Life in The Big Smoke

as Belfast is sometimes referred to. Well, I officially feel a bit settled here. My goal to familiarize myself with the whole city was more or less met when I finally hiked up the Cavehill yesterday and took in the panoramic views of the city and surrounding area. It was also clear enough that I could see all the way across the Irish Sea to Scotland.

Actually, I guess in my getting acquainted with the city I failed to notice until today the name of the Asian restaurant just down the road from my house. Those asians sure are funny.

Things have been going well on the employment side of things. Besides bringing in the bacon, work has been doubling as a continuing education. My daily work sidekick Malachy has been is a weath of good advice ("Never look a gift horse in the mouth; A blind man on a galloping horse couldn't see that mistake we just made")in addition to having been proven to be quite a source of information in regards to what life was growing up during "The Troubles" here in Belfast. Riots, bombings, knee-capping IRA men, and a divided city was all apart of normal life. The city is not that big, so more or less he can tell second to third-hand stories of just about every major event that occured here.

Beside the work Malachy and I are doing restoring an old Victorian room for use for private dining, I also occassionally fill in on the floor at the restaurant. The convenience of the restaurant's location beneath my flat keeps me fed well and occasionally entertained--either by the nightly Billy Joe-esque piano man or the chef and some regulars staying late night to sing and guitar Irish songs.

Tonight, I am heading with my boss over to England to do and quick lap around the country to pick up antiques he has purchased in online auctions. Will return friday only to immediately head for the Aran Islands for festival of sorts. I'll take take notes on the experience for you.

Unrelated, but equally important is the formation of a new website sure to revolutionize and de-stigmatize online gambling that cripples so many of our degenerate friends. Working within U.S. gaming laws, my friend Tim Reardon and his brother and some of his friends have created at sports gambling site, where ad revenue funds your gambling. You lose nothing but are mailed a check once your starting balance of a quarter reaches $20. On the top of my head, I can think of 30 people who could and will spend the majority of their work time on this site. You know who you are.
Check it out. QUARTERBETS.COM

Keep the milk money,
BQ