Terra-ist Noise

East Coast

2011-12-15T05:47:00.002Z

So, I'm now down in Byron Bay, having driven up then coached down the east coast of Australia. Here's some hints and tips for those wanting to do something similar.

Don't hire a van, they're small, uncomfortable, awkward to find places to park, and less sociable
Budget well
Book as you go, listen to other travelers and get recommendations
Don't trust travel agents - especially in the UK, they have no idea what they're booking you into
Don't stop everywhere, there's no need

CAIRNS
If you want to party, stay at Gilligans - it's like freshers week all year round
All the hostels are cheap and offer free food, don't think you're getting a bargain, they all do it!
Book onto lots of trips/activities, they are great fun and a brilliant way to meet people
Book through your hostel, most people do, so you'll meet people from your hostel
Don't get trapped, it gets old after about a week
Do the great barrier reef, white water rafting and bungee jumping

MISSION BEACH
This place is tiny, so go if you want to chill.
The full moon party was apparently shit

AIRLIE BEACH
Airlie is like a mini Cairns, but everyone is heading off to the Whitsundays, so don't stay long unless you like making new friends every night

WHITSUNDAYS
Beautiful, must see part of the east coast
If you want to drink and party, book onto the clipper,(ratio may be very bad) if not, most of the other boats will do. (good ratio)
Boomerang was a professional sailing boat if that's what you want - though little sailing happens

TOWN OF 1770
Scooteroos are pretty much the only thing to do here, so don't stay long
Very chilled

HERVEY BAY
Gateway to Fraser Island, don't stay longer than you need, no-one else does

RAINBOW BEACH
Like Hervey Bay, but with a nicer beach

FRASER ISLAND
You must do this.
Do a two night camping trip, you'll make amazing friends, meet awesome people, and get to drive a bad-ass 4x4 around in sand. Try not to have sex in the sand, it's not good (wait till you get home on the last night)

NOOSA HEADS
I have no idea what's here, or why people go...

BRISBANE
It's a city, a small one, with not much to do and lots of Germans
Nice to settle, maybe

SURFERS PARADISE
This is a city, not a cool beach town
Good for partying and the beach

BYRON BAY
Small town, but popular with travelers, stoners and hippies
Don't stay in the YHA, it's too strict on noise/alcohol
Try all the bars, some are tacky and naff, others are tackier, others are kinda boring
Hard to find work here!

2011-11-04T09:08:00.000Z

pupfresh:

Apparently an artist only makes 8 cents on a 99-cent iTunes download.

The detailed breakdown shows that for every 1,000 iTunes downloads sold, a UMG-signed artist gets paid $80.33. And that’s after the label collects on a 25% ‘Container Charge for Audiophile Records,’ as well as a 15% ‘Net Sales Deduction.’
With major labels abandoning the CD-format next year, it really looks like the world will be ending in 2012.

me:

This is the best thing i’ve ever heard. I’ve known the stats about artist pay for a long time, and the end of the cd was always going to happen. However this is not the death of music, this is the rebirth! This will be the end for artists in it for the money, no more horrible suedo punk and rock bands in it for the girls! We’ll still have disgusting pop artists who will be funded through endorsments and sponsorships, but we’ll lose the vile faux-alt music that has been destroying our culture for so long. Music will be made by musicians who WANT to make music not money! It will bring forth a new DIY era where the smaller labels will be in control of quality music, bands who play music because they want to, not to get paid. It will also help to usher the music subscription model, a time when a monthly fee is paid, just the same as sky tv, or internet, that will give you access to as much music as there is (like spotify does now) and artists will be paid based on amount of plays. If like itunes it will be possible for unsigned bands to add themselves, then it open up the market for small bands to finally have a stake in the earnongs. For too long the music industry has been run on greed, just like most of the capitalist world. With ‘alternative’ culture becoming more and more mainstream its been hard to know the difference between those that give a fuck and those that don’t. Soon the time will come that bands will be popular based on quality, rather than marketing. Dinosaurs will die, long live the DIY

Tumblr killer my punctuation - sorry

Why Blog?

2011-11-04T08:57:00.003Z

I got asked the other day why I write a blog and a journal... I was a bit lost really...

I have lots of different profiles and places on the internet, all that I use in different ways and for very different purposes

Journal - my personal notes, nothing really interesting and mostly written when I've got bored of reading and have nothing else to do. Documenting where I am, what I'm doing, how I feel. Sometimes it gets a bit emo and serious, but I'm usually too lazy to write in it.

Blogger - most of my rants and thoughts that I want people to know go here. Again I'm pretty lazy, and I only know of three people reading them (Alan, Tom and Rhianna - hello!) But I like to put down in writing these little rants that I have. It was supposed to be about music and all that, but there's too many people doing that better, so it's just what I want.

Tumblr - cool stuff I see on tumblr, this is more for me than anyone else - a collection of the best stuff I find online. Mostly snowboarding videos. Occasionally I get a pang of politics or the need to rant to a larger audience, so I post shit on there. I like to tell people what to listen to as well.

Twitter - well.... I don't get this anymore, the only good things are links...

Facebook - it's a promotions tool, so have lots of friends so you can promote to them, or ask favours! It really is a good way to keep in touch, but don't take it too seriously. Also, very good for checking out girls/stalking/perving... It's kinda nice to see what others are up to as well, if you care...

Hotmail - well, that's my email...

Not sure why I wrote this, but I'm sure someone will read it... maybe

Be nice to fundraisers, they're people too!

2011-10-26T00:14:00.004+01:00

Having come to Oz, the easiest job to get is fundraising, with no experience needed and a friendly outgoing personality, I found it easy to get started in the job. However, i used to think of it as selling your soul, to work on the streets and beg for money for a charity. And, well, I still do! It's a shit job but it pays. Thankfully I'm travelling lots with my team so that's a positive, otherwise I'm sure I'd have quit be now!

Here's some advice for those of you that hate us, because we hate ourselves enough already, so we don't need you guys making us any worse

If you don't want to talk to us, just say no thanks, we don't need a long winded excuse because we just don't care about your sick dog...
Don't ignore us, we're dicks, but we're still people, and if you ignore we want to kill you/ourselves
Don't pretend you're on the phone, we can tell, you're a dick.
Don't pretend to deaf, you're a massive dick
Don't stop just to 'cheer us up' if you're not going to sign up, then move on so we can find someone who will

We're not out there to scam you, and we have to be super friendly, so be friendly back, it's only polite :)

The job is pretty demeaning, and depressing. We know you hate us, butnit's our job and as much as we can take endless rejection, it does get old fast!

EDIT: if you're single and cute, give us your number, most people (boys and girls) doing this are single!

ermmmmm

2011-10-16T00:01:00.002+01:00

I was going to write a blog post yesterday, but I have already forgotten what it was going to be about...

Fundraising perhaps, and my experience with it so far. Well, it's hardly a job to be proud of, but it pays well enough and thanks to free accommodation I'm saving loads of money. Plus I'm getting to travel lots too, off to Port McQuarie later today after one night in Sydney. Last week we were in a small town called Terrigal which was right on the beach and the hostel had free surfboards so we managed to get a bit of surfing in, although the waves were tiny!

I'd actually recommend it to people looking for work here, it gives you a chance to meet some pretty cool people as well.

Looking forward to travelling more, and hopefully finding some more girls!

Talk to strangers!

2011-09-17T15:46:00.000+01:00

last night i had the best time yet in sydney, all thanks to a stranger!

after finding out as much as i could about alternative nights out here, i was still seriously lacking in someone to go with, so after drinks with the work guys i headed to scary canary, the bar attached to the hostel i’m staying in, where they play the same horrific and generic house shit every night, just like nearly every venue in sydney actually. thankfully i know a few people there, and i’m soon in the smoking area taking in lovely lungfuls of second hand smoke, and chatting to a german friend, from this i get chatting to some lovely swedish girls, then some nice finish girls too. i convince the swedish girls to come check out this club with me, but for some reason these two german guys end up tagging along as well (total cock block!) and when we get there, they totally bail on me :( after a bit of joking around, they still bail… but i clocked a guy with stretchers on the walk up, so heading back that way i find him ‘nice strectchers’ i say. it turns out the guy hasn’t been in sydney long but is staying with his brother, and is from adelaide. anyway, we get on so well, and are talking music all, so when we bounce from the bar they were in i lead them back to the club, only to find out there’s only 70 people in there and it’s $10 to get in… we bounce on, heading for the other night i’d heard of, after losing the brother we find this place, on the gay side of oxford street, wander in and it’s free, thanks to the box office being shut! get in and boom! it’s sweet dubstep and shuffle tunes, so i learn to shuffle and we have a great laugh. so glad i made that step to say hi! especially as i finally have someone up for hitting the cooler places in town with me, someone who has a clue about music! we’d be out tonight, but he’s broke :( so while it’s easy to meet people in the hostel, these guys just ain’t my style ya'know what I'm sayin'?

A first-timers guide to Australia

2011-09-12T02:03:00.001+01:00

First up, know why you're going, is it a holiday, or do you want to work?

If you're doing a holiday, then make sure you book up as much as you can, you don't want any empty days, seriously. You can explore most of the cities in a single day by foot so you'll soon get bored of wandering around if you've got too many days to kill. Book everything from the UK, it gets very expensive very quickly out here, but you'll get a good deal and be able to plan it all nicely with the tour operator in the UK. You need to know what you want to do, but it's all pretty much the same stuff that everyone else does. Bungee Jump and Skydive, Snorkeling at the great barrier reef, Fraser Island and Whitsunday, Sydney attractions, Byron Bay, Bondi Beach... etc just work out what you can afford and do as much as you can. There's about 20 different options and easily 100 operators all selling the same shit, so just go with what your operator suggests. Remember it's a holiday, so make the most of it.

If you're planning to work here then it's a whole different story. I'd recommend not doing any of the suggested intro packages (they're usually pretty shit), but instead book yourself a week or two at a reasonable hostel and prepare for some boring days... Try to fly in on a sunday or monday, so you've got the whole working week to get yourself sorted. There's a lot of stuff you need to get prepared:
Phone - head to Vodaphone, or any of the other shops and get the cheapest you can find
Bank Account - easy enough, make sure you have your phone first though! You can't get paid until you have an aussie bank account.
Tax number - this stops you paying too much tax, there's about 1000 ways to get this, so it shouldn't be too hard.
RSA - This is required if you want bar work, and is a bit pricey, but get it asap.
RCG - This allows you to work somewhere that has gambling, which a lot of bars do, so it's pretty useful
Other qualifications - depending on what sector you want to work in, there's probably a certificate needed, it's a ballache, but if you arrived at a good time you can get it sorted pretty fast.

Once all that is sorted you can start the job hunt, this is also a ballache but remember, the aussie minimum wage is around $20 an hour, so the price of a beer doesn't seem to so bad then! You can save the hassle of getting certificates if you go for farm jobs, or fundraising. Farm jobs are usually miles away, but offer free accomodation and if you do them for 3 months you qualify for a second working visa.
Bear in mind that Australia is expensive! Cheapest beer I've seen is $5 which wasn't even a full pint, and a Big Mac meal is $7, which works out at about £5. So it's expensive, until you start working, then it really seems quite cheap. But when you first get out here, you'll be draining your bank account a lot quicker than you might think - so avoid the expensive stuff until the end of your trip.

Finally, whether on holiday or working, take a friend! It's pretty scary moving cities in the UK, but when you consider that you'll have no-one to go to the pub with, no permanent place to live and no job it's really easy to get homesick. If you are alone, then stick with it, you do meet people and make friends pretty quick, but when you're sleeping in a room full of strangers and running out of money it's pretty lonely.

sex

2011-08-23T17:52:00.002+01:00

Hello to the two people I know that read this...

This post was inspired by a rather rediculous post I saw online, that said "If a man comes during sex it's normal, if a woman comes is exceptional" or something similar, I'm paraphrasing.

I'm sure you know me well enough to know that I disagree! It all comes down to effort, and dominance. Men come because they are the ones putting the greater percentage of effort in, and are in charge of positioning. If a girl wants to enjoy herself more, she must be more active, either putting in as much effort, or changing the position into one which works for her. I know most guys would not complain about this! I only remember being with one girl who was totally assertive, in fact, she was pretty damn pushy as well, insisting she was on top and grinding away in a way that did nothing for me. I was happy to oblige though, knowing that she was enjoying it, and well, things would continue on afterwards.

Perhaps girls should stop worrying about how good the boy is, and work on making it work for them!

Also, what's the deal with the toilet seat thing? Putting the seat down takes practically 0 effort, while lifting it is more work (physically speaking, it's obviously not a big deal) but I've never heard a bloke moaning about have to lift the thing!

I've had a few bits n pieces to write about for a while, but I seem to have forgotten the others...

Awesome Days 2

2011-05-30T15:16:00.003+01:00

Slam Dunk,

Offered tickets on thursday, found someone to go with who sorted us a car to get down and then comes one of the most awesome days! Getting stuck in traffic and having to keep switching the engine off to keep it cool, listening to one chilli peppers song on repeat because it was the only good song in the car, not having to queue at all, free afterparty tickets, sunshine so we can rock the shades, and then so so many bands!

Failsafe - still awesome!
The Famous Class - actually terrible
This Time Last Year - not bad I suppose...
Goldfinger - a very pleasant surprise, but cut short
Bury Tomorrow - still shredding
Lost Boys - great show
While She Sleeps - missed my favourite song, but still loved the set
VersaEmerge - caught a song or two and was impressed, plus super hot singer
Blitz Kids - didn't play my favourite song! But signed by my friends at hassle, good job boys
MC Lars - rammed the smallest room and killed it
Francesqa - kinda boring tbh
Dance Gavin Dance - 3rd time that week and still blew me away in the top 5 bands now
Less Than Jake - great to see them again after so long, and really good to get nostalgic, plenty of awesome old ones from my youth
Deaf Havana - lead was wankered, but still sang great! Seriously impressive response from the crowd, singing it all back
We Are The Ocean - seriously good these days, props to those boys

These aren't in order btw, just the order I remembered them! Missed Lower Than Atlantis, The Skints and The King Blues, but I can live with that.

