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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

google a to z

* I use this on a regular basis.
Some others that I use that are not included: AdSense, Alerts, Blogger, Chrome, FeedBurner, Gears, Gmail, iGoogle, Mobile, Pack, Picasa, Toolbar, Translate and of course Web Search!

Posted by Darran at 08:24 2 comments

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Monday, November 24, 2008

kc's queue cam

Following on from the KISC webcam gadget I made for iGoogle, (which can be found here) I made a similar one for the K.C's Queue Cam.

I know how lazy people are when it comes to things:

  • Finding the K.C's site and webcam page
  • Getting the address of the webcam image
  • Search for a webcam gadget to allow you to put in the address
  • Adding that to your Google homepage
  • Then edit it so it shows the KC's Queue Cam
So i've done all the hard work for you. With this gadget you can add it directly to your iGoogle page or to your own site/blog. Enjoy!

Posted by Darran at 19:22 2 comments

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Thursday, November 20, 2008

teacher training in ireland

So now I need some teacher training, to become a teacher and all!

There are a few courses around Ireland that will train you to become a teacher. The main 4 are through the National University of Ireland. Cork (UCC), Galway (NUIG), Maynooth (NUIM) and Dublin (UCD). DCU and Trinity (TCD) also run courses and Limerick (UL) does a nice Business Teacher course too.

So to apply for one the NUI courses, you have to go through a similar process to that of the CAO, through PAC (Postgratuate Applications Centre). You apply for an application form pack and receive it in the post. No online applications here, these guys want to keep it old school!

Be warned, the closing date for entry into the 2009/10 course is December 1st 2008! A whole 9 months before hand.


Draußen nur Kännchen
Photo owned by germanium (cc)


I’m at this point now, just about to get everything together to send it into PAC. Lets just recap on what I’ve had to do... so far:
  • Request a application pack from PAC.
  • Paid a € 80 application fee through the bank (not online).
  • Got an official copy of my results from CIT where I did my undergraduate degree (luckily I still have the originals I obtained from last year for my masters application. It cost me € 20 or something).
  • Copied my degree results and masters parchment.
  • Got those photocopies certified as true copies.
  • Got a stamp for the confirmation post card.
  • Now just go to the post office to get the evidence of postage page stamped.
This is only the tip of the iceberg with what I'm sure will be a bureaucrats dream. Next time I will tell you about the teaching council of Ireland!!

Posted by Darran at 19:00 3 comments

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

becoming a teacher

Since I don’t have much to blog about these days, I’m going to bring you on the journey of becoming a teacher in Ireland.

First of all, why do I want to become a teacher? Lets look at the pros and cons of going down the road of teaching.

The Cons

  • Dealing with kids all day
  • Some kids don’t like to learn
  • The pay
  • Bureaucracy
  • The nicknames
  • Dealing with parents
  • Lack of respect among other educated professionals
  • Car getting keyed
  • Early mornings
  • Uncertainty in the current economic climate
The Pros
  • Teaching people
  • June
  • Influencing them to do my bidding once they have grown up (may involve subliminal messaging in my teaching methods.. haven’t quite figured this one out yet.. I’ll keep you posted)
  • July
  • Job satisfaction
  • August
  • Job security once you have one

D 411 Connected Classroom
Photo owned by sridgway (cc)


So I’ve now talked myself into taking the first steps and consciously making the decision to become a teacher. What is next?

I need to be trained. More next time..

Posted by Darran at 19:00 3 comments

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Wednesday, November 05, 2008

bold blogger

So I'm back to give you an update since I've been practically gone for the last month and a bit. Besides that last post which lowered the tone of the blog completely.

Yes I sold out, but I do have a canned response to those emails that I get enquireing about advertising on here and what do you know someone took me up on the offer! Thanks to Mike for writing it, my first guest blogger (kinda)

Anyway, since I was on here last I finally got myself an iPhone and I'm loving it. Besides a slight problem at the start with the side of it and I promptly received a replacement from Apple so they are still my friends for the time being, and o2 haven't been as terrible as they make out (besides ripping me off with my contract.. but i'll live with it)

I've also had a bit of a Holiday when Lena came over to visit, which is a nice break to work work work during the week. We spent the weekend in Dublin, taking advantage of a Getaway Break! You know, so I could experience what I'm working on first hand!

I climbed Carrauntoohil with my Rover Scouts. I've climbed it before, but it was good to get out and up it again. We had an Investiture at the top and all, the First Rover Scouts to be Invested in Douglas and the County!

Kerry, 2 Nov 2008

What else? Oh! Obama won! Thank you America! Mulley puts it brilliantly when he says:
The world watched tonight because this was a world election, with just Americans voting in it. All those people that were frustrated with their lives, their countries, the world around them just wanted a new regime and their American brothers and sisters voted for it tonight. Thank you.

Besides that, work, Scouts and Friends are keeping me too busy to update here as much as I'd want to. I'm a bad blogger. I do however keep a Tumblr going that gets updated every off day with stuff I find. darran.tumblr.com

Posted by Darran at 23:28 0 comments

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