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November 2009
Fri 13th: General News
General News - Oooo, Friday the 13th, shouldn't be doing anything today haha. Lots to report of what I've been up to but hoping to completely redo this site, with some fancy pages, making it a lot more modern and interactive, will keep this site up and running I think now that I have my own flat, and internet access at home etc.
April 2009
Wed 1st: General News
General News - Wow, has been a full year since I've been able to get back on my feet and back onto my website, and what a year, will spare you the details, lets just say that I am back in work, have somewhere to live which doesn't involve a tent, back seat of my car or Emma's house.
April 2008
Sun 6th: General News / Band News / Sessions
General News - Bit of bad news with regards to the farmhouse, Jason the owner, has been given an offer he can't refuse from two guys for the farmhouse, and with me paying the least then I'm the one that's been asked to leave. Couldn't have come at a worse time for me to be honest as I am not working plus don't have the money to go get a new place, so I'm looking at either staying in my tent for a while or finding out about renting a caravan for the summer down in Stonehaven. So my leaving date is 7th May and won't be online for a good few months after this. There is a big possibility I will leave Aberdeen with my tent and car and just hit the road and travel around Scotland for a while and hopfully pick up wee temp jobs here and there. So if you don't hear from me from months then you'll know what's happened.
Band News - Band still going strong and we are recording the last few sets before we open up to the public. We decided on a name for the band this week which is ' '. I have also created a MySpace page for the band and have posted up some of our practise recordings. You can see this page by clicking HERE.
Sessions - As you will know, I am out playing in pub sessions more evenings that I'm not and on Tuesday, I went to The Globe in Aberdeen City. I had decided last week that I wasn't going to sessions anymore due to the petrol costs and lack of funds, but for some reason I decided to go along. Now have to explain this, Emma (cello player in band) had said to me well over a month ago about going to see an Agatha Christie play called "And Then There Were None" and asked if I wanted to go. We actually thought this was next week to be honest.
So we were sitting playing away in the session last night, I had my whistles, bodhran and djembe drum. One guy came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if he would be allowed to play my djembe drum. I stopped in my tracks and before I said yes, I said "Oh I recongnise your face, what's your name", and he replied "Alex Ferns". "Ah doesn't ring a bell, how do I know you?" I said, he replied "Oh I was the evil Trevor in Eastenders that was married to Little Mo" ha-ha. How cool, I had an actor in the session. So he sat down and started playing the djembe drum (and must admit he was a lot better at me at it)
So we got chatting away and I said "What you doing up here then?", "Oh I'm in an Agatha Christie show at Her Majesty's Theatre", and guess which one it was........."And Then There Were None". So long story short, he took my mobile number and is going to get Emma and I tickets for the show on Thursday :-) What a really nice guy he is and brilliant player. He was there with the other cast from the show having a few pints and even though there were only a few of us playing and probably didn't sound that good without a guitar, they gave us all a really good reception and applause at the end of each tune which was great.
So fingers crossed we'll get to see the show on Thursday, he said he'd phone me about the tickets so going to ask him to sign my guestbook on this website.
I found a wee interview, which I thought was really interesting, Alex done with the Metro newspaper. Click HERE to read it.
Alex Ferns (Trevor Morgan) & Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth)
(Photo taken from BBC Website)
March 2008
Sun 30th: General News / Band News / Ian McDonagh & Friends News
General News - Nothing much to report for the general news section this week.
Band News - After another great practise this wee in the Kittybrewster pub, the management came through to speak to us about becoming the resident band in the pub. This is a massive movement forward for us all and are going to spend the next 3 weeks polishing off our set before the pub advertise the band to the public.
We still have to come up with a name but we managed to narrow the list down to the following...so please feel free to tell me what you think.
