Some new albums on the way...

Probably some music we should all be listening to and looking forward too..


Laura Marling - "A Creature I don't know":


Dubbed by New York Times' Jon Pareles as "her new one and her best," the album to be released next week is streaming for free on the NY Times website. I've only listened to a couple of tracks so far but the album does certainly look good, a little different from her previous albums but I don't think its a bad thing and is probably just her voice ageing. My favourite that I've heard is "Night After Night" - possibly because it echoes Leonard Cohen's "sound" in "Famous Blue Raincoat" which is (in my opinion) one of the best songs ever written. Find the stream here: 


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/arts/music/laura-marlings-british-folk-cd-creature-i-dont-know.html?_r=1


Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical


CYHSY are like Marling soon to release their 3rd Album to date, unlike Marling's quick turn over from her last album CYHSY are releasing this after a good 4 or so years from their last studio album "Some Loud Thunder" and have again found a distinct new sound. The gritty voice of Alex Ounsworth remains the same, a little stronger perhaps. It's I've found (again from listening to about 5 tracks) a little more mainstream and more.. accessible (? if that's the right word) to new fans.. very much like his solo stuff.


Anyway, worth checking out if your a fan, if you'r not... still check it out:


http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/45106299#luisterpaal.45106299
and of course, the new The Drums album is also soon to be released and is streaming on the New York Times site too : http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/now-playing-portamento-the-new-album-by-the-drums/
God Bless and happy listening, L x

I don't like talking to people I know, but strangers, I have no problem with.

When I create "events" on Facebook for me and the (once again, rather outdated but ever so loosely named) "JT Crew" I always use a picture of Larry David. There is no real reason for this, I just love him and on the last event there was which was created by Will (Reddish,) he too used a photo of Larry. This is something I fear I won't be able to do when we all move about and so about 10 minutes ago I decided to make an event on Facebook just so I could put the picture as Larry David.. I deleted the event as making one just for the soul purpose of Larry David made little sense but it made me worry about my feelings towards Larry.

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David

I instead decided a blog post for my own pleasure (like most of my posts are) would suffice.


A more topical Larry David some 30 years ago?




God Bless, hope you enjoyed the abundance of parentheses in this post, L x

Short interface with D.Rank.

Hey, thought some of the old English GCSE of 2009 and some of the other D.Rank Fans out there might wanna check out how she's doing and how she misses us...

Dear Mrs Rank,

Sorry it's been so long, I hope everything is well! Last time I emailed you we're expecting a grand child I think, I hope that all went well there! I just thought I'd inform you of my results which I got back today.
Although originally applying for Theology at Manchester, I just missed the grades but, thankfully, my grades were good enough to get me into Heythrop College which is a specialist Theological college at the University of London, so all is well!
I got B (History) B (Religious Studies, New Testament) and C (English) - and passed Citizenship and General Studies too!
Just though't Id let you know as you're probably the first teacher that actually got me bothered about my education and so I have a lot to thank you for!

Really hope you're well,
Lucy Trewinnard

And Mrs R's reply...

Dear Lucy: 

How lovely to hear from you! I was wondering how you all got on this week. Thank you for your kind words. It was always a pleasure to see your smiley face when you arrived at the lesson. Yours was the class I missed most when I left.Congratulations on your excellent results - I'm sure you'll really enjoy studying in London. I had a quick look online - you'll be in a very nice part of London. You won't be far from Holy Trinity Brompton which is a very lively church. I've put the website address below.
http://www.htb.org.uk/
They have lots of services to choose from and many other activities, often with food, which is great for a student on a budget! I've been a few times when in London and really enjoyed it - the Bible teaching is excellent and the worship is lively.My grandson is now 10 months old and of course he's gorgeous! He is called Zachary, which means 'the Lord remembers'. I see him every week and have been looking after him every afternoon this week while my daughter was leading a Holiday Club at the church she's part of. It was great fun. He is very communicative, unsurprisingly as he has English teachers for grandparents and his father is a lawyer.
The Shakespeare teapot is always admired and brings back happy memories. It still feels strange to go to the theatre without counting students!Keep in touch and make the most of university. 

All good wishes,
Mrs R

God Bless, L x

And it is so.

 After 7 long years of playfulness (year 7+8) alcohol consumption (9+10) my first encounter with "real exams" (y11) and hard graft in sixth form I, or... for many of you, we, have made it.

I don't think I have ever been quite so angry as I did the morning of the 18th.. the initial moment where I realised people knew if they were in Uni before the "official" UCAS opening time at 8 and the challeng, no, the ball ache, that was me sitting on my sofa from 7:40-9:45 trying to get on to bloody UCAS track like everyone else had already done, listening to the woman on the phone. Stupid automated woman.

Anyway, all is well. My results came in.. a rather average BBCC which I am actually very happy with considering I'm quite sure no one, especially not me expected me to be able to pull my grades up, and my A2 exam results were the best I've ever performed under exam conditions... Sadly, however, my grades were not quite enough for the University of Manchester which means come September I will be moving to London to start my new life as a Theology Student at Heythrop College (University of London). This is, hoping that I get my accommodation sorted out as I am currently homeless when it comes to next year... I am, although Heythrop not being my firm choice, really excited about the coming year. I'm finally getting out of Oldham, like.. not even just down the road, but far away. I'm separate enough to live my own life as I please but close enough to both of my brothers (who will also be living in London this academic year) to be looked after to an extent.

