Compiled by Nicoline Greer.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES Don't know where to turn to find a decent mechanic? Fed up with having to chase an electrician? It might be worth signing up with Here For You, a new concierge service that can put you in touch with vetted cleaners and tradesmen, or even organise the whole thing.
Helen Reddin, the company's founder, says: "You're busy, but you've got to find time to clean the house, prepare a special meal, find a plumber to fix a leaking tap. When you've found the tradesman, how do you know he's not a cowboy? Will he even show up without repeated calls from you? Tell us what you need; we do the legwork."
Reddin and her team can arrange for your car to be serviced or have its NCT, have your shopping done or organise a dinner party - even do the washing up. Membership is €1,000 a year, and once you contact them, Here For You will come back with a recommended supplier within 72 hours. Reddin promises that you'll pay no more than the market rate for the service you're looking for. Here For You, Arena House, Arena Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, 01-2130621, www.hereforyou.ie -Eoin Lyons
ALL ABOUT MY FATHER "There are many myths about my father - that he was bitter, cantankerous, that he rejected Ireland," says film-maker Shivaun O'Casey, pictured right with her famous father. Get to know the real Seán O'Casey, courtesy of the playwright's daughter. Tonight, there is a special screening of her acclaimed new biographical documentary, Seán O'Casey - Under a Coloured Cap. The screening precedes the Abbey Theatre's production of The Plough and the Stars, which will be at Cork Opera House from February 2nd to 12th as part of Cork 2005. After the film, O'Casey will take questions in a session moderated by the theatre director, Martin Drury. Tonight, 5 p.m.-7.30 p.m., Half Moon Theatre, Cork Opera House. The event is open to the public and free of charge. For bookings for The Plough and the Stars, 021-4270022.
HELP THEM REBUILD After donating cash to victims of the tsunami, another way to help the affected Indian Ocean countries is to go for a holiday, says Justin Francis of Responsible Travel. The community tourism agency is encouraging tourists to visit the parts of Thailand, the Maldives and Sri Lanka which escaped devastation - and to think about how your spending power can benefit the local economy. This includes using native guides, eating in locally-owned restaurants and buying traditional crafts. "What we really need now is your business," says John Gray's sea-canoe company in Thailand. "Phuket's travel industry supports about 200,000 people. Without work, families will suffer and starve. In the short term, there is no doubt there are pockets of devastation. Yet everybody who comes to Phuket is amazed at how localised the damage is." Below: tourists in Phang Nga province, north of Phuket, look at damage to boats caused by the tsunami. For holiday ideas, see www.responsibletravel.com. Sarah Marriott
NEW WORDS An annual Washington Post contest, in which readers are asked to supply new meanings for common words, has produced the following winners.
Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.
Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.
Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
CAT CALL Last week we told you how to adopt a homeless dog, but what about all the unwanted cats? Cats' Aid has a purrfect plan for people who love cats. If you don't want to commit to owning one, the organisation organises foster homes for homeless cats and kittens, and at the moment, they are desperately short of volunteer foster owners. The deal is that you take the cat into your home for as long as it takes for a permanent home to be found; give it plenty of TLC, and Cats' Aid will help with any medical or food expenses. If you are looking for a cat for life, however, there are plenty of candidates peering out of their website, tempting anyone with a weakness for felines. You can also sponsor a cat and get regular photos and updates on how it is doing. Cats' Aid doesn't put down any cats they get, as they always find new homes for them (unless you get so attached, you just can't let go). www.catsaid.org, 01-6683529.
GROWTH AREA "Anam Cara" (soul or spirit friend) is the name of the Garden and Landscape Designer Association's annual seminar, and the theme is environmental sensitivity and sustainability.
If you are intrigued by multi-functional, living green roofs, natural swimming pools and biological water filtration systems, you will want to listen to Raf Seghers, a Belgian specialist in these systems.
Kim Jarrett is known for his art direction in film and TV, but he has also picked up 10 awards in his native New Zealand and a gold medal at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
Landscape architect Ulf Nordfjell from Sweden takes his inspiration from the northern landscape of sea, rock and mountain.
The GLDA's 9th International Seminar, €125, The Astra Hall, University College Dublin, Saturday, February 5th. GLDA, 73 Deerpark Road, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin, 01-2781824, www.glda.ie.
CH-CH-CHANGES How are those New Year's resolutions going? Given up already, then? Shake off the January blues with these three suggestions.
SALE ON BY Not all winter sales are over. The shop Living, in Bray, Co Wicklow and South William Street, Dublin is still selling furniture at bargain prices. There is 60 per cent off some display stock, and the deals include Italian leather two-seater chocolate brown sofas reduced from €895 to €395. The sofas are designed in-house. Leathers are bought from Italian tanneries, and manufacture is outsourced to small family-owned companies. The result is a high standard of design and quality, and you'll usually find they are much cheaper than the competition. The ingenious Zak folding table (above), which is suitable for indoor or outdoor use, is reduced from €395 to €329 - though there are none on display at present. Living, Castle Street, Bray, Co Wicklow and South William Street, Dublin 2, www.living.ie.