- Bite The Bullet
- Si Beag Si More (we were thinking of re-arranging the letters as it was our first tune learnt)
- The Eclectic Celts
- Slanzh' Va
- Schiehallion
Once we decide on a name, which should be on Wednesday, then I will create a MySpace Band page and put up some recordings of the band, as we have a few wee gigs/slots at ceilidh's in the coming months. We also bought a new fancy set of PA speakers (well Norman did) and they sound amazingly good, so thank you to our Guitar player for doing that for the band.
Ian McDonagh & Frieds News - As you know I'm also doing my own thing with music and the hope is to get a we cd done with people that I regard as friends in case I do leave and move to Ireland this year. Well the first two tunes for the cd have been recorded and only needs my part to be done, which I'm working as we speak, so once I get this done then I'm going to post them up on my MySpace page.
Sun 23rd: General News / Music News
General News - I went down to the Stonehaven Folk Club 21st Anniversary weekend this weekend and I'm still feeling both sore from a hangover plus my legs from dancing in the ceilidh all night. Before the ceilidh, there was a concert which was brilliant. The highlight for me was a girl that I had seen in the Stonehaven Folk Festival last summer called Jayne Sarah, so check out her website and MySpace page, where you'll hear some of her work.
Music News - Another brilliant practise last Wednesday in the Kittybrewster Pub, it's becoming a right giggle but we did manage to do a lot of work on new tunes too. I have a few recordings and we are working on more so that I can put them all on a cd which will allow us all to practise in our own time too. I will post some up soon.
As I've said before, I am the founder member of a folk/traditional band that I put together mostly from fellow SCaT students but I'm also doing my own things too and the wee group consists of many different people who play on different tracks. I have just created a MySpace page for 'Ian McDonagh & Friends' which you can see by clicking HERE
Sun 16th: General News / Music News / Other News
General Update - Well I've been really poor at keeping my website updated but going to try and do it now that I have more time on my hands. Every time I try and do it I sit and think 'god I've got so much stuff to do, where do I start'. So going to start with this page and work on it from there.
So big news, I no longer work..... Talisman job was really getting to me, I wasn't enjoying it, the project I was working on was going down the tubes plus people were dropping like flies, and I was going to be left with the technical lead on the project, even though I had only been there 7 months. Also, Pragma are a disgusting company to work for so thought I'd take some time off and concentrate on my music......
Music News - Well this bit will be unbelievable to those that know me but I'm really happy and proud of what I'm achieving just now. Since I stopped working about 2 weeks ago, things really have went from good to brilliant. Lets start with the evening classes I was doing with SCaT. We had our end of term concert again last Sunday at the Harlaw Academy and it went really well, some amazing performances for the students. This time I was only up on stage the once as the Flute Tutor is sunning himself in Australia as we speak plus I left the Advance Whistle Class due to a disagreement with the tutor, all is forgiven now and we've both made our piece. There will be photo's of the concert on SCaT's website. I'm not sure if I'll be going back to their classes next term but will explain that in a minute. SCaT also started an Open Mic Session in Aberdeen and I have played at that twice, but before I tell you about that I must say that I have started a wee folk/traditional band from a few students in SCaT plus two tutors from it, will explain more but the band have now done two of these night and the last one was a lot better, photos of this night can be seen by clicking HERE.
Other stuff musically, as I said, I've started a wee band, I plan to get a page dedicated to this on the Hobbies section of this website, too much to do and not enough time, even though I'm unemployed hahaha. So anyway, just a quick overview of the band, we are sticking with Scottish/Irish Traditional music plus throwing in some funky stuff and other tunes just to keep it exciting, some as weird as Intergalactic Laxative, which is a hilarious song about shitting yourself. The band consists of the following people/instruments
- Ian McDonagh (Penny/Low Whistle, Irish Flute, Bodhran, Djembe Drum, Irish Spoons )
- Anna Sparrow (Violin)
- Norman Hessler (Pick Guitar)
- Bob Anderson (Mandolin)
- Emma Gray (Cello)
- Allen Welsh (Bodhran)
For those of you reading this that have asked me about my new instruments, the new page will detail the makers of my new instruments as they have all been hand made for me. I spent in excess of £1,500 on my new instruments in the past few months and would highly recommend them to any musician.
