Mindful that I'm organising a carboot presently and I'm shamlessly drumming up buisness I thought this would inspire to de-clutter and take your stuff to my (the local??) carboot sale

I've got to say this list is from Martha stewarts site and I've just done the bullet points, the full list gives more info...

Like most mothers of grown-up kids I'm praying to God he can get a job and get a life outside of his playstation, media soaked existence.  Naturally after reading this, I have a little hope...

This is an actual job application a 17 year old boy submitted at a McDonald's fast-food establishment in Florida...and they hired him because he was so honest and funny!

NAME: Greg Bulmash

SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person.

DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place.

DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION: Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.

SALARY: Less than I'm worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any.

PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?"

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing house Sweepstakes.

DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job no, on my breaks yes.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blonde super model who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Yes. Absolutely.

SIGN HERE: Aries

If you have anything to add to the list, please do…!!!

I've been putting off blogging about painting furniture because I've been thinking about painting some of my own, however, I've not had a chance to do much lately.  I have been collecting articals and pic's though to refer to when I did get around to it but then I though 'hey!, why not share the love with my fellow kotalkers?', so, here are some cool things I've come across on sites like apartment therapy, crafty nest, makeing this home and recyclart to name just a few.

See what you can do with a dated kitchen

Before

Looks pretty dated already, evey though the cooker, counter top and accessories look fine...

After

Serious improvement!!

Kitchens may be the hardest.   Furniture can be that bit easier.  Take for example this side board.  You could pick something like this up in a charity shop for a song, or in a skip or freecycle.... for free!!

Seriously, they're not that hard to come by

But see what a bit of imagination does!!

Don't just limit yourself to using ordinary paint to update or pimp a peice.  There's always chalkboard paint and here's just one example of a clever way to use it...

Personally, I won't be painting till we move to the new house, I had been freecycling some of our old paint on the site (thank you to all who took it).  I am however toying with another blog on pimping with paper (you've already seen some of my projects) however I've more up my sleeve... so keep watching;-)

There are a few resources online for make and do and regarding this easy peasy project here's one link from the 'Making this home' website.  It got me thinking about a jar I had just used up.  It's smaller than the usual size so perfect for earings and such.

1. Boil hot water with candle sitting in pot, careful not to let water get in jar.
2. When the wax was melted,pour it all into a smaller jar.  
3. Use a paper towel to wipe out the thin coat of wax and soot.
4. Wash in dishwasher

There was a  blob of 'hot glue' holding the wick base to the bottom of the jar, I couldn't get it off without breaking the jar (it was one of the smaller delicate ones) so I put cotton wool in the bottom of the jar since I was putting little bits of jewelary in it.

The lid is hollow, as a decoration I put little silk flowers I had worn in my hair, in the lid.  It sit's nicely with either vintage or modern accesories

I'm posting this under pimp my junk because for bringing some things back to life is just like 'pimping' the item.

Stains on enamel cookware are a natural for the denture tablet cleaning solution. Fill the pot or pan with warm water and drop in a tablet or two, depending on its size. Wait a bit -- once the fizzing has stopped, your cookware will be clean.

I'm gonna get cracking on some of these, denture tablets are less than €3 down in Lidl for crying out loud!!

My sisters Dining chairs were looking a little shabby and dull (and dirty) so we figured they needed freshning up.  There are various styles of dining chairs, drop seats are the easiest to cover,  for these however we had to unscrew the seats.  As it turned out this wasn't a very hard job to do.  My advice is, just take your time.... 

What you need

Old Dining room chairs

Fabric (we used two different types)

Staple gun (and staples)

Screw driver

Scissors

Chair before

1) Take the seat off the chair (if you have a drop seat or screwed on seat like here).  Mark on the underside of the chair which side is the back of the seat near the back support for when you've the seat covered.

2)  Either lay the seat on your fabric or mesure the seat to get the idea for the amount of fabric you want to use.  Cut your fabric allowing about 2" all round (4") for tucking and stapling the fabric.  Then Staple the fabric leaving the corners till last so that you can cut and tidy them up

3) Check which way the seat is marked (which you did before you unscrewed it) and place it carefully back on the chair frame.  Rescrew it back on.

