Still need to wrap my head around a few things but the main one is about Christmas, given the lightings are up and all. There’s only about 5 weeks left, give or take, before Christmas??? Where had the year gone to? I haven’t even start my gift shopping list! Yikes. While I contemplate on that, here’s a few things for your attention.

• Gosh, what happened with the WC Qualifier last Saturday? Why do we always have to do it the hard way? Never mind, on to Paris we go and the match had better be at least 2-0 to Ireland when the final whistle blows. Good news is, RTE will be airing it for us mortals who have to work and/or too broke to fly to Paris. Kick off 8pm Irish time.
• Dublin Bus has teamed up with 21 vendors around the city in Ticket Thursday initiative to give our pocket a little breather. On Thursdays November 12, 19, 26 and December 3, present any pre-paid Dublin Bus ticket at participating shops and enjoy some retail discounts (e.g. Cleary’s between 10 to 20% off, Muji 15% off), restaurant discounts (e.g. Wagamama buy 1 main course get 1 free), pamper discounts (e.g. €10 off hair cut) and cultural discounts (e.g. 2 for 1 ticket to Dublin Zoo). Click on linky above for more details.
• Yay, a new season of Opera Ireland is currently underway. The choices – between Macbeth by Verdi and Das Rheingold by Wagner.
• The Irish Film Institute is hosting its annual French Film Festival and this year it runs from 19 November to 29 November. If you are a fan of Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, Amélie) then don’t miss out on the opening film MICMACS.
• Last week, a series of Christmas lighting was up at Henry Street and its environs. Today, the lights on Grafton Street put everyone just that notch closer to the festive season. Last but not least, this weekend, the lighting ceremony of O’Connell Street will be taking place. A bevy of events are organised to start at 4.30pm on Sunday 22 November, with the lighting at 6.00pm.

That’s it for today. And come on boys in green – we want to have a real good reason to miss some work days next summer. Or better, to travel to South Africa! ;)

Things are a little crazy busy on our ends, but that’s not excuse to leave this blog unnattended for too long. Several things have caught our attention in the last couple of weeks, so here’s a quick digest to keep you in the loop.

• This week, running from Monday 9th November to Saturday 14th November, Take Your Seat is bringing arts and theatres back into your life. Book for tickets to shows of your preference, and you’ll be offered some promotional tickets (if not free!) to other shows at a later date, therefore doubling up your fun evening out. They also run daily competitions so sign up for it today and who knows, you could win them and be heading out to a play or a musical next.
• Fancy a little bit of a geeky event? Look no further, head out the door tonight to the Mercantile for The Alchemist Café event at 7.30pm, where a discussion of “memory traces” and the role they play in shaping our sense of self and form the instint for survival. My former lecturer, Prof Ciaran Regan, will be taking on the hot seat for this discussion.
• There’s a relatively new gourmet food market every Thursday, from 11.00am to 2.30pm, at the banks of the Grand Canal next to Mespil Road (just off Upper Baggot Street). Pretty good timing and location really, considering there are quite a number of offices around the area, and the workers sure could do with a bit of a change for their lunch goodies from the usual sandwich and coffee from the shops nearby.
• Given the grip of recession, it is never pleasant to read about the bleak economic outlook faced by Irish youths of today, where unemployment for those under 25’s is about 1 in 4. If Ireland is as perceived – no country for young men – how long will it be, before they leave the country in search for a better future? A drain of human resources is not desirable for a country that is trying to pull itself out of this financial hardship.
• It has been claimed, that the internet brings people closer and forges intimacy. But how close can become too close? So much so that it’s not only a ground for stalking, it’s bringing cyberbullying to a whole new level. Scary.
• Love cooking and interested in cooking demonstrations? Arnott’s is organising a few demo sessions, while promoting the cookware/kitchenware from Siemens Home (Saturday 14th November) and Judge and Stellar (Wednesday 18th November and Thursday 19th November). And there will be reductions in some of these gears too.
• Since when does Christmas come round so quickly? I’ve barely dragged my winter clothes out, and already I’m seeing light fittings being put up all over the city, and this Sunday (15th November) the festive lightings at Henry Street and its environs will officially be switched on at 4.00pm. There are also other family fun events organised throughout the day, and check this link for further details.

I’m sure plenty of people are looking forward to the first World Cup qualifier match between Ireland and France this Saturday (14th November). Can we pull it off in this home game? Fingers crossed. Goooo Ireland!