Reflected dockland

I was running early on my way over to the music group session, so took a Blip break near the Sean O'Casey pedestrian bridge. A nice day, though the river breeze was a bit chilly. I had no sooner crossed the road than one couple approached me to take a photograph of them with the riverfront behind them, and had no sooner stepped onto the bridge than a Japanese tourist also handed me his camera and asked for the same favour. Both apologised for the quality of the camera they'd handed me, saying in almost identical words that it 'isn't nearly as good as your own'. Isn't it amazing how trusting tourists are in this situation, handing over a camera to a total stranger and assuming that person is honest and won't run away with it.

We had a really enjoyable music session. Those who've been away are now back, so numbers were considerably higher than the recent norm, the variety and quality of the chosen music was really good, everyone was in good form, and all in all it was a pleasant reminder of just how good the group can be when it's on song. A quick pit stop in the Merrion Inn afterwards continued the pleasantness, though I was salivating watching the excellent pub grub some of the guys were digging into. So I stopped off in Blackrock (had some shopping to do anyhow) and grabbed a very nice bite to eat in the Lemongrass concession attached to Doran's pub. Two courses for 20 euro, and really nice food too. Things were made all the better when the bill arrived and the waiter told me he'd only charged me for a half-pint of ale and a dash of lime 'because the till doesn't have an option for a pint of shandy'.

Our friend Dave from Bray called round to Carl's place, and we went down to the Eagles pub in Glasthule for a few bevvies and a good old natter. Before we knew it, it was time for Dave to get the DART home. Back in Carl's Kino the movie on offer was The Perfect Storm. One word: rubbish! The first half or so involved an incomprehensible pseudo-documentary treatment of the rigours of fishing. As uninformed viewers, we were left none the wiser about just what was going on and what the various bits of tackle were all about or how they find the fish, or what sort of fish they were looking for (it looked as if the catch was swordfish and tuna, but who can tell). The rest was about the struggle to survive the storm. It was unbelievably boring and relentlessly noisy and 'dramatic' soundtrack music blared constantly, and we never got to know the individual characters in any meaningful way, and we didn't care what happened to them. Once again: rubbish. A waste of celluloid.