The difference a couple of yards of scrap fabric can make!!

Well, Ionia and I finally got around to pimping some junk!!  We're both loathed to throw out stuff and we love making and crafts so we decided to get together and pool our resources.  I wanted to make pretty first aid kit out of a wine box, and she wanted to turn an old white board and a very large collection of corks into a cork board.

After oohing and aahing over pictures to look for inspiration, we got started.  In fairness there's only so far you can get in a couple of hours so I've only got the starter pics here of the two of us messing about and... er... light refreshments however, we've been very encouraged by others who'll be joining us in a few weeks.  So to start, well, Ionia cut all the corks in half ( so they go further and are easier to handle.  Then she laid them out in a square basket patternShe glued them with a glue gun (remember our make and do kit??).

Ionia discovered although she had three boxes of corks you need heaps for this project and has covered 40% of the board, so while she's collecting more (attention folk in Galway, do keep your wine corks and keep in touch we need about fifty more!!) she covered the rest of the board in linen fabric to pin pictures to.

Ionia and her corks..

Mean while  I got cracking on my medican cabinet/first aid kit/ apothecary box. 

I have to admit, there wasn't enough time for the paint to dry on the night so I'm still working on it, then again perhaps I got distracted half way through the project

So by next week I should have the full project uploaded and explained.  I suspect Ionia will still be collecting corks.  We meet again at the begining of December.  Dunno know where yet.  Another friend Orlaigh has offered to do a book making workshop,  perfect for making home made photo albums and gifts for Christmas.  Now there's a though

Well folks, I'm due another de-clutter or rather re-organisation of the clutter I have.  To figure out what I have to do however, I've gotta give the house a good going over.  I remember stumbling across a book in the Library in Irishtown (waiting to do an audition) and it was an entire book on how to clean your house and when. Very useful, full of homemade cleaning solutions and all that jazz.  Basicly it was a "how to keep and manage a home" book.  I've been mooching about online and in library's to see if I come across it but vain alas... I can't find it anywhere. 

Seriously, I don't want my house to end up looking like this!!!  I'd be mortified if I had to call Kim & Aggie!!

Anyway,  I did come across some great tips and put them together to give you an idea of what needs doing.

Now if only I could follow my own advise....

* Perform deep treatment on your home: clean and declutter, change seasonal clothing, clean out drawers, closets, under-sink storage, purge clothing, extra CDs, DVDs, books, and furniture.

Just back from Tour (well, a break really) and I decided to hunt out some new information for one of my groups, Free things to do in Galway and I have to say that with the dark days coming the good people of Galway decided that they needed to party the looming winter away.  We have, over the next three weeks, four.... yes you read right!!!  Four festivals!!!!

How's a girl to get a wink of sleep??  Of course this is a very clever ploy to fill the hotels of the town in one of the quieter months of the year.  Also, from my experience of the last recession in Ireland, a lot of very talented folk have a lot of free time presently, so they need to do something (and I'm talking here about all the voluntary stuff you can do at these things).  It beats sitting at home and watching yourself grown old.

I guess I'm going to look at my diary, see what free time I have when I come off the road, and plan a few dates on the cheap over the next couple of weeks!!

October Bank Holiday Race Meeting 2009

Sunday 25th & Monday 26th October, Admission Price - €15 each

For more information visit www.galwayraces.com

Galway Aboo Halloween Festival - Friday 30th & Saturday 31st October Latin Quarter Galway City

Something devilish is taking place in the West of Ireland this Halloween. On the 30th and 31st of October Galway’s Latin Quarter will come alive with a massive fancy dress party,  street performances and trick or treating… wicked entertainment all for free!

For full details visit: www.thelatinquarter.ie

NOVEMBER

Galway Jazz Festival: 1 November 2009

The aim of this festival is to foster Jazz as a contemporary art form in the west of Ireland. This festival features a range of Jazz music in a broad range of venues across the city.

www.galwayjazzfestival.com

Spirit of Voice Festival: 6 - 8 November 2009

This festival is a celebration of of song and spoken word.

www.spiritofvoice.com

Well, this isn't a pimp my junk blog as you can see because I haven't had a chance to "do" any Make & do, why?  Well, the Branar (the theatre co. I work with) show is hitting the road now.  All the childrens festivals around the country are kicking off  so it's going to be a very hectic month.  There's one week we're on the road and we're not coming home nights!!  So it's different digs every night!!

