I'm sorry, but I'm sick of hearing about it. I haven't listened to it yet, I will in my own time, but right now I'm fed up of it!
Wow, two entries in the same month? Sacre Bleu! I MUST be inspired. Or angry. Or bored. Who cares I'm glad about it.
It's summer.. it actually is. I can go have a smoke outside and not freeze and I can wear sunglasses and cut-off shorts. It's amazing. As the seasons have rotated full circle, so has my life and my relationships. I'm so happy to be without conflict. I am not a person who likes drama. I know some girls who just create it out of thin air; they thrive on having something to complain about or someone to blame their problems on or an argument that they cannot resolve. I'm the opposite. Arguing physically hurts me, blaming people makes me feel guilty and complaining just makes me even angrier. I need to vent as much as the next person [hence this blog] but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. I yearn for... not a "quiet" life but one where people get along and there isnt awkwardness and there isn't a history of conflict between people that cannot be let drop. I asked a good friend earlier why everyone in my life can't be happy at the same time, just once. The reply was that life wouldn't be as interesting. I guess that's true but I'd still like to see what it's like. I give everyone a chance to make amends and apologise, even if they've hurt me more than even they know, if it's a friend or a guy in my life. Maybe I'm a walkover, who knows. I think I'd rather be a bit of a walkover than lose people who genuinely want to say sorry. So long as they know that I won't let it happen again, I don't see the problem.
Maybe it's all to do with my confidence. As I mentioned in the last entry, my self-esteem is gone. I don't know what's happened but I've regained this shyness that I had in secondary school. It's awful. I was sure this part of my life was behind me, but I guess it was just hidden. I can't argue my points properly because I'm sure the other person's probably right- and for someone who wants to be a journalist, this is not good. I'm convinced that no matter what I think I'm good at, someone else is 100 times better than me, so what's the point? With regard to my physical features, I can't look in the mirror anymore and I've become obsessed with beauty products to an unhealthy level, I know it's not right but I can't stop myself. Worst of all is when I eat something it comes with an overwhelming guilt afterwards. I thought I was over this, I really did.
Fuck, this was a lot heavier than I intended so I think it's time to switch gears to the music. I think for a change I'll list five songs that I've been obsessed with lately, not all are recent releases, but they're all amazing.
1. Tie Me Up With Jackets- Fight Like Apes- This song is the one that turned my interest in Fight Like Apes from passing curiousity to obsession. The melody, the breakdown, the lyrics.. everything.
Listen Here
2. Black Eyes- Gallows
So I may have gotten a sneak preview of this album when I was working at Rock Sound, and this was definitely the stand-out track. Frank Carter's opening lines are simultaneously sexy, hearfelt and full of rage. This would not get out of my head.
Listen Here
3.Kiss The Bottle- Lucero
I got into Lucero through a recommendation on this very blog [thanks, whoever you are!], and I had a big fondness for Jawbreaker already. Although the Jawbreaker original is perfect, this acoustic cover demonstrates exactly why, sometimes, when the lyrics are good enough, the instruments should be stripped down and the lyrics allowed to speak for themselves.
Listen Here
4 Oh, There's Legwork- None More Black
In short, this song maybe the catchiest thing you've heard for years. In full, they lyrics are beautiful, the chorus is infectious, the message is profound and the whole song deserves to be on repeat.
Listen Here
5. I Got Love- The King Blues
Ok so this isn't something Ive lately been obsessed over, but I was shopping the other week and this came on over the speakers, and I ended up dancing out of there. Have you ever heard anything so positive?
Listen Here
Later skaters
x
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Opinions & Assholes
Everybody's got one.
I haven't been very inspired of late, hence the large gaping hole between this entry and the last. I haven't been up to much, just living. I've realised lately how much I'm relied upon. I guess it's flattering and I'm glad that I'm needed, but I sometimes can't help but feel like it's all a bit too much. No matter how much I want to fix things and put a sticky plaster on the problem and kiss it better, I just can't. I've been asked for advice on matters I've never experienced myself, I'm just bluffing and hoping I don't steer people in the wrong direction but in truth, I really don't have a notion what I'm talking about a good 70% of the time. I've talked to people about this, some said it's because I appear to have insight, others said it's simply because I don't tell people to fuck off when they come to me with their problems. Whatever it is, if nothing else it has given me perspective. I had a close friend come to me with a life-shattering secret. She was distraught and I still don't know why she told me out of most people- and don't get me wrong, I'm honoured she did- but helping her deal with her problem showed me how much growing up I still have to do, and showed me that the bullshit boy troubles and bitchy friend dilemma's I've been tackling are small potatoes. Things always work out and dwelling on things that are just a part of life does nothing but make you ill. As a friend from UCD said to me once: "Worrying is like a rocking-chair- it doesn't get you anywhere but it gives you something to do".
It's not always simple though. I've come up against hurdles with those I love. I've made a pact with myself that I no longer bite my tongue and I come clean with my thoughts and feelings towards people. I could begin by testing the water with a few sarcastic half-truths, but that's just as good as lying. People are not always appreciative of criticism. I completely understand. I have yet to grow a thick skin and even a joking insult has me questioning everything about myself. [sidenote- the self-confidence thing I'm working on... it's taken a nosedive. What am I doing wrong?! Damn]I do worry that my new honesty will get me into trouble, but I think these are the years I should dedicate to self-improvement, and I think in terms of my career goals, people will respect my opinion much more if I am honest. I refuse to be a Yes [wo]Man.
