Memorable Gaming Moments - Part One

Growing up in the 90s meant there were only two things worth caring about in my life- football and computer games. From morning to midnight my friends and I would play football then retreat to one of our houses to dwindle the remaining hours of the day away on a Playstation, GameBoy or even a Sega Master System II. Inspired by this list, I have compiled my own list of memorable gaming moments, most from my childhood, some more recent. I hope, and expect, many of you will also remember one or two...

List (in no particular order):

1. Tomb Raider and the T-Rex (Playstation One)

One of the first games I thoroughly enjoyed, got right into and actually managed to complete was Tomb Raider, an absolute classic of a game. Picture the scene: you find yourself in a grand open space and see a handful of dinosaurs running at you. As an 8/9 year old it's scary. Imagine the pride well up when you lodge a bullet in the head of each one and gaze in awe as they hit the floor, proud of your work. Then behind you outsteps that. F************cccckk! pretty much sums it up.

2. Metal Gear Solid - Cyborg Ninja (Playstation One)

My god, even now I get chills thinking about him. As if MGS wasn't hard enough when you were a kid, now I'm confronted by a NINJA!!!! Then I find out he can turn INVISIBLE!!!! Then I find out I have to FIGHT him!!!! I was genuinely scared of this thing, I'll never forget the butterflies in my stomach as I stood still in fear and an invisible samurai sword hacked my every body part at will. Back then, bosses were bosses and this was one bad ass boss.

3. Adidas Power Soccer - The Beckham Chip (Playstation One)

My first ever football game was Adidas Power Soccer for PSOne. I always remember the cover, with the weird mime fella as the keeper and the bit too short shorts on the player. In game, I would always go Everton and always play Grasshoppers; I liked the name! I used to set the match length to 30 minutes or something silly and just score goal after goal until I reached 100-0, then the scoreboard seemingly crashed and any the score wouldn't change no matter how many more goals you inflicted on the poor Grasshoppers. I must have shipped over 2000 goals against the poor souls in total easily. The strongest memory of the game, though, is that if you were in desperate need of a goal all you had to do was run to the halfway line facing your own goal and press shoot. The player, no matter how crap, would then swivel and blast a chip over the opponents keeper from the halfway line- every time without fail! This was my first football game and really got me started on my love for football and for that it deserves a place on my list. P.S. I couldn't find any videos of the infamous chip glitch so here's a gameplay vid- the graphics and AI are breathtaking I'm sure you'll agree. Or not.

4. Altered Beast - The Transformation (SEGA Master System II)

Altered Beast was my favourite game on my SEGA Master System (II). I honestly don't know how I never completed it, as it is notoriously one of the easiest and fastest games to complete of the era. I was only around 6 at the time, though, so that's my excuse! I'll never forget the change in music when you finally collect the 3 orbs that transform you into a random beast. The werewolf, as shown above, is my favourite and I'm sure at least one of you reading this will be familiar with this game. NOTE: You can now download the original version on the App Store.

5. Michael Jackson Moonwalker - Club 30 (SEGA Genesis)

An unforgettable game- the slightly disturbing 'owww's and 'heeee's, the famous MJ kick that shot magic dust that killed 18 stone mobsters and, of course, that suit. But the most memorable part of the game, for me, was the very beginning when he enters the club looking cool as f*ck and, just like the music video, flips a coin that lands directly in the jukebox slot! Now that's talent. Moments later an 8 bit version of Billie Jean hits and off you go shooting a magic white substance at men and saving children.

No comment.

6. Pokemon Blue/ Red - Choosing your first Pokemon (GameBoy Color)

Sooo many scenes and parts to choose from but, for now at least, I'm gonna stick with the truly defining moment in any Pokemon game; choosing your first Pokemon. If I remember correctly, the 3 to choose from were Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur. I used to save before this scene on each playthrough until I got Charmander. Once chose, this little mix of pixels soon becomes like a real life sibling and you're willing to protect it with your (virtual) life HP. Another magical moment comes when, finally, after days and probably too many hours of training your friend up he or she evolves! The naming of your rival, battling of gym leaders, buying your first bicycle and the music, the droning music!! Memories, memories! :)

P.S. Again, couldn't find the suitable video so here's some music. The memories will come flooding back!

7. Metal Gear Solid 4 - Raiden vs Vamp

Finally, any players of MGS4 will undoubtedly share the same view as me when I say the cutscenes with Raiden are absolutley stunning. However, it is this one that remains the strongest in my mind. Vamp, an immortal boss is renowned for his agility and blade skills. Raiden is also, thus making this a fine battle. So many things go through your head as they square off; will Raiden be killed, will-somehow-he manage to destro Vamp? Will both die? This scene is a gaming classic and shows the developer's skills pefectly, never have I played such a beautiful looking and flowing game. MGS is famous for its cutscenes and this is why...

