Poem: Window

A window silently gives chance reflection
And an ability to see through what was, perhaps,
once a wall, mortar and mortal.
Standing, still,
structured and supporting.
Hands made you and then betrayed you.
And what of what once hung upon it?
For now this pane serves as a self portrait
To the fleet of foot who pass you by.
Mirror, mirror, once a wall
Reflect, hold fast and tell us all.

Poem: Night in November

Revellers in the quiet of the night,

Whipped by wind, 

Hands held to unite against the cold.

Crunching November's pavements

In pursuit of a well lit corner,

Fireside and pints in hand.

Now imbibed, merrier, 

Love finds a voice.

Wonderers, wandering, return on diagonals 

And close the door with a kiss.

Wander through wonders - Manchester

As I lay in bed this morning, with hockey off the cards, I was determined to make the day productive. It turned into a rather expensive day, but that wasn't my fault... I digress. I will be leaving the Manchester area in a few weeks and I felt that I perhaps hadn't given the city a chance; truly explored it or bothered to look at its history or architecture.

I started the process as all of us would (in bed): I launched Google and looked for tourist information. The website (http://www.visitmanchester.com/home) is brilliant, it tells you what is on and any offers you can take advantage of. However the best bit was that it refers you to an app you can download which provides audio guided tours of the city - and they are free!

The link to the app is here: http://www.visitmanchester.com/articles/walks/manchester-walking-tours-app/

There are two currently available, I did the city and architecture tour and I'm hoping to do the other tomorrow.

So off I went - braving the cold - and caught the met, rucksack on my back, headphones in and crap phone camera out - proper tourist gear! I've only really ventured into town with a destination in mind - usually for a drink - and as such you don't really look any higher than street signs - and you really do miss the sights. I won't recant the whole tour, as its a city you should explore and it only takes about 45 minutes to walk the route. I took a few pictures (which aren't anything to shout about) which I have posted below: 

There were lots of buildings affected by blitz attacks, and lots of modern history attached to some of the most historic grade listed buildings as well. There are lots of other free things to do, which the app tells you, so I'm definitely going to enter the sites next time and not just look at the outside.

All that walking built up an appetite, so I then started my search for a light bite and I struck gold with La Bandera (http://www.labandera.co.uk/). Bit of background - it's a traditional Spanish/Iberian menu and just off Deansgate. 

What a great place. Staff were very welcoming, walked me through the menu and recommended the freshest food - who am I not to listen to beautiful Spanish women when they well you what to do?!

No complaints whatsoever. Definitely somewhere I will go back to - I ran out of appetite before I could have everything I thought would be nice! 

And then I went and spent loads of money on clothes and a new phone... The plus side is that my pictures should be better as it has a better camera! 

I'm really enjoying trying new things and excited about what is to come as I continue adventuring. Now to contemplate what is next...

Enjoy x

Can't sleep, even under pressure

Sleep seems to be becoming a rare and precious commodity in my life. Particularly at the moment as I'm battling a cold and sore throat (please donate all the sympathy you can).

I've been utilising the trusted method of having the radio on, to drift off to. This is a double-edged sword though, as some programmes are just too engaging to switch off to. And as I can't sleep for exactly that reason, that in itself has prompted me to compose a very short post on the radio programme which I'm currently listening to - Cabin Pressure.

It is a radio sitcom written and created by John Finnemore and was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2008. It follows the flights and plights of "MJN Air", a single plane airline who struggle to stay in business. The odd-ball crew consists of Finnemore, Stephanie Cole, Roger Allam and Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch.

I'm the first to admit, it starts slowly but it's worth sticking with. The characters grow on you and the format is tight but creative - I'd love to know if there are any in-jokes from an aviation perspective.

The programme came to its conclusion after 4 full series over the 2014 Christmas period. But the good news (for those who care to give it a whirl) is that they have just posted Series 1 Episode 1 to the BBC radio iplayer - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb5k4 - which means you can start from the beginning!

If you have any other radio comedy suggestions then please let me know. I am into trying new things at the moment! X

Considered Resolutions

Happy New Year!

That’s the aspiration and sentiment rather than a certainty – but is sincerely wished to you all nonetheless. 

 

Whilst January brings in fresher weather and tons of spam emails about how much you overspent at Christmas, it’s the time of year that resolutions are drafted: Ideas for how you are going to live over the next 12 months, and potentially beyond. So my aim for this post was to seek inspiration for and draft a framework to consider resolutions based on the pursuit of happiness.

 

I was interested to know what resolutions other people were making to inspire creating my own. The majority of those which I heard were centred on personal well-being; lose weight, quit smoking, get fit, eat healthier food or drink less alcohol. 

 

Searching for inspiration that didn’t involve cutting out G&Ts, my friend told me that a motto he used to hear was “enrich your life”. It made me think of what enrichment really is: adding things of value. Almost simultaneously, in the pursuit of new books via Amazon recommendations, I stumbled across a book by Roman Krznaric (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Wonderbox-Curious-histories-live/dp/1846683947) which discusses “There are many ways to try to improve our lives … But we rarely to look to history for inspiration - and when we do it can be surprisingly powerful.” – the past seems like a sensible place to start, after all, you are only ‘here’ as a result of the steps you have taken to get there. I’m reliably informed that Instagram will have a much more concise and poetic version of that sentiment in quote form, but crucially also calligraphic.

I haven’t ordered the book, but I may do if someone recommends it. 

The BBC seem to have tapped into the resolution theme too, given the time of year (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30536963). In the article they focus on Tolstoy (the chap who wrote War & Peace and Anna Karenina, which, again, I haven’t ordered). He isn’t someone I ever thought I’d be blogging about.

Tolstoy, born in 1828, was a member of the Russian nobility who weaned himself off the decadent, racy lifestyle that he lived in his formative years, to adopt the unconventional. The changes he made are actually quite startling, and boil down to a number of principles. I have considered each of them, thought about how I can interpret them and could achieve them as resolutions. So here goes...

1. Keep an open mind

Tolstoy was arguably one of the first to encourage society to question the fundamental beliefs and dogmas we have been brought up with. I'm not Russell Brand, calling for a revolution - just a man making a resolution. For my part, I think I am quite a dismissive person so I am aiming to be more positive about experiences and try new things.

