Desmond and the Pre-World Cup Finals.

It's about three hours to the finals between Spain and Netherlands, and I'm seated on my bed, feeling an odd mix of excitement and nonchalance. But I think I'm going to do this -- I'm going to catch the Finals!!

Or at least try to stay up till the opening minute. We'll see! :)

Desmond and the Chart.

Mostly true.

Desmond and the Summer Hiatus.

Alright, I'll admit it. Blogger is boring me. And not because it's boring per se -- it's because I'm incredibly and amazingly lazy, and my whole blogging process is actually more laborious than it seems. My, my. The photo-surfing alone required to supplement blog entries is insane. And since it is neither Christmas nor December, the incentive (and the search words to use) dips to nearly zero.

Not kidding.

So what does this mean? Might this be my unceremonious bow out to the world of Blogger? Nah. It just means: check back in a few weeks time if you actually still read my blog. I've been very honored to have had your readership.

Now, I ask you to look past my seeming arrogance in the following paragraph, because I don't actually think my blog sits up there with AGTs. But I've thought of a clever sentence that requires the use of the well-known AGT-phrase, and since this entry is an epic-end-of-sorts, I'm throwing out all my clever, in the hopes that I might entertain for one last time. "Going out with a bang", as they say.

So here goes said-arrogant paragraph: My blog, as with All Good Things (AGT), must come to a summer hiatus, and return three months later, renewed for another season by The Powers That Be, (in this case, Me). Of course in Blogger world, as with the Network world, you never know what could happen. It might be cancelled for good, or be released on DVD. Who really knows?

So till then, I love you World, you've been great. See you in a bit!

Slothfully,
Desmond.
(For the record, that photo? Took a few hours. I've lost my touch.)

Desmond and the Playlist That Stopped Working Again.

So playlist has stopped working, and apparently so has Keating's marriage.

ARGH. WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAPPEN TO ME!?

(Not entirely certain what the seperation is about, but I've got to say, I kinda feel he's a jerk right now. Of course, it doesn't concern me, so I'll just shut it for now. Happy weekend, World!)

Desmond and the Man Like That.

I KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME. BECAUSE PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF.
PLAYLIST WORKS AGAIN!

It's been nearly seven months since playlist crashed, and that is a long time. One forgets so much in seven months: the shirt and pants he wore on the 14th of September; the crazy finger guns inspired by a desperate need to sleep; the songs that shaped the many nights of blogging -- seven months is a long time.

I didn't remove my playlist from then, even when it crashed, because I'm a man of faith like that. Or at least, was, for the first week. After that, I left my playlist because I'm a man of sloth like that. But these things don't matter, because Man is insignificant like that. In the end, faith or sloth, or persistence, really did pay off.

I'm going to leave my songs in the playlist as they were for awhile, because I'm sentimental like that. Not forgetting slothful, and really really desperate for sleep. Some things never change.

(This Individual acknowledges the picture doesn't correspond to the blog. But he wasn't lying when he said he was desperate for sleep, and photo-surfing isn't as quick as it seems. He would like to prepare you for more of such incongruent photo-blogging.)

Desmond and the Excuses.

I know I should have blogged a long time ago when my exams actually ended, but I also should have bought a carton of milk days ago, and I haven't. Such is the cruelty of laziness. Or if you (I) prefer, the practicality of the world. You see, my urge to blog was sky-high during my exams because I needed to distract myself from studying, and still seem to be doing 'something'. Of course, now that the papers have been served and returned, I am seperated from Exams, albeit just temporarily.

But the practicality of the situation still persists. With my seperation from Exams, I no longer need the occasional blog entry as an excuse to stop studying. I can just stop, excuse-less.

You may judge me, and I may judge me, and my study buddies may judge me (that is, Mr Walrus-with-a-penguin's-body; amongst other ones I drew in a bid to waste more time not-studying)... but I only have this to say: "Excuse me, Exams are out. Let the sleep begin."

(This Individual means his words. Especially the plea to "let sleep begin". He feels he has weeks of naps and sleeps to catch up on.)

Desmond and the Happy Page, Rehired.

The Happy Pages are back in business, and I would have posted a picture, if it wasn't for my poor Canon baby coinking out on me. Back to studying. (Edit: Thank you for stepping up Webcam. HEE!)

Today's study buddy: Mr Walrus With the Penguin's Body.

Desmond and the Happy Page.

Actually, it's more like Desmond and the Happy Man, because this Happy Man has no more use for his Happy Pages (at least until the next essay writing season). Looks like they won't be happy no more.

And so it is with the fakest possible tone I can manage that I say, "Exams, here we come".

(This Individual is trying to get back into his blogger groove. Give him a little time, and he'll give you his appreciation. And maybe a hug.)

Desmond and "Keating For The Win".

What I want to know, is how he stays looking so fresh when he's in the desert. I mean, seriously? It's a desert. And ohmyword, nice watch.

I've forgotten how happy listening to Ronan Keating makes me. I mean, granted, there's mixed reviews on this particular cover he did, but I like it. In complete honesty (and I've said this before), Keating is not a great singer. I'm not even sure he's a good performer, since I've never seen him. But it's just something about his music and that raspy tone that pulls me back into some window in time. A window I'm not even sure I can identify with certainty.