Ended up buying Far Q by LTA for the drive home and selling our afterparty tickets, pretty sweet really.

Such a good time, and so impressed by the festival. After last years problems getting around they really got smart and sorted it all out. There was no issue getting around, plenty of space for all the merch and food stands, and best of all, the sound quality was amazing in every room! Loved every second!

Awesome Days

2011-05-30T15:13:00.000+01:00

i finished uni on tuesday and have had the best fucking time since! tatto, snowboard, london and some of the best shows i’ve seen.
serious props to:

piers for my ghost, rob, scott and tereza for board times and maccies, lucy and maisie for tumblrlols on the ‘snow’, regents park gardeners for the roses, chloe for food, dgd, nasin and sleeps, rob, charlottw, scott g, rudy and matt for acw chilling times, don broco, the dangerous summer, the james cleaver quintet and yashin for music, dance gavin dance for the sickiest shows, particularly jonny craig, matt mingus and eric lodge who chilled with us at nasin, ryan and amar for drinks, and ross for being awesome, nina for posh lunch, elle for the thunder storms and cheap lunch, uxia at dgd(2), the cute merch girl for dgd and the jcq for cheap shirts, mike of lta for being drunk, rhianna for sleeps and good times, leo for posh breakfast and ellie for pint o’ prawns twenty minutes later, and the ifpi for not changing a bit.
and now, party times with the aston snow crew, work with the a&b lads and slam dunk with awesome lost boys!

fucken love my life :d

Why girls hate guys, and why guys can't be with girls.

2011-05-15T20:41:00.002+01:00

Setting aside the whole notion that we're all still too closely related to animals, and therefore are much more prone to wanting several partners, here's why guys don't want to be with girls, and why girls hate them for it:

Girls are boring.

And why is that? Because the majority of girls that I know only do two things: Work and drink. This doesn't interest me. What I look for in a girl is the same as what I look for in a friend (with the exception of attractiveness which is rather more important with girlfriends) which is someone who will excite and inspire me. Someone who will be enthusiastic about the things I enjoy. Someone who will help me to live a more enjoyable life, and to experience new things.

For example, my friend Tim was brilliant, not just because we could play in a band together, or that we could go to the pub until 3 in the morning on a Tuesday just because. But he inspired and taught me new things, he introduced me to Mountain Biking, something I always wanted to try, and thanks to him I did, he taught me how to play Mah Jong (the real version) he introduced me to some amazing music, Behold... The Arctopus and Soulwax mostly as well as taking me to see Roni Size. Thanks to him I experienced so much more.

Ina also helped in many ways, getting me to listen to much more jazz and funk, getting me more involved in the working of computers and gaming more, and teaching me a lot about people.

It's rare that I've met a girl who can inspire or has encouraged me to try new things in such a way, which is a great shame. While I may be arrogant, I am humble enough to know that I do not know everything, and I would like to learn. Whether a girl teaches me how to cook (I really know so few girls that are any better than me!) how to rock climb, or encourages me to do something I've always wanted to do, like a bungie jump or a skydive, it doesn't matter what, but it matters that she would have pushed me to do it.

I'd like a girl to have her own opinions and tastes on things, whether these are similar to mine or not doesn't matter, so long as it's a sincere and passionate belief, and not a shallow formed and ill-informed opinion. I'd like a girl to challenge me as well.

I don't want to be held back, as much as I love a chilled out night in watching films, I don't want that all the time. But I also don't want to organise everything all the time. I need time home alone, out with friends, with a girl and out with a girl. But to organise all this would piss me off. So a girl needs her own life, I don't want to be her life, just a big part of it.

And you know why girls hate guys?

Because they don't want to settle for some boring girl! And we're to blame for that apparently. Guys have been taught as they grow up that in order to get the girl we need to be cool, funny, successful and confident. We're told that we should do things that make us seem cooler, look better and offer a better package to a girl. We're told that we should do all the work to earn a place next to a girl. On top of all that, we do more stuff because we actually want to, it's fun!

What does the girl have to do? Be Pretty. That's all their told. But it's wrong, guys don't want you just because you're pretty. We've worked hard on all the aspects of our lives, we've got it all sorted. So now we can girl the girl, and if we can get you, we can get more. Why should we choose you? What can you offer other than a pretty face?

So, there's a few girls I know that have more than just work and drink in their lives. Some rock-climb, others go to the gym, some snowboard, some surf. But none have ever thought to encourage me.

Maybe I'm just getting the wrong girls, maybe all the good ones are taken. Maybe I just need to meet more people and this is a horrifically incorrect sweeping statement. But please, if you're a girl and you do more than just drink and work, please let me know! Then give me your number.

Advice to Bands

2011-05-15T20:39:00.001+01:00

This is some advice I sent in an email out to a guy whose son I saw play on Friday night:

" Before going on stage send one member to speak to the soundman, and tell him that you're about to go on, and that you'll put a thumbs up once you're all ready to play. Then, all walk on stage, quickly check everything is working - and I mean very quickly, one quick strum of a guitar and tapping the mic is enough - do not play anything else! Once you know everything is working fine, put the thumbs up and the soundman will bring the music down. The quickly introduce the band and the first song and get straight into it.

Plan the set all the way through, including points when you're going to talk, and play it all the way through in order at least 3 times every practice. This way you'll always know what song is next.

Work on playing some songs back to back with no, or very little pause.

Make sure you say the band name very clearly at least three times during the set, once at the start, once in the middle and once at the end. Don't worry about mentioning the myspace/facebook everyone will already assume you're on there.

Prepare a good joke, so if you need to fill some time between songs you've got something to rely on. Talk slowly and clearly and with confidence, if you're not sure what you're saying, don't say anything!

Make sure you're enjoying yourself on stage, and work on movement. If you look bored, the audience will be! Try to get as involved as possible. Watch videos of other bands and watch what they do onstage, and try to emulate that. Practice this at rehearsals every time you play through the set. The singer especially needs to be strutting and moving a lot more, he's the focus and centre of the band and should act it.

As for getting better gigs, play every rubbish gig that comes along, but play everyone with passion and enthusiasm. Even if it's just to the same friends and family, and the other bands, if you can impress them then do it! There's no such thing as a pointless gig. Work on playing a seamless set with loads of confidence.

As for getting bigger shows in the future, make sure the boys have got that professional edge, then using your PR email address start emailing promoters and other bands. Act as though you are a booking agent, this will make the band seem more professional and will give a good impression to promoters. Find bands that are similar that are playing in the next 3 months or so and ask if they have arranged support for those bands. If there are slots available put the boys forward to play the shows.

If someone else in charge of booking, then get them to set up a new email address especially for it (but forwarded to their normal email address so they don't miss the replies) As a promoter, getting an email from joey-182@hotmail.com asking if his band can have a gig is not a good start!

If the boys are really serious about the band, get a good logo designed and have stickers made up - lots of them! then give them out and stick them everywhere! Give them to friends, and hand them out at every show, and just stick them everywhere. The band members should always have stickers on them, to stick everywhere they go, and to hand out to people they meet.

Finally, get a website and email server. This can be a total pain in the ass, but it's worth it! Using a tumblr.com blog page, you don't have to worry about designing a page, and you can have all the info you need on there. Then using Godaddy hosting, get a domain name and email address package. Having a .com really makes the band look a lot more professional, as does sending emails from that domain."

Selling stuff again

2011-05-11T20:33:00.004+01:00

Trying to make some space and/or making some money.

22" computer monitor £70
2x wireless mice £5 each
flow snowboard bindings £40
FSU 154 snowboard £20
Nitro 156 snowboard £70
2x Yamaha HS50M speakers £50 each or £80 pair
Evolution Mini MIDI keyboard £20
Heavy Duty effect Case 60x40 £15
6U amp Stagg flight case £20
Sound recording books £5
BMX stunt pegs £5
Speed Demon skateboard £15
Sennheiser Wireless Unit £40

Fixie vs BMX

2011-05-01T13:40:00.002+01:00

Fixie:
Look like a hipster -1
can't free wheel -1
faster +1
good excercise +1
lightweight +1

BMX
Look like a gangsta +1
slower -1
good excercise +1
lightweight +1
small +1

Bioshock

2011-04-26T21:51:00.002+01:00

Well, I'm playing Bioshock, it's pretty cool. The combat is varied and challenging, and the tasks haven't got so repetitive that I'm bored yet, even if all I'm really doing is going one way then the next to click 'A' on different things.

The plot has kept me interested, which is probably the only reason I'm still playing it, but I have now got to the point where I just want it to end. It's alright, but I'm definitely getting to the end of my patience with it. There's only so many dark and gloomy levels I can trudge through without wanting to just throw it down and go outside (which is actually a much better way to use my time!). Well, I like it, I'm kinda glad I've played it, but I won't be buying the second one anytime soon.

I'm a bit lost as to why it was billed as such a revolutionary game. To me it just feels like a fairly standard FPS, better than most in that it doesn't have anything glaringly wrong with it. But is that all it takes to make a great game? No blinding errors? Wow, time to get into game design!

Sexism

2011-04-26T13:06:00.001+01:00

meinhof:

The only problem i’ve had this weekend whilst playing shows with Ravachol was a bit of sexist misogyny thrown into the mix - in London when we got to the venue a pair of older guys made a couple of lewd comments to me, which is fine i guess, it happens, but when we played our set, someone actually grabbed my ass which wasn’t cool. i couldnt do anything about it as i had my back to them and was mid song and i was also a bit shocked as it was unexpected. I would like to think that it was a one off thing as i didnt think there was that sort of behavior apparent in the community of people i am involved with. Its interesting though as i read a debate about girls in music (the sort of screamo/hardcore scene i guess) recently and though there’s not as many girls as there are men, some men seem to think we are equally represented and have fair and non sexist treatment, i think it was implied that sexism phased out a few years ago, but i dont believe thats true at all. i think that it definatly exists, and the fact that i was effectively “groped” during my third show, technically our first proper show as the first two were in a private gallery and a house show respectively, is proof of things to come maybe? Does a woman have to be a tough cropped haired androgynous female to not get treated like a cow at a cattle auction? we dont need to be poked, touched or prodded. im right there, you can see me, i exist.

Girls get a hard enough time as it is, we dont garner quite as much respect as the men doing the same things, people will always ask the man i’m with a question that should have been asked to me, if a man is doing something then its “manly” and “normal”, if a girl is doing it its “cute” or “different”. If a guy is running a DIY label or promoting shows or Playing in a band then its normal, you know, but when a girl does it its twee. A girl that buys records - garnered her music taste from her boyfriend. A girl at a show - probably there to find a new boyfriend/try it on with the band. A girl in a band shirt? - belongs to her boyfriend. I know this is a bit of a blanket assumption but i think a lot of people feel like this, and a lot of girls experience this. We dont get a completley fair deal, no matter what any man tells you. For every few guys that are awesome i meet there is always going to be one that thinks as your a girl your not quite capable of whatever it is that your doing. and then every now and again a stray sexist, like the anti girls on tour brigade. HELLO!? this isnt spring break, not every girl you meet is a “slut” and its a disgusting way to think about it.

This is a subject very close to my heart and i have, for many years, hated the way girls are pitted against one another, we are made to compete with each other for attention, by the media, by society, by sheer nature of finding a mate and having the best display of feathers. its bad enough, but then add in the men that add to this difficulty of being female by keeping us just below the respect level.

There are a lot of girls in the country doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, girls who own the keys to the venues you play at, making sure you get fed at shows, making art and music and writing, girls putting out records, promoting shows, making your merch. I hope soon men realise this and give us a bit more credit that doesnt involve groping us or telling us if we are aesthetically acceptable to them.

dont get me wrong, i love the “scene” im part of, i get to meet so may wonderful people but there a few that ruin it for me a little or are a little ignorant to what its like being a girl in it all.
My reply was too long to fit…

I agree with this somewhat, there’s definitely still sexism, not just in the alternative music scenes, but everywhere, but this is from the minority of men. There are a few girls in my area promoting shows, and they’ve earnt the respect the deserve because they put on great shows. And that’s the difference; having played crappy shows put on by both boys and girls I don’t care about the gender, just the ability to actually do what they do.

One of the biggest problems facing girls in the scene is that for each girl with decent music taste, committed to going to shows, supporting local music and all that jazz, there’s two more (at least) that are there because their boyfriend is in the band. I find it so frustrating that it’s so hard to meet a girl who’s actually getting involved and has some dedication rather than some trendy who just likes boys with tattoos.

Respect where respect is due, but it has to be earned - if your band is awesome, if your shows are packed out, if you zine is sick. Whatever you do, it’s gotta be good, else there’ll be no respect for it.

It all comes down to credibility, it’s got to be earned, male or female

Cracks

2011-04-20T10:20:00.001+01:00

Did you ever notice the cracks in the wall
they weren't here when we met
they've nearly reached the floor already
be careful before we end up buried again

we'll end up buried
beneath the rubble of each other
we'll end up buried
buried again

I see those crack are still there
you painted over them
with fresh promises and cheap gifts
it's not enough, we'll end up buried again
perhaps it's time we fled
nothing can hide these flaws in our walls
lets flee before we end up buried again

these cracks in the walls
these cracks in our hearts
these cracks in the walls
will split us apart, and bury us beneath
so before we suffocate in the rubble
let us leave
leave it all and never speak again

Reviews!

