Hey everyone and welcome to the tenth edition of my Final Year Diary. It’s hard to believe I’m ten SIN issues into final year.
I hope you’re all keeping well. I know mid-terms are on the horizon but if you’re looking for something to binge in between studying, I highly recommend Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All seven seasons are now available on Disney+ so get on it. God be with the days when TV3 would show Buffy on a Thursday night. Highlight of the week for 10-year-old Tom if Liverpool weren’t playing. We are two seasons into our re-watch now and I completely forgot how much I hate Xander. Possibly the worst TV character ever created, with the exception of Janice Soprano obviously. It’s also a bonus if your girlfriend is Buffy-obsessed and is almost too invested in Buffy and Angel’s relationship.
Speaking of Liverpool, let’s not go there. The only chance they have of saving the season now is by somehow winning the Champions League. I love saying I’m done watching their league matches but, let’s face it, I’ll be sitting there watching them draw 0-0 at the Emirates while the immovable object that is Mikel Arteta’s facial expression mocks me from inside the TV screen. I’d kill for some Allianz Hurling League action or some Galway Senior Hurling Championship. It only occurred to me today that, for one reason or another, it’s been nearly two years since I’ve seen a hurling match in person. I won’t take the sight of Tadhg Haran or Joe Canning slotting over easy frees in Athenry for granted again.
In-keeping with the theme of home, I hope you all looked after your mammies this Mother’s Day. We called ‘round to Saoirse’s mam and she gave us this really nice blanket she crocheted herself, so it certainly pays to be nice.
While we’re on the topic of appreciating the women in our lives, I think it’s important to take heed of the countless stories of victimisation by men that women have been sharing online this past couple of weeks. My main takeaway from these stories is that we, as men, need to do so much better. Women are feeling unsafe out there. How does it help anyone by getting defensive? They’re not making this stuff up. If your immediate reaction to someone sharing their story of being victimised is replying “#notallmen”, you need to grow up. Do some research, be a human being and have some empathy. The HSE have been telling us that the best way to deal with Covid-19 is for everyone to act as if they have it. You might say “#notallmen” but how about you act as if it is indeed all men. The safety of others is far more important than your fragile ego.
On that serious note, I’ll talk to you later. Keep well and best of luck in your mid-terms.
