There's a surprise...

D'other day I was given my first proper translating task:
Gaeilge -> English.
And, sadly enough, I found it fascinating! It's very, very like editing. And I very, very much love editing. But it's got the extra dimension of having to move between languages. And is, therefore, more difficult. (= more fun!)

It's like when I used to do life-drawing in Art class and it'd be perfect...spot on... every time....... except that I'd always 'neglect' to include that pimple, or the squint in their eye, or the frizz in their hair. I'd tidy their eyebrows... once, I even reshaped someone's nose! Just slightly. Just enough for them to say "Oh wow.. that looks just like me! Actually, I look really pretty in it!"

Ha. Editing people. Maybe that's why I like make-up so much. (especially crazy stage/costume make-up)

I love editing. Love love love it. I have been offered a certain editing position in DIT that I'm not sure if I can talk about yet... actually, I might have mentioned it on here before... God, i hope not... woops... but, anyway, I'm VERY interested. Yes, I'll be in my final year. Yes, it's quite a lot of extra work. But it's paid! And it's what I love. And it's less hours spent in this place.

Yes, I'm still on Harcourt St... but it's Feidhliocht tonight and that's easca peasca. With free coffee and bikkies.

Like normal, day-to-day, English->(better)English editing, you have a lot of freedom to do what you like with the text, but are kinda-sorta-not-really obliged to show some sort of respect for the original writer's take on it. And I like to... usually... except with that irritating German Erasmus chick...

*****sidetrack story***** ^_^
I was overall editor of our class' first edition of the Liberty (March-ish '08). We only get one shot at it, I was the only one stupid/ballsy enough to shoot my hand up, and, by God, I made the most of it. Complete layout overhaul (because it was boxy and horrible and dim.. btw, they've used ours for every issue since... *grin*) Anyway; German girl. I assigned a sub to her article, and she came moaning to me that they'd done it wrong. I asked her to talk to them about it, not me, as I had MOST of the rest of the editing/layout to do and the "team" of 20-something had dwindled to about 6 (on a good day...) and we were WAY behind schedule. But, when she once again found them "unhelpful", she went to 2 (yes, two) different lecturers who red-penned the article like a Leaving Cert. Irish paper. Back she trotted to me, proud as punch: "See? Here? I was right. This is not edited properly." And (frustrated, stressed, and low on nicotine) I asked, flatly; "You want it edited properly?"
"Yes!"
Ok.
I cut it, from over 600, down to 200 words. It was a ridiculous story idea, written all wrong, terrible English (that we would have let slide as she was an Erasmus student, but, she said properly...), very little interest or point... and I made a concise, pleasant, easy-to-read piece out of it. Unrecognisable.

There. Edited. Properly.
******************************

And we're back!

In case you've forgotten what you're reading:

Translating. Like editing. Only harder.

It's almost got an element of mathsy problem-solving to it. You have to break it down, take it apart, make sense of it in your head, and get down to the root of what the person's saying. Then re-say it. In editing, you have a frame that you can follow if you like - and you usually needn't rewrite the whole thing.

But translating - it's amazing. Blank canvas. You can say things in a hundred ways. And, when you aimsigh the perfect one - it's very, very satisfying. You need to forget about the language you're translating from, and start with no distractions!

That's why i find English->Gaeilge MUCH harder.

That's what they had me doing today. I'll never be as good as I am with the reverse, because English rules in my head and always will, and all I'll create is an Irish version of what I want to say, and I'm not allowed touch the English either! (which can be frustrating)




Ah hell... I still love it...!



But any of my Saol na Gaeilge friends who talk about how there's money in translating, srl... It just seems soooo.....
I dunno if it's for me. I could do it all day - every day. But there are a LOT of things I COULD do all day, every day. I think I'd quite like it. And my Irish - and English - would improve beyond belief. But... what about all these other things I wanna do that are far more interesting and risky...?

Look! An Art Competition!

I'm gonna enter.

I haven't entered one since I was about 11.

I'll let you know how I do.

Re: Ouch >.<

Isn't it incredible? It's migraine art! I, personally, don't get a visual aura - but stuff like this makes me wish I did! (Instead I just act out of character, stressed, and spaced-out during the pre-attack aura stage..... or sometimes I can get hyper-happy or startlingly low! Which is weird, and I don't know what's going on till the pain hits and I'm like - Oh! Right!)