2011-04-20T10:19:00.000+01:00

I've been writing lots of reviews, go read them at brumlive.com I should probably re-post them here, but I'm too lazy to do that at the moment.

Vegetarian

2011-04-20T10:14:00.003+01:00

Well, if you didn't know, I went vegetarian for lent this year. I think I did pretty well, I last 23 days or something. I believe I could've lasted longer, but a snowboarding holiday to France seemed impossible without some meat. I have to admit that I didn't try that hard, but I did look a couple of times for the 'V' symbol on the french food, and it's no-where to be seen!

I was a bit of a cheat veggie anyway, I made the same food as before, but I used quorn mince or chicken as a substitute. I was surprised that it made no noticeable difference to my health, I didn't feel weak thanks to the lack of protein, or healthier thanks to the higher vegetable intake. I felt pretty much the same the whole time.

I must confess to one slip-up (one that I know of anyway, there may have been more) when I ate some rocky-road, which contains marshmallow. Marshmallow having gelatin in of course.

I would've like to have finished the 40 days, but maybe I'll try again next year.

When I Move...

2011-04-05T13:00:00.001+01:00

Wherever I move to, I'm going to form a band like The Skints. It's fat dirty raggae, punk, dub, hip-hop, ska stuff, and I fucking love it. It's not cool, it's not trendy, but it's great.

Think: King Blues, Rancid, Sublime, RX Bandits, Capdown + Dub. Pure win.

Why you should have sex on a first date. (girls)

2011-03-30T19:10:00.003+01:00

I know the dating thing in this country is pretty much a history lesson now, but even if the 'date' is just meeting them with your/their mates at a club, or the oh-so-obvious come round and 'watch a dvd', it still pretty much applies.

1) If they're the kind of guy who is just after you for sex, then why hold out? If that's all he's into, then it's all he'll be into after two more dates. All you're doing is getting more attached to him, so it'll hurt more when he uses you and moves on. Go for it straight away, enjoy it while you can and the whole thing is over with much quicker.

2) You don't want to go on a whole bunch of dates and find out he's shit in bed.

3) No-one thinks it's slutty any more, people do it all the time, so just relax. So long as your date wasn't a quick snog against the wall at some dirt club then I think you'll dodge the slut thing.

4) It's fun, and if this is the guy you spend the rest of your life with, that's one more time you've had sex!

Most importantly, don't use sex as a tool in the relationship. If he's a great guy (which he must be if you like him) then he can probably get laid when he wants, so it's not that special. It can't be used to make him commit, it's essentially bribery, which is manipulation. And who wants a relationship which is based on that? Do you really only want to go out with a guy who only agreed to get laid?

You're setting yourself up for a fall...

The Man I Would Have Been

2011-03-12T15:37:00.000Z

What kind of man would I be
If I had the oppurtunity
to start it all over again?
to live life all over again?
Start from the start
hit the reset button
and take a step back to try again

Would I plan every step or just throw myself in
Would I work more or party harder
would I make the same choices
or become a whole new person

Would I hit the bottle at a young age
get fucked up every day
or stay sober and do the office thing
could I become a rocket scientist
or save peoples lives
or stay at home waiting for the phone to ring

Would I plan every step or just throw myself in
Would I work more or party harder
would I make the same choices
or become a whole new person

Would I plan every step or just throw myself in
Would I plan every step or just throw myself in
Throw myself in
Throw myself in

I'll never know
I'll never fucking know

Take A Step

2011-03-12T15:36:00.000Z

Also used for a Towers song

---------------------------------------------------------------

I spread my wings
a take the step
the air rushes through my ears like I've never heard before

The sites you see are more beutiful
the smells so much more breath-taking
the sounds lift you up
and the feeling sets you free

the irony of only feeling alive
in the seconds before you die
if only it could last

the last few days have been my favourite
my dreams of dying are the best i ever had
everyone I met glowed with love
everything I touched seemed to glisten with life

the irony of only feeling alice
in the seconds before you die
if only it could last

It's a long way back to Kansas

2011-03-12T15:35:00.004Z

These lyrics were actually used for a Towers song recently - something I've been meaning to post since I finished actually. May do that soon!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

so concentrate
and focus on the path ahead
don't get distracted by scenery
it's not pretty

place one foot down the next in front
travel the distance in time
in time you'll make it there
your destination is your humanity

the path might be long a tough
but focus son and you'll make it there
take steps to make it your own
take steps to make it yours

so concentrate
and focus on the path ahead
don't get distracted
by the scenery
it's not pretty

your destination is your humanity
your destination is your destiny

I Know If You Know

2011-03-12T15:35:00.001Z

I don't even know if you know
but I can't go on thinking you might
I'll empty my mind of all thoughts
so I can understand all of yours
We'll share your problems between us
put the wieght on both our shoulders
and carry them together
We'll carry your problems together

I'll live me life for you
give my life for you

I'll leave with you now
and never look back
we'll build up a new life
start brick by brick
it's time we made it fresh
and time to hit reset
so pack yout things
we're leaving now
Bye Bye sexy girl

Whether

2011-03-12T15:34:00.001Z

Here's the thunder here's the rain
the flash that lights you face
as we sit in the darkness
waiting for a trace

a trace of the morning light
to awaken our hearts
give hope back to this fight
as our life together re-starts

you hold my hand in the darkness
I tell you all will fine
you hold my hand in the darkness
The sun will soon shine

The fire has long since died
the warmth has nearly left us now
but hope we still have
and strength somehow

you hold my hand in the darkness
I tell you all will fine
you hold my hand in the darkness
The sun will soon shine

Couple things...

2011-03-12T15:31:00.003Z

First up, I've been writing reviews again. They're available to read online at brumlive.com. I'd appreciate some feedback on them as I know I'm not the greatest writer ever.

I've also been writing some song lyrics, they're not amazing, but I like them. I tend to just get the first line when I'm doing something (washing up or taking a leak seems to be when I'm inspired!) and then write the song along that theme. They're all a little cliche, but I'm working on it! I may go back and edit them, or I may just be lazy and leave them. Let me know what you think!

Bayonetta

2011-03-10T02:41:00.002Z

I finished Bayonetta tonight, and it's a perfect example of what annoys me so much about so many games.

The gameplay is fantastic, really great fun, and the first levels really got me hooked. It was easy and intuitive to get a handle on, so kicking my way through angels just rocked. And the new bad guys they added worked as well, although it got kind of annoying when you'd be introduced to a new guy, then 2 minutes later you'd be fighting him again, then again in another two. It just ruined the specialness of those characters.

What really brought the game down in my eyes was two main things:

Firstly a truly horrific plot, one that I could not follow in the slightest, and really just messed you around. Add to this the LOTR length cut scenes near the end, I was sorely tempted just to skip them, after all I didn't care what was being said any more. A game plot should keep you hooked into the story, but this one just kicked you out part way through, which pissed me off

Secondly, the simply stupid bosses that appeared in the last half of the game. Instead of challenging by way of actual skill, they made it challenge by luck of the draw. After getting my ass handed to me over and over again by one boss, I mashed away at the buttons and barely took a scratch. The semi-final boss fight is a bit of a piss take as well, almost impossible to hurt him without taking damage before or after. And as for the one hit kills button mashing in the actual final boss, that should just be removed - it doesn't add anything to the game other than a lame way to make that fight last longer.

Oh and as for all the super fast quick time events, they can fuck off too, it's not a challenge to hit a button at the right time, so why include so many? The player just has to re-do the section and hit the button. The amount of times I had to do that because I'd put the controller down for the cut-scene.

Great gameplay seriously let down by shitty bosses and a shittier plot.

My Audience

2011-02-24T11:39:00.003Z

Seems to be mostly Russian! Hello Russians :)

Also hello to the USA, you're in second place

Even Canada is doing better than the UK - which is where I live!

Oh well, if someone wants to offer me somewhere to stay in these countries I'd love to travel. So if you're some kind of crazy super fan, then let me know ;)

Gig Reviews

2011-02-24T11:34:00.001Z

I've been getting back into my gig reviewing, for Brumlive.com

Head over now and look for my name, there should be a few recently.

Any advice on writing - please send it my way, I'm no Shakespeare!

Some people hate me...

2011-02-18T00:29:00.002Z

Awesome, so why are they nice to me in person?

I don't hang out with people I don't like, and I don't have reason to complain about these people. As far as I know, I've done nothing wrong, except maybe pulling a girl they wanted!

Also, there's some people that think I drink :S Sober for 7 years, but apparently faking...

Idiots

Games!

2011-01-18T22:28:00.003Z

I've been reading quite a lot the last couple days, mostly about the psychology of computer games. It's a field I've found fascinating, and today I met a subject I feel quite strongly. Inspiration here and here

Game difficulty!

Now, one thing should be made clear - I am not good at video games! I am a casual gamer! Despite playing them so much through my teenage years, I only ever finished a couple of games, 007 Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, on my N64, oh, and Lylat Wars, but never the hardest route.

I owned lots more, but I never had the patience to get all the stars, or the skill to get the best time.

And since then the only games I've actually completed are Call Of Duty, and Dragon Age. I got bored of Oblivion twice before finishing it.

I rarely find a game that engages me enough to actually pull me in make me want to play, I'll happily buy a game, and let it sit there for months, I don't know why. I need something that is immediate enough to get me involved before I get bored of plot crap, but enough depth to make me take the next step.

Dead Space plays well, but the 'scary' atmosphere just annoyed me, and the seemingly endless tasks of go here, get that, put that there, bored me, and with no real plot I doubt I'll ever play the game again. To top it off, I found out that I'm only on chapter two of eleven or something! I cannot be arsed to wade through a game, especially with so far to go.

Dead Rising pissed me off pretty early, my players level wasn't high enough to beat any of the bosses, and I stubbornly refused to restart and go through all those quests again. In the end, I relented, blasted through the first quest with ease, and found the game quite fun, it even has enough plot to keep me happy. My gripe here is the length - I'd be quite happy to have finished it already!

All the Final Fantasy games bore me now, before I even reach any action. Although IX did draw me in well enough for a good few run-throughs.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is I'm picky, anything that pisses me off gets binned, anything that bores me get's binned.

So, I need mildly involving plot, lots of rewards, nothing too challenging, and breathers and of course - genuinely fun gameplay!

Damn, I'm a game bitch!

Tattoos

2011-01-15T21:12:00.002Z

I keep thinking of great ideas, but forgetting them again! so here's a little list...

Left forearm - "I Am All You've Ever Wanted" lyric from Brand New, because I love this band, and I love the arrogance of it, I kinda suits me as I'm sure a lot of people would agree.

Left Elbow - need to finish off the sun, and add a load more little bits to fill all those gaps - I want it quite dark in the end

Left Stomach - I need a filler for my sign, a dystopian/ruined city ideally

Chest - another quote on the left side to match the first, then them both put into scrolls, then between them an old style clock, but with numbers replaced with compass points, the hands pointing to 10 past 12. More to be added to this eventually, but that's all I know for now

Right arm - a sleeve design by Alex CF based around his wildemere comic series.

Back - lyrics from another song in the bottom left, then at the very bottom a city scape, possibly New York, with reflections in the water, the shore line being about the level of where my trousers normally sit. The reflection will show the darker side of the city though, with dark shit going down n tingz

Left calf - a page from DMZ my favourite comic series by Brian Wood.

That would leave me pretty covered, although I do want knuckles, hands and neck tats as well, just not sure what yet!

It's that time again

2010-12-02T22:46:00.003Z

Where I hate everything and everyone I know :)

I'm just wound up because I let myself get fucked over by some people very close to me.

I've been working myself up today, and I don't know why. I fight this shit all the time, and try not to let it get in the way. I also try not to let it become a burden on other people, but right now if I wasn't writing this I'd probably be punching something.

I'll get over it, and move on like always - everyone has shit, and mine ain't that bad really, I'll deal with it. Tomorrow you fuckers won't have a clue.

Fuck this city.

Goals...

2010-11-11T19:00:00.001Z

I got an email a week or two ago from a man called Neil Strauss. He wrote my favourite book ‘The Game’ and quite a few others, which are also awesome.

It was an email about time managment and goals, and while I have now read it about 3 times, I thought I should actually write down some of my responces.

If you want a copy of the original I’d be happy to forward it to you.

1. My time is worth about £5.50 an hour. That’s my hourly wage, and the average of what I worked last year. Not much, but I am a student, so if we include the costs of that I get nearly £20 an hour :D

2. To do lists - time to start using the windows sidebar again, with a big old list of shit I need to do!

3. link what I do to my goals. Uni - getting a degree, working - earning money for my boarding course, music - to make me happy!

4. People who suck up my time… not too many of them thankfully!

5. Turn off phone and email when working. I NEED to do this!

6. Remove facebook/tumblr from my view, so I don’t keep checking!

7. Exercise everyday - increase focus

8. Log time usage

9. Limit internet use

10. Do the big things first, not the easiest.

11. Goals: To play in kick-ass bands as much as I can, be involved with music, and experience as much as I can as often as I can. Gigs, albums, promotion, management, and playing bass. To finish my degree and get a 2:1 at least. To leave the UK and complete a snowboard instructor course abroad, then become an instructor and snowboard everyday. To travel as much as possible and see as much as this world has to offer me before I die.

Go Google Yourself

2010-10-05T13:53:00.003+01:00

Last week I was talking with a few guys on my uni course, nice guys, (check out Jamies music project Seams) and up came the topic of googling yourself. It's a pretty vain thing to do, but when you're running a business, or a band, or anything that people might be looking for, it's good to be on Google! Jamie is the 3rd one down when you type in 'seams'.

My band, A City Within are 2nd down with their name, just below the BBC, so that's good new there.

