Today was an incredibly significant day. At the start of it I was thinking "ok, let's go out with my team members and have a good time" but it turned into so much more that that.
Basically it happened as such, I don't know when specifically but at some point I decided I had had enough to drink. This may not seem to much to most people, but to those who know me the conclusion is immense; I decided that I was ok to let people out-drink me. For most people that life changing moment goes by unnoticed but I saw it. And I needed to see it, drink is probably the reason I ended up fucked in the head.
So that was significant. And I still had a great time. Everyone drank more than me and I was still happy. Considering the way I've been feeling ahead of moving away I think this is quite possibly the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
So this is a short entry, but at the same time it's probably the most important entry I will write. So please enjoy it.
I'll finish once more with the song that inspired the title: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggyC0FOzqHM
that was Shipwrecked by Alestorm.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Friday, 9 November 2012
Always look on the bright side of life...
... doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo (can't really whistle in text...)
Feeling much better today, turns out my last entry was just a blip. Unfortunately there isn't really anything to add to that, today consisted of nothing better than gaming and watching some of the football.
However I want to carry on with the regular entries in this blog and leaving it at that seems a little bit wasteful, so I'm going to give you a smorgasbord of entertainment with a music top 8. Why 8 you ask? Well, 8 is the number of pieces of music you are allowed on Desert Island Discs, and it saved me from having 2 choices that were a little more filler than the rest. So, the following 8 songs are from some my favourite albums of all time, although maybe not in order, with a brief explanation as to why. I'll pick my 8 favourite songs for when I pretend I'm actually on the show.
1.) Everlong - The Colour and The Shape by Foo Fighters - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBG7P-K-r1Y
This was an easy choice for me, ever since I heard the band on the radio, I think for a BBC Radio 1 gig from somewhere, I fell in love with them. Then when I started buying my own music this was the first album I bought. Or to be more specific, the 10th Anniversary extended edition, although I could have survived without those extra 8 tracks. To this day it remains my favourite Foo's album, although Wasting Light did push it close.
2.) Lounge Act - Nevermind by Nirvana - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xeasq05zxc
Let's get this album out of the way, it's on every best of list and it's easy to see why. This is the only example I can think of where each track fits perfectly. Smells Like Teen Spirit is a magnificent opener and then each new song follows exactly as necessary. Before I know it I've reached the end of the album (or rather the long silence in the middle of the last track, Something In The Way. A rather ironic title that) and I'm playing it again.
3.) Dance Of Fate - Consign To Oblivion by Epica - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLeflMWMJ8I
The first of my out-there choices, Epica are a symphonic metal band fronted by the gorgeous Simone Simons. I've picked this album more as a collection of enjoyable songs but each one forms a great mix of operatic vocals, orchestral instruments, heavy guitars, loud drumming and the occasional episode of grunting and growling.
4.) Let It Die - Scream by Ozzy Osbourne - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxPbfvG_gH8
Pre-2010 I was never an Ozzy fan, other than the classic that is Crazy Train, but this album changed that. I listened to it after a friend, who like me didn't like early Ozzy stuff, recommended it to me. And then I listened again. And again. Always a sign of a good album.
5.) I Will Dance (When I Walk Away) - A Kiss Before You Go by Katzenjammer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KGDT3dXq3E
Another out-there choice, this time an all female pop-folk band. The last band I went to see (other than local band at uni) is a collection of 4 very talented ladies who can all play multiple instruments. When they played this song live one of them was playing 3 instruments. This is also definitely the 'happiest' of my choices and the only one that isn't rock in any way.
6.) No One Knows - Songs For The Deaf by Queens Of The Stone Age - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE
This is the 3rd album on my list to feature a certain Mr Dave Grohl, although whereas he was a main member of Foo Fighters and Nirvana, he makes a guest appearance here to give the drums the bit of oomph that turns this from an average album into a great one. I could talk about the great musicality, but the hook for this album is that amongst all that there a running theme of a radio show with a DJ. It's only a small thing, but it gives it a completeness it would otherwise have lacked.
7.) A Kind Of Magic - Return Of The Champions by Queen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS0T-YHu1zc
I do love me a live album, and this is a great example as to why. No-one can ever replace Freddie Mercury, but Paul Rodgers takes all the songs and puts a new twist on them. Queen have a catalogue of classics anyway, but throw in some Rodgers originals like All Right Now and Wishing Well and there's a couple of hours of air guitar and hand clapping to be had.
