Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Essay Spirit


Essay season brings out peculiar behaviour in me. I become rather superstitious or ritualistic, I have to perform certain activities before I can begin studying, note-taking or writing an essay.
The first ritual that had to take place was the acquisition of a 60 Watt bulb for my tablelamp. My tablelamp had been bulbless for a while and I felt that the central room light was just not enough for my studies, I had to wander around town looking for a bulb (Tesco has an aisle clearly stating 'Bulbs' but there are no bulbs there) I finally found my bulb and studying could commence.
Second ritual is that I need to eat first before I start working. I go down and prepare a large meal, eat, watch something on BBC iPlayer and then begin making an essay plan.
Once the essay plan is done, it's time to begin writing the essay, but first I must take a shower. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, just before I start an essay I take a long cold(ish) shower- I feel it helps me focus better. I get lotioned up, comb my hair and sit at my laptop- play a randomly selected song and then begin the writing process.
My breaks are often 5-10 minutes long, and I can do a various activities ranging from simply staring out my window, to reading about a country on wikipedia, to grabbing Sophie (my camera) and actually going outside to photograph a seagull eating a crab (a photo-op I spotted from my window)

But essays are done, and boredom sets in..a boredom that is relieved by watching programs on iPlayer or reading random facts on wikipedia..yesterday I was reading about- Bermuda, Bora Bora (French Polynesia), The Odyssey, Paul Robeson...Wikipedia is a great source of knowledge, and I urge everyone to go on it everyday and pick up a random bit of knowledge, I know it's easily vandalised, but it's still quite reliable in most cases.

Keith Olbermann blasts Hillary Clinton's assassination remarks

Monday, May 26, 2008

On Top of the World


Celebrating Finishing the 2nd year of university at the Penshaw Monument (Sunderland) we had gone to be beach earlier but the weather was terrible.

Monday, May 19, 2008

I Funghi, I Gamberetti, il Porco e la Pasta

My former classmate Marlene is leaving for China in August to study in Hainan University. As she is going to be eating dogs, cats, rats and pandas for the next year, I decided to send her off with a dinner- Julian style (Italian cooking- as all my recipes are pasta based- due to the fact that I cannot cook rice up to the required standard)
William Cunningham had never met Marlene before so he was invited as well.
I christened the meal "I funghi, I Gamberetti, il Porco e la Pasta"- figure that out yourself!
The taste was heavenly, in some other life I might have been a cook. The ingredients included- pasta (obviously) Mushrooms, Prawns, Onions, Pork sausages- all these fried in honey tinted oil, as usual a chicken accompanied the meal, with some Australian Shiraz wine to wash it all down- Scrumptious
A friend of mine got me some plantains from London, cheaper in London than in Sunderland. I haven't had plantains as a student, so this was special.
Since Marlene was the guest of honour, she got the honour of eating with my sqaure plate- the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a guest.

Unfortunately, the only pics that exist of this meal are really unflattering and do no justice to my culinary skill, but I will make do with what I have



Click for a larger picture

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Stammering: The Gift and The Curse

I have a very very very terrible stammer. Some people don't know this, well that's because I don't stammer all the time, and I manage to conceal it quite well actually, if I didn't it'll be a very disturbing experience for those around me.
Well, most people think of stammering simply as repitition of words or parts of words, well that's one part of it, the other part, the part that personally causes me the most distress is 'blocks', these are involuntary silent pauses in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds. Blocks are very very annoying, and they happen at the weirdest times, I get blocks when I'm trying to produce the hard G sound- like 'Good', so it's especially difficult to greet someone by saying 'Good Morning, or Good Day' I have to circumvent this by just saying 'Morning' and smiling, little does the recipient know the trouble I had been going through just to say that. However I can overcome a block if I want to (I do this when I'm in familiar company) but overcoming a block would mean a jerking of my head, leading people to think I'm choking or having some kind of epilepsy fit- it's quite amusing sometimes actually.
But blocks also have their advantages, especially in arguments, the old adage goes: "Think before you talk"..well normally I don't usually think much before talking, but since stammering prevents me from talking, I use that time in silence to think and develop my argument. So while people are rambling on, I'm there...trying to speak, but unable to do so, thus having to listen, smile, think and try again this time with an easier consonant sound.
Another aspect of stammering that is perhaps most annoying and most amusing is the prolongation of sounds, especially when 'M' begins a word or a syllable. So I'm there trying to say Good Morning to my Grandma (I call her mummy- grandma would be a hell of a job) I see her for the first time in the morning, custom asks for me to greet her, she sees me, expecting a greeting, I try to greet her, but the G is stuck somewhere in my throat so I can't say 'Good Morning, Mummy', I then take the other route 'saying the Mummy first'..prolongation now comes, causing me to say Mmmmmmmmmmummy G,(still stuck) G (stuck) Goo(easing up a bit) Good mmmmmorning (finally there) So while people greet people without even noticing it, I have to make a concious pre-meditated effort to utter my words. Something that should take a second to utter becomes a play recital for me.
Stammering is cool sometimes though, well, it's cool when people feel embarrassed and have to apologize to me after making fun of my stammering. It happens quite a lot- I stammer, someone laughs and makes fun of it, I reply with a stern face- "What is funny? I have a stammering problem" They notice their indiscretion and begin apologizing- I laugh at them internally.
Thankfully I don't stammer with every single word I say, but I notice I tend to stammer a lot when speaking on the phone, leading to weird pauses in the conversation with the person on the other end saying "Hello..Hello, Julian, you there" I reply like five seconds later, out of breath because I've been struggling with myself trying to simply say - 'still here'
No cure for stammering exist, but some myths on curing stammering include consistently drinking water from a snail shell for the rest of one's life and "hitting a stutterer in the face when the weather is cloudy" (please don't do this!)
I don't look at my stammering as an ailment though, it's a part of me I've grown to consider unique and love.
I just dread the day I propose to my wife, as I have trouble verbalising the 'W' sound, this would rule out me saying "Will you marry me?" My already discussed problems with 'M' would also rule out 'Marry me honey!"..I guess I may have to propose through facebook or by post. C'est la Vie

