Life is Cold.

I live in the attic-cum-third floor of my house and for it's many bonuses (mainly the size) i'm starting to become increasingly annoyed with it's main weakness- its succeotibility to the cold!! All day, every day I live in mini ice age, hindered by the stupid price of gas. Every morning i loath getting out of my bed, the one place that warmth exists after a nice sleep, and the first thing I have to do is get a nice hot shower to ensure that my veins thaw out. I'm looking forward to the summer once again.

Lectures re-start in Monday, all four hours of them, before that i head to Nottingham for the weekend for my second frisbee tournament of the month, can't wait!!

Listening to now: Green Day- She's A Rebel

A Yearly Tradition Continues

The Rich Awards 2006!!!!!

'The most vied for music awards in Bangor.'

Album of the year: Love Is Hell- Ryan Adams

Artist of the year: Split Decision- Ryan Adams/Bright Eyes

Band of the year: Belle & Sebastian

Song of the year: The Archer's Arrows Have Been Broken- Brand New

Video of the year: Here It Goes Again- Ok Go

Best Newcomer: Bright Eyes

Live album of the year: Brand New- Fight Your Demons EP

Gig of the year: Muse- Fringe Festival: August.

(Honourable mentions also go to: John Ralston, Dashboard Confessional, Placebo, Sigur Ros, Elliot Smith, Death Cab For Cutie, Box Car Racer, Boys II Men, Arctic Monkeys)


Listening to now: Foo Fighters- Tired Of You

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
Here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every section of the movie, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button



Opening Credits: Approaching Pavonis Moons By Balloon- The Flaming Lips

Waking Up: If You Ever Did Believe- Stevie Nicks

First Day at School: Could It Be Any Harder?- The Calling

Falling in Love: Sowing Season (Yeah!)- Brand New

Fight Song: Around The World- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Break up Song: The Gospel- Dandy Warhols

Prom: Don't Leave Me- Blink 182

Life's OK: The Long and Winding Road- The Beatles

Mental Breakdown: Carolina Rain- Ryan Adams

Driving: Space Cowboy- Jamariqoui

Flashback: The No Seatbelt Song- Brand New

Getting Back Together: Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors- Radiohead

Wedding: Supersonic- Oasis

Birth of a Child: One- U2

Final Battle: Buck Rodgers- Feeder

Death Scene: Falling Up The Stars- Idioteque

Funeral Song: Four Hourseman- The Clash

Closing Credits: Fake Plastic Trees- Radiohead

Some of those are class!! and i'd love to go out to FPT... that would be cool. I feel slightly embarassed that I have the Calling now... Oh and seen as how you probably haven't heard it, Falling Up The Stairs is a wonderfully sad, haunting song. Good to die on.

Sorry for the wee break...

My sincere apologies for not posting recently... I haven't gone back on my blogger:resolution, lifes been hectic. I've just this minute finished two essays that I have to hand in for tomorrow 1 on the role of the chivalric code in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and 1 on notions of hybridity in white Teeth and Sugar and Slate. I particularily enjoyed writing about White Teeth which is surprising seen as I like it as a novel and I usually hate working on things that I actually like... if anyones interested in my ideas on the two novels they're welcome to receive them but I won't actually post them on here :p

In other news I spent last weekend on the annual CU houseparty which was as good as ever, I dressed up as a black panther for the fancy dress which was a mixture of disturbing and impressive. i'll probably post some photos over the next few days.

I'm pretty much going to chill out now for the next three or four days... I haven't had more than five hours sleep in a night since a week last Monday so yeah... I think that i deserve a lie in on Saturday!Sso yeah, this weekend will include lots of sleeping, lots of rugby and lots of food and absolutely NO work!

Also right now i'm so into Elliott Smith... but i'll give him the honour of is own post some other time.

Listening to now: Elliot Smith- Twilight

5 Things That I Love At The Moment

1. That 70's Show. I Borrowed season 1 of That 70's show from my good friend Sarah Donnelley on Sunday and it's so hilarious! Literally laugh out loud humour that's very addictive to watch, particularily because the episoded, at twenty minutes, are so short. The show features a young Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace (who's set to play Eddie Brock- Venom-in Spidey 3) and Mila Kunis (voice of Meg in Family Guy). The best charachter in the show is without doubt Fez, the strange foreign kid with a lisp. If you haven't seen it then check it out!!
2. Calsberg Export. I've never been a fan of Calsberg, but export is great. Must be the extra .8% they add. I bought a crate for the house yesterday. More specifically I bought it for myself and Tom, lots cheaper than going to the pub!
3. Ultimate Frisbee. I love Frisbee all the time... but right now i'm playing so hot it's almost unfair on everyone else. After several months of frustration at sub-par performances (due mainly to injuries) i'm glad to be bossing the game again!
4. M&M's. Specifically 250g original bags. Never the peanuts. If you fancy sending me a bag in the post I would be very happy.
5. My dissertation. For the first time in my academical life i'm actually enjoying my work... it feels odd. I love George Herbert. I love Justification by Faith. I love Strier, Young, Tuve, Veith, Summers, Martz, Lewalski. I love my supervisor. I'm feeling super confident for my report and oral presentation over the next few weeks... the board can ask me anything they like. I'm scared.

