a half.

In Dublin I lived alone. When I moved here I deliberately went the roommate route to make it less likely that I would die of loneliness early in my stay, and it worked very well, but now I have enough friends that I won’t wither away through lack of human company even if I’m not coming home to anybody. It’s time I had an apartment that fits my income a little more. The room in Queens was great when I basically wasn’t earning, but now I want some space!

I was just going to look for somewhere in Sunnyside, but Rob in work told me a room in his building had just become available, that it was a nice space and a great bargain. Last night I went, looked, and agreed. It’s being done up at the moment and I’ll move in slowly between the middle of October and the beginning of November. I’ll need to buy a bunch of stuff – it’s unfurnished and I have nothing!

I’ll miss Sunnyside. Harlem has come up a lot in the last few years, but this particular area isn’t especially salubrious. I sense it will be a lot harder to buy good Irish bacon and a lot easier to buy crack. It is handy for the trains and I’ll only be three blocks from Central Park, so that’s ok.

A new phase, I guess. Again.

Oh, and I’ve had to tighten up the spam filters on the comments as I’ve just had a big attack (about 20 in the past hour). I hope nobody is inconvenienced. I’ll put it back to normal in a few days. In some ways it’s diificult to tell what’s spam and what isn’t at the moment, but in others it isn’t. Anyway, the cafe is closing so I must publish and shut down.

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Comments on "Manhattan"

Comment ID: 3480
At 11:29 pm on Friday 23rd 2005f September 2005, Babs testified

Good call. Hell, you can get the bacon delivered. Crack dealers, however, are far more picky, and insist YOU go to THEM.

Should we expect an IKEA post in the near future??
Comment ID: 3516
At 1:54 am on Saturday 24th 2005f September 2005, VIAGRA, MORTGAGE, DIPLOMA wrote

cummm here for all your erectile, mortgaging and educational needs! Non prescription herbal viagra, o% interest mortgages, mail-order diplomas (and brides), penis enhancement, etc… etc…

www.allyouneed.com

oh, yeah and basically IKEA & UHAUL = all your furnishing needs sorted in a matter of hours…
Comment ID: 3560
At 12:07 pm on Saturday 24th 2005f September 2005, eleanor said

Are you still renting then? Any plans to actually buy a place? And when should we expect photos?
Comment ID: 3561
At 1:24 pm on Saturday 24th 2005f September 2005, Anthony imparted

I was thinking about buying, but I was informed fairly categorically that without a US credit rating I would never get a mortgage. So I’ll spend the next year assiduously borrowing money and paying it back and then see where I am.

Photos of what? There is a strong chance that the future holds a post about a trip to IKEA.

And happy birthday, Lisa! I was going to blog about that but the place was closing, and now it’s too late. I’m sure Julian will pick up the slack. If anybody’s going to Tangra in Sunnyside, have the Manchurian Beef!
Comment ID: 3562
At 2:03 pm on Saturday 24th 2005f September 2005, Ivan stated

Onwards and upwards, borrowing money eh?, now where are you going to find things to borrow money for?
I suggest loads more useless electronics, new x-box PS-3, one of those gyroscope people transporter jobbies, maybe a smart car?
Comment ID: 3563
At 1:21 am on Sunday 25th 2005f September 2005, JIMI was compelled to share

Anthony assiduously borrowig money and paying back? Is this the real Anthony or is someone impersonating you again?

I mean the borrowing bit I can imagine (assiduosly or otherwise). You just lost me on the paying back bit. Could you run that by me again?
Comment ID: 3573
At 4:10 am on Sunday 25th 2005f September 2005, Eleanor wrote

I meant photos of the new pad! You should borrow the money, invest it in a high interest savings account that covers the interest on the loan and a gives a little bit extra, and then you might even make a bit of money on the whole transaction. Do they have isas in America? (Those tax free investment thingys). Or could you buy shares in rock star?
Comment ID: 3585
At 12:03 pm on Sunday 25th 2005f September 2005, Nigel asserted

Because I’m a snob I’ve snubbed Ikea for my new furnishing needs and gone to posh wankers’ hangout Habitat instead.

I was just in Dublin for a few days and Patric informed me that The Poison Dwarf has been spotted working in the Suffolk Street branch of Habitat. I only found out the night before my flight so I was robbed of the chance to go in there and laugh at the Dwarf. Perhaps next time….....
Comment ID: 3587
At 2:59 pm on Sunday 25th 2005f September 2005, JIMI typed

JIMI would like to state categorically that he is NOT, repeat NOT The Poison Dwarf. Rumours have been abounding that Wee Jimmy and The Poison Dwarf are the same person. I assure you they are not.