2. Practise empathy

Tolstoy believed you could never understand the reality of other people's lives unless you had a taste of it yourself. I think that I will aim to increase my exposure to the lives of other people – not necessarily those worse off, but perhaps culturally different and therefore practice what brings other people happiness as well. 

3. Make a difference

Tolstoy distinguished himself from his peers by taking practical action to alleviate other people's suffering, most evidently in his famine relief work – in 1873, Tolstoy stopped writing for a year to organise aid for the starving. I’m not going to lie, I make a good lasagne, but I don’t that would be all too helpful and I have more rent to pay now so quitting my job might not be practical.

 

As I’m sure you’ll no doubt be aware, as a gym goer, January is a particularly busy month as everyone wants to kick-start the year with obligatory visits to a gym (on a membership they don’t actually want) dressed in the fitness gear they got for Christmas (when it seemed like a sensible idea). I thought that rather than focus on an open ended ambition of “get fit”, I would target an event to make a difference – so watch this space, I may be doing a 10km or Half Marathon near you… raising money for a worthwhile cause.

4. Master the art of simple living

Whilst Tolstoy overthrew things in his life, I think that I’d interpret this principle as living sensibly. He gave up drinking, smoking, and became a vegetarian - whilst I see sense in the smoking one, the other two I’m not so keen to give up. I am woeful at budgeting and rubbish at turning down nights out (one feeds the other no doubt) so living simple for me is being more sensible about what I spend my money on.

5. Beware your contradictions

I’d like to think that in 2015 I avoid the contradiction of saying one thing and doing another, and to satisfy that I am publishing these "resolutions" by means of being loosely held account to them.  

6. Become a craftsman

Tolstoy recognised that striking a balance between mind and body was an essential part of his creative process. I’ve let the frequency of my blogging slip, but I have discovered other channels for creativity which are sometimes difficult to evidence. For 2015, it can be as simple as cooking more adventurously, making music, writing or maybe learning something brand new. I am hoping I’ll find, by trying new things, what works for me and what doesn’t – don’t expect me to pop down to Hobbycraft and get crazy with some felt or paper-maché just yet!

7. Expand your social circle

Most of the above relate to challenging our assumptions and developing new ways of looking at the world. One of the easiest ways to do this is to increase your exposure to people whose views and lifestyles differ from our own. So I'm going to try and make new friends - hopefully through practicing the other principles.

I think the most important thing to recognise with resolutions is that you don't need to achieve everything in month 1, it's a long game and I'm looking forward to it.

So there we have it, first post of 2015. I have found inspiration for resolutions, or better yet ways to enrich my life - I know I want 2015 to be happy so this post seems like a good start to set out on that path. 

I may "break" these resolutions from time to time but this process (writing and researching the post's content) has made me more aware of the scope for enrichment and possibilities to achieve it. Hopefully some of it pays off and I'd like to revisit how well I think I have maintained them in a post later this year.

I also hope that this inspires others to think about what they can do to achieve their goals for the year as well. 

Life is for living, live well and love x

 

Regal rock: turn it up!

Another busy week, back to full time hockey and even a trip to the seaside (work not play). Today was certainly one of those #TGIF Fridays. However, I was struck by a rather sudden urge on my drive home; for the first time in a long while I felt like I wanted to be in a mosh pit. Let me explain...

This urge may or may not be familiar to you but I'm sure it manifests itself in various guises across everyday life. That impulse that makes you feel like you've got about twice the adrenaline you should do, a need to share that within a modicum of violence with your fellow man. And who do I have to thank for this? The answer is Royal Blood (http://royalbloodband.com).

I stumbled across the album really. I've signed up to Deezer and through recommendations it suggested that I should give it a listen - and I'm so glad I did. It's packed with punchy riffs, and the album reminds me of why I really like the garage and blues rock genre. 

The album reminds of of a halfway house of BRMC and The Raconteurs - 2 hugely underrated bands. Complex but not complicated, if that makes any sense. There is a structure to the album which suggests they didn't really want continuity, each song says something different. Also, like some mythological attribute, for every track that ends another impulse to rock out is thrust upon you.

It was that good on second listen I wanted to turn it "up to 11" like Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap reference for those who aren't aware). Like any good two piece, they make lots of noise and don't try to do too much. 

Favourite track on the album is probably Ten Tonne Skeleton but as that hasn't been released, here is a link to the video of the duo's most recent single release, Figure It Out:

http://youtu.be/jhgVu2lsi_k

Short but sweet post but honestly this album packs a real punch, or at least a wayward elbow in my mind mosh pit x

Musing on Music

I should've written this post sooner, but I've been busy (and not by myself, which allows me to reflect on what exactly I want to blog about).

There have been two events recently which made me contemplate the power and influence of music. So in no particular order...

It only seems like yesterday that I awoke in Gloucester services at circa 5am on a Monday morning, half covered by a sleeping bag, wearing clothes from the night before and smelling like the local tramp. I'd be there again in a heartbeat: Glastonbury Festival was amazing.

I'm not going to lie to you, getting in and out of the festival is pretty much hell on earth. However the five days you have there, between those two events, you can make as heavenly as you like. There is no sweeter taste than the first beer sat looking over Worthy Farm from the top of The Park.

Everything about the place is magical. From the mysticism of the Healing Fields and Stone Circle to the hedonism and perversions of Shangri-La. It is a very happy place, isolated from the rest of the world. Plus the 30+ stages/arenas have you dancing for as long as you can stand up. There were too many great acts to mention, everything about it just seemed like a grand spectacle: a tribute to live performance across all the arts.

The BBC did a wonderful job in providing vast coverage of the festival. I even managed to see the acts I missed in person, but it lacked the magic/hangover that I had felt being there. I thoroughly recommend doing Glastonbury to anyone considering it. I will happily admit that I was not the perfect attendee, I made mistakes. Here are 7 helpful tips, based on my own errors, to help you enjoy any future Glastonbury attendance.