And, fittingly, that stunning scene marks the end of Part One. I'll be back soon to compile another list of memorable gaming moments, I'm certainly not short on them! I hope you enjoyed this lighter approached article and hope to see you again soon!

The Photoshop Look

A couple in America are trying to scrap the perfected images of women that we see everyday on magazine covers, on television and even on page 3.

[You can read the article here]

It is worrying that you can turn a grey, scaly coke head into a glamorous supermodel type idol so easily. No doubt kids have a different kind of pressure today to when I was growing up. Smooth skinned beauties were still on covers back then but the editing seems to come under more scrutiny each year and the waists are getting thinner, breasts bigger and skin so smooth it looks like they've been ironed.

Take Lindsay Lohan, who has just done a Playboy shoot. Why? What has she done so great to land such a prestigious offering? In the article you can clearly see the resemblance and link to Marylin Monroe. I think it's a disgrace to compare such a celebrated idol (with actual talent) to such a... what does she do? I remember watching her in Parent Trap but can't remember anything else...

'She's America's most fascinating Celebrity' they claim. Jesus, how desperate are they for a bit of gossip? To compare a legend, who girls worldwide looked up to and wanted to be, to Lohan is a joke. It's the same mentality we have over here. Talentless 'celebrities' whose work has dried up so the next logical step is to get their t*ts out or sell a story. Or release a sex tape. Or go on Big Brother, take your pick.

You can't deny that in the article they have made her look like a beautiful pin up girl from the past and somewhere, somehow, a young girl will see these images and feel that little bit smaller because even Lindsay Lohan, a celebrity charlatan can look like a Miss World competitor.

I honestly hope the couple I linked to make a breakthrough. Let's be honest, if we want to see a bit of skin we can find it on the internet with 20 seconds, so why fill shelves full of such images when kids are guaranteed to be present? I always thought Playboy had a certain classy, traditional reputation. But with this message of 'take drugs to get in the media and you can pose for us', I'm afraid they've let themselves down immensely.

Earth 2.0 discovered but will we ever see it?

Scientists this week have discovered a new planet that seems to display very similar qualities to our own planet. Very exciting news, however it's over 600 light years away and there would take 600 years to get there. Who knows, maybe I'll still be going by then? Seriously though, I envy the people of the future. Well, maybe. It all depends on how we develop as humanity, not as individual countries but as one race. In 600 years will we still be fighting wars over oil and invisible weapons of mass destruction? Probably not, but I'm sure there'll be something to fight about. Will we still even be here? Or will we have had World War 3 and wiped ourselves out? Frightening thought, but maybe not so far fetched as one may like to believe.

This article makes me wonder how many other planets are like ours. Take into consideration the sheer size of the universe and, personally, I think life on other planets is almost guaranteed. We aren't even a speck of the finest dust in the universe and yet some are still ignorant enough to think we are the only, and strongest, form of life.

The picture used also made me wonder what our planet will look like from space in 600 years. Perhaps it will almost completely blue due to global warming, or perhaps a drought is in store and the majority of the water disappears? Perhaps the great continents of today will only be half their size due to a major earthquake/ tsunami? Who knows...

If this dream of exporting humanity to another planet was ever to be achieved would we be arrogant enough to then try and take the land's resources from our new planet and slowly destroy Earth 2.0 as we have here? It wouldn't surprise me...

My Winter

This is a continuation of my post on DD...

It's getting cold now, very cold. No longer will a t-shirt and jeans combo do; the heavy coats and jackets come out along with the scarfs, gloves and ridiculous bobble hats. But, for once, style doesn't rule substance; as long as your teeth aren't chatting away without consent, looks don't matter.
All this is winter.

Delightful nights in front of the television with the heating on accompanied by close family and dark days out and about with friends and cups of hot chocolate from Costa.
All this is winter.

Rudolph noses, frozen digits, chapped lips and aching joints. All these are winter.

Christmas shopping, same shabby Christmas trees being dragged out the loft, same sharp intake of breath as you step outside from the glorious warmth into the sense tingling bitterness. All this is winter.

Stress of what to buy who for Christmas, dwindling funds, what to have for Christmas dinner, Christmas cracker cracking, advent calendar opening, Christmas candle lighting, Christmas stocking filling, waiting for the 25th day of the twelfth month. All these make warm memories in winter...

A Touchy Subject... Still

This is a story I was told by my girlfriend tonight as she got home from work...

Basically, whilst in work, two black (I'm not sure if that's the PC term or not so forgive me) girls asked her whether they sold a certain product in the store. As she essentially only works on 'her' aisle, there are certain products she is less clued up about than her specialist products. Hence when they asked she answered I don't think we sell x product sorry. Anyhow, a few minutes later one of the girls came back to her friend who was standing nearby with the said product and said 'they do sell x, look' to which her friend replied 'what the f*ck?! Why the f* ck did she tell us they didn't?! I'm f*ckin saying something to her!'