I'm not sure what - blog wise - I'm going to do next year what with my URL "Introspective Writing in Oldham" will be somewhat an invalid name come the 26th of September.. but I'm sure i'll get round to changing it or making a new blog. I will potentially move back to tumblr for the same reasons as fellow blogger Julez, what with it being much quicker posting and I can blog straight from my phone, but will (if this is the case) move to a different URL to my current http://lucytrew.tumblr.com/

Anyway, that's all for now. Will post later with another Summer rundown.

God Bless, L x

August Mixcast.

This here is a mixcast of all of my most memorable songs from this summer, there of course were a lot more, and think my mixcast includes only one new release... but either way. It's got some classics in there.. well worth a download if you as me!

Download here: August Mixcast

(artwork courtesy of Sophie Truman Photography..
and Ambers poor foot.)

1. Joe Jackson - Jumpin' JiveThis is such a great song, instantly infectious, such a exciting song that as soon as its on you wanna dance no matter where you are. So many times this summer has this come on when I'm on the train or walking down the street and I've had to resist the urge to tap my feet. 
2. Bedouin Soundclash - Jeb Rand
   When me, Amber and Sophie were in London we we're having absurdly cheap cocktails one of the Giraffe bars in Soho and this song came on the sound system as we were just talking away. I haven't listened to Bedouin Soundclash in ages but it got me wanting to listen to them loads more so when we went back to the travel lodge I wacked on their "Sounding A Mosaic" album and it was perfect for a chilled mood, and so reminds me of London. (Also, if you get chance, Giraffe do half price on select alcoholic beverages and cocktails on a Sundays.)
3. The Lovin' Spoonfull - Summer in the city. 
   This is just an ultimate summer song, when on my way to SUbmerge really... really hungover from one of Ambers Cocktail nights Paul put on one of his "Rock Gods" CD's or something. Either way my ears and body couldn't handle it, and I thank this song on my ipod for getting me to the service station.. I don't think my insides would have held up quite like they did without it. 
4. Arctic Monkeys - Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts 
   At some point in the holidays a good friend of mine, Joanne, came over for a night of drinking WKD and reminiscing our friendship and Blue Coat over the last 7 years. Naturally, we listened mainly to The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys but this song highlights that night really... I don't think I'd really listened to properly before, a old demo gem of the Arctic Monkeys. 
5. The Beatles - Blackbird
   This doesn't really hold much summer relevance to me other than I learn't to play the intro to this song years ago on guitar and this summer decided to learn the full song, it's probably my favourite Beatles song and plays so beautifully.
6. Leonard Nimoy - Bilbo Baggins
   In London we met up with a friend of mine that lives there who I've known since I was really young and one of my most distinctive memory's was sitting in his car after we'd been bowling and I was really really young and him playing this song which I hadn't heard since. We got talking about it in London and he sent me the link to it and anyway, I can't decide if its good or just hilarious. Probably both.
7. Bronze Medallists - Mathematics
   Again, this song doesn't hold a specific summer memory for me, rather it was just on my "on the go" playlist on my phone and I've just listened to it loads. A really cool song that I found when browsing Julez's Top Picks of the Moment. 
8. Adam and The Ants - Young Parisians 
   Last week or the week before me and Will got roped into cleaning the house and as I was in charge of the living room I got to pick what music was on via the TV. I put on 6 Music as I'm sure so many others would and on it was a interview with Adam Ant, I think the interview was a little dated but it was interesting to listen to and anyway they played this song after and me and Will were singing along cleaning up. It was nice.
9. Rufus Wainwright - Chelsea Hotel #2 (Leonard Cohen Cover)
   This is my all time favourite Leonard Cohen song about his brief romantic affair with contemporary Janis Joplin. Its a timeless classic, covered so well by Wainwright and also Regina Spektor. Cohens original is more of an Autumn song... 
10. Los Campesinos - C is the Heavenly Option
    This song was another on my "on the go" playlist and was also on my shower playlist. Thing is, it was the first song on and so every-time I forgot to press shuffle and it would therefore be the first song I heard every morning. A proper fast tempo uplifting song to get you in the mood for the day.. I think one of the lyrics from it took a proud spot on my Facebook profile for over a year at one point too. Another real pop song from Los Campesinos.
11. Queen Latifa - When you're good to mama (Chicago Sountrack) 
    Erm.. I could easily of picked any song from the Chicago Soundtrack as it was on at least once a day in the SUbmerge Kitchen. I remember cutting up some apples singing this and Sian pointing out how it's really full of innuendos and then I got really paranoid that some of the guests would over hear, not that they would understand anyway. Absolutely mint soundtrack for a mint film.
12. The National - Exile, Vilify
    This song features a proper melodic piano riff. The band recently did a music video contest for the song in which people just sent in there own videos and they picked a winner, I like the winning video but I think it was a little bit easy to do compared to the work the runner up put in, anyway check out the video's here: Video Competition

Hot town, summer in the city.

So, I haven't blogged pretty much all summer. There's no real reason for that; I haven't been exceptionally busy but equally its not like I have had a lack of things to write about... either way I think my blog views has hit an all time low so I'll try and kick start it all off again.

Firstly,  a little up date of what I've done so far this summer:
Summer... its basically just been a mix up of what people do every summer or every holiday, going to friends houses, hanging out at the pub, occasional game of tennis.. Unfortunately this year I didn't manage to get abroad but instead I had a nice couple of days in London (back in the days where all shops were in tact and nothing had been burnt down) with two of my best friends. It was there where, thanks to Ambers hawk eyes I had a brief encounter with Pineapple Dance Studios Andrew Stone in SoHo's Arts and Theatre Club which we went to at the recommendation and in the company of my dear distant relative James who was a joy to be with for the evening. I then the following week returned back to SUbmerge which, if you're a long term reader of my blog, you might remember me posting about this time last year under the post "You'll need those fingers for crossing.." 

