Sophie's Planetary Blog

Woaho! Political post hitting you peeps, I kid you not.

2009-10-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

Well, today is politically interesting. Unusual I know.

Nick Griffin (as of writing, I mean you never know, looking at his fat arse, he might pop his clogs of his own accord before the recording takes place... or perhaps even during the recording. The BBC might then be called heroic for inadvertedley killing him off) - I know that was an immature personal attack but forgive me, the man is the Head of the BNP)

As I was writing...

Nick Griffin (What a toss bag - Again forgive me) The political leader (wankface-Again immature I know) of the BNP (Bag 'o' Wanks - I'm trying to remain impartial I promise)

So he's going on Question Time. As of writing there's a bunch of people outside the BBC television centre getting their protest on against this event. Not against Nick Griffin himself, I'd like to make it clear that to me, it appears that they are not protesting against the disgusting, gross little excuses for policies pervaded but this horrid little blemish on the face of British politics. They're not protesting against this disgusting party's ideal of a white supremist Britain, one devoid of equality, fairness, full of hateful prejudice not only of non-white people, but of white immigrants, and homosexuals too.

They're protesting against Nick Griffin (bag of pus - I'm trying I promise) going on Question to express his views on Britain and politics etc (I say views, what I really want to say is poison - but for impartiality's sake... views). In my mind, that is in small part a protest against free-speech, and democracy. I would like to make it clear at this point that you can't call me a fan of the BNP or Nick Griffin (You know, in case you didn't quite understand from earlier brackets).

The fact is, the BNP are a political party. As much as we don't want to admit that such a political group (of wankers) exists, they do. Also we in this country have been blessed with the responsibility of a democracy. And we can't pick and choose our principles, we can't relinquish free speech just because we don't like what is being said. We can't deny democracy to a group or subset of people no matter how much we dislike their ideals. When that starts happening for whatever reason, that's the point I believe where we ourselves begin to move towards fascism. In this case the very thing we are against, we are willing to practice (admittedly on a total bag of pus... but still)

Democracy, is a privilege, and with this there is a responsibility. Holding British nationality, or residency, whether you were born here, or came to settle here gives the responsibility of upholding this democracy regardless of the voice you have to listen to. Because alongside this responsibility comes the power of voting for the voice you want heard.

Because I'm feeling Poetic...

2009-10-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

This time, instead of regaling you with my tales, I've decided to put on a poem I've written.

MDW Lewis.

Laying down your thought foundations,
Building up your concrete heart.
Smelting your hardened veins,
With fires which have left their mark.

Soul Marks,
Burns and Scars,
But I can see you for what you are.

Houses, home is what you could be,
With petunias growing,
And daffodils under the apple tree.

The smell of food wafting by,
Like your laughter, like your cries,
Tears at films, smiles at music

Playing from upstairs.
Laughter, happiness, tea, hot chocolate and good times
In the kitchen of your life,

Hugs, and sadness, with love and support,
In the dining room of your time.
Bathrooms will cleanse, and Bedrooms will please.

But only when this house is complete,
And when there’s curtains up, a few blinds.
And when you’ve put the doormat out,
You’ll invite us all home.

18/10/09

26/09/09 Pubbe, Freshers, RoHo

2009-09-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

Yeah. So I'm still ill. Not annoyingly so, I can now do stuff, and leave the house occasionally. But my sporting habits are still largely off limits. I went to do the freshers fayre, and the effort had me absolutely shattered!

It was a cool week, I had a fairly relaxed Monday and Tuesday. Just trying to find jobs and things while being annoyingly ill.

Finding myself free on Wednesday (on account of still not being able to breath well enough to go to Judo) I went to the Pub with Mikey, Julian, HannaH and Stephen. It was a pretty good night for the most part I believe! While there I also ran into TINO! Who's just come back from working at Disney world for a year. So it was pretty awesome to see him! He also came along with some other people who I don't really rate too highly, and was later joined by my mate Fiona. I also saw Liz, whom I went to school with. I did chat to Tino for quite a while (I mean... he's returned to us from Disney world!!!) But I couldn't really ditch my friends and join their party. It was a good night. Quite blurry if I'm honest. I have memories, just incomplete, and non-sequential in their arrangement within my mind. I remember arriving. Finding a table, and seeing Tino, and Mikey arriving from having watched the match with his brothers... before I started drinking alcohol. I had a hot chocolate, because like most good nights, it started with the best of intentions. I was ill, so I wasn't going to drink. I ended up having a single Southern comfort and Lemonade just as Mike arrived. Then I had one Mike got me... Then the exact number is unknown. I like to call the number of drinks consumed n+2. I didn't drink thaaaat much, but I'd not eaten much either... and my recession friendly drinking abilities have been well documented over the years. I maintain that it's because I have a super efficient liver! From there on I remember hugging Mikey at the bar, Going out to talk to Tino's party, mostly about how great it was for them to see me drunk again, and playing with my empty glass. Mikey said something about going to the Windsor castle, and I remember being very excited about going outside and walking. I remember being really happy walking and talking to Hannah, what about, I have no idea. And wanting to basically break into my old secondary school. And a bright red door with ivy on it, though where I'm not overly sure. I also remember being at the Windsor, and this is where my tummy started hurting (I have this inflamed lining at the moment, drinking doesn't help) so I wanted to go home. And Julian walked me to the bus stop, I think I was basically talking crap, because I don't really remember much of it but I do remember talking at length about the Vietnam war... though details escape me.

Last thing of that night was my, giving my Dad a hug, and then moisturising... to which my Dad increduously asked 'Are you... moisturising!?'

The morning after the night before was a veritable foray into uncomfortable knowledge via blankness. i.e I knew something had happened but don't quite know what. I'm still not overly sure what. I doubt I'll ever really work out what it is my subconscious knows happened but my conscious mind seems to have misplaced the recording. I'm not sure how much it matters seeing as I can't quite remember it. But maybe it'll bite me in the ass one day. Maybe it already has. I just don't know. Then I went to Katie's and had a very nice afternoon with her and Stephen (they are related) drinking tea, talking and eating soup.

Friday was a bit of a hectic day for me, it was good though. I had the annual haircut in the morning, Steve, my hairdresser was happy to see me. I have naturally curly hair, I look like I've had a corkscrew perm freshly put in (According to Steve) all the time. So he always get excited when I come in, because it's an unusual hair-type, and then mildly disappointed when I leave because somehow he can never recreate it. I'm slowly trying to gradually tell him how I achieve my curls, but it's odd telling a hairdresser how to do a style. As it's his job, and I feel terribly rude. I keep dropping subtle hints every time I have a haircut (regularly once a year since I was 17). So far I've worked up to telling him that I either let my hair dry naturally, or if it's cold hairdry it on a hot setting, without wind. The problem is, he treats my hair as though it's been permed. It's logical, because my hair behaves that way. So he used to blow dry it with cold air (and it frizzed, he's given up on that after 3 years), crinkle and shape it with his hands, and put wax on it (so now it goes weirdly straight and curls at the end... like a poodle). However the trick to my hair is to do as little as possible, little bit of mousse to keep the style for the week, blowdry the roots upside-down so gravity doesn't flatten the top (old trick from the 1970s) and then just leave it. It'll sort itself out. My hair's done for the week, no brushing, no insane styling, just shaking it out in the morning, maybe clipping bits out of my eyes for safety reasons and tying it up for Judo.

