Blog Of Good Cheer » Good Things

No mean feat – trying to wear flip-flops or sandals.

felix — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:26:32 +0000

Usually I can’t wear flip-flops or sandals for long periods. Not necessarily a problem in Ireland as the opportunities for wearing them are few. But I’m on holiday in Italy and I’m experiencing some very hot weather and the cooling effect of having my feet exposed to the elements would be welcome. When I’m on holiday I like to explore on foot and to do that while wearing normal shoes or trainers can be a bit uncomfortable in very hot weather.

Flip-flops and sandals have never been the answer for me. The main reason is support or lack of support to be more accurate. I’ve never been able to find a pair of flip-flops or sandals that I could wear for hours walking around towns and villages and not suffer for it the next day. Other people can wear them, but after an hour or two my feet get tired and start to ache. How can you explore on foot if your feet hurt?

The other reason is smell. My feet don’t normally smell badly but once I put them into a pair of flip-flops or sandals there is an instant chemical reaction and my feet and the footwear really should be quarantined. If there was a medical term describing the experience it would be something like Foot-odour Holiday Syndrome.

But flip-flops and sandals are the best footwear for a sun-holiday. You just can’t avoid perspiring if the temperature is a good 10 degrees higher than you’re used to. Footwear that lets your feet breath is a tried and trusted way to stay cool.

This holiday I’ve been lucky with the weather. Apart from the odd thunder storm the sky has been blue and the sun has been shining and with a little more luck it will continue that way.

So why am I bothering to write a post at all? Surely I should be sitting under an umbrella outside a nice bar sipping a cool drink, chatting to the locals or reading a good book. You’d probably be right if you said I’ve no business typing on a keyboard while the sun is shining.

But something happened on the way out in Dublin airport that has made this holiday a bit special. I popped into the fat face shop and bought a pair of flip-flops in their sale. It was an impulse buy (what else could it be at 6 am) before boarding the flight to Rome.

I’ve long reconciled myself to the fact that I cannot wear flip-flops. Well perhaps I can walk around a flat surface for a little while but once the ground gets uneven (not much, just a little uneven) I can’t walk in them. I look ridiculous walking in a way that has me trying desperately to keep them on by scrunching up my toes.

I find it impossible and before long my feet are sore and I’m fed up.

But in fat face in Dublin airport I found the perfect flip-flop – the perfect flip-flop for me that is. It may not be everyone’s ideal shape but with a significant rise supporting my arches I feel I could walk around in them all day long.

Oh and they don’t smell. I’ve stress tested them several times now and I’m completely satisfied that neither the flip-flops nor my feet smell badly after a day’s extensive use.

Finally I can wear flip-flops, woo-hoo!

So that got me thinking. In the past I’ve bought relatively expensive sandals that are supposed to be as comfortable as walking shoes and are made from specially designed foot-odour killing material. After taking them home, trying to break them in, it quickly became clear that their designers still have a way to go to get the technology right.

But spurred on by my successful flip-flop purchase I decided to chance getting a cheap pair of sandals in the sales in a local shoe shop. This shop sold its most expensive pair of sandals for €40 and it’s cheapest for €30. I didn’t recognise any brand they sold. Not a Columbia, North Face or Salomon in sight. I tried the range and settled for cheapest pair.

Again I’m delighted. They are comfortable and I can walk in them for hours and despite the fact that the manufacturer (Lotto) does not claim that they are ergonomically designed to fit my feet or that they have been manufactured from odour killing material they are the most comfortable, odour-free sandals I’ve ever owned.

I can now walk about on cobbled streets, sandy beaches and forest paths without any discomfort. Trust me, in temperatures that range from 24 to 34 degrees having your toes exposed is the only way to travel.

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No mean feat – trying to wear flip-flops or sandals.

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I Shot a Goldfinch Last Weekend!

felix — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:38:31 +0000

If last weekend was a colour it was grey! It may have been various shades of grey going from light to dark, but no matter how you looked at it, it was grey.

But if you were lucky there was colour to be found.

I took this photograph of a goldfinch on a headstone in the graveyard of St. Mary’s (Church of Ireland) in Dungarvan.

It was last Saturday afternoon and I was in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford for the first time in about six or seven years.

I was glad to be back.

Having just arrived, I went for a walk around the town, reacquainting myself with streets, squares and landmarks I was familiar with when I used to visit regularly.

The weather last weekend was pretty dismal down in Waterford and Saturday was no exception. The Waterford landscape seemed to lose its colour as wave after wave of misty grey drizzle swept in off the sea. It was as if Wimbledon grounds men had used a grey cover to protect Waterford from the sun.