So, Nigel (Posh Wanker) >> who IS the Poison Dwarf anyways, so that I too might scoff at him/her should the mood strike me…

Also, Anthony>> your sister sounds a lot more sensible than you. I think you should hire her as a financial adviser. Preferably give her power of attorney over all your earnings. I’d hire her too but I’ve no earnings to give her power of attorney over.
Comment ID: 3594
At 4:06 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean wanted everyone to know

Dudes and dudettes alike! Glad to see everyone’s getting along. Captain evil Badfish is off to Ballybunion on holidays. I’ve missed so much. Glad to see Eleanor’s on the mend after her crack-hell experience in prison. Glad to see Jimi is still ranting and raving! Ah jazus!!!! Glad to see Babs is a woman!!!

Nigella won the “Last Post” prize so Jimi, please come up with something suitable to award him with. As for Daragh…. alas….
Comment ID: 3595
At 4:10 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean posted

Oh and Anthony. Best of luck on the new gaff!!!! Are you going to start Jive talking now and dressing like a pimp or an extra in a Deelite video? You’d make a great pimp!!! ‘Nuf o’ dat Honky motherfucka’ jive shit ma mannnnn!!!!!!!!!!

As for the cashflow…. spend spend spend!!! I hear America is on for civil war soon anyway, price of the dollar’s gonna soar!!!!!!! I moved into a new gaff with my SS girl this weekend. Nice apartment. Even have an underground carpark so everytime I go home I feel like I’m going shopping at the Stephen’s Green Centre!!! Magic! Ahhh!
Comment ID: 3596
At 5:40 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean posted

Ummm… also; Jimi – In an unusual move I wish to talk “to” you as opposed “at” you as is the norm. But I think you share my feelings when I say, love him or hate him, Daragh is dearly missed. So much more than Nigel. Indeed I even attempted, successfully so, to impresonate him! And what fun it was eh!? Untill Anthony blew the whistle! damn you Blog Stazi!!! Down with that! I can honestly say, impersonating Daragh was as much fun as impersonating Christine Agorilla. But that’s a diferent story.

Your feelings on this, Jimi?
Comment ID: 3597
At 5:44 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Cap'n Evil Badfish said

Ha-harrrrrr!!!!! Me caravan’s awful so it ‘tiz!!! And a small donkey bit my wooden leg. And I damn near lost a gold toot’ on some ‘o that stick ‘o rock!!! Ballbunion’s not the smugglers cove it used ta be!!!

Harrrrrhhhh!! Where’s that scrawny wench that put me here!!!!!!!
Comment ID: 3598
At 5:46 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean started typing, with this result

shurrup ye smelly old fucker!!!!!!!!!! I’m talkin!!!!

Um….. This fake tan leaves an awful mess!!!
Comment ID: 3599
At 5:52 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Christine professed

Shurrup ye maf fucker!!!!

Jazus!!!

Where’s me fake tan?
Comment ID: 3600
At 5:55 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean wanted everyone to know

Help!!!!

What’s going on!!!

Jezusss!!!!!!
Comment ID: 3601
At 6:35 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, JIMI declared

Dean, old chap…

Great to hear from you! Yes, Daragh is sorely missed. I miss his sharp tongue and rapier wit. But I daresay he’ll be back in time.

Warmest Regards

JIMI
Comment ID: 3602
At 8:26 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Christine posted

Thanks for clearing that up Jimi. Unfortunately, I have to add that this is the last time I will place a comment on Anthony’s BLOG. The pressure to think up mindless nonsense day-in, day-out, is just too much.

Now that Anthony is placing entries more frequently, the moment of madness has subsided. But it was fun while it lasted, even if you did piss on me chips once or twice! But you know what, that’s okay with me.

Take care. I’ll miss you
Comment ID: 3603
At 8:27 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, dean declared

And so will I
Comment ID: 3604
At 8:29 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Cap'n Evil Badfish wrote

Aaaarrrrhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Comment ID: 3606
At 11:55 am on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Babs asserted

Ummmm….
Comment ID: 3607
At 12:44 pm on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Nigel proclaimed

I can confirm that Jimi is not The Poison Dwarf. The Dwarf was a student of mine in Dun Laoghaire. Pain in the ass, dreadful attitude and, not surprisingly, has failed to make much of a dent in the filmmaking scene since graduation 5 years ago. The Dwarf is female but I’m reluctant to identify her lest Anthony get sued.
Comment ID: 3608
At 1:45 pm on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, Anthony proclaimed

Nigel, sometimes it’s good to let things go. Seriously. Five years ago and now you’re gloating that she seems to have failed? Dude!
Comment ID: 3609
At 2:22 pm on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, JIMI asserted

