Through The Gears

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A family member or someone who is only a friend can't act as a reference for a university application. I'm not currently studying, and I haven't left recently so I had to ask someone who would be able to talk professionally about my application and potential. I decided to ask the managing director of my previous employment and he obliged promptly and with an amazing reference as well which I hope will be well received. I had an interesting day today, I felt like I participated in a Eurovision song contest although I wasn't the main attraction. I was just required to sweep around the edges and provide the occasional moves. That said, I was reminded of Pineapple Dance Studios when I walked into Sugar Hut, Fulham this afternoon. I need to practise the moves in my repertoire, especially with Prom approaching in the next few months. This year will begin the process of experiencing everything that I should have already experienced. I can't wait for the adventures to begin...

Personal Statement

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The effects of new media and technology on human behaviour both intrigue and influence my perception of society. The constant changes to communication methods, the inevitable shift towards open standards, propriety systems and how privacy is being ignored as the Internet and technology invade our lives with increased frequency. Real-life and online behaviour continues to become more connected and it's now difficult to separate them. Our opinions, relationships, insecurities and existence are disclosed without restraint, especially as the published information is indexed and available indefinitely. The freedom we are granted begs the question where we draw the line in what's considered acceptable. I follow many influential entrepreneurs and market leaders, their perspective, vision and experience, fascinate me and this is why I have chosen to study media, culture and communication at degree level.

The Internet provides an interactive platform to engage with people that have unique and diverse backgrounds. I actively maintain an online presence within many popular social networks and communities. Through these services I create, optimise and promote content, whilst building relationships and participating in discussion which directly influences the reputation and credibility of those involved. The content shared is often consolidated and I'm exposed to rich media that challenges my creative impulse. Through the distribution of media on communication services, viral marketing and user-generated content have become popular and replaced conventional methods. In a consumer-driven society, understanding how these trends influence opinion have assisted in enhancing my analytical approach and provided me with a solid foundation. Telecommunications have enabled long distance exchanges between large numbers of people but one-to-many communications remain favourable. Television, film, music and print have a role but the impact of new media has affected these traditional broadcast media communications. The events on September 11th 2001, Thailand tsunami and the Mumbai terrorist attack broadcast; press coverage and the issues raised highlight just some of the reasons why I am interested in this subject. The pressure to break stories, originality and advertising revenue are integral to the industry.

I have been interested in communication since the 90's when I purchased a computer and began participating in group discussion and forums. During this time I experienced the "dot-com boom" which refers to the growth of the Internet and the advent of the World Wide Web. Messenger clients and email became the primary source of my interaction but it wasn't until 2003, after the birth of my second child, that I became actively involved in a global community. Microsoft enlisted my services as a moderator, the position comprised of being a community leader, testing material under embargo, managing a global community and maintaining the public forums. The highlight was conducting interviews at a product launch in America which culminated in meeting senior Microsoft officials. I acquired many skills from Microsoft and from working at Barclays as a product support technician. That role involved content publishing, marketing, trend monitoring and team development. I have chosen this university course in particular as it expands on a subject I find interesting and engaging. As a mature student I have acquired and will utilise in my studies aspects of self motivation, time management and a wide range of technical and leadership skills. As a single parent this course will provide the opportunity to complete a degree, participate in university life, and raise awareness to my children on the value of being a student. Relevant skills I will use include those already mentioned and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. I feel I have developed some of the qualities required for success in degree-level media, culture and communication studies.

Music Is Social, Local, Connected

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Spotify begins a major upgrade today, announced as 'the next generation', they have released version 0.4.3 which includes the largest feature upgrade since launch in late 2008. Providing integration with other music platforms and files, Facebook Connect features and a social network for connecting users directly. The update will roll out to Free and Premium users from 9am GMT today. Check out the video -

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Well How's Your View Of Things Today?