But the shock of black and yellow wings and the scarlet red face of the goldfinch as it landed on the headstone was wonderful to see. It stood out more than it would on a typical summer’s day. It didn’t have blue skies or summer sun to compete with.

I haven’t seen too many goldfinches. They’re common enough around Ireland but I’ve seen them rarely. It’s rarer still for me to have a camera with me when they appear. So this was a special moment. The bird landed and kindly waited just long enough for me to get my camera out of its bag, point and take the photo. Then it took off.

Seeing the goldfinch stand out so dramatically against all of the greys around it (the grey stone of the graveyard, the rain-filled grey clouds and the grey misting sea of Dungarvan Bay) made me think that no matter how bad the weather gets there will still be something exciting and colourful to do or see.

And sure enough despite the weather we had a great time in and around Dungarvan, Co. Waterford for the next couple of days.

A Cup of Tea in Bed – A Magical Start to the Day

felix — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:09:52 +0000

Today started in a lovely, relaxed and very special way.

Normally I get up first and get stuck in to whatever I think needs my attention. That’s usually between 6am and 7am. Early for some I know, but while the days are still long and we have bright mornings I like to enjoy them as much as I can.

But today was different. P stirred first and as she got up asked “would you like me to bring you up a cup of tea?” – without hesitation I said “yes please”.

I think a cup of tea in bed is one of life’s great indulgences. It’s not the same if you get up yourself, make it and return to bed; it has to be made for you. You can put your head down and have a few minutes extra snooze-time, knowing that if you fall back asleep you’ll be gently woken with the gift of the perfect cup of tea.

As I savoured every sip, I could hear the traffic in the distance heading to town through the open bedroom window. Closer to home I could hear the birds at play. Magpies pecked at gutters, pigeons cooed, finches, tits and starlings sang and fluttered around bird feeders. Even the patterns of light falling on the curtains as they gently swayed in the cool breeze added to a most special moment.

After 20 minutes of sheer bliss I got up. I wasn’t late for anything.

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A Cup of Tea in Bed – A Magical Start to the Day

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An Indication of The Beautiful Game: Brazil V North Korea

felix — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:33:22 +0000

When it’s finally over I want to look back on the 2010 FIFA World Cup and say that it was the best World Cup competition I’ve ever seen. At the very least I’d like to say it was a good and exciting tournament that had some wonderful moments.

Unfortunately, most of the action so far leads me to believe that there’s no chance of that happening.

Maybe it’s the new ball, maybe it’s the drone of the vuvuzelas or maybe the players aren’t firing on all cylinders yet, but whatever it is, the tournament hasn’t managed to inspire so far.

With every team having played at least one match at this stage, that’s 16 matches, it’s hard to pick out one game as being a classic. In fact many have been so boring that I’ve taken to doing ironing* during the games. I really don’t like ironing; but I hate watching boring football matches even more. Yes I don’t have to watch the games, but I do feel honour bound as it is the World Cup.

But Brazil and North Korea have given me hope.

For me, they’ve contested by far the best game of the World Cup so far. I’d no idea what to expect and I was surprised and delighted by a wonderful defensive performance by North Korea.

People often say that defensive play is boring. I don’t agree. Defensive play, when executed by a team that is both disciplined and intelligent, can be a thing of beauty. If the opposition happen to be attack oriented, and Brazil usually are, then you could end up with an interesting battle of wits.

I was reminded of flocks of starlings as I watched the North Korean defence group and regroup as they covered for each other and closed down space that the Brazilians were trying to exploit. Wave after wave of attacks were handled in an almost graceful way by fluid defence.

After the game the Brazilian coach Dunga said “If you look back at the footage, the way that North Korea moved to close the spaces was almost perfect.” Fabiano, the Brazilian striker said “It was difficult for the forwards because there was a sea of Korean players and the ball just didn’t reach the front.”

Brazil won 2-1 in the end. They required two excellent attacking moves to breakdown the North Korean defence. Both their goals were superb. A moment of magic by Maicon gave them the lead and that was followed 17 minutes later by an exquisite pass by Robinho that allowed Elano to score.

It turned out that both goals were required for victory as in the 89^th minute Ji Yun-nam got the better of two defenders and scored for North Korea.

I hope when the tournament is over this isn’t my favourite game. I hope I iron less and see better football. I hope I look back on this game and think that it was just an indication of the shape of things to come – great attacking football, superb defensive play, only broken down by marvellous moments of skill that lead goal scoring opportunities and ultimately goals of great quality.

Now that would be a beautiful game.

