2000th Post

30something

I am 40 next year, having been born in May of 1970 and it got me thinking of how life changes in ten year periods.

From 0 to 10 there is phenomenal change: We learn to walk, eat by ourselves, go to the toilet, talk, dress ourselves and of course we start school. There is a quantum leap in terms of where we were at 0 and where we were at 10 and if we ourselves compared our own photos from the day we were born to the ones taken on our tenth birthday we would not recognize our ourselves.

From 10 to 20 there is still considerable change: We go through puberty, complete the State Exams, garner an interest in the opposite sex and usually loose our virginity. We gain a taste for independence, learn to drive driving a car and we get a “sense” of what we might like to do in the future. It’s not quite a quantum leap in terms of where we were at 10 and where we were at 20, but we have changed. If photos from our tenth and our twentieth birthdays were compared by someone who never met us they would probably know it was the same person.

From 20 to 30 there is change, but is it considerable? We now may do university, should by now have a full time job which is a career, we have probably moved out of home. We have an understanding (as opposed to a simple desire) of the opposite sex and of people in general. But we are still fcuking around despite an inherent niggling in us that we should consider settling down. We do not allow ourselves at 29 to consider we are not as good now as when we were 20 at anything, this is the beginning of our understanding of mortality. There would be only minor differences between photos of us on our 20th and 30th Birthdays.

So, that brings me to looking back over the last 10 years of my life. In that period I got married, had 3 kids, took over the family firm, bought and sold my second property, bought my first house and discovered on-line poker. I have definitely become a lot wiser, way more so in the last 10 years then in a combination of the last 30. I don’t feel that there is anything I couldn’t do now that I could when I was 30 (physically speaking) but I now know I am kidding myself. The single most obvious realization that has hit me in the last 10 years is that I am not immortal – something I have ignored or deliberately not set my mind to for the first 30 years of my life. I think this is fuelled by the seemingly ever increasing number of funerals we go to as we get older. As for photos? Well, my hair is a little greyer then it was on my thirtieth birthday!

We are mere mortal folks, youth is so definitely wasted on the young. Get out there and stake your claim while you still can

In the meantime, here are so snippets from the last ten years:

2000

World population was 6.08bn

The IRA started decommissioning and Clinton came to visit. Kerry won the All Ireland Football and Kilkenny the Hurling. Concorde crashed. The “Friends” actors’ salary goes from $125k an episode to $750k per episode.

RIP Charles Schulz (creator of “peanuts” cartoon) and Alec Guinness.

2001

World population up to 6.18bn

Foot and Mouth was the talk of the day until the Euro coins arrived in anticipation of the 2002 launch. The Nice Treaty was rejected by referendum (no surprise there). Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh executed and George Bush replaces Clinton as US president. September the 11th will never be forgotten. Slobodan Milosevic is brought to trial

RIP George Harrison and Jack Lemmon.

2002

World population up to 6.24bn

Good bye to the IR£ hello €. Finna Fail / PD coalition is the first to be re-elected since 1969. The second Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty gets the yeas majority (déjà vu).

After draws with Cameroon and Germany, Ireland got the better of Saudi Arabia in the group stages and then Spain got the better of us after a penalty shoot-out in the second round of the W C. The Williams sisters contest the Wimbledon final. Kerry were beaten by Armagh in the All Ireland Football and Kilkenny won the Hurling.

RIP Richard Harris, Spike Milligan & JB Keane.

2003

World population up to 6.31bn

Bagdad falls to US troops and Saddam is captured. The Space Shuttle Columbus explodes killing all 7. The giant needle is stuck in Dublin city centre as we hosted the special Olympics.

The Williams sisters contest the Wimbledon final (again). France beat us in the ¼ fianls of the RWC after we beat them earlier in the year in the 6 nations – only Eng beat us in the 6 nations that year.

RIP Johnny Cash, Gregory Peck and Bob Hope.

2004

World population up to 6.4bn

5 People Killed in the bus crash on Wellington Quay. We win the Triple Crown as the smoking ban is introduced (and are the first team to beat England since they won the World Cup). George Bush Arrives in Shannon and Ian Paisley visits Dublin. Luas gets up and running. Bertie is now 10 years leader of FF. STG£22m is nicked from the Northern Bank whilst the Asian Tsunami kills almost 250,000 people

Cian O’Connor wins Gold in the Olympics (his horse was subsequently found to have had a “little help”). Cork win the Hurling – Kerry win the Football. We have 3 Irish in the Ryder cup. Shels find themselves one step away from the Group Stages of the CL – against Deportivo in Dublin they hold their own 0-0 but a 3-0 away defeat ends their sparkling run.

