I've always loved bookshops. Not just ones stuffed with new books, but also old ones. Used books. Books with a history. Books that have had a life. Books where you are, somehow, connecting at some level with the previous owner or owners who has long past. That owner could be a personal friend, an acquaintance, a family member, a celebrity or simply a random person who owned the … [Read more...] about The Last Bookstore
Another Year of Listening to Music Visualised (sort of)
When I listen to music using any of the various music streaming services or from my phone's library the data gets logged with Last.fm. I've been doing that for years. So after 17 years you can easily see what kind of music I like. Back towards the end of '22 I used a handy little web app to generate a music festival line up based on my listening habits. I redid it recently … [Read more...] about Another Year of Listening to Music Visualised (sort of)
Another Year of Fun Concerts
Last year I got to see some fantastic performances in some wonderful venues both in Ireland, Europe and further afield. 2024 looks like it'll also be a very good year for concerts and other live performances. A lot of world class acts are touring. Sadly getting tickets for some concerts these days is literally a lottery and the price of some tickets can be more than most … [Read more...] about Another Year of Fun Concerts
Public Speaking Hacked
I go to a lot of events. While some of the speakers and presenters are truly excellent they are, sadly, in the minority. Most speakers are mediocre and some are just painful. In some cases it's "death by Powerpoint". In others it's just an incoherent mess. However, it doesn't have to be that way. If you've seen some of the more engaging and interesting speakers in action you … [Read more...] about Public Speaking Hacked
Dublin Riots – RTÉ Video Analysis
News and current affairs has always fascinated me. Nowadays every person with a mobile phone can take photos or stream video. However while the rise of the so called "civilian journalist" can be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of accuracy, context etc., it does provide a huge amount of content. RTÉ, Ireland's public broadcast service, did a fantastic job combining footage … [Read more...] about Dublin Riots – RTÉ Video Analysis