Chris Dowding - writer

Limerick's Christmas tree for 2009 has been widely touted as the tallest Christmas tree in all of Ireland. It is made of recycled steel from a couple of big construction projects, and sits on a floating pontoon in the Shannon River. Imagine the children's disappointment when they discover the tree lights cannot be turned on... because it has moved downstream, struck the Shannon Bridge and developed a 45 degree list. See the articles if you don't believe me:- http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1121/1224259237463.html http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Christmas-tree-crashes-into-Shannon.5845382.jp http://www.newstalk.ie/news/video-of-floating-christmas-tree-escaping-in-limerick/

We arrived in New York yesterday evening. We stayed at a hotel near the airport on the first night - there had been a snow blizzard the day before we arrived, so there has been snow everywhere. It caused a fair number of delays with planes and trains etc, so we were lucky we arrived after they'd cleared the runway of snow. But the snow looks great - we love it. Its very light and fluffly, at least until traffic has run over it - then its grey mush. We caught the subway (the 'A' as they call the particular line) into town this morning and moved to the hotel in Manhattan that Kerryn may have shown you on the list. It's basic, but its neat, clean and heated. When we go outside, Kerryn and I have been wearing thermal underware + clothes + jumper + jacket + scarf + gloves + beenie and have still been cold. Kerryn said I looked like 'a stupid elf' because of the way I'd arranged the beenie on my head. She pulled it down and folded the rim properly for me. We'v...

When I wrote 'a few Drops short of a Pint', I expected to have a certain Irish employer sue me for defamation. Possibly I will put on a return flight home if I land at Dublin airport again. And I've certainly earned the eternal emnity of Dublin Bus drivers by posting my opinions of their driving on www.busrage.com I didn't expect this one - check it out at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2009-05/06/content_7747788.htm . It's pretty funny.

I attended my 20 year High School reunion last night. I approached the door of the Shark’s Football Club at Victoria Point with both excitement and trepidation. What would all of us be like after 20 years? When I started high school in 1985, there’d been a fight between students almost every lunch-hour. The school had been stretched to the seams with around 2000 kids, and the fights seemed to be a reality we had to deal with, and in my case, avoid. The fights in school kept going for a couple of years and then died out. I found out that there had been a senior Year 11 student making younger kids fight by threatening them; and then placing bets on them to make a buck. (My father was a teacher at the school, so he knew the story.) A variety of tough-case principals were posted to our school to sort us out with discipline. These men and women cracked down on behavior, uniforms, and students who liked a cigarette or two, in the days before smoke-free workplaces were thought of. Dress stand...

Every time I use a public bathroom, I wash my hands afterwards and then put them under the electric dryer. I try waving my hands sideways underneath it; up and down; and from left to right. I turn the unit off and back on again at the wall. I sometimes perform a little dance in front of it to surprise it. Nothing happens. As an option, some places also have paper towels, which I prefer. But I don’t enjoy stuffing these in amongst other wet used paper, in a waste bin that is usually overflowing onto the floor. Other bathrooms have those towels on a roller which you’re supposed to pull down to get a dry section. But what happens when the roller runs out of towel? I usually come along, that’s what happens. It went much the same way when I used the bathroom at Brisbane Airport. The dryer refused to start, even though I waved my arms around like one of those giant air-inflated figures used outside car-parts stores to attract customers. There was no alternative, so I wiped my hands fur...

Hi everyone and Happy Easter It's been another long while since my last post. I have been busy with my business, Tod Consulting Engineers. I wanted to prove to the older directors that I could do it, that I could run a business without cracking up. I've realised something big: I have not allowed contribution from other people. At work, I've found myself thinking "Am I the only one who can do all the IT redesign, the marketing designs, the engineering work, the human resources work, etc, etc. Why don't they help?" I gave the impression that I had it all under control (actually, I haven't trusted anyone else to assist me or take on the work for me). Why would anyone help me when I looked like I had it all handled? (I didn't). No wonder I've been overloaded - I caused it myself. It took one of the engineers to demand that he help me, before I realised what a mess I was in. And within days of me realising that I hadn't allowed contribution and then...

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. The New Year has brought a lot of new challenges with the world financial crisis, the Victorian bushfires and the North Queensland floods. Israel and Palestine have been fighting again. People have lost homes, property, livelihoods and some have even lost their lives. I extend my condolences to all the families affected by all these events. I must admit I have felt fearful with all this going on. Was the world going to fall apart completely? I didn't know if I'd have enough work to pay the bills. I didn't know if I'd be able to keep all the staff on at work. I didn't know if I'll be able to pay my mortgage. I didn't know if we'd be able to afford it when Kerryn gets pregnant and we have a baby. I didn't know if I'll be able to sell my second book when I finish it. What was the point in even trying? And then I remembered - I'm still breathing, I've got my health and I've got the support...