Listening to now: The Decemberists- The Legionnaire's Lament

Music Makes My World Go Round...

... Not actually true but it certainly seems to help.

I have somewhat of an ecclectic music taste, although most people seem to state that nowadays, and although it is reasonably mainstream I take interest in less popular artists both new and old. The last ten records I bought (or acquired) are:

• My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade
• John Ralston- Needle Bed
• John Mayer- Heavier Things
• Belle And Sebastian- if You're Feeling Sinister
• Idioteque- Umbra Hydra (LP)
• Marvin Gaye- Best Of
• Lionel Ritchie- Can't Slow Down (12 inch)
• The Decemberists- Castaways And Cutouts
• Bright Eyes- Digital Ash In A Digital Urn
• Red Hot Chili Peppers- Stadium Arcadium

At the moment i'm mostly listening to Needle Bed and Ben Fold's Rockin' The Suburbs and i'd thoroughly recommend both. My favourite song from Needle Bed is probably 'Gone Gone Gone'. It reminds me of Bright Eyes- soft and mellow, with a hint of fear and anger in the vocals.
In other music related news; i'm finally going to see Brand New!! After several years of bad luck in trying to seem them i've got tickets for them in Cardiff in feburary, can't wait!! Brand New are my all time second favourite artist (after Radiohead duhhhh!) and it's going to be awesome!

Anyway, enough of my drivel. If you actually want to learn something about music (particularily the alternative kind) then I suggest you check out Thom who knows far more than I!!

Listening To Now: Muse- Sunburn

Stuff That's Been Happening In My World Recently

For anyone that's interested (i.e parents) recently I have mainly...

1. Been working hard! This year is obvioulsy fairly important in my academic life and it's going really well. I've had time to reflect on my University years recently and i've decided that the modern University experience (academically speaking) is very much like a funnel. I spent the first two years taking courses and listening to lecturers that I didn't like, so that by my third year I could purposely avoid certain areas and people! Now, the four modules and dissertation that i'm doing are all subject areas that I enjoy and the lecturers are people that... Intellectually stimulate me! My dissertation is on the 17th Century devotional poet George Herbert and the influence of the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone on his posthoumus work 'The Temple'. My supervisor is a lady named Proff Helen Wilcox who reminds me of Grandma's all around the world, a really lovely lady who also happens to be somewhat of an expert on GH. My other two courses are Arthurian literature (challenging but engaging) and Writing identities (absolutely fascinating- I encourage everyone to read White Teeth by Zadie Smith and Sugar & Slate by Charlotte Williams). Everything is going to plan, although things are bound to get hectic soon with two essays to be handed in for week seven.
2. Playing a lot of sport! This year, aswell as playing Ultimate Frisbee, I have started playing football regularly in the Sunday league 7 a-side tournament for Mike's Bites. It's been a frustrating season thus far with two draws and a loss and a serious amount of bad luck, but things will soon change. I've also been surfing a few times this year aswell as playing badminton and table tennis (I was foolishly challenged yesterday by Sarah Donnelly who paid the price). After a long time of inactivity in the summer (due to ankle injuries) it's good to re-gain fitness.
3. Watching films! One of my new housemates this year, Emily, brought with her an immense DVD collection! We now have almost 150 films and i'm working my way through them. Films that i'd recommend are: I Am Sam, Hero, Corpse Bride, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, The Departed (in the cinema).
4. Listening to new music! I'll post more on what i've been listening to recently later.

That's pretty much it, life seems to be hectic at the moment... I should probably sleep more.

Listening to now: Ben Folds- Not The Same

The First Day Of My Life

Welcome to my new blog! Repeated unsuccessful efforts to re-start my previous blog (Heat Walks Against Me) have lead me to start from scratch again. Hopefully I will maintain this site a little more regularly now that I am connected to the internet at home and no longer have to make the arduous journey to Main Arts...

Today is a new day.

Listening to now: Bright Eyes-At The Bottom Of Everything