Mood Muzik


Unlike some people I cannot write an essay and listen to vocal music at the same time, I have tried, but this has led to me writing down words from the song in my essay, with results such as "This essay aims to critically evaluate could you be loved and be loved..." I do occasionally listen to Jazz when I'm doing an essay, but I usually prefer silence. However when I'm taking notes or sitting down getting essay ideas and angles, I do enjoy to listen to two main artists- Laura Nyro and Minnie Ripperton (in the picture- Ripperton above, Nyro below) Both artists from the 70's (glory years of music if you ask me)The music is so chill, so relaxing, ethereal sounds. Ripperton had a 5 octave vocal range, and she could sing while hitting notes as high as whistle sounds- crazy! Nyro's music is too amazing for words, just uplifting everytime.
I grew up on 70s music, my dad had an extensive stash of records from his university years in Aberystwyth, Wales. I think one gains a greater appreciation of music when they are exposed to different types of music at such a young age, when one is still very impressionable. Amongst my dad's collection was The Heptones (reggae) Kenny Rogers (country) Roger Whitaker (folk) Helen Reddy (pop??)..I think the bands that made the most impression on me were The Carpenters and Simon & Garfunkel, I mean nothing can beat 'Yesterday Once More' by the Carpenters, or S&G's Mrs. Robinson, in fact the Simon & Garfunkel catalogue is so amazing it's hard to single out one song as their best.
Of course, growing up in the 90s meant I was growing up during the so called Golden Age of Popular Hip-Hop 1997-2000. The problem with Hip-Hop is that many people don't understand it's importance (even avid hip-hop fans) many people misinterpret the message or purpose of Hip-Hop music or Hip-Hop philosophy, for many people hip-hop means doing the peace sign and sagging their jeans, but hip-hop (well real hip-hop I'd argue) means a lot more, something I may discuss in future posts. I think what has to be done is to focus on the positive types of hip-hop, the real expressions of art such as Jay-Z, Common, Kanye West, Pharrell, Andre 3000...we need to weed out senseless fools masquerading as hip-hop artists the likes of Rick Ross, 50 Cent, Young Jeezy, Plies..people who blend hip-hop with crime and misogyny and perpetuate this message through American Popular Culture. I better stop before this turns into a media essay.
But, music is food for the soul, and listening to music is something I do constantly whenever I'm not at uni or sleeping. (I don't listen to my mp3 player much because I end up singing along or dancing in the streets, which makes me look quite insane...so let's not go there)
So music heads out there, get to listening to music from the 1970s you cannot, I repeat cannot be dissapointed.

She

This is a poem I wrote about a year ago, and recently performed at a Variety Show in my brother's university- Bradford. Enjoy and leave your thoughts

"She"
You are the manifestation of beauty
I try to acknowledge
But I simply am not worthy
I'll damage your innocent cocoon
I'm worldly
You are the modern equivalent of ancient Aphrodite
I try to talk to you
But I simply cannot
You are a Godess, I, I am but a Man
You are perfection
You are not my perfect woman
For by me being imperfect, I cannot concieve perfection
But you:
Flawless
situated above others
Floorless
No tongue spoken by any man can come
halfway close to describing the effect your face has on those-
on those who view it,
Your presence nullifies despair
You have no name
No, wait
Your name is 'She'
She is You
You are She
She is Bathsheba
and I am David, transfixed by your celestial beauty
She is the Queen of Sheba
and I am Solomon, your satisfaction is my duty
at your feet I prostrate
Oh!
Venus Incarnate
You are She
She is you
Who is She?