8.) Duality - Vol, 3: The Subliminal Verses by Slipknot - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fVE8kSM43I
I can't say I have a particular reason for loving this more than any other Slipknot album, let alone any other heavy metal album, but when I was in France without my Rocsoc amigos to listen to all sorts of metal with I generally fell back on this if I wanted a full album. If one of these songs comes up on random I now hear the first few bars of it's successor rather than the song that's come on.
So, there we go. 8 of my favourite (if not necessarily my favourites) albums, with a song from each of them. And as always the song that inspired this entry's title, this time from the timeless Monty Python - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
Feeling much better today, turns out my last entry was just a blip. Unfortunately there isn't really anything to add to that, today consisted of nothing better than gaming and watching some of the football.
However I want to carry on with the regular entries in this blog and leaving it at that seems a little bit wasteful, so I'm going to give you a smorgasbord of entertainment with a music top 8. Why 8 you ask? Well, 8 is the number of pieces of music you are allowed on Desert Island Discs, and it saved me from having 2 choices that were a little more filler than the rest. So, the following 8 songs are from some my favourite albums of all time, although maybe not in order, with a brief explanation as to why. I'll pick my 8 favourite songs for when I pretend I'm actually on the show.
1.) Everlong - The Colour and The Shape by Foo Fighters - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBG7P-K-r1Y
This was an easy choice for me, ever since I heard the band on the radio, I think for a BBC Radio 1 gig from somewhere, I fell in love with them. Then when I started buying my own music this was the first album I bought. Or to be more specific, the 10th Anniversary extended edition, although I could have survived without those extra 8 tracks. To this day it remains my favourite Foo's album, although Wasting Light did push it close.
2.) Lounge Act - Nevermind by Nirvana - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xeasq05zxc
Let's get this album out of the way, it's on every best of list and it's easy to see why. This is the only example I can think of where each track fits perfectly. Smells Like Teen Spirit is a magnificent opener and then each new song follows exactly as necessary. Before I know it I've reached the end of the album (or rather the long silence in the middle of the last track, Something In The Way. A rather ironic title that) and I'm playing it again.
3.) Dance Of Fate - Consign To Oblivion by Epica - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLeflMWMJ8I
The first of my out-there choices, Epica are a symphonic metal band fronted by the gorgeous Simone Simons. I've picked this album more as a collection of enjoyable songs but each one forms a great mix of operatic vocals, orchestral instruments, heavy guitars, loud drumming and the occasional episode of grunting and growling.
4.) Let It Die - Scream by Ozzy Osbourne - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxPbfvG_gH8
Pre-2010 I was never an Ozzy fan, other than the classic that is Crazy Train, but this album changed that. I listened to it after a friend, who like me didn't like early Ozzy stuff, recommended it to me. And then I listened again. And again. Always a sign of a good album.
5.) I Will Dance (When I Walk Away) - A Kiss Before You Go by Katzenjammer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KGDT3dXq3E
Another out-there choice, this time an all female pop-folk band. The last band I went to see (other than local band at uni) is a collection of 4 very talented ladies who can all play multiple instruments. When they played this song live one of them was playing 3 instruments. This is also definitely the 'happiest' of my choices and the only one that isn't rock in any way.
6.) No One Knows - Songs For The Deaf by Queens Of The Stone Age - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE
This is the 3rd album on my list to feature a certain Mr Dave Grohl, although whereas he was a main member of Foo Fighters and Nirvana, he makes a guest appearance here to give the drums the bit of oomph that turns this from an average album into a great one. I could talk about the great musicality, but the hook for this album is that amongst all that there a running theme of a radio show with a DJ. It's only a small thing, but it gives it a completeness it would otherwise have lacked.
7.) A Kind Of Magic - Return Of The Champions by Queen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS0T-YHu1zc
I do love me a live album, and this is a great example as to why. No-one can ever replace Freddie Mercury, but Paul Rodgers takes all the songs and puts a new twist on them. Queen have a catalogue of classics anyway, but throw in some Rodgers originals like All Right Now and Wishing Well and there's a couple of hours of air guitar and hand clapping to be had.
8.) Duality - Vol, 3: The Subliminal Verses by Slipknot - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fVE8kSM43I
I can't say I have a particular reason for loving this more than any other Slipknot album, let alone any other heavy metal album, but when I was in France without my Rocsoc amigos to listen to all sorts of metal with I generally fell back on this if I wanted a full album. If one of these songs comes up on random I now hear the first few bars of it's successor rather than the song that's come on.