RIP Maureen Potter and Margaret Hassan.

2005

A tornado on new years day touches down on a housing estate in Clonee (Ollieboy will remember). MP/H signs become KM/H signs in another classic waste of public resources. Ray Burke gets 6 months for forgetting to tell the Revenue about his brown paper bags. The Irish Sugar company is a premature victim of the recession that has yet to happen. After 34 years planning and 17 years of construction the M50 car park opens. Council Tenant Dolores McNamara wins €115m on the Euro lottery.

Kerry win the Football, Cork beat Galway in the Hurling, Ireland fail to qualify for the WC

RIP Pope JPII, Liam Lawlor and George Best.

2006

World population up to 6.5bn

Steve Staunton is the new ROI FC saviour ably assisted by Robson from his wheelchair, not too much later NI overtake ROI in the FIFA standings! Footie and Rugby in Croke Park!! 25 year anniversary of the Stardust tragedy.

Dervla O’Rourke wins gold at the World Athletic Championships. Kerry wins Sam Maguire and Kilkenny take home Liam McCarthy. Ireland win another Triple Crown

RIP Charlie Haughey


2007

World population up to 6.7bn!

Another General Election, this time the FF need the PDs AND the Greens. The gorgeous Katie French dies in tragic circumstances

Ireland fail to qualify for Euro but the cricketers’ do us proud. Kerry owns Sam and Kilkenny take McCarthy. Harrington wins the British and Irish Opens – Emerging Star Rory McIlroy wins the silver medal. Ireland win another Triple Crown but fail to beat Argentina in the RWC quarter finals.

RIP Tony Ryan and Joe Dolan.

2008

The year starts with the heaviest snowfall on record in years. Wayne O’Donoghue is released from prison (remember Robert Houlihan?). €4bn is wiped off the value of Irish stocks on the 21st January. Jacobs closes L.The “Viper” is shot in what is the 5th attempt on his life. Trapattoni to the rescue? Liberatus arrive and catch the government with their pants down to secure a no vote for the Lisbon treaty (here we go again!). Cowan takes over from Ahern. Dustin the Turkey fails to woo the Eurovision. On the 25th September the Recession is “Official” – 5 days later the Irish govt gamble on red by guaranteeing €400bn worth bank deposits – it looks like it paid off / it looks like it didn’t pay off. The Pork scare happens

Munster win the Heineken Cup. Harrington wins the USPGA. Kilkenny beat Waterford – Tyrone beat Kerry. Ireland finish fourth in the 6 nations.

Ronnie Drew smokes his last cigar

2009

From Zeros to Heros – GRAND SLAM YEAR!!!!

That Co. Roscommon woman is convicted of incest and given 7 years. Swine flu gives us an excuse to take a few days off work (those that still have jobs). Ryan Tubridy does the Late Late Show (think of the tune for Abba’s “tragedy” and now sing “Tubridy …..his ears stand up like the FA Cup …. Tubridy ….. he’s much more lean then he is mean …… Tubridy”). Ireland condemned to Eurovision wilderness. Frank Dunlop also heads to the nick for failing to disclose brown paper bags to Revenue. Leaving Cert Students find out what is on the English paper before the Examiners. The 'An Bord Snip Nua' report that cost millions is released showing how we can save billions but this political poisoned chalice is being saved for the next government to ensure its speedy departure. NAMA, na na NAMA, wooh wooh wooh, NAMA NAMA

Bernard Dunne – World Champion! Kilkenny win the Hurling – Kerry win the footie – some things never change. SHANE LOWRY – amateur – Wins Irish Open. LEINSTER win Heineken Cup

RIP Danny La Rue, Michael Jackson and Darren Sutherland.

YULETIRED

Good luck with the 40th, I guess you forgot to mention Alzheimers setting in , how anyone can mistake Abba with the Bee Gees I dunno. LOL.

nice post

oleras

Nice post, mortality eh, if only time could slow down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ichO7gAeOGE

ionapaul

Good post! But Kerry didn't win in 2005 (I wish!), I was sitting in feckin' row A at the very bottom of the Hogan Stand for the final and was surrounded by followers of the Red Hand county (including one annoying kid with one of those huge inflatable hands, kept getting in my eye line) - Kerry fell to their new nemeses...we'll get them next year hopefully!