Articles written by Charlie Garratt

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About me - Charlie Garratt

I guess I'm just a frustrated writer with too much time on my hands so I'm trying to hone my skills on Helium.com. I find the discipline of starting with a topic great to get the creative juices going.

My main interests are music, gardening, 'net surfing, reading

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Home & Garden > Home Repair (Other) Christmas 2007: Gift ideas for the handyman: 1 of 9
There are two main problems with buying gifts for a handyman; firstly he (or she)is likely to have most of the inexpensive tools that they'd need, so gifts might come a bit expensive; secondly, each area of do-it-yourself has specialist tools and techniques, so you might need to know what job the handyman is thinking of tackl... More..
Travel > Ireland Travel destinations: Ireland: 7 of 23
Of all the Irish counties the least affected by tourism would appear to be Donegal. Nestling in the north west corner of the island of Ireland it is as far away from ferry ports and international airports as it is possible to be in this country. Even those coach party tourists that do arrive in the county seem to avoid ventur... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Wedding Traditions & Themes What not to do on your honeymoon: 11 of 33
Ten things not to do on honeymoon.Five for him:1. Don't take a friend no matter how close you are she just won't understand. This goes double if your friend happens to be female.2. Don't say "I can easily pick up some new boxer shorts when we get there"3. Don't compare, at least not out loud, the cost of the honeymoon and a t... More..
Sports & Recreation > Fly Fishing Great places to fly fish: 4 of 12
I only recently took up fly-fishing, having spent most of my adult life as a confirmed coarse angler on the canals and other still waters of the English Midlands. My move to Donegal, Ireland, last year has opened up a whole new world to me as I've explored the lakes, rivers and streams around the area. Within a 25 mile drive ... More..
Entertainment > Music Education Understanding the chord symbol as a formula: 1 of 3
I'm occasionally asked by people who read music, usually singers and musicians whose instruments don't lend themselves to chords, how the chord works. Basically, it's fairly simple - but explaining it isn't. One has to have a little musical knowledge in order to understand it, but if you didn't you probably wouldn't be intere... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Poverty is the worst polluter: 5 of 14
There is no doubt at all in my mind that it is the pursuit of wealth, not poverty, that is the worst polluter.When major oil corporations run leaking pipes at surface level through African villages but use the highest level technologies to make them leak proof and then bury them out of sight in affluent countries then that is... More..
Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Is homosexuality natural?: 22 of 60
It's interesting how the debate on the naturalness of homosexuality picks up on God and on procreation as if (a) God is a given; (b) God, if existing, hasn't created a million variations from 'the norm'; and (c) procreation is the only purpose of being.As a confirmed atheist I find it difficult to go along with the God argume... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Cultures (Other) How long you have to live somewhere before you're considered "from" there: 9 of 24
I now live in rural Ireland, moving here a little over a year ago. And I already know that I'll never be from here as far as locals are concerned. Partly it's the accent and partly it's fairly clear that I've spent most of my life in an office environment, not half way up a damp hillside tending sick sheep. But it's something... More..
Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Ireland: The best times to visit: 4 of 10
Some years ago I owned a thatched cottage in beautiful south west Donegal. It was bought, on a whim, to provide us with a holiday home and it was never our intention originally to offer it for vacation rental. However, such is the nature of the climate in this part of the world, that we found it a useful way of keeping the co... More..
Arts & Humanities > European History The history of the Eiffel Tower: 5 of 12
Think of Paris, think of the Eiffel Tower. Probably one of the most recognised architectural icons of the western world, the Eiffel Tower dominates the Paris skyline and between it being completed in 1889 and the completion of the Empire State Building in 1930 it was the tallest structure in the world at 325 feet.The tower is... More..