Her friend, sensing tension, told her to leave it as it was an honest mistake.

'But what the f*ck? Is it because we're black?' was her answer.

Seriously, in a week were racial comments have been in the news, why are we still at the stage where you can't even answer a question without someone being offended? Obviously racism is wrong and I'd never condone it but come on, some if the cases you hear are ridiculous. If we truly want an end to such problems, people need to be a little more open minded, a little more open and not as defensive. I hate this 'race' thing anyway, if i have a white cat and a black one, I don't class them as black and white, just cats. Maybe that comparison isn't fair... Or maybe it is, why is it such a grey area? All I know is that when a girl comes home from work unsettled and afraid they've offended someone for answering a question in a non threatening genuine manner then that tells me we're still too uptight about certain issues than we need to be. When are we going to try and move on and make racism a topic of yesteryear?

Vampires and Werewolves Roam Amongst Us

They do. At least they think they do. If you, like me, watched the documentary on Channel 4 the other night about real life vampire and werewolf cults in America, you'll know what a shambles the very idea is.

'Teen Vampires' it read as the show kicked off and I sat on the couch with the lights off ready to be amazed and scared shitless by a savage group of descendants from Transylvania. How very very disappointed I was. Turns out the whole documentary was centred on a group of kids in America who dress in black and desperately seek attention. You could see some were future murderers looking for a reason for their impending actions.

'I belong to the wolves and crave blood'. No mate, you're an attention seeker. One silly bitch even started swaying declaring she felt 'drunk' after licking the blood of a friends arm. What an absolute farce. Ready to turn over, I reached for the remote when a stout woman appears on screen identifying herself as one of the kids' mothers. Here's the part she tells her adolescent daughter to stop wearing plastic fangs, get a job and some friends... surely? Nope, she invites the group in and gives one of them a huge kitchen knife and asks him to cut himself. The soft bastard nearly slices him arm off as blood flows from the wound. Presumably they all 'feasted' well that night.

How then can one call these vampires? They don't turn to bats, don't turn to ash in sunlight and one even had a Spiderman t-shirt on. Some claimed to be wolves, not vampires. What makes these different you say? Well, they don't like the vampires in the group for a start. Er, that's it actually. Well I despise all these kids, what does that make me? A goblin? A troll? A bat-wolf hybrid?

Apparently, this craze is sweeping American schools. Some even chain each other together as, like a wolf, they pick a mate. And they wonder why they don't fit in? Anyone did that in my school the chain would be round their neck before they could say Robert Pattinson. These are essentially the attention seeking emo kids from school, with extras. Basically, they moan about being different then claim to be just that. Then go home, cut themselves and claim it's in their nature to do so.

In all seriousness though, it was sad to see some of these formerly driven kids reduced to sitting in a room full of candles, obviously depressed, and making excuses that it's normal as they're vampires. I was looking forward to the new Twighlight movie, but if it's just going to be Robert Pattinson sitting on his arse in his room all day with his Spiderman pyjamas on crying I think I'll pass.

Note: You can watch the said episode here.

Back in Business

Ahh it's good to be back!

As you can see, I've completely revamped the site with a fresh name and look. The principle stays the same; a cauldron of various topics put across in my own way. I'll start posting again very soon, in the meantime I'll be painstakingly editing various elements on the site...

Novel draft 2

I posted an idea of a novel I was working on a few months ago. Since then, I have tweaked the plot etc a lot (to the point it is now almost an entirely different story) but it feels a lot more comfortable now. Friends who are reading this know my love of horror, so it will come as no surprise that this is again a horror tale.

As before, I will post a small extract:

Chapter 1

Kevin sheepishly rummaged through the contents in the dust ridden sack. His hand brushed the old boot he was so weary of. He hated the idea that something may be lurking in the moth eaten souls, ready to make a quick dash at the first sign of danger. He always did hate spiders.   

                The attic was huge compared to his old one. Despite being full of things like an old piano, ancient grandfather clocks and huge wardrobes, it was still big enough for him to fit any bags in he needed to, and therefore meant he didn’t have to empty it-a relief to say the least. He had been curiously making his way around the space for the past hour and a half, inspecting everything he came across. He had discovered some rotting, yet obviously grandeur and eccentric, books written in Latin and even found his uncle’s old gramophone. He loved rooting through this stuff, though hated the feeling of not knowing what little creatures were waiting for him. 

