So, this weekend has been a mixed affair, the cat gets run over but somehow survives and hopefully is going to be alright... And I get to go and see a rather mad exhibition.
So Saturday comes and we still haven't decided what we want to do for the weekend. Then the suggestion comes to go to an exhibition, a games and movie fair. Description as follows.
"London MCM Expo 2008
25 Oct 2008 to 26 Oct 2008Public
London MCM Expo is the UK's No.1 consumer show for Movie, Comic, Anime, Manga & Video Games. Meet stars from TV & Film, Costume characters, play Magic The Gathering, see and play the newest and yet to be released video games. All the best Anime & Manga all in one place just for you. Take part in competitions and have a fun day out. KIDS GO FREE*"
Now, I wasn't really too fussed what I was doing so long as it was something. So I only read into it this far, (see bolded letters). Completely missing the bit in italics.
"London MCM Expo 2008 25 Oct 2008 to 26 Oct 2008PublicLondon MCM Expo is the UK's No.1 consumer show for Movie, Comic, Anime, Manga & Video Games. Meet stars from TV & Film, Costume characters, play Magic The Gathering, see and play the newest and yet to be released video games. All the best Anime & Manga all in one place just for you. Take part in competitions and have a fun day out. KIDS GO FREE*"
So halfway there on the DLR, the world most terrifying train, it never looks like someone is actually driving or generally interacting with the damn thing. And the sites of numerous nearby incomplete rail bridges and the likes is quite unnerving. But still, I start to notice a few odd characters. Okay, its public transport, there is a high likelihood of nutters being present at a given moment. However, not usually ones with cardboard swords and 'dragon-ball z' hair. At this point in time I wasn't really putting 2 and 2 together. Neither was Matt, who's idea it all was. Spreading the blame is not nearly as good as acutely assigning it to a destination! But still, to be fair it wasn't all that bad.
So we arrive and its a pretty large place. However nothing yet alerts me to any such sort of cosplay event. To those unawares to Cosplay, its a sort of...well people dress up as comic book and computer game characters etc. It can be rather hilarious when they look shite.
So we start getting nearer and in a bar along the way we notice four stormtroopers, minus hats, having a beer. Which was an excellent photo opportunity, but due to a lack of camera, this wasn't possible. Although I recently bought a camera its not with me here. Which is an arse really. Despite the Star Wars part I still hadn't cottoned onto the true nature of the event. Until, we enter that is. Somehow we didn't notice the ticket stand so proceeded to wander all of the way through to the other then of the exhibition centre.
The things I saw, fat girls dressed as Final Fantasy characters. Super Mario, Lara Croft et al. Amongst a whole host of various Anime things, I'm guessing the latter as I had no idea whatsoever to who they were. A few Batman Jokers were added in too for effect.
So its a Cosplay event, I'm staring in amazement and yelling at Matt for where he's brought me. However things get a little more bizarre...at the other end of the arena. A rather harmless event, but one when put next to a bloody cosplay event makes for a poor mix.
An Islamic gathering, complete with talks and the works. I should have picked up on this outside the venue when I saw a number of Muslim lads handing out leaflets and cards to The Joker and several Japanese girls dressed as sailors. Possibly not the best way to sell something to someone dressed the way they were. But regardless, whoever planned for these events to be on at the same time on the same day needs a bloody medal. Its what I love to see.
But what made me really laugh, but something which no one else seemed to get, was the man dressed up in a crusader outfit. I'm guessing as the guy from Assassins Creed, walking through the Islamic section. What better way than to not incite religious violence, than to walk through an Islamic expo dressed as one of Richard the Lionheart's men. Nicely done.
The world at work. What a great place.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
It has all gone a bit Kerouac
Writing on the fly so to speak has never felt so damn good. The last month has shot by in a blur of naked arses, chickens, objects of desire and a sloshing of happy juice, otherwise known as Sloe Gin.
The trouble with London is that everything is so very impersonal. You see someone one day, you never see them again. However there are a select few who seem to be always there on the same commute pattern as you, but oh well. Still a way of life so impersonal doesn't really give you great chance to get to know people. I mean you see interesting faces, beautiful girls and the odd complete nutter who's talking to a wall/bottle/vision, but you never have the opportunity to get to know such folk. I'm pretty certain that the good looking girl on the tube with loads of apples in bags would be a lovely person to get to know, but after speaking on a 10 minute tube ride, you don't really seem to get anywhere, other than one liners and apple related jokes. "You must have loads of horses, well either loads of horses or one really massive, happy horse".
However there is a bonus to such an impersonal way of life. You can really screw around with people as you know they will never ever see you ever again. Or at least you can hope and pray. When riding the underground, one tends to go for the vertical bars first, these are easiest to hold (well you'd go for a seat first but there's no chance of getting a seat on the Jubilee line at half 7 in a morning). The final options are either stand with the power of your legs to fight the sway of the tube. A risky up taking if you've have a rough evening or a liquid lunch. Therefore you have to submit to all that is wrong with the world and go for the horizontal bars. Which seem so very high up, this is true for someone of a short disposition. I am one of that disposition. At 5ft 6/7, its hard to be anything else other than an arm rest to those over 6ft.
On these bars, considering my height, I do tend to look like I'm doing one half of a Nazi salute. Most tube rides wouldn't know what one is and a majority wouldn't be paying attention anyway. But it is most satisfying to then rub under your nose and stroke your tash area while holding onto that bar. Some people see it and giggle and other stare in amazement. And i know, I'll never see the bastards again.
