15 years in Ireland

Tá mé in Éirinn ar feadh cúig bhliana déag.

Time flies.. It was 15 years ago today, when I left Helsinki and moved to Galway..

Udder pillow as Gaeilge, anyone?

I found some of my old Irish books, and I'm so happy now that I finally started a proper course.. For example, one of the books has mistakes on something as basic as the numbers from 1-10.. Learning stuff is so much easier than unlearning.

I remembered this as well =D Must give it a go, one of these days..

If anyone knows what's "udder pillow" in Irish, please leave a comment.. I'm wondering, piliúr úth? Piliúr útha? (It's a pillow with actual udders, not just a picture of them.. If that makes any difference..)

Infernal snooker sound

I can't tolerate noise or annoying sounds - especially when there's no necessity for them. Meaning, I do hate sounds such as pneumatic drill and reversing truck beep, but certain stuff can't be done without the drilling, which causes noise, and you DO need to hear a reversing truck (at least in situations of limited visibility), so I understand that some noise is there for a reason, and I can live with that..

However.. I was just having my Sunday dinner downstairs, and there was snooker on the telly.. I don't watch snooker, but I don't usually mind it as it's kind of pleasant, and sometimes the commentary can be quite funny as well. But this time, something was different..

Now, there is this infernal beeping sound, which is apparently some kind of a timer alert, and it's MUCH worse than a reversing truck beep!

I mean, FFS!!!

What kind of a fuckin' IDIOT would even suggest such a sickening sound for a timer alert?!? Whoever had that brilliant idea, should have their whole family gang-raped, tortured and killed while they have to watch it, and then have the same experience.. (OK, maybe not quite that drastic, but I kind of wanted to highlight how much I hate that idiotic and infernal sound..)

I actually wouldn't be surprised if a snooker player went ballistic, one of these days.. It must be hell - having chosen such a 'sophisticated' sport and made it to the top, only to end up being tortured with this sickening beep..

2

I don't usually vote in the Finnish elections as I haven't lived there in 15 years and I never will, but I'd really like to see Pekka Haavisto as the President of Finland, so I did another trip to the embassy.. It was also a great excuse to go for sushi lunch at Kokoro Sushi Bento..

More comfy seating pr0n..

Source: simpleeverydayglamour.blogspot.com via Stella on Pinterest

I would love a chair like that! :O (Not in that colour, though..) I'd feel like a happy cat.

And another evening course..

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

Business on Mondays, Irish on Wednesdays..

The beginning of the Irish course was a bit overwhelming, but when we got to the interesting stuff, it made more sense than anything I've seen in Irish before. Also, we have a small group (of seven, and the teacher), which is great. I'm going to rewrite my notes now, which is the best learning part for me..

Late night snack

Tuna salad craving.. =)

Here's something to sign

Stop Internet Censorship - Stop SOPA in Ireland
(the petition is on ^ this site)

Stop SOPA Ireland on Facebook

Stop SOPA in Ireland on Google+

Stop SOPA in Ireland on Twitter

Something new..

 
I started an evening course yesterday - starting another one tomorrow.. It was weird to be in a class room as it's been 20 years from previous such experience :o It was good, though!

That's me! =D

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

Fridge magnet Mac & Cheese

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

I made mac & cheese, last night, mmmmm... The recipe is on a pink fridge magnet (below, a photo from June 2011);

Facebook will punish you for helping people

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

(Public Facebook status about this)

Be careful, if helping people on Facebook. You might find yourself blocked from posting public comments.

The other day, I was wondering why my pins were not appearing on the Facebook feed anymore (along with some game updates), and I decided to visit the Pinterest Page on Facebook. While there, I saw loads of people posting requests for Pinterest invites.

I remember waiting for a long time to get an invite, and now that I'm on Pinterest, I am totally loving it. So, I decided to help by inviting strangers as I'd already invited lots of people from my own contact list.

I started inviting people by email (as they'd posted their addresses), and after sending an invite, I posted a brief comment notifying them about it - for two reasons: to let the person know that an invite was on the way (so they could let me know if it never arrived), and to keep other Pinterest members from wasting invites by sending them to those who had already been invited.

Eventually, I had to quit as Facebook surprised me with a pop-up;

Public comments blocked

Sorry, you are blocked from leaving comments due to continued overuse of this feature.

I found it quite upsetting as there hadn't even been a warning or anything, and it wasn't as if I'd been spamming - all those people were asking for invites, I invited them, and posted a comment to announce it. There weren't even any links in my comments!

However, I thought that it would just be a temporary thing, maybe for 24h or so, and maybe on Pinterest page only.. But no.. I tried to post a comment on The Sims Social Page on Facebook, earlier on tonight, and I got the same pop-up! There's also no info/link attached, to let me know if I'm now blocked forever, or temporarily (for how long?), etc..

I am very unimpressed by Facebook. Clearly, they don't want people to help each other on their site.

Handwriting fetish

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I made a handwriting and calligraphy board on Pinterest, for all my favourite handwriting pictures.. Yes, it is a bit of a fetish for me.. Mainly old cursive and Chinese (or Japanese) calligraphy.

