Hey,

This is odd. Sure, it happens regularly enough. But when it does, it’s, well…weird.

Anyway, on Monday, for no apparent reason, the name of a guy I went to school with popped into my head. I didn’t spot anything that reminded me of him. I didn’t bump into his far hotter sister. It’s just…popped.

So, I take a moment to consider the fact I haven’t thought about him in what must be fifteen years, and I go about my business. Case closed. Well, not quite.

The next afternoon, as in Tuesday, I bump into him. As in actually BUMP in to him. We have a chat, exchange pleasantries, do all the stuff people do when they would rather have avoided eye contact. But the whole time I’m thinking, “Is this a coincidence, or some bizarre twist of fate with a bad sense of humour?”

So, tell me, this ever happened to you? There’s a 98 mug in it for the best story.

Email me at pconnolly@dublins98.com

Hello all,

Last week was, let’s say, interesting. I took a three day break from the show to take a leap – hard, fast and at times terrifying – into mainstream TV. The chance arose to present a show called, “The All-Ireland County Quiz”, which is due to start this Saturday on TV3, and I thought, “why not? I’ll give it a go…”

So, a go I gave it, and I’m back on The Inbox as of this evening. It all seemed to go quite well, too. Except for the small matter of my voice being almost gone, due to overuse. Felt a bit like that scene in the Matrix, actually. There I was, a slightly paler and more sick looking Keanu Reeves, chatting away, when my voice suddenly packed it in. The audience fell into a curious hush, watching as I groped and flailed my way to a couple of low, quite feminine screeches. Came back, though, and the show went on.

Anyway, I say the above in case, tonight, you think I’m trying for the Barry White effect. Not so. Just a man on the mend.

Talk later,

Paul

I won't lie to you. I did, if only for a few minutes, stare down the barrel of last night's Rose Of Tralee finale. Yes, it was rubbish. Yes, it was cliched, corny and all that comes with it. But, still, I lay there, my hand blindly navigating the back of the couch for crumbs, and waiting for the winner to be announced. I know...I hate myself, too.

Anyway, with this in mind, I went about searching online for other, "beauty pageants" in the Rose of Tralle mould. Below is the best of what I found - but, if you find anything better, weirder, or simply more bizarre, email me at pconnolly@dublins98.ie

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2984367.html

Talk to you tonight from 7pm....

In hindsight, I knew something was wrong. Call it instinct, but as the succulent, juice-loaded burger made it's approach to my big lurking gob, my sub-conscious was all but screaming, "don't do it!!"

Needless to say, I did. And, as a result, I was laid up, in bed, whilst Joan went solo on last night's INBOX. Food poisoning, she was. And an especially mean strain of the bugger, too. Up all night (not in the good way), meeting my entire insides as it whooshed past me on the way to it's rightful home in the sewers, and, well, it was crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Not that I'm looking for sympathy, you see. Not in the least. Just saying it was more, "all over the wall" than AWOL.

 Anyway, The Inbox (Mon-Thurs 7pm-9pm) is getting that bit more interactive, in that blogs, podcasts, images etc. will now be uploaded to this site each and every day. Podcasts may take a week or so, but they're on the way.

Write me on pconnolly@dublins98.ie if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for the show. Always read, replied to, and appreciated.

Talk to you tonight from 7pm...

Paul

Hey,

Now, for anybody I haven’t told -  this June I’m going on a trek. It’ll take me through Brazilian Jungles; the idea being to raise €5,000, and yesterday we reached the target.

I say we, because I got a lot of help. Yesterday the Paddy Power Inter-media Charity cup was played for the first time. 15 teams, including the likes of 98FM, TV3, Setanta Sports and The Sunday Business Post, took part and we raised very close to €3,000 all in.

So, thanks to the main sponsor, Paddy Power. Thanks to Nokia for their very generous contribution, and thanks to the staff of Archview Physiotherapy, Pain and Sports Injury Clinic, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 (Phone: 01 4913228; Email: info@archviewclinic.com) who offered their services for the day, and eased whatever aches and pains cropped up over the course of the day.

Thanks again – and if you want to have a look at how the day went, watch this space tomorrow. I'll be posting the best images of the day.

Sponsor details:

www.paddypower.com

www.nokia.ie

www.greatdaysout.ie

Champion Sports

Fire Restaurant, The Mansion House, Dublin 2.

www.golfschool.ie

And plenty more