Killing In The Name

I was going to write a blog post about my first few days of my second placement, but I forgot.

I then wanted to write a post about how I wished that life had an RPG aspect to it, so you could measure how good you are at stuff just by looking at your stats, but something else has come up which is, to me at least, more important.

I've been thinking for a while now, and I'm wondering about killing some stuff from my life, either forever or just for the time being.

The first part is the CLICvlog project. I'm in two minds with this, as it feels like there's no point continuing with it. It was only there as a means for me to pass my second year in university. Now, a year later, it just seems kind of pointless to continue. I don't have as much time as I dod to continue with it, and it seems that all it brings now is just shit.

So, for at least the time being, CLICvlogger is no more. And if I can't find any reason to revive it, CLICvlogger is dead.

The other thing, which might not be as immediate as the demise of CLICvlogger, is that I'm considering  either deactivating my social media accounts, or only using them as a means of private communication with people who I usually talk to.

Oh, and on a Wicid point of view, I've decided that I'm no longer an editorial team member. Again, many reasons, none that I'll share here. But on the eve of my fourth anniversary of being involved with Clic, I've sent an email saying I'm no longer going to be part of Wicid's editorial.

There are many reasons why I've been thinking this. Reasons, reasons, reasons. The main one is that I just don't care about it all anymore. Facebook's just a pool of people who just try to convince themselves that they are whatever they delude themselves to be. Most of Twitter just seems filled with attention seekers and men faking kindness just to get attention from women.

But yeah, this is what has been going through my mind these past few weeks. Some thing needs to be changed, whether it's small or large.  I'm not completely sure if these will work, but it doesn't matter, that's life, eh?

- FIN you, I won't do what you tell me.

Take A Number, Stay In Line

Once again, it is a blog post at the end of the year.

Once again, I'm going to review my year.

Once again, I use a lyric from a song as a blog title.

And once again, nobody cares.

So, what did I write this time last year for myself? Thanks fuck for copy-paste, that's all I'm saying...

1. Stay up there with my university course. Basically, I'm aiming for a first overall, but I will be content with anything from 2:1 up (or a extremely high 2:2 and up).
2. Improve my abilities with the Welsh language. This should get better due to me translating stuff, but I'm not doing too well at the moment...
3. Don't go into debt (and, if they allow it, stay as a Clic employer for as long as possible - optional).
4. Keep writing my Dear World series (though it might turn from a weekly thing to fortnightly, depending on what else I'm doing).
5. Improve my musical abilities.
6. Complete as many Final Fantasy games as possible. This isn't being serious, I just think it's sad that I've only really completed two of the games (three if you count Dissidia Duodecim) and I've got about five or six of them. It's rather sad to just not complete the games from this epic series (and write reviews for them - optional).
7. Improve your new media skills. And no, I don't mean social media, I mean with editing and design stuff.
8. Build up confidence. I don't mean this so I'd go out more and start performing Shakespeare's plays in the middle of Cardiff, but more so I'd be able to edit a video of myself without flinching over the sound of my voice or how hideous I think I look...

So, did 2012 me succeed in what 2011 me wanted to accomplish?

Well, I would consider the first one a success. I passed my second year in university with a 2:1, earning a few firsts in my assignments. Bad thing is that I only had one assignment that was less than a 2:1, but luckily the average is that I had a decent 2:1 for my second year.

I'll be honest here, although I didn't write it down, I have no idea about my success in my placement. If I had to rate myself, I'd say I'd get a third for my performance. I don't know, just seems as if I'm not doing good enough. Ah well.

Second, my Welsh. To be honest, I don't think I've improved at all. I've been told that my translating skills are good and are improving, but as for linguistical skills, I don't think I've improved at all.

I mean, there have been a few instances where I've spoken to someone in Welsh without feeling I'm being judged. The main one was when I was in the Eisteddfod and I was talking to a past student of Glamorgan Uni about Welsh and courses. It was the first time where I didn't feel like I was an amateur when speaking the language. Which, you know, was nice.

Third, money. I can happily say that I've not been in debt once yet. Not even touched my overdraft. An even better thing is that I'm still employed by Clic. That's still mad, that. I have no idea why they still think I'm good enough to be employed by them. Mad that.

Only down side is that I've still yet to actively save up money. Hopefully in the new year, I'll bunk up an ISA or something. Anyway, back to the drawing board.

I've totally failed with keeping up with my Dear World articles. Simply put, I haven't had the time. I'm still writing them, and I think I've surpassed fifty of them this year, but nowhere near once a week. Same goes for the CLICvlog thing. That should have been once a week, but I've missed twelve of them. Ah well. Maybe I'll improve next year.

Not going to lie to you, but I have no idea if I've improved any of my musical skills. I suppose I've kind of improved with guitar, considering I can now play the intro solo for Metallica's One. I know it's a simple part of the song, but I finally (almost) nailed it. Nowhere near performing standards, mind, but still.

But since I'm here, might as well talk about the social media one. I guess I've gotten a tad bit better with it. With After Effects, definitely, but with other things, I'd say I failed to improve. Feels like all I've done is just stay average in everything else, or dramatically failing in some aspects (ahem... Photoshop). But yeah, still a ways to go if I want to be at a standard where people would pay me a pretty penny for my skills.

And to my joke one. I think I've only really completed one Final Fantasy title, and that's Dissidia Duodecim. Ah well, I didn't really mean I'd complete all of them, I just thought I'd look more into a franchise that I rather like.

And last, my confidence. The only thing I can confidently say is that I'm still that prick with no confidence. The only thing, I'd say, that has remotely improved is my confidence in motion graphics, but then there's things where I just look at and my confidence just falls back down to non-existent levels.

More so towards the end of this year, it's been a bigger problem, and it's been more obvious that something has to be done, otherwise I'll just die a lonely bastard with nothing to my name except a headful of regret.

I have nothing else to say, really. So, with that done, lets see if I can try and write some goals that I'll fail at like the last few years.

1. Build confidence. It's obvious that I need to do this. I don't know where to start, or how it will happen. Long story short, this needs to be done, or I'll just be a prick like the last few years.
2. Not to cock up, university wise. 2013 will see me finish my placement and start my last year. The last thing I want to do is mess up with my placement, but hopefully I'll be on my way to at least a hight 2:1 in my course.
3. Same vein as the last one (and last years), improve my skills in media. You know - audio, video, animation, text and iamge. Includes using the Welsh language as often as possible too.
4. This isn't as strong as the other ones, but at least two CLICvlogs and two Dear Worlds a month. Twenty six of each should give me an achievable challenge.

Those are the ones I've given myself, but I've been given a few as well by some people too. Which are...

1. Eat different stuff. Not entirely sure what was said, but I think it was try to eat something totally different than what I'm used to every month. Because I usually eat basic stuff. 'Cause, y'know, I'm not really a fan of eating things.
2. Eat socially every other month. They said eating in the car after picking up a McDonald's doesn't count. Poo. I'm also guessing socialise outside of work/uni is one too. Meh.

So yeah, that's it. 2012 was the year where I tried to do things and failed miserably. If I didn't fail, I wouldn't be writing this at eleven at night. I'd be out, celebrating the new year.

What a way to end a yearly review post.