1. Warm white wine is not a sensible first drink of the day.

2. There is no such thing as a 2-man tent.

3. If you do bring a 2-man tent, ensure you bring all parts including a roof...

4. Wear insoles in wellies to avoid blisters.

5. Photograph everything you do (including checking if people in your party are conscious).

6. Take a flag, it gives you an identity as a group.

7. Never underestimate the power of Dolly Parton.

I got everything else just about right, thanks mainly to the recommendations of previous attendees - and ultimately the relaxed atmosphere of the festival seems to make the mistakes you make much easier to deal with. 

If you aren't convinced, you'll just have to experience it for yourself. I dare you.

The second event wasn't perhaps as well covered by the BBC. It was a barbecue at my friend Mark's house. However, let that not skew the relevance or importance of this. 

I was asked to bring some music to put in a playlist. My laptop is pretty poor so I made a couple of playlists on music applications like SoundCloud and Deezer. However, in order to put the music through Mark's mixing software and ultimately out through his speaker system we had to get the digital copy onto his local laptop (via legitimate means, of course). This allowed me the opportunity to play the set and try my hand at mixing the tracks myself. Not one for shyness, I agreed to give it a whirl.

Unlike Glastonbury, I was the other side of the fence. I was responsible for making people dance... And I loved it. It was lots of fun and I think software makes it really intuitive. I now have desires to become a part-time DJ, but I have to ask myself:

1. I don't even have time to blog, how will I find the time to become even a part-time DJ?

2. The kit is an expensive investment to just muck about with. Would it be worth it?

3. Does it always rely on you owning the music? I can imagine trying to recreate my virtual/application library being expensive.

Then...

4. Who cares? It's fun to pretend you can replicate the DJs who make you dance like a tit.

It's the music which makes me happiest, and being a bedroom DJ is probably as close as I'll get to performing live in any case. But is it an expensive hobby or a waste of time?

I'm still "umming and arring" as to whether I will pursue the adventure and expenditure. But I know that attending Glastonbury is worth every penny and for good measure, if I could be a DJ anywhere, I can think of few better places than a headline spot at Glastonbury x

P.S. Despite his own protests, Mark is a very good DJ and if he sends me the link, I'll point you in the way of his TATV mixes. 

Pre-GLASTO

There are things in life that people put in lists, like shopping.

For me, Glastonbury festival has been on my "to do" list for a good long while. I'm eternally grateful to Ben Jackson who managed to hit the ticketing site at the right time and get my ticket. One of the nicest gingers I know.

There are many things about the festival which appealed to me, most notably the community type bubble the festival creates, its passion for diversity and, of course, the music. The legacy of performances on those stages is unrivalled, par Woodstock.

It is currently "Glastonbury Eve", I'm beer in hand and sat in front of the TV watching what can only be described as an international football match (as it stands) between Ivory Coast and Greece - which I'm only watching because the World Cup is on. All jokes aside, massive respect to the Toure brothers, and their team mates, who are sporting black armbands in memory of their brother, Ibrahim who sadly passed away earlier in the week. 

I've got SoundCloud blasting away upbeat tunes getting me in the mood for the next few days. And it's starting to make me think about what acts I want to see whilst simultaneously worrying that the sheer wealth of talent at the festival means that I could spend half my time running from pillar to post and miss out on lots of the things that only Glastonbury can offer. I only recently learned you can take classes there to learn new stuff, like the ukulele.

I think I've told just about everyone I know that I am going to Glastonbury this year, which has either been greeted with "it'll rain", "that's nice" or "I'm so jealous". With any variant of those responses there is always a word of advice.

One of the pieces of advice that I was given was to pick the artist who has the most entertaining name and go and see them. Current favourite on that front is "Just A Couple of Mums" - which for obvious reasons sounds like a right hoot! 

I've got a few picks from the lineup, like Arcade Fire, who I haven't seen before. But I'm torn on whether I should I only focus on people I haven't seen before or trust the music I like. I love the Manic Street Preachers but will seeing them at Glastonbury vastly change that? I think it's a balancing act - because as I said before it's not all about the music at this festival.

However, a blog can't be all fluff and no opinion. I'm not a Metallica fan, but people who are saying the headliners this year are not on par with previous years are quite clearly annoyed that they didn't get a ticket, or not realise how much influence their music has had on the wider music scene. You only had to hear Ellie Goulding (covering Zane Lowe's radio show) to understand just how long they have been making influential music. Haters gonna hate.

With guests arriving for the evening shortly to break up the journey down to Worthy Farm I best wrap this up. See you on the other side and if you do get chance please pray for sunshine, I quite like the clothes I'm taking xx

It's Bombastic

I have a very old iPod. Its contents haven't changed since about 2007. This allows me to listen to things like Ash's Intergalactic Sonic 7s, The Shins' Wincing The Night Away and Bloc Party's Silent Alarm on my way to and from work. The great thing about this is that I often listen to music that reminds me of certain things and places. I will, for instance never be able to decouple Boy Kill Boy's Civilian from my school leaving holiday to Tuscany or Razorlight's Up All Night from drinking Carling with Luke Dalton...

All this nostalgia is lovely - however, back to the matter at hand: as many of my previous post readers will be aware, I often go and get a load of new music in one go the old fashioned way - buying a physical CD.

The one that won the mini blog post is Bombay Bicycle Club's So Long See You Tomorrow.

There are few opening tracks that really set out the stall of recent albums I have listened to, other than maybe CHVRCHES (whose album The Bones Of What You Believe [which came second in the blog shortlist] opens with The Mother We Share). Overdone makes you think of the lights gradually coming up at a gig, sun meeting sky with the swagger of North London. On my first listen to the album, as Overdone's bass line kicks in, it somehow managed to make me feel like when I heard Arctic Monkeys' Brianstorm for the first time: I wanted to be at the front of a gig crowd, 18 and a bit pissed. 

The ethereal tones of Jack Steadman's lead vocals and a continuation of the sampling experimentation within the latest album provides ample purity that many other bands seem to suffer from, post "the difficult third album" (this being BBC's fourth). The album features guest vocals and produces similar haunting harmonies that became so well recognised on A Different Kind Of Fix.

My current favourite track is Home By Now, but Luna isn't far off that. The fact I can't really decide across most of the album is testament to the album's construction. 

