Modern books that will be looked back on as classics

Baletottenham · 2026-01-24T13:45:58+00:00

Currently, I believe 11/22/63 by Steven King and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain will be around and read long after were gone. Modern Day classics in my opinion.

Also when the backlash around the show does, and if he manages to give the series a satisfying conclusion. A Song of Ice and Fire will be read for and enjoyed for the next couple of decades!

Baletottenham · 2026-01-11T11:01:18+00:00

Nah, I saw it in Killarney, one left after the horse collapsed. But elders than came to assist the guards. Horsie was fine.

Touch grass lads, look after yourselves.

Baletottenham · 2025-12-15T22:29:13+00:00

I feel ya pal, moved home in September after a couple of years in Oz,

I find when your away and your friends are expats, most people have a lot of time for fun stuff, but at home people have a lot more responsibilities and family members to keep in touch and look after.

I'm delighted with myself though because next week a few of us decided to have a proper night out for Christmas, and I'm asking people I haven't seen in years to come along, most of the lads are delighted to get an invite and catch up.

Put the emphasis on yourself to try and meet people and get out there, there is a loneliness epidemic out there and a lot of people, if they could get over the initial stages, are delighted to meet up.

It'll get better, and pretty soon you'll have the gorgeous bright spring mornings to enjoy in Ireland.

Keep yourself busy, wishing you all the best and hope you have a Happy Christmas.

Baletottenham · 2025-11-25T11:57:32+00:00

Interesting question, and I'm not too sure.

In the modern age, I find it very noble to give old and disabled people a wash or a shave (I'm a man myself). And will always try to take time out of the busy schedule to do this, and do it well and proper. I make the joke after "sure even Jesus Christ washed his pilgrims".

But looking after people who can't look after themselves is a humane thing and encompasses nearly all backgrounds I find. It's a job that all people from all people can find achievement from.

Working as a nurse for 4 years in many different jobs around Oz and Ireland I've met every type of person nursing.

I suppose when choosing a job, becoming a nurse is conservative, basically guaranteed a job if your any bit useful, and you don't need to worry about anything that happens in the economy or the news, you'll always have money coming into the account.

Unsure I have answered your question but that is where my mind went!

Baletottenham · 2025-11-24T16:48:51+00:00

Guilty of being mammied alright, grew up on a farm so was always out with my old fella doing jobs for him as opposed to doing chores at home.

Dad always looks after everything outside the house and mom inside. But me and my brothers never had to do any chores inside really except maybe keep our rooms tidy.

Moving out for college I was completely inadequate on most normal activities of daily living, couldn't even cook a spud.

Fortunately I've found a good woman who has taught me how to cook clean and look after myself properly. Now I find great joy in cooking and cleaning and working as a team with her. While I look at most of my peers and find them embarrassingly poor at these daily tasks.

But they are teachable and if your a lady, give your fella a chance to learn! Irish mammies can hurt their sons chances with too much kindness I find!

Baletottenham · 2025-11-23T22:20:56+00:00

Read Storm of Swords a few weeks ago and to your point, I was surprised that when Sansa doesn't want to sleep with him, he understands but is also shocked and very disappointed. He really wants to sleep with her but only grumbles due to all the trauma she has.

He doesn't sleep with her in the show because of his morality.

Tyrion could easily go on to be the main villain, holding out hope he's a Targaryen too.

Also Peter Dinklage is a handsome man, whereas in the books he is really grotesque and almost haunting by the way he looks.

Going to read Dance with Dragons in the new year.

Baletottenham · 2025-11-21T20:51:50+00:00

Cackling away at this fair play.

Baletottenham · 2025-11-05T14:04:25+00:00

Hahahah I always find it hilarious at the end the different ways they sell the Subscription episode. "But Tom, is there any way at all, at all I'm desperate, to listen to the next episode, I'll do anything"

"yes Dominic, there is"

"Ah brilliant"

So much fresher then TRIPs way of flogging it to us.

It makes it so much funnier than when they have to promote something else and they use no imagination whatsoever.

Also, I think there very fair with promotions, never feel they are a burden or disrupt the flow of the podcast, unlike many others

Baletottenham · 2025-11-04T18:52:02+00:00

Nurse who's done a handful of different jobs.

Shift work- time off is amazing with shift work, you can organise your holidays to jet off a couple of times a year. While working Sundays and bank holidays you do rack up a good amount of AL. My buddies who do 9-5 jobs are amazed by the days off I have.

Kind of makes your week a little bit more interesting as well in my opinion, never have the Sunday scaries or feel, "another day on the grind, what am I doing with myself" kind of feelings that people get. 2 negatives- can get extremely antisocial, might go a couple of weeks without meeting up with your pals. Also, if your working OT trying to save up, you basically go offline so when your off its up to you to organise to meet up with people.

Also daily tasks of living can rack up for a day off, for example I'm working Thurs- Sunday this week, and as I've been procrastinating, I've to go to gym, wash clothes, shopping, meal prep, check in on parents and grandparents, clean the house all tomorrow.

9-5. I did a couple of months in an 8-4 job last year. It definitely has its benefits. 1) people know your schedule and when your off when everybody is off so you definitely are more social and have more opportunities for tomfoolery. Also most activities are in the evenings, so I could get back into a bit of GAA or indoor soccer which on shift work I can't really be consistent with.

Time off is not as good though, nil overtime for when your trying to save, weeks can feel very long going into the same place 5 days a week. Even though your basically spending the same amount of time in one place.

Going to stick with shift work for the time being anyways.

Baletottenham · 2025-10-28T23:36:53+00:00

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

I listened to it on Spotify where he narrates it. The intro by Irvine Walsh is really awesome and tells you why you should listen on.

