The Fall of Dave

When I was ordering my High Speed Internet almost two years ago I was asked if I wanted a TV package. One single thing influenced me enough to say yes. It was the channel called Dave.

This was the channel that offered all of the best BBC content. You had Dragon's Den, you had QI, Have I got News for You and drips and drabs of whatever else that BBC had produced over the years that was worth re-watching. (And yes, lots and lots of Top Gear re-runs. I'm not trying to say it was all watchable.)

They sold themselves as “the home of witty banter” and they held more or less to that for a long time. If I had my television on and I wasn't watching the simpsons it would be something on Dave. Their sensibilities I felt matched my own.

But that was then, it seems. A channel that I, obviously in error, thought that championed higher tier television has now started producing some of the most putridly imbecilic content I have ever witnessed. It turns out that they never aspired to BBC heights of quality but always cast a jealous eye in the direction of Dark Ages UTV. Although it must be said that they seem to be outdoing even them, at least the dregs of UTV's offerings tended to have a budget.

Now, we are faced with unfunny underaged comedians screaming nonsense for half an hour on a stage, prodded into performing like a chained animal. We are faced with lowest common denominator quiz shows hosted by fallen comedians. We can watch endless reruns of the humourless robot from Red Dwarf drive people around in their van and finally watch celebrities ride amusement attractions for literaly no other reason than the fact it's cheap and people will watch it.

Of course, maybe that's working out for Dave and at the end of the day it's a commercial enterprise and I do not hold that against them. I suppose I'm just disappointed that my Dave has officially become more unwatchable than the Nigerian Christian Rap channel. At least I can go back to day long binges of open all hours on GOLD but I'll be honest, it's just not the same.

Is There Anybody Out There?

Well, I'm in insomnia today. The coffee isn't quite as nice as starbucks, it's roasting hot and I'm right beside a big buzzing drinks cooler. It's easy to see why the place is empty while I couldn't find a single free table in the former.

I was walking around Dublin 4 on my way here, doing a little circuit that took me through the park before I commenced writing. Something unpleasant struck me, I'm living in suburbia. It reminded me so vividly of Birmingham, that bothered me greatly.

I suppose it's one of those days today, there is something oppressive in the air. I'm sure people all over the world have that niggling feeling that something is wrong or out of place.

Well, I'm being negative, I'll write about something else besides my own personal demons for a change. I'm left wondering now what to write about.

It's not like I'm not working on other things, my new application idea or indeed my latest massive novel. I don't only write about myself, I suppose it's just when I think of my blog I feel about writing about myself. There's little I'm more qualified to write about.

I was thinking about one thing and it was about Irish writing culture and how completely invisible it is to me. Perhaps there is more I could do to seek it out, it's not necessarily inspiration I'd seek but I suppose general support. I've never met somebody my age who aspired to be a writer though I know I can't be the only one.

I have heard of some small independent publications and internet forums and such but I am surprised that there is nothing as simple as a society or club I could join. There is the Irish Writers Centre here but that's a commercial endeavour. They aim to provide courses for people which I don't knock the value of but ultimately do not provide a sense of community that I would like to find amongst others.

Perhaps it's an idea to consider, or perhaps there is such a society around here somewhere and I'm just not looking hard enough.