Belfast Visitors & Another English Jaunt

Despite worried emails from their respective mothers about the recent tumultuous happenings in Northern Ireland, I convinced my friends Nick and Amy Decenso to make a stroll up to Belfast to check the place out for themselves. As they were to be my first official visitors, I wanted to make their stay as pleasant as possible and decided to undertake the activity I hate the most: house cleaning. At this point in my life it has become apparent that I have to adapt to the concept of hosting married friends in my places of residence. Sadly, gone are the days when a case of beer, package of Bratwurst, and bare couches sufficed as hospitality to derelict friends. I guess the book of life turned a page unnoticed on old Brian awhile back and I am now finally catching up to the natural progression of life's formalities. Now don't take this as an indictment against the Decensos, as Nick and Amy are about as easy going as they come and would care little about the state my abode, rather I only raise this point to reflect where I am, or trying to be at in my life. So I divided the project into 3 phases, lasting as many days and got the flat in entertaining shape, or gave it my best at least. God help the poor soul who opens up the closet in the spare bedroom next.

Nick and Amy's arrival to Belfast for a couple nights brought the opportunity to visit a few of the pubs I have been wanting to see in Belfast and "officially" eat in the restaurant below my flat. It was good to spend some quality time with Nick and Amy as the last time I had seen them both together was at their wedding in September.

A few days after Nick and Amy left, I left Ireland again and went with my boss to call upon several auction houses in England and Wales. As the only visible person in the first half of life that I came across in all these auction houses, I was able to deduce the primary reason for buying and displaying antiques must have some to do with feeling younger. One has to feel at least a bit fresher in their days standing in front of a 200 year old bookshelf or desk. I have also concluded that the business of antiques is based on ridiculous perceptions of value and speculation. You mean that sloppy excuse for a water color painting is worth $10,000 but my prized Huey Lewis and the News record is worth nothing? Baloney. Also, the opportunity for unscrupulous behavior of buyers and sellers alike in the auctions is a enough to turn off a saint like myself from delving into its depths professionally.
While gone in England, two milestones passed: one was my half-birthday on the 27th. Yes, you missed it you bastards. And the next was the blog received its 20,000 page hit. What does this mean? Absoulutely nothing. But the site's board members thought I should acknowledge it.
Anyways, while in London during the trip, I got to do a little sightseeing. Expecting little satisfaction to come from a visit to a mall, I was shocked at what I saw in Harrods in London. Opera singing staff in the "food court" as well as serenading women as you ascend on the elevators made this place give the outlandishness of things in Dubai a run for its money. I got to further participate in this fantasy world when my boss decided to celebrate what I presume to be a wildly unprofitable antique expedition by treating us to a champagne luncheon in Harrods. An appropriate celebration of my half-bday I must say.

In unrelated news, I was tilting the Bacos canister into my mouth today when I noticed the label said Suitable for Vegetarians on it. I mean, its bad enough that Bacos bacon chips actually contain no real pork product, but do they have to shove it in my face that it soley consists of chemicals combined to give it that flavor. Is there a vegetarian out there eating Bacos? Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't there two types of vegetarians-- some for reasons of animal suffering, etc. and those who do it for health reasons. I cannot imagine that eating chemically altered Whoknowswhat is tempting to either group.


The level of excitement is heating up again. This upcoming Saturday a rigorously selected crew of Chicago misfits are landing in Ireland and pending their successful passage through Irish customs, will be joining me for a barnstorming tour of whats still unseen on this island. After that is a major geographical jump for me. But we can talk about that later.

Probably Not Suitable for Vegetarians,
BQ