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Beginning the Second Intifada

The second year of University is almost over, a few more hurdles to jump, one really high hurdle (Ethics exam) and we are done. Funny how good weather coincides with an increased level of work, but I guess the good weather will also be a reward of this long and hard year.
Contractions are getting more frequent and prolonged, a few more essays to push out and it's relief, the doctor cuts the...(okay this pregnancy metaphor has gone on for too long)

Monday, May 12, 2008

Azin's blog

I first posted about Azin's blog more than a month ago- Here, well it's finally up. Get there and read up.
Culture Beat
http://culturebeatwithazin.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 09, 2008

The Lyrics Game

I got this idea off Angie's Blog, who got it off Joanne's I think. We'll basically I put Windows Media Player on shuffle and just wrote out pieces of lyrics that stood out to me..yes Umbrella ella ella sticks out. So yeah, here it is, my own version of the Lyrics Game.

Click for a larger picture

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Please, everyone must watch this.

Guess Who's Coming for Elections


So, yesterday primary elections were held in the states of Indiana and North Carolina, Barack Obama winning the latter, Mrs. Clinton the former.
Clinton had her typical comeback smile. There is something about Mrs. Clinton that I don't like, her continued fight in the face of almost certain defeat seems to suggest that she is surprised or annoyed that Barack Obama is leading in the Democratic race, this fight for the Democratic nomination has become more personal that it has ever been. Clinton should have pulled out earlier and used this time to rally support for Mr Obama. As the democrats fight bitterly, the Republicans are using every oppurtunity to vilify Obama, using excerpts of the now infamous sermon by Obama's former pastor Jeremiah Wright.
Clinton's arrogance and lack of practicality would not only be a diservice to the Democratic Party, but could also land her the role of a scapegoat. I say this, because, if Obama wins the candidacy (it's looking more like when Obama wins) and if he is ultimately defeated by McCain in the generals, Democrats and mostly the media would point straight to Clinton for refusing to rally support for her comrade, or for her continued underhand dirty political moves against his person.
In the Democratic race, Clinton has not considered the long term effects of her strategy, the malignment and vilification of Obama that was carried out by her campaign was done without the thought that the Republicans could pick up on it and spray-paint the whole Democratic Party with these Anti-American attributes that she has ascribed to Obama.
I think it all boils down to a fallacy, well, I shouldn't say fallacy, but a 'peculiarity' if you will, of the American political system. Unlike the British system, the American system is very personal, it is very much concerened with the individual, at this stage, there are no party manifestos, just personal manifestos. While the Democrats wait for their players to finish their boxing match, the Republicans are already in on the road to the White House. The Democratic Party seems unconcerend about the bad-mouthing and childishness that goes on during these primaries. The candidates seem more like rival companies delivering a business pitch to a firm, the firm being the Democratic Party, however, this shouldn't be the case, the fact that they are Democrats should be in the forefront. Only when candidates remember that they are representing one general viewpoint, one overriding ideology, only then would they stop and think about the repercussions of their actions.
Mrs. Clinton has adopted a gung-ho attitude, she went at Sen. Obama with a no holds barred attitude, and her strategy and tactics against Obama are being followed-up by the Republicans.
Clinton should stop and think, back-out early, support Obama, and who knows, she might get that Vice-Presidency, the first female Vice-President of the United States of America, that itself is a milestone in that country.

“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.”- George E. Woodberry

Progress

I did not anticipate the enormous amount of research and reading that had to be done in preparation for these essays. Basically, reading and essay note taking are being done for each essay, the 1250 blog essay has been completed and sent for review, extensive note taking is being done for MAC266, the essay should be done on Friday.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Let's get down to Busy-ness

Alright, for those of you doing PR you'd know that the days ahead are plagued with essay deadlines. The last essays are due on the 22nd of May, but I have told myself that I want to be done with everything before May 10, leaving me with 12 days in excess. I have made such demands of myself before (never really kept them) but I figured that perhaps by blogging it, I would have my self-promise in a public forum and it would cause me to work and update my progress.
Anyway, here it goes:

MAC 266 PR Strategy (2000 words) due May 15

MAC250 Weblogs(1000 words & 1250 words) due May 16

MAC 264 PR Ethics (1250 words) due May 22

MAC 204 Placement (1500 words & 1000 words) due May 22

So..I'm off to work, I'll be crossing off things I've completed as the days go by.