SUbmerge 2011: 
SUbmerge for those of you that don't know is a Scripture Union Christian holiday for kids age 11-14. One that I, like many of the other people now on team and my older brothers all went to as guests (when it was under the name of OneUp.) Sadly this year I didn't get as much time with the kids like when I went last year because I was in the kitchen. Not that I'm complaining too much, I had a sweet time, it was not only great to see all my old friends but when I did get to hang out with the guests they were on fire for God and having an absolutely great time which was so good to see. The worship was on top form, the teaching was flowing.. it was a great atmosphere. Camps one of those places that when I'm there I don't want to go home,its like I'm in this bubble and everything about who I am when I'm there is who I want to be. It's sad to come home.. but I'll look forward to returning next year.

Since then my summers been pretty parched, other than the usual stuff, been to the the theatre, met friends for lunch, gone to the pub. All really same old. I'm hoping (if I can find some transport) to get to Momentum next week, which would be very nice too.
For now however I'm playing the waiting game for results day which is now exactly a week away. Its killing me... the not knowing of where I end up next year, obviously most of the people that are reading have been or are going through this exact feeling. I've come to accept that I probably won't be in Manchester next year, and this isn't me putting myself down, It is unlikely that I've managed to boost myself up a grade in two subjects and I received an email from the university yesterday telling me that "due to the high demand for places this year there will be far less flexibility than usual to accept you if  you have narrowly missed your offer."  Which is not really what I wanted to see... but I think I'm set up. The worst thing is the not knowing; I'm sure that wherever I end up next year and what ever I end up doing it will be the right place for me but I'm fed up of putting things and people on hold till I know. Much as I hope I have good grades this time next week, I'm not going to get my hopes up.


Anyway, that's basically a short run down of what my summer has been so far, and despite the seeming lack of activity, it's been a quite good summer.. on the whole.

Watch this spot for probs a comment on the riots and other kinda stuff soon. 
God Bless, L x

July Mixcast #1: Remixes and Mashups.

So, there was no real reason for wanting to do this, I think its because I was really bored and I guess I've been listening to a lot of remixes. Either way here you go, my personal favourites are tracks 1, 4, 5, 9, 10. The others are good too.. but, not as good. Totes worth a download though.. Hope you enjoy the album artwork this week, my very own brother punkin' out to some sick Remixes and Mashups.:


July Mixcast #1: Remixes and Mashups.

1) Jay Z Ft Blackstreet - Can I Get A Fuck You // No Diggity (Dj Tsumfink) 

2) The Killers Ft Daniel Bedingfield - Human // If your not the one. 

3) Beyonce vs. Dave Matthews - Lets Work It Out

4) Girl talk - Triple Double

5) Missy Elliot ft The Cure - Close To Me // Get Your Freak On (Pop Chop) 

6) The Ting Tings Ft Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out // Shut Up and Let Me Go

7) DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2010 

8) Lil Wayne - Offfice Musik

9) The Streets - Blinded By The Lights (Nero Remix)

10) Goldfrapp - Happiness (Metronomy Ft The Teenagers Remix) 

Facebook vs Google+?

For me, its a no-brainer.

Google + has got all of the best things about Facebook and incorporated it into its own Social Networking site. Facebook, the worlds favourite social networking site isn't however going to give in that easily, it has the worlds hearts and people don't like change. A slight layout change on Facebook and the whole world gets angry, but if you ask me the new features that Google + has added are ones that were much needed. Post Editing for one is something that most people that are already in my "Circles" (which isn't many as of yet) have commented on.

Yes, Post Editing along with the natural filters which the Circles create meaning that I can say what ever I like about something or someone and only the people I want ever get to see it, Google chats "Invisibility" feature, the over all aesthetic qualitys of Google and of course the bond between Android and Google which enables the "instant upload" for those people which have their Google Accounts synced to their Android phones. I don't doubt that it will take a hell of a long time to get off the ground, and that Google+ has a some existing features that it needs to edit. One being that although I can not Google chat to people that I didn't already have as a contact on Google chat, another being the Photo/Picasa integration - I'm not so sure that the whole photoing layout is quite as neat as facebooks, which is a massive issue as Facebook's photo sharing is one of its best features.

All in all, I do like Google + a lot. I look forward to a time in the future where I can +1 an article I've read and then people in my circles can see it, I look forward to there being no one under the age of 18, so I don't have to put up with the dribble from the lower years in Blue Coat that seem to consist of about 25% of my Facebook friends. What I'm hoping is that Google + becomes a place where all the best people from facebook come.. but people in general don't like change and I feel that it will take some time.

Google + has much potential but it still needs to iron out some issues hopefully by the end of the "Trial Period." But has Google + come too late?

Most likely. Facebook is a the king of Social Networking, it is Billions of users ahead of the trail users on Google + and that's not quite it: Facebook will be quick off the mark to pick up on the main Google + selling features, what with it already working on a Video chat integration with Skype to follow up on Google +'s own video chat and "Hangout" feature. Facebook will, as Google itself does with Bing, keep copying and updating.

Either way, I still have high hopes for Google... maybe its because I just can't be bothered with deleting people I don't want on Facebook, either way, it has potential - and much more that Googles previously "failed" setups such as Wave and Buzz.

For further reading and information:


Google Vs Facebook (by the numbers)
Google Vs Facebook - A verdict.
Google Plus a thoughtful answer to Facebook

God Bless L x

Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Mary Oliver

This is one of my favourite poems out of my favourite anthology. I think everyone else should love it too, so I posted it here.

Quick summary of life since my last post...