                Kevin swiftly moved on before any spiders could introduce themselves and made his way to the far corner where the cobwebs looked decades old. By now, the sun had rapidly started to set and what light the grime covered sky light allowed in was diminishing fast. He switched his flashlight on and sighed as the feeble trickle of light illuminated his surroundings the best it could. The floorboards here were darker, as though red wine or some other rich substance had been spilt. Kevin laughed to himself as he imagined his grandfather peacefully sipping from his immaculate glass. Probably a mature fine Italian or French wine, only the best. To the right of this, an old leather bound notebook laid, the worn buckle still keeping the browning pages together. Kevin shrunk to his knees and stretched full length to retrieve it. His fingers brushed the dusty journal before he managed to get a suitable grip and pull it towards him. He shone the light on it, the beam showing a red brown face with an indistinguishable scribble running across the middle of it, deeply faded by the years of abandonment. He squinted and tried to make out any recognizable symbols but failed. Defeated, he carefully unhinged the buckle. The book seemed to expand, as though releasing a breath that had been held for many, many years.

Chapter 2

Kevin’s knees were now aching, the combination of solid wood and sharp grit bedding itself into his skin. The gathered the old diary in one hand whilst levering himself with the other. He slumped into an old rocking chair to his right, and this time it was he who was exhaling a much needed breath.

                The air was thin up here and he could feel the cold starting to creep through every crevice it could. He decided to give the diary a quick look before retiring to a much needed bath and then bed. The idea itself made him warm inside but the sharp snap of cold breeze on the back of his neck soon awoke his senses again.

                He turned the flashlight on and turned to the first page of the journal, its spine cracking like many of the old books he had come across earlier today. Here the writing was much more readable and the handwriting was surprisingly similar to his.

                He leaned back into the chair even further, the groans now louder than before. As he gently rocked, he positioned the diary between his hands on his knees and rested the light against his stomach. Comfortable, though slightly colder than he would like, he began to read.

The following is an extract from the diary of James Samuel Walter written in 1942:

***

You'll have to wait to see was written! Anyhow, as yet I have not got a title and I don't want to give too much about the plot away but I can reveal it is (sort of) based on a vampire, or vampire-esque thing. 

When I have a title etc., I will give an update.

Entering Neverland

So I have this sister. She's 16, and she's the usual grumpy, irritating, chip-on-the-shoulder kid most 16 year olds are. Now even more so since she got her BlackBerry. It seems the craze from the states has well and truly hit our shores as kids as young as 9 and 10 wander the streets frantically bashing their mini keyboards with their mini fingers, drooling at the mouth like smack fiends.

Since my sister got hers you're lucky if she acknowledges you these days. Even when we go out as a family her head is buried in the thing, continuously typing like a trained monkey on speed. I swore to myself I would never enter that world.

And then...

Yesterday I got news that I have in fact been bought a Blackberry. Don't know which one etc., but whatever shape it comes in I'm rather scared. Not wanting to say no to the nice gesture I accepted. To be fair, friends have them and they don't seem that bad. But I really don't want to end up like my 16 year old sister, updating my BBM status after every meal, sleep and minutely interesting incident that occurs before me.

I've never been one of the people who live on Facebook, Twitter and their phones. In fact I probably use all three the least out of all my friends. I don't really want that to change. I'm happy living a real life, though that may get tested within the next week when the little black box of addiction arrives at my door.

Maybe it won't be so bad or maybe I'll be on here again very soon begging everyone to add my pin. We shall see. Anyhow, this post is a sort of prelude to a social networking post I plan to write soon so stay tuned!

Today I Might Write A Novel...

I've always wanted to write a novel. One about a lone character finding his way through life after some sort of cataclysmic event, a la The Road or I am Legend.

Today I thought I'd start my novel. I've got a basic plot and hope to add to it when I can. It may take years, it may never get finished. But at least I've finally put my thoughts on paper.

So currently, I'm inspired by I am Legend and Dracula. Dracula? Yes, the format that is. The unique diary entries giving a personal touch you simply can't get otherwise. I sort of want it to feature some horror but not silly monsters- human monsters if you understand. I also want there to be an undercurrent of romance somewhere. Hopefully all this will develop in due course.

Here's a snippet of what I have so far...

Dear Darla (working title) by Jamie Davies

19th August  2011

Dear Diary,

No. Dear Darla,

     I am writing this as a way to express my... estranged (?) feelings. Plus, this way I get to speak to you- if you are indeed looking down on me. I know that you are and that alone keeps me going. You know I've never been one to open up, or even one to be considered as 'organized'. Therefore, forgive me if I do not stick to this diary religiously and entries come at random dates etc. 

You'll be glad to know the sun is shining bright as I write this and it is quite mild, as it usually is in August. The countryside looks majestic in such light, just as it was the first time we came to look at the cottage. The cottage, by the way is clean- as you would like it. I make sure Kev doesn't get too accustomed to lounging around, he seems slightly bigger than this time last week. But then golden Labradors never were known as athletic specimens. Kev...

Today's The Day

Well, Today was of course the Royal Wedding. Leading up to this, I gave the usual 'I won't be watching that shit,' as most did. But I did- as most probably did. I must admit, I quite enjoyed it. It really is a unique occasion that is different from anything else anywhere in the world. It appeared that the rest of the world were more excited about it than us; probably because of the whole normal girl becomes princess thing.