Actually, fuck it. I'm not ending it there. There's a handful of people I want to thank, but not in the emotional way actors do when they win an award for crying good. By the way, I'm not going to name anyone, just certain things. Go me and my insecurity of calling someone a friend because I don't know if they consider me the same.

First of all, to those who took part in the CLICvlogs. I know it's not the best project in the world, so the fact that some people are actually interested in doing it. I hope that there's a part of their want to vlog on their own channel is a result of taking part in the CLICvlog project, even if it's just to create something better than I could. Happiness indeed.

Second thanks goes to those who work at Clic. Y'know, for being patient with me learning the ropes and helping me with a lot of things, whether it's work or personal. 

Last, to nobody else, because I don't think I have anyone else to thank. Man, that makes me sound like a dick.

So that's it. My last blog post of 2012. Roll on '13.

And to quote my Dear World series.

I thank ye, world.

- FIN. FIN, FIN, FIN. FINpa Gangnam Style.

Turn Of The Century (And A Half)

For those who are counting, this is my 150th blog post.

150 blog posts in five years. Not sure that's a good or bad thing.

One thing I'm also unsure if it's good or not is that I'm getting back into Guitar Hero. I used to play that to death back in the day. I even wrote on the wall next to my television the scores I had when playing certain songs, mainly Free Bird in II and Through The Fire And Flames in III (both on Expert, but the latter one on practice mode, I could never get past the first section).

It was like my way of competing with myself. I only just manage to five star Free Bird once, Always did the same thing when I played on III - Played Talk Dirty To Me and other songs to warm up, then try to FC Reptilia and other songs before I try and beat my old scores in the harder tiers.

And you wonder why I've been single all my life...

I still remember the path of Talk Dirty To Me. I played that song to death, that and Knights Of Cydonia and My Name Is Jonas.

Well, I suppose it'll be a good thing that I'm getting back into Guitar Hero. I'll need to do something to keep me occupied when it's Christmas. Because, y'know, I just do the same thing as always, stay in doing fuck all. Maybe this year, I'll actually create something in After Effects. Maybe I might skin a cat, or . Nothing is impossible. Well, maybe the After Effects thing is for me...

In other news, I've had my first credit for work I've done. In this thing I've been working on for the last couple of whiles, I'm down as the Compositor and Motion Graphics person. Which is, y'know, the things I did for it. So yeah, my name is down as a credit for something. Suppose it's a good thing.

Another thing is that I've let CLICvlog slide. There are many reasons for this. One is that there hasn't been a time where I could meet up with people to film one. The other is that I just haven't had the motivation to film and edit them.

It's not that I don't want to do the project anymore, because I do want to keep it alive. I just seem to be consumed by utter shit sometimes. Yeah, like that makes sense.

That's it really. The only other things that I've learned is that the Welsh apparently use "goc oen" as an insult and I can only look at photos of myself if I don't look straight into the camera. Makes perfect sense, that. Oh, and I feel taller after I play the drums.

And that, as that old man from Final Fantasy X say that they say, is that.

Am y tro, boyos.

- Every time I look in your eyes, every time I'm watching you FIN.

21-Up

Today was my birthday.

Officially, if you abide time and stuff, I will be twenty one once the clock strikes 11:30pm on November the second of this year.

No, this is not me begging for people to wish me a happy birthday or anything like that, I was just stating a fact.

This morning, I woke up and was greeted by my mother. In one hand, she held a card, and in the other a thing that I didn't really think about. I opened the card, and it was the usual fair; "congratulations on living, we're rather fond of your existence" type of thing.

I was then given a gift. Since we're not a well-off family, I assumed it was just a filler, something that she wrapped up just so I could open something on the day of my birth.

I opened it, and it was a ball of bubble wrap. Fair be, I thought.

I then began to open up this ball, which at its centre was an iPod Touch. It didn't matter from what generation it was, an iPod's an iPod at the end of the day.

My first thought, and the first thing I said, after realising what they bought me was are you sure you can afford this?

My mother said they could. She bought it in a sale and slapped it on the credit card. She added that she thought it would be better for me to have a dedicated MP3 player than using my phone, as my old iPod died a few weeks back.

That statement has stayed with me all day. My family have spent years saving up for things. I remember for months, if not years, we were living in a house where we could have no electricity or heating for hours or days. The first computer we had was this weird franken-computer from old pieces years after they started to be big.

For my past few birthdays, all they did was give me some money. Nothing major, just a tenner, or maybe fifteen if things were looking up. So, for them to get me an iPod Touch for something such as my twenty-first... I don't know why, but that hit me big time.

I've never really valued money in the same way as others seem to do. For me, money is not something to just flitter away for a cheap laugh; it's a necessary part of life where it must be treated right.

Maybe some people will look down at me, think I'm just a hoarder, someone who would rather see the colour of money than happy days or whatever. That's not the case. I just never want to be in that situation if/when I have children. Same goes for anyone I care about.

I'm getting off topic. Anyway.

My mother then asked if I had anyone on Facebook asking me why my birthday's not visible. I just said that I don't see the point advertising my birthday to everyone, just so they could quickly write something simple on my wall. I find that just as awkward as someone coming up to me and making me sing happy birthday to a stranger.

I can't explain why, it is just like that for me.

That's why, if I ever wish someone a happy birthday, I always do it via textual communication, and even if I do it would be later in the day.

Anyway, safe to say that only family members have remembered. Which is fair enough. I'm not complaining, considering I've never really publicised my birthday at all.

In work, towards the afternoon, they planned a little thing, which ended in me taking home a piece of cake (which my parents ate, I'm no fan of cakes m'self), a card with all nice words from the people who work there and an A3 piece of paper that has Happy 21st Birthday Gareth! Promo love you. Oh, and the memory of the accountant trying to serenade me. I'm pretty sure I'll never say that again for a long while.

But other than being pre-occupied with the thought of my parents getting me something I thought they wouldn't and what had happened in work, it was a rather normal day.

Which is was my birthday is, really.

So, twenty-year-old me is now dead. Hopefully, twenty one-year-old me would have better luck with everything.

Have a good'un.

- FIN times eight. FIN. FIN. FIN. FIN. FIN. FIN. FIN. FIN.

Define It

Do you ever think who and what the fuck am I??

I do.

It mainly occurs when I read other people's biographies on social media sites. I just saw one who described them as loving, caring, intuitive person and the like.

My main thought on that, without sounding like I'm being a total arse, is what makes you think you're the things you think you are?

I mean, I'd like to think I'm somewhat a decent person, someone who has a sense of humour and can be relied on. But it's not really up to me to describe myself. It's up to the people who are (un)fortunate to meet me.

For all I know, people may consider me an absolute twat who's only plus side is the lack of socialising I do. I don't really know what people think of me, but that's their right. And let's be honest here, they are a better judge of me than I am, considering I only see my own perspective while others see everyone else's.

Does that make sense? Does anyone read this blog? Not sure if any of those questions will ever get answered.

But the main one is when it comes to what I do. I've heard/seen people call themselves all sorts, just because either that's the thing they do most or they just can.

I mean, I can call myself a professional photographer, a director, cameraman, editor, translator, designer, compositor and writer. But I don't. Why? Well, just because I do those things (and by directing, I just tell people where to sit/stand so they are in shot and the like, nothing arty or anything like that) doesn't make me them.

You know that saying I live, therefore I am? It's either that or something like that, I don't know.

