Hi, can you swim?  Let’s see if you can…… in you go…….

Work has been hectic. Without giving away too much details as I don’t think that would be appropriate or to my benefit I can honesty say that it has been a real buzz!

It’s great to be back working and I certainly feel that I am at the cutting edge! I was pushed in at the deep end and I think I am managing to stay afloat – so far so good!

It hasn’t been easy!

I have started a new job and moved house again! Probably the two most stressful things to take on – except for marriage but that is for another days discussion!

I am still looking to get a heater installed in my car. Dad thought he had some bloke down in Kerry that could do it but it turned out to be a red herring! I need some help on this one!

Bertie is back!

He finally did a deal with the Greens but I still think it won’t last! They seemed to have sold out cheaply but when things start emerging from the Mahon tribunal then I am pretty sure they will do a runner! He has the support and backup of the PD’s and a few independent stragglers so I reckon he is anticipating some kind of hassles down the line!

In Thailand there is still no settling in the turmoils. There are all sorts of rumours about counter coups and that Taksin was going to give a video link at a mass rally but I am not sure if this went ahead!

The football season is finished a while and it has been very quiet.

Harrington missing the cut at the US Open is bad news.

I miss the bluetooth earpiece! I really do – i was just getting into it!

I havent had enough time to look at getting the new mobile but today I went looking. I was trying out the new XDA IQ. It looks real cool. It’s a phone that runs on Windows Mobile but it has no stylus. It is very neat!

The other option is a Nokia phone – either the 6300 or E50. I have to make up my mind in the next day or so!

I definitely need a separate phone for business use. I think I might just go for the XDA but I will do some reviews online first.

I also did a lot of research recently into Skype phones and one cool new option is a skype phone that doesnt require a PC. Now that could really be an option. I know I can use Skype on my Dopod phone but the CPU just isnt powerful enough!

During the week I managed to catch up with my mate Graeme who was over from the UK on business. I had met him and his now wife (EJ) in Asia during my trip around the world and we have stayed in touch ever since!

Last week I went to see 2 great concerts – George Michael and Beyonce!

They were both top class entertainment.

George was on in the RDS and I convinced Darren to tag along. Although we were alittle fearful that we would look like a gay couple, once we go there that wasnt an issue. I had bought extra tickets and I thought that I wouldnt have any trouble getting rid of them at all but in the end I had to flog them off for just 30 euros! That was a real bummer.

During haltime some mad woman asked me if she could get on my shoulders because she had lost her friends! I foolishly agreed but it was all good humour!

NAAAAAHHHHAAAALIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE

NAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAALLLLLIIIIIIEEEEEE

translation (Natalie).

Of course, she attracted a fair bit of attention. Everyone was having a good old laugh at her expense but she was still panicking a little bit cause she was on her own. Her mobile was dead and she couldnt remember their numbers! Anyway, someone figured out her name and then everyone started to pretend to be Natalie and started shouting back ANNA!

Hilarious – but she was getting heavy now so I passed her on to someone beside me to take over. Eventually we managed to get the phone working by replacing the battery!! Why do Nokia make it so difficult to get the battery cover off?

The other concert was Beyonce and I went to it with my new housemate Paul. Again, he was afraid of the gay jibes but once we got there it was no hassles. The talent was great but it was real jailbait stuff. I felt like a dirty old man!

Beyonce put on a great show and I bopped the whole way through it! It was hot in the Point and I was sweating by the end of teh show but it was top class – she has real talent!

Life is full of swings and roundabouts, peaks and troughs, ups and downs, ina and outs!

Now I am going through a decent stage at the moment as I start to put some normalcy and routine in my life! I have been buzzing around the world for too long and I think I just need to settle somewhere for a while.

L8r