Dawn Of A Decade

Yes. I'm going to do a repeat of what I did this time last year with my Diweddglo post. How must you have waited eagerly for this.

As you know from the other thirty seven blog posts I've written this year, this year is what you could call a Wicid year. No, not in the manner as in "it's been a well ace year, wicked bruv," no.

Since the twenty seventh of January this year, I've been helping out with Wicid, and since late February I've been the sub-editor for the site. Since then, my year has been kind of run by Wicid. I've written shitloads of stuff for it, with about under a third of everything I've written going up to Clic. Since Clic don't allow any type of drivel up to the site, this must mean that I have something good about me when I write. Though, I don't really understand what is good about it. Fuck, I don't even think I have a good writing manner. I just write how I speak. That's why there are some terrible grammatical mistakes.

But, it has made me question something. Am I actually good at writing? I really don't think so. The only reason I have this blog is to vent out some opinions that I don't have the confidence to do in the real world. That's why I'm unsure about the Dear World series that I write for Wicid. Is there any point in me carrying on writing it when all it does it just give my opinions and feelings on the most pointless subject matters? No idea.

One thing that I've just realised is that I hate Winter. Why? Because it feels like it brings shrouds of doubt and pessimism into my life. I mean, I was looking at all the fireworks displays from countries that are already in 2011, and the only thing I can think of is "we were in an economical crisis not long ago, why are they wasting money on celebrating the entrance of 2010?".

And this brings me to another point. I need a new outlook on life. For the past few years, I've seen the world through monotonous eyes. Either it is, or it isn't. I can't really describe what my outlook on life is at this moment, bit all I can say for sure that even though I can see happiness and all that everywhere I look, all I can think of is the depression that grips this world, the hatred that fills it and the devastation that is left in it by bastards of it.

See? Now, I know that people may see me as a twat. A big fucking twat who belittles everyone that doesn't see the same way as I do. That is not true. I just have an odd view on life. I wish I can change, but I probably won't. Fuck.

In other news, the one thing that this year has shown me is that I bloody well want to start a band. I keep saying this, but I really hope that I actually do something happens with it. Currently, I'm either in one band or two. Not sure exactly what the situation is really, all I know that I'm at least in one band with Burt and Michael (who is my cousin on my mother's side, I'm only stating that since I have two cousins called Michael), and I am the bassist.

The first possible one is with Burt's lady friend as a vocalist, and the possible name of the band is something like MGBG or something like that. No idea what genre we're aiming at, mind. The last possible one would be Michael's current band, Levin Street. There's been some issues with the bassist and the singer. So, me and Burt's might fit in as a bassist and lead guitar respectively (I guess that the current guitarist will take a rhythm role and maybe a vocalist line).

So, I'm in a band (possibly) as a bassist. Now all I need is two more bands as a rhythm guitarist and a drummer (though I may be in another band with Burt and Calum in a band for metal-style music). Happy days.

Sorry that I cannot keep my blogs in a more straightforward manner, I have the need to explain myself all the time.

Anyway, one thing that got me thinking recently was my fellow blogger, RuhBuhJuh, and this post. He goes on about being average. One thing that got me thinking was the point about where he mentions that another fellow blogger (though, he doesn't blog much these days), Snefru7, and his natural ability with the guitar.

It got me thinking, and I know this might sound egotistical of me. Do I have any natural talent?

I can't answer that, to be honest. I mean, I taught myself everything that I'm novice at, which is Photoshop, bass guitar, guitar and drums. So, if teaching yourself something counts as a natural talent, then I might have a small talent. Granted, I taught myself all these at least a year ago. Hopefully I'd teach myself some more things this year.

But in every other manner, I have no talent. I had to work rather hard to get up to the level that I am at everything I taught myself (which is novice level). I used to be good at mathematics, and now that's gone down the shitter. Fuck. RuhBuhJuh gave me something that will hopefully stay with me for a while. And that is what, I hear you cry. Well, I know that I'm (less than) average, I just hope I can do stuff that will make my less average than others.

Right, I'm not going to bore you further. Well, just a little further. I gave myself four targets last year, which I failed miserably. So, I'm going to give myself some more targets for this year. Yeah, I'm sad. These are mainly for me really, like a documentation of my failure. Lovely. Ah well, here's the targets (well, hopes really) for 2011...

1. Do well in university. That's a given.
2. Get better at all instruments. I'll make a detailed list of what level I'd like to get at the instruments of choice.
3. Improve my Welsh. Right now, it is at a shocking level compared to my fiends in my year at school. I want to keep my ability of speaking Welsh, fact.
4. Save money. I haven't done too badly this year, I just need to do more.
5. Do better when helping out with Wicid. All I've done really is write a lot of articles and edit some of the article in the back end. Maybe I could be more involved somehow.
6. I'm not even going to bother having a 'could there be someone special in 2011' one here. Obviously there won't be anyone. Ah, forever alone. Ha.