Back to the point; I'm not completely sure that's true.

Just because you live, doesn't necessarily mean that you're alive. Probably. This is all coming from someone who's only slept outside his home country for eight days, so I'm not the most knowledgable when it comes to life lessons.

Anyway, I think it's true. Just because I played a few games of cricket for Pontypridd, doesn't mean I'm a retired cricket player with a decent bowling average and a terrible batting average. It just makes me someone who used to play cricket.

And yes, for those who think that's a boring sport, I actually like playing cricket. Bowling can be both a stress reliever and a good way to make you think. Don't judge me, ya?

It's just that I see loads of people defining themselves as something just because they have an interest in it, when in all honestly they are either not good at it, or not as serious as they say they are.

That's why I hate it when someone asks me to describe myself to people. Unfortunately, where I work, we get a few young people in for work experience. And I have to say what I do. And I just repeat the same thing - I help out with translation, media and sometimes with moderating written content.

I have a problem defining myself, it seems.

There's only two things that I know I am, and that is a student and a male.

And that's the major one for me. I'm male, and I'm almost twenty one years old, a combination that usually results in someone describing themselves as a man.

But not me. Why? Mainly because I don't think I've done anything worthy of the title.

And no, I don't mean releasing my seed within a woman's baby chamber.

There's so many ways to define what a man is. And I don't think I'm any of it. Yet.

Maybe that'll change in decades to come. Maybe I'll be on my death bed, looking back at my past, and thinking that my younger self was just being an utter arse. So, nothing new there, then.

So, that was a blog post worth forgetting.

- I spent a few minutes trying to think of a way to end this by adding FIN into it, but I couldn't think of anything better than what I've just written. So yeah... FIN.

Blog Post: A New Update

Every time I start to write something for this, I instantly have Comfortably Numb in my head.

This is just a short update, considering I wanted to post at least once a month and haven't done one for July. Sorry if nothing in this post is informative.

But before I start, Google - adding that nav bar onto Blogger has just totally shat over a decent design. Grr.

Anyway, it seems that my days on earth revolve around rendering. Not complaining, it's just that it feels like I'm wasting a lot of time because my computer's just stuck in that state of rendering for the majority of its life now.

In other news, might have already said it, but I've passed my second year in university with a 2:1. None of my marks for my assignments are lower than a 2:2, and I still managed a first in one module. Win.

In other university news, it looks like I am definitely having a year off to work in industry. Half with ProMo Cymru, half with Burning Red. First half concentrating on video shit, the other on everything else. I consider this a massive win.

CLICvlogs are being a bit rocky as of late, just due to people slating them like right motherlovers. Kind of wish other people would start emailing in and wanting to be part of it. Ah well, at least I have (for some reason) a group of people who want to be part of the project. Hopefully they'll be in it for the long run.

Also, would it be worth making a Facebook page for the CLICvlogs? I'm tempted, but I'm rather unsure if it's worth it or not.

In other news that will only make sense to me, I thought of a saying today. Coward or failure.

Basically, run away and not try, or try and fail. It totally shows my optimism where cowardice and failure are the only options, eh?

Today, I chose failure.

But, not sure it's lucky or not, I didn't even have the chance to fail.

Yey.

What else. Oh, I shall be attending the National Eisteddfod for the first time this year, which will be interesting. Will be going as work, but I'm not complaining, at least I have a reason to be there, ya?

Yes, this is a short post. Will write a less selfish post one day next week. Probably. If I remember.

- When I was a child, I had a FIN.

The Tale Of The Seven Assignments: Part Two

In the gripping saga of mine which I've dubbed seven assignments, two weeks, we saw that last week I spent roughly an assignment a day for four days, and I only had three assignments due in by the end of this week.

Let me start by saying this, conclusions for investigations are a bitch.

If I was writing an essay about how I created a certain design or the findings I've collected in a series of tests, that's a piece of piss. But the moment you ask me to conclude an investigation into 3D theory? Ball sack of Oedipus, that's hard.

But, I managed it, and after my presentation on Wednesday, I handed my final written report of the year.

And that's the second assignment mentioned. Remember those CLICvlogs that I probably mentioned before? Yeah, I had to present them to my lecturers and nine other people that I've never met (because I asked to do mine first because I had work to get to).

To my surprise, I felt much more comfortable with the fact that I hardly knew the other students there. If I was standing in front of others in my course, I'd feel like they were judging me, comparing my shit to their gold, as they would see it. But no, I had to present CLICvlogger to those who had never heard of them. And for my confidence, that was surprisingly good.

That said, it was terrible for my grammar. I remember, not half an hour before the presentation, I tweeted that the chances of my grammar failing me while talking is staggering. And it came to pass, that my grammar failed like a motherbitch.

One of the biggest fails was one of the last things I said. I said that through the project, I learned about photography and how to use a DSLR to its full potential. I then, trying to show the lecturers that I've applied knowledge learned from both this module and the course in general, told them that I've taken photographs of events.

But I didn't say it like that . I said something like I also covered some events photographically.

Now, is that even a fucking term?

I was so soddingly tongue tied during all of it, must have explained what the idea of CLICvlogs to them at least three times. But as the video played of people saying what they thought of the vlogs and the project, I eased into it.

Technical wise, I doubt I'll have a good mark. Come on, all I've done is film fifteen vlogs and post them online. I'm hoping that my saying that I've helped young people learn about editing and given them a chance to share their opinions with others in Wales and the world will get me at least a 2:2.

And finally, the biggest load of shit I've ever made.

I'm in no way in saying that the content is shit, nor the way its presented. All I'm saying is that the editing is utter wank, and the fact that I was supposed to make a visual effects sequence and what did I end up making? Just some shitty text appearing. I'll be lucky to scrape a third...

And that, as they say, is that. At about ten this morning, I handed in the last assignment, and as the receptionist gave me a slip confirming my final hand in, I finished my second year of university. Now, five months of nothing. Thank fuck I have a job now.

In other news, there is none. For now. Apart from I might chronicle all the derp moments from the CLICvlogs in GIF format. So many potential GIFs, so little time...

- I know it's going to be a FIN, a FI-I-I-IN.

Injection

It seems that every time I try to start a blog post these days, all I want to do is to start it by just saying "hello there". Hopefully I've avoided it for this post at least.

So, it's mid January. And in just over two weeks, I should have my copy of Final Fantasy XIII-2. So, that should fill up almost all of my weekend time, unless I do something stupid like need to finish other assignments or buy an older game to play while I wait for it and it comes later than expected...

Poo.

I need to do both.

Luckily, I only have two assignments to do this January, with the rest of them due March time. I have nearly finished one and nearly started the other. Joys.

One question mind, how do you create a visual diary for something you've created from the top of your head? I'm not saying Oh, look at me, I can design the heavens without visiting hell or some other obscure comparison to my situation. I just find it extremely hard to research for my assignments, even if I've done the assignment before the research. Curse you, mind of procrastination.

Also, on the weekend I visited a website called Amazon, have you heard about it? Well, I went on it to see about a game. and I bought one. Even though two weeks ago I received my copy of Final Fantasy Tactics, I've just been stuck on After Effects and that.

I've got to stop italicizing stuff.

Anyway, I've bought a new game. Well, I say new, it's been out for ages. It's Assassin's Creed II.

