Over the fear and through the flames

I've got a few different things I want to do today, so I'll try and attack them one at a time.

1) My life for the last week. Once again, I can't confess to having done anything noteworthy. I visited Quarry Bank Mill on Sunday, under the pretence of needing to start my dissertation research. Strictly speaking, this wasn't the best place to start, but nonetheless I enjoyed it. The history of the mill is wonderful. I also took my new camera out for the first time, which is always good.
Dad's giving me photography lessons over the summer, which should be fun. I only take pictures for fun, but it would be nice to make the most of the cameras I have and their many settings.
Gaz came round on Wednesday, which was shocking to say the very least. We watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and talked about a variety of things, none of which mattered in the least. I just appreciated the company and the fact that Gaz had taken the time to come to me for a change.
Tomorrow I'm going out for the first time in a good long while. I plan to drink a fair bit and forget my worries for one night. It's only me and Jennie, but still, it beats another Saturday night at home.

2. I want to start adding in music reviews to this blog. So here's the first. As Dave said, I can hardly remove the bias from this, but I shall try my best.
Agony and Irony - Alkaline Trio
Yes, they're my favourite band of all time. Yes, a variation on their logo was my first tattoo. Yes, I debatably love them more than anything else in life. But stepping down from my "I *heart* Trio" soapbox for a moment, I still see this album as something special. It's different in a familiar way. Anyone who loves the catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms of From Here To Infirmary can hardly find fault with songs such as "Calling All Skeletons" and "Lost And Rendered". Whilst the punk purists will lament the high production levels, each song is polished to perfection without detracting from the emotion and power of the music and lyrics. Dan Adriano's songs are arguably stronger than Matt Skiba's, particularly late addition "Do You Wanna Know?". The band have clearly matured and found their sound as a collective entity, accepting that they are no longer 20 year olds and singing songs about the things that matter to them in their adulthood. I for one couldn't be happier. 9/10.

Obviously that was going to be a favourable review, perhaps my next one will have considerably less bias.

3. Another meme from Erykah.
“To participate, you grab any book, go to page 123, find the fifth sentence, and blog it. Then tag five people.”
I won't tag 5 people, but here we go.
"The story of Turin's madness after the slaying of Beleg, the guidance of Gwindor, and the release of Turin's tears at Eithel Ivrin, is here in embryo".
J.R.R Tolkien - The Book Of Lost Tales Part 2

4. Films!
The Lives of Others was a brave film to make. It's nearly 20 years since the Wall fell, but really that's no time at all. These sorts of issues (the existence of the Communist state and its dependence on surveillance) are still at the forefront of a lot of people's minds and memories, luckily the risk paid off. The contrast between Wiesler and the other members of the Stasi was handled wonderfully, and was played in such a subtle way that one can hardly help feeling a connection to him despite his position in the secret police force. Very enjoyable, if a little difficult to follow at times due to subtitles. 6/10

Pan's Labyrinth is rightly acknowledged as a modern classic. Del Toro takes the fairy tale world and brings it together with the horrors of modern warfare in a way which makes both worlds seem equally terrifying. Without wanting to give anything away, all I will say is that this is one of the greatest films I have seen ever. Wonderfully acted, with perfect cinematography and a deft handling of subject matter. 9/10.

aDulthood, like its predecessor, delves deep into the subculture of the London estates and emerges on the other side with a positive message. Noel Clarke, acting as writer, director and leading man, has achieved something quite remarkable. Whilst remaining naturalistic in the dialogue and setting, aDulthood combines humour and violence with heartwrenching situations and a message to "the youth". No one could accuse Clarke et al of glamourising gang warfare. 7/10.

I've also rewatched a number of my favourite films - True Romance, Pride and Prejudice, LOTR, and finally got around to watching Fight Club one last time to give it a final chance to wow me. It finally did.

Where did you go when the lights went black?

So Trio just posted their entire album on Myspace. I can finally listen without guilt. And I am SO glad I waited.
I don't know what I expected. Before I heard any of the songs I really thought I'd be disappointed. I thought there'd be a few songs I loved but the rest would be bland. I've never been so wrong. There's only one track I'm not too fond of, the rest are magnificent. Like all the best bits of my favourite songs put together in one superb package. I cried a little, I won't lie.

Best. Year. Ever.




Oh and I have an interview to do some rubbish sales and marketing thing next week. I hate myself.

Completely forgot to add the bold to that setlist.

Born to be my baby.
Always.
Blood On Blood.
Dry County.

Those ones are from my top 5.