But when I type in my name, it takes a little while! Ben Duff finds me part way down the second page, with my defunct bebo account. My facebook/myspace/tumblr/blog are no-where to be seen in the first 5 pages, although the bands facebook page makes an appearance.

I guess this is due to my nickname Terra, and my online username terrorvision101, so lets try those.

Terra duff is a great sucess! The top 5 sites all link to my profiles, with two sub-domains which both are related to me. It wanders into Hillary Duff a little further down. The same goes for Terrorvision101, monopolising the first page.

So, I guess if you really want to get on google, chose a stupid name!

Have fun with it ;)

There's a lot been going on.

2010-09-25T11:15:00.002+01:00

I haven't written in my journal in even longer than I haven't written this.

A lot of things have happened since my last update, all of which felt so important at the time, but now it's all subsided, and I'm left with the most recent events burning their effects across my mind.

In brief, I've moved back to Birmingham, worked a little a couple of record labels, got a girlfriend, broken up with girlfriend, changed my plans for the future several times, stressed myself, travel from Birmingham to London more times than I can remember, made some great new friends, probably lost some others (looking at the way my FB friend count goes up and down all the time), but I've been having fun and enjoying my life while doing all that. I may look miserable, and sound melancholic, but truthfully I'm very happy. Maybe it's arrogance, but I like the person I am on the whole.

One year to go of Uni, then I have a big decision to make. I can stay in Birmingham and work my ass off to make enough money to go abroad and train to become a snowboard teacher, or at least do a season or two out there boarding as much as possible. OR I can move back to London and start interning again working my way slowly into the music industry, which is where I'd like to end up.

But of course a lot of this depends on the band, which band I don't know yet, but if A City Within are still going I'd like to think we'd be in a place to start getting a bit more serious. So if that's doing well then, build up a massive debt paying for everything that a band needs and have a great few years playing shows and making records. That's the dream anyway.

In the meanwhile, I found a great promoters in Birmingham, so I can finally go and see good bands and not be on my own!

Whoops....

2010-08-22T11:41:00.001+01:00

I just noticed that this blog is sub-titled 'notes from the scene' I haven't exactly been doing that lately! Oh well, I doubt any reads it anyway!

Friends

2010-08-22T11:34:00.002+01:00

I noticed today that I'd lost a few friends on facebook, not a biggie really, I've got way too many on there already, but it made me wonder.

Why are people removing me?

Am I too irrelevant for them? There's a lot of people on there that I went to primary school with, or met once at a show, or something similar, so we don't talk ever. But what made them think of me, and want to remove me? Or do I spam my invites and suggestions too much? I've only suggested my band in the last few months, and can only send one request to each person, so surely that's not too much?

So maybe there's just something about me they don't like. Sounds quite depressing really, but there's no one gone that I miss (I don't actually know who deleted me!) I wonder what it could be...

lame thing...

2010-07-08T22:40:00.002+01:00

I've edited this pretty heavily to make it work for the UK, and to get rid of the shit questions

.Time: 22:41
.Hair: Different, still blond
.Last Dream: I don't/don't remember dreams
.Favourite drink: Coke
.Dream/goal: Professional Musician, not famous, but living on it
.Room I'm in: My bedroom
.Fears: I have no irrational fears
.Where I want to be in 6 years: Playing bass, or snowboarding
.One of your wish list items: For my ears to stretch to 25mm already
.Hometown: Launceston, Cornwall
.Last thing I did? Had diner with my girlfriend and read a comic on the tube
.Wearing: It's hot, so just shorts
.TV: Doesn't exist
.Pets: None, but the housemates have 3 cats and 2 goldfish
.Computer: Self-built (with help!) PC and Macbook
.Life: Is great
.Mood: Happy, but nervous
.Missing: a couple people
.Car: Only car I owned was a ford fiesta, it was awesome
.Favourite store: Forbidden Planet
.Summer: Is wasted on the brits
.Favourite colour: No idea
.Last time I laughed: At dinner
.Last time I cried: I shed a tear or two last night
.Three people who email: Sarah, Rob, Scott, Chris, Matt, Elyssha, Leo
.Favourite foods: Chocolate ice cream, Curry, meatball marinara
.Three places I would rather be right now: Whistler, with sarah, on stage
.Three people I think will respond: Sarah, Sam, erm...

100 TRUTHS:

001. Real name: Benjamin Robert Duff
002. Nickname(s): Terra
004. Zodiac sign: Libra
005. Male or female: Male
006. Primary School: St. Catherines
007. Secondary School: Wadebridge School
008. College: Wadebridge 6th Form
009. University: Aston, then Birmingham City University
010. Hair colour: Brownish ginger, but bleached blond
011. Hair style: Mostly shaved, with a top
012. Loud or Quiet: Loud
013. Sweats or Jeans: Jeans
014. Phone or Camera: Phone
015. Health freak: No
016. Drink/Smoke: No
017. Crush: I guess it is
018. A Night in or out: Out
019. Piercings: Snakebites, double nostril, nostril, 2x8mm stretch + 2x24mm stretchers, upper ear, tongue, 2xlorum. Previously, 2xanti-eyebrow, anti tragus, spiderbites.
020. Tattoos: 3 Xs left hand, 'striaght edge' left wrsit, 'Blindfolds aside' outside lower left arm, various geeky symbols around the left elbow, 'We're All Thieves' outside upper left arm, 3 Xs behind left ear, Star left shoulder, lyrics to 'There's Nothing More Romantic Than Watching The World Die' right shoulder, '<3' right side, anti-anti symbol left stomach, cartoon face left knee, 3 Xs left knee, 'K' left ankle, '10001' left ankle, 3 Xs left ankle, stickman left ankle, rose right calf, 'edge' inside lip.
021. Work at: IFPI
022. Single or relationship: Relationship

FIRSTS:
023. First piercing: Upper ear
024. First best friend: Ian Horn
025. First award: No idea
026. First crush: Jessica... something, about year 5
027. First pet: Ginger cat, Tammy
030. First big birthday: Played a gig for my friends in the bar I worked on the 18th

CURRENTLY:
049. Eating: Nothing
050. Drinking: Nothing
052. I'm about to: Play left4Dead2
053. Listening: Circa Survive - Juturna
055. Waiting for: Recording with A City Within at the weekend
056. Looking forward to: Our first gig next week, and leaving work
057. Loving: Music, as always, and maybe the girl just a little

YOUR FUTURE
058. Kids: adopting, lets not crowd this world anymore, and saving a kid from a shit life would be so rewarded
059. Marriage: I don't know
060. Careers: Musician (I wish!) Snowboarding instructor, music label A&R

WHICH IS BETTER?:
068. Lips or eyes: Eyes
070. Shorter or taller? Shorter than me
072. Romantic or spontaneous: Spontaneous
073. Nice stomach or nice arms: Both
074. Sensitive or loud: Loud
075. Hook-up or relationship: Relationship, but only recently!
076. Trouble maker or hesitant: Trouble maker
077. Skinny or muscular: Skinny

HAVE YOU EVER?:
078. Been in love: I don't know
079. Cheated on someone: Yes
080. Lost glasses/contacts: Don't need them
081. Ran away from home: No
082. Held a weapon for self defence: No
083. Killed somebody: No
084. Broken someone's heart: I've been told so, but it seems to be better now
085. Been arrested: No
087. Cried when someone died: My Mum
088. Kissed someone when not in a relationship: Yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
089. Yourself: Completely
090. Miracles: No, there is no chance in the world only unpredictability
091. Love at first sight: No
092. Heaven: No
093. Santa Claus: No
094. Sex on first date: Yes
095. Kissing on the first date: Yes
096. Tooth fairy: No
097. God: No

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
098. Is there one person you want to be with right now: Yes
099. Are you seriously happy with where you are in life: It's been a rough week or two, but I wouldn't change my life for the world
100. Are you a massive loser? Clearly...

I tore my ear!

2010-07-02T11:27:00.001+01:00

If you know me in person, then you'll know I have two stretchers in each ear. Recently I've been working towards 25/26mm up from 18 where I was for some time.

It's been an awkward stretch, I wish I'd only gone for 22mm now, but having bought some nice tunnels at 25mm I was detirmined to get there. After stretching my right ear to 24mm I had no plug to wear overnight, so I used a bottle cap. It was closer to 23mm but it fit in ok. I put the o-rings from the 22mm taper on and no problems or so I thought.

The front o-ring pushed against my second stretcher (8mm) pushing the flare of the silicone tunnel just inside the hole. From here, the tunnel imbedded, and cut into the fistula. This hurt, a lot. So I changed my big plug back down to 22mm silicone, thinking that the this should allow it all to heal.

After about 3 days the peircing was still swollen and sore, I couldn't see any other option to take them both out and allow the wound to heal, hopefully the holes wouldn't shrink too much.

That was yesterday, today I woke up and while the big hole doesn't look much smaller, the 8mm now looks to be closed to 2mm!

This is pretty annoying as stretching ears takes a lot of time and effort, the idea of doing it again is frustrating, not too mention painfull.

I didn't do anything wrong when I stretched, the ear was ready, but it unfortunate that I hadn't noticed the tunnel had been pushed into my ear.

If you're going to stretch, make sure you check them often so something like this doesn't happen to you!

Update

2010-07-02T09:34:00.003+01:00

So, it's been a little while since I used blogger. I haven't really had much to say recently... well I have, I've had plenty, but I've kept my mouth firmly shut to stop it causing problems. Believe me, there's plenty I'd like to rant about!

So, I wanted to tell you all about the new band. A City Within, we had our first practice on the 26th Jan, and we're preparing to head to the studio to record on the 9th July. We're aiming to get 3 or 4 songs done, and we've got a week give or take. With everyone working it's going to be a bit random, but fingers crossed we'll get it all down.

We've also got our first show on the 15th. Typically this is right in the middle of our recording time, but that's how it goes I guess! We're playing the Underworld, quite a daunting prospect, as it's the same stage as will have hosted Circa Survive the night before, and loads of others of my favourite bands, Protest The Hero, Bane, Dance Gavin Dance, Confide, and so many more. We'll be playing with punk bands Useless ID and The Blessed And The Cursed, so we don't quite fit in as well as we could but it should be a sweet show! Part of me wants it packed out, and the other part wants it quiet so no-one can hear our mistakes!

So much to organise! And so much spamming to do!

Please, like my band on facebook, add us on myspace, follow us on tumblr and twitter. We're going to be giving the demo away once it's done, so you'll get to hear us soon!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-City-Within/132428613448857
http://flavors.me/acitywithin
http://www.myspace.com/acitywithin
http://acitywithin.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/a-city-within
http://acitywithin.tumblr.com/
http://twitter.com/acitywithin
http://acitywithin@googlemail.com

album covers

2010-06-21T12:44:00.002+01:00

There's a pretty simple rule I follow:

If the artist(s) is on the cover don't listen to the album.

However there are some exceptions;

this is whats wrong the scene...

2010-06-03T12:26:00.004+01:00

pick and choose who you want to be!

Bye Facebook...

2010-05-30T20:59:00.002+01:00

So today I left facebook, it feels kinda good.

It came after two boys who couldn't get their noses off their iphones for more than 10 mins at a time. The site has become a drag, so I'm going back to the old school, y'know, like phoning people n shit!

I spend far too much time sitting in front of my computer, so before I waste my summer away, I'm taking a step away.

There's plenty of other ways to get hold of me, my number, msn and email address is all still on my page, so if you wanna chat, just hit me up.

I'm hoping that this move will help me be a little more creative with my time, perhaps spend more time playing bass, writing songs, or even actually writing letters. I want to bring back the letter writing thing, so I promise this:

Anyone who sends me a postal address will have a letter to them!

I will want a reply though :P

I still love you all, I just don't care what you had for diner ;)

what's your ideal girl?

2010-05-04T15:40:00.001+01:00

I think I had this before, can't remember what I said though. Truthfully I can't define it, I want someone that makes me never want to be with anyone else ever again. I want someone I fall asleep thinking about, and is the first thing I think of in the morning. I don't know what she'd look like, or what she's into, but whatever it was, that would be my ideal girl.

However, if I were to try and build such a girl, I have a vague idea.

Ask me anything

*core

2010-05-04T12:17:00.002+01:00

So I'm back onto the music topic again. And again, it's the retardation of genres.

I read today about emocore. It's a phrase I've heard before, but this time it kind of got to me. It was an argument on last.fm about whether a band was, post-hardcore, screamo, emocore or one of many other genres that all seem to describe a very similar group of artists. I get that screamo is music with screaming in, but also has an emo-y-ness to them, and that emocore is emo but with more hardcore influence, and post-hardcore is... ahhhh what the hell!

Does it really matter? I've heard good and bad bands of every genre, so surely picking out these little bits really is pointless yeah? I'm all for using genres to describe music, it's very obvious thing to do - if two bands sound similar you need to be able to describe that style. But the over complication is just stupid. A band is not defined by it's genre, and it is more than possible for a band to play any number of styles throughout the course of it's history (like brand new) or an album (like Queen) or even through a song (Tub Ring anyone?) So, lets just chill out a bit, and stop worrying about it.

If I call them metalcore or hardcore and you call them postscene-emocore then I'll probably think you're an idiot, but at least I'll know what a band sounds like! Pretty similar to a lot of what I like, which has some screaming some singing, some guitars and some drums. When it comes down to it, there's only two labels that really matter - Awesome and Not

Piercings!

2010-04-23T12:40:00.002+01:00

I like them, but I think I've exhausted my face now!

Snakebites, tongue, 20mm & 8mm stretchers in each ear, right nostril twice, left once, cheek, top of left ear...

Is it time to stop now?

If anyone can think of something that wouldn't clutter my face up, I might just get it...