Source: asiasociety.org via Stella on Pinterest

Source: ndl.go.jp via Stella on Pinterest

Source: dreamstime.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: opa-ages.com via Stella on Pinterest

Blue eye candy

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Sharing some of my blue Pinterest favourites..

Source: flickr.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: theoldpaintedcottage.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: shellsonthebeach.tumblr.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: ngm.nationalgeographic.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: sprinklebakes.com via Stella on Pinterest

Source: lilybeanpaperie.typepad.com via Stella on Pinterest

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Source: google.com.au via Stella on Pinterest

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Hidden Chronicles Estate Cash / Facebook Credit purchase rant - (got a refund)

I've been playing Hidden Chronicles on Facebook, and I really enjoy most of the game (like, finding the hidden items in various pictures, customising your mansion and its surroundings, etc.), but parts of it rely too much on getting help from neighbours (as in, your Facebook contacts who play this same game). You can skip some of that with "Estate Cash", but you only get 1 Estate Cash per level-up, so they really want you to buy some..

I decided to spend some of my phone credit on Estate Cash (as I'm still getting monthly post-transfer credit after every top-up). I've done the mobile payment thing before, with Country Life and The Sims Social (=other Facebook games), so I knew how it works, and I hadn't had trouble with it before.

Above, the purchase screen you get when clicking to "Add Cash or Coins", in Hidden Chronicles. I clicked on the "Buy with Mobile" option, on top right..

Above, the menu I got after clicking to Pay with Mobile.. I selected the €20 package, which promised me 85 Estate Cash on this screen - having done this before in other games, I already knew that I wouldn't be charged anything unless I replied "PAY" to the number that would send me a text message, once I'd confirm my number and everything on the purchase screens. I also knew that sometimes the final screen (which shows you the Facebook Credit info as well) would have a different deal, which could be better or worse than the one shown before it - I've sometimes changed my mind and cancelled the purchase there, if the deal has been worse.. So, I just continued, at this point..

I then got this screen (above), as expected. It shows my number (which I've left in the picture as it's visible on my contact info page, anyway), the deal I'm about to go for (although, I'd actually selected the 85 Estate Cash for €20, yet this screen was showing me 74 Estate Cash for €15 - but more about that in a moment..), and on top right, the total price of my purchase, and the amount of Facebook Credits, which is sort of irrelevant info as I was not buying Facebook Credits, I was buying game currency for Hidden Chronicles.

I noticed that there was a drop-down menu for the deals, so I checked to see what other deal options I would have, before going ahead with the purchase. As you can see in the screenshot above, the biggest deal was 100 Estate Cash for €20. I was delighted, as this was a better deal than the one on the default screen. (Keep in mind that I had not yet agreed to buy anything..)

Above, I've selected to buy 100 Estate Cash for €20, which has also updated the total price info on top right, and the Facebook Credit amount (141). Here, I hit Continue..

I received the text message to my phone, which asked me to confirm my purchase by replying with "PAY". I did that, and soon got four text messages, which charged me €5 each. That's how the mobile payment thing works.

Now, normally, this would automatically update the purchase screen, notifying me that I've bought [item/s] for [amount], and it would then instantly appear on my game screen, and I could start spending the game currency whenever I feel like doing so.

BUT.. This time, I got an error message (unfortunately, I didn't take a screenshot of it), saying that there was an error with the purchase, and I wasn't charged for it.

I checked my mobile credit, and it turned out that I WAS charged for it.

I reloaded Hidden Chronicles, and there was no sign of my Estate Cash, yet I had been charged the €20 from my mobile credit.

I then went to check my recent purchases on Facebook, and my purchase WAS listed there;

The top purchase (above) shows that I had bought 141 Facebook Credits for €20. OK, it was a slight relief to at least see some kind of a receipt for this, BUT, I did not want to buy Facebook Credits! I wanted to buy Estate Cash for Hidden Chronicles!

Above, screenshot of the "View receipt" screen, showing the purchase ID number, #9006756028729.

At first, I couldn't find a way to change the Facebook Credits to Hidden Chronicles Estate Cash, but when I eventually checked out the purchase screen again (where I'd originally started this whole process), it gave me the option to spend Facebook Credits to buy Estate Cash. BUT: It gave me a worse deal!!!

Instead of getting the 100 Estate Cash, which I had SELECTED to buy, I was only given 85 Estate Cash for 120 Facebook Credits, which left me with 23 Facebook Credits (=I'd had 2 before this purchase).

Above, the pop-up receipt for the 85 Estate Cash..

I am NOT happy with this. On the actual purchase screen where I confirmed the deal, I selected to buy 100 Estate Cash for €20. I did NOT select to buy a certain amount of Facebook Credits - those are irrelevant to me. Yet, I did not get the 100 Estate Cash that I paid for. Instead, I got 141 Facebook Credits, and then I couldn't even buy the 100 Estate Cash with them. I was only able to get 85 Estate Cash, and now I'm stuck with some stupid Facebook Credits, which I never wanted in the first place.

Here's what I want: I want 15 Estate Cash, and I want it to be paid with 21 Facebook Credits.