So the band have managed to get the use of the Ashgrove Lounge in a pub called Kittybrewster in Aberdeen, they very kindly opened up the lounge for us to practice in and as a thank you to them, we have agreed to play a gig each week for their customers free of charge. This not only lets us get our name out there but also gives us all the opportunity to get a lot more experience playing as a group in front of people before some of our big gigs in Aberdeen. I have recorded a few practices so will post them up on the new page once complete.
Other music news, I'm now out 5 nights a week in sessions in local pubs in and around Aberdeen. For those that don't know, a session is basically a bunch of folk taking their instruments along and just jamming in the pub, am sure you've all seen/heard what I mean. So my week basically consists of the following;
The last thing musically and probably the most exciting thing of all is my cd......
Yes you read that correctly and you can stop laughing now. As most of you will know, I'm moving over to Ireland at some point this year and with so much of my music stuff kicking off since I've been in Aberdeen, I've decided to do a cd, mainly just for myself to take to Ireland and basically to have for the rest of my life. This nothing to do with the band just now, its more of an 'Ian McDonagh & Friends' cd as I've made a lot of nice friends through SCaT plus I am close friends with a lot of professional musicians up and down the country, so I've basically asked a bunch of SCaT students, SCaT Tutors and professional musicians to play on my cd and all have agreed. As I said, this was basically just for my own but news has spread around Aberdeen pretty quickly as I've been getting pretty well known for my whistle playing up here, and now have over 30 people wanting a copy of my cd. So I'm pretty busy getting all my favourite tunes together and practising with all these people and hopefully will record and edit this very soon, as it will take a good bit of time to do this, so it's a wee project for the summer. One such professional musician that has agreed to work on a few tunes is a guy called Gary Innes, who is a member of Boxclub and also has his own band, Gary Innes........do you hear the music that is playing when you opened this page up? Well that is Gary.
Last thing..said that above but just remembered, a week before the last SCaT Open Mic night at The Boat Club in Aberdeen, I got chatting to one of the Clarsach (Scottish Harp) tutors in SCaT and asked if she was interested in doing a tune for my cd, and we went along together and done a slot at the Open Mic Night, which went down an absolute treat. From it only being one tune, it turned into 4 and two of which were really fast, it sounded brilliant and have a recording of this, which I'll put up on the new page once I get round to it. I think myself and Lu McClintoch would like to do more stuff together and even try get a few gigs and there is an idea of asking a few other tutors to join us so that will be more of an 'Ian McDonagh & Friends' thing, as we are currently trying to come up with a name for the band seeing as the band think it's not .....& friends, it's a band.
Other News - As if that wasn't enough, thought I'd give someone a wee mention on my website, it's one of the band members called Emma, who plays the Cello. She's being going through a really rough time and we've spent a lot of time together.....so Emma, you know what I want to say just now but will save the details from the viewing public but all I'll say is.....chocolate buttons ha-ha.
December 2007
Sun 23rd: General News / Music News / Camping
General News - Really has been a massive massive year for me and think it's all just hitting me just now how big a year it's been. Anyway, I'm thankful that I'm in the position I am, with a decent job now, money coming in and my music stuff is going the way I wanted it, the SCaT classes are really enjoyable. We had our end of term concert last week and it went as well as it could for my first time playing on stage in front of people. I should have a wee video of it soon from someone's mobile, so will post it up as want to get back into doing my website.
October 2007
Tue 09th: General News / Music News / Camping
General News - Really has been a massive massive year for me, and is going from strength to strength, and think I can honestly say for the first time in my life I'm actually really happy.