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I have previously acknowledge the benefits of having an organized space; productivity, relevance, less clutter, increased attention, engagement and more control. I have spent the weekend writing down a list with several options that I was considering for the future. I often browse through the archives of this blog when attempting to write, I believe that at times I think too much but it helps me to focus on what's important. I realised last year that I wasn't satisfied, I didn't want to concentrate on negativity as that made my life feel unbalanced. I removed the negative influences and feel that I have become harder, better, faster, stronger! Newcastle changed everything, I met someone with determination, drive and ambition but that weekend also opened my eyes to a world that fascinated and intrigued me. The opportunity to be a student, gain the experience and education that will be a necessary part of my future and allow me to enjoy life.

It's obvious that I'm fond of my partner with many describing us as inseparable, I have only been with her a few months but we have shared many experiences! The end of a decade, milestone birthdays, and the many nights that at times I don't remember but they're shared with the person that I will never forget! She will attend Liverpool's John Moores University in September and although I want to be there I acknowledge that this is her opportunity. I also have the children to consider although recently I feel that circumstances have made the decision easier. I rarely see them now, a difficult situation accompanied with an influential age but it still hurts when they decide not to visit. They may not need me now but I know they will in the future, if I complete a degree then I should be in a better position to support them. I'll be able to visit regularly from university as I will be home frequently during the holidays. Biffy Clyro were the inspiration behind the title, the lyric is from Bubbles the fourth single from 'Only Revolutions'. The song speaks about chasing round 'bubbles' and trying to pop them all the time. I don't want this bubble to burst, although I expect there will be many obstacles to contend before I reach the final decision!

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Reservation With A Chauffeur?

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Only a few weeks ago, we were cursing the cold weather and everyone was shivering as Britain was gripped by snow and ice. How quickly seasons change, this week we have had the first real taste of summer and the forecast for the weekend is even better! I relaxed in the garden, sunbathing, streaming music from the Internet and thinking about the next few months. The objective for the evening was to travel to the airport but I completely lost track of the time. I quickly had to iron a shirt, find a suitable tie and make sure the tuxedo was pressed before travelling to Gatwick South Terminal.

I haven't become a chauffeur, I'm sure that professional chauffeurs wouldn't get changed in the short stay car parking area. I arrived at the Arrival Hall with a greeting sign bearing the name of my partner and stood with the other riff-raff waiting for her to appear. I studied their stance, behaviour and held out the greeting sign, I could make a career from this yet! She soon emerged and completely missed where I was positioned but I caught her in my arms when she realised. An Officer And A Gentleman have nothing on this scene; in an International Arrival Hall, Richard Gere I have never touched a Gerbil!! After a conversation we were homeward bound in the knowledge that the suitcases were definitely lighter than originally intended. We arrived home and as I waited for my partner to shower I read the first chapter of Girl with a One-Track Mind, she had recommended the book after reading it on holiday. I admit to feeling aroused afterwards, I could have read more but decided to place the book on the side. The obvious question entered my mind, are all females like the character in the book?

Facebook Want Us To Like Everything

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The Next Evolution of Facebook Platform was announced today at Facebook’s F8 conference. They met with developers and entrepreneurs from around the world to talk about new ways for people to connect with friends online and share what's important to them. Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his vision to socialize the web with several new changes to the social network. There's plenty of coverage on Techmeme, I wanted to focus on the Open Graph protocol and API, which will allow developers easier access to social graphs and integrate them with their web services. I'm sure that many are familiar with the "Like" button on Facebook, show your friends that you're interested in status updates, photos and links by clicking "Like." 

I noticed earlier in the week that Facebook Pages had adopted the "Like" button but that was only the start! From today we will begin seeing "Like," or in some cases "Recommend," buttons appear on popular websites across the Internet. I rate how the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) have implemented the functionality and I'm intrigued how music preferences will filter through the social network. I have added the "Like" button to this site, although it's a work-in-progress and may not work as intended. What do you think about the announcements from f8 and do you intend to "Like" everything? How do we express a negative experience with a product, brand or personality though, I want to know if Facebook intend to introduce that to the Open Graph?