I'm not going to give you the blow-by-blow of the album. The orchestration and world music influences really do make this album a worthwhile listen - it's Bombastic x

Are inspiration and education mutually exclusive?

There are many things I thought I would want to be when I grew up, but don't panic I'm not going to list them all and I'm fairly certain none of them were the ones cited by the Pussycat Dolls.

I heard on the radio some weeks ago that recent surveys suggest that when posed the "what do you want to be when you grow up" question, most children answered "famous". Having never been famous, I cannot say whether that is a good or bad thing.

What amazed me though was that there was no requirement or intent to specify anything beyond being "famous". Not even saying footballer, fashion designer, musician, author or actor...

Dr Harold Shipman is famous - not exactly the best role model out there (that being said, he was a Leeds Uni graduate so he did something right!).

To clarify, I may well be being totally ignorant to the education sector in the remainder of this post. However these are my views as an outsider and I welcome any and all feedback on where I'm wrong!

Does the modern education framework allow for creativity? Are kids coached out of it? 

Modern education takes its roots from the industrial revolution. All work items are specialised and partitioned. Children are input into the education factory (school) to generate an output: teenagers with qualifications to benefit them as the enter the wider world and become more economically active. 

Obviously one could argue a certain level of education is mandatory and protects society's interests. However once that level is achieved (or during its attainment) should the focus then shift to inspiration? Is it even possible to do both simultaneously in the current framework?

I think politics has shaped education much more than anything else in recent history. In my lifetime, qualifications have been re-branded and re-parametered whilst budgets and curriculums have suffered cuts and restrictions. 

No education minister can come in, undo it all and start afresh which is a real shame but a fact of life I suppose.

The fact you hear the phrase "exam coaching" in education is surely proof enough that the underlying philosophy of education has been diluted.

I have an unbounded appreciation of the teaching profession. They do a terrific job in most instances, shaping lives and influencing good behaviours but can they inspire creativity or the passion for learning when ultimately test results are seen as of political importance and dictate budgets within local government and ultimately the education system?

The counter argument would be that the best teachers find that balance between curriculum and creativity. I'm lucky enough to have seen examples of that in my own educational experience but I think that's something many miss out on.

I stumbled across a perfect quote quite by chance. It's from William Bruce Cameron’s 1963 text “Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking” and it contained the following passage:

It would be nice if all of the data which sociologists require could be enumerated because then we could run them through IBM machines and draw charts as the economists do. However, not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

You can count bums on seats, test scores and attendance records. You cannot count inspiration or creativity.

Many of you will have watched Educating Yorkshire and that highlights the efforts of staff in one school to show there is more to education than just passing the tests. There will be countless examples like that without camera crews but there may just as well be hidden schools, who pass the tests and inspections but ultimately fail their students.

If people who are creative can exceed expectations, why shouldn't the government be creative: take a risk, really learn from mistakes rather than spoon-feed the masses and take away individuality.

My conclusion is that it's not necessarily Yorkshire that needs educating but rather the educational framework which needs re-imagining, allowing teachers to be tangential, spontaneous and inspire creativity. 

When (if) I grow up, I want to see more creativity in the world - and education seems the best platform to make that possible. As Hector from History Boys says:

Pass the parcel. That's sometimes all you can do. 

In my mind, that parcel is inspiration. We should pass on the passion, the yearning for learning and give kids questions not just answers x

Fell back in love with Mr G, Ja'mie and Jonah

Firstly, apologies that "On this day I" hasn't been pushing out posts as regular as it used to be. However secondly it is nice to know that it has been missed, so thanks to those who have actively encouraged me to get back into it. Life sort of got in the way!

Knowing that I'd be getting back into the blogging, and it got me thinking about what I could write about. 

September - where has the time gone? 

Today saw the return of school traffic. September used to be a bit of a tense month. Would I have all the new stationery I needed? What seat would I be given? What are my flatmates going to be like? Where am I going to go now?!

School life being a distant memory, my only exposure now is through my brother. He's just started a new job working in a school. At his previous post he was affectionately known as Mr G - and having spotted his "Mr G" gear in a recent venture into his bedroom (hosting hockey's Patrick Smith for the evening) that prompted me to watch Summer Heights High - turned out he's nicked it, so I bought it again and it's all come flooding back - so this blog is dedicated to Chris Lilley's creation.

If you have never watched it, I wouldn't dare spoil it for you but essentially Summer Heights High, written by and starring Chris Lilley is an award winning Australian mockumentary series starring three of the fictional protagonists (all played by Lilley) in a parody of public school life. 

I'll take the time to introduce each of the main characters very briefly, as they really do sell themselves:

Mr G

The drama teacher, Greg Gregson (aka "Mr G") is passionate about his methods. He is a megalomaniac. He's mental and narcissistic. He's just brilliant - from his dog Celine (who has an "oversized brain") through to his musical penmanship, Tsunamarama (based on the events of the Tsunami disaster, set to the music of Bananarama).

He misperceives (much in the same way David Brent does) that he is well-liked - it is clear that he is unaware that his own perception of his teaching abilities is not shared by most students, but I for one would happily play "Slap the Butcher" if I could every single day...

Jonah

Summer Heights High is Jonah's third school in eighteen months. Leader of the FOB (Fresh Off the Boat) Tongan year 8 crew. He's a teenager with Attention Deficit Disorder, problems with aggression and a passion for break-dancing. 

His disruptive behaviour is very funny and his struggles are not unjust. He just wants to entertain and has delayed "being smart" because he doesn't want to be yet. He's the class clown - the one your teachers all warned you about. We all had one, and if you didn't - then it might well be you. Sorry (Ben!)

Ja'mie

Ja'mie King is part of a school exchange programme. She struggles to cope away from her privileged background but in reality she faces the same issues all 16 year old girls do (I assume, based on TV's representations of teenage girls anyway). She's just "so random" and her prejudices are, well, brilliantly spiteful. Her actions are not without consequence, for instance when she accidentally forwards a slanderously photo-shopped picture of her new found public school friends to the wrong person on MSN, she's abandoned on the playground without a friend in sight.