So hopefully back to normal for a while now. I've moved yet again, the 1 bedroom flat was just a bit too expensive and I wasn't putting away anywhere near as much as I want for Ireland. I was extremely lucky to find a guy that works offshore who has the most amazing farmhouse down near Porthlethen (5 miles outside city center) so am renting a room from him, but have the place to myself. Place is stunning, 4 bedrooms, massive living room and kitchen. He only stays few nights of the month and with no neighbors, I don't need to worry about playing my whistle (and now flute) after 8pm. I just pay him a set amount and have the run of the place to myself plus have all the Sky channels and broadband, which is a bonus, as not been online for about 6 months, hopefully try and keep this up to date now.
Music News - I've been mad busy the past 6 months playing my penny & low whistle and going great guns with it now. I've finally managed to start the SCaT classes, so my week is full to the gunnels with either learning the new tunes or going to the classes. Mondays - Irish Flute, Tuesday - Advanced Whistle, Wednesday - Advanced Mixed Instruments. This is the best class of them all as there is a small group of amazing players (2 x fiddles, 2 x cello's, 1 x whistle, 1 x pick guitarist, 1 x mandolin, 1 x bodhran and instructor plays piano). The class is geared towards us getting out and playing sessions in pubs, and am loving every second of it.) Got loads of new songs so hope to get back to recording some toons :-)
July 2007
Tue 31st: General News / Work News / Camping
General News - Well it's been a while since I've updated this site and lots has happened. I'm safely moved into the city now, and settled into my new job in the Oil & Gas company in the city center I've moved around a few flats after the first one was a bit of a nightmare, wasn't getting sleep, and got fed up with the flatmate's dishes being left in the sink for 5 days (with food still on it I may add). I eventually found a 1 bedroom flat in the city center, not 5 min's walk to my work. It's really expensive but will see how it goes for the first 6 months then decide at the end of the year. Hopefully will be able to get back into my site as there's loads of things I want to change/add etc to it, plus got some more tunes to record and post up too.
Camping - I've managed to get away quite a few times, so the Camping section of this site might take a while to update with all the photos. Just back from an amazing weekend on the West Coast at Kinlochewe / Torridon & Gairloch. Took the Friday & Monday off, and really didn't want to come back at all.
April 2007
Sun 01st: Work News / Camping / Other Website's
Work News - Thought I should remind everyone what my weekly work schedule is like, as I've been really crap at keeping in touch with people lately, but hopefully you will now understand.
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8am - 12.30am - Aberdeenshire Council (working my I.T. job, times are a bit ropey on this one, depends when I get out my bed ha-ha)
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1pm - 5.30pm - I am working solidly on the website for the parrots.
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5.45pm - 8.45pm - I work my cleaning job at the local Council buildings. This is Mon-Fri evenings then I am away on Sat morning camping, so you can appreciate that I have very little time for emails just now, but will always do my best to reply to them, but def can't do msn anymore....sorry.
Other work news, I had an interview on Thursday afternoon for a part time Admin job at a Kintore Primary School, in a nearby village. It's more doing the invoices for finance than anything else. Here's hoping as it would be a good wee job in the afternoons. Once I get my work sorted out, then I won't be scrubbing toilets every night and will use that time for the website.
I have also been chasing up that job for Pragma in the city...the Business Objects job. They are still waiting for the client to come back to them before any kind of offer can be given, so here's hoping this week will be the week. I have also applied for a few part time jobs in the council, will keep you posted on them.
Camping News - Had the most amazing weekend camping at Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle. I initially went to do the Dunnottar and Castle walk, but got so taken by the route from Stonehaven to Dunnottar Castle, and the castle itself, that I spend all my time there, and in the castle. The weather was just amazing, and I ended up with my friend from Aberdeen coming down to join me for the night. As per usual, I took 350 photos from just two days, and have a small selection up in the Camping section of this site. I could easily have stayed there for a few days, as you will appreciate once you see the photos. Got back tonight around 7pm and have spent over an hour and a half trying to get this page up, it ain' t easy to maintain a website like this you know......
