In my anual ice cold retreat to the North for Christmas, I did some work and I had some thoughts and I dossed around a bit. I wrote down a few things I thought might be a decent basis to blog about, and some other things I just wanted to write down. I'm gonna flesh them out a bit maybe but enjoy a little collection.
Distant family turmoil was going on, which paved a strange feeling of death into the 23rd of December and a general discussion of being ones own man and living for one's self. It was a weird emotion that struck a chord.
I realise that I have become preoccupied with risks, not conscious of the rewards which I might reap from taking more. I shall deal with this in the new year. I feel it is time to take control of all manner of matters.
Damn I’m handsome this Christmas.
I have enjoyed this strange and dubiously ethical reality show called The Pickup Artist for a bit but on 24th of December it began to seem like they were teaching the aspiring master pickup artists to be liars. I felt a bit disillusioned about that really, it's supposed to be about improving people skills and recognition of behavioural language. Disappointing.
To Dos this holidays...
Make phone calls.
Thank Yous.
Revise more.
Sort New Years.
Design 2012's The Specialist playlists.
Buy a new satchel, a watch, a Kindle?
This section written whilst listening to Wham!
Well that worked out far worse than I expected. But that's what happens when internet is severely limited and I can't be bothered to focus. And this blog is what you get when I can't be bothered to focus, but have an unlimited internet.
A minor entry right now about something I haven't really understood for a while now. There seems to be a general call for people to append their opinions with the words 'I think' or 'in my opinion' in order to set them apart from facts. I cannot comprehend a world like this for several reasons.
1.It is very easy to tell a fact from an opinion.
2. People misuse opinion and fact.
3.Language would be so boring and conversations so unwieldy.
It's a stupid idea. Now what was that, a fact or an opinion?
1. If I say 'elephants are a foot tall' you can probably tell me they're not with some certainty - perhaps you have looked at an elephant before, or have an unhealthy addiction to learning and an extensive encyclopedia collection. You will go 'no they're not' because you know it isn't true. On the other hand if I say 'My Chemical Romance is dross' you will instinctively know, because I judged something on a scale of goodness in this example, that I am expressing an opinion and you will react (hopefully) in an 'I agree Harry' way. It is our duty as thinking organisms to be able to detect through language what we mean. Nobody is confusing the term 'MCR is shite' for fact unless they lack a critical mind, and we should build this sort of skill up.
No...
2. I think I touched on this idea in my discussion of religion all those months back. In a world where people's views can be expressed as fact I face a brick wall. It is a fact that my opinion is that My Chemical Romance is not a fun band. But that doesn't not make 'My Chemical Romance is not a fun band' a fact. That's easy. However we have certain religious groups claiming that God exists purely because they believe he exists - this exposes a problem in that facts can be disputed in the same way opinions can diverge and create conflict. The major difference, as far I can tell, is information can be backed up with truths evident to anyone whereas a qualitative judgement along the lines of 'they are a great band' differs from individual to individual. Of course to be mindful of this difference requires a reasonable and rational thinker, a type of person I hope is common but still can't rely on.
NOPE
3. Wouldn't life be boring if our language was littered with arbitrary 'in my opinion' and 'the way I see it'? We eliminate such extraneous phrases from our conversation because we don't need them. I read a lot obviously for my degree, and a pleasing and easy reading piece of work sheds archaic ways and pairs down the fluff into a succinct and flowing work. Opinion comes across as such, because it is signposted by structure and use of evidence, not by a prefacing phrase.
HELL NO.
Overall, it is stupid idea. Now what was that, a fact or an opinion?
1. The obligatory post.
2. What is it about this time of year?
3. The joy of singlemas.
As the winter season approaches faster than that train in the creepy christmas train movie with computer Tom Hanks, it is high time I make my annual declaration of singleness (and disatisfaction about that) to the world. Like the queen's speech, this annual address has echoed for years (mostly in my head before I had a blog, and possibly on my old blog which I can't find) but the story never changes. In a shocking return to personal life blogging, this christmas period truly is best served ice cold.