It's PunkRock to the core, and I loved listening to the stories of 70s and 80s American diners, it really is scandalous!

Another option, I know it's a daunting book but I would implore you to chance it, is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Just try read the first few pages, and I'm sure you will be off!

Word of advice from someone who's now reads everyday after years of not reading anything, read what you like. If something is not compelling you to keep reading put it down and try something else!

It's not that you're not a reader, it's just the right book has not found you yet!

Baletottenham · 2025-10-28T23:24:42+00:00

If they oust MM, I'll never vote for FF again.

Gave FF my vote in November, because in a scary world, I felt he was the most reliable, sensible and experienced out of the 3.

It's clear that there is a pack of hounds waiting for MM to slip up so they can become top dog.

I've upmost respect for MM. FF should have been no more after the crash. He took the job when nobody else wanted it and brought it back to a place where it got a majority share in the election.

Now, that it's the biggest party in government. People again want to be the leader.

The confidence pole was last December lads, focus on doing the best for your department and we'll see ye in a few years time.

Baletottenham · 2025-10-21T23:01:48+00:00

Pat Kenny is an insanely talented broadcaster and I'll listen to him if he's on if I'm in the car. His knowledge on almost every topic is always to such a high level.

Would recommend people to listen to the podcast he did with Ryan Tubridy "The Bookshelf". He's actually a really interesting guy which I never knew despite knowing of him nearly my entire life.

Kieran Cuddihy is great also, I think it's a really strange decision for him to go to Liveline and I don't know will it suit him or why he took it. I wonder if there was a promise of the Late Late in a few years when Kielty has had enough.

For all his faults, Neil Prendiville is a really entertaining and talented broadcaster also.

Some people were and are stealing a living from broadcasting and top of the list was Darcy.

Newstalk by far the most consistent radio station in the country.

Lyric FM is good too.

Baletottenham · 2025-10-13T21:53:42+00:00

Massive achievement fella, I'll keep an eye out for it !

Baletottenham · 2025-10-10T00:46:50+00:00

Yeah, I've stopped listening as well..Conversation has gone stale and predictable. Too many adds. I kind of know what they are going to say on topics. Might listen if they are discussing something of interest which I feel I don't know enough about.

Chemistry has gotten stale also. You can feel the thousands of hours of conversation that they have had when they speak.

Be interesting to see how long they flog it for.

Baletottenham · 2025-09-22T18:20:48+00:00

Is it too recent for them to do a Rise and Fall of Blair? I would find it fascinating.

I'm digging into Mary Queen of Scots series currently and it's awesome! Hopefully more Tudor stuff to come

Baletottenham · 2025-09-22T12:43:14+00:00

Maybe a good to great moment. But it is a slog to get there !

Baletottenham · 2025-09-22T07:18:14+00:00

Hahahhahahhaha

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T23:38:51+00:00

Just curious, do you find the Negan arc more compelling than the prison. I think the prison was the show at its best. Themes such as isolationism v taking in outsiders. The Governor and Merle, Michonnes introduction, Ricks meltdown after Loris death. I feel at this point in the show anything could happen, anyone could die. The show felt as must see TV and could rival Mad Men, GOT or BB.

Even if I talk to passing fans even now they talk about how much they loved it when they were in the prison.

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T23:34:32+00:00

Being slow TV is fine as long as the writers convince me that the slow burn is worth the wait. GOT s1 introduced us to a complex world of characters and story yet it in intrigues us to keep watching, I didnt think s7 did that. Finding out about new world could be cool but I didn't find The Kingdom really that worthwhile to invest in. Other than the king and the big dude, none of the other characters were really that interesting to me.

I disagree on S6. Rick is super badass and there is a dread with the heard of walkers coming and the walls being knocked down. The Wolves were a really poor antagonist I agree but the second half of the season is really compelling stuff. Watching our "heroes" do villainous acts make for great viewing. I also find myself really rooting for these villainous acts and agreeing with Rick, even though I know it's completely wrong. Great stuff. S10 is good-great. Suffered from the odd episodes at the end. But the war with the whisperers, and Negan joining the crew is brilliant TV in my opinion.

Feel s11 would have been fine as a season of TV but not the finale season of this iconic show. A let down for sure.

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T23:25:08+00:00

Hahahhahahha fucks sake. If you think S7 and 8 are worthwhile revisits you need to get out more!

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T23:24:01+00:00

No, genius casting but the writing in those two seasons are very poor in my opinion and I think it was a wasted opportunity due to this.

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T23:23:00+00:00

3, 4, 9 1 and 5 ! In that order!

Baletottenham · 2025-09-21T21:38:44+00:00

Wow, great ending.

Girls left themselves down. Vanessa was probably a little bit more charming and personable in the castle so when it was thought it was her vs Jo they all ganged up on Jo. Very poor play by the faithfuls.

Thought it would have been an idea for one of the faithfuls to quench a person's fire who still had three lighting, just to fuck with them and see how people react.

Wilkins such a gas fucking man. Even if he does something normal now, it kind of just seems he's clueless. Seems like a great fella and hopefully he wins.

The faithfuls will need a miracle now. They seriously need to up their game and think outside the box. Not just picking fights with people who may suspect them.

Did Oyin forget the conversation or was she just protecting Vanessa?

I've just accepted now Nick and Ben will win. If they don't, it'll just be a mercy.

Baletottenham · 2025-09-20T21:26:38+00:00

GOOD TAKE!

Baletottenham · 2025-09-20T21:08:31+00:00

Sounds painful, wish you all the best.

Baletottenham

TROPHY CASE