Bits ‘n Bobs..

Tá brón oram – ní raibh me ag scríobh ar feadh tamaill..
Well done to Ulster who won the Celtic League, not quite the same as the ERC, nor indeed where the celebrations, but still worth a mention that we got 1st, 2nd and 3rd..
What a first round match for Tyrone on Sunday – opps! What happened? Good to see Derry do well, but some of the tactics can’t be justified.. Tyrone missing Brian McGuigan big time! Kerry have to be feeling somewhat optimistic.. but its early days yet! ;)
Re. Mike's blog and latest developments – indeed at times the law is an ass.. is outrageous, lets hope they get a Bill through asap before the other 8 or so cases are heard..
Election fever is hotting-up, not just here, but also across the Atlantic, there was some interesting reading in the Sunday Times, re. the 2008 election..
A point to highlight or question – anyone else notice that Independent Newspapers never ever publish any ‘cupla focal’??
Today last day of May.. June 1st tomorrow! ;)

An Mhumhain!!

Nach iontach an cliché a bhí idir Mumhain agus Biarritz ag an deireadh seachtaine, iontach ar ndóigh mar d’éirigh le foireann na Mumhan! ;) An Mhumhain Abú!
Tríd na bliana d’éirigh an suim níos mó i rugbaí agus ta fhios agam, ba choir go mbeigh mé ag gloach i ndiaidh Uladh.. ach nuair a bhi mé ag freastail ag an Ollscoil Luimnigh agus ag obair i Analog (le Dominic Crotty) d’éirigh mó suim agus nuair ata tu í gconai i Luimneach caithfaidh tu beith i ndiaidh an Mumhan! ;) Cheapann cupla duinne gur spóirt fiáin é rugbaí, agus tá na iomaitheoirí píosa beag garbh, fearúlacht bréige amach is amach – ach ní thuigann, tá ann grá i gcathair Luimnigh don spórit agus is é an chroi don rugbai in Éirinn! ;) Sea, nior chiug morán duinne suas anseo and meid passoin agus grá ata i Luimneach don rugbaí.. Is rud iontach é gur bhuaidh said – just go h-iontach!!!
Tá díomá orm nach raibh mé i Luimneach i rith an deireadh seachtaine! ;(

Hug..

I’d like a hug..
Just having one of those days I suppose..

Happiness

‘Ask yourself when you are happy and you cease to be so’ – J.S. Mills

One of my phd supervisors recommended I read Flow (it is a really good read, about ‘the Psychology of Optimal Experience’) and well, firstly it explains that it is by being fully involved with every detail of our lives, whether good or bad, that we find happiness and not by trying to look for it directly. Viktor Frankl (an Austrian psychologist and Nazi camp survivor, who spent 3yrs in Auschwitz, Dachau and other concentration camps) summarised this thinking also in the preface of his book Man’s Search for Meaning “Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue …. as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.” A good thought for the day!
Second related thought to mention is that the ability to preserve despite obstacles and setbacks is the quality people most admire in others, and rightly so - it is probably the most important trait not only for succeeding in life, but for enjoying it as well! ;)

I suppose some of this relates to old saying ‘smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone.’
- Gosh I’m getting quite philosophical for a comp. eng.! Or, am not sure… should I start to question why my supervisor recommended I read the book??? ;)
ha ha! ;) - just to clarify, I'm creating a contextualised learning environment, hence students need to be 'in the flow’ and happy! ;)

Monday News

Got notified I got a conference paper accepted today – the sweet thing is I thought this paper had been rejected (notification took so long).. so, happy out.. (and before you ask - conference is in Sligo! whey hey!)

Had a nice weekend - phd-ing, watching CSI and then had a nice meal out with the lads Saturday evening… Monaghan drew with Armagh yesterday in our first outing of this years championship. Tipp beat Limerick in the hurling, in football Louth lost to Meath, Offaly won against Westmeath, NYC lost to Roscommon and in baseball the Yankee’s lost to the Red Sox!

Other sport news – there’s a new world record in the 100m - 9.76! wow! Justin Gatlin broke the record on Friday, so amazing, that guy is fast (and only 24yrs old!)

Finally, best of luck to Kevin and Eamonn who headed off this morning to complete the IRONMAN in Lanzarote. On Saturday they complete the 3.8k swim, 180k cycle and 42.2 run!!!! What a challenge!

Life's Too Short

Life's too short to dwell on things
That pull and tear on your heart strings
So park those thoughts that make you worry
And create new goals to which you'll hurry.

Make your list of things to do
That always seemed not part of you
Make yourself explore unknowns
Write down your thoughts dig up those bones

Take a step toward things that scare you
Show who's boss while mind prepares to
Overcome what seems unrealistic
Before you lose it and go ballistic

Do something different every day
And watch as life shows new path ways
Life's too short to dwell on things
That pull and tear on your heart strings.

- Michael Charles Messineo

update on happenings..

A week since my last blog – and what has happened? – well, where do I begin..???
The weekend was hectic, but really good fun – parties, laughs and obstacles courses – don’t ask!
Weather has really improved which is great, I hope the summer has arrived..
The Ulster Championship has started, with Down over-coming Cavan last week in Casement Park.. good to see more games being played there (though it is at the expense of Clones). Really sad news re. Brian McGuigan’s injury for Tyrone ahead of their campaign.. and this weekend Monaghan are up against Armagh, (..well we always got the back door!) Really liked the Eamonn Coleman article/interview in last week’s Sunday Tribune (btw, I used to do Irish dancing with the journalist – 2 hand reel!) Coleman hadn’t a lot of praise for Kerry though..
Am down in Limerick again, loads to do as usual, but hopefully will get the head down to work! Had an early start (yes, it is bright at 5am! ;)

"IS"

"The Important thing is NOT

To imagine one ought

Have something to say,

A Raison d`etre, a plot for a play

The only true teaching

Subsists in watching

Things moving or just colour

Without comment from the scholar."

- PK

(stony grey soil PK!)

Unwritten Rules to Remember about Research

1. Research cannot be rushed. Rush = failure.
2. Research is a game of give and take.
You will have to do work on projects that you don't like, in order to please the tutor and in order to pass. They hold the key. If they are happy with your work, they'll unconsciously make your path a little easier.
3. You will loose.
You will not be able to get just your own research work done only without doing some work for the boss. They will always make sure they get something from you. It's what it's all about.
4. Because of the nature of research (see rules 1 & 2) make the best of it.
If you don't or can't you will only be miserable. If you are miserable you will try to rush, and Rush = Failure. Therefore, relax, accept rules 1-2, and make the best of it.
5. Research cannot be rushed. Rush = failure.
6. NOBODY gets research done in under the minimum time allowed.
7. Read rule 5 again, OUT LOUD!
8. Anyone who contradicts rule 5 or expects to ignore rule 5 is lying or cheating.
9. Research cannot be rushed. Rush = failure.
10. If you don't like something, you shouldn't be doing it. If you are doing something you don't like you are not good at it. Accepting this is the key to happiness. Doing things you don't like only set a precedence, you will constantly be doing things you don't like, you will constantly be unhappy.

Blogosphere

An interesting article re. blogs on cbsnews.com "It's A Blogged, Blogged World"
The article asks, and tries to ultimately answer, questions such as : Why people are posting intimate thoughts online? How are online interactions affecting our offline lives? And what is the impact of this for future society?
So you got any answers guys??? ;)