The stereotypes are true! Everywhere, everybody is in a couple! Not an exageration at all. I've spent another year predominantly lone wolfing but without sheep to hunt. Not to suggest I'm the butt of a welsh based sheep joke (please ignore the word butt). In the past month everyone seems to be developing the need for a lady (or a man) and the topic of relationships or this person or that person comes up more and more regularly. Though this can be difficult for me to detect, in the haze of my listenings to lusty and loving Prince tracks from 30 years, but its definitely on the rise. In the warm months it all goes to shit, but apparently now is the time for cuddly warm rendez-vous. Is that the only reason? I don't know. At the time of year I contemplate my achievements and future goals, I find myself wondering if I already met that special lady, but probably not because she's probably coupled up.
The power of beng single at Christmas has its advantages. Certainly you have fewer obligations, but if you're a tight git like me you also have less spending to do! Christmas is pretty silly if you think about it, I even considered abolishing gift giving in the family the other day (spend the money you would spend on others on yourself, and you will feel guilty). But alas I shall continue to mainstream and enjoy the bounty of another year's existence. You also get to spend all the time in the world hanging out with your single friends, many of whom I'm blessed with (for better or worse depending on their own worldview). It's always a little simpler too, and your emotions can be focused on how maddening this family gathering is and how much you fucking hate Shrek.
An appropriate song I just discovered. Sums it up quite well. Have a great December, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!
I was very impressed by the quality of written communication in the following blogs on the club scene. Here Mini gives an informative analysis of the flyers, aluding to the culture Anne describes. Dan takes the cake with a blow by blow account of why clubs so often blow. I often find myself wondering why I'm not like other students running around town drunk as if its a social experience so good you'll risk the most godawful feeling the morning after, physically if not also emotionally. But in a conversation with a friend, I think I hit the nail upon the head. Thanks Dan, you have inspired me. Edited for clarity, content hasn't been touched.
No Rihanna.... no....
You doing anything this weekend?
I think I'm writing an essay given lack of other options
Ohh dear
Not going out?
weekend is shit in York
Really?
yeah
I don't like anywhere enough to go there when it isn't a student night
Hmm
Don't meet anybody though...
you meet people in clubs?
Occasionally
no scope for conversation
Yeah, but your generally pissed as a fart and looking for something to hump at that point...
which is exactly not my m.o.
its a hollow place full of hollow people
drenched in hollow music
Thanks for that...
I don't mean people in clubs are hollow people all the time
but if as you say everyone is at that state of drunkenness they are only after sex
then you have totally eliminated the thing that makes them interesting and human
and you're left with a homogenised crowd of people
they are probably totally different in their day to day
Hmm
so if you're out to meet individuals
the club is not a place to do so
because you can't really meet the person
I have been out 1 time in York this term. I guess I enjoy being fresh faced and enjoying a long day's work or relaxation more than the drunken, forgotten euphoria that night outs are supposed to entail. And while I can understand having drunken shenanigans with your buds, a club is not the place to expand your social circle in a meaningful way. Not that I'm good at doing it teetotal.
Some vintage funk with an appropriately named Gil Scott Heron cover.
This one has been on the backburner for a little while. For want of another discussion topic (and believe me, the killing off of dictators and 'evil men' is something I will talk about one day, to someone), we're gonna turn to one of my most central precepts. You might call it rule 1.
Kudos to you if you know why this is relevant.
Rule 1: Never Settle
In life I think we have a lot of choices to make which can obviously be as simple as which type of crips you are gonna get in your meal deal in Sainsbury's or as complicated as selecting a life partner. You might go for ready salted because there were no roast chicken crisps, and this would be kind of disappointing but would leave little lasting effect. Still, if chicken crisps were what you were after and within grasp, why not strive for that? On the other hand, if the object of your desires has an intractable character flaw or you're just not as compatible as you would like, you may feel like you can't finish this relationship and find someone better suited to your antisocial quirks. It might be true, depending on what you believe. To inject some necessary platitudes there are plenty of fish in the sea, if you love someone set them free (thanks for the save Sting) blah blah blah. Point remains, if there is a possibility of getting a better deal, or essentially of being happier and more satisfied, change it up and aim for success rather than settling for something which is acceptable.