Hmm, I sense a few targets for myself over the coming year.... Maybe I can do it and update you on my progress?
Ok now for the lovely noise. Despite this blog being named after a None More Black song [more on them when I feel qualified to discuss their awesomeness], the Fight Like Apes reference in the preceding sentence and your blogger listening to The Lawrence Arms as she types this, I'm going to discuss Tegan and Sara!
T&S came under my radar about three years ago now. I think it was just after The Con was released and there was so much buzz on my myspace friends list that I felt I was missing something by not checking them out. They were so much better than I thought they would be. For those of you who are yet to listen, and I'm sure there are very few, Tegan and Sara are a set of Canadian twins, cute as a button and they can write a filthy good tune. They combine this mix of powerpop and alternative acoustic and even [at a stretch] riot grrrl and it's just infectious. I don't think I've once gotten bored of listening to them. Though the lyrics can at times be extremely abstract- especially in Tegan's case- the beauty of them is the fact that anyone can identify and deduce and believe that the song could've been written by their own hand. I love the fact that they've become expert story tellers stemming from a time when they didn't have enough material to fill a set; I love that they dress like 12 year old boys and it has somehow become a fashion statement; most of all I love that I have somehow memorised all the words to their songs and can regurgitate any of them on a drunken night walking down a road in ridiculous heels and still feel as good as I did the first time I got My Number stuck in my head.
Here's Nineteen. This acoustic version is simply astounding. Please listen to it even if you've heard the recorded version a million and one times. It's got particular meaning for me. What's yours?
I haven't been very inspired of late, hence the large gaping hole between this entry and the last. I haven't been up to much, just living. I've realised lately how much I'm relied upon. I guess it's flattering and I'm glad that I'm needed, but I sometimes can't help but feel like it's all a bit too much. No matter how much I want to fix things and put a sticky plaster on the problem and kiss it better, I just can't. I've been asked for advice on matters I've never experienced myself, I'm just bluffing and hoping I don't steer people in the wrong direction but in truth, I really don't have a notion what I'm talking about a good 70% of the time. I've talked to people about this, some said it's because I appear to have insight, others said it's simply because I don't tell people to fuck off when they come to me with their problems. Whatever it is, if nothing else it has given me perspective. I had a close friend come to me with a life-shattering secret. She was distraught and I still don't know why she told me out of most people- and don't get me wrong, I'm honoured she did- but helping her deal with her problem showed me how much growing up I still have to do, and showed me that the bullshit boy troubles and bitchy friend dilemma's I've been tackling are small potatoes. Things always work out and dwelling on things that are just a part of life does nothing but make you ill. As a friend from UCD said to me once: "Worrying is like a rocking-chair- it doesn't get you anywhere but it gives you something to do".
It's not always simple though. I've come up against hurdles with those I love. I've made a pact with myself that I no longer bite my tongue and I come clean with my thoughts and feelings towards people. I could begin by testing the water with a few sarcastic half-truths, but that's just as good as lying. People are not always appreciative of criticism. I completely understand. I have yet to grow a thick skin and even a joking insult has me questioning everything about myself. [sidenote- the self-confidence thing I'm working on... it's taken a nosedive. What am I doing wrong?! Damn]I do worry that my new honesty will get me into trouble, but I think these are the years I should dedicate to self-improvement, and I think in terms of my career goals, people will respect my opinion much more if I am honest. I refuse to be a Yes [wo]Man.
Hmm, I sense a few targets for myself over the coming year.... Maybe I can do it and update you on my progress?
Ok now for the lovely noise. Despite this blog being named after a None More Black song [more on them when I feel qualified to discuss their awesomeness], the Fight Like Apes reference in the preceding sentence and your blogger listening to The Lawrence Arms as she types this, I'm going to discuss Tegan and Sara!
T&S came under my radar about three years ago now. I think it was just after The Con was released and there was so much buzz on my myspace friends list that I felt I was missing something by not checking them out. They were so much better than I thought they would be. For those of you who are yet to listen, and I'm sure there are very few, Tegan and Sara are a set of Canadian twins, cute as a button and they can write a filthy good tune. They combine this mix of powerpop and alternative acoustic and even [at a stretch] riot grrrl and it's just infectious. I don't think I've once gotten bored of listening to them. Though the lyrics can at times be extremely abstract- especially in Tegan's case- the beauty of them is the fact that anyone can identify and deduce and believe that the song could've been written by their own hand. I love the fact that they've become expert story tellers stemming from a time when they didn't have enough material to fill a set; I love that they dress like 12 year old boys and it has somehow become a fashion statement; most of all I love that I have somehow memorised all the words to their songs and can regurgitate any of them on a drunken night walking down a road in ridiculous heels and still feel as good as I did the first time I got My Number stuck in my head.
Here's Nineteen. This acoustic version is simply astounding. Please listen to it even if you've heard the recorded version a million and one times. It's got particular meaning for me. What's yours?
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