Other than this, an impersonal lifestyle can bring about great moments to suddenly do something erratic. Staring expressions and crazed eyes being a sure-fire winner. Especially when babies and impressionable children are on the vehicle. Glaring at them "a la family guy monkey" and suddenly stopping when their mother checks to see what the matter is, is somewhat priceless. Or when reading a book, suddenly before turning the page, look up an say to whoever is watching "I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!!" is somewhat awesome. It makes them so uncomfortable, some smile, other stare in disbelief. This one works really well when it comes to reading a newspaper.
Dribbling. I shan't say anymore on that one.
Speaking of dribble, Selfridges is shit. There's not alot in there really. I swear half the people walking around with them little bright yellow shitfridges bags didn't buy anything more than a pencil or a bog roll. Although its a great place to pretend that you're important. "Yes, I'm looking for a a Chanel bag for my wife", "I need a Rolex that goes with my hands". The latter was a particular fave. To reject a 50k watch on grounds of it "making my hands look huge" is a highlight of my month that was.
Still, there is endless opportunity for mischievous play and pranks galore. There is little or no fear of retaliation unless you're targeting some pissed, bald headed bloke who supports Millwall. If you did that, then i suggest running being the best option.
I think i mentioned bald arses earlier, I'd go and check but i really cannot be arsed. But yeah anyways. I get into Stafford station as i was going home for weekend last, and as usual my parents are late so i had to sit around in the station and doss about in general. I might like to add that i usually go to Stoke station but due to poor road traffic and a quieter train on the Stafford route, i decided to go there. Okay it was a wonderfully quiet journey and very fast, 10 minutes fast in fact. However I get to Stafford and WHAM...oddballs, everywhere. Okay, Stoke is no heaven for the mentally secure and those unhinged in regards to sincerity and their own inhibitions. But really though, Stafford was full of nutters. People running in shouting, "where are the trains?!", others shouting at the floor such things as "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO EH?". Its the floor mate, it will win in a fight. Even if you smash up the tiling, you've got the foundations and hardcore to get through. Assuming you beat it that badly, you've still got the small matter of a few miles of the Earths crust to think about. Lets not even discuss the mantle.
Other than that it seemed to be a loop of people. Walking out one door, re-appearing at another. Very strange, like a Laurel and Hardy sketch of every day life. One person, i swear to god had a different hat on each time. I was going to enquire, when i was completely caught off guard by a woman, no older than 20 walking around with the trousers below her arse, arse showing, not the front arse, that was secured by something or other. But my god it wasn't a pretty sight. No one else seemed to care though, not even the woman shouting at her son "JASON, GET OFF BOB THE BUILDER" poor bob the builder, he moves up and down on his digger for 50p. Such is the life of washed up children's cartoon characters. I saw Thomas the Tank Engine the other day, for 50p you could make him hump a rail track. Poor bastard.
Pah, Ive lost my train of thought now. I hope no people ever read this.
The trouble with London is that everything is so very impersonal. You see someone one day, you never see them again. However there are a select few who seem to be always there on the same commute pattern as you, but oh well. Still a way of life so impersonal doesn't really give you great chance to get to know people. I mean you see interesting faces, beautiful girls and the odd complete nutter who's talking to a wall/bottle/vision, but you never have the opportunity to get to know such folk. I'm pretty certain that the good looking girl on the tube with loads of apples in bags would be a lovely person to get to know, but after speaking on a 10 minute tube ride, you don't really seem to get anywhere, other than one liners and apple related jokes. "You must have loads of horses, well either loads of horses or one really massive, happy horse".
However there is a bonus to such an impersonal way of life. You can really screw around with people as you know they will never ever see you ever again. Or at least you can hope and pray. When riding the underground, one tends to go for the vertical bars first, these are easiest to hold (well you'd go for a seat first but there's no chance of getting a seat on the Jubilee line at half 7 in a morning). The final options are either stand with the power of your legs to fight the sway of the tube. A risky up taking if you've have a rough evening or a liquid lunch. Therefore you have to submit to all that is wrong with the world and go for the horizontal bars. Which seem so very high up, this is true for someone of a short disposition. I am one of that disposition. At 5ft 6/7, its hard to be anything else other than an arm rest to those over 6ft.
On these bars, considering my height, I do tend to look like I'm doing one half of a Nazi salute. Most tube rides wouldn't know what one is and a majority wouldn't be paying attention anyway. But it is most satisfying to then rub under your nose and stroke your tash area while holding onto that bar. Some people see it and giggle and other stare in amazement. And i know, I'll never see the bastards again.
Other than this, an impersonal lifestyle can bring about great moments to suddenly do something erratic. Staring expressions and crazed eyes being a sure-fire winner. Especially when babies and impressionable children are on the vehicle. Glaring at them "a la family guy monkey" and suddenly stopping when their mother checks to see what the matter is, is somewhat priceless. Or when reading a book, suddenly before turning the page, look up an say to whoever is watching "I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!!" is somewhat awesome. It makes them so uncomfortable, some smile, other stare in disbelief. This one works really well when it comes to reading a newspaper.
Dribbling. I shan't say anymore on that one.
Speaking of dribble, Selfridges is shit. There's not alot in there really. I swear half the people walking around with them little bright yellow shitfridges bags didn't buy anything more than a pencil or a bog roll. Although its a great place to pretend that you're important. "Yes, I'm looking for a a Chanel bag for my wife", "I need a Rolex that goes with my hands". The latter was a particular fave. To reject a 50k watch on grounds of it "making my hands look huge" is a highlight of my month that was.