She's attention seeking and keen to out-do her contemporaries - from asking a girl to her end of school formal to dating a year 7. If it's going to put her in the limelight, she'll do it. You do try to feel sorry for her and want to believe that the experience will humble her, but you know it won't and you don't really even mind. She's rich and she'll never be "povo", "skanky" or a "bogan". She is my favourite character, delivering the majority of the funniest one-liners throughout the series. The fact you sometimes forget that this is a man in drag is testament to Lilley as a performer.

His skills as a writer are no less impressive. The main story lines are stronger than most comedies but the subtleties of its humour are what I think will make this a series I return to again and again. The closure of the stories (particularly Jonah's) feels closer to a drama, you are on the journey with them and their development (or lack of) makes it much closer to documentary than mockumentary.

Well hopefully that's enough to tempt some of you into watching it - don't tell everyone but it looks like the full episodes are actually on youtube... so go and have a watch. 

Chris Lilley has a new series of a similar format coming out soon which I assume will air on BBC3 in the UK (as per Angry Boys and SHH) - hopefully I'll try not to let life get too busy for me to put pen to blog for a review of that. 

And if I do get busy, then puck you x

Much more than just bacon

I watch a lot of films and TV shows. Over the past year I have ignited a seemingly unquenchable interest in World Cinema and foreign drama and the time has come for me to share the gems I cherish most.

I could blog/bore you about French cinematography, the Italian's unrivalled expressions of romance or the Spanish ability to conjure the true magic of an adventure. But no, this post is one for the people of Denmark.

I'm pretty sure most of you will be thinking, surely their only exports are bacon and members of the Schmiechel family? Aha - they have much more than that my friends!

Great drama is a powerful art form, and the Danes have nailed it. They have a way of making you completely forget your own world. It truly is an experience rather than endurance to watch their mysteries unfold. From my own experience I have seen an expression of truthfulness and grit that English drama can sometimes often deliver but where it surpasses it is in the character development - it is phenomenal, notably across the TV series I have seen.

People often ask me how I can put up with watching things with subtitles, and how much more concentration it must take to watch these sorts of programme. GOOD.

Too often we are caught in the age of social media and mobile devices. We drift away from programmes to text friends, look at a twitter feed or post something on Facebook - and those things are great, don't get me wrong, they have a time and place - I'm blogging from my iPhone now! But they so often detract from the true power and experience of watching drama and cinema.

You can't get away with doing that when all the dialogue is in a language you can hardly understand. Before you have chance to What'sApp you'll be saying "what's that?!" And having to rewind - it requires concentration and that effort is rewarded many times over.

To highlight what Danish TV/cinema can offer you I've listed a couple of things for you to get stuck into:

Forbrydelsen: It is one the best tv series I have ever seen. I think ITV ran with the translated version, The Killing. Centrally themed around detective work and politics, the twists and turns engage you constantly.

Hæven/In A Better World:
It won a golden globe and an academy award. It's directed by Susanne Bier who is reasonably well noted within the world of cinema. It's a story of revenge and the power of forgiveness in 2 completely different worlds inextricably linked.

Borgen:
Political drama, media spinners and journalists. No Malcolm Tucker, but by god does this grab you by the balls. It's the character development in this which really got me into it, it's got just as many twists and turns as Forbrydelsen (it's actually produced by the same people). Plus, this is the first time - fictional or otherwise - that I have found a Prime Minister a little bit sexy. Political and personal intrigue explored, you really fall head first into the life of Birgitte Nyborg.


Bron/Broen:
Starts off with a body on a bridge. Then it's half a body of 2 different people, of different nationalities, put together. If that isn't the best ending to a first episode I don't know what is! Also, this is bi-lingual - it's in Danish and Swedish - as the body is found exactly on the border so both sets of national authorities have to investigate. What a great way for people to learn foreign languages, through great drama. The uncompromising honestly of the female protagonist is possibly the best thing about this show.

That's enough for now, I won't spoil it any further, get involved and let me know if you have any recommendations.

I was trying to finish on a bacon pun, but for the life of me I can think of none, so I'll play this card instead...

Great Danes: drama with more bite than bark xx

Shared a Beacon of hope for new indie music

Firstly I must apologise, to those who genuinely read/enjoy this, for how long it has been since I last blogged. I've had a pretty busy summer what with weddings/civil partnerships, the Olympics, holidays, hockey tours, physiotherapy, osteopathy (as if I ever wouldn't be writing this without some sort of physical malady) and work all distracting me from the joy that is pumping my thoughts and opinions onto the internet. However, I have managed to wake up early on a Saturday morning - first Saturday of the National League Hockey season (at home vs Beeston); time to write - but what to write about?!

There are probably lots of things that I should be writing about based on the above list of distractions but it would seem that each one seems too broad to cover in the time I have available to get this post up and out before I toddle off to Cannock.

I recently decided that I needed some new music. I enjoyed an almost nostalgic summer music experience, listening back to pretty much every album I had on CD in my journeys across the world or to and from work but I found myself looking for something new. One of the albums I bought was Beacon by Two Door Cinema Club.

For those of you who don't know who they are, visit their website here. Their catchy music has been dotted over TV adverts for the last year, so you probably know them when you hear the right tracks. I was lucky enough to be treated to seeing them live as part of last year's NME tour with my bestest Kassie Fleet. Whilst I had their first album Tourist History in my car for pretty much 3 months solid after that gig I had let them slip from my mind and ears for the whole summer. Then I got an email from Amazon telling me that Two Door were releasing their second album, Beacon. 

I took the gamble and pre-ordered it. Which actually makes me wonder why on earth I did that: Why pay for something you want in advance, especially CDs? Economically, you incur a cost to yourself with no immediate benefit, logically the transaction should give you a benefit at the point you incur the cost e.g. you are thirsty, you buy a drink, you drink the drink, benefit realised. Never mind - anyway it arrived... 

The album is brilliant - all killer with no filler, which is a massive contrast to other albums I have bought recently. I imagine it was difficult to follow the success of Tourist History - the only other artists who I can think of at this precise moment who smashed a brilliant first album with their second would be The Arctic Monkeys or The Maccabees (who I gather have just been nominated for the Mercury Music Awards; probably nothing to do with me blogging about them though).

