Wednesday 30 March 2011

Postal Services or Communicaton Impersonalisation

I love post; mail, if you will. I love sending letters to people and I love getting them in return.

I always have loved that personal feeling you get when you send someone a letter. That feeling you get in the back of your mind which isn't conscious, but it tells you that someone's set aside the time to write it all out by hand.
In this day and age, contact is so easy; a text, an email, a tweet even. Being in contact with others is so easy yet I feel it's become less sustainable. The idea that anyone can reach essentially wherever you are is a thought that, at times, drives me mad. The times when you had to call someone, or write them a letter, or even send them a telegram if you wanted to contact them are long gone and I think that's a shame. I love the technology we have these days, don't get me wrong; I love my little HTC Hero and if I hate modern communicative methods that much, well, you wouldn't be reading this now, would you? But I do honestly feel that with the tide of communications devices that we have, the task of staying in touch with others can become a chore...
In the days of snail mail being the only way, you had to commit some time to writing down something that was meaningful, something worthwhile sending and worthwhile reading. You had to envelope it, stamp it and send it off... Nowadays a simple "Hey, how are you? Hope you're good" text is sufficient.
By all means, don't think I'm putting down texting. Believe me, if you saw how full my outbox was you'd be forgiven for thinking my phone never left my hand. I'm a big texter, to say the least. But the point that I am so poorly trying to make is this: in our eagerness to ensure we are personally connected as well as possible we have destroyed the personalisation behind communication.

And that's why I love post so much. I am a huge fan of the simple, yet classic postcard. There isn't enough space to wax lyrical about life, the universe and everything which isn't always necessary however; that's what A4 is for. But it's personal; to me, the postcard is the snail mail version of the text message. There isn't really enough room for an essay (unless you write reeeeally small like me) but there's enough room to connect, to say hello, to ask how life is, to express without exact words to the effect that you value the friendship and/or relationship with a person enough to write them something physical. It says "here, have a little something that shows I care."

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Musically Speaking

I am totally in love with music. It is one of (several) passions I have. I've only recently become aware of the freedom it affords and I hate that I didn't find it earlier. The feeling that perfectly sending out a bass riff I've just learned or even made up; the joy, the sense of accomplishment, the ultimately relaxing feeling that it brings.
Singing is just as brilliant too. Letting go and just flying along with a song that you inexplicably know every lyric to; not through rehearsal but simply because you've listened to it that many times that it's imprinted onto your mind. You know every inhalation, every pause, every stuttered line.
I just had one of those moments: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge. I know it like the back of my hand, I've listened to it that much.

I don't really have a point to this post. I just... I am a passionate man. I like to share my passions and freak people out with how disproportionately I love things. I am an obsessor and I am proud of it.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

New Arrivals

Oh yeah! As of today, I officially have all of my expected arrivals. Darth Maul: check. Asajj Ventress: check. The beginnings of my clone trooper micro bust army: check. I love it, I'm such an enormous nerd!
Today, I finally got my essay done and dusted and it's now totally ready to send off. It feels so good to be getting it sorted out and done and set away to pasture. I've finished that course. It hasn't quite registered yet; maybe it will when I send it off. It's done and now I can start looking at future courses. There is time for that...
Tomorrow morning I have a mission: I have letters to post. One to my dear, small Swedish friend and one to the open university. To be honest, both have taken a while to complete. Both were finished today. Normally, I love writing letters and I'm like blah blah blah blah ok done but this one took a bit longer... Although it is three pages long, but still it took a while for me to finish it in totality. Anyway, those will be sent off tomorrow. Then I have another mission to accomplish: school times. Yes, it has been a while since I contacted them and I hope that they'll forgive me for my lack of contact but I do have good reasons. Busyness with moving, stress with coursework... It all just piled on. But tomorrow is the day I get in contact, eat a very large quantity of humble pie and see if they're still willing to have me come along and help out... We'll see how it goes. I don't think they'll be too down on me. I mean, let's face it... this is me we're talking about. :P

So I have a reasonably busy morning. That and the fact I have an Italian assignment to write... Ooooooooooooooooh boy, this will be good... I think? I hope? I'm praying...
Anyway, I needs my beauty sleep.
KBO.