Still, there is endless opportunity for mischievous play and pranks galore. There is little or no fear of retaliation unless you're targeting some pissed, bald headed bloke who supports Millwall. If you did that, then i suggest running being the best option.
I think i mentioned bald arses earlier, I'd go and check but i really cannot be arsed. But yeah anyways. I get into Stafford station as i was going home for weekend last, and as usual my parents are late so i had to sit around in the station and doss about in general. I might like to add that i usually go to Stoke station but due to poor road traffic and a quieter train on the Stafford route, i decided to go there. Okay it was a wonderfully quiet journey and very fast, 10 minutes fast in fact. However I get to Stafford and WHAM...oddballs, everywhere. Okay, Stoke is no heaven for the mentally secure and those unhinged in regards to sincerity and their own inhibitions. But really though, Stafford was full of nutters. People running in shouting, "where are the trains?!", others shouting at the floor such things as "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO EH?". Its the floor mate, it will win in a fight. Even if you smash up the tiling, you've got the foundations and hardcore to get through. Assuming you beat it that badly, you've still got the small matter of a few miles of the Earths crust to think about. Lets not even discuss the mantle.
Other than that it seemed to be a loop of people. Walking out one door, re-appearing at another. Very strange, like a Laurel and Hardy sketch of every day life. One person, i swear to god had a different hat on each time. I was going to enquire, when i was completely caught off guard by a woman, no older than 20 walking around with the trousers below her arse, arse showing, not the front arse, that was secured by something or other. But my god it wasn't a pretty sight. No one else seemed to care though, not even the woman shouting at her son "JASON, GET OFF BOB THE BUILDER" poor bob the builder, he moves up and down on his digger for 50p. Such is the life of washed up children's cartoon characters. I saw Thomas the Tank Engine the other day, for 50p you could make him hump a rail track. Poor bastard.
Pah, Ive lost my train of thought now. I hope no people ever read this.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Its been a while
A very long while indeed. Much has happened, I'm now working and living in London. I've only been here for a month and I've sampled the delights of:
And besides that, who the fuck is Agyness Dean?
- 2 and a half hour commute in and out of the city from a lovely town outside of London.
- Hall of residence twice as shit as my budget one in Sheffield...and twice as shit.
- Using the underground... every... bloody day.
And to sum it all up, its pretty shit, but hey, the jobs good and it pays, and the colleagues are nice.
I spent my first week commuting in from Banbury to London Marylebone. Marylebone is an odd station, its looks small, but that walk...which turns in a run, to your train seems to last forever. I did see Denis Wise there on a Thursday, he was on the phone. I know, fascinating. I should write for 'The Sun'. Commuter trains are odd as well, the people there are really friendly, but none of them talk very much. At first this struck me as odd as most of them see each other every day. But as the week went on your understand why. At 6am in the morning, everyone is knackered and cannot be arsed to speak and would rather sleep. By 5-6pm in the evening, everyone is knackered and cannot be arsed to speak and would rather sleep. Your day is that hectic, with tube travel, work and the daily stresses it brings, you just don't want to speak to anyone. But oddly, you're happy when you do. Its very odd. Commuting therefore, isn't a great idea, hats off to those who do it, to go to work that early (which is was okay with as I'm an early riser anyway), and come back so late, and to do this every week is no mean feat. Mentally its a mind raper. I'd rather work closer to home for less pay and spend more time with my family, but hey, that's me.
Next up, its been a month in student halls, still looking for somewhere new to live permanently all the while, but not really finding anywhere, and when I do, it falls through at the last moment, or sounds too dodgy to be true, and it usually was. The halls in in currently are not that bad, for what they are, but they are really for the money you pay. I was lucky to find them and be recommended them so I'm not going to complain too much. They basically are student halls for the local university which are open up to foreign students and corporate events throughout the summer, while the students are away. A good idea indeed, and one which earns them a lot of money i suspect, its already got £600 big ones out of me. The bastards. You get all your bills paid for (which Ive abused no end to get my monnies worth).
The down side however is that its a hall of residence, which are shit if you're a professional. Its also shit if you want to cook a decent meal as you cant. Everyone around me is foreign, which is fair enough, I couldn't give a toss where they are from. However, I want someone who speaks English who understands English humour and doesn't make me say things ten times before they laugh for no reason at a phrase like "dinner time". It does amaze me why so many foreigners come to London, there is a whole country outside of the damn place, go see it. Its way better.
Another issue with the halls is a major one. You're required to move out of your room by 10am...and the booking in time is 2pm. A common feature of the halls is that you have to move regularly, usually once a week, to a different room. Usually when a large party comes in and wants to rent out an entire floor. Which is fair enough yeah, i can tolerate that. However the problems come in that 4 hour "dead" period. You move out by 10...and can move to your new room at 2pm. What happens between? You cant store your baggage in the halls as they wont let you. If you work on the 22nd floor of an office building over 10 tube stops away. What the feck do you do? If i take 6 bags somehow onto the Jubilee line, I would get shot by a bastard commuter.
