We all feel pressure. Even those who, like me, pretend we don't.
It's impossible not to get snowed under sometimes, sometimes we need to find a balance in our lives that just isn't possible to locate. Sometimes we need to have more sleep, have a bath, etc..
Personally, I prefer to not obsess over the tiny details in life, leaving room for the massive stuff. Its the predominant reason for this blog. I can get rid of the overspill of thoughts and stick to the stuff I need. If we all look at our lives we'll probably come to similar conclusions, there are overcomplicated factors of our lives that we can do without, but don't because it feels like we're doing the right thing; be that in our uni life, our jobs or our romantic lives.
I'm not suggesting we should close our minds to the world, that's not practical or realistic, but we can, most certainly close off ourselves from what we don't need; once we start doing that we may actually realise the amount we don't need and start living for today.
Which, after all, is all we really can do, because today is all we have, waiting for tomorrow is a gamble.
Monday 5 March 2012
Sunday 4 March 2012
petrol
I put £10 of petrol into my car last night to go and collect my housemate from work.
The sad reality is that this didn't even give me a quarter tank of petrol. Now admittedly the petrol pin on the Kia Rio is questionable in its accuracy, inasmuch as if I'm driving up a hill I have substantially less petrol than if I'm driving down one. Living in Leeds, which is essentially just a mass of hills, means that I scarcely get an accurate idea of where I can get to on the petrol in my car.
The sad reality is that this didn't even give me a quarter tank of petrol. Now admittedly the petrol pin on the Kia Rio is questionable in its accuracy, inasmuch as if I'm driving up a hill I have substantially less petrol than if I'm driving down one. Living in Leeds, which is essentially just a mass of hills, means that I scarcely get an accurate idea of where I can get to on the petrol in my car.
It's a sad state of affairs, not only the price of the petrol itself but the fact that as a nation we seem to just accept it as the norm.
It is not the norm. We pay substantially more than our European neighbours. Even the Greeks, who have no economy to speak of.
Okay, time to do some philosophy, ethics, world religions, peace and peacemaking and New Testament... probably should have done this earlier!
PS, Happy Birthday Booth m'love!
Okay, time to do some philosophy, ethics, world religions, peace and peacemaking and New Testament... probably should have done this earlier!
PS, Happy Birthday Booth m'love!
food and drink
Yesterday I received a phonecall from a housemate who I haven't seen for a while. It took no time at all before we decided a trip to the pub was on the cards.
Having not eaten all day it took three bottles of the wonderful desparados to have me a blithering mess, talking absolute nonsense. After my fourth, we got the train and relaised the my car was at Burley Park train station and that I, in my stupour, would not be able to drive. This posed a problem, safe in the knowledge that I had a 7AM shift. Naturally, as always, I concluded that driving was a bad idea, and a risky one, and that I would collect the car in the morning.
This is an excellent thing about the new generation of drivers. Drinking and driving, at least in my friend circles, is condemned as a very bad thing. You not only risk your license and your job prospects but also the lives of yourselves and others. Not a risk worth taking.
So we walked to another pub for some food. I got an embarrasingly small amount of food and this morning I got up ten minutes early and walked to collect my car.
Those of you that wouldn't do that ordinarily, take this as a lesson.
Having not eaten all day it took three bottles of the wonderful desparados to have me a blithering mess, talking absolute nonsense. After my fourth, we got the train and relaised the my car was at Burley Park train station and that I, in my stupour, would not be able to drive. This posed a problem, safe in the knowledge that I had a 7AM shift. Naturally, as always, I concluded that driving was a bad idea, and a risky one, and that I would collect the car in the morning.
This is an excellent thing about the new generation of drivers. Drinking and driving, at least in my friend circles, is condemned as a very bad thing. You not only risk your license and your job prospects but also the lives of yourselves and others. Not a risk worth taking.
So we walked to another pub for some food. I got an embarrasingly small amount of food and this morning I got up ten minutes early and walked to collect my car.
Those of you that wouldn't do that ordinarily, take this as a lesson.
Saturday 3 March 2012
ping-pong
On our travels the other day me and my housemate went to the BIG ASDA.
I've written it like that to hopefully adequately portray the size of it. You take a normal sized supermarket; give it travellators and put another store of the same size underneath it. Complete it by giving it its own McDonald's restaurant and boom, there you have it. Impressive.