Nigel… so she works in Habitat on Stephen’s Green, eh? Tell me this – is she shorter than me? If so, I must go along and have a good chuckle at her (it only works if she’s shorter than me). I saw a dwarf the other day and I suddenly realised how funny I must seem to tall people. I had a good laugh at his expense and nearly got kicked off the bus for creating a scene. It was worth it though…
Comment ID: 3610
At 2:24 pm on Monday 26th 2005f September 2005, JIMI felt the urge to write

Come back Christine! I don’t know who you are but I sense you are a very beautiful and fragrant woman. Alas! I shall never know…

Dean – do u know where I can find Christine. I think I might be in love with her…
Comment ID: 3642
At 10:39 am on Tuesday 27th 2005f September 2005, daragh wrote

Anthony – You’re really gonna miss Vanessa – all the cooking and cleaning – she really did look after you- spoilt rotten so you were – sunnyside was a great little place – really nice neighbourhood – great memories – williamsberg was a lovely place aswell – the polish area where the pope once lived- was it the same place? Regardless of the space etc – a new place for me, has to have a really nice feeling and vibe to it- whats the neighbourhood like? I remember when I was a kid you knew who your neighbour was and most people on the road, with a really cool community spirit to it – unfortunately these days seem long gone- trying to do that now, people seem to instantly mistrust you – yer either a weirdo, a stalker or a threat that you might rob their house- terrorism – high security alert – general paranoia and mistrust ————Nobody told me there’d be days like these, strange days are these, most peculilar mama!

Listening to the velvet underground the other day – the song ‘pale blue eyes’ has got some great lines in it- i like the part ‘down for you is up’ or ‘the fact that you are married , only proves that you are my best friend’ – what ever these lads were on I wanna go to that place – listen and see.
Great doco on Bob Dylan the other night – directed by Scorcesse – (part 2 tonight – ya might get it on BBC world – the Arena programme)the song ‘Masters Of War’ still relevant today – great lyrics and the song ‘Don’t think twice its alright’ – do you think this one was about the time he went out with Joan Baez?

oh yea that Irish super-market round the corner from you – your gonna miss your weekly subscription to ‘Irelands Own’ – how’s that Aran jumper coming along?- also it was the only place in New York that you can get sausage rolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! –
I met Ivan in the street the other day – had to tell him that wasn’t me on the comments section bout him the other day.

Breaking news -afghany man ‘Bin Liner’ has just claimed responsibilty for recent events south of Bourbon st – it was said that he had sent over a crack squad of suicide plumbers…..........stop
Comment ID: 3643
At 10:43 am on Tuesday 27th 2005f September 2005, a friend... stated

Jimi, Dean was confused. (Probably why he crashed his car!)

As was Christine. As were all the presenters of Bosco. And now they are all gone. It’s over Jimi… over.

Yours regretfully,

A friend.
Comment ID: 3644
At 3:00 pm on Tuesday 27th 2005f September 2005, JIMI discoursed

Bob Dylan doc on PBS...
Comment ID: 3659
At 4:05 am on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, Babs declared

Why would Bob Dylan’s doctor be on PBS??
Comment ID: 3670
At 5:49 am on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, JIMI typed

BECAUSE Babs, dahling… It’s part of their series ‘American Wankers’... and apparently Dylan’s doctor is a right wanker…

a lame answer, but all I can come up with at 2:47am. Just finished my college script…the one I’ve been studiously avoiding by coming in here making astute comments…
Comment ID: 3675
At 10:00 am on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, daragh opined

Hey James whats the name of that John Prine album you have that i love – have tried lots of record stores – listened to a lot of stuff but can’t seem to find it – it was the one that sounds real folky lots of accostic guitar – kinda reminded me of Bob Dylans earlier stuff like ‘Free wheelin’ – one of Bob’s best
Comment ID: 3676
At 11:01 am on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, daragh decided it was worth pointing out

Accoustic!
Comment ID: 3677
At 11:11 am on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, Anthony blurted

what’s, I, acoustic, Dylan’s

/Spelling Nazi off.
Comment ID: 3686
At 3:04 pm on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, fionn discoursed

So much creative juice,
negociating the witty banter, is an art,
but finding the fart jokes,
now thats nare on impossible.
Any chance of a fart jokes section?
you know, a link to a page?
hi jimmy, hi daragh
hope you’re all well.. mentally and tha’
in any ways
fionn
Comment ID: 3691
At 4:46 pm on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, JIMI blurted

Hi Fionn. Is that Fionn C or Fionn S or another Fionn whom I yet have the pleasure to meet?