After that I had to shoot off to the Fresher's Fayre. I was in the tent doing the Judo table, next to the Karate table, trying to get all the lovely freshers to join up. It was quite nice, I was with my mate Alexandra (looking forward to throwing her about on Thursday) and it was fairly funny both of us being these rather slim, delicate and feminine girls advertising judo. Got talking to the Karate guys next to her too, I think it was James, another guy Tom?, Raqhel, and Dan. Just comparing our sports as they're usually lumped together. Loads of girls joined up Karate, as it's less contact and good to build confidence for self-defence. We sort of came to the conclusion that here, and not disrespectfully, Karate is the girls sport, and Judo is the men's sport. Karate scares me, because it's less contact, but there's always more blood, and bruises... I don't like punching and kicking. I find Judo gentler in that respect. It's more physical contact, but I can deal better with being thrown and tackled than being punched and kicked.

So me, and Alexandra, totally using our feminine charms to get people to join. I was worse, waving and smiling at people completely flirting with boys and girls alike. It was most humorous how many males just walked up to us not knowing what our table was only to be hit we 'Care to join our Judo club?' and then grinning shyly and walking away. Quite a few sadly did cite, not wanting to be beaten up by girls like us as a reason for not joining. I even tries the 'it's a good way to meet girls' line, to which I got... 'but I don't want to be beaten up by them!' Some just freely admitted that they didn't like sports like that. We did totally judge people... a sort of 'Care to join judo/karate?'
'No,'
'Probably couldn't do it anyway!'
I had a particularly funny fresher who after a long attempt to persuade him said 'I don't like being touched!' to which I pointed him in the direction of the Karate table. We, the Japanese martial art lot, ended up making this arrangement that if we got someone who didn't like the sound of Judo, point them to the Karate table, and if the Karate people got someone who didn't like Karate, point them to us. It did work well. We got a surprising number to sign up for both. The timings work out well too, Karate's the day before Judo (had it been the other way round, no one would ever make it to Karate after Judo... there's muscles aching that you never knew existed). It was nice how many girls we got to join up, especially ones which seemed shy, or ones who used to do it. I saw Tom, who started with me, but graduates next year and got him to sign up. I hope he comes along, it'll be nice to see him. The event was a bit long though. We all kind of began to do this sort of challenge, try and get the least likely person to sign up to our respective sport. So, really skinny men, and really made up queen bee types at the extreme of the spectrum. It was quite fun actually. I managed to persuade a couple of the hairspray brigade to join up, and some skinny men, Alexandra got none, but did get some skinny men, Raqhuel got quite a lot of girls.

In other news, lock up your sons, I'm a free agent again! :-D

Rupa coming, seeing Corin again, Mikey and Julian... Thames Festival, illness etc

2009-09-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

So, I'm F*cking ill. again. Jeebies. It's super piss taking.

I was ill, last week, fever for two straight days, just lying in bed all aloney, then I was fine, went to 10+ judo, did the Thames festival (awesome) then just chilled on Monday and Tuesday. Decided to try and go to Tai chi in the fearsome rain, failed, came back with a mild sniffle, went to an AWESOME session of Judo on Wednesday... dying thursday, friday but feeling a little better today.

It was MAN flu. I hate the mild insanity I suffer when I have something like that though, I can't really take being confined to bed for several days. Most people settle in, whack on some DVDs and just chill. I die inside, wondering could the hours go any slower. And I get so lonely! What I really really want is someone to come and give me a cuddle, but naturally being diseased I'm treated like a leper. My mum describes me as turning into a 5 year old. I'm just sad, lonely and depressed when ill, dare I say it: even a bit irrational. It doesn't help that in this state, when I'm not sleeping I spend hours just thinking. I've got nothing to take my mind off things so I just spend hours pondering and thinking about my life. And because I'm feeling physically poor, everything seems to take on a bit of a negative tint.

God I hate feeling vulnerable.

Anyhoo, enough whining.

The Thames festival was AWESOME! In fact that entire weekend was fairly sweet as far as the weekends of my life go. I shall start from the Saturday:

Saturday:
I had a lovely session of 10+ judo. Yes. I do Judo with children. And no, they aren't that much smaller than me. It's why I go. I partnered up with Sophie, sensei's daughter, who's pretty good when she wants to be but does spend quite a lot of time being fun and 10 years old. She's pretty cool, she has quite a cool attitude, which I imagine is probably a bit of a problem at school but absolutely fine by me! But during groundwork and standing randori I got partnered with another little girl new to this class, who's just turned 10... and she's weeeeny and so cute. she had her hair all plaited back, and just the biggest eyes. During groundwork she pinned me down with mune katame (basically lying down diagonally across someone) and I rolled her over. I think it was the first time this had ever happened to her because she went all quiet for a second and I got worried for a moment thinking 'oh god did I scare her? Is she ok?' And then she looked up at me from the mat, giggled and asked me to do it again. Afterwards I went with Tom, who's 17, and has a curly 'fro, (side show bob style) information valid for this next point. While in Newaza randori we were rolling around, and I face planted him into the fake wall. He was really quiet on account of being stunned, and just remained planted in the wall. For about a second I was really worried because he paused for just a little too long for my liking... then I died laughing for about 5 minutes. It looked like his hair was sprouting from the wall. He was fine, a little stunned and luckily he saw the funny side to my just dying of laughter.

After the awesomness that was Judo, and hanging out with Louise at the dojo it was onwards to an afternoon of meditation down at the sivinada centre.

It was a pretty cool session of meditation, did some bear OMing although I admittedly couldn't last the whole 20 minute session. I found it difficult to meditate with the room. It was open meditation, so there were a surprising number of skinni health freak bitches who either left early, or were a bit pious. The person taking the meditation gave me a nick name 'Nirvana' spanning from a joke I told when she was explaining the point of the class. It went something along the lines of her saying 'So, yeah, it's not like we're going for Nirvana or anything' to my retorting 'I didn't think you could achieve Nirvana in a session... or in a single life time for that matter.' Afterwards we stayed for food. It was some good ayurvedic vegetarian munchies, the sweet was particularly nice. We also met up with this other woman from the punjab, born of Birmingham, but living in London and just chatted for hours and hours...

THEN RUPA CAME!

God I love Rupa, if she were an man, we'd be an item. By some luck despite train delays we managed to get off the train at the same time as her and we all went back to mine. It was AWESOME! She helped me clean my room. All those who know me well will understand the grave undertaking this feat was. But yes, with Rupa's leadership, some disco tunes, and half the night we managed it. I have a clean room. I can take people into my room. There is FLOOR!

Then we went to sleep. The first night we were a bit... YOU there! stay on YOUR side. *poke* *shove* *kick*

Sunday:

Then it was the day of the closing of the Thames festival. I was up for going to see the night carnival and the firework display and we'd invited Mikey, Julian and my good old friend Corin - who'd I'd not seen in about 4 years.

Me and Rupa made it down by about 5pm ish, and we just walked over around via the London Eye, we went up and down the promenade a bit, saw a man do a very elegant and balanced dance with some glass orbs. We also saw a modern indian dance/song and beatbox fusion show, and then we went and ate some Ghanian food while watching diversity up on stage. Then bought a new half size giant bubble wand (portability) and a small bottle of fluid. Eventually we went over to the National gallery to use the ladies and sat in there a bit as it had become cold. At this point I put on my bright orange fleece and we started eating my jelly beans. I got a voicemail saying that Mikey and Julian had arrived (about 2 hours late) and we walked back up towards the London eye thinking we probably won't find them. Up by the fudge stall, I tried to call Mikey but it went to voicemail, but got lucky with Julian. I told him what I could see, to which he inquired 'Are you... wearing Orange!?'

Mikey tried to jump me, but I turned around just in time and it turned into a hug.