We were trying to find presents for Jack (who as I mentioned in a previous post isn't very well) and on our travels stumbled upon a ping-pong set for a pound. PING PONG. A POUND. There was no way we could possibly refuse. We bought it (amongst all of the presents we got for Jack, a list as long as one's arm). Not deterred by the fact it was too small for our coffee table, we put bottles of irn bru on either side. We now challenge anyone to partake in the 'irn bru woodside table tennis tournament.' It will be the finest example of a tournament you have ever seen and I dare any of you to come and have a look.
This is what student life is about. Impulsive, exciting and most importantly simple. Its simplicity is key. This is our last opportunity to live the easy life. I for one will be taking advantage of the easy life until it disappears for good and I wave goodbye to education and hopefully say hello to educating.
Scary, I know, but all the more reason to live for today!
I've written it like that to hopefully adequately portray the size of it. You take a normal sized supermarket; give it travellators and put another store of the same size underneath it. Complete it by giving it its own McDonald's restaurant and boom, there you have it. Impressive.
We were trying to find presents for Jack (who as I mentioned in a previous post isn't very well) and on our travels stumbled upon a ping-pong set for a pound. PING PONG. A POUND. There was no way we could possibly refuse. We bought it (amongst all of the presents we got for Jack, a list as long as one's arm). Not deterred by the fact it was too small for our coffee table, we put bottles of irn bru on either side. We now challenge anyone to partake in the 'irn bru woodside table tennis tournament.' It will be the finest example of a tournament you have ever seen and I dare any of you to come and have a look.
This is what student life is about. Impulsive, exciting and most importantly simple. Its simplicity is key. This is our last opportunity to live the easy life. I for one will be taking advantage of the easy life until it disappears for good and I wave goodbye to education and hopefully say hello to educating.
Scary, I know, but all the more reason to live for today!
Friday 2 March 2012
channel four
It was inevitable, was it not, that there was going to be a little bit of uproar about last nights show 'Make Bradford British?'
This is because they showed a disproportionate amount of negative opinion about the ways in which people think immigrants can contribute to society. It's also not the first thing that the lovely people at C4 have done that has been negatively stereotyping one set of people. I'm not saying I haven't seen racism around. I'm not saying I'm condoning the fact it happens. I'm saying that it is easy to find the negatives in society, but sometimes ignorance is bliss. Sometimes it is better to ignore the blind ignorance that sits just outside your door. Sometimes it is better to accept moronic behaviour as moronic behaviour and just let it go over your head.
Before anyone says that I don't know what discrimination feels like, welcome to the world of a 6"7 man. I'm even discriminated against by inanimate things. Doorways, basement rooms and trousers, all things that cause me physical struggle. I'm not saying that this is as bad as being racially abused, but I've had that too. Being called a 'skinny white boy c##t' was the highlight of a night in Manchester last August.
I'm not saying we should all come together and love each other, I know that there is currently an obvious lack of possibility. I think the modern generation could fix this, so long as the generations that follow are integrated properly, through schooling. But for now, it is a sad state of affairs, but we must just accept what we have.
Because after all, racists are the most bigoted of folk.
This is because they showed a disproportionate amount of negative opinion about the ways in which people think immigrants can contribute to society. It's also not the first thing that the lovely people at C4 have done that has been negatively stereotyping one set of people. I'm not saying I haven't seen racism around. I'm not saying I'm condoning the fact it happens. I'm saying that it is easy to find the negatives in society, but sometimes ignorance is bliss. Sometimes it is better to ignore the blind ignorance that sits just outside your door. Sometimes it is better to accept moronic behaviour as moronic behaviour and just let it go over your head.
Before anyone says that I don't know what discrimination feels like, welcome to the world of a 6"7 man. I'm even discriminated against by inanimate things. Doorways, basement rooms and trousers, all things that cause me physical struggle. I'm not saying that this is as bad as being racially abused, but I've had that too. Being called a 'skinny white boy c##t' was the highlight of a night in Manchester last August.
I'm not saying we should all come together and love each other, I know that there is currently an obvious lack of possibility. I think the modern generation could fix this, so long as the generations that follow are integrated properly, through schooling. But for now, it is a sad state of affairs, but we must just accept what we have.
Because after all, racists are the most bigoted of folk.
Thursday 1 March 2012
friendship
How does one define friendship?
