Adrian Phelan

Post 54

Welcome to this week’s post. There should be something for you in here. Enjoy.  

The job bit

My website’s new CV page is getting hits which is great. It didn’t take long to create and it’s certainly earning its keep. We’re coming into the jolly season so if you have any seasonal campaigns that need an extra pair of hands do keep me in mind. I am open to all sectors and happy to land anywhere my skills will transfer.

Also, if anyone reading has links to any useful job seeking or career resources then do send them my way as well.

As ever, your support is much appreciated.

Thinking of Dad

It’s hard to type but it’s six months since my dad passed, and just under six months for my mother-in-law. I was compelled to jump on and mark it. I remember when he died saying ‘blink and six months will go by’ and they have.

Christmas is just around the corner and a big part of Christmas for our family was watching my dad’s excitement grow over the year. His build up literally started on 26 December and he was the All-Year-Round Christmas Shop’s number one customer.  His illness robbed him of a lot of the Christmas build-up last year. He was in hospital for much of December, including just after Christmas Day. He was determined to make up for it this year. Alas, it wasn’t to be. I think we have an important job to do in keeping his Christmas spirit alive, so even though Halloween hasn’t been yet, let me extend to you the compliments of the season.

The music bit

Unusually – given my background – I don’t rattle on about music too much in the blog, but a couple of album launches to note this week across two very different genres. The first is Just Like a Black and White Film by Dave Sutherland and the second is Dopamine Chamber by Fontaines DC.

I bought Fontaines DC’s Dopamine Chamber on vinyl for my son who said he loves it and I’m definitely a fan of the tracks I’ve heard so far. They’re a (post-punk) band who’ve been around for years but to my shame I have not paid much attention to their music, albeit they sing in their own accent, my accent. Plenty to discover and I can’t wait. Liam Gallagher has said this week that they don’t have any tunes, but I think this album goes a long way to prove the opposite.

And so, to Blackheath Halls where friend and Americana musician Dave Sutherland launched his new album Just Like a Black and White Film. Ably supported by Lewisham band True Believers and Oxfordshire-based singer/songwriter Ags Connolly, it was a great night of the aforementioned Americana, Country and Folk. I bought the album on the night and look forward to giving it a proper listen.

The Wembley Way

It was a busy weekend and my trip to Blackheath was followed on Sunday by a jaunt to Wembley to see The Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Houston Texans. One of the highlights of the day was meeting up with an old school friend who I had not seen for years. He was visiting for the day from Dublin with a colleague. We managed to squeeze 30 years of catching up into a couple of drinks. He had news of friends I had lost touch with (and vice versa) so it was great that the stars aligned and we could meet.

The game didn’t quite go to plan with The Texans taking it 34-31 but the annual pilgrimage to see the Jags is always a great occasion and this year did not disappoint.

The filim bit

I went on a bit of an online rant after watching Digger on Friday night. I’m disappointed by the poor box office performance, not because I want people to like the film but because people have not gone and made up their own minds about it.

It would be difficult to describe the film in a paragraph let alone a sentence but if I were to try I’d say it’s a pseudo-dystopian story about the rehearsal of a grand play showing the catastrophic consequences of drilling for oil on an ice shelf near Greenland and the money and politics that surround that.

But that’s almost not as important as the point that this was a brave move by Tom Cruise to star in and produce a project like this when we are so used to seeing him in action movies or playing the romantic leading male.

I know the cinema isn’t cheap and you want bang for your buck but if you’re into film, go and see this and join the debate. Although it has been widely panned, those who do support it think it will stand the test of time and I think it will too.

Do Good Well – ADHD Awareness Month

October is ADHD Awareness Month and the campaign is in full swing with a mixture of fun and educational online and in-person events. Here is a link to campaign info for Ireland. There are also tons of resources on this campaign site from our American cousins and here’s what’s happening in the UK.

Do help to raise awareness of the condition where you can.

Goodbye and thanks

I’ll end as I began, with a plug for my website’s CV page. If your project could do with an extra pair of hands, do get in touch.

As ever, thanks for reading and I’ll be back again with you next week.

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