For some reason, I've started to get intrigued by it. I played the first game a few months after it came out and I didn't really like it, but since it was rather cheap, I picked it up. Happy days.

In other news, I'm ill. I have a cold thing going on. And I hate it.

Not because I'm ill.

Because it feels that I'm wasting time, and money, for my employers.

I've got to phone up a few people for some reason or other, and I have started doing so, but I've just felt utterly crap. Not to mention my throat's feeling like there's two sand-paper men wrestling in the arena known as my throat. And it doesn't hurt as much as it is annoying. The last thing I want to do is be a bad example, coughing every thirty seconds and sounding as unclear as why people like Justin Bieber.

I don't know. I can't think straight.

But I will ask for your assistance.

Will you do me a favour?

Thanks.

Will you visit my university YouTube channel and subscribe to it, and maybe comment on some of the videos?

Thanks.

Here's a link to the YouTube channel, and here's a link to why and what I'm doing (it).

I can't think of how to end this in an interesting way...

Testicles.

That'll do.

- I think I had a FIN, a FIN of being alone. I just wanted someone, anyone, beside me. So I wouldn't have to feel alone anymore.

The Old Man's Still Got It

Congratulations.

No, not to you.

I am congratulating myself, as it is my third time doing these pathetically pointless blogs where I go on about how the past year went, hence the Final Fantasy XIII quote for the title. Perseverance points +3, don't you agree?

Anyway, last year I wrote one about 2010. The last part of the post was me just giving me six points to do over 2011. Now, I get to see if I've got them. Thanks, December 2010 me (you're welcome, December 2011 me).

If you are interested in knowing what they were, but too lazy to click on the above link and scroll down a bit (first world problems, eh?...) then here they be.

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.

So, let's see what's happened, eh? 

So, first off, do well in university. I think it's safe to say that I've done that. I've passed myself with as close to a 2:1 as is possible without actually getting a 2:1 and I've started well in my second year. All I've got to do is keep it up. Woop.

The next two points (improve my Welsh and instrument playing abilities) have been an utter fail. I have used the Welsh language more this year (well, more towards the end of the year, really), but I really haven't improved. All I've done is realised how terrible I am at the language.

Musically, I haven't done much. I've came up with two riffs where I have trouble writing them down due to my inability with life. But look on the bright side, I can now play the F chord on a guitar. Granted, only the top strings, so I still can't do barre chords. I am a failure to the music profession (or is it called amateurism?). So with music and the Welsh language in mind, I've been rather mute.

Money wise, I think I've done better than last year. One main point is that I've started the road of earning money. First with Tantrwm, covering an IATEFL event in Brighton, then a quick report of the Eisteddfod in Swansea for Clic (not really a job, but I got paid expenses for it, and considering I didn't spend much of it straight away, I count it) and then I got a part-time job with Promo Cymru to help out with Clic stuff. And yes, I have spent a fair few times, but I'm still in the black in all accounts. So with point four, I call that a success. Joy.

Well, with five, I'm kind of doing that already with me now working for Clic (unless the funding's not going to be there next March, which if it does I won't complain, I'd just be glad for the opportunity in the first place). I've written nearly 52 articles for Wicid alone (almost all of them my Dear World articles), and some of them being live on Clic. Win. I've also helped out with editing a few videos for Clic and will start a vlogging channel for it too (nobody'll be interested, but I'll write a plan of attach tomorrow or something). Happy days, eh?

And lastly, that point will never change. I've accepted that.

So, three out of six isn't that bad, right? But on the whole, I'll call it an above average year.

And I've just reread last year's post, and I found this...

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.

So, without me knowing (or admitting it) I had another point for 2011, to change my outlook on life.

And have I?

No. I haven't.

Though rereading that, I wouldn't say that I have pessimism filling up my life. I've started to believe that  I'm a realist. Yes, sometimes I have that thought where the fireworks are just explosions of burning bank notes that will fall and burn on the poorer classes of Britain. But, I don't think that at any point this year, I thought "life isn't worth living" or something similar.

But then again, I've never thought like that. I know that's not really pessimism, I just have no idea how to quote a stereotypical pessimist. Regardless, all I know is that I'm beginning to train myself to see things as they are. I know I complain last year about only being able to see the world through monotonous eyes, but now I think I only do that on certain things. I mean, I don't think that way with people, neither do I think that way with other situations.

I don't know how to describe it, all I know is that I'm beginning to think realistically. I don't become so egotistical and thinking that things can never be bad, while on the other hand I don't pray that things don't get worse. Basically, I know that in the current situation I'm in, things can be better and they can be worse. When you think like that, life seems different. Kind of. I think.

So yeah, I've actually wrote this up much quicker than I thought I would. And now comes to the part of the end-of-year blog post where I state a few points which I hope to do in 2012. In no order whatsoever...

1. Stay up there with my university course. Basically, I'm aiming for a first overall, but I will be content with anything from 2:1 up (or a extremely high 2:2 and up).
2. Improve my abilities with the Welsh language. This should get better due to me translating stuff, but I'm not doing too well at the moment...
3. Don't go into debt (and, if they allow it, stay as a Clic employer for as long as possible - optional).
4. Keep writing my Dear World series (though it might turn from a weekly thing to fortnightly, depending on what else I'm doing).
5. Improve my musical abilities.
6. Complete as many Final Fantasy games as possible. This isn't being serious, I just think it's sad that I've only really completed two of the games (three if you count Dissidia Duodecim) and I've got about five or six of them. It's rather sad to just not complete the games from this epic series (and write reviews for them - optional).
7. Improve your new media skills. And no, I don't mean social media, I mean with editing and design stuff.
8. Build up confidence. I don't mean this so I'd go out more and start performing Shakespeare's plays in the middle of Cardiff, but more so I'd be able to edit a video of myself without flinching over the sound of my voice or how hideous I think I look...

As with every single year, I'm not really bothered about finding "that special someone" in 2012. Not that I don't want to find someone, no. More like I'd rather just let it happen rather than me look for someone in a bar to have awkward sex with them. I'm not going to be disappointed if I don't find someone, and if I do find someone I probably won't tell anyone due to me being rather secretive. Ha.

That's it. I've actually blogged at least once every month of 2011. Do you think I can do it next year? Nah, nobody cares. Ah well, let us stand upon the epic sphere of life and roll into 2012. 

Blog to you next year.

- I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle, FIN.

Something To Do With That Thing

Guess what?

No, but close enough.

This week (as in the 27th of October (roughly the first year anniversary of the inception of my Dear World articles.

What, no fanfare? No half naked people walking around with pheasants dancing on their shoulders? Ah well, maybe next year, yeah?

But, it's true. On (roughly) the twenty seventh of October last year, I wrote my first Dear World on Guitar Hero. Since then, I've written over forty articles in the series, ranging form to topical to the idiotic.

Now, enough with that. Some news.

If you haven't guessed, this post has been resting in the basket of draftness since the last few days of October. Why? I really couldn't be arsed to write something.

First of all, I had a mini fuck-up. That is all.

Second of all, I got a job. And it's part time with Clic. I highly consider that a win. That said, I'm rather unsure of what my role will be. I don't mind, though. Work's work, and I'm liking it so far. Hopefully I'll do good.