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UK Airports Have Reopened

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This morning I wasn't optimistic, the volcano eruption in Iceland had strengthened and a new ash cloud was spreading south and east towards the UK. The situation has been dynamic and rapidly changing but finally the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has reopened UK airports tonight and the first BA flight landed just before 2200 BST. He added that after the ban was lifted it would be up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track. The decision concludes the six-day long suspension of air travel that has stranded tens of thousands of Britons overseas. The foreign office have stated that the coaches available to those using Madrid as a "Spanish hub" are still expected to return stranded people to the UK. I'm sure there will be plenty of time for a post mortem about the situation but at least people will be able to return home. Let's hope that there are no additional setbacks!

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Through The Night

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We have achieved several milestones this month, exclusively representing the complete spectrum of 18-30's culture, literally. Nothing is sacred, if it's going to be a good laugh then we're in. Yesterday was Record Store Day, but it was also the celebration of a friend's birthday and The Venue, New Cross celebrated 21 years. The nightclub in New Cross Road has a long history as a place of entertainment. It opened as the New Cross Super Kinema in 1925, with a cinema on the ground floor and the New Cross Palais de Danse above, as well as a cafe. The name was shortened to New Cross Kinema from 1927, the plain Kinema in 1948, and finally Gaumont in 1950. It closed in August 1960, and remained derelict for some time. Part of the building was demolished before the old dance hall became The Harp Club and then The Venue in the late 1980's.

Our night started at the Red Barn, Barnehurst and although I don't share the view that I'm eccentric, friends provided mixed reactions to the hairstyle and clothes. Each to their own! After we had congregated at the train station, we headed on the South Eastern service towards New Cross. It has been several years since we last graced the dance floor but it had that familiar feel. The night was for anyone who made friends, met their partners, married partners or had kids with partners they met at The Venue! I wasn't interested in the nostalgia because I needed a night out and wasn't disappointed. I had expected to occupy the Star Bar (Indie), instead the Main Hall was where we were for the duration. Then we proceeded to dance to Queen, Snakebite was predictably spilt down our clothes, 'Jay Z' made an appearance and popping balloons became an obsession. Unfortunately, not everyone shared our commitment and I was nearly rugby tackled later in the evening by these girls who were very protective. And we will show the Balloon Poppers... that they can not take whatever they want! And that these... these are our balloons! There were several different groups of friends involved in the celebrations, I was introduced to their full repertoire of moves that are beyond my realm!!! The showpiece ended with a call from Tenerife, I shall be glad when the flight restrictions are over because absence may make the heart fonder but I miss her loads!

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She Fell Over

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Record Store Day is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made available exclusively for the day, and hundreds of artists in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Lots happened at both Rough Trade East and Rough Trade West, there were several performances that warranted attention. I had a late start, which meant that I missed the action so instead I watched the Manchester derby.

Manchester United left it late, with Chelsea later losing to Tottenham the title race is wide open! I was still intent to experience Record Store Day and with the opportunity to see an acoustic show from Bombay Bicycle Club at Pure Groove, Smithfield I didn't need an invitation. I travelled by train to the record store which is close to Urban Golf. How could I forget this place! Unfortunately I was unable to participate in the organised Blur quiz, I didn't have a pen but this spared any embarrassment because I knew none of the answers. I arranged to meet a friend at the store and when he arrived we spoke about prospects for the future. I had a similar dialogue midweek with another friend and both have provided plenty to think about in terms of plans. I will focus on this more in a later post! With the venue close to capacity, a girl fainted for no apparent reason and then when order had resumed the acoustic set began. The performance lacked the crowd participation and energy that you would expect from a Bombay Bicycle Club show, then this was an acoustic set and there is no mistaking the melodies from I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. There were several from their acoustic album which I need to acquire as soon as possible. It wasn't until Always Like This that the crowd, which now also occupied the street outside, suddenly burst into motion. It reminded me of the lyric in the Hadouken! track That Boy That Girl: I went to a gig but nobody danced, everybody was far too cool! I enjoyed the action, below is the set list from the Bombay Bicycle Club performance. Tonight should provide a journey down memory lane as the destination is The Venue, New Cross. Can't wait!

