Hangovers...

...truly are the devil's filthy smegma. I can think of no more miserable way to wake up than with a hangover. You know it before your eyes are even open. You know from the dry raspy over sized tongue, the heat, the puffy hands, the fact that it's 7am and you're gabbing away to a bemused paramour, the fact that minutes later you pass back out and almost need a fork lift to get you out of bed some hours later.
Country Gay is my very dear friend, I love him to pieces, but the pair of us left to our own devices, unfettered and unchallenged, is a terrible idea. We are nincompoops, we think EVERYTHING is a good idea. I'm only relieved I didn't wake up this morning with a tattoo of some kind. I SWEAR it was mentioned yesterday. Could you imagine it? I hate tattoos.
Anyway, today's picture is NOT ginger, I realise this will be a terrible shock to many of you, but I feel this chap deserves a Gingerday slot. I mean he's right up there with Scot isn't he? Look at him for Gawd's sake. He's magnificent.
I have to go out to night. I have plans. I have kickboxing later today. Those three sentences make me want to cry.
I wonder at what bloody age common sense kicks in?

Cancer link to Mobile Phones

Now, there's probably a certain amount of 'meh' to this story, but still, it makes for interesting reading, and as one of the few people left in the country that does NOT own a mobile, it makes me baulk at ever getting one. (not that I need any excuse, I find the idea of someone being able to contact me at all times ridiculous).

From the Guardian.

'Mobile phones do not pose health problems to adults in the short term but there is a "slight hint" of a cancer risk for long-term users, according to the results of a study which could not rule out risks of brain or ear cancer for those who have used mobiles for more than 10 years.

"We found no association between incidence and exposure for people who have used their phones for less than 10 years," sais Lawrie Challis, chair of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme. "But we cannot rule out the possibility [of] n association for exposures for more than 10 years. The numbers appeared to show some slight hint ... it's a faint suggestion that needs to be followed up

The researchers involved in the six-year study said they would further investigate in the next phase of their work, which would also examine the effects of mobile phones on children's health.

The £8.8m MTHR programme is a joint project funded by government and the mobile phone industry in response to Sir William Stewart's independent inquiry in 2000 into the safety of mobiles. He has concluded that mobile phones seem to pose no problems but has recommended further research.

The group's report, published yesterday, collates the work of 28 studies it has backed, as well as other research from around the world that has looked at the effects of mobile phones on health factors such as blood pressure, brain function and cancer. It concludes that there is no evidence of short-term effects from either GSM or 3G handsets or base stations.

There is also no evidence, the researchers say, of the phones causing the symptoms described as electrical hypersensitivity, a phenomenon affecting up to 4% of people in the UK who describe a sense of tingling or dizziness in the presence of electrical signals.

For the long term, however, there is less certainty. Paul Elliott, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said: "In some of the studies there was an excess of malignant brain tumours and acoustic neuromas [ear cancers]. But the excess is quite small and is at the borderline of statistical significance."

Regarding the question over the effects of mobiles on children, Professor Challis said: "At this stage we have no evidence at all that mobile phones or masts hurt children. But we do know that [regarding] a number of other environmental agents - lead, tobacco smoke, ultraviolet radiation, ionising radiation - children react differently to them and often more severely, than do adults."

The professor said that his group's findings did not contradict the advice from Sir William, who, in 2005, urged parents to limit their children's use of mobile phones as a precaution, and advised that under-eights should not use them at all.

Starting next year the MTHR researchers will begin a £6m health study on more than 200,000 mobile phone users from across Europe."

Yesterday I ran past a bus stop in Rathfarnham, there were five people sitting on the wall waiting for a bus, EVERY one of them had their mobile open and were staring at the screens. It was almost zombie like. Not talking, but texting or reading texts. I laughed and trundled on. But Ireland seems to have a real mobile problem. I must admit, I don't get it. But the Little Goth Kid's generation are mobile compliant. Text speak is rampant, stupid annoying ring tones saturate the air, downloaded adverts, they're bombarded with mobile related crap daily.
I once asked her if she could go without her phone for a day. Her startled expression was comical as was her, 'Well, why would I want to do that?" answer.
It was unthinkable.
How weird is that?

A quite distressing phone call.

Well, how DO we feel about old school reunions? I feel a bit chaffed myself. Has anyone gone on one? What is the protocol? Are revenge fantasty style dreams just that, dreams? Are they as ghastly as I suppose? I need views, I need answers, I need valium.

il Divo/Dublin

Well now, my ears are still ringing. Not from the group, although they seemed most loud to me, Carlos, the spanish one, could probably get a job working as the fog horn on a ship whenever he decides to lower his eyebrow.
No no, we had cracking good seats, near to the stage centre aisle, my friend had her camera at the ready. But on my other side I was swiftly to discover I was sitting by il Divo's biggest Fan!
'OOOOOOOORRRREEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!.'
clapclapclapclapclap
'WEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRR!
clapclapclapclapclap.'
repeat for one hour and about forty minutes.
She wept openly during their rendition of 'Mama' and almost lost her shit completely when her son/toyboy, ran out of batteries for the camera on which he was filming the entire concert. Luckily she had only to reach into the suitcase she was carrying to find more. That she did this in an absolute blind panic just made the whole scene more remarkable.
'Ima gon to keek dat beech in de fanny.' My Spanish friend hissed looking very fierce, ' She shud shut de mouth. Eef she catch me ona bad day I keel her.'
'Well, you're not the one sitting beside her.' I managed to get out before a 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!' shattered what was left of my ear drum.
Despite the biggest fan, it was a cheery sort of evening. I'm not really sure I'm cut out for it though, I don't mind the music so much, but the cheesy talk between songs made my toes curl.
'We are here to geeeve you pleasure.' Carlos assured the throng of salivating laydeees at the front, and causing the laydee beside me to have an orgasm, I know, I could hear it.
'Musical pleasure of course ah ah ah.' He said, making his one raised eyebrow disappear behind the one slick curl on his forehead.
And later this gem.
'We want you-'
cue much screaming-
'To surrender.'
More screaming.
'To the music of course. Ah ah ah.'
And then they burst into song and the light came up dramatically and flooded us as the god like entertainers were backed in a heavenly glow. The Fan screamed. I flinched and my friend said 'That is unreal.'
It was rather unreal. Also I appeared to be the only person there without a drink in my hand so this might have something to do with my bemusement.
I can happily report that the French dude is singing much better, the 'merican one is my favourite because he does all the harmonies and he's quite theatrical when singing and smiles a lot.
The spaniard has the best voice, a rummbly baritone, but I think he sort of drowns out the others a bit, although as a showman, he's second to none. He'd certainly give Joe Dolan a good run for his money or Sea-lion Dion.
The band were really really very good.
At the end the four 'guys' came down and sat on the lip of the stage to sing their final song. Naturally this caused a minor stampede of chiffon clad ladies and as the boys sang they were happily pawed and groped and made shake hands, accept flowers and sign stuff. To their credit they acted as veritable showmen and looked like they were really enjoying it, all except Urls, or whatever his name is, the Swiss one, the one whose cheekbones you put plant pots out on, my friend's favourite. He has two expressions, singing, and painful wind. I thought about relaying this observation to my friend, but she might keek me in my fanny, and I'm already down an eardrum so I can't have that.
High pitched screaming!
I'm against it!