Living 'down south' so to speak is not what it is cracked up to be. People say "oooh working in London? That'll be exciting". No, no it wont. Its exciting if you're visiting it for a day or so, because its something different that the usual day to day activities of your life (assuming you live outside of London). The truth is somewhat bleaker:
You start your day woken by the heat and an alarm of some sort. You then struggle to the tube station, and then go for your oyster card, but no, the scanner isn't working, so you enter anyway. You the get crammed like sardines into a tin can that's noisy, sweaty and full of armpits equipped with homing devices that make a beeline for peoples faces. Other than that's its rather pleasurable...if you're into kinky shit like that, which I'm not. Your train then stops in the tunnel for 5 minutes, you're melting in the heat and some arsehole is getting impatient and ranting about the tubes and how shit they are (probably shouldn't mention that I'm now working as part of the team that's upgrading and maintaining them eh?). You then get to work, you do your 9 to 5...assuming you get there on time. Then its the same journey home, and its rinse and repeat until done.
What I really don't get about the capitol, is the rushing about, running everywhere, moaning if something is delayed by a nanosecond. People moaning about the tube...you should be fucking grateful, i get a bus every hour or two in the countryside, which costs a fortune. Yet on the tube, depending on where you're going you can can span the city in an hour or so for 4 quid. You also get free newspapers and magazines every bloody day...okay they re full of shit news about celebrities I couldn't give a shit about. Mark Ronson for example, what is so good about him? Here is what Mark Ronson does...He takes a song, adds brass (trumpets etc) to said song. Then flogs it to thick bastards who lap it up like a dog that's been given a bowl of water after been strapped to a log in a desert for a day. However as I was saying, on busses, you would be lucky to get a free used condom, never mind news rags.
Still I supposed you get a 'cosmopolitan' lifestyle down here,...Whoop dee doo, whatever the feck a cosmopolitan life is. If someone tells me it once more, I'll throttle them. Anywhere branded as 'cool to live' is going to be shit. The word 'Cosmopolitan' has become a word I now fear, as it means I'm going to hate something. Therefore as a rule of thumb, fuck London, fuck New York. They will both be shit. I'd rather be in New Zealand or Barcelona, Spain.And besides that, who the fuck is Agyness Dean?
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
By Day and Night, Living out of Sight
As much as I hate Stoke-on-Trent for being a crummy shit hole full of derelict buildings, bad roads and irate drivers. It is still the most warming sight at night after a day of travelling. Coming up the A50 or M6 seeing its glow in the night sky, I sort of know I'm home or nearly there, whichever is the case. I find it strange that in the darkness pretty much anything man made can look stunning.
By day nature provides the stunning landscapes, by night it must be said that the creations of man provide the awe. I suppose at night you can't see the stories behind the blinking lights as you drive past, you don't see cracks or peoples faces, you only see what we've created. It does sound a little stupid but things everyone else seems to take for granted such as roads, lighting, buildings, all sorts, I find it utterly amazing. All these components working together, despite complaints when they don't work, its still amazing that they do at all.
Travelling the roads of the UK doesnt half put things into perspective, we're such a small country compared to pretty much everyone else. Yet somehow inbetween all the chaos of every day life, everything seems to work. It does sound stupid, but out of every county I've been the UK is where I feel safest. If you crash, get injured or whatever, the response time is quite frankly amazing. Yes, some of this must be down to the logistics required in the UK being on a smaller scale than say a US state, but good god, if its that fast here it must seem like a snail pace anywhere bigger. Admist the madness there is organisation. It's good to see.
The last few days were spent in Cornwall with the joys of Robin, Christina and Lorna for company...and a dog... Lorna did the driving, hats off to her, she drove well and speedily...without too many incidents, personally had I have driven I might have doneded a few crashes...Such is my confidence in my own driving. I would not admit such niceties to lorna's face as it would be seen as a)Sarcasm, or b) a Lie or c)Wrong...just plain wrong, so therefore I say nothing, I keep stum about such bullshittery. Therefore I'm not being stubborn or ignorant, I just have a sixth sense for futility of a scenario.
Anyhows, after much driving the tent must be erected, with is a doddle if you have a 2/3 second tent...however the stability of such a tent in a highwind is a glory to behold...therefore to anyone going to a rugged and somewhat stubborn location, I suggest a 'well-ard' tent...Ours followed this route but to some the damned thing up in one word I'd choose "bastardlike". I've seen clearer instructions from the Apple website and I've seen better tents manufactured by the Soviet Union. Therefore I say bollocks to it, I'll just get a static caravan.
Speaking of static caravan is there anyone in the UK who can tell me why every road we were on was full of lorries carrying static caravans? I personally thought to be some sort of crazy capture the flag style game. Stealing the homes from the opponents site and lugging them to your own. The idea seems ludicrous, but I love the thought of it.
On the way down we stopped a truckers diner...I must say, its something to do before you die, there were some dodgy old souls in the place and why on earth they needed 4 working staff to man it was beyond me. It was like a site office on a construction site with some plastic chairs, a hob and a till. Still I love the novelty of such things.
Everyone in cornwall seemed to be suspiciously nice and eager to give good hospitality. Maybe because it was out of season, they were desperate perhaps? Or was it because they smelt the money? Either way, hats off to them I loved it.
I must also reserve a final comment for the dog...Poppy, an animal which really topped off an excellent getaway. A collie (or so I believe to be) with more energy than a red bull factory smoothered in those lucozade tablets you get. Waking up first thing in a morning to see it sitting outside with a stick raring to go was quite cheering to the soul. Then to come back from the shower to see a stone left inside the entrance of the tent. Poppy it seems has a penchant for stones and likes to chase anything that can be thrown in order to retrieve. Even if the item is a size of an atom and will never be found again, the joy of running is enough alone.