November looks a bit quieter though, and, inspired by pimp my junk, two of us here in Kotalk (Galway) are going to get together, with anyone who want's to join us, and make some stuff.  Of course we're going to take pics and keep ye posted on the blog.  Mikes wife (Gis) and I were also talking about some home making projects we want to do, we'll be including the kids so again, we'll document that so perhaps there'll be ideas to copy.

As for carbooting, I've been getting plenty of enquiries regarding what carboots are running so plenty of folk are de-cluttering.  Trish, who I also met through Kotalk, is going to give it a spin and let me know how she got on.  Suz and Barbara are looking for a new venue in Galway city for a carboot sale.  It's badly needed so fingers crossed they find something suitable.

Finally, I'm scouring the net looking for local free things you can do.  There's just Mike and I who live here in Galway posting stuff but we're keeping an eye out on ye that live outside of Galway (yes, you Limerick!!) and appreciate what you're sharing with others on the site through the groups.

So I'm really looking forward to messing about like kids making stuff.  I'm always happy to do it.  Check out my other blogs to see if there's anything you can make, or recommend links to me.  I appreciate it all.  Mx

Branar 2009

As most of ye know, I work in Theatre and our company's called, Branar Dramíocht based in Galway.  Here's a picture of us in recent rehearsal for our current production of "The little old man". 

This years show is "The little old man" and it's practically language free but for a few small moments.  We've been working on it all Spring, took a bit of a break during the Summer and We'll be doing some heavy duty touring from October starting with the Babóro childrens Arts festival here in Galway. 

I have some pics in my Albums on my profile and Marc posted scenes from "The little old man" on youtube.  Keep an eye out on the "Fifty things to do in Galway for free" group.  When we launch a show or need a test audience I'll be posting it on that group.  We also tour all over Ireland.  Up and coming dates that I know about are...

Oct 1st & 2nd Bluestacks festival

Oct 9th Carlow

Oct 12th-14th Galway (Babóro)

Oct 16th Mayo, Louisburg (Sonas)

Oct 21st Ballymun, Dublin

Oct 22nd Drogheda (leanbh)

Oct 23rd-25th Castlebar (Rula bula)

Oct 28th-29th, The Gathering, Dríocht, Blanchardstown

I know there's more but I don't have clear info on the other gigs yet, I hope you find this info helpful.

A great site for re-purposing/pimping junk is Monica Ewings site Crafty nest. Worth checking out

1. Measure the box and paper you’re going to wrap it in. Keep the margins fairly generous, with the paper going around the box it’ll need an inch or two more                                                                                                                        

     2.    Cut carefully the paper, take you’re time with this, you cannot wrap it like a present or you won’t be able to put the lid on, you have to make heaps of cuts to place every fold.

     3.     When you’ve glued each side, you may want to hold the tab down while it is drying with some pegs (this is especially true of stiff thick paper)

    4.      Repeat the same with the lid

My head is spinning with a couple of ideas about where to go next with my energy.  I've practically decluttered all I can and now I have to freecycle the rest.  I'm still looking around the house and it still needs organising so there are two things I gotta do. 

• Deal with shelving and storage
• Pimp my junk

Well I shouldn't say junk actually, my furniture is perfectly good, I just gotta re- upholster, cover, paint, strip and generally re-work what I've got now.  I've been telling folk where they can get old wine boxes and what they can do with them, how good postcards can look if framed right, so why not take it to the next step I say??  I'm addicted to DIY and grown up make & do sites.  I'll be sharing all of that with you over the next few weeks so keep an eye out

It's 6:15 on a Sunday Morning, I have a gym comp to judge, but I can't sleep because of the carboot sale.  The response has been so overwhelming that I'm worried that I won't be able to cope when I get there and folk will have started turning up too early and mess up parking for Mass early that morning.  I'm sure I must have gotten at least 40 enquiries.  Last year I got no more than 5 and the place was buzzing!!! 