A few months back I read in Scientific American (my dad subscribes - he's awesome) that - apparently - the migraine "happens" in the front of the brain in people who get visual disturbances, and in people who don't see anything funny it's in the back.
(Sorry I haven't a proper quote or anything - I've lost the issue somewhere in my room!)

Mad jagged designs, blind spots... it all sounds much more interesting than mood swings and concentration lapses! But, yeah, i know; greener grass and all that jazz...

Here's another from this thread (which is worth checking out..):




I totally fucking know how that^^ feels! That, right there, is similar to stuff I've doodled when I've had a headache (and a pen handy..eg: in work/college) - might post some here at some point! But I have a rotten habit of throwing away everything I draw these days...
(something to do with my bitterness at having abandoned the art college dream?)

Have a look at this NY Times slideshow for more examples!

"... there is speculation that some of the mystical paintings from medieval times, including the work of Hildegard von Bingen (Saint Hildegard), were actually the "visions" that resulted, at least in part, from a migraine attack. Van Gogh, Seurat, and many other artists have also been cited as possible "migraine artists." "

^That article from Psychology Today is an interesting read if you've got 5 minutes.. it's true that it's very difficult to describe pain in words sometimes - and I don't know how many times I've felt like slapping a doctor who's dismissed my headache as a sinus congestion-related pain when I'm trying to explain that "it's not just there, it's aaall here and kind of, in that way and pushing down here and sometimes here and... but further in.. and that way and through there!"

ha... clear?
Crystal!

I LOVE YOU!

I can't think of one celebrity, politician, anyone, who I'd be bowled over by seeing. I don't think I'd ever be starstruck by anyone - they're just people, right?

The one exception? The xkcd guy! (and also Jeff Goldblum, perhaps).
I love Him(capital H) - and I would be dumbstruck.

After a friend introduced me to the site, I found I could spend up to an hour at a time clicking on "random" and ROTFLMFAO-ing at the genius gems of wonderful wry brilliance that would appear on my humble screen.

I then took to saving all the cartoons that made me laugh the most. Bad idea. At this stage I've saved so many that I think my computer's running slower because of it.

Here are some of my current faves (He doesn't mind them being used on blogs - or in non-profit publications. Saintly!):













This blog post is more for me than for you readers - I get to look at it every time I log in to blogger!! :D

Also, I know some are fuzzy - but it's the best I could do and, trust me, they're worth the eye-strain!

Go to xkcd.com and love it. Go! Now!

Setanta Murphy le Garret Keogh

"Setanta Murphy Part 1 - A Comedy In Which Nobody Dies"

Níor chaoinigh mé in amharclann riamh roimh sin ach, an Sathairn seo caite i Bewleys Cafe Theatre, bhí cupla deoir i mo shúile. Níor lean an léiriú ar aghaidh ach ar feadh daichead nóiméid nó mar sin de, ach ní fhaca mé dráma níos láidre nó níos cumhachtaí ná Setanta Murphy le fada agus bhí iontas orm go raibh sé in ann cur isteach orm comh mór sin. Is dóigh gur chur sé mo sheanmháthair i gcuimhne dom... Bean uasal a bhí inti... Cinnte... Agus í uaigneach ag druidim chun deireadh... Bhí a lán sniffles le chloisteáil ón lucht féachanna agus táim cinnte go raibh an cuid is mó dóibh ag smaoineamh ar duine áirithe comh maith!

Sa dráma, níorbh ann ach beirt charactair; Setanta é fhéin agus a sheanuncail. Bhí ar an seanfhear dul isteach i Nursing Home, agus dúirt sé: “It’s not what I expected at all. They’re all so old.” Agus é ceithre scór is deich mbliana d’aois é fhéin! Sé an radharc sin (an radharc dheireanach) an ceann is éafachtaí agus brónach sa dráma - dráma a bhí lighthearted go leoir taobh amuigh de sin. Gach uair eile ina raibh a chuid uaigneas á thaispáint dúirt an seanfhear rud éigin greannmhar, nó d’athraigh sé an ton i bhealach éigean, ach an uair seo bhí a chuid éadóchas comh láidir gur líon sé an amharclann bheag sin, agus bhog sé chuille duine a bhí istig ann. Bhí sé deacair breathnú air, fiú... agus na haisteoirí ag gol comh maith... Bhí eagla uafásach air roimh an áit - roimh an todhcaí sceirdiúil a bhí in ndán dó...

