A work in progress

Has it been THAT long since I updated ??!!
Oh dear. Yet again I fall behind with my updates on here. But as its important to be regular I shall give my usual summary of the last month

*Cancelled A+ and booked Mous Word Core. Will I pass??. Bloody hope so

* Summer arrived, fryed our brains and departed

* Sat out the WORST thundershower EVER in the barn in the yard. 20 minutes of very scary weather

* Feeling restless and wondering if I should plan another adventure.

* Cleaned the toilet !!. Aren't I a good boy!!

Saturday
I went to see Angels and Demons at the cinema this lunchtime and have to say the critics got it wrong, very wrong. Its a great movie. Better then the Da Vinci code. Ron Howard tightened up the actions and it'll keep you going for the entire duration. Definitely worth the price of a ticket

Current Mood: good

Bit rushed!!
Yes its one of those short and sharp entries I'm afraid!.

* Rode in Annaharvey on Friday last. Kept it slow and more relaxed this time in myself. Weather bit naff though.

* Went to see Star Trek. Good but not great.

* Booked a weeks worth of lessons in the yard for June as need a break

* Resumes A+ study as prospects in CS are non existent with the recruitment embargo and the prospect of Decembers budget whacking me even more. Very frustrated with the job at the moment so have to focus elesewhere.

* Did backstroke for the first time in the deep section of the NAC and it went well. Must do more to strengthen my legs.

* Back to more study tommorow and college assignment coming on Friday so busy weekend. Probably just as well.

Current Mood: busy

Believe, Belief, Beyond
Anyone watch "Britains got Talent on Saturday night?. The last guy on was just amazing. Jamie Pugh is an ordinary guy with a voice that should be on the westend stage. God I could feel for him as he was SO nervous. Simon Cowell gave him some good advice and it was simply that he has to start believing in himself more. I can so relate to that because the following day while chatting with my riding instructor she said the same thing. Though the way she put it was that its the mental side of horseriding that I have to work on. I've come on so much over the last year to 18 months that if I crack that then I will progress even more.

Its stuck with me and even more so after doing the yard show today where I just did the 40cm. Deep down I KNOW I'm capable of doing the 60cm so I have set myself some targets. And these aren't just horset targets. Firstly I'm going to do my A+ and resume studying. I had abandoned it as I felt I wasn't able for it and that it would'nt be much good in the cs. WRONG!!!!. With An Bord Snip sharpening their knives I may not have much of a job in the cs in the future. IT and horses are the only 2 things I know so I have to stick with them.

With the horses I've gone back to basics and am grinding out the practise on the appropriate horses for me to lift my confidence. I also intend to go out hacking as much as I can for the rest of the year. Indoors I would aim to jump 60cm at least one competitively before years end and I also am aiming to get my dressage score to 130 which is doable.

College I'm cracking on with as well. Theres no way I can afford the OU so thats gone by the wayside. Above all and this is going to be the hardest for me. I'm going to believe in myself as a rider. My first aim will be the week of extra lessons in June I'm arranging for myself. All it takes is hard work

Current Mood: busy

Latest Stuff
If I go over some old ground I apologise. To start I once again failed my BHS S1 in Brennanstown. If I could have got out of doing it I would but alas it was too late for refunds. So off I went to be faced with the worst situation for me and my riding confidence at the moment. I had to ride 2 strong forward horses. The first guy was a brat and the second one pulled the arms out of me. I was just too messed to cope though there were no major disasters. And in fairness the girl who took over the brat from me had more trouble then I had. The second guy did everything I asked but much too strong for my liking. What I also didn't like was the assessor JS making comments as I was passing. Keep your bloody mouth shut woman!!.

The following week though things turned around when I did my first dressage test and got 111/190 on prelim test 1. Ok it was low I know and worked out at 58% but the feedback from the judge was good and she noticed a lot of good stuff I did so I was happy. T being a cheeky boy tryed to run out of the arena on the canter circle and I only just failed to keep him in but apart from that it was ok. Pity he could'nt be ridden in a Pelham but thats the rules.