Hats off to you Poppy, you could make a rock garden quicker than groundforce.
By day nature provides the stunning landscapes, by night it must be said that the creations of man provide the awe. I suppose at night you can't see the stories behind the blinking lights as you drive past, you don't see cracks or peoples faces, you only see what we've created. It does sound a little stupid but things everyone else seems to take for granted such as roads, lighting, buildings, all sorts, I find it utterly amazing. All these components working together, despite complaints when they don't work, its still amazing that they do at all.
Travelling the roads of the UK doesnt half put things into perspective, we're such a small country compared to pretty much everyone else. Yet somehow inbetween all the chaos of every day life, everything seems to work. It does sound stupid, but out of every county I've been the UK is where I feel safest. If you crash, get injured or whatever, the response time is quite frankly amazing. Yes, some of this must be down to the logistics required in the UK being on a smaller scale than say a US state, but good god, if its that fast here it must seem like a snail pace anywhere bigger. Admist the madness there is organisation. It's good to see.
The last few days were spent in Cornwall with the joys of Robin, Christina and Lorna for company...and a dog... Lorna did the driving, hats off to her, she drove well and speedily...without too many incidents, personally had I have driven I might have doneded a few crashes...Such is my confidence in my own driving. I would not admit such niceties to lorna's face as it would be seen as a)Sarcasm, or b) a Lie or c)Wrong...just plain wrong, so therefore I say nothing, I keep stum about such bullshittery. Therefore I'm not being stubborn or ignorant, I just have a sixth sense for futility of a scenario.
Anyhows, after much driving the tent must be erected, with is a doddle if you have a 2/3 second tent...however the stability of such a tent in a highwind is a glory to behold...therefore to anyone going to a rugged and somewhat stubborn location, I suggest a 'well-ard' tent...Ours followed this route but to some the damned thing up in one word I'd choose "bastardlike". I've seen clearer instructions from the Apple website and I've seen better tents manufactured by the Soviet Union. Therefore I say bollocks to it, I'll just get a static caravan.
Speaking of static caravan is there anyone in the UK who can tell me why every road we were on was full of lorries carrying static caravans? I personally thought to be some sort of crazy capture the flag style game. Stealing the homes from the opponents site and lugging them to your own. The idea seems ludicrous, but I love the thought of it.
On the way down we stopped a truckers diner...I must say, its something to do before you die, there were some dodgy old souls in the place and why on earth they needed 4 working staff to man it was beyond me. It was like a site office on a construction site with some plastic chairs, a hob and a till. Still I love the novelty of such things.
Everyone in cornwall seemed to be suspiciously nice and eager to give good hospitality. Maybe because it was out of season, they were desperate perhaps? Or was it because they smelt the money? Either way, hats off to them I loved it.
I must also reserve a final comment for the dog...Poppy, an animal which really topped off an excellent getaway. A collie (or so I believe to be) with more energy than a red bull factory smoothered in those lucozade tablets you get. Waking up first thing in a morning to see it sitting outside with a stick raring to go was quite cheering to the soul. Then to come back from the shower to see a stone left inside the entrance of the tent. Poppy it seems has a penchant for stones and likes to chase anything that can be thrown in order to retrieve. Even if the item is a size of an atom and will never be found again, the joy of running is enough alone.
Hats off to you Poppy, you could make a rock garden quicker than groundforce.
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Forever, watching love grow
I'm feeling musical today don't know why, maybe because I've had songs in my head all day whilst trying to focus on the delightful world of construction contracts and Collateral warranties...FUN FUN FUN I CAN ASSURE YOU.
I've been on a Joy Division/New Order bender this week, with a sloshing of Radiohead to top it off. No its not depressing, I just find people are afraid of music that actually has a little bit of meaning behind it that isnt all samey. This is possibly a reason why I don't understand the whole "emo" tag for shit. Surely most music is somewhat emotional? I can't really hack the word 'depressing' in relation to music either. I hate the word to be frank, its over-used and related to this, that, everything and something...Mostly when it does not warrant the use of it. "Oh I've had a really bad day, im so depressed"..."God there was a dress in a shop and they only have it in a size 10...oh god im so depressed"...Wankers.
However, enough that, I'm absolutely loving it. Joy Division are musically just what i'm looking for. Gritty yet theres something there thats substantial as opposed to just plain punk which after a few years of listening to, can sound a bit samey. It sounds bizarre but I sort of class Joy Division the same as The Dead Kennedys, maybe not on musical sound or content (some similarities exist in the lyrics I guess) but more on the impact it has on me and my life.
When it comes to music I must say I find myself in a strange position, not quite here, not quite there. I guess its good for keeping options open but at the same time you don't actually belong to anything imparticular...But there again, would you really want to belong to a group or style of music that only plays that style? Where is the diversity? I'll gladly go from Radiohead to T.Rex, to The Dead Kennedys and the Clash and then end up with Blur, before having a Bob Dylan encore.
Music is nostalgia, a certain band or song can suddenly whip up a shitstorm of memories and such bullshittery, I like that. I mean Muse's older stuff instantly sends me back to the college years...which for most people is pretty standard. Muse seem to be 'that band you liked in college'. A stepping stone to more niche musical markets. However I just cannot get into tht latest album, it makes me feel kind of bad. They seem to a midway house between a number of things. Ah well.