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

2010-04-14T12:26:00.000+01:00

Which is why I've stopped posting on most forums... People just don't seem to be able to do anything cool these days. Maybe it's just that people on forums are mostly massive losers!

Anyway, what kicked me over the edge was someone thought recording an instrumental cover of a blink-182 song and putting on youTube was a good thing. I'm all for people learning songs, and recording them if they want - it's all good practice. They can even play the songs to some people to see what they think. But when the description is a big apology for not being very good and badly recorded then you've got to wonder why they posted the damn thing in the first place! If you think it's crap, why would anyone else like it?

it's the same reason I don't follow people (on tumblr or twitter) that post too much, or post lame-ass shit about their personal lives, I even filter my facebook friends so I can cut out all those 'friends' I haven't spoken to since primary school. It's not that I don't like them, but their lives are irrelevant and uninteresting to me, just as I expect mine is too them. It's nice to know they're there if I ever need to get in touch, but I don't need to know what they had for diner.

Remember that there is a home for everything, especially on the net, as far as I'm concerned my tumblr is fairly impersonal, it's for random shit I think is cool or interesting. My blog (which is imported to facebook) is for wordy stuff and my thoughts - like this. Twitter is personal, but non-specific and is pretty much just what I'm doing or planning, and Facebook is for me to contact my friends. I'm a lazy texter, so I'm all about facebook!

Went a bit off-topic there... If you're filling up the internet with stuff that isn't awesome, then you're just adding to the endless sea of shit that is the majority of user created content. Speaking of shit user created content - people who make youtube videos about youtube videos, please just fuck off! Your stupid effects and bad jokes are just annoying, if I want to see a funny video I know where to look, if I want to watch someone pull out all the humour from a funny video, I'll watch your lame show. It's not hard to make a youtube video, but that doesn't mean that you should!

If only the 'net had a shittness filter.

The Comfort Zone

2010-04-08T14:32:00.003+01:00

The comfort zone is lovely place, it's all squishy and soft, warm and cosy, and when you leave it it can be very hard to be yourself. It happens quite often, but not as much as it should. It's something that you need to do every now and again, to check that you're pushing yourself hard enough, to look at yourself from the outside, and as a test to how you can cope no matter where you are.

Almost anything can push you out of your comfort zone, whether it's being left alone in a strange place, or not being in the right mood, not having the atmosphere, even having a cold. When you're at work or at home it's unlikely that you'll leave the zone, but when you're out with friends it can take just one thing to kick you out of it. Once that happens it can be quite a daunting place, and hard to get back again.

Perhaps the trick is not just to be able to survive outside the zone, but also to be able to extend the zone to where you are. To be able to go somewhere you don't fit in, or where you don't know anyone and just make yourself as at home as you would be anywhere else.

This may prove hard if people are less friendly, but once you get into a good conversation location is really quite irrelevent, your frame becomes more focused.

Re-framing is an excellent process, conducted in the mind and really is just looking at things from the bright side. If you don't get the job after an interview, instead of focusing on the negative sides, you can learn from the positives. You learnt that you need to work on your interview technique, or that a certain technique didn't work in that scenario. Every situation is framed by each person, and understanding another persons view can allow you to empathise, or find a way to make them see it your way.

It can also help get you back into your comfort zone - but then, so can alcohol. Up to you I guess...

It's been a while

2010-04-07T11:12:00.002+01:00

So here's a nice update for you :)

Work is still going, I go in every day and have a little of my fun drained out of me. I should be gratful, it pays well enough and the guys are all pretty cool really. I even have time to write a blog every now and again! Still, it's made me even more sure that office work is not what I want to be going into at all, I want to be be doing things, not just typing away or crunching numbers.

I completed the sex ban, all is well and good, it didn't fall off or anything like that, which is good news. It hasn't changed me, or my thoughts on sex or relationships, which I kinda thought it would. I'm still just me, and well, that's fine by me! I still haven't quite reached my £500 target, just £40 short, so if you're yet to donate, please do it soon so I can give up nagging you all! www.justgiving.com/40days

I have more of idea what's going on in my life as well, I know I'll be moving back to birmingham in July, and probably splitting my time between there and London until I head back to Uni in October. I think the summer will be good fun, but I need to find somewhere to work so I can earn some of the money that I've spent back again. If anyone knows somewhere that could use someone over summer that'd be sweet. Although I'm off to do all sorts of festivals and shit (Slamdunk and Reading booked already!) so maybe I'd be useless!

Finally, the music thing is looking up again! After ATWE fell apart because I had to go to London (without recording the awesome new tunes unfortunately) I was in a limbo for quite a while. Trying out here and there, but nothing since the summer tour with I Have Clones. However me and Rob started talking music again, as he's now settled into his new place in London, and we formed a band via the magic that is gumtree. I was very surprised with the talent we've got, and we've pieced together 3 songs already, we're hoping to have a full set written by the end of April and then get gigging in June. Not settled on a name yet, but that be sorted soon, then we'll get to work on the old online presence.

Life has been good to me the last couple years and it doesn't seem to be stopping :D

Don't forget to donate if you haven't yet! www.justgiving.com/40days

FUCK FUCK FUCK!

2010-03-12T00:26:00.002Z

I can have a wank soon!!!! Yes! So happy about that you have no idea!

but, other than the massive joy of being free of these damn restrictions I don't feel all that great, I have raised a fair bit for charity, and I'm hoping to raise more. But I certainly haven't gone through any big life changing moments, really I've just been me, but with extra mood swings. So to any guy thinking of doing similar, don't bother! Seriously, it's just like life, but without wanking or sex, and those are two of favourite things!

Fuck, I like SEX!

Anyway, I did it, I put myself through all this shit to raise some money, so you bastards had better donate!

Much love to everyone who has, and all those that have been cool in other ways. Even all you cute girls that have taunted me so!

2 and a bit days to go!

2010-03-10T17:18:00.002Z

right now I've got about 54 hours and 41 minutes to go :D

Nearly done. I'm actually starting to think this was kinda worth it! I've raised quite a bit of money and I should be able to raise as much again (so long as all you buggers that promised actually do donate!) I've proven to myself that I have self-control, I'm not a sex addict, and it's even started to put my priorities. I always used to say 'Bros before Hoes' (sorry to be so crude) but now I know it. Well, more like friends before a fuck, but the meaning is pretty much the same.

My friends are some of the greatest, so I'd rather not fuck them over, especially for just a shag. I might fuck 'em over for a 3way with japanese twins though - sorry guys!

However, I haven't felt that life changing epiphany I was kinda hoping for. I haven't been struck with the idea that a wife and kids is what I want. I'm still going to be the same old me, but I do intend to be a nicer person, so if I say something nice, just take the compliment, it doesn't always mean I'm hitting on you!

We'll see where things go after my holidays, I hope my life continues to be as awesome as it has been the last year or so :D

If you still haven't donated - please do! www.justgiving.com/40days

LOVE

5 days :D

2010-03-08T10:31:00.002Z

Only 5 days to go people! I haven't slipped up yet, and I'm not going to now!

So if you've been waiting to donate, this is the time to do it!

All of you that promised, whether in person, or on facebook or wherever else, it's time to get your wallets out!

I'm £15 short of my half way point but I'm still hopefull I'll make the target. Remember, 40 days of misery at 50p a day is £20 ;) But please, if you can - give more! It's all for a good cause!

www.justgiving.com/40days

PS If I don't reach the target, then I'm going to keep nagging those that didn't donate until you do! So donate asap and maybe I'll shut the hell up!

Terra Vs Ben

2010-03-04T14:08:00.002Z

I was talking to a girl the other day and she said something that made me think. It was the idea that Terra is a different person to Ben...

Terra is my confident, outrageous, cocky personality, while Ben is quieter, nicer and more introverted. I realise that everyone changes depending on the situation, and I know I don't have split personality disorder or anything like that. I just like the concept that there's two people, who act differently and want different things. It certainly explains some of the contradictions that I come out with!

Ben wants a girlfriend, to settle down, to watch films and snuggle, someone to buy flowers for when picking up the milk on the way home, he wants structure and stability and comfort.

Terra wants to go out and play around, meet lots of girls and flirt his heart away, he wants a different girl every night of the week, but wants to sleep alone, he wants his own space. He wants adventure, the excitement of the unknown, and doesn't want to get tied down.

I imagine every guy feels a bit like this, and balancing the two is part of what makes you who you are. Obviously I'm a bit out of whack at the moment, what with being filled with sperm, but I know that the 'Terra' side of me has been winning for the last year or so. The idea of a girlfriend appeals so much to the 'Ben' side, yet I am torn between the two, and I'm taking girls with me. They meet Terra, the cocky wanker that he is, then get suckered by the sappy wanker of Ben.

I wish I only wanted one thing, but it's so damn hard! Maybe if I shoot myself through the cheek I'll be cured!

The home stretch!

2010-03-03T10:49:00.002Z

Less than 10 days to go now, it really feels like I'm nearly done. I've got just 7 days left of work, which makes me happy, considering how annoying it's got lately.

Anyway, I'm nearly done - I'm not gunna slip up now - so if you're waiting till I'm finished, may as well donate now - I'm not gunna slip up now, I'm too close to the end!

www.justgiving.com/40days

PS - boys, if any of you think you could do this - DON'T DO IT! It's just horrible! Don't even joke about it, and definitely don't commit, it's stupid and crazy and shit!

This is getting hard!

2010-03-01T10:49:00.003Z

Ok, I've done all of feburary - that's good, I've got about 10 and a half days left to go, but dispite the finishing line being finally in sight, It's getting really hard.

For all of you that wanted me to suffer, you can feel happy in yourselves, because I really am! I feel down a lot of the time, I'm finding it hard to concentrate on things, I am constantly getting aroused, and most disgustingly, getting messy :\ It's horrible and embarrassing, and something which I wasn't expecting to be so bad. My balls and now really sensitive, and my dick hurts after I've had a piss.

THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

I can't wait for this to be over, after going through so much I'm not gunna give up now. I can't and I won't.

This is day 29 of my torture - please donate, seeing that total rise is the only thing keeping me sane!

www.justgiving.com/40days

A Sexless Update

2010-02-24T15:42:00.003Z

It's day 24, over halfway, but not over the hard part. This challenge is getting harder and harder every day. I'm meeting more and more people and wanting more and more to busy with them. The idea of having a wank is something that almost makes me nervous with anticipation, I really want to, but now I've lasted this long it seems like such a waste.

I'm a little dissapointed by the amount that's been donated, I was hoping to get a bit more by now, but I do know a lot of people that have promised to donate some. Hopefully if all of them keep their word I'll break that £500 mark.

Some of you have asked why I choose Cancer Research to raise money for, it's great charity, that is making decent developments, and could stop the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people. But more than that, some of you already know, but I lost my Mum to cancer. This project is now too close to me to turn my back on, so no matter how sexy the girl, failing to me, would be like failing my Mum. Something I simply won't do. Some of you will understand what it's like to lose a parent, and this is my way of making her proud - so please help me do so.

This really means a lot to me, so every bit of support, and every donation, no matter how small really does help.

Thanks again to everyone who has donated, and to everyone who has shown their support in other ways.

Love to you all :) (but not physically obviously!)

www.justgiving.com/40days

Forum

2010-02-23T15:07:00.002Z

I'm looking for a good forum to wander about on. Nothing too specific, but generally interesting topics, music/films/games random shit...

I thought I had but it's getting worse everyday mostly thanks to the annoying unemployed northern prick that has to shove his face and shit jokes into every thread. Oh, and the rest of the people seem to be sad boys hoping desperately for some DIY boob pics they can pretend is the girl they met last week, and girls looking for approval on the internet.

At least the girls are hot.

Well, if anyone can suggest something to me, or possible join me in some hobo flaming I'd much appreciate.

Tattoo

2010-02-22T10:10:00.002Z

I've come over with a very strong urge to get more tattoo.

I need to get my belly piece finished, and I want to get some more stuff done to my chest, building it into a complete chest piece. I'm also hoping to get my left arm filled up with some more geeky shit, and my right arm done with a complete sleeve based around the Wildermere comics, but I wanna get that done by the original artist. I'm saving my left calf for my Dad, and I want more writing on the lower left side of my back... but I still have lots of bits here and there, so here's my proposal.

If you're an artist, and you'd like to see your work tattoo'd on someone, then send me some pictures, and if I like them, I'll get them done. Simple as that - you draw on me!

KEEP DONATING YOU MOFOS! www.justgiving.com/40days

HALF WAY!

2010-02-21T19:02:00.002Z

Yeaaaaah Boi!

So, I've reached the halfway point and I'm still going strong. I don't feel too affected by it personally, other than the constant urge to have a wank that is, and and wanting to have sex with pretty much every girl I see. Still, I'd like to think my standards are still pretty reasonable, it's the cute ones that are really screwing with my head.

I seem to be meeting more cool girls recently, which is a little annoying! Oh well, I'm gunna be on fire once this is over!

Anyway - Please please please donate some money, I'm halfway through and I've not got half the money yet, so if you were waiting to donate, now is a good time! It doesn't matter how much, anything from 20p to £200 is welcome, it's just great to know you support me.

And thanks to all the people that I've spoken to, it really does mean a lot to hear encouragement.

Peace and love (of the non-physical kind)

working it all out.

2010-02-19T10:39:00.002Z

so, with all this stuff going on everywhere, so many places to put content it's all gettig a bit confusing. It's a good thing I don't do video blogs and take photos as well or I'd be really screwed!