Third off, I had a test in setting up a camera for audio and got full marks. I know, I'm a God at this sort of thing.

Lastly,  I've discovered that I have a thing for asymmetry. Well, when it comes to women's hair. No idea why though. Ah well.

And to catch up on all the latest news, here are some stock replies. Use them however you wish.

- "Whoa, didn't think that would happen".
- "So that's what they mean by steaming an ostrich..."
- "Why is this news?"
- "It's political correctness gone mad"
- "I know, right?"

So yeah. g'bye.

- "What's wrong, Timmy?" "Nuffin..." "Sorry darling, I can't hear you..." "I said NIFFIN. Gaaaaad." (Yeah, I really need to improve on these outros...)

Redesigning Clic

I've been off from studying for roughly four months now, due to me not needing to do exams during my introductory year in university. It has only been in the past four days that I have actually used the techniques that I've learned during the year of learning.

I looked at the Clic homepage, along with a few other websites that I cannot remember the names of, and I came up with a new front page idea for Clic. And before I start, I don't think it's better than what Clic has currently, it's just an idea that holds more ideas. If that makes sense, free e-cookie to you.

There were a few ideas that I had in my mind when I came up with this design. The first thing was to try and use the Clic Network bar (which is at the top of every website in the Clic network) in a way that doesn't hide it once the reader scrolls down the page. More on this later.

Anyroad, if you've clicked on the link above to Clic, you'll see the current homepage. the images for the articles are above the article name. What I found, though I might be the only one to be like this, is that when looking at the homepage, I view the image first and the the title of the article. I have no idea why I do this, I just do. As the title is more important to the image of the article, I thought what if we merged the two? So that's what I've done. For the featured articles, the text is only overlaying the lower half of the image, while for the two next to the Flash area (the place that says "Welcome to Clic"), it is completely overlaying about half of the image. I also got rid of the information as to where the author of the article comes from and the time the article was published, though these'll still be seen on the article itself (well, in my mind only the published time will be, the information on the user will be on the user profile).

I also changed the social media icons to be the Clic icon with the social network design within them. These can be seen on the very top of the design and the What's being said on Clic area, which I've now merged the Twitter feed and the commenting on the site into one feed, as I thought it would be better to have one feed instead of two.

Another thing I changed was the links at the top of the design. In the original, they are in eight boxes of sorts. Personally, I prefer the way that the links look on the Wicid homepage, in a straight line and not having a holding box. That's why in this design, I've done is so then the links are in one line, though having the same holding box. Is holding box the right term for it? Who knows.

Obviously, I've kept the same theme as the original. That was done by someone at Burning Red, I believe. So a da iawn to them for a good theme design.

So yeah, without a do of a further, here's the design that I've done.

If this isn't that good in the terms in visibility, then click the image to make it biggerer.

As you can see from it, the Network bar at the top of the website has been replaced with a button thing that hugs the left side of the screen, and the idea is that every time you scroll up or down, it will follow you. This will be the main place to log in, sign up to the site and to go around the Clic network, but instead of a drop down menu, there will be the full map of Wales visible the moment you click on the button.

If someone is logged in to the site, the username of the user will replace the words "log in or sign up". The new function of this sidebar thing when it is clicked is not just so they can go around the Clic network, but an easier place to upload articles/events, edit their information and the like.

I also had an idea to expand the "My Clic" thing that is currently available. So far, all that's there is the ability to add content to be moderated, change your information and to send a support ticket if there is a problem with the workings of the site. I had an idea that this could be a living hub for the user, and add the ability for users to favourite an article/information page, in the originally thought out process that I'll call "Clic'd".

The idea I have is this. On the top of nearly every article or page on Clic, there are options to share it with your friends or followers on Facebook and Twitter respectively, though (for the time being, at least), there is no option to favourite the page on Clic itself. Hence the name "Clic'd". If someone likes an article, and wants to return to it or just to show others that they liked the article in question, they could click the "Clic'd" button and a link to said article will be added to the user's "My Clic" area. And, as well as the amount of people who liked or tweeted the article, there'd be a new icon on the top of the article stating how many users had "Clic'd" the article. Aren't I inventive?

So yeah. for the past four or five days (well, on and off), I've redesigned Clic (sort of). Not because I think I can do better than the original design (far from it), but because I needed to do something in between playing endless hours of Final Fantasy XIII and sleeping. My, how my life has improved these past few years...

So yeah, please let me know what you think of the design. All comments will be taken on board, even if it is "man, this is worse than [insert something horribly bad and rubbish here]". I'd rather know than not. Also, let me know what you think of my ideas. I want to know if these are actually interesting ideas or just inane rubbish that flows in between the satellites of mine called ears.

Well, see ya.

- Your FIN ends here. And your meaningless existence with it (yeah, I really love that battle in Final Fantasy X...).

Spend It Like The Last Day Of Spring

Oh, hello there sport.

Before I begin, may I ask a question? Do you fancy watching this video for me? Thanks.



Should really introduce it and whatnot. Ah well.

This is the second video written by Sam Patterson for The first one was scripted, but more like a monologue. This new one's more dialogue-driven and full of characters, half dead and alive alike.

Let me know what you think of all aspects of the video. T'was a bugger to edit due to my lack of ability with editing. Grr.

In related news, I need a camcorder. I've decided that I'll need one for a few things. One being for my course. this year, I'll be doing some green screening and a few more videos for projects, so I guess it'll be easier to get a decent one and use that all the time than to book one out all the time and worry about getting it back before the due times.

The second is Clic related. We used the camcorders from Promo Cymru (the guys who run Clic and theSprout), so getting my own one will make it easier in the sense that I won't need to go to to their offices to loan a camera out from them. That, and I could do some videoing for Wicid. Y'know, stuff.

Adding to that, why couldn't they just put me on a contract. Not a paid one, but one saying that I promise not to share any login details with anyone or that I wouldn't bring Wicid's reputation down. But that would be too logical for RCT, wouldn't it? Hmm.


That said, my username on the Clic network still has "Sub-Editor" in the name. Maybe they're too lazy to change that, hmm?

I should go, before I start ranting...

Though, before I go, Glastonbury's on. There's a band called Two Door Cinema Club on. I'm no judge of music, but by fuck they are crap...

Oh, and the blog title. I have no idea why I called it that. Ah well.

- FIN, FIN, FIN. Another one bites the dust.

Want You Gone

Oh, hello there, squire. How goes it?

Oh, that's nice.

Well, that seems to wrap everything up pretty nicely. See you in the next blog.

I'm kidding. Oh, how I fooled you. I fooled you rather splendidly, didn't I? Well, unless you've looked at the amount of text in this post before actually reading the wall of text, meaning you already knew I was joking... Ah well, worth a try, eh?

Anyway, I somewhat apologise for the lack of content on this here blog. I've either have been busy, or just couldn't think of anything of worth to waste your precious moments that are universally known as time.

This is really an update of my life. And, as I haven't done any updating of my life (other than how my jokes and humour has gone from terribly to close to apocalyptically bad), I shall start...... now.

First off, I now own a PS3. I've probably told you already, but I thought I'd remind you. And no, not for bragging purposes. I just fancied one, so I got one. Then again, I bought it the moment some blasted hacker decided to attack Sony's gaming network. Curse you, unnamed person or group.

