Reeling the years 2011

Another spin of reeling the years.

The idea is very simple and based on a simple question: Where was I 5 years ago, 10, 15 ...etc ?
Previous post were: 2010, 2009 and 2008.

So let's go back in time by 5 years leap....


2006: Limerick, Ireland
My second year in Ireland, which saw my first dives in Ireland

Probably the year, I have visited the most Ireland, thanks to those guys: les boulets

2001: Grenoble, France
My first work ( permanent contract ) in France, Grenoble ( actually Meylan to be more precise ), as an engineer. And discover the nice bar in Grenoble:The Loco Mosquito
Also the year I graduated Clermont-Ferrand university.

1996: Clermont Ferrand, France
Still in CPGE at Lycee Blaise Pascal


1991: Hauterive, France
Starting in French High School

1986: Hauterive, France


1981: Hauterive, France
I think this is the year I started going to school, or was it the following.....

1976: Hauterive, France
That christmas I am barely 9 year month old, and I have many dogs to take care of me ( in the photo below i think it was atos )

Playlist

Not being very active on the blog scene at the moment, so here's my current playlist:

Hauterive

My village .... Hauterive
The Main street, it has not changed that much actually

Hauterive - Main square

And the famous mineral source, actually one of the 4-5 mineral water sources which surges the Village, most of them are exploited by St Yorre nowadays:

mineral water Ad 

 

Concert - The Answer in Dolans

Brilliant concert last night in Dolans, featuring the Northern Ireland band: The Answer.

The two support band were let's say entertaining, the first one though not bad, reminded me of spinal stap through their outfit ( head bandana, cut jean, leather trouser, goth style singer.... ), the second paid a lot less attention to its outfit, but as soon as the guitar started, they meant business, the energic singer performed the perfect warm-up to the leading act.

The first I saw The Answer , was at The Who concert in Cork, about 2-3 years ago, at the time I was really impressed by their style and their energy.

:D :D :D

Evening surfing

Evening surfing ( after work ) are the dream in Summer in Ireland... lovely time down there.



Left work at 5pm, headed straight to Lahinch with my surfboard, and straight into the water. I am managing very slow improvement in my surfing abilities, anyway that was an excellent way to spend the evening. :D

A tour of guinness

I went last saturday to Dublin to see a game of Rugby, and use the occasion to paya vist to the Guinness storehouse.

The tour is actually quite great, showing the whole brewing process of the stout, the old machinery, and the history of the brand, from his founder to the latest advertising campaigns.

Clear Water


Copper and barrels




Some advertising:


You end the tour with a delightful pint of guinness, at the top of the building, which overlooks all Dublin.


Then after the tour, we headed to the Aviva stadium, to see a good french performance ( not a fantastic one though but enough to secure a victory, before the world cup ).


And off course we ended the night in a pub ;)

Back in the surf....

Getting wet

Great weekend, half productive ( another series of boat repair for the diving club ), half sporty/active ( surf but mostly body-boarding in Spanish Point, Sunday with PJ ), and all that fun and entertaining, with the mandatory passage to the Wicked and Costello on Saturday night....
All good. :D



PJ trying to ride a wave:

PJ riding it

Additional blog

I've decided to start a new blog, which will concentrate my various movie experience ( and only the stuff related to movies ). I'll continue that one, on a more personal note.

The blog is : http://tofcinema.tumblr.com/

33 Years ago

Helping my grand father

pp_cg_travail, a photo by TOF2006 on Flickr.

Building the chicken house with my grandad. :(

Waterford Tall Ship 2011

I went Friday 1st of July to Waterford see the tall ship, and took some pictures, little did I know...

Tall Ship

hot air ballon, in Waterford sky

Russian Crew member

Russian crew

Masts

Night View

Brilliant occasion ( http://www.waterfordtallshipsrace.ie/ )

Here's a slideshow of the pictures I take:

Blue Monday

Monday sky was blue and sunny, so instead of heading back to the city and my flat, I took the opposite direction, straight to the west clare beach.

Ended up doing a short snorkel, the water temperature was actually better than the fresh wind.... defintely should have organized that damn barbecue.

me...

White Strand, Co Clare

Underwater Ireland over the years

Inishbofin Diving Week

I just got back from Inishbofin (Connemara) Saturday, after a great week of dives, great weather, good food ( thanks to the great cooks in the group), clear waters, a bit of mad trad session, and fantastic buddies. All organized by the Aughinish Diving Club.
What else could you ask for ?

Our base-camp, with the boat club:

Boat ready for departure

One of my underwater buddy, a keen photographer, probably looking for seal or dogfish:

Underwater

Decompression Time in the local pub:

above water

Dawn colors:

Sunset

Underwater shot:

Anemones

Dead man fingers

The Harbour, on the day we left.... :(



The ferry who brought us back:

Our ride back to land :(

More information on Inishbofin:
http://www.inishbofin.com/

Hermit Crab in White Strand

IMG_1205
Originally uploaded by TOF2006

Another weekend, only with one small shallow dive, hence the hermit crab in the picture.
A part that, this was also a busy weekend in limerick with the riverfest and the Munster game.

First octopussy

Last monday, I saw my first Octopus in Irish Water. Actually we saw two, in was at 27 meter deep near Scariff island in county Kerry. One of my buddy, Brian was lucky enough to capture it on photo before his battery died. See below Brian picture.