Facebook - this is for communicating with friends and flirting with girls - Personal, Informal, Intimate, Interactive
Tumblr - this is for showing off cool shit - Informal, Impersonal, Global,
Blogspot - this is for writing - Formal, Personal, Intimate, Mono
Twitter - I still have no idea what this is actually good for - Informal, Global, Useless

So, from now on - anything more than a quote or status update will go here. Cool pictures, quotes, videos and links go on tumblr. Personal status's about how I am, and what I'm up to will go on my Facebook. Announcements and adverts will be twittered.

and of course, everything has a link to everything else, and most content is posted to the other places, but now in the smallest possible way.

There's this girl right...

2010-02-19T10:34:00.001Z

From back home, I didn’t know her all that way, but she’s very talented and very very good looking. And well… I got close a few times, but nothing ever came of it. Everytime I see her pictures appear I get a pang of regret that I didn’t try that little bit harder.

The last thing I want is to be a dodgy interenet guy, I’m sure there’s plenty of those who know her only through her pictures. I just wanted to put this out there. Maybe it’s the lack of sex, maybe she’s the one. Either way, I would give too much just for one night with her.

I haven't forgotten you blogger!

2010-02-18T11:08:00.002Z

But tumblr is a lot more casual, and therefore better for the everyday stuff. This is for SRS bloggin ONRI

Anyway, back to the original purpose - today I think you need to listen to

Emarosa
Dance Gavin Dance
Burden Of A Day
Lower Than Atlantis
Blackhole
Blakfish (RIP)

why valentines day sucks

2010-02-12T11:55:00.002Z

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it for any particular reason, I just think it's generally a bad idea here's some reasons why

1) it's an expensive waste of time - you spend money on shit you don't need - cards end up in the bin, flowers wilt. (flowers are just as nice any other day, and less expensive!)

2) It's never balanced - one party will always spend/do more than the other, which can lead to several problems. The one who spent more feels unappreciated unloved or bitter, the one who is spoilt feels smothered, maybe scared of the level of commitment shown

3) It upsets other people, it's a massive festival that says 'sucks to be you' to everyone without a partner, which just ain't cool

4) It puts additional pressure on a new relationship. Guaging what to do for a new partner is always hard, you don't want to do too much, nor too little.

Yeah, that's why it sucks - I personally don't like to do too much, and if a girl went all out then I'd be very scared.

Here's what I suggest instead - Agree to spend nothing on each other, but instead show how much you love each other with personal gifts. Write them a letter, draw them a picture, make a collage of photos, write a song, fix that light in the bathroom they've been nagging about, do all the chores, something that shows you really care, not some shitty off the shelf romantic statement or a bunch of cliches.

Most importantly, remember - if you love someone, you will show them that everyday, not just valentines.

day 10

2010-02-10T16:28:00.002Z

Well, in 7 more hours I will have completed one whole quarter of my challenge.

I won't lie, I wish I hadn't done this now, but I said I would and I'm going to get it done. I used to think about sex a lot, but before it was a nice thought, now all it does is remind me of what I can't do. I keep ending up talking about sex, which doesn't make things any better, and sitting on the front website. I even checked out a new porn site the other night - it looked good but I've got 30 more days before I can appreciate it!

While I might well want my sex, I'm getting lots of time to play games and watch films, catching up on old werewolf movies and Ghost in the Shell atm - Recomendations welcome for more ways to keep my hands busy!

Oh yeah - I've also started doing more exercise - maybe I'll grow a muscle!

Girls who model...

2010-02-09T17:17:00.002Z

I think this is gunna cause some controvesy - I don't mean it too, and I don't mean any offence - so please don't take any.

I have nothing against models, or modelling of any sort. Putting hot girls in clothes sure works, putting hot girls playing games works, putting hot girls near anything will help it sell. Putting hot girls anywhere will make people want to look at it!

But, I know a lot of girls who want to be models (some are doing pretty damn well, some are doing good, some who look gorgeous, some who look good)and it seems to me there's rather an overwhelming amount of them at the moment - meaning competition is harder so:

1) It's not that you're not pretty, it's that she's prettier.

Unless you're really arrogant you know there are going to be people who are better looking than you, and these people may well get the job. So don't get upset because you're too XXX for the job.

Also, remember who you are. Not everyone is the same style - I'm sure most of the girls I know want to model for Drop Dead or Babycakes or Johnny Cupcakes, but there's not a lot of spaces within those jobs. So, if you've got tattoos and piercings you're narrowing your own market so:

2) being alternative makes you stand out - not always a good thing

People need relate to the people selling them shit, so unless you're lucky enough to be selling alt gear, the alt look won't help much. Your style is something you can change, but one thing you can't is you. Plain and simple, if high and mighty is looking for models then someone like me (shortish and skinny) is just not gunna work! It may not be so obvious as that, but you could be stunning and not get it because your face is wrong so:

3) being you is enough for them to say no - it's not personal

Finally, the people that choose models probably look at thousands of people a week, going for a job seems a total lottery to me!

Still, if you're willing to get yourself an awesome portfolio of shots and go for every job that comes up you could well end up doing it and good on you.

I know I know fuck all about the modelling/fashion world, but that's my impression. I don't want you to think I'm some knob, I'm just putting my view out there, and all I see is girls upset by rejection letters (and a couple getting work!) and it makes me wonder.

I couldn't do it myself, I wouldn't like the rejection, and I'd hate to live in the hands of the casting people. I like to do things for myself, not be chosen!

well, it's possible that's all shite - I'm sure you'll tell me if it is :)

Make Time Faster!

2010-02-09T14:22:00.002Z

I don't think I've ever been in a situatuion where I've wanted to make a month go by so much! There's fuck all going on this month, I'll just wake up in march please?

Friends

2010-02-08T10:39:00.000Z

Why do we have friends?

For an entirely selfish purpose really, friends help us feel better - whether it’s cheering you up when you’re sad, or just helping you to enjoy a good night out. Good friends will have a mutual relationship, both being able to rely on each for support, and for good times.

Sometimes it can be hard to be a good friend, if someone is going through a bad period, it may seem like a waste of time to keep on supporting them - but if you know they were a good friend, and will be again once they’re sorted out - it’s worth it. Think of your friends like torrent downloaders - there’s a seed/leech ratio. If someone is leeching from you, exhausting your energy and pulling you down, without ever supporting you, or making you smile - then that is a bad friend! Maybe their skills aren’t in making you laugh, but comforting you when you’re down, or even just making you feel good about yourself.

Just take a second to think about your friends, do they drag you down or lift you up? Are they really worthy of being your friend?

Now - think of yourself, do you do things to lift your friends? Or are you always bitching and moaning? Maybe today you go and do something nice for them, just a text to say how much you appreciate them, or making sure they’re ok. It’s so simple, but making people really is.

Finally - think about those people who really aren’t good friends and ask yourself - do I really need them?

formspring.me

2010-02-07T19:53:00.001Z

How many people do you reckon get with sam, then realise his best mate is actually a LOT fitter and are gutted? Lol.

every single one!

Ask me anything

Ties

2010-02-03T09:57:00.002Z

An interesting thought:

Imagine you, and all the people you know are tied together with elastic, in the middle of a field - on one side of that feild is happiness, the other depression. This feild is littered with obstacles and challenges. There's many different routes, some that you can walk, others that are realy hard.

Now, think of the people you know and how they would help/hinder you. There will be some that will help to motivate you to get over the wall, others that will show you a different way around, some that will just watch, others that will tell you you're doing it wrong, some that'll just drag you back. The further away they are the stronger the elastic pulls.

Some people will switch, sometimes helping you, sometimes hindering. But work out who those that never change are - those that continue to help are your true friends, make sure you're pulling them forward as much as they do for you. And those that are always behind you, cut them out of your life. No one should have to deal the constant negativity that those people bring.

In my case I know I would have Sam helping me, inspiring me to enjoy myself and make the most of who I am, Scott will be showing the sceneic route, with great adventures. Forx will help me see the creative way I can progress, Jenn will sometimes pull me back, but when I hold steady she'll help pull me forward again. There's people I dare not mention, that continue to make me smile - they know who they are though. Then I will have others, all niggling around behind me, not holding me back much, but never helping me forward. I intend to cut these people out.

addicted to the internet

2010-02-03T09:41:00.003Z

Are you?

Apparently 1.2% of the UK population is dangerously addicted to the internet, with withdrawal symptons and everything!

I'm not quite sure what I make of this, it just seems a bit retarded really, an awful lot of our lives is now lived out online but to be addicted is just a bit crazy. I remember when I was younger the long boring evenings I would spend alone nearly every night of the week - unless I'd organised something my friends which would be once or twice a week maybe - I would sit and watch crap tv and play computer games on my own. Then I got msn messenger and myspace, and I would watch crap tv, play computer games and chat online with my friends. I certainly felt less lonely to be comunicating.

So, when it comes to these days, with thousands of ways of comunicating with your friends online do we feel any better? I don't think we do, unless I'm talking to someone new, or having a really good conversation then the daily formalities are all rather pointless. I'd certainly much rather be in the pub with someone real. There's nothing quite like the company of good friends, and no facebook, no tumblr, not even the best game in the world can change this, they can meerly distract you until the next time you can be with those you love.

I guess all we can do is just try to enjoy the time we have, and do something productive with it. If you're sitting there waiting for something to happen, go and make something happen!

Let me set a few things straight here...

2010-02-03T09:12:00.003Z

Ok, had an argument with someone last night, I got rather angry and upset with them. Most of all I was dissapointed in myself for believing in them.

Anyway, I wanted to clear up a few of the points that wound me up.

1) Straight Edge does not have to include sex. There is no reference to sex in the original song, and for me being sXe is about not using a mindstate altering substance to change my personality. While many also become abstinant, this is not a necessity, just like vegitarianism/veganism. The choices are similar, and a lot of people will abide by all three, but there is no rule that says you must.

For me, Striaght Edge is No Drugs, No Alcohol, No Smoking FOR LIFE. If you tell me that I'm not Edge I will tell you to die. I've had enough.

2) People that sleep around are not necessarily bad people, in fact they often do less hurt than those in relationships. I know that while I did the girlfriend thing I hurt people, I broke up with people, I made mistakes. This all hurt people I cared for. Since I've stopped dating I've still hurt people, but I think I've hurt less people, in less serious ways than I would've if I had kept dating. I respect the people I sleep with, I make sure they understand what I'm about before I sleep with them, I don't lie, I don't con people into sex.

I'm not saying you should all do it, but if two people can enjoy themselves having casual sex, with no damage being done, then who is to say this is a bad thing?

Call me a slag, a ho, a whore, a tramp or whatever, but tell me that I'm a bad person because of it and I'll tell you to die. I've had enough.

3) I've actually changed one of my main beliefs because of the conversation last night. I used to believe that all people are completely equal, each is as good as any other, just in different ways. This has changed - I now believe that every person has the power to be as good as anyone else, but they must use what they've got. Simply sitting about bitching, not working or contributing is a total waste of human life, a waste of oxygen. I work hard on making myself a better person, I exercise, I compliment, I enjoy making people feel good about themselves and while I do slip, I try my best to make amends (even if these people don't deserve it).

Everyone can be better, but only some people try.

You get out what you put into this life

1 down...

2010-02-02T10:17:00.002Z

Ok, day one complete, I only touched myself to pee, and I limited it to two shakes - more than 2 and you're playing with yourself.

In other news,

Hardcore - Old School hardcore seems to be making a resurgence, which is good and is certainly a way to go away from the hideousness of the Teen Hearts Fiasco. I like my hardcore, but the more I hear, the more I feel I've heard it all before. There's a lot of the chunky chords and shouting, and every now and again theres a bit that reminds me of Million Dead. So I tend to get part way through, and switch to Harmony No Harmony. It's nice to see something like Hardcore coming back, but it's a victim of it's own simplicity - there's only so much of this kind of thing that can be made. I'd like to see some more progression really, and while bands like Ghost Of A Thousand are putting on kick-ass live shows, it doesn't really work...

I'd like to hear a combination of them and Blakfish, more traditional heaviness than Blakfish, but more technical quirky bits than GOAT...

Well, I've just made a new band - maybe we'll do it ;)

some music

2010-02-01T17:32:00.001Z

because there hasn't been enough lately.

for those of you with spotify:

To check out -http://open.spotify.com/user/terrorvision101/playlist/657KZjinEs2fdtJcKPUeUP
Stuff I like - http://open.spotify.com/user/terrorvision101/playlist/7CPWlpTZmh9FXE1ASmz5WL
Stuff I love - http://open.spotify.com/user/terrorvision101/playlist/35uaasstZf9Q7W00hRoeWo

the last test

2010-02-01T11:21:00.000Z

this should come up on my tumblr feed - I hope... I guess I need to put links n shit everywhere now :(

11 hours 22 mintues down - no problems so far :D

100th blog - and 1 day from VDay!

2010-01-31T20:20:00.002Z

Fuck.

I actually stop having sex tomorrow - nothing, actually nothing.

Fuck.

You buggers better donate!

3 days to go...

2010-01-29T14:52:00.000Z

I'm dreading it - I like sex!

Donate Mofos!

www.justgiving.com/40days

Teen Hearts

2010-01-27T16:43:00.002Z

You know I was saying about how the 'scene' is just gunna end up collapsing in on itself? Well no matter how hard the kids kick their legs, all of the neon wearing, alternative as grass, wannabe shit heads aren't gunna keep this latest addition to the gargage barge from sinking the whole damn thing.

Go google it, there's a million posts - It's not the racism, or the look, just listen to that song, and tell me it's alternative. If this is supposed to be alt, then I guess Alphabeat will on the rock show next week. Let's stop this alt/pop mash, by killing them all

Valentines day!

2010-01-22T12:36:00.002Z

I'm missing it!

I can't kiss anyone, or do anything interesting on that day at all! So, to make me feel just a little better please donate! Remember every little does help, and this is going to be epically hard for me so PLEASE give as much as you can!

