Monkey Business!!

Now and again I come across a gadget that I really HAVE to have.

One such item was the Powermonkey Classic V2 Portable Charging device from Powertraveller.com .

I read briefly about it on a friends Facebook page and decided to check it out. I was impressed, and I picked one up in Duty Free on the way through Dublin Airport, en route to New York for a family break.

It isn't much to look at as a piece of technology. Just a little oval shaped plastic device with a sliding power button and an LED that flashes green or red depending on what you are doing with it. It has an output lead that connects, with the aid of the relevant tip, to whatever device you need to charge and a mains input for charging the device itself.

It can be charged from the mains, with the supplied AC Adaptor or from a PC using the supplied USB connector. It has to be said that if you decide to use your PC to charge it, it takes up to 6 hours to fully charge, over twice as long compared to the AC adaptor.

Once it is charged though, you just pop it in your pocket or bag and forget about it until you need it. It can hold a charge for up to one year and can extend the battery life of an average mobile phone by up to 96 hours and an iPod up to 40 hours. These are the manufacturers guides, I haven't had time to check their accuracy yet, but I'm guessing they might be on the optimistic side If I'm to judge by other manufacturers claims about their products.

For under €50 for the Classic (I bought the standard Silver, for some crazy reason it's more expensive for one of the alternative colours) it's the kind of gadget that will just keep on giving.

While in New York it was passed to everybody in the family at some stage, charging MP3 players, iPod Touch's, mobile phones and even a small digital camera while on the move.

The most common utterance while we were out walking was usually "Who has the Monkey?".

If your chosen device is not among the included tips (seen below) then the manufacturers have a huge range of Tips for sale on their website. I've just ordered one for my Panasonic Lumix TZ5. Most of the Tips retail for about €4 + postage.

The Powermonkey Classic V2 is definitely my Gadget of the Month :-)

Self Critical

Sometimes, like most people, I am forced to look at myself with a critical eye.

I am not always happy with what I see. I guess like most people, I like to think of myself in a positive way, see the good in myself and not the bad, concentrate on the light and push the dark to the back of my mind.

But like most people, I am not perfect. Sometimes I fuck up. Sometimes I do and say things that, with hindsight, I might have done or said differently.

This applies most commonly when dealing with other people, people that do not think the way I do, who do not necessarily ascribe to my point of view.

It can be hard to see past our own viewpoint, to put ourselves in the other persons shoes and feel their pain or joy or their fears.

I don't know if it's something that can be changed, if there would even be any point in trying. Maybe being aware of it is enough.

I guess that is what the word "sorry" was created for.

Damn I'm so bad at this Blog Lark Part 2!

I really am.

I can't decide whether to bother with this or just stick to Facebook only.

Most everything happens on Facebook, but it's fast moving. Stuff comes and go's. Posts appear an disappear. Whole threads fade into the fullness of webtime never to be seen again.

At least with a dedicated blog, it's easily searchable..right there... anytime you...or heaven forbid...an interested third party...might want to read it...again even.

I'm not even suggesting I have anything of particular interest to say most of the time. But sometimes I surprise even myself.

I've never been good with anything diary related..I'm way to undisciplined for that. But I LOVE the idea. I can string a few words together..my grammar and spelling are not that bad...I DON'T do text speak...I HATE it...and I can usually back up my thoughts with some half decent photographs of my own making.

So really it should be a no brainer. But everytime I end up just posting on Facebook..and it fades..along with all the other gazillion world changing posts that appear there every second of every day.

Oh and this year has been pretty eventful as far as my life goes. Tons of stuff to talk about...discuss..complain about...sing about...whatever your chosen means of discourse. But have I bothered...?

No...I just Facebooked ...and now I couldn't find the posts even if I was half bothered too.


I've a feeling that the next few months will be even more eventful than the previous months of this year put together...so really I should force myself to be more disciplined (there's that word again) and use my blog.

Will I?

I'm fucked if I know Terry!!

Day 40 alt - Watching

My new Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro arrived today and I wanted to see just how close it can get.

The answer is pretty darn close!!

I saw some macros of peoples eyes lately on another stream and they looked amazing. So I tried one. It's not perfect..and I'll definitely be trying it again and trying to get the lighting and shadows right :-)

2lbs :-)

Yep. I went for my weigh in tonight at my local Ww and I'd lost 2lbs. Pretty happy with that, especially since I did zero exercise last week and just cut back on my food.

So that's 1 bag of sugar down, 21 to go ;-)

Time to start walking though :-)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Nervous!!

Tonight is my first weigh in with Weightwatchers. Well..my first since my initial join up. I've been really good this week..sticking to my points and trying to be sensible with portions. It's not easy as I'm used to just serving myself BIG portions.