So here's my check list, before I head off this morning to a gym comp in Ballina, I'll bake the cake for the stall, I'm wide awake and I don't have to leave the house for over 2 hours so I might as well.  I'll pick up the signs off Mike tonight when I get home and I'll be up and out tomorrow at 9am to put them up.  Shoot!!  I'll need change for the carboot.  Oh please God don't let it rain and bring in the buyers!!!  Don't let me be overwhelmed.  Let there be enough room for everyone!!  I'll have to do bookings next year if I don't get a bigger venue.

Okay, that's my dawn rant!!  I'm gonna do a bit of baking and set my day up so that I can collapse tonight...

I'm a little nervous about the carboot sale this year, nervous and excited.  I've had a huge amount of enquiries and because I'm not doing bookings (in fairness, carboot sales are not usually packed in Ireland) I'm wondering do we have enough room now!!  I never had to do bookings before, but I will next year if I'm at the same location.  Yes, the response has been....  a lot more than before.  The sale has grown from strength to strenght every year.  The first year we had 10 or 11 stalls, last year, about 30, and this year I suspect it'll be over 50.  I'll have to be on the case that morning.

I'm going to call the police station now to tell them that it's on.  It's a pretty big event so I'm sure they'd like to know.  Mike is an old hand at carboot sales.  He popped into mine last year.  He thought it had a decent amount of publicity (thank you to Barbara, no.1,  Suz, Susan, Volker and Judith for taking posters and flyers off me to put in their local area).  So one last push as I send out my heaps of texts now.  See ye all on Monday...

Well, the lovely Judith has just skipped away with an Irish dictionary, bamboo bath mat, and a slew of flyers for my carboot sale.  It's getting easier to de-clutter now that it's all down to one box.  Some of the stuff I had posted I sold at Volkers carboot, I was going to give it away for free...  Susan's is next Sunday, however, I will only be there as a buyer for the last hour, I hope the cake stall is still open with some goodies when I arrive.  I thought the "update" part of this site might be good to post more things I need rid!!  See, I have only one objective through this site and that's to find my "home" again, so that I can work in it peacefully

Susan said she'd been finding the de-clutter articals helpful so I've got to get back to writing a few more.  Allans due home tomorrow so I'm afraid the practical cleaning of the house comes before my articals, I'll be back in the swing I'd say, by Thursay, trawling the net for inspiring interiors...

Keep logging in to keep up to date

Just so ye know I haven't dropped off the face of the planet.  I'm back from Dublin (shattered) and getting ready for Volkers carboot on Saturday.  If you go to the cake stall you might get lucky and there'll be some of the brownies I've baked!!  I'll be facepainting but only for the morning because I discovered that I have to judge a gym comp on Sat in Cavan!!  Go figure, but there's always Susan's carboot the next week...

I've got such a backlog to catch up on.... oh the "clutter" never ends...

Well, the end is almost in sight, what I've been learning about my clutter is how it builds (I have a tendancy to overwork for a while, neglect house work and within a few weeks I'm all over the place.  Other things I've learnt about why I have clutter and how it builds up...

Ya know those purges that folk do once a year or two, of photos and clothes say... try purging three or four times a year

Get rid of the clothes that you swear you'll loose weight to get into, it takes too long, get rid and buy some new ones when you've de-cluttered as a treat??

Sort out the home office, you simply have to spend on those boxes and shelving, you can't avoid it, it pays off in the end

Take a long hard look at the sentimental attachment to things.  I now figure that all those unwanted presents your mates give you can be sold, they wouldn't mind if they thought you were really stuck for the money and hocking their gift baled you out.  And they don't have telepathic abilities to know you did it anyway.  Many of them buy gifts for many people so they dont' remember what they got you!!!!

Because I was the poorer member of the family, I always got dumped with the unwanted furniture, I have too much furniture now, I'm going to try to sell it.  I wished we had craigs list in Ireland (gum tree has only Dublin and Cork!!!  Come on!!!).  Mike and I made Ireland Classifieds to do that, so now I can get cracking.

Allan will be moving in next week, he's really good at not building up clutter so I know that it'll rub off.  He's been my inspiration (well, him and the website apartment therapy) so I figure I'll have a solid reason to keep it up.  And now.......?