Sunday 13 March 2011

sexual equality

Ok, so I might get some stick for this. But I will be honest, I find it a bit ridiculous that there is so much outrage over this move to make young women pay as much as young men for car insurance. It's typical that if something furthers women, puts them above men even, then that's fine and supported. But something that means women will actually have to pay out more money then of course that's not acceptable. Now, I will give you this; if we're gonna start charging women more and the same amount as men, then they need to paid more and the same as men. But I find that it's typical that when an act that actually goes toward making things more equal for women in the real world there is outrage.

Friday 11 March 2011

Fender Aerodyne Bass




I have nothing more to add.
There is nothing more to add.
Just look at it.
Om and indeed nom.

Thursday 10 March 2011

Good Night

I just remembered something. I'm very pleased about it.
I called Gemma totally, breathingly gorgeous today and she didn't object. She didn't disagree.
This is a good thing.

1/100 HG Gundam Nataku


1/100 HG Gundam Nataku, originally uploaded by vegeta8259.

I love this colour scheme. This guy, Vegeta8259, does some really nice custom colour versions.

10th March 2011, 12:27 pm

Still no sign of Darth Maul or Asajj Ventress... I hope they arrive soon.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Release

Today, I've had one of the most fun and rewarding days in a while. Work went well, yaddah yaddah, all that jazz. That's not what has been so good.
Today, I spent practically any and all of my spare time playing bass. I'm getting better. I know this because I tried to learn the bass line from Killing in the Name of by Rage Against the Machine (It's an awful song but the bass is so cool) in the past and I just couldn't do it; I couldn't get my hands coordinated. BUT after about 20 minutes (max) I managed to learn a pretty decent approximation of the bass line. It's not perfect, but if you listened to my playing it you'd be able to work out what it was! Which is the general effect I'm going for when learning a song...
I totally love playing the bass, more than I ever have. I am so glad I finally picked up an instrument after all this time. Just... the release when I play is awesome. It's like, I de-stress and wipe it all away. If I'm feeling angry it gets an aggression out and away. It chills me out, totally. I love it.
But I've played an awful lot of bass today... and I'm feeling it. I have a blister on my right hand's middle finger and hot spots on both my index fingers. By hands feel a little stiff too. But it's been so worth it.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Once More Into the Breach

It happened again. I knew it would at some point, it was inevitable really... Thing is, I could feel it happening this time, which was a slightly unusual feeling. It was the first time I'd known it was happening and the third that it had happened.
I've fallen in love again.
And yes, I know it's horribly soppy and mushy but I don't care. I've fallen in love once again and it feels amazing. I can't explain it; I was on skype talking to Gemma about... stuff. Just stuff, and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I felt like I did when I first started talking to her after we'd made "us" official. I felt a thirll to just to be talking to her and I had the most unusual and amazing mix of emotions. I had to fight hard to stop myself from bursting out and laughing like an idiot, but I had tears in my eyes at the same time. All I wanted at that exact moment was to sit and look at her face. It's all I can do at this distance, I can't hug, I can't kiss, I can't touch... But I can look and, oh blimey Charlie, do I have something utterly gorgeous to look at.
Breathtaking. Yes, I just said that. Yes, I know it's cliched.
But I think that's another part of knowing you're really in love. Cheesy cliches that are only true and applicable in movies are actually true. You can say them and know you're saying them honestly (although there will be a slight hint of guilt at the utter cheesiness).

I am totally and completely in love. And that's a fact.

Nerdiness abounds

Earlier today, I was investigating the character design in the third series of Clone Wars; I like to keep up with the series... One thing I noticed was that Asajj Ventress's costume and design had been changed.
One of the first things I though was "I wonder if they'll do a ver 2.0 mighty mugg ." I never cease to amazy myself at the levels of geekery..

Monday 7 March 2011

Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?

This will be me and my kids, I have decided.

Snoozing Bounty Hunter


Snoozing Bounty Hunter, originally uploaded by Ar'alani.

This will be my daughter.
I don't even care, when I have kids this will be them.