Sé seo an chéad oíche ina raibh an seanfhear chun fanacht san áit. Díreach landáilte, scanraithe, déistin air faoi stad an áit… Bhí an intercom ag rá go raibh ar cuairteoirí imeacht abhaile, ní raibh Setanta réigh chun fágail go foil, d’iarr súile an sheanfhear air: don’t go! Ach bhí an drama fineálta go deo – níor éirigh sé ró-maoithnach ar cor ar bith.

Bhí Setanta go han-mhaith. Luke Griffon a bhí sa pháirt. É ag caint leis fhéin don chuid is mó, agus ag samhlú é fhéin mar laoch. Chasamar lenár laoch agus é lasmuigh de doras an Nursing Home, agus tríd a chuid ramblings atá ar nós go bhfuil sé ag smaoineamh ós ard, fuair muid réamheolas éigin don scéal, agus don caractair Setanta agus an cineál duine a bhí ann. Sé Setanta an t-aon gaol atá fágtha ag an sheanfhear, ghlac sé an freagracht agus cé go bhfuil fustrachas air, déanann sé a chuid.

An-scríobhneoir é Garret Keogh, agus an-aisteoir é comh maith! Agus nílim just ag rá sin de bharr go bhfuil aithne agam air. Níl sé 90, obviously, ach bhí sé go hiomlán sochreidte agus rinne mé dearmad gur é fhéin a bhí ann (chabhraidh an feasóg bréagach le sin is dóigh!). Ar aon nós, I was blown away. Bhí an dialóg comh nádúrtha, ní chreidfeá é! Bhí nósanna agus tréithe éigsúla ag na charactair, bhí a bhfórsa bheatha féin acu, ar bhealach. Pearsantacht an-láidir a bhí ag an beirt acu, agus gné dhaonna nach fhéadfach cuma as an spéir, y’know? An argóint faoin radaitheoir a bhí briste, an comhrá ar an fón a d’fhéadfadh do chroí a bhriseadh... bhí an gaol eatharthu faoi straidhn uafásach agus bhí sé seo le chloistáil sa “banter” a bhí ag dul ar aghaidh, ach bhí teolaíocht idir an bheirt acu agus atrua ag Setanta don seanfhear agus bhí sin le feiceáil go soléire comh maith.

Níor chreid mé conas go raibh Garret in ann an réalachas seo a chruthú sna charachtair... Mar a tharlaíonn sé bhí an Seanuncail bunaithe ar a sheanuncail féin ar bhealach, agus thánaig an scéal as meascán de stair na teaghlach, eachtraí a tharla, agus ficsean. Suimiúil!

Déarfainn go mbíonn sé deacair ar daoine siad fhéin a shamlú ina tseandaoine... nó mar cuid de haoisghrúpa ar bith. Is furasta crá croí an charachtair a aithint i daoine áirithe a bhfuil aithne agam orthu. Thuig an lucht féachanna go ghortaíodh Setanta nuair a bhí air an seanfhear a thréigeadh san áit lofa sin.

Bhí an stáitse an-bheag, ní raibh ach prop nó dhó in usáid ag aon am amháin, ach ní raibh gá le aon rud eile. D’oibrigh an aisteoireacht agus an script le chéile, agus ní raibh rud ar bith eile ag teastáil...

Tá an “run” sin i Bewleys críochnaithe anois, ach tá Garret ag smaoineamh ar leath eile a scríobh (“Part 2”) agus a cur leis agus dráma lánfhada a dhéanamh as... Mollaim daoibh dul ag breathnú air. Corraitheach, greannmhar, an-thaitneamhach!

IFI Taispeántas Gearrscannáníochta

Cuireadh taispeántas gearrscannáníochta ar siúl ar an 19ú lá Feabhra san IFI i mBarra an Teampaill, Baile Átha Cliath. Líonadh gach suiocháin agus dhíoladh gach ticéid. Thug Alan Marr ón Bhord Scannán na hÉireann oráid roimh múcadh na soilse faoi scéimeanna nua atá bunnaithe acu, agus faoin milliún euro atá siad ag beartú do chomhlachtaí léirithe gearrscannáin sa bhliain 2008 .