For me, its what you can share with someone. Those little things that nobody else can know and that nobody will discover unless you open up to them? Well yes, but it comes in different forms too. It comes as a mutual agreement that you appreciate each others' company. It comes by chance. Chance is probably the most crucial part. The world isn't pre-determined. Time moves from moment to moment and the only way to look back is through memory (and this is coming from one of the bow-ties-are-cool-brigade) If you make good friends, you're lucky. I have.
What about when friendship goes sour? Arguments, a lack of intent to make it work, differing interests, growing apart? The easiest thing to do is to blame the other person, never speak of it again and move on with your life. It's never that easy. Never. It takes effort, it takes intent, it takes a realization that you'll miss that person in your life. Most of all it takes a mutual acceptance. Mutuality is to friendship what Obama is to presidency (has a lot of good intentions but probably won't stay very long).
The sooner people realise that I'm holding my side of this agreement, the sooner I can get on with my life. Telling me one thing and others another will only hinder things.
Time to sit and wait, I suppose.
P.S. don't know if he's been reading this, but get well soon big Jack! No more red meat on the barbie for you though...
For me, its what you can share with someone. Those little things that nobody else can know and that nobody will discover unless you open up to them? Well yes, but it comes in different forms too. It comes as a mutual agreement that you appreciate each others' company. It comes by chance. Chance is probably the most crucial part. The world isn't pre-determined. Time moves from moment to moment and the only way to look back is through memory (and this is coming from one of the bow-ties-are-cool-brigade) If you make good friends, you're lucky. I have.
What about when friendship goes sour? Arguments, a lack of intent to make it work, differing interests, growing apart? The easiest thing to do is to blame the other person, never speak of it again and move on with your life. It's never that easy. Never. It takes effort, it takes intent, it takes a realization that you'll miss that person in your life. Most of all it takes a mutual acceptance. Mutuality is to friendship what Obama is to presidency (has a lot of good intentions but probably won't stay very long).
The sooner people realise that I'm holding my side of this agreement, the sooner I can get on with my life. Telling me one thing and others another will only hinder things.
Time to sit and wait, I suppose.
P.S. don't know if he's been reading this, but get well soon big Jack! No more red meat on the barbie for you though...
Wednesday 29 February 2012
househunt
Went house-hunting today, looked at three houses.
Two were nice-ish, not the standard that we're living in currently but nice enough. Liveable.
The last one was appalling. There was a distinct lack of effort put into not only its upkeep but its initial development. Generally this wouldn't bother me but according to unipol this was a FIVE STAR property. What constitutes five star? Well decorated? Apparently not. Shower facilities for anyone over 5"6? Apparently not. Furniture that matches? Definitely not.
Never one to pick up on jobs I can't do myself, but its fair to say that I've wallpapered in the past and did a substantially better job than that offered by the landlord. I could do better aged 13 when all I was doing was applying paste in a vain attempt to help my Dad decorate the house.
As for the furniture issue, the modern age has allowed us to buy furniture that matches at EXTREMELY low prices. Why would people not take advantage of this?! Why oh why would anyone combine the curses of the cheap and the non-matching? Absolute nonsense.
They really need to establish a substantially better system of accounting for houses. The current one is too happy to give a rating that lasts a decade but never checks or re-checks the eventual hovel that people are paying a ridiculous amount of money for.
Two were nice-ish, not the standard that we're living in currently but nice enough. Liveable.
The last one was appalling. There was a distinct lack of effort put into not only its upkeep but its initial development. Generally this wouldn't bother me but according to unipol this was a FIVE STAR property. What constitutes five star? Well decorated? Apparently not. Shower facilities for anyone over 5"6? Apparently not. Furniture that matches? Definitely not.
Never one to pick up on jobs I can't do myself, but its fair to say that I've wallpapered in the past and did a substantially better job than that offered by the landlord. I could do better aged 13 when all I was doing was applying paste in a vain attempt to help my Dad decorate the house.
As for the furniture issue, the modern age has allowed us to buy furniture that matches at EXTREMELY low prices. Why would people not take advantage of this?! Why oh why would anyone combine the curses of the cheap and the non-matching? Absolute nonsense.
They really need to establish a substantially better system of accounting for houses. The current one is too happy to give a rating that lasts a decade but never checks or re-checks the eventual hovel that people are paying a ridiculous amount of money for.
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