So, there we go. 8 of my favourite (if not necessarily my favourites) albums, with a song from each of them. And as always the song that inspired this entry's title, this time from the timeless Monty Python - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Crazy, but that's how it goes...
The wee beasties that haunted me during my final year at uni came back to visit today. Sure, they weren't the massive monsters from my time in Lancaster, but seeing the smaller ones out of the corner of my eye isn't a great feeling.
I don't think it's a coincidence that this happens during the first time I've not had anything to do since I've been off the happy pills. So in that case I get to Saturday without any major breakdowns and I'll be fine for going to Minehead. I have a shift on Saturday, the staff party on Tuesday and then I'm moving on Wednesday for which I'll have to pack etc on Sunday and Monday.
Still, I'm not exactly looking forward to the next few days. I've been feeling trapped and I've lost interest in the things that gave me something to do on my days off. I spent Monday and Tuesday playing guitar or playing on the PS2 but now I don't want to. There's nothing on TV worth watching and I've seen everything I own at least once.
On the plus side though, I can see I'm still me. Maybe this is just one bad night and tomorrow I'll feel better, and know what I want to do.
So, to an entertainment section. Here's the song that inspired the title, Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otdHbA4GlSI (Coincidentally the opening riff is what I used to tune the A and low E strings of my guitar)
And here is an odd little thing (well it's a whole album, but you get the drift) that a friend put me onto today, Swing Metal by a band called Diablo Swing Orchestra. I'd be interested to know what you think of this if you give it a go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHih6En5WE4 (and it is more swing than metal for you non-metalheads) Same with the Beardsmith song from my last entry.
I don't think it's a coincidence that this happens during the first time I've not had anything to do since I've been off the happy pills. So in that case I get to Saturday without any major breakdowns and I'll be fine for going to Minehead. I have a shift on Saturday, the staff party on Tuesday and then I'm moving on Wednesday for which I'll have to pack etc on Sunday and Monday.
Still, I'm not exactly looking forward to the next few days. I've been feeling trapped and I've lost interest in the things that gave me something to do on my days off. I spent Monday and Tuesday playing guitar or playing on the PS2 but now I don't want to. There's nothing on TV worth watching and I've seen everything I own at least once.
On the plus side though, I can see I'm still me. Maybe this is just one bad night and tomorrow I'll feel better, and know what I want to do.
So, to an entertainment section. Here's the song that inspired the title, Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otdHbA4GlSI (Coincidentally the opening riff is what I used to tune the A and low E strings of my guitar)
And here is an odd little thing (well it's a whole album, but you get the drift) that a friend put me onto today, Swing Metal by a band called Diablo Swing Orchestra. I'd be interested to know what you think of this if you give it a go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHih6En5WE4 (and it is more swing than metal for you non-metalheads) Same with the Beardsmith song from my last entry.
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Work, huh, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing! Well, no, it's good for money for one thing. And I'm lucky enough to have a great time at work most days.
I only have one more shift left at work, at the owner's party on Saturday, before I leave for Minehead next Wednesday, so I'm having a little look back at my time at Capone's.
When I started I had no experience of being that side of the bar. Sure I had spent most of my 4 years at uni on the other side and watched thousands of pints being poured, but I'd never done it myself. Turns out I was a natural, a few mistakes early on but that's to be expected.
I did make some good mistakes as well, the one that springs straight to mind is when somebody asked me for water with orange and lime. Now, what they wanted was a slice of orange and a slice of lime in water, but we also do lime cordial and orange cordial... guess what I did.
I'm not going to put all of them down though, they're mostly commonplace stuff (getting the wrong size order, wrong flavour drink, forgetting a drink from a long list etc.) Instead I'll regale you with some of the more entertaining parts, the ones that hopefully won't lose meaning in word.
Some of the acts that have been on stage have been amazing (and some haven't, but we won't mention them *cough*Scooch*cough*) such as Beardsmith, Ego Mania and the only band I got to see twice as they played the final Saturday, Supersaurus. I'd encourage you to look some of them up, particularly Beardsmith as they do some original stuff as well as some great covers. I never thought I'd hear Metallica covered at a Haven park.