There is just something about them which sets them apart from other indie artists. In reality their music isn't that much different from others of the same genre, but the way they bring it all together just seems more like a finished article, almost commercial. I suppose it is this attribute which makes it seem as if it is a guilty pleasure to like them. If you didn't know what they looked like, you could imagine them all in matching suits with slick hair and beaming smiles. In reality they are a are a skinny-jean clad three-piece indie rock band from Bangor and Donaghadee signed to a French label - about as edgy as it gets!



Why I think the album is such a success it is that they have put just the right amount of diversity within the album but stuck to the winning formula from the singles that brought them success off the first album. I imagine they are already, but they should be very proud of Beacon. The lyrics are great and their trademark riff/chorus line combinations work a treat. It genuinely sounds like they have enjoyed bringing this together and sharing it with the world. Lucky us!

My favourite track so far is Sun, which I think is next single release - having given away Sleep Alone as part of a twitter campaign push for the album. Check it out on Soundcloud.

They were great live and will be touring the UK in early 2013, so get your tickets you'll be in for a treat should you go see them. 

In short, a Beacon of hope for new music. Original, happy music. Enjoy it x

Realised I am older

It has been a while since I last virtually put pen to paper but I’ve been a busy chap so no apologies there as if I didn't do anything then I wouldn't have anything to blog about. 


I’m currently recovering from a night out in Cannock, both mentally and biologically. This weekend has been some what of a revelation on 2 counts: I’m getting old.


The first one is much easier to explain so I’ll start with that: 


This Saturday I shopped at M&S looking at things for me rather than for anyone else (Christmas gifts, etc). I didn’t realise the gravity of the transaction until I got home; it propelled me into feeling middle-aged. I must iterate that this is not a criticism of M&S’ range of clothes, and it’s not that bad really - I was only looking for new shirts and trousers for work - I haven’t started wearing Blue Harbour out on the tiles but this is a dangerous statistic in my own calculations of how old I really am. 


I often still feel like I’m 15, still don’t have a clue what I’m supposed to be doing and enjoying that - but M&S has gone and made me feel about 30 and that's what's worrying me. Am I on a slippery slope? People at work have commented on my jazzy work wardrobe - positively, I might add - which largely consists of purchases from ASOS, H&M and Zara - so I suppose that is why this step off the path feels like a move in the wrong direction. We’ll see how my M&S purchases go down and I’ll try and remember to let you know what feedback they get. 


Now to the difficult one:


I have been fortunate enough to see many bands and artists play live. I won’t list them (namely because I can’t remember all of them), however, what is important to highlight for this blog entry is the following:

• I went to see Coldplay at the Etihad on 9th June (for a more in-depth review, please read this - composed by my bestest Kassie Fleet)
• I went to see Watch The Throne (Kanye West & Jay-Z) on 12th June (for photos and videos of this event you’ll all have a facebook friend who went, just have a gander their stuff)

These were arguably the 2 best concerts I have ever been to for almost entirely opposite reasons. 


Coldplay pulled out all the stops to let you know that the audience were an integral part to the show. Great production all round and they created the intimacy of much a smaller venue despite it being at a stadium. You forget just how many Coldplay songs you know all the words to! They are arguably the most successful British rock band in terms of sales and tours in recent history. As close to Queen or The Beatles as we have in this day and age.


Watch The Throne - Wow. They are just mega-superstars. They are both the influenced and influence. It was 3 gigs in one, it almost felt like the most gangster pantomime that has ever existed - although I’m not sure there is a market for that. Yeezy and Hove were incredible, NIP being performed 5 times was just ridiculous. 


Also, for those who don’t know (as I recently had to have this explained to me) Jay-Z’s sobriquet Hove/Hova/Hov comes from Hebrew word for God, Jehovah (which becomes J-HOVA) - hence "H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A". But to get back on track…


I saw Coldplay. I saw Kanye West. I saw Jay-Z. We were in the same room, a very big room but still the same room. 


And it was these thoughts, which I processed today on my return home from Cannock, that made me realise that’s all I had to say: They are milestones - it was a musical bucket list quest and I was fortunate enough to achieve 3 of them across 4 days:


Coldplay, Jay-Z and Kanye - Done. 


They will be stories I tell my friends/children but that is it, I don’t think I would want to see either act again. To me they will just become memories of a milestone; they aren’t the artists I put on to cheer me up or make me escape my bubble. That space is reserved for the likes of Bloc Party, Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers and The Maccabees. I will always need them. So that poses yet another question:


Am I old enough now to say that I listen to the stuff I used to listen to “when I was growing up”? 


If I am then that’s a bit scary but it’s happened and there isn’t a lot I can do about it - I have become old. I suppose I should just go and get an M&S store card, saves the hassle for when I actually turn 30 in 6 years time x

Looked back on 24 years.

I was intoxicated and without a computer on and around my birthday. It was my 24^th so I thought I would try and pull together (a far too briefly summarised) 24 incidents/memories from my 24 years because I literally have no other opinions to force upon the world. 

So, in no particularly order but a bit chronological:

1.       My first girlfriend.

I think I was maybe 3ish, I can’t remember her name, we held hands and we met at playgroup. I think I made the very first (of my very few) noble gestures at Lollipops Nursery; I won a key-ring of an army man and I gave it to her as she was leaving Nursery and starting school. Dating older women, wasn't a trend that stuck.

2.       Scott Downs being sick Freddy Mitting biting an apple with a worm in – all in the same day!

This was at my first school, Brooklands. That day was amazing. I had never seen anyone be so violently sick! And why did schools used to use sawdust to clean up sick? What was that all about?!  Is it still there?!

I’m not facebook friends with either of them, it’d be interesting to hear whether Freddy is still as camp and if Scott is still faster than me. Life's questions continue to be unanswered. 

3.       Spencer getting better than me at football.

It was inevitable. He is the sportier brother. The brother who got up and walked out of a room after me instead of learning to walk like the rest of us. He is a good footballer, and it became quite apparent that if I wanted any sporting prowess then I would need to find another sport. All this, sprang upon me by the age of 7. We remain close friends to this day.