I also did the charity swim http://www.swimamile.ie which I finished in 45 minutes. My knee was giving me a bit of grief afterwards for a few days but it seems to be coming to rights now. All the swimming I've been doing certainly helped in completing it in the time I did.

Elsewhere I'm still mulling over options for furthur study. The OU is very expensive and I'm considering Oscail http://www.oscail.ie as a possible alternative as that would be marginally cheaper. Plus I'd have the tutorial support from DCU as well which is easier to get to being here in the city. I may wait until Sep 2010 before going with it. In the meantime I need to decide how to fill the time. I'll be busy with Warwick but theres more I should be doing I feel

Current Mood: busy

Failed again
Another year, another Stage 1 riding exam and another failure. I could sit here and blame everyone and everything under the sun but the fact is I just wasn't good enough. Having 2 very strong horses really didn't do me any favours. But you play the hand you're dealt and I blew it. I'm definitely not going to be heading back down that road for a long time as I have so many things to sort out first, not least of which is the fact that I'm not able to cope with forward horses. Gimme a plod and I can make him move without problem. Give me a forward one and I lose it.

So where from here?. Well the pressure is off and I'm going to enjoy my riding because I CAN actually ride despite everything else and I tend to forget that sometimes. I'll probably take a week in June and go back to basics on something like Tyson. As well as that I'm going to do more hacking in Annaharvey, and I'm going to stop being so hard on myself from a riding perspective!!. Sometimes I forget I do this for fun.

Current Mood: thoughtful

Tommorow
I do my BHS Stage 1 riding exam for the 5th time. The only reason I'm doing it is cos I paid for it. If I could skip it I would. Expect a full report tommorow

Current Mood: frustrated

Saturday Evening
Spent the afternoon watching the Grand National and now my thoughts turn to tommorow. I'm assuming I'll be riding T so I got some Rescue Remedy in town earlier to help settle me. I'll start taking it in the morning. I've thought as well about HOW I'll ride him from the off and I've a pretty good idea in my head at this stage. I'll get him busy from the start in the warm-up and then take it from there for the test preparation that we'll be doing. The key is to keep believing in myself for the whole lesson. Hes highly unlikely to be wound up on a Sunday morning..........hopefully anyway.

Current Mood: thoughtful

Two Weeks huh ??
I know, I know. I always put this on the long finger. So to catch up.

* Did the yard show without falling off (always good that)

* Work recruitment/promotion is frozen

* As a result am now looking at the Open University

* Resubmitted college assignment. Its over the word limit but nothing I can
do on that.

* Have to sharpen my Sudoku skills even though doing lots

* Swimming going well. Should be able to do the charity swim distance on April 25th

* Thinking of Summer hols but no major ideas yet

* Idea of doing a triathlon still lurks in the back of my head.

Current Mood: relaxed

Always with the procrastination........
Doesn't seem like a week but there you go. A very frustrating week with my confidence shot on the horse that threw me off a few weeks back. AAGGHH!!!! its so f-ing annoying!!!!. Why am I such a wuss??. God it just bugs the hell outta me. I've sulked since Sunday but feel a bit better after discuss it on the H & H forum. At least I know I'm not the only one whose gone through it. Still I've Friday to look foward to when I'm off to Annaharvey farm for my first hack in years. They know what to expect and tbh if I complete it with any problems I'll be happy. In many ways I'm not brave with my riding but I have'nt quit and in the long run thats just a different kind of bravery for me. I persevere and always will.

Today is of course Patricks Day and all the usual paddwhackery is in full flow. I went into town but it was so packed and with so many people well on their way to getting p1ssed I figured I head to the cinema for the afternoon. Nothing good on their either so I came home and watched Starship Troopers to while away the afternoon. Could have done worse I suppose.

Current Mood: contemplative

Cold Again
The weather has once more gone chilly again and theres an arctic feel in the air. This morning there was a brief dusting of snow though I heard it was bad in other parts of the country. I feel back to normal again after getting thrown from the horse last week though still managing to do the show and only have a small ache.
The civil service pension levy has kicked in this week as well and I'm down 16 Euros. What can I do ?. Nothing really. I have a job which is important these days. The loss of pay for the strike day has'nt kicked in this week so next week there'll be more moaning from me!!

