Over a week without a post from me, I'm sure you've been pining.
O HAI!
I've had a week off from teaching/thesis work so actually opening the thesis chapter draft today counts for something, right? Granted, most I've done today is copy-paste some paragraphs around and feel detached about the whole concept of academia. Submitting PhD thesis before Christmas? Pfft, piece of cake. Presenting a conference paper that I haven't yet written in three weeks? Whatever, I'm sure it'll be fine.
This, ladies and gents, is what I like to call happy-go-lucky-denial. It's awesome.
It also leads to rambly updates.
So, I had a very relaxing week off. pushkin666 and I spent a rainy weekend in the country, drank wine, ate lots of awesome food, watched the Eurovision (I wanted Moldova to win, but was also hugely fond of Italy), and talked about writing (though did not get much actual writing done). On Monday we came back to Manchester, collected dreamersdare from the train station and spent the evening rocking out to Panic! At The Disco.
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No, I cannot be bothered to cut, pull your finger out of your arse and scroll past if you're not interested.
Panic @ Manchester Academy, 16th of May
Dude. Duuuuuuuuuuude, it was amazing. Academy's refurbishment has paid off and the venue is so much better now than three years ago when pushkin666 and I first saw the band there.
Speaking of, this was a very... different gig than the one three years ago. A different band, yes, but what really stuck out for me was how different Brendon was. He fucking owned that stage. Yes, part of it is growing up I'm sure, gaining more experience and confidence, but I think it was more than that. Three years ago it felt like Brendon was playing a part in someone else's band. Now, it felt like it really was Brendon on stage, fronting his own band, not a role he put on. And damn, it was hot. I approve the braces and bowtie combo hard.
You know what else was hot? Spencer Smith with a microphone. Throughout the show Brendon kept turning toward Spencer and playing to him, showing off and seeking approval like a good sub which gave me lots of special feelings. Yes it did.
This person had the best quality vids of the show, so have I Write Sins as a taster, beautifully illustrating Brendon's attitude, Spencer's fiersomeness, and Dallon and Ian's willingness to indulge in some delicious stage-gay.
Brendon wants us to sweat together:
Click to viewYou should also check out her/his vids of Mona Lisa and Nine In the Afternoon. (Oh, and filmed by someone else, here's the cover of Billie Jean they did. )
I cannot, however, not post this one. As SPN fans, dreamersdare, pushkin666 and I were ecstatic that the boys played Carry On My Wayward Son as one of the encores. This is like 6 minutes of guitar porn. Check out also Spencer being hot stuff on the drums, which the rest of the band rightfully acknowledge.
Yeah, it was good for me too, believe it.
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On Tuesday I poured dreamersdare and pushkin666 into their respective trains and then ambled over to the Northern Quarter to meet up with neppu and her friend who were in town for a gig. Got to introduce them to one of my favourite places in Manchester, Oklahoma cafe, and give tips of other places worth a visit.
Yesterday was at uni, spending quality time with Turnitin software (plagiarism detection) and today I have pretended to do some work at home.
Tonight I have a poetry reading again and I'm currently trying to decide which of my old poems to read because haven't written anything new over the last couple of weeks. I've narrowed it down to either in babylon they laugh with broken teeth or Such Mercy, second opinions appreciated.
Right, enough of rambling. Later my beauties!