So we all introduced ourselves, and began to amble downwards towards the site of the carnival. We made a detour though to the crazy plant man and I bought some Lemon thyme because it's a childhood smell, and I love it. Mikey insisted we all get a picture of us and crazy plant man.

Eventually we managed to squeeze a space fairly close to the parade, and sort of teetering on the edge of the curb I could see quite a lot.

And my, it was an amazing sight to behold. Colours, sparkles, glitter, floats and dancers it was moments after moments of pure joy. I remember the near naked dancing girls, decked out like Brazilian dancers and bejeweled bras and thongs (Mikey's face lit up, Julian looked down at the ground). Me and Rupa were dancing. Eventually I left the crowd to find Corin who ironically had been sitting by a tree behind us. And it was so good to see him. We spent a couple of minutes behind the crowd just catching up and hugging. It was amazing to actually meet him again. He expressed glee at my height... 'You're just so SMALL!' as he had forgotten what it was like to be around me. And then we went back to watching the parade, which was continually brilliant. Just all the different themes, and the colours. There seemed to be a bit of a seasonality thing happening, with white floats and dancers being wintery, and then there was a death type theme with skeletons, and then there was harvest, with giant onions and children. And then there was a brilliant party float, which just had two radio DJs playing bonkers with urban dancers who got us all dancing.

When it had finished I introduced Corin to everyone else and we stood around just talking and getting aquainted. I remember introducing Julian and Mikey as being married for 6 months and Rupa as my lesbian lover. To which Corin decided to beseech the world for a man to call his own. All in jest of course.

And then we went on to watch the fireworks over the Thames...

... which were amazing, naturally. I wouldn't expect any less of my home city. Seriously though they were brilliant, it was combination of location (over the Thames, the fireworks themselves reflecting off the surrounding buildings of glass, and the river waters itself) and the fireworks themselves being so very spectacular.

At some point before watching the fireworks, we decided that Julian was dressed like a lamp post, and that I was dressed a heater. Mikey decided to pretend I was a heater and warm his hands over me, while I waved mine about like a fire. Myself and Corin played a game where we determined whether or not I could kick him in the stomach from a standing position. I can. Rupa wondered for the millionth time why the hell does she know me. Then saw the fireworks and remembered it's because I'm awesome.

After the lighting high of the fireworks we ambled over to the Fire garden. It was a bit of an uncomfortable walk, but I'd been really looking forward to seeing it, and I sensed everyone else was the a bit... 'Um ok then,' So naturally I was a bit tentative and hoping it was awesome. And luckily it was possibly one of the greatest sites, and sights I'd ever had the greatest fortune to behold. It was utterly startling, amazing and surreal. The moment I walked through the margin of trees to the green of the Modern Tate it was like going through the looking glass and falling through the rabbit hole, entering the wardrobe and falling of the edge of the world. That was the feeling, but it was our moment of walking over the concrete and through the white birch margin to the garden of the fire alchemists.

I loved it. The fire had been placed in all sorts of strange and beautiful ways so that in one sculpture it looked like a bath tub and show of fire. Another sculpture was these giant spheres with little flames dotted around. My personal favourites were the smaller sculptures, which looked a bit like autumnal and a little like they might be in a Tim Burton film one day but far less threatening, or obnoxiously alternative. But instead of leaves, little leaf-like flames To me they were just magical, the first wander around that garden was a pure and perfect moment for me. It took me back to a time when I was little, and just had a pure gentle appreciation for things like the sky, and ice cream. I still have a pure gentle appreciation for the sky. I just don't look up as much as I did when I was 3 years old.

After a little wonder around, where I fell into my own little world. I came back to the group and we got cold and found one of the little pots of fire which was free. There were many little pots of fire just dotted around and people were sitting around them as they were nice and camp fire-like. And all five of us sat and warmed ourselves around the fire. And we talked, the way you can only talk when huddled around a fire together. Mikey set the 'round the fire question of the most pain we'd ever been in. I think myself and Corin might've tied that one. His appendix exploded, when my appendix came out I had an allergic reaction after the operation which led to my being off all post-operation painkillers for 2 hours. Rupa's was her bending a finger backwards, Julian's getting his foot run over, and Mikey's getting his nose broken? Then we spent ages burning twigs and throwing things in the pot of fire, while making silly voices. I came quite close to burning coring with a glowing twig. I don't think he noticed, or if he did he was very cool about it.

We would've stayed there all night (or at least until 3am when it suddenly gets freezing cold) but a man came to tell us that they were dismantling the garden and thus we had to move on. Corin walked us to the bridge, then said his goodbyes before heading in the opposite direction. Mikey, Julian, Rupa and I walked up to Waterloo, where we managed to get a train to Leicester Square but then had to get the night bus as we'd missed the last tube.

We walked over to the stop, Julian made a detour, so myself, mike, and Rupa went to have a look at the fourth plinth in Trafalagar Square. It's the plinth where every hour they pop a random person on it and hope they do something interesting. There was a naked man on it the other day, there were complaints but he wasn't being crude so people just had to deal with it. We seemed to have just missed a fun looking man for a woman who stood up there and took pictures from the plinth.

Eventually Julian rejoined us, and we went onwards to the bus stop and waited about 5 or so minutes and got onto the night bus. We all managed to get a seat, and we sat vaguely together in the sense that we all had to sit on a bench with a stranger, but all the benches we were on were all adjacent to one another bar Mikey who was centrally opposite thus in communication range of myself, Julian and Rupa (we were sat in that order starting from the Anterior end of the bus but not at its extreme). We tried a little conversation but, we were all a bit tired out by this point. Mikey had an earache, Julian was brooding over something and Rupa was out of range for me to gauge her condition. She later admitted to just dozing for a while at this point.

I eventually fell asleep anyway, as I do on long journeys or when tired on public transport. We kept going over bumps though, the motion of which kept nudging me awake. There was a point when I think I must've woken up, and was very lucid where Julian's eyes looked very softly at me and he looked very pretty. I thought I was dreaming at the time, but I surmised that it must've been a moment of semi-conciousness. I did keep waking up subsequently and asking questions such as where are we? How long to go? And Michael poked my foot once to get me to wake up because the man sitting next to me looked a bit worried. When I politely asked him, he just wanted to get off the bus and wasn't sure how to disturb my sleeping, and had been considering ninja-ing over me or something. After that Rupa came and sat next to me, but refused to let me nap on her. So I lay on her and squished her right up next to the window. She was not impressed.

Eventually we all got off at the Bus garage. Julian went home, and Mikey waited with us for a bus. I put on my Judo hoodie at this point as it was gone 1am and rather colder. Then Me and Rupa got on the 281 and went home, did the girls out late brisk 'I'm not getting mugged so help me' walk to my house to find my stupid Dad had bolted the door. Because he is a bit of a fool. My Mum later ripped him a new one for it.

Eventually got in, had some spinach and Paneer (Mum made it... it was awesomely lovely. The paneer was just right) and then put on some Pajamies and had a hot chocolate with Rupa. She fannied about brushing her teeth. Then we went to bed.

It was really cold though, so I snuggled up next to her back for warmth. She craned her neck around, and I looked up at her hoping she wouldn't tell me to sod off. She just said 'aaawwww,' and admitted she was cold too, and that I was like I little animal.

So we huddled up for warmth. Not in a lesbian way. More like Bear Grylls and Will Ferrel in the artic circle kind of way.

My Life Since my last post. Pt 1

2009-09-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yeah so it's been a while.

I've been pretty rubbish at blogging, mostly because I've been living and partly because I'm a sporadic kittykat kind of lady.

But let's see, last post was May 2008.

Since then, I did some pretty cool things, I did my final year project, my dissertation, my final year in general and I graduated (2.1 BSc hons Biology with Science Communications... baby YEAH!)

