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 |   A day in the life of... me! |
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A HUGE Thank you to Emily   for the beautiful ribbon  First place in "The Bard's Hall Contest"  for July/August 2012!A day in the life of... me! Sometimes I need to rant. Sometimes I have something burning on my mind. Sometimes I'm so angry I feel like reverting back to old coping mechanisms. So I thought a journal was a good idea! I feel ranting is an important part to life, everyone does it to some degree or another and it's not healthy to bottle things up inside. So for those moments where I feel a rant (or just a general thought) and want to get it off my chest, here it will be! However, ranting is not everything. Sometimes I just feel like I want to share something with someone, and often there is nobody to listen (wow that makes me sound sad! I do have friends but I tend to let them do the talking rather than share). So here I can get things off my chest, rant or be happy, whatever the mood ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
Song Title: Down with the Sickness Artist: Disturbed Album: The Sickness [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] This songs brings me happy memories. It reminds me of a nightclub I used to go to A LOT in Newcastle. Unfortunately, last time I heard, the place has closed down  I had nothing but good times going there, some of them drunk, some of them even sober! But you know what, every time I went there (without fail) this song was on! I absolutely loved it! It was the sort of place you could go and even if you didn't go with someone, you would make friends within ten minutes and be sorted for the night. I only ever did that a couple of times. I remember meeting one of my good friends in there. He tapped me on the shoulder one night and had this huge grin on his face and started talking to me. Then he stopped, looked and said, "Wait, you're not Laura!" Haha. We've been friends ever since.I saw them live in Newcastle (I think it was in 2006 ish) and went with my partner at the time and his sister. It was the first gig I'd ever gone to and it was crazy with mosh pits every where and the band itself was brilliant! |
Song Title: Misty Mountains Artist: Richard Armitage Album: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] Okay, so this one may be a little geeky but you know what, I don't care! The Hobbit has forever been my all time favourite book. Since I first read it as a kid I've never been able to get over the complete fantasy that Tolkien brings. I found myself escaping into his Middle earth completely and journeying with Bilbo on his travels over the Misty Mountains. I've re-read that book more times than I can count and I never grow tired of it. When I saw the first movie, it was the first day it came out. I couldn't resist. I have to say, that while I thought the first film was a little slow, the second was so action packed I couldn't believe. That's not to say I didn't like it, it did have it moments. When I heard this song for the first time I have to admit I wasn't too sure about it. In my head when I'd read the lyrics for the song, I remember it being such an uplifted and happy tune. But as time has gone on and I listened to this over and over (indeed finding myself singing it at work) I realised I was the one who got it wrong. The way this song is produced is amazing, the voice brilliant and it really conveys the importance of this adventure to the dwarves. I absolutely love it. It's just a reminder to me of how awesome Tolkien and his writing is! |
Song Title: Sonne Artist: Rammstein Album: Mutter [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] This one is best listened to with a bit of volume on! It's my absolute favourite Rammstein song. I've seen them twice live now. The first time was when they came to Newcastle in February 2012 and me and my partner went to see them. I was tired anyway, I don't remember why but I distinctly remember being tired and not quite myself, but we got there and waited and hugged and then... the lights went low. I don't think I can honestly say I've seen a better stage show. I would recommend anyone to see this band, if just for the amazing stage show they put on. They entered the stage through the crowd with torches. I saw people cooked alive in a giant pot, fireworks and lighting and the whole band even got out on a rubber dingy and went crowd surfing! That's right, crowd surfing on a dingy! It was the most amazing experience. I saw them again at Download last year. We tend to go for the full five days but didn't this time for various reasons and I went with my partner and friend to see this band specifically, and they were brilliant all over again. I've always loved this song in particular. Something about the way it makes me feel, the deep base, his voice and the video is just fab! |
Song Title: Hurt Artist: Johnny Cash Album: American Recordings IV: The Man Comes Around [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] I absolutely adore this song. Originally written by Trent Reznor and performed by Nine Inch Nails, was covered by Cash in 2002. I think what he's done with the song is amazing. He really puts his vocals into it and makes the listener feel the emotion between the lines. I think for me, this song has two significances. The first being that my partner loves listening to Johnny Cash. He got me listening to him too and so it reminds me of that. We actually went to a gig on the 31st Jan which was 'Paying Respect to the Man in Black' and it was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, they didn't do this song but they did play Cash's version. The gig was amazing, as was the band, and I would recommend anyone seeing them! The second significance this song has for me is because, much like my first entry for "The Soundtrack of Your Life" which was Bring Me to Life by Evanescence, this song reminds me of a time that I used to be so numb. I used to self harm for a number of years just because I couldn't feel anything. I didn't know how else to cope with my emotions and when I needed to, I released. So every time I hear the first line of this song, I think back to that. It's not something I've done for a few years now, I managed to stop with the help of my partner, and though at time when I'm feeling particularly stressed I do think back to it, I haven't caved in yet  |
