Last night, the weather forecast reported that there would be 'Moderate to Heavy Snowfall' throughout most of the country. As they specifically mentioned the provinces of Connaught and Leinster (in which I live), I figured we might get at least a light dusting. Then when the radio alarm went off this morning (at the ungodly hour of 5.45am) I heard the news - SNOW!!!! IT HAPPENED!!!! WOOHOO!!!!Then I looked out the window. Rain.Okay, technically it was sleet (which I say is the equivalent of snow drunkenly sticking it's hand down your pants before passing out asleep). Apparently the snow stuck to inland areas and as I'm ten minutes walk from the beach... well, you can figure out the rest.As prompted by the radio yesterday, I did everything I could to invoke the anniversary spirit of The Great Blizzard of '82 (capitals mine). I got out my hat and gloves and scarf. I played every song on my iPod with a reference to snow, or ice, or cold weather, or just for good measure, by Snow Patrol. Maybe I should have played "every song from 1982":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1982_singles.I'm looking out the office window now and there are a few flakes falling. The mountains (such as they are) in the distance are white. But no snow for me. Sigh...By this point you've probably noticed that I can MOG again. Don't know what happened - though I do notice that the address is different to what it had been while I was locked out. Here's what happened to me musically while I was gone...Shuffle mode on my iPod became briefly obsessed with the earlier works of Queen.I realised that Oasis are actually pretty good.I got 'Home' by Ben Gibbard and Andrew Kenny and 'A.M.' by Wilco.I realised that every time I try to listen to 'A.M.' somebody interrupts me.I saw a Decemberists gig, during which Colin Meloy made everyone sit on the floor. There was also someone standing to the side of the stage reading and listening to his iPod (and giving out that the crowd were preventing him from doing this). Still an excellent show, though.I got giddy over the parallel rumours that either the Rolling Stones or AC/DC will be playing here this summer.I listened to 'Infinity on High' a bunch of times. Which reminds me...***Dear Fall Out Boy,Congratulations on the new album ('Infinity on High'), and the new single ('This Ain't A Scene...') I'm sure they'll both bring you a lot of success. But there's one thing I need to get off my chest.This new found 'maturity' isn't working for me. The songs are okay - in fact I love 'This Ain't A Scene' and 'Hum Hallelujah'. In much the same way that people who remake Japanese horror movies need to start realising that fluorescent lights and no make-up doesn't equal scary, you need to realise that string sections don't make the songs epic. what always did it for me with you guys was the dorkiness, the quiet desperation from the back of the classroom that she won't talk to you and the 80s and 90s pop-culture references. I liked how you made me feel fifteen again. I know everyone hates it when a band grows up without them, but in this case the pseudo-teen-angst was what I loved about you in the first place. That and your guitarist - sorry, I don't know his name - going mental during the 'heavy' parts. Bring back the teen angst. Please.All the Best,John Madden***