I like to try and find something good out of everything in music, I can appreciate pop and understand dance. However I can't for the life of me fathom 80's "glam" (maybe? The image represents that of glam) Rock (shitty term that covers pretty much everything). I mean pretty much everything withered in the 80's. Pop degenerated into Madonna and Culture Club etc. The sons just sound so samey and aged compared to 60's and 70's music. I really don't get it. It's as if the industry went backwards. Punk did well out of the 80's (If people actually like anything with associated with the word 'punk' (as you can tell I hate genre names) but I love the stuff when its not all sounding the same as something before it *cough* Buzzcocks *cough*) with Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys, The Clash and even the Ramones had a good bash throughout it, but other than that i'm struggling to see what went well.
Im not slurring the Buzzcocks, but for the love of god, how on earth they sold records is beyond me, they have one track called 'lipstick' which is notable in my eyes...or through my ears I should say. Other than that its more or less..."Here is the song title, lets repeat it over the same riff over a 2 minute period".
The likes of Bowie, Queen and Bob Dylan all went shite in the 80's. A decade of awkwardness. I'd say musically it was the worst decade, although im struggling to find anything decent to come out the current one, which I can't even think of the name for it...the naughties? I must say possibly on par with 80's if not a little worse.
I really should go buy more albums, but ive been abusing the Lastfm.com full song playback feature and youtube. I would buy them this week end but its mothers day, so balls to that I guess. Balls to it all.
Anyway fuck knows why I've typed this, but Im a bit bored and a bit tired and I dont have much to do other than work and I've been doing that since half 9 this morning and I only finished at 7.30pm...ITS NOT EVEN 9 TO 5. This is shit.
I've been on a Joy Division/New Order bender this week, with a sloshing of Radiohead to top it off. No its not depressing, I just find people are afraid of music that actually has a little bit of meaning behind it that isnt all samey. This is possibly a reason why I don't understand the whole "emo" tag for shit. Surely most music is somewhat emotional? I can't really hack the word 'depressing' in relation to music either. I hate the word to be frank, its over-used and related to this, that, everything and something...Mostly when it does not warrant the use of it. "Oh I've had a really bad day, im so depressed"..."God there was a dress in a shop and they only have it in a size 10...oh god im so depressed"...Wankers.
However, enough that, I'm absolutely loving it. Joy Division are musically just what i'm looking for. Gritty yet theres something there thats substantial as opposed to just plain punk which after a few years of listening to, can sound a bit samey. It sounds bizarre but I sort of class Joy Division the same as The Dead Kennedys, maybe not on musical sound or content (some similarities exist in the lyrics I guess) but more on the impact it has on me and my life.
When it comes to music I must say I find myself in a strange position, not quite here, not quite there. I guess its good for keeping options open but at the same time you don't actually belong to anything imparticular...But there again, would you really want to belong to a group or style of music that only plays that style? Where is the diversity? I'll gladly go from Radiohead to T.Rex, to The Dead Kennedys and the Clash and then end up with Blur, before having a Bob Dylan encore.
Music is nostalgia, a certain band or song can suddenly whip up a shitstorm of memories and such bullshittery, I like that. I mean Muse's older stuff instantly sends me back to the college years...which for most people is pretty standard. Muse seem to be 'that band you liked in college'. A stepping stone to more niche musical markets. However I just cannot get into tht latest album, it makes me feel kind of bad. They seem to a midway house between a number of things. Ah well.
I like to try and find something good out of everything in music, I can appreciate pop and understand dance. However I can't for the life of me fathom 80's "glam" (maybe? The image represents that of glam) Rock (shitty term that covers pretty much everything). I mean pretty much everything withered in the 80's. Pop degenerated into Madonna and Culture Club etc. The sons just sound so samey and aged compared to 60's and 70's music. I really don't get it. It's as if the industry went backwards. Punk did well out of the 80's (If people actually like anything with associated with the word 'punk' (as you can tell I hate genre names) but I love the stuff when its not all sounding the same as something before it *cough* Buzzcocks *cough*) with Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys, The Clash and even the Ramones had a good bash throughout it, but other than that i'm struggling to see what went well.
Im not slurring the Buzzcocks, but for the love of god, how on earth they sold records is beyond me, they have one track called 'lipstick' which is notable in my eyes...or through my ears I should say. Other than that its more or less..."Here is the song title, lets repeat it over the same riff over a 2 minute period".
The likes of Bowie, Queen and Bob Dylan all went shite in the 80's. A decade of awkwardness. I'd say musically it was the worst decade, although im struggling to find anything decent to come out the current one, which I can't even think of the name for it...the naughties? I must say possibly on par with 80's if not a little worse.
I really should go buy more albums, but ive been abusing the Lastfm.com full song playback feature and youtube. I would buy them this week end but its mothers day, so balls to that I guess. Balls to it all.
Anyway fuck knows why I've typed this, but Im a bit bored and a bit tired and I dont have much to do other than work and I've been doing that since half 9 this morning and I only finished at 7.30pm...ITS NOT EVEN 9 TO 5. This is shit.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
What's all this then?!
It is amazing how little can happen in about a month. Late January to Mid February has possibly been the dullest time of my life since the month of August before I left to start uni. Nothing has really happened.
I can't help but notice the standards on my course again. They make me look like a bloody genious. People who can't divide numbers, cant produce simple mathematical equations and others who just can't do anything other than tell your mum jokes.
Sitting in a lecture, about the perils of horse hair plaster and other such bastardry items. Horse hair plaster contains anthrax. The lecturer then calls out "does anybody know what anthrax is"?
