What's in a word??

One word. That's all it takes. One little word and your whole life gets turned upside down. Odd really, how one small word can have such an effect on somebody's life. I mean, everything that you come to associate with that word is bad, so when somebody throws that word at you, obviously it's tough to take. Or is it? Oddly enough, I appear to have bounced right back. Obviously there was the initial panic. The trembling fear. Etc, etc. But after that, then what? Do I sit around and feel sorry for myself? Do i abandon all hope and pack it all in? Uni, friends, relationships, the works? Hell no. My diagnosis is a double dose of positive mental attitude. As a happy mind, is a healthy mind. Or some such bollocks. And anyway, turns out that despite the use of that one word, it sounds fairly straight forward and easy to get rid of. Happy days.
Now to just get over that "Oh.....fuuuuuuck......I'm so sorry....." awkwardness and I'll be set!

maybe.com

Go on this website, it is lovely. It is actually a list of various different uses of the words 'maybe' and 'may be'. I never would have thought a website like this would exist, but knowing that it does is somehow quite nice, in a weird sort of way. Check it out

http://maybe.com

True story

Just remembered something.

The other week, when I was at the Grammatics gig, which I have talked about before, I saw a girl with potentially one of the more ridiculously embarrassing tattoos that I have ever seen.
It was script going up her forearm (which looks pretty fucking stupid anyway) and it said 'Dance like nobodies watching', (also a pretty fucking stupid saying). However, the main reason that this tattoo was so embarrassingly stupid was the spelling. Dance like 'nobodies' watching?? I mean come on, that's just wrong. Spelling it as 'nobodies' would suggest that instead of nobody watching, it would be a group of nobodies that are watching, meaning that the entire basis of what she wanted to say on her arm was completely wrong.

Yes, this may seem like I am being really pedantic, but seriously, having correct grammar on something that has been written into your skin should surely be something you would check before hand.

What a prick.

My Media

I had an assignment today. It was fun. I basically had to talk about myself, which as we all know, is the one thing that everybody in the human race loves to do. So here it is.

Newspapers: The few times I ever buy a newspaper, it is invariably The Guardian. Either on a Monday for the Media and Sports (rounding up the weekends football, but only if Everton win) and a Friday for the film and music section. All is very loosely leafed through then discarded with not much thought.

Magazines: Having been a subscriber to several different magazines previously, I am disappointed in myself to not be reading more. When I can I get Clash magazine, and the odd Q and Total Film if the content looks interesting enough, but sure enough, like the papers, I never find much time to actually sit down and read them.

Books: I never like starting a new book until I’ve finished what I am currently reading, but still end up buying books all the time, so much so now that I have far more books than I’ll ever have time to read. When such a thing does happen, I tend to go for the more…out there books, with ‘American Psycho’, ‘Trainspotting’ and ‘Crash’ being favourites. And of course I read far too many comics, instead of the more ‘academic’ things I should be reading. Although Tony Wilson’s ’24 Hour Party People’ is pretty interesting, if you believe everything that tosser says. Oh and also, I fucking hate Harry Potter.

Radio: I only ever really listen to the radio when I wake up, because that’s what my alarm is. Something about waking up to the soothing sounds of Classic FM makes the task seem a lot less arduous, or maybe I just put up with it to avoid getting out of bed. Other than that, the radio show that I am a presenter for is the only thing that I really tend to bother listening to.

Music: The logical place to begin is at the start I guess, so Oasis. From an early age that was it. A mix tape of Oasis one side, Blur the other. But since then my tastes have expanded to such a degree that I’ll claim to ‘listen to most things’, before staunchly criticising whatever is put on. But then again, some things I do like. I am a big fan of most guitar based music, from the 70s punk, through the post-punk 80s (with a very light sprinkling of some metal and new romanticism), the Brit-pop 90s, even the baggy trousered, excessive swearing, drop-D tuned ‘nu-metal’ (for a brief period) right through to the modern ‘Indie’ (whatever that is) music of today. But don’t be put off, I’ll listen to most things.

TV: I hardly ever watch TV, unless it is to see Jeff Stelling tell me how badly Everton are losing. But there are a few shows I feel warrant buying the box sets for. The likes of Big Bang Theory, Flight of the Conchords, and going back a bit to Teachers, always amused me. But then I also like many of the different comedy shows that are out there, from both sides of the Atlantic. I don’t like any of that ‘reality tv’ shite though.