Right, that is it. Another year of blogging done. Fuck.

But yeah, I hope you lot have a good year this year. See you on the other side.

- Last of the summer FIN.

Heaven Help You Catch Me When I Fall

Don't ask about the title. No idea why I called it that.

I want to ask your advice.

How can I make myself not look like a drug dealer in photographs?

I mean, look at this... And if you hadn't guessed, I'm the one wearing the grey hoodie...

As you can guess, I didn't take the photograph, so this photograph belongs to
the one who took the image, who is called Angharad Price. I think...

I look like I've just scored a hit, and eyeing down some pimp who won't give me more drugs. I mean, look at me. If you can handle looking at the hideousness that is my face for longer than three seconds. I really look like I'm high on drugs.

My thought is that my pictures look like I'm high on wacky-backy all the time because I'm a clean boy. I do not delve into alcoholism nor do I jump into drugs. Doubt that's the fact. Ah well.

Seriously, all my photos look like that. Well either that or what my display picture looks like on Facebook and Twitter. Or, for those who cannot be arsed to visit the links, here it be.

Ah, finally a face that a mother could
love...

See? Isn't this a better picture of me? As you cannot see my faux drug-filled face. Nice.

This is one reason why I hate having my photograph taken. I either look high or pissed. Or both. Or if someone's pissed on me. Well, you get the picture. And even if I do have my photo taken, my first instinct is to stick my arm out and show you the finger of dread. Or, my photographic finger.

Ah, I am glad that I'm one of these people who can take the piss out of themselves and everyone can agree on it. Lovely.

In other news, I have none. Apart from the fact that I broke a plate about ten minutes ago. I tried to microwave a pizza. Well, I did microwave a pizza, I just tried to cut it with a pair of scissors, and then the pizza and the plate decided on going on a business trip to have a discussion on how to waste people's time with the floor. It was a successful meeting. Shit.

Well, I shall leave you for the time being. I have to finish two essays, two websites and a CD cover before the holidays end. Lovely. Not only that, it is likely that I'll write something either later or tomorrow to "review" my year. God, don't I sound like a prick...

- Have you heard the news that you're FIN?

Death Of A Better Man

I'll be honest with you, I have no idea what I'm doing.

I don't mean for writing this blog, I mean in general.

I've finished university for the year. As in, the first term of university has been and gone. What do I have to show for it? A Macbook, a Web Premium suite for the Mac and the newest Guitar Hero game. Yes, it is a lovely thing.

Luckily I have finally finished the miserable module named Video Production. We finally gave in the final video project last Thursday, meaning all that's left is the dreaded evaluation essay. I mean, what am I supposed to write about? God, this module has just been one enormous patronising pain in the arse since the beginning.

The first day I went in to the lecture, I knew it wasn't going to be a fun module. One of the first things he asked us was who hasn't used a camera before? Because I had no idea what type of camera he meant - a camera they use in television shows, one that records on tape or one like a camera phone - I put my hands up. Then he asked me why I decided to do this module. He asked the same about who's edited video before. Again, I stuck my hand up (as the only editing I've done is on Movie Maker). He asked the same question, why are you doing this module?

I had the urge to go on a mad one. Well, not a mad one, more like a rather polite yet assertive one. First off, I didn't chose to do this module, it was more like an annoyance more than anything. Second of all, since this is the first year of the module it means that it's more of an introduction than anything else, so it is to be expected that most of us hadn't used cameras or edited video before. Grrr.

I'll be honest, I really do not understand why some people can be an artistic snob. Okay, I understand when they go in about the colours and all that jazz, but not when they compare the light to a passage from the dictionary. It makes no sense.

Meh.

In other news, I have three extensions for different assignments. Since my lecturer's wife gave birth to a baby, I have an extension that I badly needed for Internet Technology and Media for Applications. The other is because of the snow. Lovely.

So yeah, a few weeks after beginning university and all I have to show for it is a few assignments and a story about going to Hooters for the first time. Nice.

One thing I noticed mind, is that there's hardly any difference between university and school. In my class, there's a definite split between the popular people and the others, quite like the split that was in my year in school. There are lessons (even if they are called lectures, they are still lessons of sorts). The only major difference for me is that you have less time in university (seventeen hours in university compared to about thirty in school). Other than that, it's all the same. Maybe it is because I live at home.

So yeah, a term of university down, and I'm at that point in the year where I'm somewhat cut off from the world. As I see Christmas and the New Year just as an excuse to get urinated, I just stay away from it all, meaning that I lose touch with people who I actually like. Sometimes I hate my train of thought. Hang on, most of the time. Grr.