The amount of people present was unbelievable and I'm sure it was a great atmosphere. However, does the Queen ever genuinely smile? It's like she's mocking everyone as she 'waves', thinking 'One can't wait for these commoners to piss off!' Enough of that old sponge anyway.

I like Kate. I don't know why but I get the same (although probably not as strong) feeling as when I think of Diana. She seems a genuine down to earth girl. Whether she'll stay that way we're yet to see. Whether she'll turn into a strong female figure who is admired globally is another question as yet unanswered. All in all, an enjoyable day. It seems we are entering a new era regarding the Royal Family- a new, fresher perception seems to be molding.

Basking In Life (and the sunshine!)

Sorry for my recent lack of activity on this blog, I've been busy making art for my other blog and generally enjoying the glorious weather- when you get weather like this that lasts longer than two days in Huyton you have to make the most of it!

Also, I'm making a few changes; getting rid of the Trending Tuesday (as most of the time it revolves around Rebecca Black ad Justin Bieber. Also, I'm looking to introduce a new feature in the future.

Today is another scorching day so I'm off outside again. Be sure, though, once the clouds roll in again and the world is grey I will be back with a vengeance, angry and ready to spill!

Waving The White Flag

This article follows on from my original piece at DD&aP and focuses on the current state of our planet and the environment. This week, Japan was rocked by an earthquake like no other it has ever endured (and as I write this I can hear the TV saying they're bracing for a second quake). The images I am seeing right now are comparing before and after satellite shots which are almost unbelievable. This disaster, however, is just the latest in  a long line of catastrophes to happen over the past 12-24 months. Oil slicks, fires, quakes, hurricanes and tsunamis have been quite frequent in recent years. But what's to blame?

The first thing people say is Global Warming. I must say this seems the most likely to myself, and just shows how ignorant we are as a race. We were warned and warned and warned decades before by celebrated scientists yet done nothing to stop the abusing of our planet. It's that stupid thing f Man vs Nature. We need to be the dominant force. But how can you override Mother Nature? You can't. It's like prodding an angry dog; if you carry on it will attack. The more we abuse the planet, the harder it retaliates. Surely now we need to wave the white flag and stop annoying the grander forces of the planet before the decide to eradicate us completely (and who would blame it/them?). Back to Japan briefly, I shudder at the thought of what would have happened if that tsunami had hit a lesser prepared country- total devastation surely.

Another theory I've heard recently as to the reasoning behind the crazy weather recently is the whole 2010 thing. When these rumours started a few years ago I thought yeah, I hear this crap every year and should have been six feet under a decade ago. However, this claim does seem slightly more credible. I don't believe the Mayan prophecies theory, but it's actual fact that there will be a cosmic shift of some kind next year that could affect various elements such as tides etc. Some scientists claim the changes will be minimal- not enough for a normal person as myself to even notice; some say it could trigger a natural disaster of some sort.

However, I'm sticking with the Global Warming theory. The more I write this article the more the anger inside me wells up. Why does it take something this devastating to make people write about our behaviour towards the planet? It should never have got this far. Why is it only now, after such a grand disaster, that the worlds countries are flooding in to help Japan; should we not be one cumulative race 365 days a year no matter what the situation? What an absolutely greedy and money powered era we live in.

That Unfamiliar Sensation

Faced with a long walk home today, I looked outside the window. The sky was a brilliant blue, a few stray clouds the only blemish on an otherwise prestige canvas. It looked glorious, like a summers day. The trees swayed lightly in the breeze which only made me downhearted.

I've seen this before; an oasis of bliss that awaits on the other side of the pane, only to unveil it's true ways as soon as you step outside and the once enticing surroundings engulf you with a barrage of razor sharp, freezing winds that sting the skin. Winter simply doesn't give in that easy.

I long for the times when summer came early and was a pleasant surprise. When I was a kid, many times did a warm pleasant day disrupt the depressing script of Winter. Not anymore, not now. With this in mind I reached into my pocket and unveiled my trusty gloves. I then wrapped my scarf neatly round my neck and finally pulled my hat over my ears, ensuring I was at least warmer than usual.

Out I stepped, and sure enough, there was a breeze present. But it was different this time. This breeze was a pleasant breeze, mild in temperature and soft on the skin. No grains of sand and stone whipping across my pores, only air. As I turned onto the main road my spirits erupted as the now pounding sun shone strongly on my face. Alas, it was a summers day in winter- the kind I have longed for since I was half my height and I made sure I savoured it. I strolled home leisurely, not wanting the warm sensation, coupled with the light breeze, to ever end. My walk was enjoyable, something I thought unthinkable as I glared through that pane of glass only minutes before.

Amazing, I thought, how something as simple as a spot of sunshine can literally light up your spirits. And with that I continued my journey, a glorious journey.