Firstly, I'd like to thank you my dear readers as June brought me my blogs highest monthly views since it really started this timeish last year and with only 4 posts in June too, thanks.

I'm afraid this post has no specific aims, It's just I recognise I haven't posted since the 20th of last month.. so:

I ended my "Whit Weekend" post with a little bit of talk on how dearest mummy and daddy headed south west, which gave me Casa Trewinnard all to myself... or at least for a short while. One might think that they must have been crazy, considering the amount of mishap that I've gotten into previously in such situations but I'd like to think, since '09's "Night of Terror" that I have matured and become a responsible young adult. Which, although it being potentially the best thing for my own relationship with @philtrew and @angelatrew felt a little boring, don't get me wrong, the entire week and a half I was home alone I was rarely actually alone and found myself (with the acceptance of one or two nights) constantly in the company of others, weather it be at home with my friends or staying out at a friends, but still, I didn't quite party like one may have done back then, or even, a year ago.

The week was over all good, consisting of much Uno game play, Cludo winning and pizza eating (although, if one has read my tweets, you'll be aware of the disgusting pizza incident of the 23rd in which myself and Joanne Sedz realised that we had fallen victim to some unclean prawns http://yfrog.com/gztz1ygj.) After a long week of going to bed late, getting up late and making the most out of being able to be loud I decided that it was about time to go visit my parents in Devon, who had since been joined by @will_trew. I was only with them for two full days, but it consisted of everything our family holidays are made of, watching films at night, going to a castle and have one day of "cool stuff for the kids" in which Me and Will went here (sadly, @Tom_el_rumi couldn't join us...): http://www.adrenalinquarry.co.uk/ (as featured on Channel 5's Gadget show...)


(it goes way faster than it looks... it was awesome.)

Also, made the most of having a bath whilst there.. I don't think I've had an actual bath for years so it did feel mint being able to have a bath. Bath Bath Bath. (in the cottage.. not at the adrenalin quarry place..)

Yeah, so, even though the travelling was a little harsh on my self esteem, after a crazy lady with pink hair on the outgoing train journey to Devon went ape at me for tapping my pen - and then stole the pen to stop me from continuing to tap AFTER I'd told her I was sorry and would stop.. even though this happened, I found the journey quite enjoyable.

I came home separately from my family because they couldn't fit me in the car. Typical. But it did mean that I was able to make the most of Mary Brock's childhood 18th in which I (among many of my pals) was requied to do a forfeit of doing 10 star jumps during pass the parcel and eat some tediously strong but all the same aesthetically pleasing vodka jelly.

No, it was not till the following day whence came the wrath of @angelatrew on the state of the (what I would call reasonably tidy) house. Either way, it has since blown over, and I think that she's more glad she didn't return to a list of stolen things and a lying daughter which the past had already sold her once. So, some dead flowers were overall a definite one up on previous years.

Not really done much since returning otherwise, except last night I saw Death Cab for Cutie at the Academy, supported by "The Head and The Heart" which was awesome.

Death Cab opened with New Year and ended (if my memory serves me well) with Transattlanticism, every song they played were perfect, even the stuff of the new album which I haven't become quite familiar with yet. Either way, expect songs from both bands on one of the two mixcasts this month.

God Bless, love forever, L x

Worlds strongest Vodka Jelly

Gal Gathering at S.Truemans (missing Amber)

One of the best Pub Quiz names ever..
obviously, only to those that have heard
the whispered stories of S. Sharples

Paddling with @willtrew

Whit Weekend and other stuff.

Luckily for me, my exams have come to an end (all but for my general studies paper anyway.) It would seem "The Week of Terror" would pass quickly and I have found myself sinking back into the same routine of last summer; that is, slobbing about the house in my tesco's joggers all day, watching crap t.v and only leaving the house to go to the garage for another can of Irn Bru, but that is not to say it is what I will be doing all summer.

I've been a bit worried about my summer plans because when I lay them out in front of me.. it really isn't much, but actually the spaces I have free I'm determined to fill up with really practical stuff, like, y'kno, reading books, learning a new language, all that kind'a crap. 

In just over a week I'll be heading to Devon to hang out with my family who are already enjoying the southern sun. This leaves me with a week and a half to sit back, enjoy the freedom of my house and sleep off the last 10 months of life at Blue Coat. It has been two days since my mum and dad left on sat, I have in those two nights only stayed at my house once and there already seems to be 15ish empty beer cans and bottles, a take away pizza and empty packets of club bars, ciggarettes and paracetamol lying about the place. Clearly left overs from the Whit Weekend celebrations of friday and the beer walk. (see links for more information) 

"Local folk like to call it The Greatest Free Show On Earth, and one visit is usually enough to convince anyone that's no idle boast." Richard Jones:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2011/jun/16/dobcross-whit-friday-brass-bands

Whit Friday for the Youth of Saddleworth and (at a stretch, haha) Tameside is a no longer, sadly, a night for the brass bands but a poor excuse to get very drunk (note: I don't honestly believe this, but you'd have thought so if you see the youth on whit Friday.) It was bizarre for me upon arriving to Dobcross to find what used to be "everyone" outside its central pub, the Shambles (which recently closed down, most likely due to the unfortunate name change...or the real reason ) replaced by what appeared to be 12 - 15 year olds. I understand that I was 15 and drinking under age when it was where "everyone" was but, it was just unusual. I found that I enjoyed myself most when sitting in Scouthead's own contest field listening to the brass bands and eating my black pudding than this. "We" - me and the loosely named "JT Crew" of 2008-11 decided to heard off to Upermill, where we were welcomed by a similar larger scene of people 16-19 crowding the park and drunkenly hobbling over the stepping stones (seen here late last year.) Maybe it was because I was getting increasingly drunk, but what started out as a rather embarrassing night for people like me, who prides themselves on Saddleworth (and Tameside) traditions such as Whit Friday and the Rushcart ended up being rather good. There was a moment when the night just seemed to go uphill and everything was good. Whit Friday became how I remember it: every 5 minutes or some someone else you know walks by, everyone is your best friend, everyone (that's drunk) is happy, the faint sound of the brass band keeps up the tempo of the people and even the police (in some cases) are up for a chat - one told me about an old woman that slipped on the stepping stones into the river earlier in the evening. Whit Friday, was another success. 

