I’ll be having NUN of that…
When I was 18 years old, I applied to be a nun. That’s right. Me, the now 52-year-old nutcase, ex professional squash player, former prescription-medication-consumer, and raging homosexual. “God has Bigger Plans for you”, came the written reply from the Mother Superior in 1989. It was penned in the most exquisite cursive letters, with such […]
A Christmas Wish
Last August, in 2022, I wrote a blog post called Death Wish. It’ll help if you have read it, for context on this particular post. (https://orladoherty.com/death-wish/). If you don’t have time to read it, allow me to summarize. In Death Wish, I talk about what it might be like, if we were afforded the opportunity […]
Which Season Are You?
When I lived in California for ten years, I became accustomed to the balmy 68-72-degree Fahrenheit climate all year round. Rarely did it get cold enough that I had to swap out my favourite blue and yellow flip flops, for my fuzzy orange slippers. In fact, I wore flip flops so often that I had […]
Where in the World?
This is the question of the hour in my life right now. I’ve been absent from blogging for almost two months. Life is not always smooth like my favourite peanut butter. It’s the challenges thrown at us, that build us up and make us stronger. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know […]
To blog, or not to blog…
That has been the question of the month for me. As I enter my second year as a ‘writer’, it’s been interesting to watch myself – the writer in me – unfold. It’s not as if I stand in front of the mirror each morning and say ‘ah look at you, you big writer!’. I […]
Death Wish
Don’t worry, it’s not what you think. During my time in the United States, I spent 15 years coaching at summer squash camps for kids, in New Jersey, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Santa Barbara. As I aged and gained experience, my role varied from Junior Coach, to Head Coach, to Administrator, and eventually to […]
Celebrating ONE YEAR of Blogging.
Cute photo eh? That’s my one year old blog-self. It’s been a year since I started. YES! Another excuse for a glass of my usual. But wait, it’s Wednesday – a non-drinking day… but it’s been a year! But it’s Wednesday. Doesn’t matter, I’m 51 and I give myself permission to celebrate with a full […]
Taking Flight – Part Three
My father was an Air Traffic Controller for 40 years. Starting out in Shannon Airport in the early 60’s, he moved to Dublin, where his ambition and drive forged the way for him to become one of Irelands leading ATC instructors. In 1993, he accepted a position in Luxembourg, where he became Head of Training […]
Taking Flight – Part One
The sky has turned a fantastic shade of blue. My favourite colour. There’s a lone cloud passing overhead slowly, taking its time to get a look at the view below. A single seagull perched on the topmost corner of the building opposite me, gives pause to this glorious day. In the distance, the Irish sea […]
The Octopus Within
Good morning lovely readers. Brace yourselves for something a bit different today. For many years, more than half my life, I’ve struggled with mental health issues. My brushes with psychiatric wards are documented in these blogs: https://orladoherty.com/a-pint-of-heineken-and-a-shot-of-lithium-please-part-one/ and https://orladoherty.com/a-pint-of-heineken-and-a-shot-of-lithium-please-part-two/ I always used laughter to get through. I consider myself blessed that my natural disposition beckons […]