So yeah. I'm a grown up according to the minor technicalities... inside I'm still infantile... a bit.

News on the squirrel front. They all seem to have disappeared entirely. but the foxes are on the up!
Oh and the cat from over the way has become my unofficial pet, he comes in now rolls around a bit in our house, gets a cuddle off me and/or my brother and leaves. He really is a beautiful creature. When I have a good picture of him I'll put it here. He is a truly loveable creature. His demeanour is that of a sleepy fluffy puppy. He basks in our conservatory and sometimes cleans himself there too. He loves sugar.

In the last year, I took up giant bubble blowing and Judo, have been doing those hobbies for about a a year. I say Judo's a hobby, I have been engaging in the way of life for about a year. I've kept up with Tai Chi and Yoga. Oh and I have abs, which if ever a photograph was ever taken of them, the only airbrushing required would be for my scar :-p

I love blowing giant bubbles, they are amazing, I will write properly about them in their own right soon enough hopefully with pictures. They are just that good!

I had a fairly amazing summer.
July this year just gone was certainly one for the history books upon my life. I am going to list all of the amazing things which happened to me:

Matie Amrit took me to a FREE gig for my birthday. Not just any free gig... no no no... FRANZ FERDINAND! supported by the awesomely wonderous PASSION PIT! My god it was amazing. Passion pit were really really good, I totally rocked out to sleepyhead. But Franz... of Franz ferdinand are just about the sexiest bunch of guitar welders I've ever had the great fortune to see live. We were quite close to the front, and the guitarist jumped into the crowd right in front of us... it was an awesome night.

My super sweet friend Rupa did a lovely thing for me on my birthday... I threw a bit of a strop this year because I usually arrange something for my birthday and then hardly any one turns up because the timing is bad. And they just seem to not bother entirely But last year I turned 21, so was expecting frankly a bit more effort. Yet was met with a poor response. So this year I just threw a bit of a 'fuck you all... I'm not arranging anything' because frankly I was really disappointed last year and didn't want to get my expectations up just to have them uncaringly dashed. Because I hatet having that kind of dissapointment on my birthday. My mate rupa had a metaphorical aneurism at this logic and came down from Oxford to London for the day and threw me a surprise outing to the science musuem. It wasn't a total surprise because she realised she didn't know all my friends and had to get me to invite them. I completely appreciated the gesture though. And she is a total diamond mate in my life forever more.

I graduated. I am a graduate. The ceremony was beautiful, all set up in the chapel at RoHo. It was very old fashioned with the royal guard and everything. I loved it. I was terrified though. I'm told that when I was collecting my scroll I just looked very confused, as though I was wondering why I was there. To be honest I was just feeling quite nervous and disorientated. And trying not to fall over in my giant red heels. Because I wore red heels to my ceremony. I figured if I was going to join the realm of the grown-ups, I would do so swinging. I got drunk, spoke to my lecturers, discovered they all love me despite my scatterbrainedness. Got a hug of Drs Lopez and Angus. Took lots of pictures with me, Mike, Tristan, and Rpa among others. Got a final picture with Rupa... and came to the realisation that now on... I am a visitor to Royal Holloway...
... except that somehow I've been dragged into to freshers fayre... !?

RJ came down, and we passed a nice time blowing giant bubbles. Me and Julie spent quite a few days together, and one of the coolest things happened. We were sort of chilling in the park, he'd brought me some bananas and I'd eaten them, except I always leave a little bit. And while we were still and chillling, I managed to feed a squirrel by hold the bana out to it. And it came right up to my hand, and took it. That was quite a cool moment.

I went to yet another awesome gig. Sundae in the park... This being with Rupa, Amrit and Ian. We got our faces painted, ate free ice cream and candy floss... AND got to see camera obscura, the futureheads and Human league... it was AWESOME! For the futtureheads we were about 5-7 metres away from the stage, and ian put me up on his shoulders and I could see the band right up close!!! and they could see me!!! And for Human league me and rupa serenaded electric dreams to each other before munching on free ice cream cookie sandwiches. She stayed over, it was nice. Really odd though because I sort of ended up tucking her in. She was cute though, like a little child.

Finally, on the last day I started seeing someone. He's difficult, but amazing... and I'm essentially happy.

My Standards.

2008-05-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here are my standards when it come to the opposite sex and mate potential:

1. Must have a sense of humour that correlates with mine (I laugh at them, they laugh at me)
2. Must be able to look after himself.
3. Must be content if left alone when I'm busy. But not resort to being a whore if left to own devices for ten seconds.

Here are my optional standards:

1. Vague intelligence.
2. Decent looks. (Astigmatism, lazy eye, thinning hair, crooked nose accepted within reason ie if you look like jabba the hut then no.)

I am willing to accept most faults under the condition that most of my faults are accepted.

I ask of you.

Do I ask for too much in a man???

People of the world! I introduce to you. HANDSHAKE!

2007-02-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

Handshake

It's a band. It is unsigned. Go here and know it first so that in the future when people are going mad about it you can smugly admit they they were THE uni band back when.

Here's the website to pick up the latest tunes, photos, and other stuff.

www.handshakemusic.com

p.s Julie, Mikey I'd really appreciate it if you put this on your blogs and sites too as A mate has asked me to help with getting word about his band and gigs out.

Again. More posts.

2007-02-11T03:16:00.000-08:00

I concede I need to post on both blogs at the same time.

Reasons to love Mac
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7:14pm Saturday, Feb 10 | Edit Note | Delete
1. It works. It just does. You buy it, switch it on, load it, secure it, set it for the UK. And you are away.

2. It keeps on working. No matter what you demand of it. It's like you ask it to be on the internet, on face book, while loading something on Youtube, and playing itunes while you've got a word document up (procrastinating) and it just nods and gets on with it. Smoothly.

3. It does Microsoft Office better than Microsoft.

4. It has stuff on it. It's like you've not just bought a pretty electronic technologically advanced box. It's a box of magic tricks.

5. It's a box of speedy, smooth and clean magic tricks.

6. The display has brought me to tears with its artistry.

7. You look at it closed, and dormant and feel like you've just bought shiny new shoes of the wow! variety.

8. It laughs in the face of viruses and blows rasberries at spyware

9. It's tough.

10. Did I mention that it just works? With no protests, and little fuss.
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It's Snowy
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10:35am Thursday, Feb 8 | Edit Note | Delete
It has been snowing for about three hours now...

Needless to say I didn't go into Uni.
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I expressed my deep displeasure at someone talking in a lecture
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11:33pm Wednesday, Feb 7 | Edit Note | Delete
I also did not think much of her attitude. Needless to say, heated words were exchanged. Names were unstylishly thrown at me. She labled me a midget, which was perceptive of her. I resisted the temptation to pass a comment implying the person involved being on the larger side (it involved the words 'ate', 'all', 'the', and 'pies') as I felt that at the time being reduced to personal attacks would somehow weaken my argument.

Then much flouncing out occurred on my part.

I thought I'd leave before the remains of my dignity left me.

I am not entirely sure what to make of it.

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People who talk in lectures. Top Gear
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10:04am Sunday, Feb 4 | Edit Note | Delete
People who talk in lectures. Now this is talking, sitting in the back rows and actually holding a conversation. Not whispering, not passing the odd comment, not quickly asking about a missed note. This is ACTUAL chatting. An actual chat, giggling included.