Strike Day
I really didn't know what to expect today. I went down to work at the usual time wondering if by some chance the thing had been called off. It had'nt. I arrived to find friends and collegues standing outide with CPSU placards proclaiming this is an official strike. So I spent 90 minutes on the line standing chatting to people while trying not to freeze to death. Finally at 9.30am I'd had enough and since R was heading back to Blanchardstown I got a lift with him. D was'nt too impressed at my leaving but hell that'd go without saying. I woner what the press will say tommorow about this and whether my ugly mug will be staring out. Hope not

Current Mood: thoughtful

Will we/Won't we?
The waiting and wondering goes on and on about the strike on Thursday. Theres more rumours and black propoganda going around then I can keep up with. It wouldn't surprise me if Elvis turns up before then.
Thus far its unclear if the thing is going ahead at all as the ICTU is turning the screw on Comrade Horan to defer. Theres also the question of whether a picket can actually BE placed on HQ. Everyone is walking around not sure what to do or whats coming. Its all very frustrating

Current Mood: frustrated

Verily it did come to pass..............
That I attended my first protest march inside in town yesterday. Me and 100,000 odd others all making our feelings known about the pension levy. Assembling at Parnell Square under the CPSU banner we eventually moved off with just about every other public service union there as well. We meandered our way up to Merrion Square. A nice little stroll that took nearly an hour and a half. On the way I met only one other person from work. When we arrived we found the speeches over, though Blair Horan, head honcho made a little rapple rousing few words for the troops. Personally I think the guy is a twat but you get what you pay for.

Oh yes I also joined the union against my better judgement. But considering the DOJ is docking us all a days pay ANYWAY for the strike on Thursday I figured it was better to be in the tent then not. I do want to make some points here

*No one is going to win this, we'll all lose in some respect.
*Strikes are futile and I resent being forced into it but what option is there.
*Why do the head union knobs not reveal their salaries?. Hmmmm??

Current Mood: annoyed

Just a flying visit
Normally I'd have little to say during the working week but I just had to mention the fact that its snowed hard here for the last 2 days and its still on the ground. Its gone from being a novelty to being a nuisance and I hope that no more is going to pour forth from the skys. I'm in the yard as usual tommorow night and I'd rather not freeze to death thank you very much

Current Mood: cold

Glum just like the weather
Its Saturday and I’m sitting here looking out my window across a grey January afternoon. I should study or do something but right at the moment I’m not in that frame of mind. The news of the wider world such as it is makes for depressing times. Waterford Glass workers are staging a sit in of the company premises after being told that the place is closing. Poor sods, its not going to do much good in the long run. Most of those guys are unlikely to ever work again. Over in the UK workers are demanding that they and not foreigners get jobs first. Quite right too. I think its something that’s going to spread because people are tired of immigrants coming in. Theres too many and it’s a problem that needs to be tackled.

My swimming course finishes on Monday and I’m going to miss it. Having that structured coaching has been just fantastic for me. I’m now going into the deep section as a matter of course, though I’m still doing my stroke work in the leisure pool. Big thing yesterday was swimming to the bottom of the pool, touching it and then surfacing. A great feeling. I’ll continue on with it as I’ve improved so much physically and its helped my riding as well.

Studywise I’m going to defer the A+ as theres too much to be covered and I’ll never find the time at the moment. With my college stuff as well I’m going to have to retake one exam and my nutrition assignment is still causing problems. Priorities are what its all about and the equestrian stuff takes priority as I might end up working in some capacity back in the industry. With 20 people being let go from the IT department in work yesterday its not exactly the best time to be working towards going back to it.

Current Mood: melancholy

A good view days
I never thought that I's see myself do it but I finally started using the deep section in the NAC http://www.nac.ie. I'm enjoying the improvers swimming course I'm doing up there but felt I needed a private lesson so that I could crack my fear of actually being in there, even though the last few weeks I had got in and stayed by the side during the course lesson.