What can I say..I LOVE food!!

So gone are the buckets of rice...chinese takeaways..Indian takeaways...creamy home made dishes...butter...choccy biscuits...and all the other tools of satan..hehe!!

In are Ryvita..tomatoes..fruit..tomatoes..low fat mayo..tomatoes..teeny portions of rice and pasta..tomatoes...zero point soup...tomatoes....oh and did I mention tomatoes?

Anyway, tonight is the tale of the tape. I'd be lying if I said I wont be disappointed if there's no change, or heavens forbid, I've gained weight. I'd be hoping to have lost at least a couple of pounds. Although the lack of any real exercise in the last week has me worried slightly.

But we'll see.

On the good front....my new Tamron 90mm DI F2.8 Macro lens arrived today, so I can't wait to get home and get my hands on it.

The things that make me happy huh? ;-)

17 stone 13 and a half pounds!!!

First day doing the weightwatchers thing. Not too bad. Survived it and didn't try to eat anyone's babies. Luckily I like vegetables and fruits and pulses. Looks like I might be eating a lot of them in the foreseeable future.

My favourite alternative snacks of the day are Sugar Snaps and Picked Gherkins... Both of which are zero points. So I can eat all I want of them.

So when I weighed in last night I was 17 stone 13 and a half pounds!! I take that to be 18 stone then ;-) that's an awful weight and the heaviest I have ever been. According to the Ww booklet my ideal weight is just over 13 stone, but I think that is a little extreme. I haven't been that weight since I was a teenager, except for one brief period in my thirties when I was into weights and going to a gym 5 times a week. Everyone said I was too skinny then.

No, I'll be happy if I can get down under 15 stone. It's a big ask, but after looking at some video footage of myself recently I'm determined to give it a shot.

After all, I have nothing to lose but my belly ;-)

Day 33 - Inspiration

I love to read books! I love to hold them..flick through them...delve deeper into their pages..I love the new out of the wrapper smell or the old musky schoolbook smell...I love to slide under the covers at night with a good book and lose myself in it....get lost in a good book while stuck on a train..bus...waiting room...

I love all kinds of book...factual...historical..novel...textual. ..graphical...it matters not. I love to spend hours in a bookstore and get lost amongst it's shelves..fingers lightly brushing over the spines of books...or taking one from the shelf and seeing what delights it's pages may hold.

and I love to buy books on whatever subject interests me at any time. I love my collection of Photography books...they are a constant source of inspiration...when I leaf through the pages of a book on some of my favourite photographers I can only hope that someday I might get even close to the artistic and technical skills that these heroes of mine have and still are achieving.

In the meantime I'll keep reading...sharing in their brilliance along with millions of other people around the world.

and any time I need a little more inspiration I can just reach up to that shelf and take another little slice :-)


Leftover gift ribbon. Waiting for next Christmas maybe?



Sometimes I just like to hide behind the camera...It's a kind of safe place to be :-)

Okay..so I'm cheating doing this...

But I really can't face uploading all the 365 pics I've posted since my last Blog entry.

They are out there on Flickr and Facebook if anyone really wants to see them and read the little monologues I try to add to each with one. Besides....seeing as how I only have 4 followers on this so far, I don't think anyone's going to notice. Apologies to Yvonne, Sharon, Lilly and Fionnuala though if you were waiting patiently for them..;-)





So that's my first Month of 365 Photos...and I've had a great time putting them together. It really has made me take my camera with me everywhere. I've mentioned before that I am lazy and ill disciplined when it comes to my hobbies (with most things as a matter of fact) and then I get mad fits of energy where I want to do stuff.

That's all very well, but it doesn't really help with projects like this, that need to be consistent and require daily attention. So it's been great for that.

Also I'm enjoying the feedback I'm getting from people, and a lot of people seem to genuinely enjoy the pics and look forward to them each day. It all helps motivate me to keep at it.

When I look at the January set now, it seems like sooo long ago that I stood in that snowy park in Hartstown. The gap between that and the final shot at the Dublin Musical Societies Concert for Haiti event in the Burlington just seems immense.

But it was only a month.

This is a good thing I'm thinking. It's a bit akin to the character in the novel Catch 22 who reckons that if he does absolutely nothing everyday and spends his time in a constant state of boredom...that life will be longer...or at least seem that way!

Except in this case, I'm enjoying it..and it's making time slow down.

Woo Hoo!! Eternal life is in a camera lens ;-)


Day 32 - Vanity

So that's my first pic of February. My mini project this week is to photograph common everyday objects in as interesting a way as possible. I love the bottle for my favourite Cologne "Le Male" and thought it would make a nice subject for my first shot of the new Month.