# Evening/Morning
# Rinse Me Down
# Dust on the Ground
# Magnet
# Jewel
# Leaving Blues
# Ivy and Gold
# Always Like This
# You Already Know

Who Ordered The Volcano?

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Okaay, it's probably the question on every one's mind at the moment, who ordered the volcano which has caused major disruption to air travel in Europe? Although what I would rather know is who's responsible for the name, Eyjafjallajökull because it doesn't sound like a typical volcano name. Actually, I'm not an expert on volcanoes but that's because until recently I didn't need to be but everything has changed!

Flights across much of Europe are going to be severely disrupted well into Saturday because of drifting ash ejected from the volcano in Iceland. I'm writing about this because currently my partner, who was due home today, and her family are stranded in Tenerife. There's no indication how long this is expected to last either, Icelandic volcanoes tend to erupt for long periods, report the BBC. How long the current one will continue is difficult to say, but it could continue for days, even months. When the volcano at the Eyjafjallajökull glacier erupted two centuries ago, it went on for eighteen months!! Hopefully the situation changes soon but it doesn't look good because Air traffic control body Nats have just announced that flight restrictions over England and Wales would remain in place until at least 1300 BST on Saturday. Bad times!

Darwin Deez, Soundtrack To Our Summer?

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Last night, where to begin? I shall start with Last.fm which is a popular Internet radio site, which builds a detailed profile of our musical taste by recording details of the songs we listen to, either streamed online, from our computer or the many portable music devices. The personalised event recommendations I have found add the most value, the site recommends events based on listening preferences.

Introducing Darwin Deez, an American Indie folk band from New York City that have rhythm like The Strokes and the personality of Flight of the Conchords. I have only recently been introduced to Flight of the Conchords, the 'angry dance' could definitely be on the blueprint. You may be familiar with their second single Radar Detector which has been play listed on Radio 1 lately. I rate their sound, unfortunately their tour sold out but I was contacted by the promoter Anika Mottershaw after offering to trade one of my children on the Last.fm event page! Not sure that was the deciding factor but anyway I managed to secure a ticket to see Darwin Deez perform at The Allotment, Black Heart in Camden!

After making sure that the children were secure, I had a brief conversation with my partner in Spain before heading to Camden Town. I arrived at the Black Heart and headed upstairs to The Allotment, I instantly noticed Darwin with his trademark variable length curly hair complete with a headband walking amongst the fans gathering inside. I secured a position at the front and waited as Extradition Order, supporting act for the evening, prepared for their performance. They would like to be precisely incoherent. Somewhere in-between the NY Doll's Trash and Fred McDowell's Shake 'em on down. Not familiar with either but I really enjoyed their set, jumping in at the last minute they provided a solid build up to the main event!

Being at the front meant that I obviously had a good view of the preparations, the decor was impressive with flowers across the musical equipment and Darwin Deez embossed on the wall. I love their clothing, almost straight out of the 80's with plimsolls that could have been worn for almost thirty years.

They call what they do, variously, "happy music for sad people", "white music for black people" and "indie rock with a side of calisthenics". (guardian.com)

Eventually, Darwin appears through the capacity crowd and with the anticipation building the Darwin Deez, accompanied with 80's pop songs take to the stage. I have been to various events and seen many acts recently but this was definitely special. I'm not exactly a dancer, although I have practised moves with my partner and children, I couldn't compete with the Deez. They performed several daft synchronised dance routines that were inspirational. Not just during the introduction either, several times they combined to dance and swing their arms around. This wasn't an ordinary performance but then they aren't your average band! Up In The Clouds started the set, Constellations and Deep Sea Divers followed in a Julian Casablancas-esque monotone. In twined with the dance routines to mixes including Peanut Butter Jelly Time and Do The Bart Man, they performed several songs from the album. I enjoyed Bed Space but the biggest cheer came when Radar Detector started, Darwin welcomed the crowd as everyone began singing the chorus! They returned for a brief encore, this included a dance routine and finished with The Bomb Song. The foursome ran into the crowd during the finale and finally ended up piled on the stage, greeted with cheers and admiration.