Daragh>> the John Prine album I used to play was one I copied off my cousin. First song on it was ‘The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness’. There’s a good 2 CD John Prine anthology I’d recommend. Personally I’d recomment anything by John Prine but that’s just me…

I taped the Dylan documentary (as well as the ‘American Wankers’ one about his doctor). Looking forward to seeing them both…
Comment ID: 3692
At 7:36 pm on Wednesday 28th 2005f September 2005, JIMI Inc. professed
- Editor’s Note on Comments #30 and #35
The reference to ‘American Wankers’ is a wordplay on the PBS series ‘American Masters’. The intent here was not to imply that all Americans are ‘wankers’ (sic) but to imply (in the name of humour) that some Americans are indeed ‘wankers’, ie: Bob Dylan’s doctor, whereas other Americans could be considered to be Masters, ie: Bob Dylan.

We at JIMI Inc. hope that no offence was caused to our many readers.
- The opinions expressed in these comments columns by JIMI do not necessarily reflect the opinions of JIMI Inc.
Yours Sincerely

The Management

JIMI Inc.
Comment ID: 3693
At 12:05 am on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, Babs channelled

What sort of doctor was it, anyway?
Comment ID: 3712
At 5:00 am on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, daragh was inspired to add

Cheers James, I’ll look for that John Prine cd – I’ve paired down my sharp tongue these days – watcha think? – i heard that song ‘don’t wanna be living someone elses dream’ the other day- wasn’t it Brady that sung it -?
Dean – Are we goin fer pints or wha?
giz a bell
Comment ID: 3716
At 6:00 am on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, JIMI Inc. decided it was worth pointing out

Daragh… yes, politeness becomes you but I miss your rapier wit. And the song is Paul Brady ‘Crazy Dreams’... “someone elses dreams don’t get you nowhere”. Great song. Opening line: “It’s 10 below out on those city streets/but the feelin’ in your heart is even colder”... Great shtuff altogether…

Babs>> Am I think he’s a podiatrist. Haven’t watched the program yet… Looking forward to it. I wonder when they finally make a prog on Anthony will he be in the “American Masters” or “American Wankers” category? Does blog-tardiness qualify one as a wanker? Opinions please…
Comment ID: 3734
At 9:16 pm on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, Babs decided it was worth pointing out

Opinions??

I think Led Zeppelin is highly overrated.
Comment ID: 3735
At 9:23 pm on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, JIMI Inc. felt the urge to write
- BLEXAMINATION.
Q.1 (a) “Led Zeppelin is/are overrated”.

Discuss.
Comment ID: 3742
At 11:09 pm on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, JIMI Inc. attested

BABS>> just watched the “American Wankers” doc – turns out he was a proctologist and a bit of a wanker to boot. Interesting documentary though. A bit gruesome at times but fascinating nonetheless….
Comment ID: 3743
At 11:24 pm on Thursday 29th 2005f September 2005, Babs attested

You really have to wonder about a person whos main goal in life is to look in the out door.

How does one decide on that in medical school??

Pediatrics?? Nooo. Cardiology?? Nooo. Tuckuses?? Bingo!!
Comment ID: 3747
At 12:30 am on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, JIMI Inc. was compelled to share

It’s so you can get an ‘ASSMAN’ plate on your car. (Forgive the Seinfeld references, but it’s my only education in life)
Comment ID: 3751
At 1:02 am on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Babs imparted

I was once told I was a female Kramer.

I was mortified.
Comment ID: 3791
At 10:43 am on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, daragh posted

The Zeppelin kicks ass – only the earlier stuff though- best concert recorded in black and white in Amsterdam- the audience all look as if they’re been microwaved by the Zep music melting away- probably stoned beyond belief – John Bonham hits the drum so hard i thought he was going to put his fist through it!- Animal from ‘THE MUPPETS’ is modeled on his character- probably one of the best drummers ever. Like true Spinal Tap style the drummer never survives and he’s banging away with the man upstairs. Jimmy Page is rated as one of the best guitarists out there-
but not a touch on JIMI HENDRIX who in my opinion is the man- there is a large gap between him and the others – jeff beck and clapton & santana are there too.
jesus i hate seifeld with a passion that larry sandler dude too.

Anybody out there hear of or like the ‘MINUTEMEN’
great band – ‘this band could be your life’
uesta gig with black flag – henry rollins, the misfits- the glenn danzig – earlier era not the crappy cash in remake of recent times. The Chili Peppers album – Blood Sugar Sex Magic – is dedicated to the MINUTEMEN’s bass player MIKE WATT – pity their lead singer D.BOON ain’t around he’s up there with the man above & John Bonham,Jimi Hendrix,Bruce Lee, Lennon, Bob Marley and good old Johnny Cash.-‘When the man comes around’ is such a great song cool lyrics and the video to ‘Hurt’is really powerfull still sends shivers down the spine – the words are clear and true from the heart- he’s saying this is me, my life – i can almost imagine, Cash meeting god at the pearly gates arm outstretched saying in a low voice ‘Hi, I’m Johnny Cash!’