I have simplified a lot of things there, and of course it can be dangerous to continually stop settling. There is a danger of 'grass is always greener'ing (another marvellous platitude there for you). But I feel like my point stands that if you know you can do something, and it is the best thing to do, then you should let nothing stop you! Hell, even if you're not sure you can make a difference, why not try? If it should be done, let it be done! Where would we be if we decided that the boundaries of what we know or think were insurmountable and that we could not innovate or push out. I would not be writing a blog for one. It might take great effort but you know what they say, a change is as good as a rest.
This has got awfully convoluted already. I'm gonna try and be clearer from now on.
To summarise: compromise can be a helpful tool in negotiation, and a necessity in life. It can in fact help you get the best deal possible. BUT reserve your compromise until your other options to gain the upper hand have been exhausted, because without trying to improve, to reach your goals and to reach the peak of satisfaction compromise is merely a hollow gesture that will remind you of what could have been and what you are missing. This past week I read a quotation from Karl Pilkington which resonated.
"Your dreams should never be better than your life. Unless you're a sloth. Cos then you're asleep most the time."
Now take your Acid Jazz to reinforce the possibilities of your mind. And get out.
I told myself I should find more levity in life, what with the governments and civilisation headed into the shit as fast as... well shit off a shovel I guess. Ashes to ashes, shit to shit. On the other hand, my supervisor suggested I write more often and who want's to read happy thoughts? The point is I'm completely ignoring that search for happiness and focusing on something I realised I disliked when a man stopped me in the street on Monday morning.
"That's a very stripey shirt, I'm not gonna lie."
A particularly normal day at the office.
Thanks for your honesty.
There are undeniably stripes there, in a very striking way. It is a striped shirt. That's why I bought it. You're probably realising I'm not concerned with his proclamation that the shirt is stripey (and probably the dark of the night sky some minutes later). I take umbridge to the latter half of his sentence.
'I'm not gonna lie' is simultaneously seen as 'endeering' by the non-liar and 'cause for concern' by anyone who can interpret language. If you have to apend your truthfulness onto the end of a sentence, does that mean everything else you say is a lie? If so, your friendly statement just made me very aware. Spectacular in its entirely opposite-to-intended effect and its superfluousness, akin to 'no offense but' and 'I'm not racist but' ,I feel we should drop this phrase from our book of phrases.
In an ideal world, the encounter would have gone like this.
"That shirt is fucking stripey."
"For real."
No 'to be honest' or 'honestly' or 'in all truthfulness' needed, thank you. Now, I will confess that I am guilty of having used some of these extensively in the past and now that seems ridiculous to me. So, as part of my self-improvement drive I will now wipe these constructions from my mind and instead of subconsciously giving the wrong impression that I'm a pathological liar I will hide my true intentions away. That's the high road right?
Thank you to Mini for inspiring me to write this 'opus' surely the best song I will ever write (and everyone is obliged to know the words, come on there's only like 1 verse which gets repeated a couple of times.) I feel whilst I could have gone with Mr Darksyde, a tale about the Predacon ship captained by Megatron in Beast Wars but instead I went for something with maximum mainstream appeal because as we all know this is the font from which all the finest entertainment springs. Also note the lack of rhyming, just like the real song. Also note the lack of rhyming, just like the real song. Onwards and upwards.
Harry's as lyrically clumsy as he is stupid.
Coming out of my meditation chamber
And I've been doing the Emperor's work;
Putting rebels down because I love the Empire.
It started out with the loss of my limbs and the death of my wife and child.
I ended up in this life-support suit.
I was becoming a sith, was becoming a sith.
Now I'm duelling with Luke
And his technique is tactically deficient.
While he's falling down stairs
I'm slash, parry and stab.
Now we're out on a weather vain
And my saber stroke cuts off his hand.
Now I'm inside his head
And he's clutching his stub
Now, I say he's my son
Now, he's letting go...
And I picture myself killing the Emperor
And taking control.
Jealousy, turning Jedi towards tyranny.
Charting the Falcon's trajectory course.
Choking with the power of the force.
Rule by my side, my son! Luke it is your destiny!
The remnants of your rebellion die.
The power of the Darkside.
etc.
Noooooooo...
Noooooooo...
Nooooooooooooooo...
Nooooooooooooooo...
Alex Smith eat your heart out (and replace with protective armour and control panel).