Since then, I've been really tempted to write game reviews. Maybe if Wicid or Clic someday get a contact who'll let people in the editorial team to do game reviews on new releases, I might do that. Then again, I've only got two "new" games - LA Noire and Portal 2. Both are very good titles, it must be said. And I feel odd reviewing old games. Ah, I might review them games, as practice. I'll be rubbish at it, mind. Ah well, worth a go, eh?

What else... er... oh, I attended the Eisteddfod this year. In Swansea, so it goes. Fancy reading about it? How about having a gander in my latest Dear World article? Oh, I'm a master of linking things together, aren't I? No? Ah well.

Oh, that reminds me. You know that post I did a while ago, about my Dear World on Insults had been taken down due to there being swearing on it (even if there was a note on the top of the article saying that there was swearing In the article)? Well, it's up. And you know what the best thing about it is? It went straight away up onto Clic. Fuck yeah. I'm rather surprised that the one after that, about Politics, didn't have the same problems due to it being of the political persuasion.

I have also filmed some stuff with Sormer007 for a new project. And yes, I did use his Clic username. Read his stuff. S'good shit, there. But yeah, hopefully there'll be more videos in the future. Yeah...

I honestly can't think of any other subject matters to discuss. If I do, I'll post a new post.

For the moment, dude.

- I used to want you dead but now I only want you FIN.

The Ghost That Wasn't

I survived.

Indeed, the first Wicid residential has been completed.

As I can tell by your good looks and your beautiful eyes that you read anything that compliments you. So, allow me to elaborate.

It was Friday. It was sunny, and I missed university because I gave in the assignment a day earlier than needed. You did not need to know that. Moving on.

We had our mission, to do some stuff for Wicid. Allocated time? A weekend (that's two days, fact fans). Where? Sealyham Adventure Centre in Pembrokeshire.

Somehow, we actually got to the destination roughly on time. And yes, I am looking at you, Clic's most recent residential up in Anglesey. Argh is indeed the word for the moment.

We arrived, some time not long after the sun went to visit the other side of the world, outside a Georgian house. It was a rather nice house, to be fair, and the surrounding area was rather dark, as it was night. I'm babbling. Forgive me.

After devouring the food that was in front of us, we had the whole "get to know each other" thing, this time we had to say two things that we liked about ourselves. Lovely. Luckily, all I had to say was that I was the sub-editor of Wicid. Talk about easy runnings...

But yeah, we went on a ghost walk thing in the nearby woods, which wasn't that scary. It was a bit unnerving, but the fact was we were in near pitch darkness and I'm not a fan of the dark (not phobia level, I just prefer light than darkness). Luckily, I had a torch on my phone, so I just stood by Craig (Wicid's editor when Cat's away) so he can find his way as he was filming. Well, I'm guessing he didn't want to damage his camera, so y'know, I thought I'd be nice. Ha.

After that, t'was plain sailing. The only other interesting thing after that was a story of Goldilocks told in the style of Stacey Solomon by Ricky Paveltish. Pretty epic story, to be fair.

Next morning, we had stroganoff for breakfast. We didn't, but even if we did I wouldn't have recognised it or had it. I had a roll from my bag. Hardcore isn't even the word for me. Neither is bird. Anyway.

The workshops began. As Craig went out to pick up some spray paints or some weed, we're not entirely sure what, the Detached youth workers began the first workshop, an OCN in creative writing.

Luckily, one of them came up to me saying to me and four other, older members of Wicid "you can sit this out, we actually want you to go around and helping the others". Result.

I went around, not helping anyone. Not by choice, but by the fact that I had no idea about creative writing. Granted, nearly everyone I know says that I can do creative writing because of my Dear World articles, but I can't see them as creative. They are just the stuff I think about and write them down. Ooh, I'm babbling, forgive me.

Later on that day, Crag returned with some spray paints, and with a rather spaced out look about him. The rather large group was split into two groups. One continued with the creative writing workshop, while Craig led the music workshop.

It was a songwriting workshop. He asked me to help out, I was rather rubbish with my attempts to help. I did, on the other hand, think up a riff for a song now. That is all.

So, in all the Clic residentials, there were activities, with the one up in Anglesey being something involving circus stunts and that. This time, we had a choice between high ropes, coast steering and archery. And since I have a thing about both water and heights, it was obvious for me to go to archery.

The walk was long, but to be fair the scenery was epic. When we arrived, and after the instructor told us how to do archery, we had some practice shots. Unfortunately, I didn't kill anyone. Ah well.

I'll be honest, I've always liked the idea of archery. I've always wanted to try it, yet I have failed to try. I didn't think I was going to be good at it, I just thought I'd try.

I stood up to the plate (well, the bow and a piece of wood, but y'know what I mean), picked up the bow, placed the arrow in place, aimed and fired. I hit the board, and not a bad shot with that. I continued, with the next three arrows going close to the first one. None in the bullseye, but no total misses either. Lovely.

After two or three rounds, I stood up once more to the piece of wood. I then asked the instructor something. Can I try it left handed? He allowed me to do so.

And, to the surprise of both of us, I was at near the same level I was doing it right handed. It seems as though I am ambidextrous in archery. I bet you'd give your right hand to say that.

After a few more rounds of hitting balloons with arrows and crisps, we headed back, had nomage and began the next workshop. I still stayed with the music lot, though I was worse than I was in the beginning. I'm rather crap when I need to help people on a subject that I'm not good at. Ah well.

After that went on for a bit longer, dinner was served. For them, it meant lasagna and other foods. For me, it meant a few welshcakes and a ham baguette. Don't ask me why.

The Saturday night ended with a few people watching the Wales game, though I, along with a few other people, went to some room where they had some games and that. After that was some film about a social networking website or something, I don't know. After that, bed. Nice.

It was a rather disappointing residential overall. The place was supposed to be haunted, we were supposed to have heard coughing in the night and feeling like we were pushed down in our beds. It didn't happen. Nobody went missing, which I thought would have happened. Ah well.

It did end on a high. I went with Craig on the way home. We stopped somewhere near Neath to have some food. He then thought it would be funny to tell the girl who served us that "Trevor sent us", referring to the car shop that was near. He insisted that he heard on the radio that if we said that Trevor sent us to McDonald's, they'd give us a free Big Mac. Worth a try, but she was having none of it. Ah well.

Apparently, there's going to be more Wicid residentials. Ah well, maybe they can pick a place that has internet access, eh? Ah well.

- With karate I'll kick your FIN.

Welsh Invasion

I'm rather shocked, if I'm completely honest with you.

Because I'm a rather sad child, I recently looked at the stats of all my blogs. This blog seems to get (on average) about three views a day, which isn't bad at all in my eyes. My other blogs, which are an extension of my Dear World articles on Wicid and on Clic, aren't doing as well. But then again, they are doing well on both sites (this blog and Wicid/Clic).

As I looked upon the stats of all my blogs, I turned my attention to the Welsh Dear World blog, named Annwyl Fyd, and its statistics. And I turned my attention to the referral links.

And what did I see?

A referral from Hedyn?

What's this? I thought to myself.

I clicked on the link, and this was the result.

If you don't go on it, it gives a small introduction (with links) to my Annwyl Fyd website. I was gobsmacked. Why is it up there?

I dug further, and Hedyn seems to be some sort of portal for blogs in the medium of Welsh.