Why. WHY!? It's a lecture L - E - C - T - U - R - E. Why come to it in the first place if you are just going to sit around annoying everyone else - who ARE trying to take notes, because funnily enough they want to pass their first year, and heaven forbid actually get a degree - because you have an inability to shut the hell up and just sit quietly and POLITELY wait for it to finish! Sod off to crosslands! Do the decent thing and LEAVE at the break! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Hisham If you were talking I forgive you. Because after I ranted at the break you did the decent thing and stayed quiet, and you are normally a beacon of excellent manners *hugs hugs hugs*

And finally...

Top Gear.

Yay!

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New Shoes
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9:46pm Wednesday, Jan 31 | Edit Note | Delete
Yay!
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Guard arguing with passenger. Prince Harry. Oil. Jade Goody
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9:01pm Monday, Jan 22 | Edit Note | Delete
On the train this afternoon. At Feltham (ie craphole) this male between 18-20 came on and got all pissy with the guard. Who to be fair was a bit of a self important twat anyway. The argument I believe was that male unwittingly got on slow train, and prior to doors closing asked (in quite an impolite manner - y'know 'pbrrrrreeeeeppp bled' sort of coloquialism) whether or not this train would arrive at Clapham Junction quickly. The guard naturally fulfilled his duty as a self important twat rather than helpful member of British rail staff and flounced by. Male was not deeply impressed. He continued to express his sentiments by refusing to show his ticket. Maturely stating that since the guard ad shown little respect to his query he was to show little respect to the guard's request. I said mature, under the understanding that the word was entirely subjective. He then threatened to 'bang up' the guard. I understand this as a threat of violence. To which the guard threatened violence back, and to throw male off train. I began moving away at this point for if there were to be an assault I'd much rather not be in the role of witness. I have little time for the arguments, follies, and rudeness of strangers.

Ooo and Prince Harry is training for Iraq. He sets of in April. Does anyone else get the feeling that this is something of a con? Saddam is dead, a law has been passed stating that most the major oil companies will get 30% of all oil profits from Iraq. So anyone else get the feeling that Britain is putting its exit strategy into effect and the troops will be out by March 31st? No? No one?

And did anyone else notice that the week everyone got all pissy about Blair getting a free holiday at Bee Gee Robin Gibb's (Sunbathing topless you may have noticed). The aforementioned oil law was passed. Quite frankly I don't see the problem with such freebies as a holiday at a Bee Gee's pad. In fact I certainly wouldn't say no I'm the prime inister, I can't have fun, or have friends. I would be there like a shot. Interestingly it quite happily deflected from the oil law. You know the 30% profit to most major companies. That thing hinted that the war was something of an immoral, ruthlessly commercial, and utter dissapointment in the principles and values of the Rpublican and Labour governments.

Oh and something else to make you proud to be British.

Jade Goody.

Holy Shit.

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And people! Join up on facebook! It's by far the best way of keeping in contact!

Admin. Squirrels. and the Wheelie bin

2007-01-11T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have no idea what my lectures are next week. Bugger.

The squirrels have quietened down... It could've been because it was a bit nippy today and they didn't fancy coming out. Or they could have all killed each other in a final fearsome battle royale. But now it's just too quiet. i hope they don't blooming well start on each other at 2am again. A fox stole someone's leather purse. Stupid fox. It was found in someone elses garden with teeth marks down it. But the squirrels...

And I found out what happened to our wheelie bin. As it turns out, it wasn't stolen. The bin men just moved it to the wrong house. It's been in the driveway between the Mme Madras and the dude with the cats for a month. They just couldn't work out who it belonged to until word got around that our wheelie bin had gone missing.

So we got it back.

And now own two wheelie bins.

But Hounslow is still home to thieves, and Pikeys.

Recent Blog Entries from Facebook

2007-01-10T04:32:00.000-08:00

Because Julie complained about my not updating this blog...

Pikeys, and Thieves of West London
Thursday 21st December

Someone, or some people have nicked our wheelie bin. Again.

That's twice. TWO times. Two wheelie bins.

That's £100 worth of wheelie bin. Gone.

What on earth is wrong with this world when not even your wheelie bin is safe? What kind of place are we living in when you have to chain a wheelie bin to your house to stop people from nicking it.

Our neighbour lost a wheelie bin too, earlier this year after our first wheelie bin was stolen. Theirs £80. An £80 wheelie bin. To make matters worse it migh have seemed like just any other surprisingly large wheelie bin - but theirs had sentimental value. It used to belong to the family next to them before they emigrated to Australia.

The people over the road lost a wheelie bin, as did their neighbour.

This bastards are planning and executing these thefts with military precision.
This is organised crime.

Merry Christmas
Monday 25th December

Just got in from church. Ooo yes. Midnight mass. Hardcore Christanity. New priest. I'm not overly inspired by him if I'm honest. I miss Fr. Seamus. and Fr. DUDE! Ahhhh Fr. Dude, and best person and worst priest. I wonder where he got posted. Brentford?

The church was emptier than usual this year. It is sad. It could well be that lots of people are just headed for the 9.30 mass on Christmas day but realistically I reckon people just aren't bothered. There's something deeply melancholic about a church that isn't full and bursting at midnight on Christmas day. I mean. I know I do Biology and what have you, with all its evolution, and the next time I go to church may well be easter, or Christmas 2007. But Religion's like that. It's not like an appendix that can get chopped out and bar the scar you're none the wiser. It's like a person. It has her own personality, can be a bit off, but largely lovable. There might be a bit of blackmail, a bit of guilt, and the occasional inconvenience. Really though you miss it when it's not there. And greet it like an old friend when it turns up a couple times a year for the festivities, or call upon it when shit's happening.

Good Lord. I might not be quite the bad Catholic I believe myself to be...

To cheer myself up a bit, and distract myself of thoughts of the decline of the church, the piss poor homily, and the empty hedonism that pervades this time of year...
I've seen so many old mates!!!!
I saw Fiona!!! Waving at me. Like a loon. While walking 'solemnly' down from taking communion. And Dom who's life has finally sorted itself out. And Annie, and Smithie. All primary scholl, and all big now.

At Paul's I saw PAUL! and his lady. They are lovely. And his lady has come round to the idea of white jeans = Comedious occurance. Paul is still ever so slightly mad. And Tanya, and Callum, who are as lovely as ever. Rikinder!!! who now has emo hair, and sorting his life. I saw Rachel, always nice just before Christmas. Among others, I saw REYNOLDS! Ahhh Matt is still the sweet old eejit we know and love. And still remembers 'Je me suis perdu'

*sigh*

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Boobies
Friday 29th December

I'm bored

Alcohol brings out the domestic goddess within
Wednesday 3rd January

At least that's how it works out for me.

While under the influence recently I have:

Cleaned someone's bathroom.
Cleaned our toilet.
Tried to bake chocolate fondants (until mum took the electric whisk off me, citing drunken use of whisk a bad idea)
Baked a pain d'epice
Decorated Christmas fairy cakes while watching strictly come dancing. They turned out looking like a five year old's interpretation of christmas trees, and Bruce Forsight was funny.
Done the dishwasher, though admittedly put everything in the wrong place
Started cleaning my room at 2am

Hmm.

It's like the aging parishoner within is fighting to get out.

Hounslow
Wednesday 3rd January

Holy Shit.

Even the McDonalds there is crappier than all the other McDonalds.

An Eternal Battle Royale
Monday 8th January

The squirrels are having a huge turf war. It's the worst I've ever seen. It's been threatening to happen for a few months now, but this last week it's been nothing but violence in the small woods/large clump of trees at the back of my house.
It's horrible really, they are small fuzzy bubbles of cuteness out to kill each other over that eternal quest for territory. Usually it's fine, there's only at most three, four squirrels that come into my garden, and whatever size the territory they seem to get on but with only the occasional fight. The big assed change that led to this horrendous spate of violence is that both breeding times (Spring and Autumn???) seem to have been fairly successful. Grey squirrels breed twice a year, but usually only a couple from the litters survive, and a lot of babies from the second litter don't survive the winter. This year however, and probably due to the mildness of the season there' are lots of squirrel babies who seem to have survived the winter. The spring litter did well too, and by late summer/autumn they were establishing their territories and were so cute being only about 3/4 months old. But now the babies from the winter litter are trying to establish their own territories and they aren't migrating. They're fighting for it.