Other Website's - As you know, my next website that I'm working on for someone is the Hand Reared Parrots site. This is taking up a lot of my time and effort but loving every minute of it. The home page has changed again slightly and we are there now, so can start working on the next page. Both the owner and myself are really happy with how it's taking shape, so please keep your eye on that too and let me know what you all think of it, as constructive criticism is always welcome. The original site can be viewed at http://www.handrearedparrots.co.uk and if you click on the purple flying parrot on the top left of the screen, then this will take you to the new site that I am developing.
Sun 08th: Work News / Camping
Work News - I was phoned on Thursday about that job in Pragma that I had an interview with. The clients now want to see me, which is a really good, promising thing, so everyone keep their fingers crossed on Wednesday at 2pm for me. I have decided that IF I get it, then I'm going to move into the city, find a wee bedsit or something, and save save save for touring Scotland and for Ireland.
I was also told this week that the Social Work Department of the Shire Council are having a 'review' and my job might be one of the things that they cut back on, but I will get at least two months notice if this is the case, and the end of the review might not come till September of this year, so fingers crossed that I don't have to be there at that time to find out.
Camping - Had a great wee discovery weekend in Braemar this weekend, and going back for more next week. See the updates and pictures here.
April 2007
Sun 11th: Latest News / Work News / 2007 Goals / Other Website's / Crocodile Hunter
Latest News - Well some of you will know I've had a mix start to the year and a very hard few months, but hopefully things are getting there now. News in brief, I have chucked the morning cleaning job after being messed about, still waiting on payment for 82 hours outstanding (and that was over a two week period, so you can work out how hard I've been working), threatened them with legal action to get them off their butt and seems to have worked. I have now joined a really nice private cleaning company and do another big Council building from 6pm - 9pm, Mon - Fri.
I have managed to just scrape together enough for a wee banger so that at least it can get me out the flat at the weekend. It's an R Reg, Fiat Punto, 1.7 Turbo Diesel (and is a nice girly pistachio green colour ha-ha). I was meant to get it on Saturday, but the owner phoned and said that someone put a brick through the back window on Friday night... ha-ha, just my luck eh, but at least there was no damage to the car and I'll have a new back window :-) Shame as I was going to go up to Cullen for fish n' chips on Saturday night for a wee run, but thankfully it turned up this morning and I managed to take an afternoon's trip down to Banchory. You can see the photo's from my first (of many) trips away by pressing HERE. I am planning on going away camping and sight seeing every weekend, so keep your eyes peeled on the Website Updates page for all the latest news and photos. I have very kindly been given a loan of a tent till I can afford one of my own, so there's no stopping me now!!
Work News - Well still part time with the Aberdeenshire Council in Inverurie, but have decided that enough is enough. I am going hell for leather to get a new job with full time hours. Have been speaking to a few companies in Aberdeen and want something to come off immediately, I don't know anyone else that would, nor could, have put up with my life style over the past 2 years, and it's time that I make things happen now that all the shit has stopped hitting the fan every second week. I want a new tent, and no way I can afford it when my life is like this, so things are going to change, taking no prisoners :-)
Since I posted this last Sunday, I have been contacted by the company who offered me a job in the city two weeks after I started with the Aberdeenshire Council, they have just written to me and invited me for an interview this week. It's a great company and will be based on a clients site in the City Center, so fingers crossed for Thursday afternoon everyone >
2007 Goals - As per for the past few months, I'm still a whisker away from getting back on my feet and having what everyone else regards as some kind of normal life, I am really looking forward to start getting away out the flat at the weekend and start seeing Scotland at the weekends. I have been offered the loan of a tent until I can get a new job and get some money for a new tent, so keep your eyes peeled as all photos will go up in the Camping section of this website with weekly updates. Plans for Ireland are still very much in my mind, once I get to see the places I want to this year, then, as much as I love being Scottish, I'm getting the hell out of this country - gone to the dogs!!
