Celtic Sirens

I'm not sure what it is about Irish singers that make me feel that little bit more content with life. The ethereal tones of my two favourite Irish singers are reverie inducing - mine often take the form of autumn leaves falling off trees...and the fragrant smell of long grasses being carried by the wind. The two I am talking about are Enya...and Janet Devlin.

Enya has been in my life ever since I was a tiny tot, often used by my parents to induce a non-wreckless mentality while on long car journeys to our chosen holiday destination (usually on the North Norfolk Coast). It was because of this that I associated Enya with adventure...and she inspired me to create my own world within which I could be myself and all I wanted to be. There is something beautifully romantic about Enya...she lives in a castle, dresses as if she is a Celtic princess and most of her music videos involve her and some aspect of the natural world.

Now, I chose Janet Devlin for a number of reasons: she suits my personal taste of laid back music that you can listen to accompany a daydream, she has an effortless voice and I can listen to her renditions of songs on repeat quite happily. She has quite a willowy, light voice...and I can imagine her being the 21st Century's answer to Enya. One suggestion I would make to Janet is that she should hold her own. I don't want another voice lost to the corporate machine that is Pop Music. Janet herself said she wasn't a huge fan of pop, so just keep that dream in sight! She should be an artist...not a singer who sings songs other people have written her. I really like her though.

Here are some videos of both of them:

Greek temple.

Ok, ok...I'm going through a photography phase. These are all pictures I have taken....feed back is greatly appreciated! (FYI The image is larger if you click on it.)

The Times are right…

Here I am spending the day at the Times newspaper headquarters. A nice early start prompted by my dearly beloved alarm tone…Antelope. If you are unfamiliar with this most infuriating of alarm tones, I suggest you never EVER get a Blackberry. Granted, its harsh tones get you out of bed quicker than you can say gazelle. I guess that makes it a good alarm then. Anyway, in preparation for my work experience here at the Times I have been keeping myself up to date on the goings on in the country by watching the news, reading the newspaper and keeping up to date online as well.

With the London and Birmingham Riots taking centre-stage in this week’s news coverage I thought to myself, ‘What on earth brought that on?’

Many of the rioters maintain that the wrongful killing of Mark Duggan by a policeman who was killed last Thursday in Tottenham, North London, motivated them. However, while some of the anger may be fueled by this, I believe that many just (for want of a better phrase) ‘jumped onto the band wagon’. The riots were just as much motivated by the desire for high-quality clothing as they were in outrage for Mark Duggan’s death. Camila Batmanghelidjh, of the charity Kids Company in Waterloo, talked to the Times reporter, David Aaronovitch about her taxonomy of responsibility for the young people involved. According to Ms Batmanghelidjh there are these three groups: initiators, imitators and opportunists. Many of the young people involved were opportunists, who reasoned that ‘Everyone else was doing it…’

What I think needs to change in this country is the way the government handle the benefits scheme. Many parents who are on benefits expect the government and state sector of education to raise their children for them. However, with suffocating restrictions placed on teachers in these schools they are unable to discipline the children who are being raised in dysfunctional family environments, with many of them living in the absence of a father figure. Many single mothers are ‘scared of their children’ and dare not to question these criminal acts as the children are taking on the role of provider/bread-winner.

However, although a majority of the rioters were of working-class backgrounds, there were many from middle-classes as well! One girl, who acted as the getaway driver for some of the looters, lived in a one million pound home! So while some of the rioters were motivated by political problems, a lot was just pure greed.

Cucumbers...what a pickle

People dressed in cloropel suits, with the addition of hoods and 'booties', the ominous wails of sirens, and Boots having a influx of people buying antibacterial gels and wipes all come to mind when thinking of the E. coli outbreak. It shouldn't as it is a bacteria, not a virus. However, now it makes me think of a plastic suburban housewife spraying a cucumber with 'anti-bac' fresh out of a TV advert.


These thoughts came into my mind upon perusing the selection of sandwiches in Expresso, my finger hovering over many sandwiches before falling on the prawn and cucumber baguette. I weighed up the possible consequences before concluding...


'This is a reputable sandwich bar, right?'


