"I need a break and I wanna be a Paperback Writer"
I am at the end of a full fortnight off work, which has been nice, if less restful than I'd have hoped. In fact, with me having visited Swalesdale in the North Yorkshire moors the week prior to this annual leave, it's been three weeks since I did any actually day to day grind. So, though it's always nicer to live in leisure, I sort of looking forward to my return to work. I'll have to take a massive hit in my wages though - I reckon I've lost about £150 from not doing the sleep ins. I suppose that my tax will be lighter so it shouldn't work out too bad.
Kate said to me the other night that I was "annoying", before clarifying that what she meant was in a "mad genius, creative kind of way. Like Kubrick". She also added, rather nicely, that she thinks that, one day, I will do something brilliant and important. I was very touched. It also lead me to thinking that this would be harder to achieve with my current lot in life. So I'm going to make some changes (albeit slow, progressive changes) that will hopefully bear some fruition for the better in the future.
I have also been under the assumption that writers and miscellaneous media commentators have to have started their careers at painfully young ages (Charlie Brooker is but a few years older than me) but I realise that this is not the case. I think that it's because I equate everything back to the music industry which does rely on the young and beautiful just as much as the talented and dynamic. But it's different. Jo Brand (whom I neither like nor particularly respect, FYI) worked as a psychiatric nurse for years before taking a risk and becoming a stand up comedian, which now, I should think, gives her more job satisfaction and lifestyle security than all of those years of working in mental health. What if, I thought, the only thing that separates those that do and those that don't is their will? If they can do it then why can't I?
So, back to the real world, I have decided to embark on a degree with the Open University which I plan to encompass media studies (as in the study of the media, not running around towns with camcorders and making animated shorts), some social sciences, some history and some English. I hope that, during my time doing the individual courses, that some journalism courses crop up. I'm not under the illusion that, if I manage to get a degree, that I'll suddenly be whisked up by a broadsheet to write about whatever I please, but I hope that, at the least, it will broaden my horizons and allow me to get my foot in doors that would previously be shut tight. I'm hoping though, even more than this, that it will just be bloody good fun to do.
I have applied for my first course, Understanding the Media, that begins in January. The course is a level 2 (which I have opted to do over the level 1 not because of my arrogance or even confidence of ability to do well at the work but it's the last possible opportunity to do the course and I feel it would be a waste to not) and sounds right up my street. It's all about how media moguls control the media, whether society governs the media or if it governs us, why we need celebrities and how they are made, and the like. I am genuinely buzzing with excitement about this. Social commentary is what I really want to do.
So, as long as I get the funding papers sent off in time then I should be starting this very soon.
***
The big, fun thing of the past fortnight is that we bought the Limited Edition Beatles Rock Band, which means that we have the Hofner bass and Ludwig drums. After the initial excitement of actually buying the thing
(which made me feel like this)
We found that it is an absolute joy to play and a touching homage to an amazing band, and also works excellently as a coffee table decoration:
Yes, the car still isn't fixed and yes, £179.99 is a lot to spend on a videogame, but when you think that it has kept Kate and I happily occupied for 2 weeks and will continue to do so for some time to come, the value of it comes into perspective. I think that, aside from being a socially fun thing to do, it adds enjoyment to listening to the Beatles' music in ways not before explored. I think that everyone who loves music should have a copy.
I also bought Fifa 09 as I was craving a game that I could play in 10 minute bursts, it was under £8 and, with my utter lack of football knowledge, I am unlikely to notice the improvements made in this year's instalment of the franchise. It's fun, though I don't understand how people can play it to the extend that they do. I mean, there's no story!
I have watched a couple of very good movies recently. Before I went to Yorkshire I bought The Wrestler, which I I watched on return and was thoroughly impressed with. Aside from Miles in Sideways, I can't remember a character whom I care and worried about more than Randy the Ram. And it doesn't sell out to the sugary norms of the Hollywood system. We bought Coraline which I adored and thought was every bit as magical as Pan's Labyrinth (if a gnat's pube short of a good Ghibli movie). And it had Lovejoy in it. Lastly, I finally watched Quiz Show which affirmed that John Turturro is a great actor and reminded me that Ralph Fiennes is also. It also reinforced that films set in the 1950s in America are great and that you can't beat a conspiracy and a court room for thrills.
