05. I Love Karl Pilkington!

I first came across him on The Ricky Gervais Show on Channel 4, and then more recently An Idiot Abroad, and I've come to the conclusion that he's just great.

My friend can't stand An Idiot Abroad, due mainly to the fact that Sky are clearly spending ridiculous money to send this man to the seven wonders of the world, and he doesn't seem to appreciate any of the amazing places and sights placed before him. She probably has a point in a way, but that's exactly what was intended and damn it makes great viewing.

I love his honesty, and the way he tries to find a certain logic in things that just can't be explained (While travelling through the desert on a camel in Jordan, he asked why the locals don't just move closer to a shop, or, failing that, build a shop in the desert). And yes, I love the way he gets so annoyed at the ridiculous situations he is put in. In response to a group of people dancing on the road in Jordan he states "I don't dance at weddings. I'm not going to start doing it in the middle of the dual carriage way, am I?" His disgust at being tricked into eating penis, eyes and testicles. His description of the Chinese alphabet "It looks like somebody testing out a Biro".  It's hilarious, and I'm officially owning up to having seen every episode.

I'm putting my head in the books for the next couple of weeks, and attempting to kick my TV habit. But here's the best bits from one of my favourite episodes of Idiot Abroad.

04.

I am aware it has already been discussed and scrutinised to the point that everyone is sick of hearing about it, but I just wanted to make a couple of comments on the student anti-fees protest that took place in Dublin on Wednesday last. I was not present at it, though I am fully supportitive of the cause. A good few of my friends were there that day. While the majority of the people enjoyed a peaceful protest in which they delivered their point without any trouble, there was a small minority of what I can only describe as eejits who tryed to ruin it for everyone. It is not the fault of the gardaí as far as I can see, though many students are pushing the view that they are to blame, their "brutality" only causing more hassle. I have seen the footage that has been plastered all over the news in the past couple of days, and I have spoken to people who were actually there. And alcohol was consumed by a proportion of the students there that day. Being a student myself I am very familiar with the drunken antics that can occur, especially in large groups. I do not think it is fair to place the blame for any trouble on the authorities, who were no doubt only trying to maintain order. If you reject them now, who are you going to call when your houses get broken into or you're attacked some night? Don't blame the gardaí for you acting the shite.


But to the majority of the 40,000 students present that day, fair play. I hope the message was received, a €3,000 registration fee is a joke.

03.

Ah Irish winter weather. Wet, mucky, cold enough for us to complain about but not cold enough for snow or any of that. Mild. Dull, grey, drab. Its miserable. I convince myself I'll do college work at home instead of making the fifteen minute trek to the library in the rain, stepping over many the abandoned umbrella on the way. Instead I sleep in, and partake in many useless activities such as watching hours of crap tv and trying on most of the contents of my wardrobe in different combinations. Needless to say it was a very unproductive day. And I now need to clean my room more than ever, lest I stumble in drunk some night soon, trip over the massive mound that is made up of pretty much everything I own, and do myself an injury.



 I wouldn't mind a bit of snow. A bright, airy snowy, afternoon can be lovely. Provided you have proper footwear. Need to start buying things like wooley scarves and hats, in anticipation of it getting a bit colder.



In other news, I'm loving Eva Longoria's ad for the MTV Europe awards. I bet she's great craic in real life.