Crumbs In The Butter #3 - Ballerinas with Studs

Hmmm, should I actually be writing this? This topic gets me so irate it may be best for my future health if I just stopped now. However, that's why I created this blog- to blow some steam amongst other things, so here goes. Modern footballers/ soccer players. JESUS! They make my blood steam! It seems that in the last 20 years, football has slowly been dying. Gone is the passion and loyalty to fans and in is the Buggati's and Lamboghini's. Then there's their attitude. It's so annoying when you've looked forward to and  planned the week around Saturday afternoon only to turn up, freeze your chosen genitalia off, and trod through the same puddles on the way home wondering what in the hell makes you get up and watch that shower of sh*te every week.

Okay, obviously not all footballers represent this 'modern footballer' image but those who do are no doubt ruining the whole spirit of the game. Every week I sit in stupidly cold temperatures after spending another £4/500  on a season ticket, which I inevitably wonder why at some point. Every week I see a 15 stone juggernaut super athlete momentarily dabble in the sport of the High Jump, only to then roll around the floor an endless amount and suddenly recover as though Jesus himself had graced us with his presence when the opponent is booked or play is continued. Pathetic. I love the old footage of players who would literally break bones and continue if it meant helping the team. Now we see body builders being shot by them ever present snipers in the stands. They then get their £90,000 a week for 90 minutes work. So frustrating.

This week Stephen Ireland (a once promising, now mediocre footballer) has been in the papers saying how shit life would be if he wasn't a footballer and how he'd never return to his native Ireland as it's a 'mess', as is the city of Birmingham where his former club was based. Way to thank the fans Stephen. This is what the press call a modern footballer- only interested in picking up their wage, having orgies and seemingly bragging and rubbing our noses in it.

You may, quite rightly, be wondering right now why I even bother going to watch this when it annoys me so much. Ironic even. But I think it's the same with everyone- One; I think we live in hope that one day football will go back to it's roots. When it wasn't a business but a sport (unlikely). Two; it's addictive and our loyalties were born before this age of pre-madonnas and we stubbornly go about our ritual every week as a stand against this growing trend of sour attitudes and values. At least that's what I think... maybe. Truth is, I'm not sure why but something needs to change fast or, as dropping crowd attendances prove, football will implode.

Rant over.

Crumbs In The Butter #2 - If I have to Shimmy around another dog...

Another post, another gripe that includes trains and buses. And dogs. And the brain dead owners. Admittedly, this doesn't happen all that frequently, but when it does it makes up for all the days you didn't have to sit through it. You know the type; you're on the bus and it's packed to the rafters. It's hot, sweaty and the windows are dripping with vapour from the endless treadmill of drunks, obese gym goers and teenagers that only inhale and break the barrage of noise and meaningless chatter every 15 minutes. That's bad enough. God, imagine how much worse this situation would be if a never ending panting dog, whose breath reaks of dry biscuits, was here.

But wait, here's a delightful young chap dressed in a black tracksuit with 'North Face' plastered all over it getting on the bus. Hang on, what the fuck is that thundering up the aisle towards me? Oh, a dog, probably some form of banned pit bull. Is the driver going to tell him to beat it? More chance of David Cameron winning me over. Okay, so it's not the dogs fault he's on a cramped bus, but what if there was another dog already on it and all hell broke loose? I've always believed only guide dogs should be allowed on buses but everyone has rights these days. Anyhow, back to the scene. Thirty seconds ago I was blissfully blanking out the world and only worrying about avoiding the obviously drugged up (probable) criminal's on going glare from the other end of the bus. Now I have a slobbering dog sniffing every inch of my leg whilst the owner takes no notice and sits down. The dog eventually moves on until it lies down in the centre of the aisle. Now people have to shimmy and dodge this dog whilst the blacked out delightful young chap merely chats on his phone about how crap the latest job finding course he went on was. Finally, he simply whistles as the dog shoots past the bewildered witnesses and darts of the bus. Thank God. Although, I'd probably take the dog over the blacked out chap- but that's for another day.

I love dogs, but these owners that let them own the bus and put everyone on edge, are complete tools. Not even a lead for f sake. Again, all ask for is a bit of respect.

Rant over.

Twitter Tuesday - #worldbookday

Thursday is World Book Day- the day everyone has to read a book or they die. Or did I just make that up? Whatever the consequences, I encourage everyone to give reading a go. To help you choose a book, I've listed my top 3 books:

1. Dracula
2. Frankenstein
3. Salem's Lot

Yes, all three are horror books and therefore there's a huge chance that list did absolutely nothing to get your reading juices going. If you are a horror fan, or even a lover of Victorian novels, however, the top 2 books especially are just brilliant. I picked Dracula up for about £2 in a mess of a bookshop in town and can honestly say it is the best book I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This started my love of Gothic horror and I managed to read a number of classics around that time, all brilliant. Frankenstein came the closest to taking Dracula's crown but lacked that 'scary horror' factor I crave which so often is the case. Salem's Lot is another honourable mention, written by Stephen King (who else?) and certainly worth a look.