Anyway, my mind somehow falls upon the poor Spanish grocers who are trying to flog their incubi of possibly harmful bacteria. It therefore doesn't surprise me that Spain has spoken of seeking compensation from the EU for all the lost vegetable sales after the outbreak of E. coli was initially blamed on their cucumbers and then beans...turns out it wasn't them either. Which is why I ask, why has the media emphasized these 'killer cucumbers'?


The answer is, most probably, that everyone got bored of the 'Ronan Parke scandal' which also turned out, inevitably, to be false. Ah well, who cares. Lies make the media more interesting-fact. However, I will certainly consider thinking about the origin of the cucumbers in my favourite baguette before purchasing it.

Birthday's are a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world.

Well, Tuesday played host to a gathering of my closest friends to celebrate the day when I blessed the world with my ethereal presence. My eclectic group of friends includes: an amateur moth collector, a cloud enthusiast, and many other interesting characters.

We went and saw, as a result of popular vote, Hangover: Part II. This was an average albeit funny film which had and almost identical template to Hangover: Part I. However, this one took place in Bangkok, Thailand and explored many controversial and current issues such as transsexualism and kidnapping. This film certainly taught everyone that 'if you haven't found [insert lost persons name here] already, they're Bangkok's now.' This certainly makes me consider other possible holiday destinations before I visit the 'City if Angels'.

After the film, we wandered out of the cinema in a daze as we were confronted by a phenomenon known as 'sunlight'. At first we were unsure of what this rare occurrence was doing to our sensitive eyes. Alas, we did get used to it but it certainly is a pain after spending over two hours in pitch black save the glow from the cinema screen. My cinema trip was accompanied by my ever faithful companion, the conventional slush beverage. Not only does it add a hint of awkwardness when slurped during a particularly intense moment of a film, it is delicious and never fails to give me a brain freeze.

Ode, to my tropical fruit slushie,

Well met, is my beverage of partially frozen water,

Mixed with a syrup of exotic artificial colourings and flavourings,

I hail thee and present myself, thy humble servant.

Err...anyway, after the cinema we went to a newly opened Carluccio's which boasted affordable authentic Italian cuisine. Being my conservative, unadventurous self, I ordered the lasagne and was scolded, albeit friendlily, by the 'woman about town' (her own description), Sandy. With a rallying 'Happy Birthday!' chorus I was presented with what can only be described as the most chocolatey cake ever constructed. We then made our way home and had a late night swim.

Swim-fest included: shoulder fights, splash wars, group jumping in and make out sessions between certain members of the group...

We then went and watched Black Swan in our movie room, surround sound and trusty high definition. I was pleasantly surprised at my brother's willingness to spend the night in the room next to an adolescent den complete with infectious laughter and differing voice pitches...still surprised that he managed to get to sleep at all!

With the cumulative hours of our sleep added up to the hefty sum of 3.5 hours. A great night had by all.

To all my friends who were present at the party, thank you so much for the presents.

Until next time...

A short time ago, in a city not that far away...

In a circular room of glass at the summit of the High Council Tower of the English Block in Norwich School, Jedi Master Andy Fisher took charge of the Ascension of the Padawans. Master Fisher had closely monitored their development and had offered guidance to these young adolescents that stood before him dressed in white tunics, grey pants, and blue robes, with the addition of a leather utility belt and boots.

The ceremony proceeded with a blessing of 'May the Force be with you' bestowed upon each Padawan. Utilizing the knowledge of Analytical Writing that these Padawans had obtained from Master Fisher they assembled their Highlighters using the Force.

The Gift of the Highlighter and the power of analytical ruthlessness has certainly proved that the pen is indeed mightier than the...well...lightsaber.

Whilst weilding my highlighter I perused an article exploring the relationship between The Matrix and Christianity. I lapsed into a moment of nostagia as I remembered fondly the moment when we entered the class room in which we would discuss Edgar Allen Poe, Old Man and the Sea, many assorted poems, Othello and Journey's End.

Well, the period known as 'study leave' has arrived and I continue to do 35 minute periods of revision interspersed with exceedingly long breaks....naww I kid, usually about 15 minutes. I have an R.S exam tomorrow, eeeeek! Actually, its not that scary, I'm really rather good at R.S (Not blowing my own trumpet or anything.... :P ).