Bhí ocht scannáin in iomlán, ach sheas an scannáin "Frankie" amach. Stiúirithe ag Darren Thompson, fuair sé an Gradam Absolut don Scannán Gaelach ab fhearr ag Féile Scannáin Corcaigh 2007.

Tá Frankie 15 bhliana d'aois agus ag súil le breith a linibh. Bíonn sé ag cleachtadh le babóg. Thréig a athair fhéin é ina hóige. Idir a bhlas láidir Bleá Cliathach, agus an tslí a insíonn sé an scéal go hionraic dúinn, faighimid pictúir den bhochtainis ina mhaireann sé.

Dhealraigh an scannán fíor-mhaith ón taobh amharcealaíon de. Tá radharc iontach ann le Frankie ina shuí ar tralaí i lár páirce, ag stanadh isteach i súille an bhabóig, tithe comhairle sa chúlra. Tá an chuma atá ar an aisteoir foirfe sa pháirt – súile caola, ach miongháire saonta.

Bhuaigh "An Créatúr", stiúirithe ag Peter Foot, Gradam an Lucht Féachanna ag an bhféile i gCorcaigh. Breathnaíonn an príomhcharactair siar ar a shaol, ach samhlaíonn sé é fhéin mar atá sé anois – fásta suas – sna radharcanna éigsúila. Níl a leithéid den scannán seo feicthe riamh. Caithfidh go raibh sé deacair ar an aisteoir ról an linibh a thógáil, agus d'éirigh le Robbie Sheehan bheith socreidte leis.

Tá sé lofa 'bheith ag breathnú ar breith an fhir fásta, leis an corda imleacáin agus gach rud eile le feicáil, agus scéal gruama atá ann – faigheann dreatháir Robbie lot inchinne. Ach casann an scéal go tobann tar éis barrchéim ollmhór agus d'fhagtar an lucht féachanna in iontas.

You're so vain......

I love makeup. I love experimenting with colours and shades and designs. I love cutting my own hair. I love getting dressed up. I find NOTHING more relaxing or soothing than sitting in front of a mirror and poking and prodding at myself. I could spend hours at it! Just like I’ve often spent hours drawing!

I’m not vain. I suppose I’m like a cat… or a bird or something; I preen when I’m bored! It’s not the same as vanity because it’s not that I’m obsessive about how I look; I don’t discreetly check myself out in darkened shop windows to admire myself! No! To me makeup's like a hobby. It’s listed in my “Interests” and if you click you’ll notice I’m not the only one. It’s relaxing and fun and I’d even go as far as to call it a type of art.

The wikipedia article on body modification lists makeup along with things like ear piercing, tongue splitting(yuck), tattooing, scarification, foot-binding, tooth filling, skin removal, implantations, branding and corsetry… Isn’t that strange? Read the article – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_modification – I actually couldn’t get over how they can put something like Neck-Stretching in the same category as fake tan! Essentially, they are all just different ways of messing with how you look.

And think about it – it’s makeup ARTIST, tattoo ARTIST – it’s art and it’s just like any form of self expression. That’s what I see makeup as anyway... A little flick of eyeliner and carefully blended colours - without it I don't feel like ME. Just like my mole or my tattoo - the way I do my make-up's another thing that makes me different. I don't feel confident without it either. It's no harm and it's an insecurity I'll probably grow out of.

People have said, oh but that's the real you! Don't cover it up! ... Well, feck that! It doesn't FEEL like the real me. I've had various skin conditions and used aaaall sorts of chemicals on it over the years and it's left my skin's pigmentation looking a little funny. I don't think that's "the real me". It's not what I want people to see when they look at me. If I look good, I feel good. And when ya feel more comfortable it's easier to be yourself, right?

I dunno, as usual I’m rambling a bit... I just, y'know, I HATE the word "vain". I hate the idea of it. I hate that it’s a criticism! It shouldn’t be! Yes, of course it’s bad to be preoccupied with oneself, but what’s wrong with a little extra self confidence? Everyone could use it. And everyone SHOULD love themselves and look after themselves. Their health, their mind, their appearance... How can you be happy if you don't love yourself?

Is it vain to have pride in how you look? Is it vain to KNOW when you look well; to agree with a compliment? Why shrug it off or get uncomfortable - don't argue with compliments! Say thank you!!!

Is it vain to spend hours – and hundreds of euro – on how you look?
Well, that’s what this guy did. Is this vanity?!