Anyone interested in a sideboard and oak table??

I bumped into the lovely Susan McGrady (or Collins, as I will always know her as) and she told me that they're having a carboot fundraiser in Claregalway for the Educate together school on Sunday the 26th of April.  You know what that means folks?????!!!!  There are carboot sales on in Galway, EVERY weekend till the May bank holiday!!  Can you believe that.  That get's me onto my next thought.

I was listening to the radio and as usual they were harping on about the fact that the tax hikes will effect consumer spending and ruin retail buisnesses in the Republic of Ireland, I thought to myself, "one of the reasons we're not spending is we've got houses full of crap and no money".  We've been buying tat for 15 years and we need rid!!!   The growth in retail (and lets face it, some of it was very high end and couldn't last), could not be sustained.  The casual buying and selling of second hand goods among private citizens who don't do it full time is not taxable that I'm aware of so this is an opputunity to hone our survival skills, and get a little enterprising.   There's the classifieds on Kotalk and www.Irishclassifiedads.com is getting lots of hits now and posts are growing every day.

We have attics, drawers, boxes and shelves full of useful things lying idle, folk do have money to spend on what they NEED, at the RIGHT price.  It's environmental, thrifty, social, positive and the right thing to do.... so come on!!!  We've no excuse this month, ye're getting plenty of warning.  De-clutter this Spring.

For over a year now when folk ask me what have I been up to, I say I'm de-cluttering.  It's been going on so long now that Sally remarked "you're always de-cluttering, didn't you get rid of it all the last time?".  In short the answer was.... no.  I'm like my parents generation in so far as I simply can't throw something out if I think it's of value.  I'm over sentimental and freaked out that we don't have anywhere to put our rubbish on the planet.  The result of this became kotalk.  It's a long story that I've gone on and on about in the other blogs but all my effords to de-clutter and find carboot sites etc. led Mike to suggest Kotalk and so...

Anyway, there's a slew of carboot sales in Galway and while I post all my stuff on the Classifieds section (most of which is free!!),  I'm still left with paper clutter, the organisation of my house and what to do with it all.  I've been finding heaps of resourses online, I've been using them, I'm de-cluttering super slow but I really am getting there, and I'll be putting some of the most practical and useful stuff I find into articals.  I think this is a pretty big issue in Ireland considering our houses are classified as very small by American and Central European standards, where they have acres of closet space.... and basements. 

Taking that into acccount, I'll just have to view my house like a small apartment as I tackle it.  The office is the hotbed of clutter so I've got to look at the way I work and systems I put in place.  If any of ye are interested, my progress will be evident by my articals, so keep watching.

I've had a lot of interesting developments with some of my projects lately.  The folk in Kotalk have been incredibly supportive and are helping heaps with publicity regarding my carboot sale.  Barbara has been doing printing and for months now has been giving me tips on carboot sales around the country.  Suzanne, an avid freecycler and re-cycler has been passing the word on and asking me for more posters for the event.   I have no doubt that (weather permitting), it'll be another sucess and a great day.

Because Allans date to come over is getting sooner and sooner I really have to get my skates on in sorting out the house.  I'm a dreadful procratinator, or moreover I just have too much on and keep running out of the house.  Anyway, between Apartment therapy (my seriously fav website) and helping a mate or two of mine deal with their finances (I'm kinda good with money) I have found myself writing more articals on the site.  Mike, who's being a star and could teach a person a thing or two about how to use the internet (seriously, read some of his articals!!!) was showing me how to ad pics to my words so I'm now busy as a bee.

I hope the articals are genuinly useful and simple.  They'll be mostly thrift and home orientated.  I tried to go with very practical stuff and I really want to keep them brief and easy to read.  I've gotten a little positive feedback and if I get anymore (and/ or tips) I'll try to apply them to future articals. 

I'm looking for like minded folk to get a wholistic de-clutter, living thing going on in Galway.  I always envied the Americans their Craigs list and the British their carbooting culture.  I can only freecycle so much and I want inspiration and goals to get rid of the stuff I don't need and more importantly, keep it up.  In fairness, I need somewhere to put all the things when I've decided they've got to go... the landfill and charity shop can't be the only two options we have!!!!