This week:

Two squirrels going at it matrix style, then joined by a third, it went on for about 45 minutes
Three squirrels in this strange scratching match on our shed. They were holding each other with one arm, and with their free arm punching and scratching each other.
Two squirrels again matrix style.
Five squirrels holding this standoff in the trees much angered grunting ensured before one of them leapt at another one and all hell broke loose and shit went down. Angry squirrel shrieking. That went on for hours.
Two squirrels, much angered grunting as a bigger squirrel chased a smaller squirrel.
One squirrel was perched up really high in the trees, when another squirrel swung through the air from another tree and pushed it off. I think that squrrel may have bitten the dust, I didn't see it come back up.
Last night at 2am, was awoken by loud squirrel grunting and angry shrieking.

It's gotten ugly.

So yeah, that's all my notes from the last month. Mostly for Julie who probably forms about 75% of my readership.

Tom. Rupa. And Sophieisms

2006-11-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

Yeah. I'd almost forgotten how people who didn't know me reacted to my own special brand of unwavering, 'fools step where angels fear to tread honesty'. I've been so comfy with people who know me well, and so were used to my constant unabridged observation and opinion.

Well, my new mate Rupa has branded these episodes as 'Sophieism' (singular) where I say something that technically should get me killed, or in the very least beaten up yet somehow don't.

Brighton Rock

2006-10-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just in from brighton. But having been with my parents, I did not go clubbing. I did however have a good ole time on the pier, and won a crappy nerve ball with some wool for hair and a smilie face... My Dad won a penguin for my brother. Had a really nice Thai dinner. and did a wee bit o shopping and fishing.

I also got three lovely spanking new albums. This is a big deal for me. I LOVE getting new CDs.

The Fratellis - Costello music - It's soooooo gooooooood. It's not exactly massively ground breaking but who cares? It's the best party music this year. Not too cringie, but enough to boogie too, and a grand sing - a - long opportunity with most tracks.

Paulo nutini - These Streets - a softer side to me. It's very good, he's got a really nice but decidedly unique voice. The songs despite not being the most complex are lovingly put together. There's a soul about the whole album that just makes you want to sit through the entire thing and get a little lost in the music. My personal faourites include the two singles and New shoes. That's such a brilliant song... about the joys of new shoes. and how spanking new shoes can make you in a really childish way feel spanky

The Killers - sam's town... haven't listened to it yet...

Goodnight!

Freshers Week...

2006-09-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Just ended.

Wowsers.

Studently got mildly tipsy on Saturday.

Zillions of introductory lectures.

How to be a good student.

What to do.

What not to do.

Do not vault the back gate.

Do not lose fingers.

Do get various vaccinations.

Be prepared for this hotpot of a minefield of disease.

Have been lost.

Walked for miles.

Missed a bus.

Missed a train.

Met some cool new people.

Met some of my lecturers.

Met my personal Advisor.

He is a complete dude.

I am a student.

With discounts.

And a dissection kit.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

p.s Have not neither texts or lab coat.

p.p.s STOP STEPHEN BECOMING BEARDIE!!!!!

Just in from me Holidays

2006-09-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

And am greeted with the news of Steve Irwins death. Which is sad. And despite his critics I quite admired him for his guts, and his enthusiastic approach to conservation.

Then I find out that Tony Blair will soon be resigning. That *%$*^££%"£"%£^$"%%$!£&%^*$£%£U*&&&$"^&"$$"¬"%^%&%*^&()@(^&$**%£@@@%£^££%"£ Gordon Brown, it seems has finally manged to force him out.

I want to demand a re-election.

God. I don't care if the conservatives are in next. Just. Not. Gordon. Brown.

And I am selling raffle tickets. I am a fool. I've left school. I thought that I'd be free from the duties of selling raffle tickets but no. Some very nice sounding lady rang up, and got my name, and before I knew it, I'd agreed.

I'd like to stress at this point that I am as cynical as I'd like to think. I know that if they donated the money spent keeping the charity offices, and organising a raffle they could halp people just as well. I know i can't make a difference I think the world is poo. I'm mean. And I'm thrifty.

BAH! Humbug.

And now I'd like to tell you that the charity I'm selling raffle tickets for is the RNIB. I'm helping raise money for their Talking book service.

Yes. Helping blind kids read.

New suggestion on how to stop Stephen becoming a beardie.

2006-08-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Subject him to a Richard Curtis Marathon, that'll surely break his spirit! Saving the cringiest for last.

Starting with:

Notting Hill
Bridget Jones 1 AND 2 consecutively.
Four weddings and a funeral

Then...

LOVE ACTUALLY!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Results Day

2006-08-17T01:20:00.000-07:00

This post on the 17th of August 2006 will come in pieces.

9:16

I haven't rung up my uni yet. I am instead enjoying my last few moments of uncertainty with a cup of tea and my mum. I'm not sure how to feel and as a result I'm feeling quite cheerful. In about half an an I shall feel either euphoria or dissapointment. Hopefully the former.

10:23

I'M IN!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

Come September 26th I shall be a student of Royal Holloway University of London.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

Ways To Stop Stephen Growing a Beard.

2006-08-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

For we do not want Stephen to become beardie.

1. Bribe him.

2. shave off his eyebrows and hold them to ransom.

3. Steal his laptop and hold IT to ransom.

4. Steal Julian, and threaten to kill him should stephen not shave his beard.

5. Engage in a highly secret and complicated night time mission to shave off his beard as he sleeps. And then blaming the missing facial hair on eating vast amounts of chocolate, or 'green lanterns'. *

6. Positive reinforcement.

7. Negative reinforcement.**

8. Wet Fish.

*
Operation eliminate beardie.
Agent number one going out on the field, and via a highly complex system of cables, pulleys and hooks, gliding noiselessly from the secret base to Stephen's room (codenamed the nest). Agent number two will be back at base, with a laptop, webcam, microphone, a mini mass spectrometer, an electronic pH reader and a whole bunch of other micro super agentie type gedgets some of which Agent number two has dispatched along with agent number one. She is guiding Agent number one by reading a bunch of sensors attachted to Agent number one's agent suit. For example, she's reading infrared, sonic radar, night vision, day vision, sound, ultraviolet, information of the surroundings alongside Agent number one's vital stats.

Agent number one mean while will then absail over stephen's bed, dangling precariously over his bed with some shaving foam and a couple razors take car of the facial hair...

**
Negative reinforcement...

Right. In the dead of night, two unidentified people go into Stephen's room. Splash ice cold water over him, knock him about a bit with his laptop, spash him again with cold water. Blindfold him, walk him around a bit and spinn him around to confuse him before plopping him onto a spinnie chair and shining a desk lamp into his face WWII torture/interogation stylee. Then once balacavers are safely on take off the blindfold and threaten to kill Stephen's laptop if he doesn't shave the beard. And possibly enter into a dialogue such as this:

XX: Shave the beard

Stephen: No

[Stephen gets a whack over the head with his laptop, and an electric shock from the electrodes attached to his nipples.]

XX: Shave the beard

Stephen: No

[Stephen gets a whack over the head with his laptop and an electric shock from the electrodes attached to his nipples.]

