Had to trim some plants, the other day

 
The Pieris Japonica 'Forest Flame' and Spiraea Japonica 'Golden Princess' had gone a bit wild (see above - these are phone snaps, so the quality is not so good). So, I trimmed them down a little bit (see below).

 
Jen's plant is in the background, and it has really grown! :O


I can't remember what this stuff is called, but I've been trimming off the lowest leaves, and turning it into a little 'palm tree'..

I HAS DICSHUNARIEZ!

(Speak lolcat)

I bought the Gaeilge-Béarla brick yesterday, and tried to find Gaeilge gan stró grammar book (possibly a part of a rather expensive multimedia course?) , but Dubray Books didn't have it, and Cúpla Focal was closed. I wonder if they've closed the shop (in Bray) for good? I don't even remember when I've last seen it open, yet their web shop is probably functioning..

The Irish course ended on Wednesday - it was supposed to last ten weeks, but it only lasted nine weeks =( However, it was VERY useful! I learned much more than I expected, and really got a good start for learning more on my own. It still takes me time to come up with sentences (anything more than the basic phrases, like..), and I very much need the support of dictionaries, my grammar notes, and of course, Google Translate is awesome for checking whether the result is correct - although, sometimes it IS correct, yet Google Translate makes a mess of it.. I'd never ever trust auto-translators, especially with languages such as Irish or Finnish.. (I've tested Finnish to English with some stuff I've written, and I wouldn't even recognise my text from the translation, lol..)

I feel so sad for circus animals..

I saw this heartbreaking video on Facebook, yesterday;

Amazing footage captured by Paul Dunbar as an unhappy elephant makes a break for it in Blackpool, Co Cork. Copyright, Paul Dunbar.

Apparently, this poor elephant belongs to the Courtney Brothers Circus. The video reminded me of a photo I'd seen on Facebook, not too long ago;


Depressed circus elephants being paraded through Fermoy in Co. Cork by the infamous Courtney Brothers Circus. (March 2012)

This photo is from John Carmody's (ARAN Ireland - Animal Rights Action Network) Facebook album - I'm posting it here with his permission.

Just look at how severely depressed those poor elephants are.. And it's no wonder as there's hardly any joy or comfort in their lives. (And that goes for all circus animals - not just the elephants!)

I have nothing against circus entertainment, but the human performers can speak for themselves, and therefore have a choice of their lifestyle, whereas the animals do not. (Ok, we could split hairs and say that not all of the human performers and other circus workers have a choice, either, if they happen to be born into circus families, etc.. But they learn to speak, they grow up, if they really want to go and do something else with their lives, they can. The animals can not.)

If people keep paying to see circus animals performing, and if there's no law banning such cruel form of entertainment, there will be circus animals. So, this is what you can do to help: Boycott ANY circus that uses animals in their acts. If people aren't paying for it, eventually, there won't be circus animals.

Here are some informative pages/profiles to follow, should you want to know more about animal right issues in Ireland;
ARAN (Animal Rights Action Network)
John Carmody (founder of ARAN)
ANVIL Ireland (Animals Need a Voice In Legislation)
ANVIL Ireland website

There are more websites and profiles, but start with those.. =)

If you have a chance, attend protests and get otherwise active in support of animal rights. Even the busiest of us should have a few seconds to sign a few petitions online, every now and then..

Dark snaps

 

Mighty road trip, last night. Bray, Ashford, Roundwood, Sally Gap, Glenmacnass, Laragh, Glenmalure (& Ballinafunshoge in the dark!), Glenmalure Inn, Laragh, Roundwood (food stop), Bray. Then, Harbour Bar, and more pics in the harbour. Too bad I'd already taken the tripod home as it would have been necessary for the night snaps.

 

Interesting!

This is an old Finnish track by Kirka (RIP), which I've always loved..

I was just browsing a Finnish tabloid online, and found this;


I don't think I've ever heard of Chamillionaire before, and that's NOT my kind of music at all, but I have to say that I actually like the way they've sampled "Hetki lyö" =D

More cute clouds

Source: etsy.com via Stella on Pinterest

Facebook works in mysterious ways

I got a Facebook message from a friend, earlier on today. She was wondering why she can't see my stuff on the feed anymore, and my profile seems like I've restricted her access.

This was very strange as I know that I hadn't touched any settings, which could cause a change like that, and I also know that no one else has access to my Facebook account. (In fact, should anyone else somehow manage to log in to my FB account, I'd get an email about it - I've tested this by accessing my account from different devices, and the email notification has worked fine. I've only accepted my laptop and my phone, and those are always with me or otherwise quite impossible for others to reach, so..)

Anyway, I went to check my setting for this particular friend, and all seemed fine. I had her listed on three different friend lists, none of which has restricted access.. I have a separate friend list TO restrict access, which is mainly for complete strangers who are on my Facebook contact list for gaming reasons or such.