I hope you agree.

Damn I'm so bad at this blog lark!!

I really am. I haven't posted in about a week. Not that too many people will have noticed..but it's an exercise for myself if nothing else. I was kinda hoping my 365 Project would keep me motivated to keep my Blog up to date.

But I have a pretty narrow and short attention span. I'm posting on my Flickr account and my Facebook...so I think my poor concentration is getting stretched to the limit.

Usually what gets me back here is when I read somebody else's Blog and think to myself..dammit..why aren't you writing in your own blog as well.

So anyway...I will do a catch-up post on my 365 thing later this evening hopefully.

At least that way if, in the far distant future, hundreds of people are clamouring to read my amazing blog and I've become the Stephen Fry of Dublin 15...there will be older posts for people to look back on and say...god he was really shite when he started ;-)

Anyway..sorry Blog..I'll try to be a better boy in future :-)

Just a little test.

Just what it says in the heading!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 17 - M&M Rehearsals

Day 17 - M&M Rehearsals, originally uploaded by Robbie Kennedy (Expresbro).

First dance rehearsals/workshop for Coolmine Musical Societies next production of Jerry Herman's "Mack and Mabel".

Pretty busy day with the workshop and also auditions for the Principle and supporting roles. So I didn't get many chances to get the camera out, but enough times to grab a couple of shots for my 365 :-)

I'm starting to feel enthusiastic about this show now. We have a very professional production team and the music is fantastic.

Can't wait to see those Tap Dancers in full flow.. :-)

I'll add some more shots later when I have time.

Day 16 - Sleep, your safe.

Day 16 - Sleep, your safe.
Originally uploaded by Robbie Kennedy (Expresbro)

So anyone out there who is a parent..you'll probably get this. Have you ever watched your kids sleep, even when they are 18 and hairy, they are still your child...and they never seem more vulnerable than when they sleep.

and somehow the love you feel for them never seems stronger.

To me...there is no love can ever compare to that..nothing deeper and more primal.

So sleep my child...you are safe.

Project 365 - Day 15

The beginning of week 3 already and after the panic of Day 14, I made double sure I was covered with a card for Day 15. Although it turned out to be a pretty uneventful day....not much in the way of inspiration photography wise or any other wise.

So I ended up using a couple of shots I took during the day in work while watching a You Tube video of two of my favourite artists, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. I love Male/Female Duo's in this style, I'm also a big fan of the work that Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan did together, and I think that when you get a great combination of a make voice and a strong female voice it really doesn't get much better, especially when you have songwriters of the ilk of messrs Rice and Hansard.

So I took a couple of shots around the office and just made it a mini project on how I could play around with them within Photoshop and going a little crazy with the sliders, which I prefer not to do usually.

Anyway, enough ...here are the shots I considered for Day 15.



This was the shot I ended up using as my Day 15 shot in the end.

An alternative shot with a slightly different processing. I preferred the angle and look of the first though.

















I've used this little wiry guy before in shots I've done (It's actually a mobile phone holder). In fact I used him way back when I first started to get a little more serious about photography and bought my first "proper" camera, a Fujifilm bridge camera that really gave me the bug for photography and led me on to buy my first DSLR.















So onwards to Saturday and Day 15, where I think I managed to get something a little more interesting.

Project 365 - Day 14

So I had my first little bump on the 365 road yesterday. I left home , knowing I was going straight out to meet some friends after work, so I had my Nikon D300 and the 50mm lens I'd decided to use this week. One problem though!! I left the memory card in the card reader at home, and I didn't have any spares with me. So a very expensive camera which without a memory card is basically a large lump of plastic and glass.

Luckily though Sharon, one of my friends, had a compact camera with her which she kindly let me borrow to take a few shots of her and Melissa. It's not the 50mm lens, but at least I got my shot!

So this is Melissa, who's Birthday is this week and Sharon and the kind people at the Jury's Hotel made up a little cheesecake plate for her and we sang Happy Birthday for her. Even the Duty Manager joined in.

Very cute :-)

Happy Birthday Melissa :-)

So after we scoffed the mini birthday cake we went for a really nice Indian meal in Rupshas Restaurant in Dorset Street.

Melissa kept threatening to do her world famous Lightbulb dance, but in the end common sense prevailed :-)




Lucky me surrounded by gorgeous gals. It's a hard job, but someone's gotta do it ;-)

Sometimes, when I see things like the tragedy in Haiti, I really wonder about the human race. What has happened out there, despite it being a force of nature, has all the marks of humankind's indifference to their fellow beings.