Afterwards, I was introduced to the band through one of the lead dancers from the West End production Stomp! I have no idea how I'm able to find myself in such circumstances but it was an experience. I just need to meet Steve Jobs, the iPhone camera is disappointing and the photos I took appear to display my head merging with Darwin's! I ended the adventure still confused how a couple had gained entry to the concert with a cake they had baked?! Another good night, hurry back from Spain!!!!

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That's Not The Way To Play The Game

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What's the going rate for the tooth fairy these days? I only ask because my son is losing them like they're going out of style. Show me your teeth, open your mouth boy? It's amazing how losing a few teeth completely changes the appearance, obviously the smile but his entire head appears to have changed shape. Is that even possible?!

Maybe it's where I haven't seen them as much recently, although that appears to be showing signs of improvement. I don't feel their mother will ever approve of my situation but I'm happy, so let there be light! The last few days I have had the children at mine, we have watched movies and I attempted to play football but I need to revisit the rules. Apparently I don't play fairly as a goalkeeper, I send condolences to the plant that my son attacked because he couldn't find the back of the net! He then emitted a battle cry before running up the road, I have much to learn about the beautiful game but also about my beautiful children!

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Actually, I Have The T-Shirt

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Yesterday was uneventful until I was invited to a barbecue, I travelled to my friends unsure how the night would unfold. Originally after watching Chelsea progress to the FA Cup final I wanted to watch El Gran Clásico at the Bernabeu but was persuaded to stay at my friends. This proved to be a good decision because I enjoyed the atmosphere and interaction, I'm still unsure how I eventually woke up wearing two coats and a scarf though. The car journey to my children in the morning was an adventure because finding where my brothers were playing football was a mission. Eventually we found them but they were losing 5-1 so no reason to get too excited! Participated in our own game for a while before heading home..

Later that afternoon I headed to Camden Town for Koko Pop, I travelled with my partner's sister and met friends outside the venue. It felt different without her there because we have done so much together recently. I was advised beforehand that there would be considerable delays during the production of the show and there were a few times this occurred. The first performance was Tinie Tempah, we go way back and we shared some memorable times in the past before he became famous. He has the video footage that he will show to his family several years in the future. Probably at his aunts house!! I wonder whether he has ever sung Mambo No. 5?!

After his performance he disappeared from the stage, attempting to find a better vantage point we managed to find him downstairs at the lower bar. We then became the crowd for his interview, when this finished we had to find out about the footage we recorded during our previous encounter and he told us the details and that he gave us a shout out on the Radio. There was a lot of waiting about after this but we managed to watch Daisy Dares You perform, according to my friends she was particularly interested in me but I'm not so sure! We managed to appear in the following interviews for Alexandra Burke and Marina & The Diamonds. The Marina interview was delayed because her clothing featured Coca-Cola branding heavily and the producers weren't impressed and she had to change outfits.

I decided to depart from the event at this stage because my family had organised a meal to celebrate my birthday. I arrived and was presented with cards and a gift from my siblings, my sister reminded me again that she had been the chief organiser. How could I forget when she has told me this the entire week!! It was a great gift, I have always wanted to participate in a Red Letter Day experience and now I will be able to once I have selected my preference. Skydiving, Parachute Jumps and many of the water activities sound attractive. A hectic 24 hours concluded with a telephone call from Tenerife, counting down the days now...