The reply from a student behind was a good one if he was joking "They're a band". Luckily because the room is filled with 90's dance converts who follow indiepiss (as opposed to indie) music now, they didn't understand a fecking word of what was being said. The lecturer must have wished for an early death that night, he really cannot get through to half of them, none of them can.
About most things in general, is it really hard for people to open their eyes and see what the rest of the world is doing? To know about other things other than things that affect their personal lives? I dont want to be one of those bastards who makes a big song and dance about someone not knowing something, I dont do it for laughs, I dont find it funny. I really find it incredible and somewhat demoralising when someone doesnt know if Malta is an island or a sweet product.
Mmmmm thats a tasty Malta right there.
We also had a road safety crash reconstruction outside the Hallam uni. It was a freezing day and me and Hutch were just passing through, but we stayed as I was determined to see the roof of a Vauxhall Corsa get cut off. Still it was Valentines day, the most commercial of events...An event which I swear to god most couples dont celebrate anymore. But anyway, its supposed to be a day of joy, and believe me im all for hard hitting campaigns but this reconstruction maybe was a little strong for midday on a valentines day.
The woman was strewn across the car bonnet and was then hoisted down and the paramedics worked on her. However after about 10 minutes the tannoy bloke says.
"Unfortunately the girl has died" Now this is understandable, but I still dont see the need for him having to say this after.
"The only place she will be going tonight is to the mortuary". I mean bloody hell? We got the picture from the corpse lying on the floor, with a blanket over it and he said she was dead. Is there a need for a wise crack? This is not an Arnie film.
Maybe I should make more wisecracks concerning the deaths of people. NOW WOULDNT THAT BE FUN?
I alo hope I get this job, im sort of looking forward to the spontanuity...spell check please... I could be located here, or over there. Who knows? Makes it sound exciting. In a way. Still if Rachel goes off to uni we wont see as much of each other as she will need to focus on work and I on my placement. If I want to do some travelling I may as well do it now rather than 5 years down the line when it will be too late. Hmmm oh well, too early to think about such matters I need heated bread smothered in dairy products.
I can't help but notice the standards on my course again. They make me look like a bloody genious. People who can't divide numbers, cant produce simple mathematical equations and others who just can't do anything other than tell your mum jokes.
Sitting in a lecture, about the perils of horse hair plaster and other such bastardry items. Horse hair plaster contains anthrax. The lecturer then calls out "does anybody know what anthrax is"?
The reply from a student behind was a good one if he was joking "They're a band". Luckily because the room is filled with 90's dance converts who follow indiepiss (as opposed to indie) music now, they didn't understand a fecking word of what was being said. The lecturer must have wished for an early death that night, he really cannot get through to half of them, none of them can.
About most things in general, is it really hard for people to open their eyes and see what the rest of the world is doing? To know about other things other than things that affect their personal lives? I dont want to be one of those bastards who makes a big song and dance about someone not knowing something, I dont do it for laughs, I dont find it funny. I really find it incredible and somewhat demoralising when someone doesnt know if Malta is an island or a sweet product.
Mmmmm thats a tasty Malta right there.
We also had a road safety crash reconstruction outside the Hallam uni. It was a freezing day and me and Hutch were just passing through, but we stayed as I was determined to see the roof of a Vauxhall Corsa get cut off. Still it was Valentines day, the most commercial of events...An event which I swear to god most couples dont celebrate anymore. But anyway, its supposed to be a day of joy, and believe me im all for hard hitting campaigns but this reconstruction maybe was a little strong for midday on a valentines day.
The woman was strewn across the car bonnet and was then hoisted down and the paramedics worked on her. However after about 10 minutes the tannoy bloke says.
"Unfortunately the girl has died" Now this is understandable, but I still dont see the need for him having to say this after.
"The only place she will be going tonight is to the mortuary". I mean bloody hell? We got the picture from the corpse lying on the floor, with a blanket over it and he said she was dead. Is there a need for a wise crack? This is not an Arnie film.
Maybe I should make more wisecracks concerning the deaths of people. NOW WOULDNT THAT BE FUN?
I alo hope I get this job, im sort of looking forward to the spontanuity...spell check please... I could be located here, or over there. Who knows? Makes it sound exciting. In a way. Still if Rachel goes off to uni we wont see as much of each other as she will need to focus on work and I on my placement. If I want to do some travelling I may as well do it now rather than 5 years down the line when it will be too late. Hmmm oh well, too early to think about such matters I need heated bread smothered in dairy products.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
God only knows
And im not even religious.
Since I last wrote I have managed to produce a Jam Roly Poly that was akin to that of a block of lard. The recipe said to use greaseproof paper, first time round I just buttered some foil and it worked brilliantly, made a really good roly poly. This time I buy some greaseproof and it turned my entire cake to grease. Bit bizarre as the majority of the paper had become grease.
In addition, when making my second Chocolate Fudge Cake, this time following the recipe despite my first make-shift effort being rather good, has somehow got a bizarre taste on the sauce/fudge. From now on I say bollocks to recipes I'll do it my own way.
Other wise this week has mainly gone by rather quickly, with me getting increasingly frustrated throughout. What with a girlfriend who lives a billion miles the other way, and everything else just getting on my tits. The people on my course just seem to be getting thicker and thicker constantly. This week they were all going mental about some fire safety calculations and having a go at the lecturer as they couldnt keep up/do rounding or percentages. Some great quotes being...
"What?! Why the fuck are we multiplying by 100? What the fucks goin' on"...."It must be something to do with the length of the wall I guess".