These five words I swear to you

Bon Jovi. Oh my god.
Living On A Prayer.
Born To Be My Baby.
Keep The Faith.
It's My Life.
I'll Be There For You.
Blaze Of Glory.
Wanted.
Bad Medicine.
You Give Love A Bad Name.
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
ALWAYS!!! <3
Have A Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home?
Sleep When I'm Dead
In These Arms
Dry County
Diamond Ring
Blood On Blood
I'd Die For You

The 4 in bold are all from my top 5 Bon Jovi songs. They played 4 or 5 songs off the new album too, but compared to last time that's nothing. I was over the moon. Always was my favourite song for 8 years, it was just stunning.

Other than that I have little to tell. I went to the gym on Friday, I finally had a shift at work on Saturday. I worked in a suite at Haydock Park, made £11.80 in tips which was pretty sweet. It wasn't a hard shift, so really I can't complain.

Yet another development in the mess that is my love life. I've changed my mind yet again, and come to a decision which actually works. I feel considerably better.

Whatever happened to that silly dream you had?

This week. Much the same as all the weeks before, truth be told. I've come close to making a decision about my trainwreck love life, although recently I'm falling back towards yet another guy I can't have. These things seem to follow me.

I've been to the gym a lot and applied for a lot more jobs. I'm bored and restless, and I don't like it one bit.

Over the past few days I've watched Finding Nemo, Batman, Batman Returns and Monsters, Inc. All fantastic films.
Today is Orange Wednesday, so I saw The Incredible Hulk with Jennie. Whilst the dialogue was stilted and lacking a lot in the way of emotion, a superhero film (in my eyes) doesn't need it so much as it needs fantastic action and a good villain. Both of which Hulk has. Wonderful. 7/10.

Erykah tagged me to do this. I only know of 2 people who read my blog so I shalln't bother tagging myself, but as I was commanded, I shall do as I'm told.
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

1. Pink Roses - Glassjaw It just came on my WMP and I absolutely adore it. My favourite Glassjaw song, I never get tired of it. Plus, it's coming up to a year since I saw them and I'm in pure nostalgia mode.
2. Murder - Ashlee Simpson I love Ashlee Simpson a fair bit. This is my fave song off the new album and I seem to listen to it at least twice a day at the moment. Partially because it's on my gym playlist and partially because I just love it.
3. London Bridge - Fergie I don't know. I really don't. I just can't stop listening to it.
4. In Vein - Alkaline Trio Nearly time for the new album. I'm resisting downloading the leaked version, so I've stuck with the EP and this is my favourite song on it.
5. Jetlag - Frank Turner Easily the most beautiful song I've heard in ages. Stunning. Not much more to be said.
6. We're All Alone - Architects I haven't seen them in a while, and with Ghostfest being a possibility I started listening to them again. In my opinion, probably the best song they've ever written. Not my favourite, but their best.
7. Wake The Dead - Comeback Kid Tune. Simple as. Listen to it in the gym a lot and at home to get me excited for seeing them next month. Even though I'm already excited.

I'll do a proper blog update soon maybe. I don't have much to say.

In an attempt to get the creative juices flowing again, I did a freewrite this afternoon. I spent five minutes writing on a title given on allpoetry: The inconvenience of being uninspired. Whilst the freewrite itself was nothing special, I took my highlighter to a few phrases which echoed my feelings quite accurately whilst simultaneously continuing my previous writing style and giving me room to write more.
I came up with a flowing prose...thing. Shocking that an English student has no idea what to call this. Anyway, I'm glad that it's the first thing in my new notebook, because I think it very accurately describes myself and the processes I'll be going through to write again.

My thoughts are unpoetic. What runs through my head is not unique or beautiful. I am not visionary. I cannot fill these pages merely by willing the words to appear. Each rounded, looped, crossed and dotted letter is the product of a mechanical thought. That which is mechanic is forced and planned - it can never be poetic.
If I were a great Romantic I would dedicate every line of this book to the muses, to Classical deities long forgotten and never believed in. I am a cynic in an age of atheism; the muses have forsaken me because I choose not to believe in them. A fair and mutual agreement I think.
I am not a great Romantic. My thoughts are unpoetic. Each curl of my hair does not drip assonance and similes. My blood does not cry out in metaphor or apostrophise an absent lover. My heart does not beat in iambic pentameter, my pulse has no foot. There is no romance in my body, just as there is no poetry in my mind.
Beauty cannot inspire me, yet it moves me. My soul craves melody, harmony and song. I no longer sing with my own words.
I need beauty in all things, but I am not a Romantic. I am no aesthete. I am not a poet.