I'm sad to say I did not attend The Beer Walk the following day, what with my dearest Issac to clean, little Amber Niko slobbing about the house and a feeling of absolute apathy thanks to the night before hanging over me but James, Tom and Will did. It looked and sounded like a nice day and I'm hoping to do it next year.

So, as I sit in the pit of mess that is my living room after a nice whit weekend, a much needed return to church yesterday followed by my trip to the MMU end of year art show featuring Ruth Thomason's stunning work I look forward to the summer. My short stay in Devon, My trip to London with two of my favourite gals, SUbmerged and, what I can see becoming a summer of partys, chilled evenings and long lie ins. 

Lots of love and God Bless, L x

For a much nicer account of whit friday, see Trumpet by Richard Jones of Saddleworth News.

Some pictures that don't quite capture how good my weekend was, at all. 

Scouthead Whit Friday

Me and a very drunk S.Thompson in Uppermill

W. H. Reddish and J. A. Coope as Arthur Dent
and Doctor Who

Ruth Thomason MMU Foundation Art.

Pretty good. Pret-ty pret-ty pret-ty good.

Tonight my dearest readers I bring to you three things, pick and chose which you bother with as you like.

Firstly a distinctly introspective message on how I'm feeling right now with a potential prayer request written in between the lines.

Secondly something you like, super deep cultured wannabe journalists and actavists amongst you might like.

Thirdly a song that has been stuck in my head for a couple of days that I like. 

1) Message: 

I have felt and am feeling an overwhelming amount of pressure in recent times. It first came to my recognision that I shouldn't have treated my first year of A levels as a "practice year" on results day 2010, I quickly forgot about this realisation and became ultimately determined to get my three B's for university. As each day has drawn closer to these exams that dream has become slightly more distant - however, with the help of my teachers, peers and of God I'm sure that what ever results I achieve this year will be "for the Greater Good" (obviously, not in the same context that Gellert Grindelwald uses such a phrase.) I know that the majority of my readers have felt this immense exam pressure either right now, a couple of weeks ago or at some other point in your life and me moaning about it on my blog is either of the most trivial or the highest importance because you either think "its only A Levels" or you're thinking "I'm so glad its not just me." If you're the first example, I'm entirely envious of you and wish you the best and for the latter, I can only pray we get the results we wish for. I think I feel the pressure more now because for once in my life I'm doing the work. I've been living at the library, breathing textbooks, novels, the bible and with each bit of knowledge that I finally learn - one bit of exam technique disappears. Each year I work a little more but this been its doubled and I can't handle finding out in August that this work might, just might have all been for nothing.


2) Something you might enjoy: 

Critically acclaimed foreign affairs series offering an insight into the lives of people in some of the most neglected parts of the planet. 

So, it would appear that I'm way late on catching this, the Unreported World program, in fact, i have for the best part of the 2011 and a little of 2010 series' been unaware that it even was a program and have been instead podcasting it: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world/


Basically, each program of podcast features an interesting report on the stuff that we don't see in the news, hence the naming of the program. It is really interesting and if you're going on a long journey or want something to listen to when doing work or something I'd definitely request the podcast. The episodes on 4oD I've seen have been really good too and I think they have like 4 series' of it. All really interesting, if rather sad, relevant stories and yeah, check it out.




3) A song that have been stuck in my head all day:





And finally, if you haven't watched any of Curb - you definitely should:

2:20

It is absolutely 2 in the morning.

I've been trying to sleep since whatever time and to aid myself decided I'd put on one of my audiobooks. I usually aways resort to Harry Potter because Stephen Fry's voice is way nicer than all of my other audiobook narrators and it gets me excited about the film, then I think about how I know the story so well that I don't have to actually listen and I fall asleep.

Instead I tried listening to J.D Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" - I read the book a couple of years ago and didn't like it, it read to American; sure enough the narrator of the audiobook is too (it would be rather stupid if he wasn't) and it IS too American. I think I like Holden Caulfield more now though, maybe its because I can relate to him being all moody and full of teenage angst and all that Holden Caulfield kind of crap.

I didn't go to Church this morning. My initial plan was to sleep in, get up, do work. Of course, I got up late, made an egg on a tosted bagel and then watched New Scrubs - and even though it was so crap I still watched like 4 episodes. It was just the worst.

I don't in any way feel motivated to do work.

I over the past weekend I've established I've probably done more work than quite a few of my friends. My revision book is packed. I can't remember any of it.

I had/have that Ezra Koeing cover of Paul Simons "Papa Hobo" in my head and every time I closed my eyes it feels like my ears are kicking in and saying "Detroit Detroit, gotta hell of a hockey team" and then I think about Eminem because of 8 Mile and then I think about the Just Lose it video when Michael Jackson got offended (rightly so) and when Jackson was upset Stevie Wonder piped up and said it was offensive and stuff which begs the questions: How has Stevie Wonder seen the video's? and assuming he hasn't, because.. how could he? what right does he have to go sick at Eminem?

Now, obviously I like Stevie Wonder and I quite agree with what he said, but how could he have said it?