The history of that sad island is, at best, deplorable. A former colony of slaves who took their destiny into their own hands and fought for their freedom. Ever since then they have been punished by the International community and beaten down by a series of despots, with, it has to be said, the support of the major economic powers with a vested interest in the country, the UK, France and more recently the USA. All attempts at real democracy were quickly snuffed out in a similar way to which they were in places like Iran and Chile and countless other emergent nations around the globe.

It's nothing new, it has happened all over the world and continues still to this day.

It's the ordinary people of Haiti that my heart goes out to as they try to carry on surrounded by rotting corpses and the crumbling ruins of their ramshackle homes.

Shame on the so called "Civilised" world. This tragedy did not begin with the first tremors of an earthquake...and it wont end with them either.


(Photo from Reuters)

I wish I was 18 again!!

It's not something I'd normally say. I wasn't that happy when I was a teenager, in fact I was a right miserable git. But back in the early 80's Dublin was a very different place to the Dublin of today.

One area I've seen a huge change in is education.

This morning my wife sent me a link to a student website for the course that our Son, David, is considering applying for. It's a course in Creative Digital Media at the Institute of Technology in Blanchardstown. Here is a link to the site so you can see for yourself Link.

When you look through that site and see how the creative side of these young minds are encouraged and fostered it really does give you a sense of hope for the future.

Also it makes me yearn for those days again and to have the chance to do stuff like this.

I'm afraid my schooling was very much old school..the three R's as they said back then. Reading, w(R)iting and A(R)ithmetic.

So even though I don't envy my son the future of high mortgages, rising unemployment and an ever more competitive capitalistic world..I do envy the sheer width of learning choices they have nowadays.

Maybe I'll wait a few years and become a mature student myself.

Well..they say it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks :-)

Day 13 - I Wont Send Roses

Project 365 - Day 13: I Wont Send Roses

This evening we started rehearsals for Coolmine Musical Society's main production for the year, Jerry Herman's "Mack and Mabel"...the story of the releationship between famed Hollywwod silent movie producer Mack Sennet and the young girl he helped become a star Mabel Nomand.

This was our very first rehearsal and none of the principle roles have yet been filled.

It looks like it should be a fun show.

Audions are next Sunday, which doesn't give much time to prepare, but I think I'll probably audion for a principle role anyway. After playing The Beadle in last years production of Sweeney Todd, it's given me the confidence to try it again. This is a very different kind of show though, with lots of movement and choreography, not my strongest point.

Anyway, watch this space and see what develops.








As you can see, it wasn't all seriousness tonight. I had a little time to myself and played around with this glitter ball left over from the Christmas decorations in the Hall.

Our Musical Director, Dermot, running through some pieces from Mack and Mabel.

Project 365 - The first 12 Days

So I've made it through the first 12 days of my first 365 Project and have managed to get at least one half decent pic each day, sometimes more. I've been publishing the pics on my Flickr account and my Facebook account. I had intended on posting here each day with an expanded description but time and ill health over the first 2 weeks of the year slowed me down.

So with this post hopefully I'm back on track and will post a seperate pic each day.

Any comments on the shots or even ideas for shots in the future gratefully accepted.

Later.

Day 12 - Once

Day 11 - A Musical Interlude

Day 10 - Jennifer
Day 9 - Detail on a branch in the snow

Day 8 - Just Dessert

Day 7 - Ignorance or Rebellion?

Day 6 - The Big Chill

Day 5 - Back to Work

Day 4 - Lisdoonan Graveyard, Co. Monaghan.

Day 3 - Farewell to Christmas

Day 2 - Resolutions

Day 1 - A New Start

You are my muse
You’re face inspires my thoughts
Into words and more
You’re voice sends my mind
Heavenward
Always searching
For the perfect something
You are my muse
Though I don’t know
If I have seen you yet
If I have ever stood beside you
If your hand
Ever touched mine
If your jokes made me laugh
Or your sadness
Made me cry


But when I lose myself
In those quiet musings
It’s you
That I think of
Somewhere
Out there
The perfect shape
To slide effortlessly
Into mine
You are my muse
Even if
You never existed
....I know you.

rk 2010

365 Project

I've recently decided to try my hand at a 365 Project. What is that I hear you ask?

Well, it's basically a photography project in which participants take one photo every day for a full year, or 365 days.

I've found, at least in the first week, that I tend to end up with 1 or 2 more pics extra, so I thought this might be a good place to post them along with any thoughts I have on them.

I intend to try and keep the project loosely based on a diary, so I can look back over the year and see how it progressed, or not ;-)

I'll be uploading the first few pics later today. So watch this space.