| This next song is one I first heard when I was with my first serious partner. I was fourteen and him the same age. We met through a mutual friend and it was like an instant attraction. I was so in awe of him. He walked around in this long leather trench coat and gelled his hair back and just didn't care. I look back now and laugh because now, although I know he thought he was a bad ass rocker, he truly lived for rap music. But still, I was young and he was cool. He let me listen to this song (this one and A.D.I.D.A.S too) and I loved it instantly. We were together for a long time, around two and a half years, and my we had a lot of ups and downs. I guess that's normal in such a young relationship. He was there when I went through a really rough time but I became very co-dependent on him for that reason. I needed someone constantly and he was the one who was there. I put everything on him and it strained our relationship. In the end, I was the one who walked away. I was growing up and could see how much the relationship was noxious, so I ended it. A few years ago he was run over by a taxi not far from his parents house and killed instantly. Although I wasn't with him, it was still hard news to take. He had been a big part of my life. I couldn't even attend his funeral because I was in America. He was my skater boy and I wrote a tribute to him that was read out at his funeral. Song Title: Blind Artist: Korn Album: Blind [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] |
Song Title: The Bleeding Artist: Five Finger Death Punch Album: Way of the Fist [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] This is a song that has a lot of special memories for me. It reminds me of a time with my partner. We had a lot of good times and we started listening to it together when we were first getting together. We would listen to it over and over and over and sing along to it at the tops of our voices and then go out and have a great night together (sometimes even getting to dance to it!). To me, this song reminds me of having a lot of fun and really nice times with my partner. Not that I don't now, mind you! It's almost like it's 'our song' |
| There are so many songs that I can think of that punctuate my life that I don't know which one to stop by next! I find myself wandering around going about my day and thinking about certain songs and what they mean to me and the time in my life that they remind me of. For day two, I think I'll go with: Song Title: Just so You Know Artist: American Head Charge Album: The War of Art [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] This song, kind of a lot like the last entry I posted, reminds me of a much darker time in my life. That's not to say that I view it negatively. The song has a lot of memories for me associated with a particular person. This person was my best friend, the person who was always there and someone I could share anything with. He bought me tickets (as a surprise) to a gig in 2006 just before this band split up. It was one of the first metal gigs I went to and it was a little scary but I loved it. He protected me the whole time (I'm just a little thing really) and then we got to meet them after. Unfortunately, things didn't end too well for that friendship. It evolved into a relationship which was quite negative and indulgent on his part. The one particular line that did it for me was that I didn't live up to his expectations (he said he'd placed me on a pedestal). This is one of my regrets; I wish I'd never started a relationship with him. However, we live and learn and like I said, that's not to say I have negative views of this song. It's still my favourite song and one of my favourite bands, so much so that I had some of their lyrics tattooed on my arm! I shall try my best to post a pic of that with this entry so you can take a look   |
Song Title: Bring Me To Life Artist: Evanescence Album: Fallen [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] This song has a lot of significance to me. I went through a pretty tough time when I was a teen. I felt like I couldn't talk to anyone about it, I was completely alone and nowhere to turn. I happened to be on the phone to a friend one night when, I heard this song playing in the background. I asked what it was and he told me. I had instantly fallen for it. I went out to get the album as soon as I could and played not only this song but the full album over and over, just seeking comfort in it. I loved the video too. It was beautiful and creepy at the same time. I think the title, and the lyrics, were quite apt. I felt numb inside and that nobody understood. Bring me to life was something I wished someone would do, though it seemed to be years before my pleas were heard. Nevertheless, I took a lot of comfort in this song. The other significance it holds for me is that it began my fascination with rock/metal. Now I listen to pretty heavy music which I love but this song is the one that started it all. |