And so on and so forth until Stephen is a tortured gibbering wreck, cracks and agrees to shave the beard.

Then knock him out, plop him back into his bed and when he wakes up he'll think it was all a dream...

p.s I have been watching Greenwing recently...

As Time Goes By

2006-08-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

Well new month. New Post.

Am trying to work out how to play 'As Time goes By' So that I can play it in Bars on shite upright pianos. Or one MY shite upright piano which for possibly the first time this year... I woke up, noseyed downstairs to make some tea and while the kettle boiled I sat down for a momentary tinkle, and my piano was perfectly in tune! Absolutley and wonderfully in tune, not an echo, not a vaguely flat note, not a slightly spongey feeling, nothing. Just sharp, responsive, fresh and lovely. I was so damn happy. I had been thinking about parting with £40 to get a man in to fiddle around inside my piano, because it seriously hasn't been in tune for at least six months. I mean it does go a bit AWOl from time to time, summmer months usually especially when the temperature peaks, or if it's a bit humid. Usually it's alright, the livingroom where it sits usually manages quite a stable temperature whatever the weather. This year though, with all this heatwaves, and high humidities... The piano has been less than half decent. I'd gotten so used to the lack of response that I'd altered my way of playing so as to extract some sort of music, and was shocked this morning by the sharpness of my 'Cha Cha'. All the staccato notes were actually staccato.

Ahhh it's great having my piano back... greater now that I don't have to get a man in.

Kareoke Queen

2006-07-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

I am the Kareoke Queen, and High priestess of the Kareoke Party.

Righty... several things...

2006-07-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

I greet you all (of two people who've ever commented) now aged a year greater than my last post.

And since have enjoyed six out of nine episodes of green Wing series one.

They rock. You should buy it, and prepare by purchasing adult nappies.

Oh... And Federer has taken his fourth Wimbledon title...

yaaaay.

Heh. Compookas.

2006-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well Murray out. Big woop. Here's lovin' Federer.

Mild rant today about computers, or as I like to call them compookas.

Ye ole compooka of days gone by...

You know they were big, a bit awkawrd looking, heavy, clumsy and beige. Beige like big shapeless old man cargo trousers with elasticated waistbands. Beige like battered tennis shoes which have only ever seen a bowls court or field or whatever. You saw them and you knew what you were getting. You knew it was going to be difficult to move, and stick all the wires in properly. You knew that it was going to be slow, and creak a bit. You got the feeling that its little motor was going to spin round with an agitated and irritable murmur which would grow into an anguished low growl threatening to freeze and crash...

You knew that like most academics... or walking encyclopedias... who funnily enough tend to be of the twilighted years, your compooka may be very very smart, about to do complicated maths, understand complicated code, speak a whole different language. However your compooka will move at its own pace. It will rarely do what you want it to, or take years doing it. It will find you annoying, and as such it will make funny noises to inform you as such. It will inform you when you are doing something wrong, something you shouldn't be doing, it will even underline your spelling and grammatical miscellanious.

It will also crash. And freeze. And like some greatly ageing fellows, who come to a point where certain faculties just aren't as good as they used to be... you may well see the blue screen.

You knew all this. You could see all this just by the appearance of the old compooka.

NOW. You see them and they all black, and sleek, and all spanky and cool looking with their flat screens filled with plasma.

You think you're getting Neo from the matrix.

You are getting that same old fellow. In a dinner suit.

Wimbledon... Henman Heads for Round 2.

2006-06-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yay!

Henman got through Round 1!!!

He beat Swedish Soderling 6-7(played 8) 6-3 6-2 1-6 6-3

But...

As seeding dictates...

Round two...

He's up against Federer... *sigh* I get the feeling Henman may be going out sooner rather than later.

I suppose someone has to play Federer in Round two.

As McEnroe said: 'You don't have to win to play the best match of your career!'

Other Tennis points of interest...

Ladies...
Wildcard Cavaday (GB), out lost in sraight sets to Sugiyama of Japan. Oh well.
Five years wating and Martina Hingis is BACK! and having a blast! In straight set style against Olga Savchuk. In case you were wondering Hingis is the youngest ever Wimbledon champion, winning the title aged sixteen.

Men...
Federer kicks talented French butt in straight sets. In an hour and ten minutes (albeit over two days what with yesterday's rain). Richard Gasquet was, well blown away, to another court by the sipstream of Federer's Aces. This isn't an insult at all to Gasquet. He's not exactly crap. He was just unfortunate enough to be seeded up against Federer is the first round...

Well... at least he'll have a British competitor to help him drown his sorrows soon enough.

Sporting Giggles

2006-06-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well as may or may not have noticed there's a couple high profile sporting events going on. That Footie World cup or something, and Wimbledon (Wombles of wimbledon, a wombling free!) And yeah, so there's crapall other than sport on TV. If it's not the actual fixtures, it's the highlights, and if not the highlights, it's the fan's points of view, and if not the fans, it pervades seemingly all advertising. Like we've nothing else to do in our lives, I mean what else could possibly be more interesting that the world cup!?

Yes. I am being sarcastic there's lots of things more interesting. Top Gear for example.

Anyways back to the original point... sporting doodahs that have made me giggle:

Portugal vs Holland match, at the beggining when the commentator was trying to be all dramatic and said 'This match decides who's going to lose sleep over England for the next 6 nights... No. I know...'

And the first day of Wimbledon. In the year of the South Eastern drought (drought! This isn't Africa) , and consequent hosepipe ban. Rain stops play for the whole day.

O2 Wireless 2006!!!!

2006-06-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

Or more specifically KT Tunstall and David Gray at O2 Wireless 2006

Socks I tell you! Socks were rocked off peoples feet and floating around.

Was with the lovely company of Katie and her mum.

We went in, were searched, though notably my bag wasn't searched properly, lovely and polite people. Ticket exchange was brief and polite. and we were in! Made a beeline fo some fooood.

If I'm honest didn't really go for a look in the Xfm tent although was sat out it munching a jacket potato. The first band we hear in there was pants anyways... too much thrashing, drum.bass balance was crap... too much drum not enough bass. Does my head in. Then the second band we could hear from there was much better, a bit more melodic, I'll have to find out who they were.

Bit weary of festival food I am. So before I go on I must advise... Never go for the meat. Maybe risk the chicken a bit... if it's early in the day but in general never go for the meat f you can help it and definatley don't go for the fish unless it comes from a tin. We were quite pleased with there being a Jacket Potato stand. At least you can't go too far wrong with one. although they were a bit cold, and the cheese didn't melt, it was good considering.

However, bit of poor planning on the event organisers part. The Xfm tent - the loud thrashing, metally, rockin', emo - esque tent was about twenty metres away from the acoustic stage. The acoustic stage tried hard to compete... with their relaxed atmosphere, near Pimms bus positioning and colourful deck chairs... but to very little avail. you could hear them a bit in between band and set changes of the Xfm tent.

Food options were grand. Bar options were also grand. There was a Pimms bus! With a little mini fenced off Pimms Garden with deck chairs and a pimms tent! I was quite deeply impressed by that. Katie's mum admitted later that it was very tempting. There were also several Ice-cream trucks. Katie and I were a bit cold so we didn't really go for one. There were Chinese food stands, vegeburgers falafel stands, taco stands, fair trade coffee stands, organic this and organic thats and 'Herbal highs' which I must admit tickled me somewhat. No actual herbal mind altering substances though.

It was cold. it cooled down quite rapidly and as we settled for KT Tunstall it was quite fresh. I eventually caved put on my jumper and hugged my bag for warmth. It had been very hot though, so the ground was rock-hard. So sort of the worst of all worlds really as far as the weather was concerned... rock-hard ground, cold, threats of rain, dead grass sticking to you. Though to be honest I've been at Hyde park during bucket chucking rain. That was much worse.