I really can't sleep, I feel like Holden and also, I feel like I want to write a novel. Not that I could ever be arsed. I can't even be arsed actually learning the stuff for my exams even if I force myself to sit and write for hours it would seem I'm failing to learn.

I watched a program before during my 3 O'clock brake when I was eating a stake sandwich with melted cheese and fried onion on (boom) called "inside the human body" - On second thoughts, it might have been my 6 O'clock brake - and I was so interested. Now, I was am bad at science, but I liked learning this stuff, most of all, I liked learning it and not having to take an exam.

I want to learn for the sake of learning.

How depressing.

Stupid education system of a society that expects me to know so much and end up making me sit in a puddle of debt.

So tired.

Gna stop listening to J.D and watch an episode of Rasing Hope instead.



God Bless, L x

urgh, its absolutely 2:41 now.

June Mixcast!

With June's Mixcast comes the opening of my new miscast page - so that if you look over to you're right of this page there should be a link to the mixcast page and you can see an archive of all of my mixcasts!

At first this was going to be a "Revision" mixcast and then it was going to be a nostalgic music from my time at Blue Coat. I decided against both, firstly because my revision mixcast would end up being a The Weepies playlist, and a nostalgic list of music would be a messy mix of Blink 182, Lil Wayne and David Lanz "Christofori's dream" - and as much as I'd like to put them all together, June is just not the month for that kind of experimental business.

SO! I have tried to put the revision and nostalgia together and then just added a couple extra at times, it is basically the songs I remember listening to when revising from the past couple of years till now.

Here it is: Waltzing's for Dreamers...

1. Santogold - Lights Out
2. Darwin Deez - DNA
3. The Weepies - Slow Pony Home
4. Jeremy Messersmith - A Girl, A Boy, and a Graveyard
5. Alessi's Ark - The Horse 
6. Los Campesinos - The International Tweexcore Underground 
7. Simon and Garfunkel - The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
8. Death Cab For Cutie - St. Peters Cathedral
9. Tokyo Police Club - Your English Is Good
10. Marissa Nadler - The Sun Always Reminds Me of You
11. Local Natives - Airplanes
12. Richard Thompson - Waltzing's for Dreamers

Only love is all maroon.

Lapping lakes like leary loons...


So, here it is. The final week of college.. So weird. I've been at Blue Coat now for 7 years.

Back on one of my first posts on this blog last September I wrote:


"Today was the first day back at The Blue Coat School Oldham, if I told you that I was excited to be returning to the familiar cluster of buildings that is BC I would be lying. In fact, most of you are aware that I've been consistently trying to escape from the place for the past 4 years. "

I'm not going to take what I said back.. I have been waiting to leave Blue Coat for 5 of the 7 years I've been there, but I am going to be sad to leave.  I've given Blue Coat the best and worst of myself, its institution, staff and pupils have shaped who I am, given me a good education (might take this back at a later date depending on exam results) and provided me with a fine set of friends.

I can't remember my first day of seccondary school particulally well... I remember I only lasted a week before calling a teacher "mum" (Miss Edwards P.E) I pretended I was interested in horses to make friends (Jess Verbrugan..) and clung, for the life of me on to the two girls who came from primary school to Blue Coat with me (Lucinda Johnson and Holly Espie.) My form tutor was Miss Sidebothem (now known as Mrs Greenhalgh, after she married the short ginger man) and me and Samson used to fight over who gave her the pen to do register with.  


It's weird, things changed loads. The last teacher I called mum was my year 11 maths teacher, the last time I pretended to be interested in something was probably war literature when doing my A2 English Lit coursework this year, I haven't seen the two girls I clung to in year seven in the flesh for at least over 6 months (though, i wish them both the very best.) My last form tutor at Blue Coat was/is - for these last 3 days - Dr Sarah Hall, of The Sarah Hall Show, and me and Samson still fight, but over probably more trival matters than who gets to give SRH the pen to do the register with,.


So much, and yet so little has changed over the last 7 years, and, glad as I am it's over. I'm going to miss the security of knowing everyone, of liking everyone, of being liked. I'm terrified to be outside of that... its been good. 


I'm feeling excited.



Probs one of the worse teacher performances we've experienced, but classic Ford.

Dr Greg House on the New Orleans Scene.

I assure you, my friends, that I am no Blue's expert.. Give me a bit of Jazz and I might be able to get somewhere, but Blues has never really been my thing. I'm not sure I've ever found the right time to get into it and maybe this is the time...


“I’ve never eaten grits, cropped a share, or ridden a boxcar. No gypsy woman said anything to my mother when I was born and there’s no hellhound on my trail, as far as I can judge. Let this record show that I am a white, middle-class Englishman, openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American south.” - Laurie, in the sleeve of his album.


With my little knowledge of Blues, I found myself enjoying, singing and even dancing a little to the adapted voice of Hugh Laurie and his new album "Let Them Talk". The album, whether you its you're thing or not, definitely deserves a bit of praise. Generally I think actors and musicians should stick to their thing, unless its for a musical and even then they're allowed a bit of leeway on the acting side if they make up with it in music, so without a doubt this album is defiantly impressive. there is no doubting that Hugh Laurie is a very talented musician and singer as we know from "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and the one issue with his singing is the clear accent change.


House has nailed his american accent from his time on House and his acting is spot on throughout every season, but so much of me feels like if he was going to release an album it should have been in his real accent throughout, rather than slipping into a Greg House act. Either way, he manages to pull off the "New Orleans" feel throughout the album, its very well produced, catchy, instrumentally very well organised and pracctice, features Irma Thomas, Tom Jones and Dr John and it is a nice escape from the usual key 103 that dad's got playing in his car.