| Prompt: In high school my friend pointed out to me that humans can never create anything new; everything they create is a product of other created things. For example a unicorn is just a horse with a horn on it's head it isn't truly new, she argued. What do you think about this concept? Do you think she's right or wrong? How does this apply to you as a writer? (Remember that every story is just a different combination of 26 letters!) Initially when I looked at this prompt my first reaction was that this is quite a cynical view of the world. It implies that humans, most of them anyway, struggle to think for themselves and that products only stand as byproducts of others. Is this true? Well, I'm not entirely certain. Yes, some things so look alike and act alike and sound alike, buy they are often created to service a very niche market. For example, the other day I came across two things that made me smile because of what they are. Take the simple alarm clock. It's purpose is to wake up a person in the morning. Fair deal. It works for a lot of people, but not others. Why? Because some of us can just hit the snooze button until it finally gives up and lie in bed!  I'm sure we all know about that! So, I saw this wonderful device that was an alarm clock... on wheels! To me it's an amazing concept. Not only does the alarm go off, blaring and startling you rudely from your sleep but it scoots off on it's wheels and whizzes around the room until you catch it and in a state of semi-consciousness and already out of bed! Much better. Another version I saw was the alarm clock dumbbell. You guessed it, in order to turn it off the person (one who's usually claimed that they want to get fit in a brilliance of New Year's Resolution) has to weight lift this dumbbell so many times before the alarm clock goes off, thus waking the person with a burst of energy. To me, both of these items are certainly an improvement for some people on the original alarm clock and it is aimed specifically at those people who struggle to get up or those who want to tone up. To me, somebody here has found a niche market and yes, while using the original design for the alarm clock they have modified and improved it. In a way it is using the original idea but then, I believe it's turning that original idea into something else, making it unique and individual to themselves. So, I'm taking the stance that this person had it wrong. I take this into my world of writing too  I once read that there are seven basic plot lines in literature:1. Overcoming the Monster: the protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force. 2. Rags to Riches: the poor protagonist acquires things, loses them and then gaining it back and maturing. 3. The Quest: the protagonist (and often companions) set out to find something, end something and face obstacles along the way. 4. Voyage and Return: the protagonist goes to a strange land, often facing dark forces, and comes back with experience. 5. Comedy: the protagonists are destined to be in love but something gets in the way but this gets resolved. 6. Tragedy: the protagonist is a villain who falls from grace whose death is a happy ending. 7. Rebirth: the protagonist is an unlikeable character who redeems himself throughout the story. (Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Basic_Plots) Sound familiar? I'm sure as you read through each of those you could pin point a story, or even a movie to it. Do that means it's not original and that every concept has been copied from another? I beg to differ. While the over arching plot lines are similar, I tend to think that everything written (except where someone plagiarises!) is original and unique. Most authors tend to write because they have a story to tell, they want to get something out and while it might end up being one of those over arching plot lines, it doesn't mean it'll be the same as another. There are so many things that will make each story different. Take The Quest, for example. There has to be a quest for starters. That could be anything from collecting tear drops from fairies to rescuing a child to taking a ring to Mount Doom... then there's a question of character. Each character will be willfully unique with different personality traits, habits, bad habits and appearances. Not every character could do the quest set out in front of them, it takes a special kind of person with the right motivation and the determination. Then there's the location too. It could be anything from contemporary Britain to America in the 1800's to another planet in space or Middle Earth (are you sensing a theme here?!) Whatever it is the author chooses to put into their story will be a unique combination of beginning, middle and end with individual characters, unique setting and of course the all important plot points to be overcome. To me, that means there will always be individuality within stories. How does this apply to me? Well, it doesn't. When I write I don't think about this. I don't worry about whether I'm copying something that's already been written or whether the character I have is too similar to another, after all, there are millions of novels and books and stories and characters and quests and settings out there, is it possible to recreate the similarity of another story that much? I doubt it. I run with the idea of what I'm writing is mine. I had the idea I go with it. I develop my characters and let them mature. I let them find out their limits and I like to find out who they are myself. I explore the world they're in whether it be here or somewhere completely new and I have them follow their dream or their quest and overcome the obstacles they face, whatever they may be. In short, I think that yes, while we have those over arching plot line ideas that can be found within all stories, each one of them is unique for the combination of character, setting and conflict that they have throughout. |
| Prompt: What excited you today? Today, well actually, only a few hours ago, I found out that my sister has been asked for an interview for university! I am so proud of her. I love my sister to bits but we've always been very different people. While I was gearing up to go to uni she was shacking up with her partner and getting married. When I went on to do my Masters degree, she was having kids. She's never really been the academic kind but having her two sons has really inspired her to do something with her life. She went back to college to resit major exams that she needed (which she's still going throug now) and then went on to apply to uni. She was getting a bit worried that she hadn't heard anything and I think in her mind she wasn't going to get a place. Of course, it's still not guaranteed but the fact that she has an interview is brilliant. I just have to keep my fingers crossed for her that this means she'll get a place too! |
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Just for you BJ Hope your have'n a good day. 
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