Eledone Cirrhosa

octopussy
Originally uploaded by upskill2008

Via Flickr:
Brian snapped this little guy just before he squirted ink and I ran out of batteries. Diving off Scariff Island, Derrynane.

Cinema de quartier

This last few months, I've rekindled my love for the cinema bis, by organizing viewing of some forgotten gems.
Last week, the theme of the night was Japanese Gore, starting with the cult "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" from Shinya Tsukamoto. To be honest I could not quite remember the movie, and though I understand its innovation, I was more impressed by Tsukamoto later work.

We quickly follow by the bizarre and perverse movie from 2008: "Tokyo Gore Police", quite extreme and at the same time very juvenile.


So far we had quite few nights around those alternative cinema, see below the list of movie we entertained:

• Captain Orgazmo
• Tromeo et Juliette
• Surfer Nazis must die
• The chinese Feast
• Zu, the warriors of the magic mountain
• Once upon a time in China
• Machete
• Clercks
• Robotrix
• Plan 9 from outer space
• Troops
• Godzilla vs. Megalon
• The God of cookery
• Monster X vs the G8

Officially back scuba-diving

That's it, after a couple of snorkels in the lake and in the sea, I am officially back diving with an impressive 30 minutes dive in Newfie, Kilkee down to 10 meters. Lovely day and lovely dive with great people indeed.

To illustrate this some picture of Kilkee with the ladies going to train for the Currach race.

Concert Bucket list

• Radiohead: Dublin 2006 and 2008
• The Who: Cork
• Jethro Tull: Dublin 2011
• Gorillaz: Dublin 2010
• Arcade Fire: Dublin 2010, and Marlay Park 2014
• Joseph Arthur
• Page & Plant Dublin 
• Robert Plant Dublin The Pint (3Arena) 2018
• P.J. Harvey  Dublin Olympia 2023
• Tryo: Grenoble
• Pink Floyd 
• Jeff Buckley: impossible
• Bjork Electric Picnic
• Lisa Hannigan: Limerick
• Mick Flannery (Dolans 2009)
• Noir Desir: no longer possible
• Rodrigo y Gabriela: (Limerick)
• Dyonisos
• Ham Sandwich Dolans, Whelans, 20 year 2023....
• Jerry Fish Circus Electric Picnic - checked

- updated 10 June 2016
- updated 30 May 2019 

- updated 22 October 2023

Self explanatory picture..

Yep wet and cold....

What would you do if your income was guaranteed ?

There is an interesting idea, coming from Germany:

Susanne Wiest petition for unconditionally basic salary ( In Germany any citizen can propose a law if it get 50000 signatures, actually this one got 120000, see the petition in german.

The proposition is, every single citizen would receive Euro 1.500.- per month as a basic right, without any constraint, attachment, commitment or compensation. Additionally people would be free to earn additional money.
This basic income, means, that whatever citizen decides to do ( work, watch tv all day,.. ) he would be secure in term of basic needs.
This independence ultimately would lead to a greater freedom, as you decide what you do, what you want to do and when you want to do it ?

I do have question about the whole feasibility of the thing, but that does lead to the interesting question of the title:
What would you do if you had no pressure to work for an income ?

Here's an excellent article (in french) about this question:.

Et vous, quel travail feriez-vous si votre revenu était assuré ? (Périphéries)

Favourite Pubs in Limerick

After 6 years, in Limerick city, it's about time I compile the list of my favorites pubs in town, though the order might vary from year to year, month to month, mood to mood...

• Mickey Martin: Funky and convivial, great music and amazing people.
  

• Costello tavern: The best fiver you can spend on a Saturday night in Limerick, relax and calm for intensive talk downstairs, or even some beer-pong ... after just follow the red carpet (the mythical sweaty carpet ! ), and your feet will be able to do some crazy dancing on the tune of the Smyths, Radiohead and other RATM...
  
• Bourkes: A new old place, which has been revived last year, very pleasant, with like in the country a good mix of different age group mixing happily.
• Tom Collins: relax and quiet, perfect for a French talk in front of a pint. Used to have good traditional band on Wednesday:
• Wicked Chicken: For many years my favorite in Limerick, small dark and wicked usually great DJ mix, ideal for a round of 2 of Jägermeister, I miss Phil the barman though ...
  
• Curragower: Good, perfectly place on the way home on a Friday night, on the way to the Thomond park for the weekends...
  
• Baker Place: The wicked chicken twin older brother ( sharing the same bathroom where naked men can slap their butt ), excellent to see young new band performing.
  
• Dolans: the place for concert in Limerick, also great for a breakfast on Munster game day. Checkout the Gig listing on their website.
• SinBin only on a salsa night ( as a replacement of Daffys): Well since Daffy's disappeared (RIP), we needed a place for the salsa party and the Clohessys nightclub turn to be a more than okay place.
• Nancy Blake: Well this is a non-controversial pub ( the least objectionable pub for anybody), the classic always reliable, i probably prefer the smallest warmer room than the outback.
  

Special mention: The White House, Flannery's ( the one ion catherine street), The WindMill Bar, Clohessy's ( for the 6 Nations), The Locke Bar, Glen Tavern