Oh yea gotta ask you guys this question ‘OLD OUMPA LUMPAS OR NEW OUMPA LUMPAS’

For me doing a remake of Willy Wonka is seriously fucken with your childhood – its an institution every christmas- i liked the new one in places but jonny depp just seemed like a deranged michael jackson with enormus teeth. The biggest let down was the oumpa lumpas – they were all the same- point click copy – all cloned together – how lazy is that – . The 1971 version is much better a s regards the Oumpa Lumpas- for a start, the songs are much better and they are all different with their own personalities.

Discuss
Comment ID: 3792
At 10:46 am on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, daragh imparted

.......‘and in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make’
Comment ID: 3793
At 2:34 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, JIMI proclaimed

Yes, most Irish people hate Seinfeld DARAGH, so the good news is you’re in the majority on that one.

It’s one of the reasons I cited when seeking asylum here – I told them ‘I can’t live in a country where the people don’t like Seinfeld’. They were horrified and granted me refugee status immediately.

Oh, and BABS>> I aspire to be a male George. Well, at least I got the male thing down (just about) and I got the short thing down (as has been testified here many times to great humorous effect) – I just need to work on the belly and the baldness. It scares me how much I relate to him sometimes. There, I’ve said it. It’s out there. It’s great to get that off my chest…...
Comment ID: 3794
At 2:48 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Babs started typing, with this result

Daragh—Animal from the Muppets IS the best drummer ever. I shan’t comment on the Bonham fellow as I’ve made it very clear that I think (know) Zeppelin was utter shite. Didn’t see the new Willy Wonka, but can safely say the original Oompah Loompahs scared me shitless.

Jimi—one of my best friends is from Ireland and he loves Seinfeld, too. I wonder if that’s why HE left there, as well.

Also—I reckon you’re more of an ‘Elaine’
Comment ID: 3796
At 4:35 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, JIMI attested

BABS>> I’ll take the ‘Elaine’ thing as a compliment cause she’s kinda cute – better looking than George. And in many ways, physically I’m more like her than George – well I got nice legs like Elaine. But psychologically I’m a George – he’s so neurotic and I just SO get him. It’s not funny, it’s scary. Of course Elaine is neurotic too but not to the same extent as George. Also, I greatly admire George’s deviousness. I suspect your friend DID leave Ireland because of the whole Seinfeld thing. It’s not easy being ‘different’. Many times I envied my ‘normal’ compatriots who hated Seinfeld but loved Friends (I know – the mind boggles, but there’s no accounting for stupidity, I mean, er taste).

You do know that George is based on Larry David?
Comment ID: 3797
At 4:39 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, JIMI proclaimed

BABS>> I wouldn’t know, but I imagine it must be quite a warm and comfortable feeling being ‘normal’ (aka ‘average’). Do you know any ‘normal’ people? I haven’t really researched this theory much but I’m curious to hear your opinions on this.

ANTHONY>> er, just cause I’m in here doesn’t mean I’m devoting the same amount of energy to avoiding ‘our’ project as I devoted to avoiding my school project. On the contrary, I’m er… burning the midnight, er…oil, working on said project, you’ll be glad to …er… know…
Comment ID: 3798
At 8:54 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Father Daragh discoursed

James – you’re more like WOODY ALLEN!
Babs can u tell your shit from shinola?
How old are you – whats you’re taste in music?
Suck it and see – not a hippie or a rocker or a thrasher or a punk or a rasta or a …. you’re a pill popin rava – dum tish dum tish – computer generated muck – as BILL HICKS would say ‘Play from your fookin heart!’ – real instruments – i want my musicians dead!
Comment ID: 3800
At 9:50 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Babs was inspired to add

Normal people?? What’s that? As for your having legs like Elaine—I hope to god you’ve waxed then, dude.

Daragh, I can most definitely discern shit from shinola.

I couldn’t even BEGIN to list bands I like. I’d be here all day.

And what the heck is a pill poppin rava?
Comment ID: 3801
At 9:58 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Daragh was inspired to add

one will do
.........name one, I tripple dare ya!
Comment ID: 3802
At 10:06 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, JIMI felt the urge to write

BABS>> so there. Never pick an argument with a ‘normal’ person. You can’t win. It’s a conspiracy…. They’re taking over the world. In fact they already have – that’s what makes them ‘normal’.
Comment ID: 3803
At 10:16 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Daragh felt the urge to write

Whats normal jimi – from whoose perspective? subjective, objective what angle – can’t you see i even sound normal ,like you Jimi as normal as can be, god its great to be normal – is normal also bland? is normal regarded as abnormal nowadays? jesus i once was normal , i knew a normal person once , i strive to be abnormal, abnormality wins woo hooo says HOMER.
Comment ID: 3804
At 10:17 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Daragh was inspired to add

its late …... TIME TO RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

.........again?
Comment ID: 3805
At 10:20 pm on Friday 30th 2005f September 2005, Daragh typed

ok ok i’ll be good
Comment ID: 3806
At 12:14 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, Babs decided it was worth pointing out

Jimi—I never pick arguments with normal people. I simply bust chops mercilessly.