As you can see by the little gadget on the right hand side of the blog, I am now on Twitter!

The count of my vast following is.... 1

I know, pathetic isn't it but thank you Maharashtra India Travel Guide for your support!

Sorry for my 2 week absence from blogging but the truth is...I didn't have much to write about. Oh, and well done to my friend Maddie for her excellent piano recital last Saturday (7th) and a huge wave to my friend Sandy who supports me by reading this!

Thanks for reading guys, if I don't write its because I am busy with exams. But hey! It's my birthday in 2 weeks! *cheers*

TTFN!

There is nothing quite like British pageantry ...

With all of England's woes, it is suprising that such a simple act between a man and a woman can make us set aside our problems and remember what it means to be British.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge played the part of the happy couple with grace and calmness. I was incredibly impressed by Catherine's ability to remain composed and relaxed on such a stressful, but certainly successful, day.

pageant (plural pageants)

An elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.

No one can do pageantry like us Brits, it's one of the things we do well. I, for one, am looking forward so very much to the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony; another chance for us to exhibit our royal family. So with that and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee along with Prince Phillip's 90th Birthday it looks as though the coming year will be an extremely busy one for the royal family.

I therefore offer my congratulations to the happy couple.

Now. Onto my life. With the discovery of the deed which records the sale of our farm to our family in 1913 it got me and my cousin Caroline thinking about a possible 'Centenary Party'. With the oppurtunity for a historical re-enactment I jumped at the chance to help with the proceedings. However, little did I expect that my dad would burden me with every conceivable responsibility regarding this 'shindig'.

From taking care of the 'Tennis Lawn' (a name to which our main lawn was referred to in the deed) to organising invitations, it made me ponder 'And everyone else is doing....what?'

However, Caroline came up with the idea of dressing in turn of the century costume with the youngest of our family (ie. Kate and Sarah (see earlier posts)) wearing white smocks and playing the role given to many children of the 1910s and being 'seen and not heard'.

A concept perhaps idealistic in its conception, but nevertheless one that would inevitably fall into disrepute. My ideas for costumes are mainly references to the Old Maid cards I wrote about last week, which are, however, relevant and easier than wading your way through useless internet sites that do every single costume apart from the one you want.

However, the party is 2 years away and I think I should be focusing my energy on something more important than a party that may or may not happen.

As I mentioned in an earlier post that my cat 'Missy' has had kittens, it may interest you to know that they have now opened their eyes and are absolutely adorable, they are also getting nice and big as 'Missy' is being generous with her portions of milk.

Oh and thanks to my friend Sandy for telling me about a rather amusing accesory to one of the nuns outfits: Reeboks.

What must have been going through that nun's mind? She wakes up realises 'Oh shit!' *she claps hands to mouth* 'I have no black shoes apart from these ones....meh, they'll do.'


On that note, I must bid you a happy Bank Holiday Monday and farewell.

At a springtime party, the Old Maid makes an appearance...

My previous predictions regarding my Duke of Edinburgh's Silver Award Expedition were much exaggerated, instead I found it a rather invigorating country walk. Of course, with tactical packing and acknowledging the unnecessity of washing, I managed to avoid heavy baggage and retained extensive energy reserves and managed to remain blister free!

With the rest of my group collapsing under the weight of their bags, packed to the brim with clothing, along with tents, trangias and fuel bottles, I was grateful in knowing that, even though I was also carrying my share of these items, I had by far the lightest bag. Bear in mind though, I kept this to myself. It would have been rather foolish to brag about my bag with its empty caverns and countless pockets as I remain, to this day, rather lazy....