*Tip: Endear yourself to your partner by ironing during World Cup matches.

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An Indication of The Beautiful Game: Brazil V North Korea

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The Hybrid Love Seat, James’s Luas Stop, Red Line

felix — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:30:09 +0000

I’ve been getting on and off the Luas at James’s a lot lately. The journey there takes about an hour and I usually bury my head in whatever book I’ve brought with me.

It’s a straight forward journey, Dart to Connolly, Luas from Busaras to James’s.

Most of the time I do it without paying too much attention to my surroundings. But a few weeks ago I noticed some odd looking creatures perched on the railings that separate the Mary Aikenhead flats and the James’s Luas stop.

These creatures look peaceful enough, content even, sitting on top of the railings watching people getting on and off the Luas. They certainly saw me weeks before I saw them.

Here are some of them. There are others, but they were a bit camera shy.

Scary, perhaps not, but I wouldn’t mess with them. I think they’ve something up their sleeves but I’m not sure what.

The creatures were brought to life by local teenagers as part of Louise Walsh’s project The Hybrid Love Seat.

It all started in 2004 with a competition held by Luas (RPA) and James’s Hospital to commission an artist to build a boundary feature along a border line between Mary Aikenhead Flats and the LUAS stop. Louise Walsh was the successful artist and she proposed The Hybrid Love Seat.

Her approach is described on her website as follows…Rather than build a barrier cutting off the adjacent flats from the stop, Louise designed a curved railing piece that creates a series of seats on both sides…defining each semicircle as a kind of ‘love seat.’…However, in addition to the brief and to enable the local community to experience real ownership, she proposed a participatory art project to allow local teenagers the opportunity to develop their artistic skills and create bronze sculptures that feature significantly and permanently in the artwork.

Students from the Sculpture Department in National College of Art and Design (NCAD) volunteered as mentors on the project and the final result was unveiled in February 2008.

I didn’t take photos of all the creatures but you can see pictures of all of them before they got comfortable on the railings in this PDF.

Every time I see them they make me smile. I just wish I knew what they were thinking.

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The Hybrid Love Seat, James’s Luas Stop, Red Line

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Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life

felix — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:44:16 +0000

I recently read an article from Time magazine called The New Science of Happiness.

Its sub-heading is What makes the human heart sing? Researchers are taking a close look. What they’ve found may surprise you.

I enjoyed reading the full article which was written in 2005, and I feel I’ll get most use out of one particular section, Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life, reproduced below.

That section contains practical suggestions from University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, based on research findings by her and others.

Sonja has kindly agreed to allow me use the text of that section in this post.

So here are Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life…

Count your blessings. One way to do this is with a “gratitude journal” in which you write down 3 to 5 things for which you are currently thankful – from the mundane (your peonies are in bloom) to the magnificent (a child’s first steps). Do this once a week, say, on Sunday night. Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as possible.
Practice acts of kindness. These should be both random (let that harried mom go ahead of you in the checkout line) and systematic (bring Sunday supper to an elderly neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects – it makes you feel generous and capable, gives you a greater sense of connection with others and wins you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness – all happiness boosters.
Savor Life’s Joys. Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders. Focus on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.
Thank a mentor. If there’s someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding you at one of life’s crossroads, don’t wait to express your appreciation – in detail and, if possible, in person.
Learn to forgive. Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness to a person who has hurt or wronged you. Inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.
Invest Time and Energy in Friends and Family. Where you live, how much money you make, your job title and even your health have small effects on your satisfaction with life. The biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships.
Take care of your body. Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can help make your daily life more satisfying.
Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardship. There is no avoiding hard times. Religious faith has been shown to help people cope, but so do the secular beliefs enshrined in axioms like “This too shall pass” and “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” The trick is that you have to believe them.

The How of Happiness: A Practical Guide to Getting The Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky is available if you’re interested in reading more.

There’s also an iPhone app based on the book.

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Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life

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Three Quotes and an Amaryllis

felix — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:23:07 +0000

I’ve alway been confused by when spring officially starts. On the radio this morning I heard that today, 1st February, is the first day of spring. Considering it’s zero degrees out there and there’s plenty of frost about it’s hard to believe.

But according to the Celtic tradition, which is based solely on daylight and the strength of the noon sun, spring begins in early February and continues until early May.

Today I’ve two photos of my amaryllis finally blooming. It looks fantastic and it was wonderful to watch it grow.

So to mark the occasion I want to share three quotes, loosely connected by flowers or things in bloom.

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

William Blake – from Auguries of Innocence

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.