Other Website's - I have had another enquiry about doing a website for a local company who hand rear parrots, which I am really excited about. You can all have a quick look and let me know what you think. HERE is the original site as it stands, and HERE is my proposed new website.
Crocodile Hunter- Got sent this link to the later Crocodile Hunter, a great way to remember him I think, it's really funny. Click Here
Sun 18th: First Camping Trip / Work News / Other Website's
First Camping Trip - Well I won't say the same thing twice, but had a disastrous weekend camping. Decided to try out the borrowed tent and went up to a place called Sandend. The story, and pictures can be read and viewed by clicking HERE.
Work News - I had the interview on Thursday with Pragma, who are an I.T. Consultancy firm in the city center of Aberdeen. The job is for an Analyst/Programmer, and would mainly be Business Objects, for those in the know.... It sounds good, but would be hard work. They are waiting for the client to send back the job spec, and when that happens I will be forwarded it and I have to decided wither I would take it or not. This would be back to a full time job and would be a big step up for me, financially too, so keep your fingers crossed. Interview itself was more of a chat than an interview, they basically wanted to see my personality, as I would be based on a clients site in the city center, which might work out well as I could stay here in Inverurie and get the train into work.
Other Website's - The company who hand rear parrots got back to me this week and would like me to proceed with their website, which I'm really excited about, I was out having a look at the birds and to have a chat about it all on Wednesday, and looking forward to doing this site, as it will be an exciting site to do. There original website is still up and will be until we go live with the new one, so I will be hosting the new one during development until it is all signed off and then will go live. A bit of free advertising, but the current site can be viewed by clicking HERE and the new site can bee seen HERE until such times as it goes live.
February 2007
January 2007
Sun 07rd: Latest News / Work / New Friends / Anna Banana
Happy New Year To Everyone
Latest News - Well I've been pretty lazy with doing updates to this site during xmas, but hopefully I'm going to get more time to start doing some decent work on this site, as there are loads of things that I want to change about the site, and loads more photos and songs etc to put up. Nothing has happened since the last update really, just hiding away in my flat recharging my batteries.
Work - I'm back at work this week, back with the Social Work Department on another 6 month contract, but reduced hours. I am just pleased that I have something at least and not moving flats and looking for another job in the first month of the new year. I'm also still doing the cleaning job in the mornings which starts tomorrow, so back to normal, getting up at 5am six days a week. I'm also keeping on doing Rock Steady until such times that a) I can get a car and b) the weather gets a bit better, then I will pack in Rock Steady and spend my weekends camping around Scotland for the rest of the time that I will be here, hoping it will be sometime in the 3rd quarter that I will head away. Well it will be when I am ready to go basically, and as long as I have work here then am happy to stay here. It's all very bizarre with the Council job, and still not got my new contract, but this means that I will have to find another job to fill up the hours that I'm loosing out on, so am in talks with a few Managers of the Aberdeenshire Council, about a temp Admin job, so hopefully if that comes off then I will be able to relax and start looking for a wee car, and be able to know that I have a handful of savings and can go and buy myself some things, update my Tesco wardrobe for one ha-ha.
New Friends - I have also been very lucky to make some amazing new friends up here too, which I'm over the moon about. Wanted to give a wee shout out to Eilidh. I have known Eilidh for a while now, but as time has gone on she have proved to be a best friend. She is such an amazing person, and recently got engaged at xmas, so MANY CONGRATULATIONS to you and Lee.
Anna Banana - Finally for this update, one of my longest and most dearest of friends from Glasgow is finally going to come up next weekend for a wee break. I used to work with this girl years and years ago and have never really lost touch, she's been the best friend to me over the course and is even thinking about coming to Ireland with me. Anyway, next weekend I'll be entertaining my wee tinky pal from Glasgow, so will have loads of photos as don't have any of her for the Friends Corner.
Have moved all last years news, so if you desperately want to read it let me know.
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