Anyway, I'm scouring the internet for ideas to bring together any articals that inspire.  I have to admit that apartment therapy is a huge help, but also there are de-cluttering websites with tips and pics.  Along with www.irelandclassifiedsads.com, I'm hoping that a strong local contingent will sign up to swap, trade, buy, sell, freecycle and carboot.  Should we start another group??  I'm hoping that the carboot group might do because it keeps it all in one area.  Do watch out for my aritcals because they have a whole slant twards my goals of having in my home only what I need a few things I love.  Also I loath waste so I'm big into "re-purposing" as the Americans say, and a bit of easy DIY.... now if Mike and I could find a way of posting heaps of pics with those articals.....

Well, the carboot sale fundraiser for our local (and only) gymnastics club was coming up, and I invited a few more people to join the car boot group and then the site started hopping a wee bit!!  I got offers for help, folk are going to put up posters.  My Goodness but I've met some real decent folk through the site, and they're getting together and proposing projects!!  Kotalk social networking is getting real.  No more being poked on Facebook for me.  We gotta get out of the house and get our butts in gear!!

To complement all of this I can't recommend the free events Galway has to offer, enough.  This Saturday there's a free concert in the Museum, once a month Con Tempo give a classical recital in the Library, there are launches and exhibitions on all the time.  I hope that Kotalk gets bigger and bigger in time, but speaking for my home town there's a real quality of life to have on very little money and in truth, sometimes it feels easier during a recession.

A lot of folk on the site are up for getting involved, just don't approach them for a relationship that might involve citizenship issues!!  (Yes gentlemen, we've dealt with that issue and do contact Mike if you've got some unwanted attention on that front, mind you, it means Kotalks on the radar).  Do Keep posting your events.  We wanna know what's going on and we might even be able to help you out with it

Well,  I popped along to the Bierhaus's carboot sale. very chilled out, so chilled out that it started a little late but that didn't dampen anyone's spirits.  There was a lovely vibe actually and since it was bitter cold out, it was well worth having the hot drink within.  I picked up a few bargins (umbro socks for the young lad, and a mini glitter lava lamp I'm going to use as a gym "luck dip" prize (for everytime the girls bust new moves and stuff). 

They're hoping to make it monthly so I'm hoping it goes well and they're encouraged.  Feedback is that Galway folk are desperate for a carboot sale and moreover, I think we've got the buyers unlike some of the more rural one's at present.  Young boho types are less sniffy about second hand, and dig vintage. 

Meanwhile, Volker's seeing if he can get a venue before April for his.  It's proving tougher than we first though.  As for me, I've to ask the local priest in Renmore about the carpark again.  He's been terrific the last few years and it's been a really decent sucess so if it goes ahead it'll be in early May.  Of course I'll keep ye all posted, goodness knows, ye're dying to know about it, and so would I be.

Lets banish the credit crunch blues with a bit of pluck and some good old fashioned enterprise and bargin hunting to boot...

So I go back on irishclassifiedads.com and I can't get over the new postings.  I had looked at the stuff4sale site and it was doing nothing (and I mean nothing) for weeks, our wee site is two weeks old and there's everything from Freecycle to knitting lessons, rooms for rent to babysitting.  Folk are getting really into it.  I'm very excited about it because it has taken off quiet well.  I was going to go to the bierhaus's no-carboot sale on Sunday and do some flyers for the site.

Meanwhile my clutter is dissappearing slowly (not too slowly) but surely.  It was going so well, the sister gave me a freestanding bathrail that was gone in a shot.  I think it's the new digital camera.  I'm having a ball with it and it means everyone can see what's on offer, and it gives life to the site.  On the first page of the site all the pics come up, and down at the bottom of the site you can see the newest listings.  If you post it comes of automatically after 40 days so hopefully we won't have to manage it too much.

The pic is right beside the posting before you've clicked on it, unlike craigs list or gumtree, so again, I think it's more user friendly.

I'd say this is going to be one to watch...