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Soho Beckoned, Sleep Required

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We attended the Chevrolet Spark Unscheduled Tour Launch yesterday at the Vinyl Factory, Soho. The event featured a performance from the Mystery Jets and Jack Penate, Bullion, MEROK Records and Nick Grimshaw all provided DJ sets on the car DJ booth. The DJ car was specially designed and built for the tour and was an innovative concept. Also available was light graffiti and guests were treated to an exclusive free session from WAH Nails, one of the fashion world’s leading fingertip artists. With a free bar and popcorn too, the night had all the ingredients necessary for a memorable birthday!

After we had met our friends and made our way inside I noticed Nick Grimshaw, he acknowledged us and I had to attempt a conversation. I requested a song! Then returned shortly afterwards for my partner to request another song and to capture the moment with a photograph. Achievement Unlocked!

We made sure to fully utilise the free alcohol available, consuming copious amounts of vodka and the occasional popcorn. There wasn't a limit available so we were soon expanding our social circle and interacting with people at the event. Light graffiti is a photographic technique in which exposures are made usually at night or in a darkened room by moving a hand-held light source or by moving the camera. For the Chevrolet Spark Unscheduled Tour Launch, we were able to spray an image of a car which was then projected onto the actual vehicle. I thought this was a novel and original concept! After participating in a popcorn exchange and celebrated in Formula 1(esque) style, we then welcomed the Mystery Jets onto the stage. The night concluded with WAH Nails, although unfortunately I wasn't able to experience this promotion due to time constraints.

On the way home from The Vinyl Factory we walked round the corner into Beak Street and noticed this great big mass of hair cascading down from the first floor window of a building. It flowed diagonally across the building and re-entered the building through the front door. I won't deny that we attempted to climb the hair, failure was inevitable though! We then made our way to London Trocadero, street racing, bowling and Dance Dance Revolution were not our finest hour. Finished the evening with a random frog handbag and were left on the final train which was headed to Orpington. The journey was emotional and thankfully we were collected from the station! My partner has departed for Tenerife today, when she arrived home yesterday she had to finish packing her suitcase. I spoke to her briefly and she packed her entire sock collection and random items from her wardrobe. She returns in a week and already I'm counting down the days until her return! P.S I'm Still Drunk...

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Inside Every Thirty Year Old...

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..There's an eighteen year old asking, what happened?

According to online sources the 30th birthday in today’s world is often around the time when people start thinking of calming down. They indicate that I should have started to lust after women that it would be socially inappropriate for me to date due to their age, who knew... It is assumed that I'm somewhat established in the career of my choice, and that I should apparently have a preference for massages and relaxation sessions!

Seriously?! I'm a product of the 80's, I know the meaning of Wax on/Wax Off, I actually still want to take Karate, Ferris Bueller was my idol "OH YEAH..." , I can admit that my hair became something which can only be described by the phrase "I was experimenting", I felt that the Commodore 64 was a revolution with it's 16 colors, Michael Jordan was required to feature on ALL clothing, Michael Jackson was considered cool and children's shows like ThunderCats, Grange Hill, Dungeons & Dragons, Round the Twist, The Raccoons, Gummi Bears and The Moomins provided the building blocks for my education.

Today has finally arrived and the celebrations started just before midnight when the house was covered in string, popcorn and vodka. I have set the precedent for greeting cards now, my partner presented a card that made me ha-pea with a thought provoking and personal message. The gifts were impressive and both relevant and related to the many adventures that we have accumulated to become the story of us! I definitely need to learn how to play the guitar now after receiving one as a present from her. We relaxed for the duration but with packing and the Chevrolet Spark Unscheduled Tour this evening we need to make movement. The Chevrolet Spark Unscheduled Tour Launch features the Mystery Jets at the Vinyl Factory, Soho. Chevrolet has also teamed up with a hand-picked selection of the hottest independent, musical, creative and design talents of the moment to drive a buzz around the launch in London. Jack Penate, Bullion, MEROK Records and Nick Grimshaw will all be doing DJ sets on the car DJ booth. Can't wait, tonight should be a memorable occasion!!

