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 ;)
05/10/2010
25/09/2010
There's a lot been going on.
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!
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!
22/08/2010
Whoops....
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
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...
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...
08/07/2010
lame thing...
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...
.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...
02/07/2010
I tore my ear!
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!
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
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
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
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