A few moons ago, I got a text from my local MS chapter about a meetup in a pub out in Firhouse, east of Tallaght. It wasn’t far to drive so I went along to share my accumulated years of knowledge and socialise with the people. And I used maps to get there. I’d come to know and meet a few new people at these meetups before and I hoped be able to help the newly diagnosed. I’m training in kinesiology these days and find it a useful way to offer comfort to people in pain.
Well now the day I went into the speaker connolly was a cold sort of a day. It was the sort of day to make you wonder why you simply hadn’t remained in bed. But sure I went anyway. And so I got in and settled down, a few familiar faces and a few new ones. Got sitting next to a Latvian care nurse. Asked her about her homeland. Turns out it’s colder here, so I proposed that while we here in Ireland occasionally say it’s Baltic, back home she could say ‘it’s feckin’ Irish cold in here’. Good fun. Plenty of tea. Many thanks to Roseanna.
Then I got sitting next to Máire, and bedivilabit, I never did find out why she only had one leg. Got around fine in the auld electric wheelchair. Did what I could for her with a bit of hand reflexology I happen to have learned. She told us a story about going to the chiropodists and paying full price even though she only has the one foot to get done. It’s like she’d be saving a bit of money on socks because they work on either foot but shoes? No luck there I’m afraid. Unless you happen to be a dodgy dancer yourself like and know a shop online or something that can sell you shoes for yourself and your two left feet. Mind you it was two right feet called for in this case. It was generally agreed by the group that charging full price to look at just the one foot was a bit mean, in fairness.
The rest of the meetup went on amicably. I then went on into the gents to bid farewell to all the cups of tea I’d just had. You know they call it a coffee morning, but I never touch the stuff. Ah well. I remembered my friend Mark had a blog called Bogs of Dublin, so I took a few snaps while I was in there to see if he wanted to use them for a post at some stage. They’re very good. Sort of acceptance of existence and emergent circumstantial consciousness sort of stuff. Very pithy.
Then on the way out I spotted a crow by the radiator. So I took a few pictures of that. And the few punters smoking by the door of the pub decided to shoo the crow out of the porch away from the radiator, back out into the cold. Sure I’d have left him alone. Crows are clever you know. They can live 40 years and remember quite a lot. When you live in this country long enough you learn to understand these things. Like the way they fly or how they’ll tell you which way the wind is blowing.
Here’s a video of a crow in a pub beside a radiator
It was a good day to be alive. One of many in the past. One of many more to come
Google guides sent me an email to say they were having a gig out in LA. That’d be grand I reckon. Here’s what they’ve asked:
Your post should help us learn about what you care about sharing on Google Maps and why. If you are new to Connect, please visit localguidesconnect.com and sign up using the same Google account you use for the Local Guides program. Click on the profile icon on the top right corner to log into your Connect account. This post will help you learn more about Connect.
So I suppose to answer the question I’d have to say I like sharing on google maps because it helps people. Some parts of Dublin can be a pricey hole. I can help you all avoid those. Go and see St. Valentine and the hungry tree. Won’t cost you anything. Also I like leaving a bit of myself behind on the internet, like some fascinating bit of graffiti you’d find on the pyramids or that. Change the world, move the lines on the map and let others know you were important. Because you realised you were important to yourself. Learning how to love who you are is the most difficult part of life. And it’s more than a guide you need, but a guide is a good place to start. Consciousness exists to facilitate the universe which exists to facilitate consciousness. LA looks like good craic. Will ye have me over this year?The cold crow. If anyone knows why google flipped this picture I’d love to hear about it I hope I can come and see you. This editor doesn’t play nice with my extensions