Archive for the ‘Distractions’ Category

…where I used to sit and talk with you
we were both 16 and it felt so right
sleeping all day, staying up all night

Seriously, where have Yellowcard been all my live? Returning home from the pub on Sunday night Rich stuck Ocean Avenue on the stereo and since that I have fallen head over heals for them. If you like anything by Taking Back Sunday, Saves the Day or generally any punk revival they are well worth checking out.

How many of you have seen American Graffiti? If not, well, you should. It’s a defining moment in the young George Lucas’s film career and will explain a lot of Simpsons jokes to you. But never the less I shall fill you in. It’s a movie about the 50’s rock and roll cruising culture in the States before it made way for the crime and the drugs.

That’s exactly what The D used to be like. We’d get out from a close at 3am and cruise down to Tesco, grab ourselves a sandwhich and eat, chat and generally wind down.

Those days are gone. Less closers, people heading straight off claiming they are tired despite being doped up on caffeine, taurine and increasingly these days even alcohol as well. The drink and the drugs is pushing out the friendly sandwhich culture which made the old days so great.

Still, having gone through the usual Sunday night ritual of pub quiz then drive thru for some late night food we found ourselves for one night re-capturing the spirit those days, if only for one night. What made last night different from any other night? Maybe it was because we had all been drinking more the normal. And maybe, just maybe, alcohol really is the cause, and solution to all of lives problems.

I’m just watching Pen & Teller’s episode exposing self help schemes. Tina, who is doing a fire walk as part of a self help scheme to remove her fear just said…

Live is divided into love and fear

Donnie Darko anyone :D.

Much like the way that Christian gatherings are mostly dominated by discussions of the latest episode of Neighbours, A-Soc meetings run along similar lines with Doctor Who. It’s massive, it’s conference-going (perhaps even in full custume) and it’s at the point where people brag about a friend of a friend who once new a guy who had a friend who did some paperwork for the show.

With that in mind, I had been meaning to catch up on my Doctor Who for ages and given my life is now without point nor purpose it seemed an excellent time to get caught up. It’s been quite a while since I’ve last watched it so I’ve started re-watching it from the start of the revival.

My initial critisism of the revival was that it’s too over dramatic – the world is in mortal danger every time. Which I think is true having re-watched the first season though not quite as much as I thought. It is certainly too over-dramatic though. The whole thing about The Doctor and Rose kissing, and looking into the heart of the TARDIS and such, it’s just a bit too Hollywood-ised. Still, I guess that is the modern world.

Christopher Eccleston made a fine Doctor. Hopefully David Tennant will be equally impressive.

The idea of intellectual arrogance is something that gets thrown around a lot in theological debates. Recently though I’ve really noticed in branching into other areas of discourse. There is something nice about being humble enough to admit when you’re wrong but some people will insist to the end of the Earth that they are right.

This came up recently when it was pointed out to me by 6Music’s George Lamb that nobody knows the difference between a sheep and a goat.

For example, sheep have wool. But if you shave a sheep it doesn’t. Goats have horns. But then again sheep can have horns. They have an almost idential facial and body structure, at least close enough that you couldn’t tell if it was simply a different species of sheep or goat or whether it was indeed actually a whole different type of animal. The more you think about it, the more you realise that you cannot infact tell the difference between a sheep and a goat.

Having raised the issue with several people since however I’ve found that most people simply outright refuse to consider the possibility that they can’t tell the difference. Arguments like “well I could just tell” get thrown around a lot – anyone for a “well I just know god is there” argument?

Really, I don’t see what the big deal is about the fact you can’t tell the difference between a sheep and a goat. It doesn’t make you any less of a person because nobody can tell the difference. That’s just facts, animal facts.

I don’t really feel I can add anything to that title.

Just to pass you on to the BBC website to read more.

After months and months of waiting, the time had finally arrived – myself, Norm, Michelle and George boarded a train bound for Manchester. Once there we quickly located a McDonald’s and several bars for a variety of taste before moving on to the M.E.N. Arena in anticipation for the main events. The weeklys of training, learning lyrics and drunkenly singing along all came down to this :D.

Avril came on stage around 8:30 and was actually on till gone 10 o’clock going through almost all her singles. There was a lack of non-mainstream stuff but that was really to be expected and makes it easier to sing along anyway. Her encore was a bit unspontaneous with the dancers coming out first but never the less a classic finish on Sk8er Boi rounded the evening off nicely.

Plus, as to be expected, I bagged myself a tour t-shirt which is always a good way to finish a night. Avril accidentally forgot to seek me out and confess her love for me but I’m sure she’ll realise her mistake by the next door. Which we’re already planning a visit to :D.

I don’t mean to be picky but on Futurama Bender is made of…

• 40% titanium
• 40% zinc
• 40% dolomite
• 30% iron

Given how much money I have spent on my sound system and how much money I have spent on my projector, it seems only sensible that we make as much use out of the home cinema setup that we have as humanly possible.

And so, to take a break from revision I threw together a movie night on Monday. Despite some people replying to the invite as attending and then not turning up (mostly Kieran, it really annoys me when people do that but I did enjoy the bitter sense of irony :p), we actually had a packed lounge – myself, Nicola, Kerry, Sarann, Michelle, Brett, B and Maths Chris. Of course, what we really need to do now is install cinema seating :D. Never the less it was a really good night and I hope enjoyed by all who attended.

It seems somewhat ironic that they day Michelle leaves the country we get such a heavy snowfall.

Still it provided a somewhat appropriate mise en scene for last night’s activities. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if it was indeed the long dark tea-time of the soul. Anyone for a snowball fight?