Woo hoo?? I didn’t see ONE woo-hoo in The Iliad.

I am thinking of which bands to name right now.

Also, pill-poppin rava?? I still need a definition, s’il vous plait.
Comment ID: 3808
At 12:27 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, Babs declared

Ok, I accept the triple dare and shall name MORE than one: Duran Duran (one giggle and you all die!!), The Beatles, Nirvana, The Pogues, Glenn Miller, Sex Pistols, Jeff Buckley, The Clash, Pearl Jam, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Church, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Clutch, Hank Williams (don’t ask), Dead Milkmen, Sarah McLachlan, Liz Phair, Benny Goodman, Foo Fighters, The Cure, Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd etc etc etc

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, but I shall stop so Anthony doesn’t, like, kill me.
Comment ID: 3809
At 2:56 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, JIMI realised it was important that we all should understand

er DARAGH>> I was referring to you as ‘normal’ for all intents and purposes. It was an, er…compliment. ‘Normal’ is being in the majority most of the time by my definition…
Comment ID: 3810
At 7:23 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, Daragh channelled

my comments are awaiting moderation – whatever that means? – Quite an eclectic choice there Babs – mostly good – father daragh approves – but you do have to smile when you say Duran Duran – betcha it was the videos more than the songs and i notice Vanessa was captavated by the same spell along the way – so its a girly thing really- whoose your favourite then? with the bands you mention quite a few would site led zep as one of their influences – I guess you’re just listening to the wrong stuff- there is crap outhere but as i say some of the early stuff is gold – and james it was just questioning out loud – jez i better shut up or anthony will be very vexed at me.
Comment ID: 3811
At 8:05 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, Nigel typed

Anthony, I wasn’t gloating about The Poison Dwarf. It’s merely schadenfreude. And quite justifiable too if I might say so myself!

I see Daragh has learned to ask questions. I think he’s right about Vanessa too.
Comment ID: 3812
At 9:28 am on Saturday 01st 2005f October 2005, Ivan decided it was worth pointing out

I see the blarguement has now completely run out of steam. Its not the first time I have entered an arguement late only to unwittingly point out its futility. Ah well, I think it was pretty much exausted anyway.

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Saturday 17th 2005f September 2005

Cast

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, posted by Anthony around mid-morning.

As you may have noticed, the comments have gotten out of control lately. I wasn’t planning to address this directly, hoping that it would slowly die away, but my last post had 146 comments the last time I looked, and they mostly ain’t about Vancouver. It’s …

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Normally I’d be delighted to have elicited such an overwhelming response, but it’s not about me and that PISSES ME OFF! Look at the URL, people! AnthonyLitton.com! Take the hint!

Anyway, while most of these people are known to me they may not be known to my readers, so I’ve decided to present a brief list for reference purposes. Most of the posters are, or are aliases (alii?) for, people in Ireland known to me personally, although not necessarily to each other. I will attempt to cast some light on the fluctuating web of relationships and misunderstandings that provides the riveting subtext to this series of bizarre exchanges.

And so, in no particular order, the cast:

James Finlan – AKA JIMI, GONE TO CANADA Inc, Krystof Kracowski, WEE JIMMY, BORING OLD FART, Benjamin Goldstein, Elijah Herzog, Isaac Levy, Anthony (but only once)

James is a friend from the heady days of post production in Ireland in the late 1990s. It was on The General that I met him, not The Tailor of Panama as I inaccurately claimed in the last post. He is known to Daragh Pounch from their days working for Roger Corman in Connemara. Indeed, they shared a house. He lives in Vancouver currently, and it was with him I stayed for Labor day weekend. James inadvertently spawned this recent comment haemorrhage by staging a hostile takeover of this blog via the comments section under the pseudonym JIMI as a reaction to my lack of posting. I knew who was responsible because I see everybody’s email adresses and IPs (I AM THE BLOGMASTER!) and James had posted under the name JIMI before. I found the conceit amusing rather than threatening.