There's also been some great comedians, a circus, some wrestling and other acts come to visit, but the group that most deserve a mention are the funstars. Haven's equivalent to the Redcoats, they were the people that provided the entertainment by putting on gameshows, singing or doing anything else. From peak season, only 1 week after I started, they put on the big team show every Thursday and Sunday. Called 'A Night At The Movies' this would feature scenes from Men In Black, The Lion King, Singing In The Rain and the finale Dirty Dancing. It also had a Halloween feature around half term that included Thriller and the Time Warp.
So all in all, as much as I'm looking forward to Minehead, I'll be sad to leave and I can't wait to come back next year.
This week's entertainment:
The piece that inspired the title, as covered by Jackie Chan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-bA9FYB8HY&feature=fvwrel
And by Beardsmith, an original song called 'Arcadia': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4K1KkGfwRg
I only have one more shift left at work, at the owner's party on Saturday, before I leave for Minehead next Wednesday, so I'm having a little look back at my time at Capone's.
When I started I had no experience of being that side of the bar. Sure I had spent most of my 4 years at uni on the other side and watched thousands of pints being poured, but I'd never done it myself. Turns out I was a natural, a few mistakes early on but that's to be expected.
I did make some good mistakes as well, the one that springs straight to mind is when somebody asked me for water with orange and lime. Now, what they wanted was a slice of orange and a slice of lime in water, but we also do lime cordial and orange cordial... guess what I did.
I'm not going to put all of them down though, they're mostly commonplace stuff (getting the wrong size order, wrong flavour drink, forgetting a drink from a long list etc.) Instead I'll regale you with some of the more entertaining parts, the ones that hopefully won't lose meaning in word.
Some of the acts that have been on stage have been amazing (and some haven't, but we won't mention them *cough*Scooch*cough*) such as Beardsmith, Ego Mania and the only band I got to see twice as they played the final Saturday, Supersaurus. I'd encourage you to look some of them up, particularly Beardsmith as they do some original stuff as well as some great covers. I never thought I'd hear Metallica covered at a Haven park.
There's also been some great comedians, a circus, some wrestling and other acts come to visit, but the group that most deserve a mention are the funstars. Haven's equivalent to the Redcoats, they were the people that provided the entertainment by putting on gameshows, singing or doing anything else. From peak season, only 1 week after I started, they put on the big team show every Thursday and Sunday. Called 'A Night At The Movies' this would feature scenes from Men In Black, The Lion King, Singing In The Rain and the finale Dirty Dancing. It also had a Halloween feature around half term that included Thriller and the Time Warp.
So all in all, as much as I'm looking forward to Minehead, I'll be sad to leave and I can't wait to come back next year.
This week's entertainment:
The piece that inspired the title, as covered by Jackie Chan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-bA9FYB8HY&feature=fvwrel
And by Beardsmith, an original song called 'Arcadia': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4K1KkGfwRg
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Intro
First things first; I should explain the title. 'Looking at life through the eyes of a tired heart' is a lyric from a band I like. It stuck with me when I was thinking for a title. I don't have a tired heart or anything like that. (Here's a link the the song if you interested. Toxicity by System of a Down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWSxELGNShk )
I've been working at Capone's, the main showbar of Haven's flagship park for just over 3 months now. If I had any brain cells left after university then I would have started this 3 months ago. However those who knew me then would probably say I was better off waiting, I was a rambling bag of I don't know what.
Where to start with the summary then? I guess I should fill you all in with the state I was in at the end of my degree. I was a bit of a mess at the end of my degree, a result of which was that I right royally buggered it. So I moved in with the parents as I had no alternative at the time.
Being me I figured a career in pubs would be good, my eventual target being to open my own in France. So I looked at the local paper and saw an ad for my current job. Needless to say I went to the interview and got it. Apparently I was hired for my personality and eagerness.
Starting work was an odd one. I was this long haired pillock starting 4 days before peak season. I messed up in a variety of fun ways that deserve an entry of their own. I had a great time though, working with some great people. My boss (Jay) and Team Leader (Lewis) were in charge of a dozen people behind the bar. Lewis and Alex (Team Member) went to school with me, so there was a fair bit of nostalgia there.
After peak finished people left, I had got better and as such I learnt a few more things, such as changing the wines, the cokes and the spirit bottles. I can't believe they let me anywhere near the spirit cupboard but they do. They aren't stupid enough to let me near the barrels though.