That is a win in my book.

I was intrigued by this. So, like the sad child that I am, I searched Annwyl Fyd into Google. Unexpectedly, my articles were the first ones in the search. Then, as I entered the third or so page of the search results, I stumbled upon another Welsh-based blog, Blogiadur. This has a collection of all Welsh blogs. To me, the win level has increased tenfold for me.

I don't know if this means that the Dear World articles are any good. Maybe they just add any Welsh blog up to those sites. But yeah, it's still an achievement. Fuck yeah, indeed.

Talking about Wicid and Clic, there shall be a Wicid residential soon. I shall let you know how that goes.

Oh, and in university news, I've passed my first Radio Production assignment with fifty five percent. That means that I'm still on track of passing every assignment first time. Yes, I know I failed my second Video Production assignment, but even then only by five percent.

I shall leave you now. Mwahahaha.

- Find me somebody to FIN

Wish You Were Here

It's been a while since I talked about some meaningless drivel for you. And yes, I do mean university.

I have no idea if I mentioned this is another post, but I received two things for the first time. The first one being a fail. Yes, I failed an assignment for Video Production by five percent. Hopefully, I have scraped a pass with my evaluation essay and only have to re-edit the video.

The second thing that happened for the first time is the fact that I received my first first. Yes, I got seventy-two percent in an essay about capacitors and filters, which results in me receiving a first. Fuck yeah.

In other news, I'm starting to dislike the people in my course a lot. There's only like, five people who are decent (y'know, you can talk to without having the feeling that they're judging you). Sadly, only one of said five people (who I won't name, as you don't know them) is someone I hang around with. Shit. Anyway.

The majority of them are arrogant English people who think that Facebook and alcohol are kings of modern life. It's rather boring, to be honest. I doubt half the people in my class respect me, and I do believe it's because I'm Welsh. Well, something to do with being Welsh. I'm not playing the race card, but it does seem like some of those arrogant English people treat their fellow English folk differently to the Welsh people in the course.

A prime example is during Electronics, when an English girl was behaving like she would normally to her English friends (and to the ones who were not her friend), and the minute she comes over to me to ask to look at my results (I say ask, she just glanced at them) and said "thanks" in that mundane Anglo-American dud sound that pollutes the planet these days. Didn't even ask to look at them, just assumed that she can since she's "the only attractive girl in the class". Which is a bare faced lie. But then again, there's only three girls in my Electronics class, and I'm not continuing with that. Ha.

In other, more happy news, you know that I write a series for Wicid (and a bit for Clic) called Dear World? Well, during the residential, I was rather forced to enter the "staff room" by Wicid's part time Editor, Craig. I'm not sure if he's going to be editor of if he is just part time like Cat (the main editor).

Anyway, I entered the staff room to see Alex, the guy who owns (I believe) Burning Red (the company who designs the Clic websites), bringing a folder out of a bag. He hands me a book.

But, as you can probably guess, I hadn't seen this book before. I read the title - CLICannual 2011.

Craig told me to look at the contents, and what do I see? Well, apart from the contents of the annual. I see two words repeated in two places - Dear World.

Yes, two of my Dear World articles will appear in the first CLICannual - God and Nationality.

Somehow, the guys at Clic think that my articles are among the best in Clic. That's rather an odd thought. I hope I don't sound arrogant in saying that. I personally think that all the stuff I do writing wise is rather terrible. Well, that's exaggerating a bit, though I wouldn't be a hundred miles away if I stated that my writing is less than below average. The rest of the Clic annual is pure gold, mind. It's rather amazing what young people around Wales can do.

In other, less happy news, I went to Bristol Zoo with Wicid. I won't comment on the whole experience, as that article (written by the Editor of Wicid, with help of people who went too) well inform you with all the happenings of the day.

All I will say is, I don't like zoos.

It seems wrong, somehow. The first animal we saw properly was a lion (who we ended up adopting for a year via Wicid). Kamal, I think his name was. Well, either that or Keith (as some of the Wicid team called him). He looked depressed, and not because he was in Bristol. It just seemed wrong, keeping all these animals just for the entertainment of human boys and female girls. But then again, I may be wrong. Ah well, life, as some people say, goes on.

I shall end it here. This post, not my life. All I can say on that matter is that I'll never kill myself, or even self harm. But enough about my fucked up family.

- Never gonna FIN you up.

Land Of The Green And The Home Of The Sheep

Guess what?

No, not that. Guess again.

No, not that either. Would it be easier for me to just tell you what's what?

Okay then, on Friday I packed my bags and finally left home. To Anglesey. For a weekend. With Clic. Lovely.

It started on Friday. The sun was hidden by clouds, I wore jeans. The coach was what you'd expect from any coach. Though I was rather unsure at first why the driver decided to head back into Rhondda Cynon Taff after picking up our fellow residential dudes from Ebbw Vale and Newport. We had no idea that our journey would last longer than the estimated four hours.

Yes, the pesky sat nav decided to go the scenic route up to the little patch of Wales in the North. The chosen route was also a shroud of deceit on our phones, as for a good section of our journey we had no signal. So much so, that a girl called Jess Preddy and I began to improvise a song about retweeting, with the main lyric being "We need to retweet, why can't we retweet?" Aye, I'm sure we annoyed the living daylights out of our fellow travelers of the South with this song. Ah well, could be worse, we could have stalled a few times. Oh wait, we did.

Unfortunately, it was rather dark once we finally landed on Anglesey soil. So dark, in fact, that the coach driver didn't notice a sign post that said "no wide vehicles" until after we went down that street. Ah well, at least it gave the other members of the Wicid editorial team, along with Sam from theSprout, to sing about the bus travels up in Clic's Got Talent thing that was happening on Saturday night.. Lovely.

As the chickens sang their song in the morning, the day began with breakfast. Then, the young people of Wales were split into five groups. I, along with a few others, ended up in the first group, meaning that I have to sit through the accreditations workshop first, which was rather good. Then, we did the information introductions for Clic in video form in front of a green screen. Though, to be fair, I do think that some people were more interested in the large remote control that was discovered in one of the rooms. Like this one. Nice.

After a little break, the group made their way to banner making, though it was changed to kendo. There were a few matches between the people on the group, though I don't have a clue what possessed Jess to ask Geoff "can me and Gareth have a go?" Before we actually chowed down in bamboo warfare, I was unsure what to do. Though, as we commenced the battle, I wasn't going to let her win. Apparently, I'm really aggressive. Ah well, doesn't matter. All that matters is that I won, which led to this image being taken...

Image via ClicOnline, with slight editing done by yours truly (CrazyDistortion).

Yeah, that's me, doing a jumping attack on Jess' head. How hardcore am I?

Anyway, after a few handful of workshops, some breaks and another handful of workshops, we had Clic's Got Talent, where the name of it says it all.

There were only two different activities in the Clic's Got Talent - singing and dancing. As Sam, the Swoosh girls and others showed us what they've got in the dancing stakes, Paul from Defaid and others sang for the group. To be fair, everyone was well good, it was a relief when someone said that it was just for fun and not a competition.

After that, there was some sleeping done, as it was night by that time. The Sunday was the day of goodbyes, as we left homeward-bound at roughly half eleven in the morning. Again, it took us well over the estimated time for us to get home from Anglesey. We headed into England, further than I imagined. Ah well, the driver dropped the Wicid group at the stop well past seven in the night. Lovely.