All I can say to the people reading this is, don't let anyone who's been to Hallam and not got over a 2:1 touch your house. For the love of god, just tell them to fuck off. They'll be the death of you.
In addition to this, and to my ever growing list of mad lecturers, the latest one looks like Mugabe. This is all I bastard need, and I can't understand a thing he says and during lecturers me sways in and out when on the microphone so all you here is...
"heLLO my name is MUGABE" Which can be very tedious as he teaches some shit about services in buildings.
Ahhh well, I can see this being a year where Bob Dylan music is going to have to pull me through it. On the plus side I got offered a job by Balfour Beatty Rail, which is a bit good but it could mean tha tnext year I could be all over the shot and travelling everywhere.
I also had a comical phone interview with Carillion, I was semi-pissed and my notes were all ready and done, I'd read them through and I was feeling confident. However when it came to it, I was infatuated by the sexy ladys voice and I couldnt string a sentence together. A massive difference to the Balfour phone interview which was really good.
In a nutshell I said I knew nothing about the company, I hated group working with other people who are crap at what they do. That when working part time in the local pub, that a majority of the staff are completely useless. I came across as a babbling nutter who hates people. Slightly accurate in hindsight but not great in an interview. However in construction nothing surprises me, and sure enough 2 hours later I get an email saying that I've passed the first stage and Im through to the face to face interviews. Such low standards. I wouldnt have hired myself on that performance, why the feck should they?
Nutters. Nutters everywhere.
Also I can't wait for someone to boycott EGG and their shitty EGG credit cards. Its an utter joke that they can cancel the credit cards with 35 days notice to customers it "no longer wishes to lend money to". Despite these people paying their credit off as soon as they can and having excellent credit ratings. Yet Egg somehow keep the cards registered to people with poor credit ratings, maxed out cards and ever increasing debts. Profit maximising bastards. Even I say it as being wrong and Im a capitalist to be frank, im not going to sit here and talk about saving the world or being a communist like most other pathetic socialist students. Who are all talk and no action.Lets face it, at the end of the day most students are money driven and have lots of lovely ipods etc, so the concept of them being all sharing, all giving whores of society makes me laugh.
But yeah, heres to EGG going bankrupt. Cheers.
Since I last wrote I have managed to produce a Jam Roly Poly that was akin to that of a block of lard. The recipe said to use greaseproof paper, first time round I just buttered some foil and it worked brilliantly, made a really good roly poly. This time I buy some greaseproof and it turned my entire cake to grease. Bit bizarre as the majority of the paper had become grease.
In addition, when making my second Chocolate Fudge Cake, this time following the recipe despite my first make-shift effort being rather good, has somehow got a bizarre taste on the sauce/fudge. From now on I say bollocks to recipes I'll do it my own way.
Other wise this week has mainly gone by rather quickly, with me getting increasingly frustrated throughout. What with a girlfriend who lives a billion miles the other way, and everything else just getting on my tits. The people on my course just seem to be getting thicker and thicker constantly. This week they were all going mental about some fire safety calculations and having a go at the lecturer as they couldnt keep up/do rounding or percentages. Some great quotes being...
"What?! Why the fuck are we multiplying by 100? What the fucks goin' on"...."It must be something to do with the length of the wall I guess".
All I can say to the people reading this is, don't let anyone who's been to Hallam and not got over a 2:1 touch your house. For the love of god, just tell them to fuck off. They'll be the death of you.
In addition to this, and to my ever growing list of mad lecturers, the latest one looks like Mugabe. This is all I bastard need, and I can't understand a thing he says and during lecturers me sways in and out when on the microphone so all you here is...
"heLLO my name is MUGABE" Which can be very tedious as he teaches some shit about services in buildings.
Ahhh well, I can see this being a year where Bob Dylan music is going to have to pull me through it. On the plus side I got offered a job by Balfour Beatty Rail, which is a bit good but it could mean tha tnext year I could be all over the shot and travelling everywhere.
I also had a comical phone interview with Carillion, I was semi-pissed and my notes were all ready and done, I'd read them through and I was feeling confident. However when it came to it, I was infatuated by the sexy ladys voice and I couldnt string a sentence together. A massive difference to the Balfour phone interview which was really good.
In a nutshell I said I knew nothing about the company, I hated group working with other people who are crap at what they do. That when working part time in the local pub, that a majority of the staff are completely useless. I came across as a babbling nutter who hates people. Slightly accurate in hindsight but not great in an interview. However in construction nothing surprises me, and sure enough 2 hours later I get an email saying that I've passed the first stage and Im through to the face to face interviews. Such low standards. I wouldnt have hired myself on that performance, why the feck should they?
Nutters. Nutters everywhere.
Also I can't wait for someone to boycott EGG and their shitty EGG credit cards. Its an utter joke that they can cancel the credit cards with 35 days notice to customers it "no longer wishes to lend money to". Despite these people paying their credit off as soon as they can and having excellent credit ratings. Yet Egg somehow keep the cards registered to people with poor credit ratings, maxed out cards and ever increasing debts. Profit maximising bastards. Even I say it as being wrong and Im a capitalist to be frank, im not going to sit here and talk about saving the world or being a communist like most other pathetic socialist students. Who are all talk and no action.Lets face it, at the end of the day most students are money driven and have lots of lovely ipods etc, so the concept of them being all sharing, all giving whores of society makes me laugh.
But yeah, heres to EGG going bankrupt. Cheers.
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