When Mike and I had started kotalk, I had siad I wanted a cross between, facebook (without all the applications), jumbletown (but not in forum format), Gum tree (but with folk from Galway) and freecycling and carboot information.  I some moderation on some of these sites heavy handed too.  I said I had wanted a site that would help me cope with living thriftly and de-clutter and all sorts.  Well Kotalk has really got the ball rolling however, the response I got so far in getting rid of more stuff, since I got a digital camera and www.irelandclassifiedads.com came on line has been remarkable.  I really feel at this rate I might actually get the de-cluttering thing finished in my life, as in, I'll find a way of being really organised too.

I do find those sites about living in tiny spaces really inspired me too.  You should check them out, seriously!  I almost want to live in a smaller space after seeing some of the homes.  Anyway that's a whole other tangent.  I'm delighted though, really.  If you've been following my blogs and little updates, you'll understand how my "possesions" sometimes felt they were possesing me!!  Now all I have to read up on is "how to make a tiny super organised home office"....Any ideas??

As for the rest of my things, a big book clear-out is in order.  That's why I started the book exchange group, I thought folk could add comments on the books if they'd read them already.... Oh, I've just had another thought about that... but I'll keep it for again.

Well,  I had great notions about clearing up for the house sitter, before I turn the key to the house and leave it for two weeks and get married, don't we all, but I'm not optimistic.  The wedding is one week away and I still have no shoes (and no, I think €110 is too much for shoes for the wedding so I ain't splurging that!!!).  I've a few bits and peices on my list to do before I go, phone calls, some paperwork, the Beautician....  And Cleaning the house is just not happening.  I'll have a festering fridge when I return... better get cracking on that bread tonight!!

I'm going to have to write that packing list twenty times!!  My visa still hasn't arrived!!  Three days my bum!!  It's Friday tomorrow and I fly out super early on Monday, shall I check my emails again???

Still no visa.... okay, don't panic, they're a few hours behind.... does applying Monday morning mean I'll get it on Thursday.. or friday.  Oh, I'm cutting it fine.   I think I'll be officially very nervous by lunchtime tomorrow.  I've nothing to relate about anything till then..... Oh pleeeeez let it come ontime.  I think this is a bit of a cliff-hanger blog.  Stay tuned till tomorrow lunchtime...

Well, I was trying to get the house ready for the big changes that are coming up which explains my last few blogs and most of the stuff I've put up on the website.  I'm now in the last week dash and I still have no shoes!!!  Folk have some hippy ideal image of me because the advice I'm given when I reveal my shoe dilema to folk is  "Why not walk up th ailse barefoot?", so lets just get rid of some ideas about how I'm getting married !!

a) I know some of you think it'll be on a cliff top by the Californian Coast... it's in a 70's suburban church

b) Steve Reich is not the musical composer of the service,  Allan's Mum's an organist and she's picking the music (one less decision and I'm grateful to her for it)

c) Half of Ireland are not turning up to the wedding, they said they would have if they had gotten enough notice mind.

d)Far from looking serene and fresh faced I've just developed a spot on my chin that might infact be an entire new life form it's so bleedin huge.  Will I be putting natural products on it in the hope it goes down???  Not on your Nellie, any chemical that'll zap my face effectivly, or any makeup lashed on with a trowel will do thank you.

e) It may never rain in Southern California, but I'm getting married in the North!!!!

f) No circus performers or fire eaters as the after dinner entertainment, it's just a small dinner and then all back to Allans for a session after, old school Irish!! 

That's it really.  I'll keep you posted if it there were any changes when the actual event happens.. in fact, I might keep a wedding diary while I'm there.....mmmm... I'll keep ye posted so...

Right!!  That's it!!  I'm starting a "freecycle box" in the corner for the final push at getting my house in order.  I'm so close, so close to having a fairly organised house.  I have to take the Christmas tree down today and I'm awfully tempted to put some of the old decorations in the box, for a start.  Yes, it's all kicking of now.. 2009 is a whole new year and the big spring clean will be well under way.... it has already kinda started but the clutter's  a bit of a stumbling block.

Keep and eye out in the classifieds, that's what I'm using to shift me stuff.  I've to root through my books next so there'll probably be a group for that. 

Anybody into cooking by the way?  Another idea....