4.       Orme House.

Aged 8, I moved schools. A free transfer to Orme House from Brooklands. That place will always have a space in my heart - notably the memorable Eyam trip where Julie Wright kept us up-to-date with the football scores, origami club with Mrs Daker (oh yeah, it was that cool) and when Stefan tripped me up and I grazed my face on the tennis courts - injuring myself, it would seem, is not a trait I have lost (ask anyone from Cannock).

Also, this is where I found hockey, or it found me. Glory days of junior hockey under Mr Broome. And it brought me up against Cannock Hockey Club, and I met my nemesis - Luke Dalton, who I hated. He was good (better than me) and it annoyed me. They always beat us in the county final, it became very frustrating.

5.       Joining Cannock

If you can’t beat them, join them - I had to play rugby at NULS so couldn't play hockey at the weekend until I was 15, and that's when I joined Cannock. I am still playing there and out of all the friends I have made, the ones at Cannock are definitely some of them. I grew to like Luke, he's now a marine and a very good friend (both valuable traits in my book).

6.     Playing football, with a girl

My Mum was a good footballer. She has played for England, which is pretty awesome; but I digress. At Orme House, we had a girl on our team. She was really good, her name was Georgia. I remember in particular, at one snowed covered tournament, where "the girl from the Orme" got a special mention, at which I think Sam and Rowls both cried because they were so cold - but Georgia didn't and I think that's why everyone wanted to 'go out' with her - a girl playing football at primary school, roughing it with the boys - she was cool. Our relationship was brief, but I wish her every success and hope she is happy.


7.       Being conned into going to Florida
This is a bizarre tale. Basically I was conned, along with my brother, into a family holiday with my cousins. We got promised a trip to Legoland, but we had to meet our uncle, aunt and cousins who had flown down to Gatwick from Worcester (oh how foolish it all seems now) who we would be going to the them park with. Anyway, when we got there my cousins asked us where we would want to go if we could go anywhere in the world. Between to two of us we answered Italy or Greece. We didn't go there, we went to Florida and had an amazing time. I have since learned that my school friends knew along along but kept their silence - and that's when I knew they were worth confiding in. Still haven't been to Legoland, but I have managed trips to Greece and Italy.


8.       9/11
I was in Chemistry with Mr Heeley, who took a phone call in the middle of our lesson from a friend who was currently in New York at the time of the terrorist attacks across America on 11th September. It was surreal. We couldn't believe it was true. We raced to a computer cluster and all frantically hammered news websites for further updates. It's one of those "Where were you when..." scenarios. It's a memory that will not disappear quickly.


9.       The unsuccessful audition
I like drama. I was lucky enough to play Don John in Much Ado in my final year at school and also Joseph at the junior school nativity - both key roles at respective scales of the good guy:bad guy spectrum. However, there was one audition where I didn't get a part - not even boy number 6 or shepherd 3. I was gutted. Miss Potts dashed my thespian desires by not giving me a part for Grimm Tales, at the age of 13. I pretended I wasn't bothered - but I cried when I got home. I didn't audition for the year after as a result of my heartbreak, but I decided to give it a try once again for Guys and Dolls at the age of 15 - I could sing a little, so that stood me in decent stead, and despite a clear lack of acting talent I got a part. Since then familiarity with English teaching staff always secured me a role until I left school. I decided not to pursue drama after school because people take it far too seriously, trust me - you do. And if you don't think that, you probably think I'm over-dramatic, I'm not - I'm just over drame.


10.   What’s the code?!
Possibly the best combination of bad planning and a great idea.  Once a week the boys from the entire GCSE year would migrate from English to Maths. All boys in one place at one time at a single point of entry building with a code locked door. We all knew the code, but what was the fun in that. Basically we sieged the doors to breaking point and we loved it. It was ritualised. The girls all thought we were idiots, but what did they know. What's the code?! Brilliant. We actually re-enacted this at our 5 year reunion, proof that boys grow old but will never grow up.


11.   Ryan’s party
I was invited, but only through other people dropping out I think which was a poignant memory in itself, it was the first time I realised that there was social segregation within our year group. I happily accepted my secondhand invite and rocked up with 16 VK’s and drank none of them. I drank lager, and hated it - everyone hated it, but boys had to drink it until they liked it - that's just how it was. I kissed 3 girls that night. None of them now speak to me - but I don't think that has anything to do with that night. It's a great memory as it was the first 'no parents' party I had been to. It had an ice luge for drinks, people were kissing multiple people, someone was sick: it was refreshingly entertaining.


12.   Poros
Along similar lines, this was a school watersports holiday but would be the first 'no parents holiday' outside of the UK, with only teachers for company. I have fond memories of this holiday, having shared a flat with Rowls, Adam, Miggy and Blakey it was bound to be eventful. I remember Jake Lloyd getting really drunk and being sick, Rowls getting stung by a bee and his hand swelling up to twice it's normal size and Claudia kissing Blakey. Oh take me back, where has my youth gone!


13. Fracturing my skull
Probably the only really bad thing that's happened to me playing hockey - here's hoping it stays that way. It was the Under-16 School Championships Midland semi-final, vs. Rugby school. It was during the second half and as the last player back, with our keeper rounded the chap hit a reverse stick shot and bang, the next thing I knew I was knocked backwards into the goal-post. It didn't hurt but I sat up and suddenly my head was bleeding, quite profusely. The teachers ran on to the pitch and Mr Chesterman told me, in what I expect was to comfort me, "Don't panic, but I can see your skull" - brilliant. It's fine now, I have a Potter-esque scar and needed about 18 stitches. The best of it was that the school nurse had called my mum and asked if I wanted to talk to her just before I got wheeled into an ambulance, only seconds away from going into shock. I agreed and the conversation went as follows:


Mum: Hi Joshy, are you ok?
Josh: No, we're losing 2-0 and there's only 10 minutes to go. 
Mum: That's a pity. See you at the hospital.