I'm sure that you've all seen this, but for those that haven't, here's a treat:
"Are you the goddess?"
Kate said to me the other night that I was "annoying", before clarifying that what she meant was in a "mad genius, creative kind of way. Like Kubrick". She also added, rather nicely, that she thinks that, one day, I will do something brilliant and important. I was very touched. It also lead me to thinking that this would be harder to achieve with my current lot in life. So I'm going to make some changes (albeit slow, progressive changes) that will hopefully bear some fruition for the better in the future.
I have also been under the assumption that writers and miscellaneous media commentators have to have started their careers at painfully young ages (Charlie Brooker is but a few years older than me) but I realise that this is not the case. I think that it's because I equate everything back to the music industry which does rely on the young and beautiful just as much as the talented and dynamic. But it's different. Jo Brand (whom I neither like nor particularly respect, FYI) worked as a psychiatric nurse for years before taking a risk and becoming a stand up comedian, which now, I should think, gives her more job satisfaction and lifestyle security than all of those years of working in mental health. What if, I thought, the only thing that separates those that do and those that don't is their will? If they can do it then why can't I?
So, back to the real world, I have decided to embark on a degree with the Open University which I plan to encompass media studies (as in the study of the media, not running around towns with camcorders and making animated shorts), some social sciences, some history and some English. I hope that, during my time doing the individual courses, that some journalism courses crop up. I'm not under the illusion that, if I manage to get a degree, that I'll suddenly be whisked up by a broadsheet to write about whatever I please, but I hope that, at the least, it will broaden my horizons and allow me to get my foot in doors that would previously be shut tight. I'm hoping though, even more than this, that it will just be bloody good fun to do.
I have applied for my first course, Understanding the Media, that begins in January. The course is a level 2 (which I have opted to do over the level 1 not because of my arrogance or even confidence of ability to do well at the work but it's the last possible opportunity to do the course and I feel it would be a waste to not) and sounds right up my street. It's all about how media moguls control the media, whether society governs the media or if it governs us, why we need celebrities and how they are made, and the like. I am genuinely buzzing with excitement about this. Social commentary is what I really want to do.
So, as long as I get the funding papers sent off in time then I should be starting this very soon.
***
The big, fun thing of the past fortnight is that we bought the Limited Edition Beatles Rock Band, which means that we have the Hofner bass and Ludwig drums. After the initial excitement of actually buying the thing
(which made me feel like this)
We found that it is an absolute joy to play and a touching homage to an amazing band, and also works excellently as a coffee table decoration:
Yes, the car still isn't fixed and yes, £179.99 is a lot to spend on a videogame, but when you think that it has kept Kate and I happily occupied for 2 weeks and will continue to do so for some time to come, the value of it comes into perspective. I think that, aside from being a socially fun thing to do, it adds enjoyment to listening to the Beatles' music in ways not before explored. I think that everyone who loves music should have a copy.
I also bought Fifa 09 as I was craving a game that I could play in 10 minute bursts, it was under £8 and, with my utter lack of football knowledge, I am unlikely to notice the improvements made in this year's instalment of the franchise. It's fun, though I don't understand how people can play it to the extend that they do. I mean, there's no story!
I have watched a couple of very good movies recently. Before I went to Yorkshire I bought The Wrestler, which I I watched on return and was thoroughly impressed with. Aside from Miles in Sideways, I can't remember a character whom I care and worried about more than Randy the Ram. And it doesn't sell out to the sugary norms of the Hollywood system. We bought Coraline which I adored and thought was every bit as magical as Pan's Labyrinth (if a gnat's pube short of a good Ghibli movie). And it had Lovejoy in it. Lastly, I finally watched Quiz Show which affirmed that John Turturro is a great actor and reminded me that Ralph Fiennes is also. It also reinforced that films set in the 1950s in America are great and that you can't beat a conspiracy and a court room for thrills.
I'm sure that you've all seen this, but for those that haven't, here's a treat:
Click to view"Are you the goddess?"