As I charged my Mac in the comfort of my own room, I realised that I had an email. It was from Clic's sub-editor, Dan. All it said was "I've driven to Anglesey a few times before. It usually takes this long."

A quote by the bus driver before heading to the depot. Lovely.

So, on the whole, a good residential. Hopefully, there'll be more people from Rhondda Cynon Taff coming to the next one. Oh, and remind me to bring a guitar with me so then I can have a jam with Paul from Defaid. Nice.

- I did my time, and I want FIN.

Man Of Two Views

Guess what?

I'm not going to discuss my sleeping problems.

I know how happy you must feel. But to compensate, I'll discuss what I've done recently. And yes, they involve Wicid and Clic. Lucky, lucky you.

And before I do, what do you think of the new look? Granted, it's only a new background image and a change of colour for the title but yeah, any good?

Right, back on topic.

First off, last Wednesday, I had a call from the editor of Clic, who told me that I was the name who was picked to go and review Russell Howard's Right Here Right Now show that he did in Cardiff the following day. If you fancy reading my first ever review, you can click here to jump to it. Please, if you do have an account with Clic and its sister sites, comment on it and let me know what you think of the review. Or, if you went to see him too, tell me what you thought of him. Thanks, babes.

Anyway, if you don't click on that link, he was pretty amazing to be fair. Bloody brilliant. It was lovely to see someone who I highly respect, do what he does best. If he comes to Wales again, I'd definitely go and see him again.

Though, as I had to review his show, I had to do another thing for Clic. I had to interview fellow comedian Steve Williams. The Newport-born funny man was rather a nice person, to be fair. Though, at the beginning, the whole problems with the phone didn't really help my nerves, which I began to sound like a dalek. Nice.

Anyroad, those problems were fixed, and we started to talk. He then learned that I was interviewing him, and this was the first interview that I ever conducted. Luckily, he was rather nice about the whole thing, even if he did extract the urination slightly out of one or two of my questions (which, I admit, were rather shite). But yeah, on the whole, it was a really good interview. Well, I think so anyway.

I'll send a link or embed the audio in a blog post when it's live. So, if you have a fetish for terrible voices with Welsh accents, then you'll have to hold onto your knickers and be patient.

Ha.

Anyway, I'll let you go now. And I know I owe you, the possible reader, a post about how I want to improve my musical abilities. I'll do that on the weekend. Nice.

- Wake me up, before you FIN FIN

Is There Anyone At Home?

Come on now.

I know you're feeling down.

But I can ease the pain, and get you on your feet again.

Relax, I'm not going to do a post about Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, though I must admit that I've been playing it on guitar and singing. I can't sing, but there's something about playing that song, among other songs, that make you want to sing.

Anyways, I thought I'd update you on some of the things I've done since the last post.

The first thing is that I've done my first two assignments for university. Weren't as bad as I thought it was, though I now have a hatred for Final Cut Pro. Fuck, just realised I'm supposed to write the 'development of my video production skills' as my last assignment for one of the courses. Poo. Ah well.

I have, for some reason, began to write a series on Wicid. The series is called Dear World. I got the idea from what David Mitchell does with his Soapbox, though with my articles it's more like a letter to the world (as in the planet itself, not its people). I would've done it as a series of videos, but since I have the face for radio and a voice for books I just decided to do articles of it. Happy days.

Anyway, the thing I was going to do with the Dear World articles is to practice my comedy writing (though I know I have no skill in writing comedy). Now, four articles in, its turned into a more of a series to question the world around me. No idea why though. Two of them have been featured on the Clic website (which covers all of Wales), so the series must have something about it for that to happen.

The first one I've written is on Guitar Hero. I question why people think games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band are crap. This is one of the two Dear World articles that have been up on Clic.

The second one, on the same week as my birthday, is about death. Yes, for some reason, on the week of my nineteenth birthday I decided to write about death. Lovely.

Last week's instalment is about my thoughts on drink and drugs. It just discusses my relationship with drugs and alcohol. Such a different thing that I thought I would be writing about.

Finally, my latest article is about God and religion. I just question religion as a whole. This is the other article that has been put up on Clic, the very same day as I stuck it up on Wicid, in fact. So one of the editors must've liked it enough to think it's good enough for Clic.

Also, there must be a translating ninja on Wicid, since the two articles that have not been up on Clic have been translated to Welsh. Granted, the one's on Clic automatically get translated, but the ones that have not been featured on Clic have been translated to Welsh. I'm not complaining, mind. I like the fact that Clic and its websites use the Welsh language. But, if you fancy reading those articles in Welsh, you can read them here, here and here. There is no Welsh version for the artilce about God, since it has only been set live today.

But yeah, Dear World is a new series of mine, with a new (hopefully) every Monday. If people start to hate the idea, I shall stop, but until then, happy days. =].

In other news, I have a Macbok now. I got it so I could do more for longer (ha, sounds rather sick to me), and to end up being a replacement laptop for my dying one. Ah well.

Also, I'm still looking for someone to help me make a band with my music. I may be in a band with my cousin Michael, Burt and someone who lives close to Burt, but what I mean is that I'd like to be in a band that'd play the style of my songs. Not saying Grrr, I should be the sole music writer, I just want to be in a band that plays the same genre as I do. Even though I have no idea what genre I am. And no, I am NOT emo.

I will leave you now, as I have a sneeking suspision that I'm supposed to be doing something now. Not only that, I haven't installed a dictionary for Firefox yet, so this post might be rife with mistakes. Ah well.

- I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, singing FIN-O, got to let go.

Pretty Vacant

I'll be honest, this has been a slow month for this sorry blog. Not that many of you have noticed. Ah well.

The obvious thing to talk about is the fact that I no longer spell obvious with an l in between the v and the i. It's a small victory for me.

The other thing is university. Its going rather well, to be fair. I'm no longer going for the Welsh version of the Video Production module as it would mean that I would have an eleven-hour day on Mondays next term. And that's not something I want. I rather value my free mornings. =].

Internet Tech's going well. That, Media Tech and Graphics are going really well. Learned how to do a basic webpage, even if it is just a page that says Free Nelson Mandela. Anywho, its progress.

Electronics is a bitch. We've started on building the stylophone. I've nearly burned my hands multiple times as I failed miserably at soldering, and in the lectures all we do is talk about electrons and that, and those lectures are every three weeks. Lovely.

In other news, I have the new Guitar Hero. Its not a bad game, to be fair, though some of the stuff in the game makes sense to me. They made Money For Nothing way longer than it really is, which means playing it on the drums slowly turns into a chore, but that's one small thing. Its a cracking game, to be fair. Could be the hardest band-games (out of the main line of games, as in not GH:Metallica and GH:Van Halen and the like), not sure if its the best Guitar Hero though. Pretty close though. Ho hum, that's the end of that then.

This is just a post that updates you about what's happening in me life thus far. I've kind of ignored my blog (shame on me...) and done a few posts onto Wicid. Either about Stuart Cable's cause of death being revealed, James Blunt and his tactic to make the Taliban to surrender or about Pontypridd YMCA's centenary celebrations. So yeah, lovely.

That'll do for now, pet.

- I want you, to be, left behind those empty FIN.