SoulGirl

people, people! i couldn't disagree more! i thought children of men was an incredible movie. it was frightening, thought-provoking, visually stunning and so moving. i love all the references to literature and to art, both modern and pop. and the use of music, so deliberate and appropriate. it's an extremely clever movie. there are a number of incredibly long takes in the movie. for example, that shot with the terrorist attack on the car. you're just sitting there with your heart in your mouth, waiting for the shot to end! i love this movie and can't wait to see it again! pan's labyrinth is an amazing movie. it's a fascinating combination of imaginative fantasy and brutal reality. the acting is superb and the visuals are incredible. i highly recommend it!

joe, shawna and edna! how lovely to see you guys! xo

aaaaaww why would anyone ever leave this place?!

i actually think sanjaya is much better than chris or blake. both of them are very week singers. but sanjaya didn't seem to have any fire in him - the songs were just sliding out of him rather than being sung. and he became a caricature of himself. melinda is the clear winner and has been since the final 24 - she's amazing! everyone else is just meh!

hi guys, i've been missing for so long - really sorry!!! things have been crazy. das may have exaggerated a little but i have been working 3 jobs, as well as dabbling in some voluntary work which has been quite demanding of my time. it's nice to come back and see that i have been missed though and i have certainly missed all of you! a lot has been going on for me over the last few weeks. some big changes.... one of them is that i got offered a place on the masters that i really wanted, in international human rights. so i'm excited about that. i'll be moving to galway in september - galway is a gorgeous vibrant student city so i'm looking forward to that but it's all a bit scary of course. i have lots of other plans as well - i was in france last week working as entertainment officer on a music course for 15 - 20 year olds which my brother, his wife and their quartet ran. i'm off to highnam in england for a weekend to help out on a festival they're running. and then i'm au pair for the other couple's baby in avignon at the end of may! then in july i'm travelling with a friend to california for a 5 week trip, starting in san fran and meandering on down to san diego! so, busy busy! how are all you guys??! xox

das, you clearly have a lot of experience fishing because you seem to have managed to get quite a few bites! you are such a pretend nerd!

Oh come on, whether or not you like him, he has been one of the most high profile advocants of charity work in the last decade. He pushed forward the Live 8 Drop the Debt campaign. He is a strong supporter of Greenpeace and has been involved in protests with them. He has recorded music in support of War Child and the Cradle Foundation. He brought out a clothing range, under the Red Initiative, which has raised millions for the fight against AIDS. His wife is the patron of an Irish charity, the Chernobyl Children's Project, and Bono has lended his support to the cause. He was nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and received a number of humanitarian awards in Ireland in the same year. In 2005, he was named one of the Persons of the Year by Time magazine for his charity work. Usually, I hardly even donate 100 euros over the course of a year to charity. It would certainly be the height of hypocrisy for me to criticise Bono for not doing enough.

i don't see any particular reason for me to spit fire over this. there are dozens of US artists who live or work abroad for the tax breaks. it's not uncommon. same as there are many hundreds of businessmen who relocate for tax reasons. aside from which, musicians and other artists are largely exempt from taxes in ireland anyway. sure, it's not very patriotic but i don't believe that it automatically invalidates all the good work bono does. and to say he doesn't have principles as fairly laughable in my view. there are many people with his influence and power who do absolutely nothing for charity. the fact that he is so vocal about his work is a good example to us all. people may believe him to be arrogant, hypocritical or just damn plain annoying but he is very talented and he works hard for good causes.

btw i realised watching the news last night that this time around it was the appeal of the decision made last year. so it was actually the stylist who pursued it this time. buuut, much as i like bono, i had to find this amusing! while bono was on the stand, the stylist's lawyer referred to his "peripatetic" lifestyle. having misheard the lawyer, bono responded angrily, saying "i wouldn't call my life pathetic!"

to be honest, i can see why they pursued this. it's the principle of the thing. people would pay alot of money for those items in ebay - people have paid money for the half-eaten sandwiches of celebrities for god's sake! it would set a bad precedent if the woman made a profit from the items which she supposedly stole. if i was in their position, i'd be pretty annoyed that someone stole my clothes and tried to make money on them at auction. i know there are more important things to worry about, blah blah blah. but bono does enough for worthy causes to entitle him to do this, in my opinion.

i know too many of those attention-seeking hippies to want to call myself one! my parents were hippies and they had a really cool time. and i embrace the concepts of love and peace and respect for everyone. but the people i know who want to be hippies seem to think it means you have to wear the clothes, go barefoot in public places like the pub, have dreads, not use deodorant and generally be dirty and unwashed. and they are nearly all from fairly or very wealthy families. i find this very hard to put up with and it's nearly enough to put me off the whole movement!!

wow, welcome back amy!

okay i thought of some happy ones: On and On - The Longpigs Thinking of You - Paul Weller U Make Me Feel - The 4 of Us

Little Baby Nothing - Manic Street Preachers She is Suffering - Manic Street Preachers Die in the Summertime - Manic Street Preachers Selective Memory - Eels Older Chests - Damien Rice Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley (in a reverse kind of a way) Winter - Tori Amos those are all very sad. there must be some happy ones... i'll have to think about it.

i like it!

this song has been performed by johnny cash, ben harper, jeff buckley, bob dylan, the byrds and probably many others. i hope it all goes well for you. it will be a fitting tribute to your father's life to have the people he loved arranging it. i'm thinking of you and your family. Satisfied Mind How many times have You heard someone say If I had his money I could do things my way But little they know That it's so hard to find One rich man in ten With a satisfied mind Once I was waitin' In fortune and fame Everything that I dreamed for To get a start in life's game Then suddenly it happened I lost every dime But I'm richer by far With a satisfied mind Money can't buy back Your youth when you're old Or a friend when you're lonely Or a love that's grown cold The wealthiest person Is a pauper at times Compared to the man With a satisfied mind When my life has ended And my time has run out My friends and my loved ones I'll leave there's no doubt But one thing's for certain When it comes my time I'll leave this old world With a satisfied mind How many times have You heard someone say If I had his money I could do things my way But little they know That it's so hard to find One rich man in ten With a satisfied mind

didn't wyclef jean have one? "just cos she dances go-go, it don't make her a ho, no." i googled it. it's called 'perfect gentleman'.

my grandad my "brady bunch" family the way it was before my father left and the relationship i used to have with him jeff buckley johnny cash chris whitley

okay 10/10, but only because you made me! is it from the american office by any chance? i'm so curious as to how that would work!

this is the best news i've had in a looooong time. darryl, i'm so pleased to hear that you will be back to your old self in no time. let that gorgeous family of yours do some pampering now while you recover from the shock. tace care and stay beautiful. much love-xo

they're playing dublin on decemebr 19th. i want!

elton - so many great songs. but i have to say i'm bitter that it would cost £3 million to have him play at my wedding - my boy enquired with his manager!

saucy!

yes, it's quite hot! in that dangerous kind of way, that is!

yes, well that southern diet would certainly help. you'd just have to cook her one breakfast, from what you tell me!