We lost 3-1. I have since learned that Mr Murtagh (a French teacher) actually laughed and walked off when it happened and a school friend Ben Williams said (to the rugby boys who had come down to see why an ambulance was at the hockey pitch) "Why are you clapping? He's in a wheelchair" - such sympathy was obviously appreciated, I preceded to go into shock just as the ambulance doors closed. 


14.   Colin McNamara
We were horrible to him. He was a nice guy, genuinely. He was our supply teacher for AS Level Economics. He was forever making spelling mistakes and we pounced upon his weaknesses constantly. We pretended that Will Bailey and I were arch-enemies and constantly fought, it was hilarious every lesson. There were plenty of supply teachers we came across during our time at school but Colin will take the cherry. He didn't half talk some shit but we loved it and made his time with us if not enjoyable, then eventful. On his last day we bought him a tin of potatoes, which the returning member of staff informed us he had left in the staff room. 


15.   The University of Leeds open day that never was
We were allowed to have days of absence to attend university open days in our final years at school, so I duly completed the necessary paperwork and had the appropriate conversations and on the Wednesday (as if there is any other day of the week worth going to Leeds) I went up to the university on the train. I walked from the train station up to the Parkinson building only to discover I had come on the wrong day, I was a week late! However, all was not lost - I went to the business school and explained the situation and someone made themselves available for an hour and gave me some extra material and then advised me that "the best way to get a feel for this place is to just walk around and see what you find" - I went to the union and had a pint in the terrace, got chatting to some random people who thought I was someone else and then I walked around the campus, map in hand - I loved it, I knew it was where I wanted to go and that some mistakes are meant to be made. 


16. Going to Tuscany
Not Ibiza, but Tuscany. That's where my friends and I went to celebrate the end of our A-Levels. It was excellent, and it's not full of old people contrary to popular opinion. We went to a pizzeria nearly every day, got taken to a local football tournament where we shouted English football chants much to all the Italians' amusement, went to a party in the hills at a shack in complete darkness with complete strangers, watched all the girls from our group fall in love with the Italian boys who all drive Fiats, got beaten at football quite comfortably and watched Flath dislocate his shoulder in the pool trying to catch an American football in a swimming pool. Oh, and Emma Tonks losing her virginity in a car (Volvo, I think) to the cousin of a guy she kissed just 3 nights previously. I wouldn't change that holiday for the world. My holiday highlight will have to be when I went to watch the World Cup final (where Italy won on penalties) in a city square in Italy with Dom Davies - I don't think I will ever match that moment as a sporting spectator, it was the craziest night.


17.   A-Levels Results Day
This wasn't about the results, it was about the fact this would be the last day we would all be in the same place at the same time as a year group. We were tight, there was little segregation amongst the boys in our year (girls obviously had their own agendas) so it was a very sad day to know we wouldn't ever have those days again. I won't dwell on it, but it was exciting to know we were all off to where we wanted.


18.   Initiation
Well, you had to 'join' the hockey club at Leeds University beyond paying the membership fee. I continue to be jealous when I hear initiations are going on, under the guise of 'Welcome Drinks'. I won't ruin it for those who may have yet to join a sports club at university but I had a simultaneously terrible and terrific evening, and it's great to know that it is a ritual all other members have gone through (past and present), this rite of passage, a journey of self-discovery with the promise of acceptance and brotherhood. 

I still don't like cat food.


19.   Study to Work LUBS2020
I took the decision to take an industrial placement year, as it was optional within my degree programme and my job prospects weren't all that great so I needed something to bolster the CV. I nearly ended up in Bolton with Reebok - but it would seem fate wanted me to find my feet elsewhere. I took a gamble and it paid off. It took me away from my university year-group and meant I would have a year away from LUUMHC and re-don my Cannock kit for another year. That year massively shaped where I am today and I'm still with SSL.


20.   Falling over on EuroSport
One of the most special and probably best achievement in my hockey career (very loose term!) was playing in the EHL KO16 in Hamburg, and how am I most fondly remembered on this fateful day? The fact that me High 5-ing someone is the first live footage? No. Laney ran into me, I swear. I fell over. I was never destined for great things. The great thing was that so many of the guys I came through the club with were there with me.

21.   LUUMHC 1st Team Captaincy
Chris Emery (departing Club Captain) approached me and asked if I would run for 1s Captain in the upcoming LUUMHC AGM in April 2010. I was reluctant to go for the position as a returning 3rd year - I didn't know over half the team, and I couldn't make the AGM in person so I typed a speech (sending it to Chrissy on Facebook) and ended up being unopposed. So that was it - I was on the commitee, got my hoodie and free entry to Gatecrasher card, perfect -job done. 

I jest. That year was a particularly turbulent time in my life and LUUMHC steered me through that path with a successful campaign on and off the pitch. Too many memories to recall, but the transition from Tour to England Unis or that Sunday night in Birdcage will take some beating. I, reluctantly, have to mention the support I got from Oliver Howick who was forever cheering me up, trying to advise me how to play hockey or toasting Sambuca shots with me. 

A true friend, both Howie and Luxardo.


22.   The Last Summer Ball/Graduating from Leeds
The end of an era. Ended suitably with The Summer Ball (the last event of the university calendar, after all the exams), the informal graduation party. Playing 'Ram the Fat Girl' on the dodgems - so much fun. Jake splitting his trousers and having to put string round his waist to hold them up. Getting the last bus back and sitting on Parkinson steps with a bottle of Champagne at 7am the next morning, quoting Wedding Crashers and reminiscing. Perfect.

I graduated in my LUUMHC club tie, worn every Wednesday night throughout my time at university (and never washed). In my graduation pictures I have the smile of an unrepentant paedophile. 


23.   Getting a real job
I was lucky enough to make enough friends on my placement year that they would have felt bad about not taking me back at Synectics. This was it - I was officially employed, out of education, on an income, had a work phone. No looking back now, I'm managing some of the best projects going, have wonderful colleagues and I'm happy. Onwards and upwards.


24.   Writing a blog
Well that's it. 24 years done. Time to start making more of an impression on the world: write a blog, get creative. It's been fun so far and it's been nice to write posts like this, it makes me think of how lucky I have been and how lucky I still am to have so many more than 24 memories to write about. Here's to the next 24, I hope they are as much fun and filled with love xx