Missed Missy higgings, and the Violent Femmes we caught the last 10 minutes of. I can't say that the violent femmes were that great but then i've never been too keen of what I've heard of them anyway.

Waited some time for KT Tunstall... ran a running commentary of technician activity...Then finally they went off...

KT Tunstall finally graced the stage, complete, with 2nd Guitarist, Bassist, Upright bassist, drummer, and trumpet. Oh, and possibly a keyboard.

She kicked off her set with I believe 'Another place to fall' but don't quote me, I'm not a massive fan so I'm not quite sure what's what except for two tracks. I thought she started off a bit weak to be honest, she sort picked up towards the end but I dunno. She's quite new I suppose, and she just didn't really energize the crowd, her performance just wasn't really suited to a large venue. She was good but you didn't hear her and think wow! She sort of failed to connect with the large crowd for the most part. That was even with my favourite 'Under the Weather'. She did kick things up a notch with 'Black Horse and The Cherry tree' which i have to admit despite not liking the song, I have to admire the the technique she has with it. She records bits of the song (like her voice singing 'woo hoo') and keeping with the beat sets them to play on a loop. Then she ended with my favourite 'Suddenly I see' I just love that song, but she was better by then. She then played the drums really energetically to finish off, that was good. She tried connecting by talking and joking, but it was all a bit forced, like in trying to connect with the crowd, she was trying verbally, rather than musically at times. She did greet us with Hello campers, but I dunno... her speaking just didn't feel right. She was also quite nervous, almost like a slight insecurity with her music, or the lack of variation, which is sort of to be expected as she has only one album. I guess she didn't have an ease with the large venu, but I'm guessing that as time goes by, and she gets a more varied setlist that will change, and she'll probably get better and better. At the moment she would probably be brilliant in a small venue with only a couple hundred people but she's not quite there with a festival/outdoor performance.

But see, that's the problem with this recent boom in alternative music suddenly hitting mainstream. There's a lot of really good and really new artists, who have just suddenly been hit with record deals, and undoubtably can write, and play the really good music that the public have been a bit deprived of. But just haven't been able to hone their performance. I mean there's been a lot of people, take, KT Tunstall for example. Who've been performing on small stages and/or not for that long... a few years perhaps. During a performance you have to be able to connect with the peole right at the front all the way to the very back of the crowd. On a small stage, the people at the back aren't very far away, whereas on a large stage the people at the back maybe a mile away. Suddenly sue to a massive rise in popularity are suddenly being booked for large stages with zillions of people. And I don't think you can just adapt your performance with a click of a finger. It's not like in the last centuary where people had to tour, and perform to death first. Take the Red Hot Chili Peppers for example, their live performance is mind blowing. In fact production actually does their music no favours whatsoever, they are just so much better live than their albums. From the word 'Go' they had been shoved in a van, and performing at all clubs and stages that would have them before they recorded their first album. Their stages only gradually getting bigger and bigger over the course of about twenty or so years. So each time honing their performance.

And this quite nicely brings me to David Gray's rockin' performance.

Oh yes. I was a bit doubtful, it had only gotten colder, and KT Tunstall hadn't really filled me with confidence but David gray. The minute he walked onto the stage with his band you just knew that this was going to be a good one. Also aided by his drummer Clune walking out with a suitable loud Hawaii shirt in Orange and Yellow. There was a keyboard, cello, bassist, possibly an Upright bassist, second guitarist, drummer, possibly a trumpet player... my memory is a bit hazy.

So there he was, tall, dapper in a suit with sparkly pinstripes and open collar white shirt, proud, incontrol but not annoyingly rock god-like. Stood there like a man, with full confidence in himself and the crowd. He knew this was going to be good, just as much as we knew it was going to be good.

Then it all kicked off with 'You're the one I love' and it was great. It was just so good... and that wasn't even the best part. a short greeting of 'Hello Parkers' bearing in mind that no one was actually camping. He then moved into 'sail away with me' cue much singing along. He talked as well, but it was more of a side commentary, and it was just natural, a couple comments about a sun set. Which was absolutley beautiful reflecting of David Gray's upright piano and somehow the maturing light just added that extra atmosphere and beauty to everything. He sang a few album songs I didn't recognise, and a couple new ones. That was great, I actually enjoyed standing there just hearing his music and feeling his performance as his energy just lit up the crowd. Then launched into one of my favourite songs 'Please Forgive me' ergo much more singing along and then as testimony to what a good performer his is, and his connectivity with us all everyone just started clapping keeping in time with the beat. I'm not sure whether we just started clapping in time or whether the drummer was just drumming in time with us but it was a truely magical moment. Alot of the crowd must have been clapping, because the din was almost overpowering the instruments at one point. David Gray took full advantage of this unplanned gesture of the crowd by only encouraging us further and clapping along, he stopped playing to conduct us into the time of the song, and all the other musicians instinctively stopped except the drummer. Then David gray sat back down and played some extended version of the outro, as we all clapped the beat, with his musicians joining in. That was a truely fab moment of improvisation, and crowd involvement. Next recognisable song was jokingly entitled 'Festival food' by him ('Hospital food') and again much hearty singing along. Some beer pickled twerps started being idiotic but we just moved away. And then there were tall people and I was mildly worried because having been able to see the stage (Best view I've ever had at a concert) all the way through it would have been annoying to not see his perform Babylon... But then we moved to a spot with some shorter people. And then eventually the end of the main setlist approached and 'Babylon' was played. One of the greatest songs ever, and again much much heartfelt singing along, arm waving, and general happiness. Knowing the words to the verses and well as the chorus. As he played the outtro he stopped, and as we all though he was finished he played a couple chords encouraging us all to sing his chorus 'If you want it, come and get it, for crying out loud, The love that I was, Giving you was, never in doubt, Let go of your heart , Let go of your head, and feel me now, Babylon, babylon' before finally launching into an extended outro himself. Then it was over. And he said goodnight and left...

Before coming out in a couple minutes for a truely wonderful ecore of 'this years love' again much singing along and jubilation and 'Say hello, wave goodbye' which was his saying goodbye.

Then we went, got Katie a rainbow beanie and went home.

So yes I highly reccommend seeing David Gray Live. I'd say give up either your left leg, or right arm. He is just that good a singer/songwriter/performer.

Summer Tunes

2006-06-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Sort of inspired by Mikey this...

Summer tunes, Songs that just make the lazy days and hazy nights pass ever so much more sweetly...

David Gray springs to mind here. Babylon, and Please forgive me... songs for that time where the late afternoon slips into dusk And Pain killer by Turin Brakes for those summer storms and barbeques...

Mr. tambourine man, by the Byrds is a great hazy afternoon song, for when it's too hot and you just want to sleep but can't. Mrs. Robinson, Simon and Garfunkle, just the tune, for those warm afternoons, and for those boys out there perving over their teachers in thin cotton tops.

U2, Wild honey, Beautiful day, Vertigo for the morning, Elevation for the plane trips and travel. Mas que Nada, for failed summer romances followed by a bit more Brasillian Jazz.

Yeah yeah yeahs, early evening, more recently wolfmother, and then some Queen!

Chopin for the evening, piano concerto in F poncy but I likes it. Then Dejeuner Dansant, Lambeth again for the evening.

Greenday in the mornings, to kick start my day, follwed by Kaiser chiefs, Maximo park. Franz ferdinand.

Hello

2006-06-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog.

Many a zany things happens to me. I do many zany things. And I shall probably record them here.