I removed my friend from all those friend lists, after which she could see my posts again! I then added her back to all the same friend lists, after which she could still see my posts! I mean, that's how it was supposed to be, but I just can't figure out why Facebook had suddenly restricted her access to my posts, although the settings didn't seem to have changed at all?!? Removing friend listings and readding the same listings, fixed the problem.

I'm glad that we got it fixed, but I'm just wondering how often does something like this happen? I still wouldn't have any idea, had my friend not contacted me to ask about it! Who knows, I might have many friends who can't see my posts, although they should! (If you're on my contact list, and can't see my posts, please do contact me about it! However, if you're on my contact list, but don't really know me at all - as in, we just play the same FB games or such - then you probably are on my restricted list..)

In general, if you suddenly can't see a Facebook friend's posts / profile, but you're still on their friend list and can't think of any reason why they would have limited your access to their postings, it's probably a good idea to contact them and ask about it. It could be a Facebook glitch, and your friend might not have any idea that you can't see their posts!

I got my mystery prize from Vodafone!

I discovered recently, that I'd won a mystery prize with my festive picture on Vodafone Ireland Facebook page, only they'd never tagged me in their announcement, so I only found out by accident.

Anyway, I emailed & tweeted (Jebus, how I hate that verb..) them, and my mystery prize arrived today!

It's a speaker dog that's supposed to dance to the music, LOL.. The plug's too big for my phone, though, and I dunno if it even has batteries as I can't find my screwdriver. So, it'll probably just join my other toys. Must think of a name for it..

The stuff you find online..

I came across this video, which features our Irish teacher! =D (More about it here)

On the pillow cloud..

Source: facebook.com via Marshie on Pinterest

I wouldn't actually want a room like that, but I'd love to spend a day (or night) in a room like that!

The Savage Eye - I'd vote for Bull Mick! LOL..

The third season of The Savage Eye started earlier on tonight (and continues for the next five Monday evenings, on RTÉ Two). The first episode is on RTÉ Player until 9th April, in case anyone missed it.. (Might only be available in Ireland, though..?)

I took some screenshots of the two sketches where I was an extra. These first ones are of a politicians funeral - see what the dead politician is doing.. LOL

 

 

In the other one, I was a civil servant.. I have actually been one, for real, years and years ago in Finland, and that sketch looks about right.. LOL.. (It was MUCH more fun pretending to be a civil servant!)

 

 

 



 
Awwww.. They're nice.. =)

Carry Me Home

I saw a video by the same title, on Facebook, and had to go and watch this Gloworm video again.. This always takes me back to a mundane peaceful moment, home alone in Helsinki, in mid-90's. I'd never want that moment back, but it's a nice vivid memory. I was listening to this, at the time, and I just knew there and then that any time in the future, when I'd listen to this, that was the moment it'd take me back to. Funny..

How to get rid of Pinterest spam pins

Source: Uploaded by user via Stella on Pinterest

I made this, after finding a pin on my board, which I hadn't pinned, and which didn't even have the Edit button anywhere to be seen, so that it could be deleted.

Follow the easy instructions mentioned in the above picture, and you can easily remove the spam pin/s. (Feel free to share it on, embed, link, etc..)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I doubt I'll be going anywhere today.. I might just work on my Irish notes!

Tuít!

Had a hambo before yesterday's Irish class.. =)

 
Bought Irish Independent (for Foinse) as I wanted the St. Patrick's Day stuff..

Is breá liom an dúshlán..

 
I'm having fun with these ancient mobile phones, which are in bits.. I managed to save the data from this one, although 1 & 3 keys weren't working much.. Eventually, the only way to save the photos, was to email them from the phone - I have a USB data cable that fits this phone, but my laptop wouldn't detect it at all. Also, multimedia messages (to another phone) didn't work, even after O2 emailed me the manual settings (as the settings they sent to the phone didn't do the job), but sending pics to email DID work. Woohoo!

 
This one I'm still working on.. It seems moody! I was able to browse the photos, some days ago, but I've had no luck since as the keys aren't doing much, in general.. I'm actually tapping the unmarked keys you can see in the middle (top left), but sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.. Sometimes SOME of them work.. I'm not planning to give up, though. Those pics are too important!

 
Not sure if I'll manage to get anything out of these phones, they seem pretty dead.

My Irish books, etc. (video)

Just a little video to show what it's like when I rewrite my course notes.. I have various Irish language sites open (mainly grammar stuff, although the video is showing RTÉ Bród Club on Twitter), and I'm surrounded with my Irish books and such.. I keep checking stuff here and there..

Friday pics

 
I went to a casting on Friday, and had a nice pub lunch with a friend, after that. I can't remember the name of this place, but it's in Irishtown, next to the Barracks.

 
Potato & leek soup was gorgeous, and I always love toasted ham & cheese sambos - especially in pubs =D

 

Foinse

 
This'll keep me busy for ages.. LOL

Finnish treats

 
I got a survival parcel from my mam.. =)

 
Finnish rye bread is absolutely lethal when you haven't had it in a while, but it's so worth all the mouth sores, arse rot and heart attack symptoms =D