I still love the game of Hidden Chronicles, but I don't feel like buying any more Estate Cash, especially if this is not fixed soon. I don't trust the mobile payment thing anymore.

Just out of curiosity, I clicked on the purchase screen again, after getting that pop-up receipt for the 85 Estate Cash. I got this;

It appears that they were having some kind of a communication problem there, at that time, which may have caused the problem with my purchase but I am expecting them to fix the issue (see above, the "Here's what I want" part..)

Once I hit OK, I got this;

I thought, I don't f'ing belive this, but at least my 85 Estate Cash HAD been added to my account, when I reloaded the game.. (I had 2 Estate Cash there already, so the total was now 87 Estate Cash)

I tagged Hidden Chronicles and Facebook to a status update about this issue, but I wanted to post this blog entry about it (with screenshots), before trying to find some support addresses and contacting them directly about this.

Above, my Facebook rant.. It's Public, so should be visible to everyone.

I'll post an update if/when this issue gets fixed.

Edit 1: My post about this on Zynga forums 

Edit 2: I opened a support ticket with Zynga, they replied with a link to open a support ticket with Facebook, I did, and they refunded the Facebook credits back to my account, so I'm happy with the solution as I can now use them again to buy the Estate Cash I didn't get, and I'm actually going to get a bit more of it now!

I want a Stella scooter!

Source: genuinescooters.com via Stella on Pinterest

I always thought it'd be cool to have a Vespa, but now that I've seen Stella scooters.. =D Awesome..

Name that track - anyone?? [Edit: Found!]

Go to about 14:45.. What's that track??

It's been bugging me since the Hugo Boss advert..

Edit: J found it =) (Different version, but it doesn't matter..)

Edit2: Oh, here! =D

I made it to Dublin

I'd failed to get up early enough to go to Dublin on Wednesday or Thursday, so I didn't go to bed at all, last night / this morning, and that seemed to work.

I've been to the Finnish Embassy, Penneys (didn't try anything on, hoping for the best..), and Kokoro Sushi Bento. Today was a good day with the chopsticks.

Waiting for the dart now..

The definition of Faith

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

Yes, this is turning into my Pinterest blog..

I love Pinterest..

Source: Uploaded by user via Kristen on Pinterest

Pinterest is even more fun than Facebook!

My boards - my pins - my likes

I want a simple black maxi dress with long sleeves - help?

I'd really like to buy a maxi dress almost identical to the one in this picture I saw on Pinterest, only I'd want it in black, and no open shoulders or any frilly stuff. Other than that, it's perfect.

I know I could probably find one somewhere online, but I really don't want to buy any clothes unless I can try them on first. Also, I definitely wouldn't be paying much for it, either.. (=Must be less than €100, a lot less would be fine..)

I really don't have any 'smart' clothes, and I have actually had to turn down extra work on several occasions because of it.. So, if anyone happens to know where in Bray / Dublin (or nearby areas) I might find a simple black maxi dress (with long sleeves), please share =)

Edited 31/08/2013; I've replaced the old Pinterest code with the new widget as the old picture didn't come up anymore.. Also, I did find a maxi dress - picture here. It's not exactly what I was looking for, being sleeveless and having a pattern in front and back, but I can use a long-sleeve top underneath, so it's OK.

Airto Fogo

KILLER 70s GROOVE-JAZZ-FUNK LP: AIRTO FOGO (1976)

I was looking for theme music for an international spy friend.. Heh.. This'd be cool!

Mango dates

I bought three mangos, yesterday - I already had one at home, but they were a bit cheaper when you bought three, and I do love mangos, so..

It's funny that they all had different "display until" date; 8 Jan, 11 Jan, and 12 Jan. But the 11 Jan mango was actually the ripest (and I'm about to eat it now..), the 12 Jan mango was the second ripest, and the one I had at home (8 Jan, btw), is the hardest! :o

The picture is from Saturday..

Mitchell & Webb on vegetarians

I had to laugh.. =D (Relax, it's a sketch, FFS..)

Hair update

I want a comfy seat

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Stella on Pinterest

I'd love to have somewhere comfortable to sit / nap / read / watch telly..

 
Tired of the attic floor.

Three equal results (from the same test)

You Are Deep

You are attracted to sad things. You find a lot of depth in darkness. You find counter culture compelling. You respect those who chart their own course through life. You are loyal and devoted. Your friends tend to be friends for life. The details in your life can be a bit disorderly. You don't mind a little chaos.

The Hawaiian Shirt Test

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

You Are Ethical

You are simply a good person. You have high standards you uphold, but you don't boast about your morals. You know your own tastes and values. No matter what, you stay true to who you are. You believe in the truth. When it comes down to it, the truth always wins. You have a lot of discipline, but you also believe in moderation. You don't like to overdo anything.

The Hawaiian Shirt Test

Blogthings: We'll Tell You The Truth... Someone Has To!

You Are Modern

You're cool and self-confident, so much so that people tend to think you're a bit aloof. You are honest with everyone you meet. You speak your mind and share opinions freely. You are excited about the future and technological advances. You see the world as full of possibilities. You love shiny new gadgets. Technology makes you feel like a kid again.

The Hawaiian Shirt Test

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes