Living for the Weekend

So I think I’m somewhat recovered from Friday’s rant.
I’ve started to boycott Tesco and am now buying my meat in a local butchers and doing the rest of my grocery shopping in Dunnes and Aldi.
I’m taking a stand against The Man.
I’m sure he’s shitting himself right now.
*rolls eyes*

Anyway, I had an unusual break from blogging over the weekend.
As you’ve probably gathered at this stage, I post five times a week, usually Monday to Friday because I have a life and need some free days away from responsibility, otherwise my head will explode.
This very rarely works out though
I nearly always miss a day during the week or fall behind on returning comments because of work and general stuff, and have to make it up at the weekend.

Not this weekend though.
This weekend, I was organised.
So organised that I didn’t just sit around the apartment in my underwear…I actually made PLANS!
*cue headless horsemen and other signs of an impending apocolyspe*

Saturday, myself and The Boy got up at a decent time and visited the Farmer’s Market in Temple Bar.
I didn’t actually end up buying anything, because there seems to be some stalls missing since I was there last and naturally they were the stalls that had the things I was looking for.
After that, I finally persuaded The Boy to replace some of his tattered jumpers and tops so he looks like a respectable human being again.
I’m a humanitarian, really.
Saturday was actually a rather momentous day for The Boy.
I finally had my wicked way with him and convinced him that he needed to watch the original Star Wars movies.
That’s right.
He’d never seen them.
(He’d also never seen The Goonies, Back to the Future and other such classics, but I’ve sorted that out already).
I took a trip to my childhood butchers to get a pound of hands-down the GREATEST sausages in the world and bribed him with sausage sandwiches and tea to watch New Hope that afternoon.
He liked it.
But I don’t think he’ll ever really appreciate the original movies.
Philistine.

That night, myself and The Bessie decided to have The Laugh and head out for some dancey-dancing.
The Laugh was at full-throttle.
We ended up dancing on a stage.
I was channelling my inner slutty-indie-biker-girl apparently.
We finished the night eating chicken balls and curry sauce in Charlies, which is how all good nights SHOULD end.
Needless to say, The Laugh gives you a hangover and thus in Sunday’s story.

Happy Monday!
I’ll have a decent post for you guys tomorrow!
🙂

This night is sparkling

Bad mood is over!
(for now anyway)
I found this tres cute story on Perez Hilton this morning and being the shameless Swifty Fan that I am, it cheered me up no end:

Adam Young from Owl City posted a song this morning composed especially for Taylor Swift. One of the songs off her latest album, Enchanted, has been thought to be a song written about Adam and their brief romance. Adam took his cue from that song and sent out a response via the band’s website. He wrote to Taylor:

Dearest Taylor,

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a rather shy boy and since music is the most eloquent form of communication I can muster, I decided to record something for you — as sort of a “reply” to the breathtaking song on your current record. This is what I wanted so badly to tell you in person but could never quite put into words.

Everything about you is lovely. You’re an immensely charming girl with a beautiful heart and more grace and elegance than I know how to describe. You are a true princess from a dreamy fairy tale, and above all, I just want you to know..I was enchanted to meet you too.

Love, Adam

If you’re not swooning right now, your heart is black…but maybe this will get to you:

Following his message, he posted a stream of his own special version of Enchanted, beautifully dedicated to Taylor!

Obviously the dirty cynic in me wonders if it’s a publicity stunt on his part or if he’s just trying to link himself with the lovely Taylor to boost his profile, but I think I’m going to believe it’s all genuine.
And adorable.
And incredibly romantic.

Anyone who scoffs and says it’s cheesy is full of crap…you wouldn’t be saying it if someone declared their adoration of you to the entire world AND through song…

 

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.

I finally dedicated some time to copying my photos and music files onto my external hard-drive.
The laptop has been acting up a little these past few months and I know that if I don’t back-up the important files, it’ll crash and I’ll lose them all.
Nightmare.

As I was going through my music files, I came across loads of tracks that I hadn’t listened to in years.
The iTunes Generation go through music like Rosie O’Donnell with a bucket of Cheesy Puffs.
Scratch that.
Me with a bucket of Cheesy Puffs.

It was strange coming across tracks that, at one time, I’d listened to constantly and now I could barely remember the chorus.
It was also strange to have old memories dredged up.

If High Fidelity, Empire Records and Almost Famous has taught us anything, it’s that music is the fast-track to a person’s heart.
What better way to say what she wants to hear without actually saying it yourself than by throwing a few love songs her way and let her convince herself you’re madly, truly, deeply in love with her and this is your way of saying it!

There was an old boyfriend of mine who was an absolute master of this tactic and me, being the wee eejit I was at the time, fell for it.
I listened to the songs he gave me over and over and over.
They were precious: secret little messages from him to me.

When the inevitable messy break-up happened, those music files were hidden away.
During the first few difficult months, my resolve would crack and I’d bring them back out and try to figure out why he would get me to listen to them if he didn’t mean every lyric in them (wee eejit, remember?).

It was a pity because he’d introduced me to some great artists who were then tainted with bitter memories.

A few years later and I can listen to them again without bursts of emotion.
The memories are still there, sure, but it’s more of a curious reminiscence for time gone by, rather than hate, loathing, betrayal.
It does make me sad that I’ll probably never be able to listen to them with the same love I once did: the same love a lot of them deserve.

Thankfully for my music collection, he was the only boyfriend who insisted on overloading me with music.
The Boy and I regularly clash over music taste, which fills me with quiet relief: not that I’m afraid we’ll break up and I’ll lose more songs, but rather that I know he’s honest in his wooing ways and not attempting to manipulate my feelings with empty words.

Side note: Does anyone else think the world would be a better place if men wooed women….and people gave sass?

One song, however, that will not be listenable-to again is the song I had my awkward – and ultimately pride-wounding – first kiss to.
It almost pains me to reveal this….
It was to Eiffel 65’s Blue.
I was 17.
It was in a nightclub that was playing terrible nineties music for some reason.
I still cringe whenever I hear it.
*shudders*

I Love You, Taylor Swift

I don’t usually gush about pop musicians, but I’m making an exception today because I really seriously genuinely felt happy after listening to this album on the tram this morning

I’m not best known for my sophisticated taste in music.
Sure I have some respectable artists on my iPod – The Smiths, Joshua Radin, Florence and the Machine – but all in all, I love nothing better than some cheese.
Happily, The Boy  satisfied my cravings this Christmas and presented me with the new Taylor Swift album.

Lads, it’s amazing!
Like, I really enjoyed Fearless (Love Story and You Belong With Me were great!), but Speak Now is in another league.
She’s just outdone herself lyrically and some of the melodies are just plain beautiful.

I wouldn’t be a major Pop follower, but I just feel like Taylor could be my soul mate sometimes.
I know people criticise her for airing her dirty laundry in public and not being able to let go when someone screws her over, but I can relate.
Sure, it’s not ideal to tell the world your private affairs, but I know when something happens to me that makes me feel any sort of strong emotion, I have to write about it.
I need to get it out of my head and heart and onto paper (or screen), even if I know there might be repercussions, because otherwise it’s like an itch that could drive me mad.
I can completely sympathise with her need to voice her anger or guilt and her best songs are the ones that are really personal.
Dear John is a fantastic F-U to John Mayer, while Back to December (an I’m Sorry Song to Taylor Lautner) is just heartbreaking: I could listen to it on repeat for days on end.

Also worth checking out is Better Than Revenge….Camilla Belle won’t be stealing any of Taylor’s boyfriends in a hurry in the future.

Sure, the songs are simple and fun and pop-y, but they do speak to you and it’s so much more fun knowing who they’re about.
It’s like reading someone’s diary and feeling that it could be yours!
*swoon*

Now I doubt if I’ll ever catch her

EDIT 15/11/10: Don’t worry guys, I’m not going anywhere (but thank you for the ridiculously lovely and supportive comments!) -this is just examining the “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right” theory….

I sometimes feel like a sham of a blogger.
In the last few months, I’ve come across a large number of blogs that are beautifully written – truly beautifully written – and I wonder how I can compete with them.
I’m not a college student, I don’t work from home, I’m not writing for a living, I’m not unemployed (that’s obviously not a complaint), so I don’t have a while lot of time to sit at a table and compose a wonderfully eloquent or insightful post.
I write my posts on the run.
I squish them in between bus journeys and making dinner.
I hock out some sentences during a short lunch break.
I don’t have time to shoot my own enthralling photos and I don’t have the money to invest in gorgeous outfits (or the shopping-savvy to do it  on a teeny budget).
My blog is just somewhere I blow off some creative steam.
Being voted a finalist in the Best Personal Blog category for the Irish Blog Awards last year really did so much for my confidence, even if I didn’t feel I should’ve been in the Final Five.
With the amount of people with endless time (and even better writing skills and creativity) that have hopped on the Blogging Bandwagon this year, I doubt I’ll make the shortlist.
I just don’t feel I’m up to scratch anymore.
The new blogging generation has FAR too much talent and have raised the bar almost impossibly high!
Sure, I could abandon my already-starving social life or deprive The Boy of a stable relationship, devoting all that extra time to writing Pulitzer-worthy posts, but what’s the point in having an impressive blog if you’ve nothing else -and with the amount of time spent on my job, I wouldn’t have time for anything else!
I suppose I could stop reading other blogs and leaving (hopefully) supportive and encouraging comments on their efforts to save time, but I’d feel selfish -oh yes, you should all read MY blog, but I’ll be damned if I return the favour!
So I guess today’s question is…. do I continue on my mediocre way or cut and run if I can’t be my best?

Sure, you’re weedy and kind of shy, but some girlie out there must be needy for a weedy, shy guy.

Sorry about the big gap between posts!
Last week was manic in work and I couldn’t stand to look at a computer once I left the office on Friday!
Also apologies for minimal comment-backing, because the being wrecked in work meant I was knackered by the time I got home and general posting drained me.
As well as that, lots of you Blogger Users haven’t adjusted comment settings so lots of us Open ID peeps can’t comment and knowing that after going to all the effort of typing a comment, putting in my name and blog URL, proving I’m not a robot by typing out ridiculously squiggly letter combinations and then knowing I’ll probably be told my comment won’t be posted because of some settings issue is REALLY off-putting when I’m struggling to stay awake!

But I’m back to normal this week and hopefully your Blogger problem will sort itself out!

This is going to be a random post….

Random Topic No.1:
I was finally persuaded to watch Flight of the Conchords, which I resisted for a huge period of time because I just didn’t like the clips I was shown.
And yeah, it’s actually amazing!
Most of the songs and clips aren’t funny on their own on Youtube, but when you watch them in the episode, they’ll HIGHlarious!
So you guys should watch it if you haven’t.
White Rabbit, you’ve watched it more than enough….

Random Topic No.2:
So while my regular taste in music is quite respectable with my iPod containing the likes of Blondie, Springsteen, The Smiths and various singer-songwriters, I do to indulge in some bubblegum pop…or bubblegum country pop…also known as Taylor Swift!
Ah bless her, she’s a pet!
And her new song Mine is kinda great…

Random Topic No.3:
I am currently organising a blog competition with a really lovely and talented designer…the prize is a wee bit unsual, but I love the idea!
And so will anyone with a flare for vintage or geek chic!

And Random Topic No.4:
I really want this Topshop Tee…

I close my eyes, So I can’t see you leaving

Lads, I’m gutted.
I’ve just waved goodbye to the future Mammy and Daddy of The Kittens.

That’s right.
We’ve found a family for our babies.
This blog can solve ALL problems.

Except I was secretly hoping we’d never find a family for them and we’d get to keep them forever, guilt-free because we’d TRIED to find a new home for them.
*sigh*

You blog folk really ralllied to help out and I received so many emails from you guys suggesting potential new homes and putting me in contact with possible new owners.
And then I received an email from Miss Canadian (she’s from Canada) and my heart sank as I knew we’d found an amazing home for The Kittens.

So I met Miss Canadian and Mr Not-Canadian this evening and jebus, they’re the loveliest people ever!
And they’re cat people.
And The Kittens warmed to them fairly quickly.
And they have a lovely house.
And they work for CHARITIES!
And did I mention how nice they were? Cos they were really nice!

I Hate Them.
*sad face*

So we get to keep our babies until the end of September, because Miss Canadian and Mr Not-Canadian are getting married in Canada in a week’s time and are then getting sorta-married again here in September.
See?
They don’t want to be living in sin when they have their babies!
How perfect are they!?????

The Boy and I were terrible role models with all our unmarried-living-togethers….a couple of feckin’ harlots, we are….what kind of example are we setting?
*weeps into a handkerchief*

But really they want to get all their crazy wedding stuff out of the way so The Kittens can settle in better.

They’re perfect.

I feel blue.

We’ve seen everything to see

I very rarely post videos (cos they don’t look very pretty in the general layout), but someone mentioned Death Cab for a Cutie to me this morning and reminded me just how much I love them.

This was the first song of theirs that I heard and to this day, it’s still one of my all-time favourites.
I even used it for the final scene when I was seriously lucky enough to direct a production of Romen and Juliet in The Helix.
Emotional stuff.

There are two videos for it and this is the best.
Please watch it.
There are bunnies.

But they sound like a million colours in your mind

I recently discovered that I’m a music snob.

I spent years rolling my eyes at acquaintences who would sing the praises of some unknown or yet another indie band until they became ‘mainstream’ or were simply liked by a few other people, at which point they’d claim they sold out.

Was it really SUCH a big deal that they’d become ‘popular’?
Isn’t that why most people pursue music careers?

And then Glee happened.

I’m not a chart follower nor do I worship ‘cool’ artists or enjoy going to gigs headlined by a ‘nobody’.
I like to know the words.
I like a catchy melody.
I like music that speaks to me.
I like music that has a soul.

I spit on dance, electro, RnB and screaming metal.

My iPod is filled with old music from the Fifties and before.
Some music from the Sixties.
Pop Rock of the Eighties.
I like to pretend the Nineties didn’t happen musically, although I do have some random nostalgia-inducing songs such as Breakfast at Tiffanies, Mmm Bop and some stuff by the Cardigans.
And then singer-songwriter and some more Pop Rock stuffs from the last decade.
Oh and songs from the musicals, of course.

A lot of my music wouldn’t be known too well by my friends.
They’d know the artists, but they wouldn’t listen to the music.
And I used to love if I suddenly met someone who liked on of those songs>
We were part of a special secret club.

We ‘got’ each other.

I love Springsteen and Meatloaf for their powerful music that makes you laugh and cry and want to dance your memories away.
I love Blondie for their catchy I’m-Not-TOO-Sure-What-This-Is-About-But-It-Works and The Banlges for their Girls-Can-Be-Pretty-And-Have-Feelings-And-Rock-Out music.
I also LOVE Journey.

I have loved them for years.
Long before the famous pilot episode of Glee and even before they were featured in Season Three of Scrubs.
A few years ago, Don’t Stop Believing became popular again and while everyone loved it, no one looked much further into the band.

But now they’ve been featured in Glee a few times, everyone is all “Oh yeah, Journey are so cool!!”.
And screw that!
Journey were mine!
Faithfully was mine and The Boy’s song long before New Directions lost to Vocal Adrenaline with it!
But now if anyone hears that, they’ll be like “Oh so you’re a Gleeeek?”.
Dammit!
That’s been our song for two and a half years and actually MEANS something to us.

And so I’m pissed off that teeny-boppers are claiming my music favourites as their own.
No one had ever heard of Jesse’s Girl while I was singing it into a hairbrush, but because FINN sang it, they’re all over it.
No one had a clue who Heart were until Kristen C. belted out Alone.

And now, like an only child burdened with a young sibling at 23, I’m being forced to share my music with others.
And it sucks.

*sits in a corner and sulks*

There’s stars in my eyes and there’s sun in my hair

Put your pretty dress on
it’s time for you to go to the dance
tie your hair in ribbons and lace
and wear pearls round your neck
And all the pretty princes will see you
All the pretty princes will see you
Some day
Some day

-Rosie Thomas’ Pretty Dress

I had some brand new shoes
They were all red,
But they gave me the blues
And they’re runnin’ away,
They left me a letter
It’s just like you told me it’d be
It’s nothin’ nothin’ nothin’
Nothin’ at all

-She and Him’s Brand New Shoes