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All You Need Is Love

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Liverpool has a captivating history, from its historic landmarks like Albert Dock and the Walker Art Gallery to its cultural highlights like Tate Liverpool and the Cavern Club. This weekends Grand National, The Beatles and much more. Personally I'm more intrigued by the Super Lamb Banana which have become one of the most instantly recognisable and popular symbols of the City of Liverpool. I write about the City because in September John Moores University will become the cure and the cause.

The University is where my partner will become a student for the next three years, I'm excited for her but people have expressed that the distance will end our relationship. No one can predict what's going to happen, there are many scenarios and referring to now as the middle can't be comprehended. I could write about how I'm determined to be there as much as possible, the commitment, how proud I am that she is doing something that I regret not doing and how I want her to succeed. I will instead quote a Liverpool legend, John Lennon who said that 'All you need is love' and as long as that remains true then I'm there through every experience! I have likened our circumstance to Benjamin Button but I hope that I won't have to contend with puberty and eventually become a child. I have enquired about following her to Merseyside because the situation with my children remains difficult. I hardly see them anymore, four times a month I can operate from another location and they're going to Florida in the summer for six weeks. I also need to consider her independence though because she has chosen Liverpool to control her destiny. A friend said that I always take the difficult route,I believe the path I choose is because she's worth it..

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The Definition of Difference

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Everyone has embarrassing memories, whether it's the experimental hairstyle, that old cardigan, Burberry trousers or performing a dance routine to Mambo No. 5. These memories are usually best forgotten, but through photography and video footage they can always make another appearance. The stage was set at my partners eighteenth birthday family party, the auditorium was at capacity and everyone watched the childhood video footage. I don't really think that anyone featured escaped without an embarrassing moment. The Russian accent was amazing and the red dress was obviously reserved for exclusive performances! A little bit of Sandra in the Sun...

This was the first time that I had been introduced to many of the family, we had considered my children's participation but figured it better to move slowly. I'm sure that my son would have had everyone playing the peg game so probably a sensible approach. It was a shame that more friends didn't participate, although as I have found it's the best friends that are always there when required most! After the majority of the birthday cake and alcohol had been consumed we decided to move onwards to Camden Town. The typical journey was accompanied by a separation into two groups at Mornington Crescent. This wasn't intentional but neither was awarding a ten to the person that dived into the floor, sharing a burger with strangers or exchanging jackets with security staff at a bar and then banishing them from the premises with their 'shield'. We were eventually reunited and somehow ended up with a notepad, several notes later we were writing on each other; visions of Newcastle with the original cast!

Afterwards we seemed to attract the attention of the local hobos, exchanged 'number' and they were influential as towards the end I thought that everyone was behaving differently!! The evening wouldn't be complete without the night bus home although when we were introduced to 'Blondie' and 'Asian' I couldn't answer. At the final furlong the driver of our last bus told us that we were delaying the service and making everyone late, considering that this was an empty bus meant that this was up for debate. The night finished with too many questions but an emotional day concluded with a somersault and necessary sleep...

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Everything, Everything

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You are my mountain, you are my sea

The song Mountains made its studio debut on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show in the UK on Friday June 19, 2008 as The Hottest Record in the World Today. The above quote has been used the most since the introduction to my partner that weekend in Newcastle. Music plays an important role in history, everyday life and relationships. Like Nick and Norah we share a love of music, hunt for elusive bands and search for drunk friends. Today, after months of borrowed identification, anxious queues and sheer determination; she has reached her eighteenth birthday!