But nostalgia kinda works like that doesn't it. Never just a specific moment or emotion.
Keating for the win.

Desmond and the Re-desi.... Come On. This Is Hardly Redesign.

"YES, I AM THAT NAIVE AS TO THINK A RE-DESIGN WOULD HELP ME BLOG MORE OFTEN. WE'LL SEE."

Desmond and the EPL.

I should really be working, but NEWCASTLE is back in the Premier League! Yippee!

Desmond and the April Fool's.

I realised I have been reduced to blogging about holidays (even the lesser ones), but such is the reality of blogdom: bloggers must get bored and give up blogging for months at a time. And their (non-)readers must be subjected to boring, and unimportant filler.

So here's the obligatory well-wishes for today: Happy April Fool's!
(Good Friday and Easter are coming up really soon. Just saying.)

Desmond and Lá Fhéile Pádraig .

Today is St Paddy's Day, and it, as with all things Irish, pleases me very much so. Sure, so I'm not normally Irish, but on St Patrick's Day everyone is! And because I don't drink beer, I'm breaking out me green tea cartons.

I wish I were in Ireland now!
Happy St Patrick's Day everyone!

And then I'm back to my work. :(

Desmond and the AI Time of Year.

It comes the time of year again, when Idol drives me into lending some random American contestant my support for approximately three months. Of course, on occasion the obsession support carries on beyond the run of the show -- Carrie Underwood, and Michael John, hello? -- and the hope is to find someone like that to root for in this season.

This year, two contestants stole my heart: Lee Dewyze, whose deep, warm and gravelly voice first made me a fan in Hollywood week (in just 15 seconds); and Siobhan Magnus, who is as quirky as I like, with an awesome Irish name to boot.

The best in the competition? I'm not sure -- Lee kinda wrecked Chasing Cars a little. Still, I like liking the ones who don't have the biggest fan base, but are pretty good nonetheless. (In other words, down with Andrew and Didi!)

Run my dark horses. Run!

Desmond and 'Blog'.

It has been very many hours and very many days, and I can't help but wonder if self-professed 'Regularly-Updated' blogs were really meant to function in this irregular manner.

Probably not.

I blame the heat you know. Something about the humidity and the sweaty palms (and consequentially, sweaty keyboard) really puts me off blogging and thinking in general. And spare me the "we need the heat to survive" tune. Sure, heat is a good thing. But you know what they say about too much of a good thing, don't you? Besides, heat exhaustion is a very real condition.

So World -- or rather, Blog? You shall now be known monosyllabic-ally. Gone are the messy, pressurising titles that precede your name. From now on, you are Blog, and nothing else.

At least until the weather decides to turn in my favour.

Desmond and the Pineapple Tarts.

I've always thought pineapple tarts to be the de facto poster boy of the Chinese New Year. And for good reason too. I mean, topping yourself with a pineapple filling and then diving head-first into the oven? Pure genius and - dare I say it - nerves of steel!

And yes, while it's true the other goodies go through the fire too, I'm going to give Pineapple Tarts the benefit of the doubt. What can I say, I'm a Pineapple-Tarts Tub Half Full kinda guy.

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!

Desmond and the Cheap Bahamas Trip.

I changed me toothbrush today!

Sure, so it isn't like the Queen came over for tea, because I change my toothbrush regularly and she comes over, well, never. But a new toothbrush is always exciting. New toothbrushes are like fresh towels, or new year clothes. New toothbrushes are cheap holidays to the Bahamas; the poor man's alternative to getting a new Porsche.

And World, I really did need a new toothbrush.

(Coincidentally, This Individual also changed to a fresh towel today. Is today the best day ever or what!?)

Desmond and the Chippolation.

(Article here, if you can be bothered. I couldn't.)

I was thinking the other day about chips -- admittedly a strange thing to give thought to -- and I came to a chippolation. (Read: Revelation about chips.)

Chips have evolved. Long gone are the tubes and packets of 'Original' and 'BBQ'. Now, we have Sweet Thai Chilli and Wasabi (puke!). We have Shrimp and Vinegar; Pizza and Green Tea. Not that all of these inventive, out-of-the-tube flavoured potato chips are bad, but honestly? Methinks Wasabi should be kept in the corner of the fridge which never sees the light of Kitchen Light.

In any case, little ol' me will reach for the lightly-salted chips on my next snack-shopping. A little tastelessness could bode well for me -- I'm sick of strange flavours.

(This Individual confesses to never having seen Wasabi-flavoured potato chips before. Still, he hates Wasabi-anything with a vengence. Especially the packet of Wasabi-flavoured nuggets sitting in the corner of his fridge, which incidentally never sees the light of Kitchen Light. Puke.)

Desmond and Blogging's Sake.

There's been a slight struggle to blog these past few days. Perhaps writing-me has expended all his blog-worthy topics. Or maybe it's just that thing with me and laziness. Whatever it is, I'm not here to judge, least of all myself.

So let's just leave it at that: I'm blogging for blogging's sake.
Please don't judge me.