Well, I still have a long way to go on getting rid of things.  I've been distracted by Christmas and the up and coming wedding however there's still plenty to go.  Christmas gets you rooting out stuff.  Wrapping and ribbons you said you'd always use.  Turns out I have sooooo much "make and do" bit's and bobs.  Must sort through it and find a new home for them after the Christmas.  A school or art project or something. 

Clothes are the next thing I have to sort out.  There are one or two things that are interesting enough to put up on Kotalk so.. stay tuned if you're a size 14, now that I think about it I'd love a little book exchange going if anyone want's one.  I've not used the "ask Kotalk" application and nows as good a time as any....

Onwards and upwards

There's just so much out there that I want to share about my home town and what's going on in it,  That was another reason that we set up Kotalk.  I found that groups like the carboot sales and Things to do for free were great way of passing on the info.  Inviting my mates to join them or anyone who I though would be interested in the subject matter ment that they could find it easily and when they had information that was on the same subject matter, they could post on the group.  So for those who want to get better at networking... here's a few tips for how to use a site like kotalk to get your information out there effectivly....

a) Groups

You can set up a group to let folk know about stuff.  I put the name of my home town on it so that makes searching easier for the users ie; Galway.  You could put your village or town name on the group.  Also,  join other groups and post on theirs..  if you've joined, it's your group too.

b) Blogs

You can keep a diary, or write a blog/artical about your subject.  Be mindful of the title

c) Voting/polls

Get a vote going on something.  If it leads to something else like an artical, then an event... all the better

d) Invite your mates to join

When you have a few friends on the site, it's good to get the buzz going, you feel more confident about using the site to pass information on. 

e) Ask M�ire, let her know what's going on !!!

I'm an information junkie!!  I'm always passing stuff on, in groups, posting things on sites all over the place, I guess it was only a matter of time before I started a site with a mate...!!$%&?@

Well, I've just had a hectic weekend and I'm glad it's over.  I'm getting back to cleaning the house and part of that is de-cluttering.  Fair dues to Philip, he took away the BMX and gave me some room in my shed.  Yes, folks, I've put all my stuff in the Freecycle catagory, so in fairness,it's worth having a look at and telling your mates about it. 

Still keeping my eye out for things that make life a bit easier, you know, free events etc.  I'm afraid I had a lot of mates up for organising carboot sales for their various charities but they've all fallen through.  Suzanne said she would love to help assist on one so... though I don't want to take on anymore projects that I've got to spearhead in the short term, her offer is tempting.....  It's a great little enterprize to get going and, well, we'll see how we go.

Back to cleaning the Kitchen now...

Well, I'm trying to get the groups back up and running.  Kotalkers have been really patient and I'm going to try and get us back into our groove that was so painfully shattered last month.  The carboot group was the first back.   I have a few mates talking about organising one (after the one I did was so sucessful) so we'll see what we can do before Christmas.  Ala's might not go ahead before the Christmas so Volker and I will try plan b!!  The "Fifty Things To Do in Galway For Free" is back too.  I was at Con Tempo's free concert today... seriously lads, a great lunch date and I'll have the carpooling going again soon. 

I'm heading out the door to the adult gymnastics class in Renmore this evening where many of our previous members came from.  I'll have to beg forgivness for the mess with the server and see will they come back (of course they will, some have already), because some of those guys (Stan especially) had wonderful ideas and photos.

Till my next installment....

Kotalk was off line for quiet a while there, and the reason???  I was in the States, sorry folks.  Fair dues to Mike he's been working away like a Trojan and we'll be back to the way we were before all the technical crap happened last month.  Meanwhile, Máire's great clear out is still afoot (see classifieds), and the groups will be up and running soon.  As for any news that I have about free stuff coming up.... 

Contempo are doing another one of their free concerts tomorrow (11th November) in Kennys art Gallery @ 1:10pm.  Beethovan.  I was at it last month and it was a great way to spend a rainy lunchtime.  There'll be a few shows that need test audiences before the Christmas so I'll keep ye posted regarding that too.  Meanwhile Ronan is organising an indoor carboot sale for the begining of December as a fundraiser for Ala drama group.  All of this information will be all over the site soon, along with anything you guys want to let us know about.  Keep it coming.....