The celebrations started yesterday at a party for her friend who shares the same birth date. Her family had hired a hall for the occasion and friends and relatives were there for the night. They also prepared a cake for my partner which I thought was a nice gesture. As the clock struck midnight everyone wanted to continue with the celebrations and we travelled to Dartford for what I can only refer to as a mistake. I used to regularly spend weekends here but an evening with Kano and the Tribal Skank were too much. We had a laugh though which is the most important! After a brief tour of friends houses, I returned home with my partner and provided the gifts and birthday card I had prepared! Everything was well received and I only wish that I could have provided more. Today is the one, rendezvous, family party and then Camden Town... (to be continued..)

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Going The Distance

Image by Calamity Meg via Flickr

Easter approved this message! I wish I had acted quicker in purchasing those delightful chocolate eggs that everyone craves because yesterday was not resurrecting! Anyway, I want to focus on yesterday evening, not the largest attendance to a birthday gathering, especially the 30 milestone. Facebook isn't core to arrangements as I understand everyone has commitments. Regardless though, those that made an appearance I would like to thank you for participating in celebrating with me on the night! 

I opted for a local adventure and wasn't disappointed, Ivory Lounge had provided various shows and performances for the duration. I held a snake which wasn't originally on the agenda for the evening, I have held snakes before but they have a unique feel which I still find foreign. Several 'bunnies' on stilts made an appearance and we left shortly afterwards as we were concerned that we wouldn't make the other venue to meet everyone else. Pure has longer queue times than a theme park ride but we were soon inside and on the dance floor. It was disappointing that my youngest brother (+bf) weren't able to participate due to their age but my other siblings were there with their partners. We had an amazing night and there are a few side stories that I will refrain from writing about to save the wildlife!!! Today I briefly saw the children and they assisted as I wrote the longest birthday message ever, literally! The next few days should be epic, especially tonight as my partner reaches her own milestone at midnight. We're going to have to change our entire playlist now!!!

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Everything's Going To Be Better For You

Image by joedawson via Flickr

After the huge success of the Club NME Christmas Party, we headed to Koko to experience The Whip headline the Easter bank holiday extravaganza alongside Killaflaw and Ou Est Le Swimming Pool (DJ Set). We were really tired beforehand and sleep wasn't the most thought out decision, especially when we woke at 19:00 with others depending on our involvement. The preparation had been appointed to us because we usually provide the main contribution to any delays, sleep is a requirement though..

Approximately two hours later we arrived in Camden and made our intentions known at World's End! Afterwards we headed towards Koko and immediately were approached by opportunists. Special offers and discounted promotions?! You have to be Superman, right? We entered the venue like we had returned home, frequent visitors with reservations for the front standing area. No one appeared to mind! The theme was innovative, although not familiar with the restoration of the Primary Universe through the negation of the Tangent Universe; Koko welcomed Donnie Darko's Manipulated Dead Frank premonition from the future in the form of a disturbing - glow stick wielding - rabbit suit. There were two glow stick wielding rabbits at the front and once the supply had been allocated they disappeared and The Whip took to the stage. Not too familiar with their tracks but the atmosphere was glowing (pun intended)! Afterwards the speakers were occupied by a majority Indie playlist, Mumford & Sons received the warmest reception and deserved too! After retiring briefly for sleep in the upper tier with my partner we decided that the curtain called and we made our departure. Arriving home at 06:00 was not a good look but we have become accustomed to this now and we were soon awake again and ready for the day ahead. I have my children today after an interlude but enjoying their company and creativity so far!!

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What Message?

Image by Fictional Future via Flickr

I find that purchasing gifts, flowers, chocolates and perfume is easier than selecting a suitable card for a special occasion. Decided that Oxford Street required some attention this afternoon, the objective being to search everywhere for the desired birthday greeting card. It took a while, I eventually found one that I felt provided a reflection of my feelings and with enough space to write an essay. I like to write a significant amount!! Afterwards I decided to browse the local stores for clothes and happened across an instore gig at Urban Outfitters from Chew Lips. I only caught the finale but I have wanted to see them perform since I cancelled attendance to watch my brothers band! I finished the adventure in Carnaby Street before travelling home to practise asphyxiation!

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