Another important change is that after peak I got my hair cut to a normal style. EVERYONE at work
commented on it from the bar staff and the funstars to security and the food court staff. They said
(correctly in my humble opinion) that I look a lot better, and I've been getting a lot more looks from
the female guests. Just mentioning that as it boosted my self esteem and made me feel a lot better after the way I finished uni.
It also helped to make friends. Everyone has their groups, cliques even, so I'm no-one's best friend yet but I enjoy the time I spend with them, particularly Luke, George, Alex, Lucy, Celeste and Lewis. I'll be sad that they won't be there when I move on at the end of season but hopefully we'll all be back together in March.
Me leaving is going to be soon. On November 14th I'm moving to Minehead to work at Butlin's. There'll be a few of the food court staff going, but it's going to be another new start, this time living with one as yet unknown colleague. I have my worries, I could easily slip back into the alcoholic lifestyle I had at uni, but I'm also looking forward to it. It should be fun.
I'll officially be a member of the accommodation team to start with, but I should be transferred to bars pretty quickly, my Capone's experience giving me an edge. So I'm currently dealing with a busy half term at work and preparing to Minehead. Should keep me occupied. Should give me enough to write about next time. I'll also try and give you a few articles about this and that as well as what's going on in my life.
As a good friend does on his blog, I'll leave you with a slice of entertainment. This time it's the intro track from my favourite album, 'The Colour And The Shape' by Foo Fighters, but it could be this that or anything. It's not my favourite Foo's song but it feels fitting as this is an introductory entry. Here it is, only 1 minute 30 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYBQZmyVKDM
I've been working at Capone's, the main showbar of Haven's flagship park for just over 3 months now. If I had any brain cells left after university then I would have started this 3 months ago. However those who knew me then would probably say I was better off waiting, I was a rambling bag of I don't know what.
Where to start with the summary then? I guess I should fill you all in with the state I was in at the end of my degree. I was a bit of a mess at the end of my degree, a result of which was that I right royally buggered it. So I moved in with the parents as I had no alternative at the time.
Being me I figured a career in pubs would be good, my eventual target being to open my own in France. So I looked at the local paper and saw an ad for my current job. Needless to say I went to the interview and got it. Apparently I was hired for my personality and eagerness.
Starting work was an odd one. I was this long haired pillock starting 4 days before peak season. I messed up in a variety of fun ways that deserve an entry of their own. I had a great time though, working with some great people. My boss (Jay) and Team Leader (Lewis) were in charge of a dozen people behind the bar. Lewis and Alex (Team Member) went to school with me, so there was a fair bit of nostalgia there.
After peak finished people left, I had got better and as such I learnt a few more things, such as changing the wines, the cokes and the spirit bottles. I can't believe they let me anywhere near the spirit cupboard but they do. They aren't stupid enough to let me near the barrels though.
Another important change is that after peak I got my hair cut to a normal style. EVERYONE at work
commented on it from the bar staff and the funstars to security and the food court staff. They said
(correctly in my humble opinion) that I look a lot better, and I've been getting a lot more looks from
the female guests. Just mentioning that as it boosted my self esteem and made me feel a lot better after the way I finished uni.
It also helped to make friends. Everyone has their groups, cliques even, so I'm no-one's best friend yet but I enjoy the time I spend with them, particularly Luke, George, Alex, Lucy, Celeste and Lewis. I'll be sad that they won't be there when I move on at the end of season but hopefully we'll all be back together in March.
Me leaving is going to be soon. On November 14th I'm moving to Minehead to work at Butlin's. There'll be a few of the food court staff going, but it's going to be another new start, this time living with one as yet unknown colleague. I have my worries, I could easily slip back into the alcoholic lifestyle I had at uni, but I'm also looking forward to it. It should be fun.
I'll officially be a member of the accommodation team to start with, but I should be transferred to bars pretty quickly, my Capone's experience giving me an edge. So I'm currently dealing with a busy half term at work and preparing to Minehead. Should keep me occupied. Should give me enough to write about next time. I'll also try and give you a few articles about this and that as well as what's going on in my life.
As a good friend does on his blog, I'll leave you with a slice of entertainment. This time it's the intro track from my favourite album, 'The Colour And The Shape' by Foo Fighters, but it could be this that or anything. It's not my favourite Foo's song but it feels fitting as this is an introductory entry. Here it is, only 1 minute 30 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYBQZmyVKDM
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