My world has changed. Three and half weeks ago I sat with my barely born daughter clutched to my chest and wept tears of joy, relief and awe at the gift that had somehow been delivered safely to our care. While my wife was in recovery I was led to a nursing room and directed […]
Want to change the world? Read More »
When writing for this blog I typically start with the kernel of an idea in my mind that I trust will carry enough discursive and imaginative heft to justify the thousand or so words that follow. What I have discovered though is that by the time I press ‘publish’ that kernel may not be in
Has there ever been a Miss World candidate who hasn’t declared her wish for world peace? How admirable, how marvellous, to behold the nobility and compassion of the bikini-clad, doe-eyed tiara-aspirant! Such ambition! Such gravitas! Such shiny teeth! But imagine the ripples through the universe of beauty pageantry if one of these paragons of female
I didn’t get the gig. For a while I considered calling this blog The World’s Worst Actor thinking at the time that it was witty and self-deprecating and arch. But then my wife looked at me with sad eyes and the unspoken understanding passed between us that perhaps it was a little close to the
Just a little bit higher Read More »
Take a moment and think about all the things you have been told in your life. All the things that have been said to you. All the heart-to-hearts, the tete-a-tetes, all the deep-and-meaningfuls. The advice, the encouragements, the admonishments. How much can you remember? And from whose mouths did the words come? Now take another
Songs from the deep Read More »
“You’re obviously a man in crisis.” This was a friend’s response to my recent uptake of blogging. Both a fellow Irishman and karateka, he was giving me a lift home after training a few weeks ago. Over the course of our rather circuitous journey (he is a slave to his sat nav) he took it upon
What’s in it for me? Read More »
A few years ago, not long before my wife and I moved to the other side of the planet in search of a new adventure, I was out with a friend to celebrate his fortieth birthday. It was a very gentle affair, a nice dinner followed by a few drinks in an unfussy pub. We
A word to the wise Read More »
The arrival of this post has been delayed by technology on one hand and caution on the other. First, my technological difficulties – the gremlins struck this week and disabled both my laptop and phone as well as killing my headphones. I won’t bother rant about the inconvenience and how we are all now so
Coming out of the dark Read More »
In the not too distant past I submitted a selection of my poems to a prominent Irish poetry publisher. I subsequently received a very courteous rejection which contained a critique of my work. A lot of what was said I found myself agreeing with. Amongst the feedback the editor included a damning phrase that has
All that glitters… Read More »
Copyright © 2024 The ClearOut, All rights reserved.