Film: To say that I am a DVD whore would be an understatement. I tend to buy DVDs at such a rate that I could probably keep HMV in business myself, well, until I ran out of money. I love films. Not as much as music, but still a hell of a lot. I don’t know if I really have a type that I prefer, apart from a severe dislike towards ‘chick-flicks’ and shit like ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Twilight’. I am a massive sucker for anything even remotely comic-book related. Even if the film is utter toss, if the credits say ‘Based on the graphic novel by…’, I’ll probably like it. Also developed a bit of a soft spot for the ‘Indie-comedy-romance’ type film too. The likes of ‘(500) Days of Summer’, ‘Juno’ and ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist’ particularly appeal. But maybe that’s because of the kick ass soundtracks.

Websites: Err…I’m not really one of those ‘surf the web’ type people. I go online to check my emails, indulge in my delusions of grandeur on Facebook (I mean who really gives a shit about anything you say on there?), and occasionally see what is cheap on Amazon or Play. I read a blog my dad writes, because he’s my dad, and is actually pretty interesting, and download music from various different places but that’s really it. By the way, one word that will destroy your life if you let it: Farmville.

Adverts: That Cadbury’s advert with the Gorilla was shit. That ‘Compare the Meerkat’ advert is shit. Those ‘Shelia’s Wheels’ adverts were shit. Hang on a minute, all adverts are shit. But everybody still watches them don’t they? And then insist on telling everybody how shit they actually are. Probably not what they had in mind when they were made, but at least everyone is talking about their product. Ironic really, isn’t it?

I'm not nineteen forever...

Today is the day. The day that I am no longer just a statistic of the Daily Mail. The day I become an adult (well, in my opinion). The day that I am no longer a teenager. The day I turn the grand old age of 20.

Is there anything special about this age? I never really thought so. There was being 18, then 21, then 30, 40, 50 etc. It seemed like it was just another year, nothing spectacular or different about it at all. But not that I've reached this age it feels different. Maybe because the 'teen' tag has been removed. Should this mean I should be more grown up? Be more of an adult? Do adult things like read the paper and take an interest in politics and cricket? I hope not.

I do feel some sort of maturity creeping up on me. I no longer feel like the carefree teenager I was all but yesterday. But maybe that's normal? I know that Dave was freaking out about being twenty last year, and on this day he turns 21 (strange coincidence there, girlfriend's housemate having the same birthday as me...). This time last year I thought he was over reacting, but now I'm in the same position I can understand. Something about it seems odd. I feel like I am growing up. Mind you, I've felt like I'm growing up since starting university.

Oh well. Never mind. Happy birthday to me. I wonder when I start getting too old to care about birthdays....

Little Man Tate @ o2 Academy, Sheffield, 02/10/09

Last time I went to a gig I told you about how good the support band were. I wont be doing that this time.

We arrived in Sheffield full of anticipation for one of the final shows of the truly magnificent Little Man Tate, and the sheer drabness of the support band Artery only enhanced out need for the brilliant headliners. In a room full of people waiting to see the finest piece of Sheffield indie since Arctic Monkeys, the boring sound of what can be described as a bad Magazine tribute band, fronted by your dad, was completely out of place. Almost to the point of embarrassment. Luckily, they didn’t play for very long.

However, once Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine’s ‘Sherriff Fatman’ hit the P.A, the night was a non-stop, balls to the wall showcase. All the way from opener ‘Man I Hate Your Band’, through to the rousing closer ‘House Party at Boothy’s’, Little Man Tate were on fire. Clearly up there to enjoy themselves for one last time, I never noticed a moment when there wasn’t a smile on any of their faces. Thus making this swan song of theirs all the more heart-wrenching.

What’s more, the pure quality of each and every song only begs the question of how this band is not more popular. From the big singles, to the b-sides and supposed ‘filler’ album tracks, Little Man Tate continue to impress on all fronts. Each song giving the adoring audience plenty to cheer about, as they sang with every breath in their lungs.

The appreciation of the fans was also something of a rarity in music these days. Where at most gigs, the audience are receptive to the hit singles, and maybe more…quietly appreciative of the less well-known songs, that was not the case here. While the crowd clearly loved the likes of ‘This Must Be Love’ and early single ‘What? What You Got’, the level of response for the more obscure tracks of ‘Self Appreciation Club’ and ‘Back of the Pub Quiz’ was extremely enjoyable.

While Little Man Tate certainly put on a fantastic show last night, it was not without a sense of sadness that such a brilliant, well loved, band are not carrying on. Especially considering some of the ridiculous excuses for musicians that are gracing out ‘charts’. The fact that such a genuine, nice bunch of lads feel they have ‘achieved all they set out to’, so are calling it a day is heart breaking. Especially considering the passion of the large fan base this band has. This was clearly shown as when they left the stage, chants of ‘Don’t break up’ echoed around the streets of Sheffield. We can only hope that Little Man Tate heard.

Because it's just lovely

'I'm just a kid with a song in my head,

With your face in my heart,

What could be better than this?'