In other news, I kind of realised that the only reason I went to university is to avoid going into full time work. Well, that's not completely true. I did want a good education, but also I just saw it as the next stage of life. Since everyone in the sixth form were going on about going to university, so I did. I followed the higher education crowd. Maybe, it would've been a wiser decision to go to collage first and then university. Why? I don't feel mature enough for university. I still don't think I am.

I'll be honest, I apologise for the rather shite blog post. I shall leave you now.

- Devil May FIN

Eight And Twelve

You may be wondering, why I called this blog post Eight And Twelve, yes? Thought not. Anyway, it has something to do with binary.

In a four-bit binary code, what is eight symbolised as? Well, its 0100. And what a coincidence, this is my hundredth blog post.

And it is at this point, that I would like to apologise for all the crap that you've had the misfortune to grace your screen. One hundred posts in under two years, there's something sad about that fact, yes?...

So, you might have guessed what twelve is about? Yes, binary again. Twelve in binary is 1000, which leads me to the news that in December, I hit 1,000 views since I started the Blogger In Draft thing late June. That's mad, that. Thanks to everyone who has taken their time to read this blog. I know that most of them have decided to stop reading my dreary posts, but thanks to those anyway. =].

One thing that happened recently, that I'm not sure that I mentioned, is that I was the joint winner of Clic's Best Overall Contributor award, along with a girl from Neath Port Talbot who laughed quite a bit while taking photos of people. The reason I won this is because I do a lot for Wicid, being sub-editor, looking after Wicid's social networking accounts and writing shitloads for the site. I've written eight Dear World articles (which I cannot be arsed to post), with half of them going up to Clic, so they must be good.

Not only that, but out of the seven that has been made live on Wicid, they have had over 1,500 views. Not bad, considering my writing skills aren't the best thing. Not sure if they take Clic views into account also, but who cares? =].

In other news, I had my first assignment back. It was for Video Production (the shit one, y'know... Documenting a Space). The module leader talked to me about the film, saying that I documented a place, not a space. Grr. I thought they were the same thing. Anywho, he also told me that I was too cautious with my filming. I was filming the Taff Trail, maybe if I filmed the inside of Al Qaeda's base, that would still be too cautious for him. Ah well, I still passed the assignment, mind. I had to get 40% to pass, I got 53%. I'm not bothered about the relatively low mark, as this is a really dull module. But on the plus side, we do get to watch music videos like these...







This is what the group assignment is about. We get to fuck around with all these things. No, we're not allowed to use music, its the whole visual thing. But yeah, I didn't realise how good Vermillion was before watching these videos. Brilliant.

In other news, I wrote an essay on resistors, and I'm expected to write an essay on sound. Lovely. I've also written an essay about file types, and I shall let you know how bad I faired when I have the results.

I shall leave you now, as it's twenty to one, and I have to wake up early for something or other.

Fair the well, fellow humanoid.

- I'm just a FIN machine.

Book/Face

For some bizarre reason, someone has decided to change their Facebook display picture to a cartoon from their childhood. The reasoning? To raise awareness of child abuse.

First things first, how does this raise awareness of child abuse? So, just because you changed your display image to Pikachu, does this mean a child in poverty has finally stopped "walking into doors"? No.

You may be reading this and think, fuck, Ga, it's for a good cause. Yes, it is for a good cause, but there are endless adverts by the NSPCC that has more of an impact on people than some people changing their display pictures to a cartoon character for two cocking days.

See, I don't understand these things. Since when was changing a display picture to something else, or changing your status to a chain-letter-like thing, will help in raising awareness of any charity? I thought, and forgive me if I'm wrong, that if you support a charity strongly, the least you can do is give the charity something. I know its an extreme train of thought, but surely that's a better way to support a charity than changing a display picture?

Though, on a lighter note, it has given me one of the best laughs I've had in a long white.

Many of these changes of display pictures are rather typical. The girls who love Disney changed their pictures to Disney princesses, while others who were fond of Saturday morning television changed their pictures to characters from programs like the gang from Recess or someone from Fairly Odd Parents.

While one person, who had the same thought as me about it being a pointless exercise, also changed their display picture.

But what to?

Well, to this...



Yes, she changed her display picture, to help raise awareness of child abuse to an image of Pedobear.

I laughed so hard at that. Best thing that happened today.

Right, I shall leave, before someone attacks me for accepting child abuse just because I didn't change my display picture. If you are said person, look at my current display picture on Facebook or Twitter. That is my reply to you.

=].

- Na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na, na. FIN FIN FIN FIN FIN FIN FIN.