I really like the album, there are very few tracks that I'd skip over - it's definitely worth a listen, but if you don't think it might be you're thing, you should give a couple of tracks a listen first... I find youtubes good because I can watch his beautiful face too.


I'd give it a star rating but with a distinctive lack of blues on my iTunes, I really can't call it... as a Jazz fan I do really like it.





Recommended listening: They're Red Hot, St James Infirmary, Battle of Jericho


God Bless and Happy Listening, L, xoxo

Orchestra Daft Punk....

I'm writing introspectively now...

Today I spent a couple of hours trying to figure out who the hell Jess Baxter is; quizzing her for hours on what films she likes, what music she listens to (though, we all know she loves the script) what her interests, hobbies, talents, religious views are, ect... needless to say (for those that know Baxter) she doesn't give much away, none the less, she's a hero and I enjoyed myself.

- anyway, the point of this is that I started thinking about myself, all of the stuff I was asking her I was answering myself. At points I held back, but a lot of the time I found that when Jess gave me her vague mysterious answers I ended up rambling about mine (I'm sure to Jess' dissaproval, as she is such a theology trooper) ...except for when it came to the bigger stuff, like friends.

Now, it's been a long 7 years at Blue Coat and well, we've had our ups and downs. I've seen friendships come and go both inside and outside of school. I'm not in contact properly with anyone from my year at primary school, the people that left Blue Coat at the end of year 11 I've tried, and failed to keep in touch with, and there are very few friendships that I can call "close" that I have managed to keep constant since I started at Blue Coat.

I think friendship wise, it was this year that has shown me the most. In the past twelve months I've been able to establish where I stand with people - and more dauntingly, where I want people to stand with me. Firstly, to anyone reading this that think what I'm writing is about them - I wouldn't worry, chances are its not, and if it is, this does not at all mean I care any less about you. In fact, I rarely come across a person that I don't feel a sense of empathy and genuinely want the best for, as much as I wouldn't want too. Secondly, this doesn't apply to one specific area such as Blue Coat, or Saddleworth, or Manchester.. but covers the whole of the UK and Europe. (Sadly, my world wide friendship tree doesn't seem to branch further than Europe discounting my brother, his girlfriend, and Michael Pearson.) Finally, if this does apply to you, keep in mind that my introspective writings are only introspective when I'm writing them.. I might look back at this tomorrow and entirely disagree with what I have written.

I don't think any friendship I've had over the last 7 years has been a waste of time. The friendships that have not worked out I've learnt from, the friendships that ceased to exist with time I've understood and the friendships which I have salvaged, worked on, built up and kept going were all entirely worth it.

A friend of mine - lets call them Lachance - told me a while back that they; in observing me, found that I needed to be around people all the time, it's why I invite people over a lot, seek relationships and attention in the opposite sex a lot, and that I always want to record photo's of me with people in my journal rather than using it what I originally got it for - my writing. At the time I was furious, I loved spending time alone, reading, writing, playing music, listening to music, watching films and TV.. I like alone time - but in the long run, Lachance was absolutely right. I need to be surrounded by friends, its why my house is so open to people, its why I have to talk and make myself heard all the time, i need the attention, and not because im an attention seeker (though, im sure some of you readers may disagree) but because I'm scared of fading out and being alone.

It's why I let people take me for granted, why I can't just stop being friends with people I can't handle being near and partially why I hold on to friends I've lost - even if its through things close to hate.

I love my friends, each of them, for the way they hold their opinions, the way that they prioritise things, they way they speak, the way that most of my friends aren't arsed, and often the way that certain things get them really arsed.  But a lot of the time these are things I dislike about them too, some opinions are SO different to mine, they prioritise themselves, they speak in a way that makes me clench my fists, they aren't arsed about things I am - visa versa.

Some things in the past year have broken me, people being far away, emotionally and physically (cringe...) and people disregarding my friendship as nothing. Watching people I was friends with falling down a path that they chose that anyone else can see is, in the long run, harmful to them. Seeing friends change for the people around them, and other friends being unable to stop it from happening because they don't want to ruin anything. Every little action in friendship has an effect and I've felt so broken.

I keep seeing my friends, speaking to them, whether in person or through any other means of communication and,  I have come to treasure some of them in the last year. The people that argued with me when I've been wrong, the people that haven't changed to be around me, the people that don't expect me to change to be around them, the people who even though we are so different, I still enjoy talking to. The ones I can sit up till the early hours of the morning and talk to. The ones that live outside of Manchester and ring me, email me, skype me and bother with me. The new friends I've made this year that have supported me in things that the others couldn't have, and the old friends that have supported me in ways the new ones couldn't.

This year, I've learnt a lot about friendship, I've learnt who still cares about it, who's worth it, who's not  worth it, and who's gonna stick around and who I'm gonna want to stick around. Gonna be sad to lose my school pal's next friday, some of them have been my friends for over 4 years. Gonna be happy to see some go though too, the one's that have hurt me, and irritated me, and said mean things about me, I still wish them all the best and hope they find better friendship in someone else, most of the time, I find people genuinely mean well in their own eyes, for their own reasons..

I don't know what I was trying to establish by writing all of this... maybe some sort of closure for myself.. I'm not sure. Originally, I was gonna describe some people.. some true and false friends, but I thought the better of it.

Basically, I wish all the people that I've been friends with until now - even if the end results been messy and we're no longer friends, or I no longer want to be your friend, visa versa - I wish you all the best. And the friends that I'm still friends with and those I want to continue being friends with, lets keep that up.

God Bless, and lots of rambellings... L x

Ju-das Ju-da-ah-as!