Luckily I'll be able to have sex on March 14th which is also known as steak and blowjob day or manentines day :D

PLEASE DONATE!

The Reason Girls Aren't Happy... Maybe

2010-01-20T13:03:00.002Z

Ok, so lots of things happen, and I'm often wrong - I don't think a single girl will agree with me on this, but as far as I can tell this is what is happening.

It's why dating doesn't exist anymore.

It might be easiest to explain this as a story...

Boy and Girl are at a club, they bump into each other at the bar and get talking, it all goes quite nicely, maybe they kiss maybe they don't - but they do exchange numbers. For the next couple of days they text, then it moves to facebook and onto msn. They feel like they're getting to know each other pretty well, the guy is charming and lovely and pretty ok looking. so, they go out on a date.

Pause

Right now the guy is thinking, score a date - we can see where this leads. Afterall that's what a date is, a chance to really get to know the other person, see if they're the kind of person you'd like to see more of.

But, the girl is thinking, (unless they're a total weirdo) that this is the start of the relationship, they can stop flirting with other boys, they can relax, it's boyfriend time.

Chances are they'll have sex pretty soon after this, as that's what couples do, but if that was what the guy was after then that girl is gunna be heartbroken, or even if the guy is looking for a relationship, what if he doesn't see her as the girl for him? It looks like he was just after sex anyway, and she gets heartbroken.

This is why I stopped doing dates - dates allude to something more - but that's not the point.

My point is that boys and girls are not at the same stages in a relationship at the same time until much later. And this is the fault of the girl. Yes, it is, because by delaying a date until you 'get to know them' on msn you're getting an emotional attachement. There isn't supposed to be a pre-date but now there is - and it's fucking people about. Boys getting trapped in relationships and girls getting hurt simply because of all the additional comunication. It's not one persons fault really - boys and girls are just on different pages (until the girl tells the boy off and skips him forward a few!)

To back-up my argument I asked the girls around me whether they'd meet up someone they'd met once in a bar, even after a lot of texts and a couple calls they all said no.

THAT IS WHEN A DATE IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!

These girls said they'd like to meet up with them when with their friends, and get to know them better in that kind of safer environment - fair enough, but eventually, it's going to go to facebook etc. The girls expectations grows as they chat online, while the guys doesn't at all - because guys can't get attached to words on a screen. Then it comes to date time and the girls expectations are way higher - again leading to dissapointment.

I've seen this happen a lot of times, with either the guy trapped (sometimes happily) or the girl upset. And it's happening to me at the moment, building rapport with someone I don't want a relationship with, if I ever manage to convince her to see me she may already be beyond the attachment point, and will end up hurt :(

There's only a few ways to deal with this.

1) Girls, meet these guys a lot earlier, realise they're not quite as lovely as they seem online and give them a chance to obsess about you. Boys need face time - we have porn, so chatting about your cat is not gunna make us fall for you!
2) Boys, if you want a relationship with the girl - great, you've got it. If not - be brutally honest as soon as you possibly can be. The girl will hate the loss of romance and propect of something more, but she will respect your honesty. I've blown my chances a few times, but it's better to go home alone than hurt a girl.

GOT IT?

Oh, and don't give anyone who fucks you around, I'm sure you've all found that out the hard way, and probably will again.

I'm glad I'm not american

2010-01-18T11:13:00.002Z

But I wish I lived there... the spoilt bastards.

http://snarkiest.tumblr.com/

Anyway, go read this blog for a giggle, it's written by some miserable girl who like to bitch about the 'scene' and how bitchy it is. It's this kind of thing that makes the scene so dreadful, but if you can get yourself a nice tumblr fanbase then you know you're doing things right eg: pop songs for 'alternative' girls.

Funny how it's all just the same again now, even metalcore is going pop, just got to wait for next BMTH album to feature Travis McCoy and Gabe Saporta :\

Lets hope bands like Architects don't follow the trend and stick to keeping it heavy.

Don't get me wrong, I like my pop-punk and mainstream rock, but when the 'scene' is listening to Metro Station you've got to worry who you're identifying with.

Like all alternative movements, they've got bigger, and more rediculous until they've collasped in on themselves leaving only a few of the hardcore left as a thwoback to times forgotten - just like that old barber with his greased back hair and leather jacket is a throw back to the teddy boys of the 50s, in 50 years will we still have proud emo boys, sporting their fringes, plugs and tattoos? Or will they all be hiding their idiotic youth beneath the latest BHS clothing?

I just want to know what's coming next, and when it'll be here. This latest trend is set to burst anyday now.

the week.

2010-01-18T10:29:00.001Z

"Ahh only a week to go till the weekend"

The RX Bandits are keeping me company though :)

WTF

2010-01-14T00:25:00.001Z

Tonight I got stood up for the third time in a row.

When did I become such a fool to allow this to happen?

Someone get me out of this - this is NOT who I am.

2010

2010-01-13T11:31:00.000Z

Teh-Rawr says:
*meeting a girl
Rob says:
*ghey
Teh-Rawr says:
*not really
*boy/girl is pretty hetro
Rob says:
*not any more
*it's 2010
Teh-Rawr says:
*hetrophobe :P

SEX!

2010-01-10T16:36:00.000Z

hello people

I'm giving up sex for 40 days and 40 nights! It's gunna be hard, but I'm doing it for charity so I'm pretty confident! This is where I'll be keeping a log of how I'm doing, as far as how much money I raise, and how I'm doing personally. I'm sure a few of you might be interested on how much I'm suffering so I'll be posting it here (and facebook will be re-posting it to my notes)

I have a justgiving page now - please go and donate. It looks rather depressing atm! www.justgiving.com/40days

I am NOT looking forward to feb 1st!

The Future... again

2009-12-23T10:48:00.003Z

I've been reading some interesting articles this morning and in my blogging frenzy I've decided that it'd be quite nice to have some sort of plan for the coming year or two. I have no idea how much I can realistically manage, but here it goes:

Jan - June - Keep working at the IFPI untill my placement is all done, then leave a bit early and...

June - Sept - go somewhere and do something! Not sure what yet, could be backpacking round europe, hitching across the states, working in the rainforest, an internship in Canada, Austrailia or New Zealand, 3 months out of this country to really experience a something new.

Sept - Oct - Back to brum, find somewhere to live with the coolest people, find people to make the best band in the world.

Oct - April - Finish my degree, work hard and do well, might as well get a decent degree here!

April - November - all about the band! Get a part time job to keep me in the money while working hard everyday to get the band off the ground (members will be important) If the band isn't doing too well then focus on the promotions, if that's also not going well, then move to Cornwall during the summer monthes and rent a place with my friends. All get part-time jobs and party on the beach everyday!

November - March - if band is looking hopefull then tour. If not, then Ski season! 5 months in the snow with a board on my feet and a bar to keep me in money.

March - ermm.... realise I have no money left, move back in with my dad? Or realise I have no money, crash on someones floor untill I find a job - that sounds like a good plan.

so that'd be March 1012 - we'll all be dead then!

Blogger

2009-12-22T11:52:00.001Z

Is for people with Babies.

I clicked the 'next blog' link about 10 times just now. 8 of these were baby blogs, 1 was a pregnancy blog, and one was a teaching blog. Clearly the cool kids are on tumblr. I don't really know why, but I'm gunna keep blogging away because I like it here - tumblr seems to be for quick links and pics, not big ass holiday stories or vague rantings.

Who do you think I am?

2009-12-22T11:36:00.002Z

The top layers may be transparent, but that doesn't mean you can see the bottom.

Sam scares me sometimes...

2009-12-17T16:39:00.000Z

New York part 4

2009-12-17T12:55:00.003Z

DAY 9

Black friday - the day after Thanksgiving is well known for it's sales. We'd found this out earlier in the week, and to make the most of this, we saved all our shopping money till then. It's not the most exciting day, but I enjoyed it a lot! Two pairs of shoes, red/black/white Nike highs and Black/White Reeboks Highs, a pair of Levis, chocolate, cuddly toys, another pair of shoes from a secondhand shop White/lime Nike Highs and a brand new snowboard! At 70% off I really couldn't say no! I knew I'd have to pay an extra $50 on the flight back, but with all the other stuff I bought I would've ended up paying that anyway, it's a good thing my tee-s all fitted in the box with the board as my bag was full of shoes!

When we got back after an interesting metro ride home we dumped the stuff got some food and met up with the Uni guys from the night before. After a quickie in the local we headed back out to Brooklyn again, Barcade and Crocodile bar and Union Pool were all hit, before heading back to jump in the hot tub again. But oh no! The tub was out of action - so back down to the local to finish the last night of our trip in style and in comfort. Having picked up a few of the others from the hostel, and met more in the bar it was a pretty rowdy night of giggles.

Sandwhich and bed.

DAY 10

Our last day in NY, and we were feeling lazy, so we headed out to brooklyn, checked out a skate shop with a half pipe, and a massive (but too chic for us) secondhand store. Then we grabbed milkshakes and cookies and headed to the river shore again. While it was painfully cold and hard-to-stand windy it was good to say goodbye to Manhattan. It's an amazing place to be - if you've never been I seriously recomend it! Meeting up quickly with the girl from Santos we hit one last secondhand store and got another pair of Nike Highs (all white) then headed back to the hostel to chillax before the flight. Chilling and watching Anchorman - what better way to relax.

And then we went home...

I love NY and will be going back at some point, soon I hope!

Sam has fun 2

2009-12-16T15:23:00.001Z

*meh
*im not in the mood for messing
*ive been up all night barfing
Teh-Rawr says:
*I can tell!
Sam V says:
*and ive shit myself twice.

Sam has fun

2009-12-16T15:10:00.000Z

Sam V says:
*..
*i've pooped two pairs of boxers man!
*what a good day
Teh-Rawr says:
*actually pooped yourself?
Sam V says:
*TWICE!
*rolled over in my sleep on two seperate occasions
*thought it was fart.
*thought it was safe.
*BAM
*wet bung hole
Teh-Rawr says:
*brrruuuuuutal

New York Part 3

2009-12-04T17:17:00.002Z

DAY 6 tuesday

Today was the first day we really explored Williamsberg. A real haven of arty types, hippys and hipsters. This place is cooler than cool, it's fuckin' Ice Cold! Seriously though, the shops here are not like anywhere else I've seen, everything is made in some super cool ethically perfect warehouse nearby, it's all done with a great little attitude. There's secondhand stores, book shops, and the cutest little places, with the cutest little waitresses and the cutest little cakes! It's all good there, and a fair bit cheaper than manhattan - good times :)

In the evening we headed out to the saosin show - couple of local(ish) supports, but including Inner Party System who do impress, but from our lovely comfy seats we can see the sound guy doing additional vocals and effects - which makes you wonder how much of what's going on is actually the band... Soasin were the only band I cared about though, and from the get go they were on fire. Tune after tune of awesome guitar licks and just perfect vocals, these guys are pro. An amazing encore is a great ending as well, epic repeated climaxes, finishing on 'They sit...' A real rock song that just makes you move. And then the second encore, for some reason the drummer doesn't re-appear so the bassist switches over as they improves crazy brutal hardcore and metal shiz then shred their asses off, after a few repeats the singer comes back out to growl and scream like some demented slayer fan. It's all a bit retarded, but fuck me does it make you feel good to be there with them - it was a real special show!

Back to the local and then off to bed :)

DAY 7 weds

So from our lovely barman at the Local, we head of to Coney Island to check out the fairground rides but specifically looking for the freakshow - a collection of screwed up people who can do freaky stuff, just like you'd ecpect really. It sounded pretty sweet so off we went on the epic metro ride south. About three trains later we come to Coney island - the metro trundles along by the sea front giving a great view of the amusments. It looked a little quiet, but we didn't expect much for a drizzly day in autumn. But when we get out of the station it tells a different story. Big fences, tarpaulin over all the rides, half dismantled go-carts and parts along with the grim weather and total lack of people makes us feel like horry movie victims. Through the centre of the park, between the abandoned rollercoaster, the stationary big wheel and the deserted dodg'ems we wander... finding a few gems. Live human paintball shooting looks awesome and the old rickety pier is worthy of a quick stroll. Still, the place is somewhat lacking in actual content so we grab a quick (vile) coffee and head towards manhattan.

Stopping off to get directions on the way we head to a fabled Bikini bar. Pretty simple concept, it's a bar, where the barmaids are all females in bikinis. There's a stage with a pole at the far end, but it's hardly made the most of. The girls are friendly enough, or greedy for tips, either way the conversation is a bit awkward, but we discover that all the girls there are eastern european. It's not long before we're questioning how much of this place is a front for a brothel. Mmmm easter european sex slaves, how far we've come in the last 100 years!

Finally we're off to check out shimmys, or chavys, or slippys or something like that. It's Andrew W.K.s club, a door in a wall and a room with a shouty indy(ish) band. It all looks like they spent a lot of time making it look cool but it mostly looked like the standard rock bar in every city in the world. At least it didn't try to be be Irish! The band were good, but finished not long after we arrived, and the DJ, and 'contest' were a bit pants. It was all pretty quiet thanks to thnksgiving so we'll forgive it that. We met some cool people there, and ended up getting an uber late night maccies.

A good day, if a little slower paced than normal - skipped the local, and went to bed.

DAY 8 thurs

Thanksgiving! Wooo! So we went to see the parade, and saw many giant things floating in the sky! There was a pikachu, and mickey mouse, a Dora the Explorer and some more! It was quite interesting while there, not so great to talk about though! So from timesqaure we went north to central park, stopping off in the Time Warner centre which is just a mall, but we bummed out in the samsung experience stealing plays on games and decks and sequencers. We even figured out how to work some of them! Back outside and into central park again, it was a good day for a wander, sunny but still bloody chilly! we looked at the ice rink, and nice as it would've been to go, (romantic too) it was a bloody rip-off so we bailed and headed to the Zoo.

