The Man
This page is a brief introductory page about me. Here goes:
My name is Dónal Troddyn, and I am a final year Computer Science student in U.C.D., Ireland’s most Soviet University (architecturally, not politically - that subject would require it’s own blog). As part of my final year, I am required to undertake a large project that spans the year. Large for one person, anyway.
This is why I am subordinated for the next eight odd months to one Lorcan Coyle, who is my project supervisor. I’ve worked with him before, had no complaints. I’ll be working with (for) him, and other academics, postgrads and some final year engineering students. It will be fun.
I won’t describe the project here, read my first blog post for that. As I’ve yet to receive a full briefing, anything I said about it would probably be wrong, anyway.
Onto myself, I am twenty-two years old at the time of writing. You already know I’m a CS student, but you don’t know why. In 2005, after a disasterous attempt at pretending to be a journalist, I had every intention of joining the army. I had just completed my Potential NCOs course in the Reserve Defence Forces (of which I am still a proud member - ask anyone who knows me, I never shut up about it), and was feeling pretty shit hot. The girl I was going out with at the time convinced me otherwise. Girls always lead me down unexpected paths. This was probably for the best, as instead of enlisting, I took up a Computer Science degree. It was painless, as I had deferred my place from the previous year. So that’s how I fell into Computer Science, the clean version anyway.
For an added challenge, try to read the original:
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Apart from CS which is nice enough, I have a few defining traits. I run a fair amount, and I ran (badly) for the Dublin Marathon at the end of October. It was my second and definately not my last. I love running, it’s a great sport, especially for an egotistical loner like myself. Any other way I can spend a few hours a week alone thinking about myself would probably seem wierd. If it’s running, it’s admirable. Go figure. (As an aside, I have the Army Reserve to thank for my love of running, I took it up to pass a fitness test for my PNCOs course, and never looked back.)
I also like cycling, although people keep stealing my bikes. (If you are the so-and-so who stole my custom blue racer from St. Stephen’s Green last year, a crowbar and I would like to have dinner with you, at my expense of course. Don’t wear anything you wouldn’t want to be seen dead in.) I spent a week cycling around the Loire valley this year. Alone. Only way to do it, really. I got lost a few times, entered a three lane roundabout the wrong way and discovered that only the Horses in the Cavalry Academy in Saumur obeyed the order to retreat when France was overrun in 1940. I learnt a little French and a lot about myself. Mostly that I like the girls in Indre-et-Loire and Loire-Antlantique. I didn’t have enough time with Cindi.
I already told you that I’m a member of the Army Reserve. B Company, 62nd Infantry Battalion, to be exact. For more information on us, check out 62Infantry.com or e-mail join62@gmail.com. I could write for days on this subject, as my times with the Army are always my best stories, but I couldn’t publish them.
I used to sail, but I haven’t in a long time. I’d like to take it up again, but time and my bank balance conspire against me. I know what a jib is, though, which will be helpful in this project. Thank God no-one’s mentioned a spinnaker yet.
I hike a lot. I can’t say that I like hiking, since it’s quite difficult and Irish weather can be awful in the mountains. It produces great experiences, though, and some of the scenery in Ireland is amazing. I’d love to live in the mountains, provided I had no need to commute to Dublin everyday. One thing I’ll say is that Ireland’s too small, and there aren’t enough forests any more. You’re never more than a day from civilisation in Ireland, which is depressing. Isolation is addictive, just like running.
I drink too much. I definately couldn’t publish those stories.
I like shooting. This is another gift from the RDF. It’s hard enough to keep up, though, as it’s expensive and I don’t own any firearms. Strangely enough, I’ve also found stripping and cleaning weapons to be relaxing, although I’d never tell my Sgt. that. I can strip a Steyr in under 60 seconds, but that’s not fast.
I like swimming, but I hate chlorine. Warm pools, like RTÉ daytime radio shows, are for so-and-sos, anyway. (You can guess the term I’d like to use, but academic staff will be reading this, and you can never tell when someone’s reached the point where booklearnin’ has filled the space intended for common sense. You know, the space between your ears.) I adore the forty foot. If you’ve been there, you know why. If you’ve been there and still don’t understand, I don’t want to bother explaining it to you. You wouldn’t get it anyway.
I write overly long biographies, when name-age-interests is all that’s expected. Or wanted. I can live with this flaw.
I love eighties music. If you happen to be in UCD’s Computer Science builder and hear someone (badly) singing Total Eclipse of the Heart, it’s probably me. If I’m approaching the chorus, feel free to jump in. We can have an a capella karaoke session. If you can’t sing, all the better. Neither can I.
That’s all I can think of, and it’s getting late, so au revoir, Kemo Sabay. The lone ranger will sail again. - D.N.T (01/10/08)