Dale Carnegie

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Three Quotes and an Amaryllis

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Amaryllis, amaryllis, rock me amaryllis!

felix — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:43:38 +0000

Just over two weeks since my last update and my amaryllis now stands at a proud and healthy 20 centimetres. Any day now it should burst out and start to flower.

Here are the photos to prove it.

It’s funny how the brain works. I guess because “amaryllis” and “Amadeus” both begin with “am”, have four syllables and end in “s”, the 1986 song by Falco, Rock me Amadeus, forced its way into my head.

That song was inspired in part by Oscar-winning film Amadeus, which I saw on its release and intend watching again very soon.

I love the tagline:

The Man… The Music… The Madness… The Murder… The Motion Picture…

…Everything You’ve Heard Is True

It’s loosely based on the lives of the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri and is well worth seeing if you’ve never had the pleasure.

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Amaryllis, amaryllis, rock me amaryllis!

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Positive Influence or Gifts that Keep Giving

felix — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:44:35 +0000

I’ve a cold. Sniff, sniff, cough, cough, splutter. I’ve had it for a few days now. It isn’t flu, no temperature, muscle aches or headaches involved, but it’s kept me in bed since the weekend.

I’ve received lots of TLC. Plenty of hot drinks, tissues, soups and loads of attention. It makes a huge difference when you’re feeling miserable to know that someone is willing to look after and look out for you. Thanks P!

Although I’m still sniffling I’m back up typing away. Ronan Collins is playing great tunes on RTE Radio 1, there are snow flurries outside and I’m hoping to be fit enough to get out and about tomorrow.

Nothing much has changed since I was in the office last. Bank statements and bills should be shredded or filed. A few extra books have appeared that should be read or shelved. A 2010 calendar should be hung on the wall before January is over.

The biggest change though is to my Amaryllis. Over the Christmas/New Year/Sneezing/Coughing/Spluttering period it has shot up. I measured the growth and its about 9 cm (3.5 in) tall and it looks healthy. All I do is water it every now and then and it looks like it has taken off – a nice surprise.

You may remember from a previous post that I was given the Amaryllis as a surprise present and although I wouldn’t have thought to buy it for myself I’m thrilled to have it. Watching it grow and develop, or being surprised when it has a sudden spurt is fantastic.

But probably the best thing about the Amaryllis is that it reminds me how receiving a surprise gift makes me feel. It doesn’t take much logic to realise that if getting a gift causes you to feel good then giving one to someone else may cause them to feel good. Not really rocket science is it.

So as a thank you for looking after me I’ve organised a little something for P. It should arrive later today and unless I’m very wide of the mark it’ll brighten her day. I’m excited thinking about it and I really hope she likes it. Fingers crossed!

The original purpose of this post was just to give an update on the status of my Amaryllis. I was really pleased by its growth and progress. But remembering it was a gift and realising how much pleasure I get from it brought me to recognise that I also have the ability to influence people positively. Definitely something I should act upon more often.

Show me the way, Amaryllis!

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Positive Influence or Gifts that Keep Giving

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FA Cup Third Round: Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1

felix — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:15:04 +0000

It’s admission time. I’m a Leeds fan. I’m not the biggest Leeds fan by a long way, but I’ve been quietly enjoying their performance in this years Coca-Cola League 1.

I don’t feel ready to count my chickens, as although Leeds are well placed, on top by 8 points with a game in hand, the season is a long way from being over. In fact I’d be a bit nervous if Leeds don’t get automatic promotion and enter the play-offs as they missed out from that position at the end of the last two seasons.

But yesterday at Old Trafford Leeds United did something magical. Not only did they beat Manchester United but they did so with great skill, determination and dogged defence. And they did it on Manchester United’s home ground.

Perhaps this team is far from being as strong or as skillful as the great Leeds team of the late 60’s and early 70’s. It certainly has a long way to go to be challenging for top honours at the end of every season; but you never know.

Apart from Jermaine Beckford’s 19th-minute goal they came close to making it a more embarrassing result for Alex Ferguson and his team. In the 79th minute, Robert Snodgrass, who has just come on for Jonathan Howson, curled a magnificent effort past the wall, beyond the reach of Kuszczak and off the cross-bar.

In the interest of fairness I think Leeds rode their luck when they defended and perhaps a penalty could have been awarded against them. But the bottom line is that for 71 minutes of normal time plus 5 minutes of extra time after Leeds scored, Manchester United failed to score at home and they lost to a team two divisions below them!

This may be the shape of things to come, or just a blip in the natural football order, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

I think the only other result that could top this would be Leeds beating Sunderland in the FA Cup Final – 1973 still hurts!

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FA Cup Third Round: Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1

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