2013 - Hopes and dreams

[Nally Stand]

3) Our media took a serious bashing in 2012, RTE in particular. Somehow parts of the print media revelled in this, especially the Indo of all people. They all need to dramatically clean up their acts and here's hoping 2013 is the year.

Speaking of the Indo, no doubt Commonwealth membership is up there on their 2013 hopes and dreams wishlist, if some of their "royal visit" headlines are anything to go by:

A new path to a Common Wealth
Poll shows how Queen was taken to Irish hearts
Dashing Army captain who left all of us ladies green with envy
Paddy has passed a milestone on the long road to adulthood
Old enemy has turned out to be our most valued and trusted ally
Friends and equals don't need to ask for apologies
Her head bowed and 'the whole of Ireland missed a heartbeat'
Footprint of monarchy stamped on our history

[stew]

1. Mayo to win the All Ireland.
2. Someone to explain to me what "Singularity" in cosmological terms means.
3. All my loved ones to be around to help me usher in 2014.
4. Gaaboard to continue on as before.
5. May the least all of us here wish for be the least we get in the coming year.
6. Mayo to win... (Jaysus, I think I already said that!)

Happy New Year everyone except O'Neill!
PS. O'Neill, póg  mo thóin.

1. Not going to happen!
2. The theoretical point at the bottom of a black hole in space where light, planets, suns and dark matter reside in an infinitely small, single mass.
3. Hope that happens for you.
4. Like the universe, the gaaboard is never ending (almost)
5. Eh?
6. See response numero uno!


3.

[ziggysego]

Four days in and 2013 is already ▶□■↑ing annoying me.

[brokencrossbar1]

I hope 2013 is better than 2012 which has been the toughest year of my life for a number of reasons. I hope for more patience with my family and my eldest in particular. 

[johnneycool]

I hope 2013 is better than 2012 which has been the toughest year of my life for a number of reasons. I hope for more patience with my family and my eldest in particular.

Never to worry BC, you lose them for 10 years in their teenage years. Get the through to their early 20's and all will be fine.

I was given that advice when my first was born by an auld fella I used to work with and from talking to some of my mates who've kids hitting the teens now, its a very true statement.

[Hardy]

I hope 2013 is better than 2012 which has been the toughest year of my life for a number of reasons. I hope for more patience with my family and my eldest in particular.

Never to worry BC, you lose them for 10 years in their teenage years. Get the through to their early 20's and all will be fine.

I was given that advice when my first was born by an auld fella I used to work with and from talking to some of my mates who've kids hitting the teens now, its a very true statement.

Yes. The thing is, they need you just as much, if not more than ever, in those years, even though they're making a big show of the opposite. It's a time of big doubts for them, so even if they're acting like they hate you, they need the certainty that you love them and that they can always trust you. They also need boundaries, though again they act as if they don't. It's tough, but it ends, as Johnney says.

I said to my eldest son recently that I sometimes felt sorry for times when I made harsh decisions on him growing up. (The eldest always seems to have it the hardest, as you're learning on them.) "You weren't half harsh enough", he said. I don't tell that as support for a tough regime but more as an encouragement to be confident in doing the right thing even if, at the time, the teenager sees it as the end of the world and seems to hate you for it.

If I could change anything, or use my experience to advise anyone setting out on this road, I would communicate better when laying things on the line and put it in a framework that they understand better - e.g. this is my job, we have rules and boundaries, you have responsibilities, how you're acting is normal, but so is how I'm acting, etc. Rather than "do it because I said so".

[Puckoon]

The last few posts are sobering reading. Something I worry about often as a parent - how the teenage years will impact the adulthood of my child and our respective relationships with each other. Shes already into girly things with the women in her life, while Dad gets left out cause he doesnt know the first thing about rainbow sparkle nail polish! I hope 2013 improves on 2012 for you BCB1 although I read somewhere a quote from a mother to her son on one of those stupid FB meme things that stuck with me. Loosely paraphrased it read

We will fail, our rules will be broken by you, we will impose suitable punishment, and then we will start again. This is because we are learning all the time, us as parents, and you as our son.

Often times a wash of shame comes over me when I think of the times I was a p***k to my parents.

[brokencrossbar1]

I think maybe I came across a bit wrong. I want more patience in general with my kids (and my wife!) and in particular my eldest but they didn't make my life too difficult in 2012.  My lad is no different from any other 14 year old, and if anything is much more manageable than I was at his age and certainly better behaved in terms of what I was at.  I have just had a very tough year and I took it out on them. The old phrase that you hurt the ones you love the most was certainly true. 

[Gabriel_Hurl]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

[Tony Baloney]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

Keep it small is my advice. You'll not enjoy it anymore just by throwing cash at it.

Some the other gaaboarders will act as witnesses.

[Puckoon]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

Keep it small is my advice. You'll not enjoy it anymore just by throwing cash at it.

Some the other gaaboarders will act as witnesses.

What yer man said. Having paid for said event 4 times, a simple (in our case backyard) wedding, with the friends and family most close was really the dogs bollocks. Less stress, more involvement (actually putting the event together) and a few more $ in the account at the end of it.

Let me know when to book the tickets. 

[laoislad]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

Keep it small is my advice. You'll not enjoy it anymore just by throwing cash at it.

Some the other gaaboarders will act as witnesses.

+1000
Best piece of advice I got was off my Da.
Once the music stops playing and everyone is gone home with their bellies full,you're the one left to pay the bill.

We had about 96 at ours and it was plenty imo.

[Tony Baloney]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

Keep it small is my advice. You'll not enjoy it anymore just by throwing cash at it.

Some the other gaaboarders will act as witnesses.

+1000
Best piece of advice I got was off my Da.
Once the music stops playing and everyone is gone home with their bellies full,you're the one left to pay the bill.

We had about 96 at ours and it was plenty imo.

JFT96.

[trileacman]

JFT96.

Hopes for 2013: Be less fat.

[laoislad]

My hopes are being able to save enough money for this fecking wedding 

Keep it small is my advice. You'll not enjoy it anymore just by throwing cash at it.

Some the other gaaboarders will act as witnesses.

+1000
Best piece of advice I got was off my Da.
Once the music stops playing and everyone is gone home with their bellies full,you're the one left to pay the bill.

We had about 96 at ours and it was plenty imo.

JFT96.

There was a rousing rendition of YNWA at the end. DJ was a Man U fan so it made it all the sweeter.