As an avid reader, i am always open to new genres etc., so if you have read a book you feel is worthy of facing Dracula, please recommend it!

Crumbs In The Butter #1 - Boombox Blues

After a long day in school/ work etc., the train/ bus ride should be an enjoyable one- one where you can finally relax some and clear your head whilst looking at the lack of scenery. And it is- until the Ugg wearing/ Mohawk sporting/ scruffy school kid (take your pick) strides on and sits down. You watch with baited breath as they reach into their pockets (please God let them be checking the time, their make-up, anything but that!) and then you see it. Like an Ace being pulled out the hand of your opponent as you gloat about your impending victory, the rectangular devil reflects your despairing reflection in its inviting chrome body paint. As you hope the thing has suddenly died or forgot how to work the first beat ripples through the carriage. Game over. This dreaded object is, of course, the iPod.

Before I continue, I'd like to say something- I have an iPod. Ironic. But before you dismiss this rant, let me continue. iPods are wonderful, brilliant, revolutionary inventions and I cherish mine like a child. However... there are two types of iPod owners- the respectable type, which I like to class myself as; and the annoying, loud mouthed and seemingly deaf type- which public transport is crawling with. Many a time I have slipped my iPod on and listened to great artists such as Bryan Adams, Queen, Foreigner, Whitesnake, The Beatles and The Eagles- with my headphones on and the volume respectable, i.e. enough for myself to enjoy a decent sound yet not loud enough for anyone else to hear it. It's a personal thing music and I like to keep it that way.

So why, may I ask you, my Ugg wearing/ Mohawk sporting/ scruffy school kid friend can I hear yours when you're sitting at the front of the bus? Why have earphones when all they do is make the songs sound like a muffled boombox because the volume is so high? If you're going to play that shit that loud, take the earphones out- at least then your utterly depressing tunes will be in clarity and I may stay sane for that fraction of a second longer. If it were The Beatles or Michael Jackson or another acclaimed artist cutting through my soul then I may loosen up, but it never is. It's always some rapper with a name like Professor Bizzle or the latest suped-up club anthem sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks or worse still Slipknot. Not only does it annoy me, and probably everyone else, it's disrespectful. All I ask is keep your tunes to yourself before I go grey please.

Rant over.

A Glossier Landscape

Over the last few years, Liverpool has slowly transformed from an old, tired looking and once great city to a sophisticated, sleek, lean and modern hot spot for business, tourism and living. This makes me happy, delighted even, that my city is once again taking its rightful place the worlds elite cities.

However, more recently, the even more familiar landscape of my borough (or local area) has, quite radically, begun to change. Again, I'm pleased that progress is happening and these days I guess I should be happy that any money at all is being invested in my area. However, I can't help but feel genuine sadness when I pass the places that once stood and gave me the memories I grew up with.

My school, which gave me some of the best years of my life and which we fought endlessly to keep open, has been wiped off the face of the land and replaced by a glossy, angular multi-million pound state of the art leisure centre. Our 'rival' school, which many of my friends went to, has also been demolished and replaced by another ultra modern learning centre. I passed my old house a few weeks back only to find it gone, new houses being built in its place. The landscape seems to be getting ever more angular, ever more shiny, ever more eco-friendly and ever more advanced. That's fine in the whole grand scheme of things, but I can't help but feel down knowing I can never re-visit the places I grew up with.

Twinkle Twinkle...

It was around 10p.m. last night when I seen them. Before that I couldn't tell you the last time. It was a cool, breezy night and I initially started my late night journey in the usual fashion- head down, hands in pockets and coat zipped up, trying to shield out the cutting wind that seems to enter through every gap or hole present. However, tonight wasn't as cold as most nights. Therefore, I relaxed a little, allowed my shoulders to slump and finally diverted my glare from the cracked, mundane pavement flags and into the distance. As I explored the landscape, something caught my eye. A slight twinkle in the upper reaches of my vision. I looked up and seen a beautiful array of stars. Some were brighter than others, some were bigger and some 'twinkled' more frequently than those that sat idle.

City living (as well as the poor weather) rarely allows us these unique, intimate moments and I've always found staring into the wide universe an exhilarating experience. Forget your troubles for a minute and realize what you're looking at and realize that we are so insignificant in the grand scheme of things that any minor troubles we may be experiencing soon seem rather pathetic. Man will always strive to create the most beautiful things in history; The Mona Lisa, The Kiss, The Weeping Woman- none of these compare to Nature's work.