Daragh Pounch – AKA GROOVY CHEWSDAY, Roger Ebert, solphadene jimmy, wonderwoman, welshy, little hands, Piss Flaps, Fulmer Weisinger, Old McDonald, Padre, Bono, Lola, Wonder Burger, Father Daragh

Daragh is a friend from film school – the DLIADT, or the DLCAD as it was known when we were there. He was in his 3rd and final year while I was a fresh faced first year. I ended up editing his graduate film, the award winning short documentary “Pothole Terror”. While I continued at Dun Laoghaire Daragh went to work at Concorde Anois Teo – Roger Corman’s Connemara studio – where he met and lived with James.
Did Daragh know that James was JIMI? This was a question that excercised us both while I was in Vancouver. I tend to believe not. Either way, he acted as if the blog takeover was a real threat, storming to my aid like a berserk Gaul. Daragh’s loyalty is admirable, but he does occasionally demonstrate a tin ear for people’s sensitivities – not everybody takes abuse as an expression of friendship. Cavalier disregard for the rules of written English. I fear he may have gone completely insane.

Dean Clarke

Dean is my oldest friend represented here. I met him studying clay animation in Ballyfermot Senior College when I was just out of school. He doesn’t know James or Ivan, but he does know Daragh, whose part he took. I don’t know where all the fart jokes came from. Dean? He has a German girlfriend and is learning the language, hence the occasional burst. Strong streak of anti-intellectualism apparent! Dean! Explain yourself! It’s because you’re working in advertising, isn’t it.

Ivan McCullough

A DLCAD contemporary, in my own year. Knows Daragh, would have met Dean and maybe even James at some point. Ivan was absent from this blog for a long time, offended by my spam blocker and distracted by his French girlfriend. I’m glad he’s back, but sorry he leapt into it at this strange point.

Nigel Bunyan

Another DLCAD contemporary. Used, along with Babs, to be the main commenter on this blog. Surprisingly unrepresented in these exchanges. Can be a grammar Nazi, of which I approve.

A greying Irish intellectual with a penchant for complex sentence structure unfortunately undercut by frequent typoes. Possibility that “D” stands for “Dude”.

Helen Litton

My mother. Uber grammar Nazi, but she keeps it to herself.

Eleanor Rickard

My sister. Hauled into this by my acknowledgement of her recent mystery ailment. Has had her good name dragged through the mud as a result. The mud!

Rebecca Finkel – AKA recent retiree

Worked with my New York friend Julian at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Has her own blog.

Babs – AKA Sandra Day O’Connor

Babs – real name unknown. A Staten Island native and fellow blogger, known only through the internet. Apparently she’ll join in with anything. This I applaud.

Ok, so have at it. Argue away. Posture, defend, correct, riposte, abuse – at least it will be on topic this time.

And I didn’t take any photographs of Vancouver.

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Sunday 11th 2005f September 2005

Vancouver

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, posted by Anthony during lunch time.

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I have returned from Canada. Actually, I got back on Tuesday morning. This was my first red-eye flight experience – I left Vancouver on Monday evening, arrived in Newark on Tuesday morning and went straight in to work. I can’t sleep on planes. At least, I can’t sleep on full planes. If I can find three empty seats to stretch out I have a fighting chance, but I knew full well that there wasn’t a whelk’s chance in hell of that. The first leg of the journey had some free seats, but it only lasted two hours. The seven hour flight from Las Vegas to New York on the last day of the bank holiday weekend was never going to be a place to stretch out.

I’m never doing that again. As lunch time rolled around I hadn’t slept for about thirty hours. I swear I fell asleep at my desk for several five minute chunks. I ducked out a little early and slept for a long time that night. The rest of the week was great – I’ve basically been QA(Quality Assurance)‘ing the game from a production point of view. This means playing it. Full time. For money. I knew I’d be doing that a little, but this week it was upgraded to my main priority. Score!

I know I gloated about this in my last post as well, but I really do think it’s worth two posts. A definite two-post-gloater. Life is strange. This was never a job I looked for, or even one I knew existed. People ask, “how do you get into the game industry?”. I have absolutely no idea. It seems that it’s important to work as a sound editor in Ireland for a number of years, then spend nine months more or less unemployed in New York. Having a roommate called Marilyn is also key. It helps to have familiarised yourself with programs like Excel and Filemaker Pro – if I was just good at ProTools I’d still be freelancing. And be a gamer. That’s not necessary but it helps.

Did I blog that already? It looks familiar, but that could be just because it’s been floating around in my head. I can’t be bothered to check. There are too many entries to trawl through, even at my greatly reduced posting rate.

Anyway, Vancouver. Nice place. Pretty small. Had a pleasant walk along the sea wall, watching the aqua planes take off and land. I wasn’t really there long enough to get a proper feel for the place. Lots of junkies, oddly. Scrawny and prematurely aged. I was offered drugs for sale twice and saw at least four deals go down in broad daylight. Nearly two years in NYC and I’ve never seen that. I never felt particularly unsafe, although I doubt there’s often any correlation between how safe you feel and how safe you actually are.