Sooo...onto the subject of this springtime festival where Christians celebrate the resurrection of their founder Jesus. I believe it to be called Zombie Jesus Day. Nahhh just kidding! Happy Easter to Christians who may read this dissapprovingly. Anyway with the family at ours for Easter this year, I could enjoy the weekend in the presence of those other people who share ancestors with me (my paternal grandparents)

My paternal grandmother...as grandparents go she was absolutely amazing. Her amazingness ranged from her quotable sayings ('Men are so foolish!') to her hands on approach to grandparenting. She taught me how to play draughts, chess and most importantly....Old Maid. Now, many of you may be familiar with this glorified game of happy families or to its variant, Scabby Queen. My great grandmother Nini, called that by her loved ones, had a pack of playing cards designed solely for the use of Old Maid. It must be over a hundred years old by now and the pictures on the cards are of people in typical Georgian attire. The families are divided by their love of sports; hunting, fishing, footballing, tennis, cricketing and golfing. When playing this game, one has to pair the grandfather-grandmother, father-mother or son-daughter who share a sport. Intergrated in this mix of cards is the Old Maid (see picture for our Old Maid card). As the only card without a pair the aim is to get rid of her. However, this is immensly difficult as the card has become tattered and considerably darker in colour due to frustration and my fathers odd affinity to it, to which he clung tightly.

Hmmm...obvious slight confuson in the rules there, but, nevertheless a game enjoyed by all. We played this game along with other family favourites like charades. Charades usually turns out to be a disaster with my cousin Caroline (37) and myself being the only members of the family willing to make a fool of ourselves. We also staged an Easter Egg Hunt for the younger members of the family; my cousin David's daughters, Kate (5) and Sarah (2).

With this week, and the next, filled with bank holidays and royal weddings, I am given even more time for revision before I am thrown straight into the exam season. So, in the interests of getting ready for my German Oral Exam I must bid you,

'Auf Wiedersehen!'

To revise, or not to revise...

Physics, Biology, Chemistry, History, Maths, R.S and so on....

The Easter holiday before exams has played host to a school trip to Greece, revision.... *groans* and, this coming Thursday, a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition.

3 days of possible blood sweat and tears...remind me, why did I put my name down for this? However, judging by the desirable weather we have been having, it should be a leisurely stroll through rural Norfolk. That being said, if last years Bronze was any indication, those rucksack straps can be a killer. Especially with 3 days worth of food, a sleeping bag, tent equipment and other necessary items should one wish to survive in the wilderness without money and a mobile phone with half a battery full (not that that's useful; the signal is pretty much non-existent in ol' Norfolkshire).

After 3 days and 2 nights of physical torment...meh, I will have the pleasure of spending Easter with my Dad, Brother and my vast extended family. 13 people for a roast lunch on Easter Sunday...plus a compulsory church visit *shudders*. Christianity...being forced upon an atheist such as myself... Granted my cousins father in law (also coming to the lunch) is a reformed nightclub bouncer turned preacher but they say grace at the dinner table...

I am not saying that is wrong, it is nice some people thank 'Sky God' for food and stuff, however, them doing it at lunch means that Dad will make me respect that and I just....just...*sighs*

Bah! Tom! You are being ridiculous...however, I will supposedly perform this little charade all the while thinking of the promise of chocolate Easter eggs and my favourite family games: Charades, Pictionary and Sh**head!

My cousin Caroline, a teacher in a school for incurably criminal children (jokes!) is the mastermind behind these games. Wielding her razor sharp tongue and iron fist, she controls her family as we disintegrate into giggling wrecks around the dining room table.

One shred of exciting news, my beloved feline friend 'Missy' has had 4 beautiful kittens (Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3 and Thing 4! Jokes!). They are all grey like their mother and are 3 days old! They have yet to open their eyes and I am going to turn them into model cats (as in quintessential not statuesque!).

Well, I think it is fair to say I could have committed more time to revision. I have many past papers...audio files for German, Old Man and the Sea to read (again! *groans*)...and...well...more past papers!

On that note...I must say farewell. Wish me luck and I will be writing another post, this time next week!!!!

Hmmm...HI!

Salutations, Guten Tag, Bonjour, Bonjourno, Jo reggelt and so on.

My name is Tom, I am 15 and am looking for a way to express myself on this wierd and wonderful Internet thingy. Granted, my incessant grumblings about teenage life may not be the most uplifting and inspirational passages available for reading on the Net but screw it...hope you guys (and gals) enjoy!

A little bit about me: I enjoy Photography, History, Culture, Music (all types but primarily classical - I know weird and loser-ish but I enjoy it :D ), Films (Hannibal Lecter mainly), Books (Lord of the Rings and Hannibal (again!))




I know weird photo, right? Meh, I never take good photos so might as well pull faces :L

Speak to you all soon!

Tom :)