So on Thursday evening, filled with trepidation I went for the private session I'd booked. The instructor was really great. First thing she did was teach me how to tread water properly. She started me just facing the side holding the wall with both hands, then with one hand, then turning to face down the lane, then actually treading water. Once I was happy with that she had me swim dowm the lane and then back up a few times using front crawl and breaststroke, stopping every so often to tread water.

At the end of she said I had the tools and now its just a case of practising and going into the deep end to get confident. So yesterday morning I was back in the pool again and after my warm up went into the deep section and practised what I was taught. I'm really happy having got over this and pleased I had the nerve to do it. It opens up plenty of possibilities not the least of which is being able to do lane swimming in peace during the summer when the kids are off school.

Current Mood: happy

The Second Chapter
Time and again over the last 12 months I thought that I'd let my blog fade away into the ether of the internet, but I can never quite manage it. I think theres a part of me that knows its needed and so here I sit in my room once again putting my thoughts to the world.
Its odd because in a lot of ways I'm probably at my most content for a long time, but equally theres other minor lttle niggly things that are starting to grate. The most prominent of those is work, and wheres its headed. Yes I'm permanent but theres no place for me to go within it. Now don't get me wrong I'm glad to have a job, but if the rumoured pay cuts to the civil service kick in on top of that evil 1% pay levy then the question comes up. What do I do now. I'm on the right path I know that. Having got the ECDL and now working towards the A+, BUT even with that, if the country goes down the pan, then it could come to the point where I stop thinking about emigration and actually go ahead and DO it because my hand was forced. I don't want to spend the rest of my days on shitty money if things get worse. I'm not looking for a great job, just one that I enjoy and pays decent money. Enough to live on and enjoy life at the very least. From what I've read emigration has picked up again and the well qualified are heading off. If it comes to it (& by god it'll be hard)I'd probably head to Australia. If and when I get the right IT qualifications I would have to give it serious consideration. We lost the run of ourselves during the celtic tiger (RIP) years and now we're paying a very price for it, that, and monumental governmental incompetence and greed. If FF come to my door at the next election I'll punch them.
In many respects I'm hopeful, though for myself only. Ireland is going to take a hammering and if civil service redundancies kick in then I could be in real trouble. Hopefully that would'nt happen for a while.

Current Mood: contemplative

Back to normal
And so the weary traveller can at last sit down and take stock of whats happened over the last few days. An early start on Tuesday saw me in Dublin Airport at about 4.40am I think. Getting into departures was easy though the upstairs downstairs routine to get there is annoying at that hour of the morning. With nothing to do until boarding at 6.10am I walked up and down, watched Sky News, walked up and down, watched Sky News, etc etc. Well you get the idea. Oh and went to the gents plenty of times. This time though I remembered to actually bring some Euros in and got the papers when the newsagents opened. Eventually boarding time came around and we got on. Before we had taken off I had completed the Simplex crossword and was getting stuck into one Sudoku as we thundered down the runway. Odd considering how I didn’t feel awake. Arrived in Birmingham and got down to college in ample time. Sat my first exam, then came out and walked around a bit before heading to the canteen for sausages and chips. The Cumberland sausages were tasteless but heck I was hungry. Went back after lunch and did my second exam before legging it back to Leamington Spa where I paced the station platform before the train arrived after half an hour. Once back at the airport went straight to departures and after a 20 minute security wait got in. Burger King never looked so good. Boarded the plane on time and got back to Dublin and walked in home just before 9. I reckon I’ve passed both exams so yea me!!!. I’m going to do nothing for the next week though I did buy my A+ book so guess whats on the horizon??. Till this day week I’m going to have some me time.

Current Mood: pleased

Surprising
Its true. I went up to the NAC http://www.nac.ie earlier this evening and booked the swim course. Looks like its intermediate which means getting wet in the deep end. Ah well thats what I signed up for. Now I just have to survive college tommorow

Current Mood: surprised

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