I am currently sat in one of my dad's practice rooms - I think its the medical students room, but really I'm not to sure or bothered. After revising for my Synoptic Gospel Theology exam, which I'm sitting for the third  (and hopefully final) time a week on thursday for three and a half hours I have decided to allow myself a brake.

It has come to my attention that Lady Gaga has infultratied my brain... maybe its just because I've written numerous pages int he last three hours on the Passion narrative but Judas will just not go away, nor will my anger to that of the inaccuracy that the lyrics hold (for a futher insight into my feelings on this, check out the songmeanings.net comment on the song, written by lucytrew.)

Either way, a hilarious video about the song has been brought to my attention (thanks to S.Bostock) and also, its reply video - by the same girl that did the original (thanks to S.Trueman.) Figure that this girls weird and kind'a hilarious enough to get blogged whilst I procrasinate from my revision... I genuinely don't know how to feel about these videos, or this poor unusal girl.


Original.



Reply.

Lots of love and God Bless, L x

Mixcast May

Hello Hello Hello,

My May mixcast is here and awaiting your download with a mixture of songs, I only have 8 tracks for you, but Let It Out is a mashup, so it's quite long.

Download: Savages!

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Ben Gibbard 
2. Let It Out - Girl Talk
3. Rad Pitt - Egyptian Hip Hop 
4. Winter - The Dodo's ft Magik Magik Orchestra 
5. We Aint Never Done - The King Blues
6. The Police and The Private - Metric
7. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space - Spiritualized 
8. Tightrope - Janelle Monae ft Big Boi

God Bless, Happy Listening... xoxo

This is mint.

Spring Harvest 2011.

I felt really hesitant about going to Spring Harvest this year... I don't know what it was, maybe I feel like I'd grown out of the youth teachings, maybe I wanted to stay at home and do work: most likely, I wanted to stay home and chill with my friends.

It was a good week - for those who don't know what Spring Harvest is (sounds gay.. its much better than it sounds) it is:

Spring Harvest exists to 'equip the Church for action'. Through a range of events, conferences, books and resources, Spring Harvest seeks to enable Christians to impact their local communities and the wider world. http://www.springharvest.org

Each year Spring Harvest takes on a title, I think its done "One God" "One Church"  "Different Eyes" "Apprentice" - This year, the theme was "Route 66"

 Route 66: Biblical direction for the road we travel, will equip you to better understand the Bible, to better apply its teachings and to better live out the powerful call of the Spirit who broods and breathes within its pages. 

If you don't wan't to read stuff on theology and genocide in the bible... go down to the next red writing.
This is something I really struggle with, "God breathed word" - and I fully trust that the bible is a scripture for us from God but there is so much that I can't get my head round. I love the Bible, I think it has everything, it holds the answers to everything and outside of a Christian perspective has stories that cover everything literature needs. Of course I love the bible, I'm a theology Student... that's not to say it doesn't stress me out massively. I am aware of historical, geographical and content contradictions throughout the bible and because of my studies I am particularly aware of this with the New Testament Gospels - historical and geographical differences don't worry me too much, and even content differences have explanation's that go back to the authors, dates, culture, sitz en laben and audience so I can get over that. No, my issue is with things like Old Testament Genocide, the differences in the Jewish God and the Christian God, how God isn't universal in the Old Testament but was for the Hebrews and descendent of Abraham only. I don't know, masses of things I can't get my head around when it comes to the books of the bible.. but that's why I chose to study it.

I was hoping that it would help being at Spring Harvest.. I'm not too sure it did. I spent much of the week being so focused on relieving myself from the pressure I've felt from my atheist friends in the past 10 months that I didn't spend enough time focusing and reading the bible. I went too a couple of talks though on "tough texts" - one being on genocide in the Old Testament, and the other on all things sex orientated.

"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully." Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion. 

 ^23-25 Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"  

 Genesis 18:23-25 (The Message)

When Abraham says this to God, it is exactly how I feel when I read the book of Joshua or even the smaller parts of the bible where it seems like ultimately un-necessary killing in Gods name - If there even is necessary killing? The genocide talk was very interesting (I can't for the life of me rememeber who it was by.. his voice was quite dull though) and tackled intresting issues like the death of innocent children, and other quite disturbing topics. I don't think I'm any closer to feeling better about it. I don't really wan't to go into it in detail, but if you're intrested check out what Krish Kandiah has provided (he did the same talk the previous week.) Maybe I'll tackle this issue another time.

The other seminar that caught my attention was "God and Human Sexuality" by Nick Pollard, which was again, really interesting.. I shan't go into it now on the blog, but check out www.goodsexbible.com and bits that he has tackled on the topic there. Definitely worth a read, and a really good speaker to listen too. Really good.

Over.

The week was, ultimately - sweet. It was super warm, I was sharing a room with Suzie Bostock, enjoyed some awesome worship sessions, experienced the wonders of Holy Spirit manifestation (but that is for an entirely other blog when its not 1 in the morning) and spent the evenings at the pub making friends and just hanging out.

It's something I always really like when I go to spring harvest, or any Christian event I guess.. I automatically think that I'm gna end up sat with a load of losers, and every time the people are absolutely mint and normal and hilarious. I know they exist, but.. I'm sure I've not come across many stereotypical Christian freaks in my time.. I think we're casually breaking out of that mold now.

It was a much needed brake from Oldham which has been getting me so claustrophobic lately and although Spring Harvest has not solved the issues of being a conservative theist in a friendship group of male socialist atheists, it was definitely nice to sit back and spend some time with God:

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1v12 (NIV)

Hope you all had a nice Easter, God Bless, L x