The zoo was pretty awesome, we saw sea-lions dancing, polar bears snoozing and snow-leopards falling down hills. There are many cute animals in zoos, so it's always worth a quick look. Small, but cheap this zoo seems very new york - focusing on the biggest and best stuff out there. Red Pandas are dead cute little things as well! I still need to see a real panda though. Best bit of it though, you get a free ticket to the kids zoo next door, so in we wandered to see turtles and bunnies, goats and pigs. Lols were had hiding in wooden rabbits and trying to squeeze into a turtle shell. If only we were 10 years younger maybe we wouldn't have looked so weird!

We headed back to the hostel to take advantage of some free thanksgiving food, which was in fact awesome. Not much in the way of veg, so pure turkey it was! We met a lot of people around the table that day, including a few guys from a uni upstate somewhere, One a british guy, and two german girls, a Danish guy doing god knows what everywhere he could, another brit traveling the world giving out hugs (hug it on/hug it through - something like that - pretty cool concept really, raising money via hugging!), a chap from easter europe (I forget where) and a simply gorgeous french girl studying down south who was doing something in NY. After diner and much talking we make a move down to the local where we discuss many things and bump into a rather delightful austrailian chap. After quite a few drinks a few of us, head back to take advantage of the hostel hot-tub. It's really quite fantasic to be chilling in New York, in a hot tub with friendly people. Even better still when the cute french girl jumps in next to you in her undies!

They say the greatest things in life are free. They're not wrong! Bed!

New York Part 2

2009-12-03T22:35:00.005Z

DAY 4 sunday

Ok, so after much confusion we worked out what we did on sunday! We went into manhattan again, wandered about a bit trying to find the rather obvious Rockefella building - the second tallest building in New York. We were told it was cheaper and better than the empire state, and it sure proved to be one hell of a view! It almost hurts when you realise how huge that city is. So many thousands of people everywhere you look. And beyond the island, the sprawling masses of brooklyn, queens and the bronx just blow your mind. In each tiny chunk of this huge city there's uncountable stories, possible a person you could spend the rest of your life with - on every block! It's amazing how much you can see, central park strectching out to the north, and downtown, and the business district to the south.

We did a lot of walking today, like most days really, but this one was definately heavy on the feet! After some cool photo taking and a quick wander around Bloomingdales, where I felt less welcome than a brick through the window we headed back home.

We wandered to the local, looking for a good place to go on a sunday night, and got the recomendation to head to williamsberg again and look for a place called the black beauty. We never found it, but luckily we did find another bar, with live comedy. After the first guy made us laugh a lot, and called me a music snob (he was staring at me so much during his whole rant!) the host killed the mode a bit, and introduced number two, who had a few good jokes but few and far between - He was called Jermaine, but wasn't the jackson. Then the host bombed a bit again and introduced a fat beardy indian bloke who seemed to think being a fat beardy indian was enough to be funny. He told lame stories of being a fat beardy indian and his fat beardy indian dad, and fat indian (and probably beardy ) mum. The only laughs he got were when he improvised some shit about a lightbulb or talked about how lame his material was. I'm sure there's plenty funny fat beardy indians out there - pity he wasn't one.

Still, we left in a good mood, and decided to hit the Kellog diner, 24hours of glorious junk food and fat people. Scarily filled with ultra hip scenesters with fake fur and huge glasses, these kids seemed to be rebelling against the revolution and going back to commercial meat eating bastardry! Long live the revolution revolution!

Then we went home for some sleep :)

DAY 5 monday

Today we put on our tourist hats - wish I'd put my fluffy one on though, it was damn chilly where we went! Into Manhattan again and southewards he headed, to hop out at the bottom of the brooklyn bridge. We wander back and forth across this a bit, more of a photo bit this, so have a look on facebook :) Needless to say, it's damn cool and New York is very picturesque from a distance!

From there, past the big ass law courts, and the city hall, we wandered through the financial district down past ground zero, which is now nothing more than a building site, to Wall Street, which is dissapointingly secure and won't let two scrappy brits in for a nose about. But it's a cool area to check out, with a big ole' George Washington to chill with. Heading on south some more we got to our destination, the Statton Island Ferry.

Saying goodbye to manhattan as we drifted past the Statue Of Liberty, the big green lady looking rather dull in the grey light of the day. A reasonable trip over, but we're hungry, so we take a stroll into the ghetto of Statton Island looking for somewhere safe to eat. After dodging some pleasant looking italian places we come across the worst looking (and best)Taco Bell I've ever seen. And we get some meaty sludge with far too much cream cheese in a squishy yellow packet. All in all, a real American meal!

Back on the ferry, and it's dark now, which makes the trip so much better. Seeing the reflection of manhattans light in the water ahead of us is just awe inspiriing. If there's one thing I say you have to do while you're there - do this! It's a truly beautiful sight! At this point we helped out a couple of portuguese girls with some photos, in return for some photos of us, looking suitably moody of course. After a bit of fun, and some great photos by pro-photographer scott we're back on land and in search of a warm drink with our new friends. Due to an alarming lack of Starbucks, we resort to beers (and coke) in a bar, where we drink and are merry. From here we walk back up wall street for more photos and hi-jinks, back past ground zero where say goodbye to the girls. From here we head to Times Square. Another pretty amazing site - it's as bright as day there, with the stupid amounts of lights all around you. The shops are lavish and expensive, with a concentration on being fun, not practical considering the sheer amounts of people that are there! A Bite to eat in Maccies (it's better and cheaper here) and a few laps of the square and we dive into Toys-R-Us, one with a ferris wheel, transformer and dinosaur in! A few gifts later and we're heading home again, back to the local for beer and sandwhichs

oh and bed :)

New York

2009-12-03T19:56:00.002Z

What we did like...

DAY 1

Wake up with a boy in my bed :S lounge around and pack shit up - get excited, sit on the tube for ages getting from one side of london to the other. Get on a plane and sit on that for ages getting from one side of the planet to the other. Arrive in New York, get shocked by everything around us! Massive cars, and no signs for anything anywhere mean we feel lost. After a couple of metro transfers through some dodgy looking places we arrive, in a dodgy looking place! It's dark, there may be grues, there sure is a lot of run down looking brooklyn around us. No lights, not many windows... But we wander the way we've been directed, seeing a graffiti'd up car with slashed tires and some massive freaking trucks! Finally we find a door in a wall that says 'New York Loft' and wander in. Surprisingly it's a super nice hostel, not the crack den it looked like! After dumping the gear we wander back down towards the hostel looking for a bar that we're told exists. And sure it does! You just can't see it, because the sign is tiny, and the door is covered by a curtain.

But hell, in we go - and it's a really sweet little hipster bar. Artwork on the walls and music from who-ever got the iPod on first. It's small and dark, but warm and friendly and we meet Ben - who should write a book for lame-ass tourists like us, he sure filled enough napkins with places and things to see! After a couple there, and a little chat with some locals we head out to the next closest bar. It's cool, but not as cool. We end up in the corner shop buying the most awesome sandwhich you can imagine. It's just freakin' rammed with food!

Then - sleep :)

DAY 2

Today we have no real plans, so he head to Manhattan, hop out at Union Square and grab a starbucks. We get talked to by a man, then wander into bestbuy where Scott breaks a drumkit and I break a bass guitar. Then off we trot - not sure which way, down broadway, towards Houston... maybe. Got Pizza, saw shops, resisted shoes! We grabbed milkshakes too big to fit in the glass so they gave us the mixer as well! Then wandered soho way, found a small park with a big arch and saw probably the best buskers of the week. Double bass, 5 backing singers and a lead singer, awesome harmonies, and a great jazzy feel. A quick stop in a classic rock bar, then up 5th for a bit and we were on the way home.

Back to the local for couple and we're told Williamsberg is the place to be - so back on the train a couple stops west and we're in the another bit of Brooklyn - as Scott liked to say "winhamsvillton" where we found the bar with the free pizza (crocodile longue) the bar with the arcade games (barcade - get it!) where we spent many quarters on games we sucked at and finally the bar with the pool (Union pool) except the pool was filled, but it still had a campfire and gig room with elctro and a taco van. Two tacos later and many awkward conversations later we wander our way back home, praising the all night metro!

and Bed! :)

DAY 3

Thanks to some lady on the plane, today we got up 'early' and headed to Grand Central station - after gawping a bit too long and missing the train we got another fatass sandwhich and headed off an hour later to the home of Yale university - a town called New Haven. We were told that 'the game' was being played (Yale Vs Harvard) so the town would be full of partying students! We arrived and walked into the town, following the randomly placed and more randomly direction signs to Yale uni campus, where we tried to look smart but failed. Then we found out we'd missed the game, and were still miles from the stadium. Oh well, they'll all be coming back to party! So we follow some undressed blue people untill they all dissappear into various halls and dorms, asking a few people where the party is, and getting a dissapointing "what party? I'm studying tonight" responce. We soon decided that American uni students are too fucking lame to party, so headed back into town to find anywhere that would be fun. Finally a shitty sports bar appears, and tolerating the stench of bbq sauce we head in for a drink.

And it's here we meet Mike. Now Mike was both the best and worst thing about the night. Providing us with retarded promises of chicks up north, and dumb schemes of how to get there, but also helping keep us amused while underage americans had diner with their parents. From sports bar to pizza bar, to tequila bar (where I buy the boys the gayest cocktails the waitress can make! And I have a virgin Mohito(sp) which looks less gay, but sounds more) we party hard in here, tequila shots for all(ish) then head out again. One last irish bar, for one last drink - we're getting scared Mike will kidnapp us by this point! and we think we left without paying by accident - it was mikes round!

Part way down the road and we find a library that has ciabatta for $1 and after much confusion, scott discovers that just ciabatta is not pronounced see-a-batty and that he wants a sandwhich with ham. After poking some drunk chick in the face, without blinding her (a miracle considering he couldn't walk straight!) and yelling at an escaping piece of ham ("Fuck you ham! Get back in my sandwhich now!") we start to head home. Mike asks for money to get, so we run, but not before I notice a really nice looking jazz bar with live music... fuck you mike!

We bump into some girls in that station from the pizza bar, they're heading to brooklyn too, but seating means conversation sucks on the train, and they're all soon asleep, leaving me to work out the riddle on the poster. (5 hats, 3 blue, 2 green, 3 people in a line. The one at the back is asked to say what colour they are wearing and doesn't know, then the middle one is asked and doesn't know, and the one at the front shouts out! What colour do they call out?) and we head home (via the local) for bed :)

I will continue writing this later :)

Please comment :)

looking back

2009-12-03T19:42:00.003Z

Well, I just went through my old blogs a bit, pretty interesting if you ask me.

A few things I noticed.

1) sam is now my bestest best fwend - not just some guy I go pulling with
2) Forx is still awesome
3) I'm a lot more obsessed with girls than I was - I blame girls.
4) I'm not in the most awesome band in the world anymore - because I moved
5) I still don't write my blog enough!
6) I need to write up some new york shiz (more for me than you fools!)

I still wish more people read this on my blog, not facebook - then they'd see the uber cool tags I put in...

I know no-one listens but here's some bands I like at the moment

Saosin - amazing live
Circa Survive - just amazing
Sounds of Animals fighting - unspeakably amazing
Brand New - you should know how I feel about them by now
Don Bronco - british goodness
Deaf Havanna - more so
Fei Comodo
Dividing the Line
Proceed
We Butter The Bread With Butter
HORSE the band
iwrestledabearonce
rolo tomassi
genghis tron

and... sad to say it, but the BMTH remix album is really good!

Sexism in Rock

2009-11-17T11:07:00.002Z

Is bullshit.

And if you think there is - you're wrong.

I've never played in a band that has been exclusively male, that fact the every performer has been a guy is only a reflection of the people available. If more girls played guitar (and I mean actually played guitar, not just had a pretty acoustic in the corner of their room) then I'm sure more girls would be in bands. It's a pretty simple link to make. Oh, and the same goes for racism, I don't give a shit where someone is from, who they are, what they do, so long as they're cool and can play their damn instrument properly.

In fact I've been in bands with Iranians, Asians, Greeks, the Welsh, Girls, Christians, Jews, Germans, Lesbians, Gays, Fat people, I'm even combining a few stereo types recently with a new project with an Asian Lesbian on guitar.

And guess what! It doesn't matter at all, she does her job and is cool. Nothing else to it.

People who like music don't care who make it - if it's genuine and makes you nod your head then that's all that matters.

And girls - if I hear you bitching about how hard it is for a girl in rock music, take a second and think whether if it's any harder for you than anyone else. And if I hear you bitching about how few girls there are, then I have only one question for you. What do you play?

Side note:

Emo songs about who evil girls are - I'll admit there's a fair few songs about girls that have broken boys hearts, but I'm sure the same is true for the other way around, plus the amount of shitty TV shows and films that put boys in the role of evil bastard more than makes up for it! Everyone hurts after a break up, I guess these guys just have the talent to get paid to sing about it!

Smile folks - music is made to be enjoyed :)

another daily playlist :)

2009-11-09T11:17:00.000Z

spotify:user:terrorvision101:playlist:6WRu0aGu6wyT51w8fiverY

pop punk, hardcore, nintendocore, adhd metalcore, hardcore, emo, alt-rock

I love my music :)

and no paramore today! (yet :P)

Yes

2009-11-07T15:00:00.002Z

So sometimes, I think to myself - my life is awesome!

I love what I do, I love my friends, I love my housemates, I love music, and dancing and girls.

I don't like my sleepy head right now, but sleep will cure that.

Bring it on baby ;)

props to my homeboys (lol)

Clush - comment and be proven to have no life