I found Canadians to be very friendly. Twice in one diner while having breakfast chatty Canadians joined in our conversation, offering restaurant advice and talking knowledgably about European politics. They’re also polite, although this was sometimes to the point of weirdness. We were in a bar – not a particularly nice bar either, grungy at best – and people were forming a line to buy drinks. A line. An honest to God queue. It took us a while to figure out why we weren’t being served. I still can’t believe it.

The “we” here is myself and James Finlan, whom I met while working on The Tailor of Panama, although in the good old fashioned Irish way we already had friends in common, mainly frequent commenter and one time contributor Daragh Pounch. Mostly the trip was fun due to the hanging out and shooting the breeze.

I have good friends in New York for whom I’m very grateful, but due to the inflexible nature of time I haven’t known any of them for more than two years, and I do occasionally miss sitting down for a few pints with people with whom I have an extended history. Unfortunately, usually when I do get an opportunity to do this it means more to me than it does to them. When I left I left all that behind, and arrived here not knowing anybody. But my friends didn’t – they still had each other. And while it might be nice for them to see me after a long break, they haven’t been starved of old friends as I have. Luckily for me James has been living in Canada with no old friends for about six months so he was as happy to talk nonsense for extended periods of time as I was.

And we sorted out the whole JIMI invasion thing. In the tradition of Nancy Drew’s Hardy boys, Alfred Hitchcock’s three investigators and various other possessed amateur detectives we followed clues, made deductions and tracked him to his lair. At this point there was a dramatic twist involving betrayal, stolen identity and piles of rotting salami, but all was resolved happily amidst the dramatic smoking wreckage of an illicit and unlicensed industrial blogging plant in Gastown. James will resume the mantle of JIMI for commenting purposes once his blogging arm heals and under certain very strict conditions which I shall not reveal here. I was somewhat disappointed to learn that Vancouver has no frozen tundras, but I rallied on.

I played poker last night in the West Village. It was more or less the same group of people that I beat to win a tournament back in February. I hadn’t actually played since then. I did very badly. I played tight, but I just got no cards. I won no hands whatsoever. I was the fourth person to lose their initial buy in, which goes to show how tight I was playing because each of the other three had won some hands. Right at the end, when I was short stacked, I drew Kings and went all in. Of course, the guy to my left had Aces. I could have re-bought, but I didn’t really see the point so I went to a bar with another early loser. Interestingly, it was still a fun evening. I got to hang out and I only lost $20 – hell, I spent more than twice that on taxis and beer.

I’m getting some interesting feedback about the Blargument. Some people have even registered, but nobody has joined in yet. Please do. I know it’s not the most user friendly thing in the world, but you’re smart, you’ll figure it out. I’m ahead in the poll, but that’s no surprise considering how right I am.

I’m sure there was something else I meant to say – I almost always forget something, and then it’s too late. If a blog isn’t about things that just happened, then what is it?

Get well soon, Eleanor! And you should really try and avoid that sort of thing in the futue. It leaves a bad impression.

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Thursday 01st 2005f September 2005

Travails and Travels

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, posted by Anthony in the evening.

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So tomorrow I leave for Canada. It does seem that one of the main reasons for going has been removed with the self-removal of JIMI and his cohorts from the blogging fray. I had intended to achieve this by trekking across the frozen tundra of Vancouver to stage an epic battle with my blogging foes, and take them down by a combination of stealth, cunning and raw force. I had been carefully planning my campaign and gathering the necessary materials. I had surreptitiously made contact with forces likely to be sympathetic to my cause in the bitter far northern part of the region. And all the time all I really had to do was be rude.

I mean, I appreciate that you rallied behind me, lads, but lets raise the tone a little bit, eh?

Work continues. This week was largely concerned with coming up with a file naming system for an upcoming game, redoing some audio for a different game, and playing a third game. Yes, that’s right. This week my job was as people I tell about it fantasise it is. Just before leaving today I spent a good chunk of time playing The Warriors in full view and with the full support of my boss. I had a particularly surreal moment when I heard my own voice in the game, as an inexplicably-Irish-accented TV announcer playing in the background. I lingered when I should have been attacking so I could hear it all. Weird. Life can be hard.

Gloating is fun. Many people are very impressed when I tell them where I work. Once a bank teller asked for my autograph when I was depositing my paycheck, and he was only half joking. I was talking to a performance artist at Anne and Mike’s wedding, and his eyes lit up when I told him about my computer game job. “Did you work on San Andreas? Cool!” Unfortunately, it’s an entirely male reaction. Hot New York chicks are generally unmoved. But I do get paid to play games sometimes, and I have health insurance.

A while back I had an email argument with my old college buddy Felim MacDermott about the future of the Irish film industry, based on my disagreeing with his thesis. I’ve put the argument up on it’s own page (which still needs work). Opinions?

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