Thatcher Mk.2

After a surprisingly normal bus ride home, I turned the TV on and skipped through a few channels. BBC, ITV and Channel 4 all had their usual news bulletins running and all had the same headline- NHS cuts. 55,000 jobs are to be axed as part of Government cuts. Having recently spent a lot of time in various hospitals visiting my grandad, this whole situation makes me sick. Every singly person I met in any of those hospitals were absolutely amazing and did a brilliant job. And now we have top class doctors and nurses who have spent years working hard and studying to get where they are today simply being axed with no plan B mentioned.

I can't help but see Thatcher's face that little more clearly each time that pompous, arrogant and deluded 'leader' of our country gets his face on tele. First it was Uni cuts, then all sorts of allowance cuts, then school cuts (a brand new state of the art school in my area almost closed after just a few months of operation and having spent millions building it) and now it's the jobs. What in the hell is this country going to be like in 10 years if these two deluded halfwits manage to stay in power? Terrifying thought.

That's not all, the next clip showed our David strolling around Libya like he was the saviour himself. I despair for this country while these has beens (William Hague anyone?) 'run' our society. He can't even run his own country and he's globetrotting around the middle east trying to solve theirs. So much for better schools, education and the NHS being 'ringfenced'. I honestly can't fathom the reason as to why anyone would be tempted to vote for these people. Why? Maybe it's me, if you did vote please enlighten me. Conservatives are just that- they conserve what they have and play it safe; it's happening already with all the cuts. Instead of investing money they're saving it.

This city (Liverpool) is and probably always be pro Labour so maybe I'm biased, but no one from this city will ever forget the misery David  Margaret Thatcher unleashed on our city (and everywhere else) which affected everyone. Mention her name here and you'll see by the reaction the legacy she left. Unfortunately, it seems more and more likely that 'call me Dave' is carrying on where she left off.

Crumbs In The Butter #0 - An Intro

This will be my second feature, though won't have a set fixture throughout the week. Basically, if something's really irritated me I'll spill my feelings here. Readers of Day Dreams and a Pencil will have probably already experienced this as  I often have a good rant over there. Scallies, society and politics usually get me going, as if they deliberately do things just to turn my hair that bit greyer each week. Only the most infuriating things will appear under this heading so you can expect to see them four words often! Hopefully you will agree or disagree with my stance and, as always, I welcome your comments!

Issue 1 will arrive shortly, and I have a bus ride tomorrow- if the first issue isn't out by then it almost certainly will be once I get home (my followers know how much I hate buses!)

Trending Tuesday - Christchurch

Twitter can be a great tool that allows us to stay in touch with the biggest matters happening right now anywhere in the world. Its 'Trends' list allows us to quickly look up the most controversial and discussed about topics happening right now in under a minute. Therefore, I've decided to base my first full feature to it. 

Every Tuesday I will take one topic that is trending that day and give my views and opinions on it- I encourage you to give yours too, whether you agree or disagree!

This week there's the usual Justin Bieber tripe- I wonder what celebrity he's smugly grinning next to today?- honestly, I just don't care. But before this turns into a personal vendetta against Bieber- which could easily happen- lets focus on the more serious topic of the Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand. After a devastating earthquake reading 6.3 on the richter scale hit the beautiful surroundings of Christchurch, news started emerging that 65 people were killed- though more are missing and thought to be buried under tonnes of rubble. Upon doing my research, I learnt that on September 4th 2010, an even greater earthquake hit, only this time on the outskirts of the larger cities and therefore causing less fatalities and injuries. 

It seems the weather and mother nature has gone very strange over the last year, I can't remember a wetter, colder or windier year than last. Whatever the cause, it seems as though each month a disaster comes our way resulting in mass death or injury. Floods, blizzards and earthquakes have been common occurances over the past 12 months yet the cause is unknown- global warming? Not sure, I'll write an article dedicated to this soon. 

I can only send my best wishes and hope to those affected by this disaster and although 65 people lost their lives it could have been a lot worse. Let's hope them missing are recovered safe and sound, though fatalities are expected of course, and hopefully the weather will start to pipe down- as well as the cathedral being fully restored (as pictured).

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. Chances are, a link from my other blog -DayDreamsAndaPencil- has brought you here. The creation of this blog by no means signals that the end of Day Dreams, I will still be updating it as regularly as before, as art is my first love so it just means I have to produce extra content for this blog. But I love a challenge and I see this blog as the perfect way to satisfy my other addiction- writing. I love writing about anything, and that's what I plan to do.

The contents of this blog will range from my views on a current hot topic, a review of a film I went to see or maybe it will just act as a good place to express something/anything that may be on my mind at the time- rather like an online diary. Simply put, this has a more personal touch to it than my art blog and I look forward to sharing other interests and topics with you. Don't be alarmed if for the first few weeks certain elements of the site change as I can't resist tinkering with things and am, annoyingly, a bit of a perfectionist. Hope you enjoy reading and thanks for all the support I get on Day Dreams And a Pencil!