Some random edits I did.

The Giants Causeway

I like it!!!  the first of many edited photos

this has to be the favorite place of my trip so far.  The unbelievably stunning view makes for a fond memory amidst the mess in my mind.  Those things are important I think, happy places in your mind.  It's so easy to get caught up in the fear of chance and change.  Sometimes it feels nice to forget things matter and just live.

    

Funny Photo's

the doormen at the pub, Sat night.  They were uhmmm, dancing?   Sooooo wasted. More on the Foo Fighters night in another post.

It was raining, so hard, I totally needed this heart-shaped umbrella, I swear...  Oh, and we almost got stuck in the mud like 6 times after this, but thanks to me, we did not. 

4 in the morning.  Needs no explanation.

 I insist these girls were totally allowed to be on the tractor,

hella drunk at 1 in the morning, in a construction zone.  haha

Foo Fighters cover band etc.

Nice and mellow, solid performance, good sound.  Only two complaints: it's impossible for anyone else to sing as good as Dave Grohl.  Also, Dave wouldn't allow his drummer to be this mediocre.  But they rocked it on all other accounts.  Lots of Guinness makes bands sound good....

This dance club we went to after the show was fun.   By this point, very wasted, dancing on tables, literally.  But fortunately not falling off them , like this one guy I saw.  So I consider myself lucky.... a lucky drunk man in Ireland.  Well, maybe someday soon I'll be a man.  Heading in the right direction, I'd say.

Leap Frog

Monday was awesome!  Not what I expected to be saying, but a nice feeling nonetheless.  I started of the day with a cup of coffee and Weetabix ( which is sort of like oatmeal mixed with Wheaties).  I trimmed up a bay leave tree into a circle, which ended up looking like an apple, cause that's just how I roll.  It's very rewarding making shapes out of trees, although the clean-up is a little punk.

After a nice big turkey, potatoes, and cucumber lunch, I then strolled down to the lake and painted a lake shed forest green, whilst drinking cider.  Big Ears,(pronounced Big-gezz) the half coyote-dog mix(left), kept me company while I painted.    Ending the evening with Iron Man 2 on my laptop was relaxing, and eating one of my favorite dinners topped it off.  Cos Cos, meatballs, and salad, made by one of the best chefs ever, none other than my host, Fred Madden.  Bon Appetite, mo fo.

One of my favorite bands!

Even though I was too tired to remember their name.  They put out such a great vibe, it was like being deep in France, eating a crepe on a train, laughing at what you see out the window.   My other favorite act was in this same tent, headlining as well, but the night before.  'The Flaws' had a lot more mellow Indie vibe, with very climatic songs.  The lead guitarist was a little too wasted, but they recovered nicely from it, and both bands deserved the encore song we screamed for them to deliver.  One other mentionable was Clara Rose and the Relatives.  The sound the band had was tight like Zeppelin, and the singers voice was strong, soft, and unique.  A classy blues vibe, my dad would like them loads.

They (Clara Rose) ended up playing at the campfire Saturday, after being the headlining act on Friday main stage.  I got up and played a few tunes at the campfire that night as well.  It was like an Open Mic, with all varying types of groups.  My fav's: a traditional Irish folk band, that got people dancing like Irish people should be, toe tapping and all.   Also this guy who was playing at about 6 in the morning on Friday, but I don't know his name.  His dad was on main stage the next day, and I talked to him because I was doing sound.  He said it was hard to live up to his dad's image, which I think he will do nicely.  To the Irish, his dad is a legend, like Johnny Cash or something.  He sang very traditional style Irish ballad songs, which I don't like very much, but Irish people do.  Oh, and he had a harp player, who played Stairway to Heaven, on the Harp.  It was pretty much awesome, until I got sent on an errand and couldn't hear the ending.  (pouty face)  These girls in the photo above were loads of fun, word up, party on

Wispa, and a sausage?

this delectable little treat made my Sunday afternoon!  I was sleeping most the day, attempting to recover, and ended up missing the Singer for the Pogues act, Shane McGowan.  I guess he's always totally wasted and puts on an fantastic show.  The only other thing I really missed out on doing was a chocolate nibbling contest.  I didn't know what to expect, but it sounded so awesome.  I got around to all the different tents and ate from a lot of the different vendors, with voucher tickets (for being a volunteer), SCORE!!!  So, anyways, this next pic is of a sausage some vendor sold me.  I go, what? for reals, your selling me this?  I have to take a picture.  I helped the guy find some logs for his trailer, so he was cool with me.  They had just sold out of pizza's so I got a recockulous sausageus.

I mean, it's like... really?  One of these things is not like the other!

My best shot of Crystal Swing

I mean, the guy was moving his legs so fast, It always came out blurry.  Oh, and my camera is from 1854.  You can find this video on YouTube, if you must.  search flatlake festival and crystal swing.  Amazing what little girls will scream to.  Like this Lily Allen crap, it's just like, really, that?

The festival started off with a bang, well sort of.  Bluegrass music is a great way to get people drinking.  After doing gardening work for weeks on end, it was nice to prep for this.  After helping Trent make signs directing traffic, I helped with sound.  I got the fancy title ASM, or (Assistant Sound Manager).  Even though I didn't get much responsibility, it was nice to be setting up mics and chords, testing sound, making sure it sounded right.  They had payed help, so I was just there for an extra hand.  Very fun, I have to say.


This next pic is of the second day.  The day people went ape sh*t over Crystal Swing and Lily Allen.  Even though they were the worst acts of the whole night.  I mean, the Show Band they had was talented, but it's just a show band, any Elvis impersonator gets one.  At any rate, didn't get a photo of my favorite band, the Flaws, I was way too into them.  More on that later, or earlier depending on the order you read the posts....

I find it interesting.

So most everything is different in the North and South of Ireland.  Even including the cider.  They only sell Bulmer's in the south(the Republic of Ireland for those ignant folks) and Magner's Cider about 10 minutes north from me (Northern Ireland).  It's like another country, but like, not...  Oh, and I fell out off the bench shorty after taking this photo at the bar.  HA HA (been watching a lot of the Simpson's)  And they let you drink outside the bar, I remember, there was a really, really, really drunk guy leaning up against a wall outside having a cig.  He just dropped his glass and it shattered, he stumbles around a bit, and no one even bats an eye at it.  Everyday shenanigans I guess.

Where I went swimming...

This lake is cool, but I got to thinking, "the Lockness Monster is in, oh yeah, Scotland, I'm safe."  The pike go for the balls though, Andy said.  A nice mental image while jumping into the freezing water.  A very refreshing experience, which I might have to do again soon, maybe tomorrow.

this shot is opposite of the first photo.  It's an old washroom, a very old washroom.  And it made a great seat for playing the guitar, which gets me wanting to play guitar again, where is that thing...