Back in the Groove

Now that, my dear friends, is more like it.
Today in the world of study land has been a good day. Friday ended on a reasonably sour note. I felt annoyed that I hadn't got more of my essay done and that I was feeling totally distracted and couldn't focus. I was totally at the end of my tether and about ready to give up. Call it a day. But the morning has dawned, the day has past, and I have been reasonably successful. This morning I got up, read through my base plan-derived sentences, made some amendments and got typing. After 1 day, 2, 1 litre bottles of squash, 1 cafe latte, half a packet of oreos, an awful lot of soundtracks and some spaghetti later, three quarters of my essay is done. It's not as much as I had hoped to get done but I did waste a few hours this morning and so I can excuse it. But I am so very pleased with my productivity compared with Friday.

I feel I may have got my groove back.

Saturday 5 March 2011

Copyright Infringement


Copyright Infringement, originally uploaded by Photo David.

WAIT. THERE'S A JANGO FETT!?!?!?!?!?

Ventress


Ventress, originally uploaded by Photo David.

Not too long and this bamf will be on my shelf. I'm really looking forward to it. Sadly enough...

Friday 4 March 2011

The Enforcers


The Enforcers, originally uploaded by Photo David.

Don't worry. They're the Empire's elite army and they can't hit the broadside of a barn door.

Boba Fett: Mighty-Mugg'd


Boba Fett: Mighty-Mugg'd, originally uploaded by @optikalblitz.

I've fallen in nerdfighter like with these things.
I have two of the mini muggs sets: Boba, IG-88, Bossk and General Grievous, captain Rex and Cad Bane. But I want the Boba 6".
I have an Asajj Ventress and a Darth Maul coming soon which I am SO excited about! The Darth Maul is beyond epic and the Asajj is pretty cool too. Anyway, this is going nowhere. I feel like browsing Flickr and sending random photos to my blog SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

Concentration or lack of it.

I am really frustrated with how my coursework is going currently. Or, to be more accurate, with how I am doing. I can't focus and I don't know why. I have an essay to write which is due in about two weeks but I've tried to write it over two days. I should be able to write it in that space of time however I can't properly knuckle down and get on with it. My mind wanders all over the place. It's terrible because I can slowly feel the panic setting in. When I'm alone and quiet with nothing on my mind, the devil pops up, I imagine looking distinctly like the trollface meme, and reminds me of how badly I failed the last course. How epically I fell behind because I couldn't focus, because I had very little concentration. I hate it; I honestly don't know why it happens. I start up, open words and start writing. "Yes," I say to myself, "I will get this done TODAY!" However, I know I won't because I'm on a laptop and the call of youtube and tumblr and facebook are all far too alluring. I wish I could just knuckle down, focus, knock the essay out of the way and then piss about online. It makes no sense to me; I am so stressed about these courses; I just realised that I was clenching my teeth just typing about it. I need to focus.

But, it's like there's this un-fightable urge that just pulls my cursor over to the firefox icon. I should be able to just go "no, this has to be done." But I find it too difficult. Maybe I need to delete my facebook and my tumblr... But that'd be hard. I'd find alternatives. I just need self discipline and I wish I knew how to impliment it. I wish I knew how to put it into place but the fact of the matter is, my mind is empty. I feel full of useless facts, nerdy stuff and geekery. But when it comes to stuff that is actually useful, well, that's a totally different story.

I don't know why I find it so difficult to focus and it worries me. I feel like I won't be good enough and fail. I feel like I'll get most of the way through and then crash and burn. But I can't let that happen again, I just can't. I can't take it... My head can't take it. Oh sure, I could let it happen but that's another freaking year wasted and another nail in the coffin of my degree hopes. I will never get a degree if I fail this. I'll simply get a full time job at Roys and disappear quietly into the background, never doing anything worthwhile. Just stripping out clothes for the rest of my lonely life. My cold, empty, lonely life... I can't let that happen, I just can't do it. I won't do it.

I have to succeed. I am not optimistic. I have no self-belief. I have no confidence in my abilities to succeed. But that is all irrelevant. I have to pass these courses or else I will never be able to do anything worthwhile with my life. I have to...