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.

Thinking Time

Today, I'm working from home.

About an hour ago, I saw something rather innocent. Nothing major, just something that is normal.

But for some fucking reason, my mind's decided to make it into the massive bullshit arena. I've seen something that is usually normal, but I've connected so many things to it, I've made it into something that's made me feel paranoid and, for some fucking reason, like I've been punched in the stomach.

And to top it off, I just had a letter from Student Finance, saying I'm only eligible for the bare minimum.

Fuck.

Not only that, the way they've spaced the payments out means that I wouldn't have virtually any money to use if need be. For this term, I'm only getting over £400. I'm lucky in the fact that I only pay something like £350 for housing and that, but by fuck I'd just have £50 or so for the entire term.

God damn and custard creams, it's lucky that I don't have a social life and horde all the money that I've ever had until I blow my budget in one purchase. Fuck, I'm a dickhead.

So, for the past hour or so, I've done no work. All I've done is stare at my keyboard or aimlessly looking between social networking sites, thinking about pointless shit, making matters in my head worse.

And you know what the worst thing is? I really wish I could stop. I wish that I could restrict the thoughts that go through my mind. I keep telling myself stop it, you're being a twat, but alas poor reader, my brain decides the best call of action is to persist, which makes my day even worse.

In other news, I made myself look like an even bigger bastard of boredom on the weekend, as I was asked to photograph some bands for this year's Wicid Battle Of The Bands final. Unfortunately, out of the 200+ photos that I took, only eight or so where ones I thought were adequate at the least.

I used my old camera for this, my Canon 600D. I have a 5D Mk III now too, but didn't use that because I didn't feel I was used to it yet to use it, if that makes sense.

So yeah, that's a thing.

There's nothing else to add.

So, I shall end it here. I should be going back to work. Hopefully I will and not think about shit.

- Fuck it all, fuck this FIN.

Sleep Clock

It happened again.

Not to the levels where the neighbours called the police because it sounded like someone was being murdered, but alas, it happened again.

I have no idea why, or how. If I did, I would be asleep right now, dreaming of delusions that could only be real in my mind. If I did, I wouldn't contaminate the internet with a worthless blog post about it.

I, being the person that I am, have been eating normally. Well, I say "normally", I mean "normally for me". For the past month or so, I've had on average about two meals a day. Maybe because seeing other people eat makes me want to just ignore food altogether or the fact that when I work on something, my body goes into you're busy and therefore have no need for food mode, which happens a lot.

Why am I saying this to you? Salt and sugar. We assumed that because I'm consuming less salt and sugar, I've kicked the whole scream like a little pig because my mind's a fucked up prick. But yesterday, what did I have? A bacon sandwich, three mentos and then chicken, rice and chips. And there was like an eighteen hour gap between the first and last meal. And all through the day, I drank squashes. I've not touched a Pepsi or a drink like that in about two months now. Fuck, that makes me sound that I was a Pepsiholic.

Anyway, that's not any different that what I had yesterday, or the day before, or the day before, or... you get the gist. Basically, what I'm saying is, my brain is fucking trolling my body, and all I want to do is punch my brain until all it can think of is ouch.

It feels like I'm going mad, sometimes. I mean, how pathetic does it sound when I say on occasion, I wake up screaming because I possibly have an intolerance to salt and/or sugar?

But enough about why I can't think of a cause for this one, and more inane bull that nobody will care to read.

Today's just been a minefield of mindfuck for me, and I don't know why. Filled of moments where I wanted to say something but my brain goes nah, don't say that, you'll look like a right pervert/arsehole/wanker if you say that. Yet, in one instance, all I want to do is compliment someone, someone who I thought looked absolutely gorgeous on that day. But my brain talks me out of doing so, in fear that I'd look a fool or just make things extremely awkward between me and the other person.

But it's not just that, it's everything. No matter what I do - filming, editing, working, even socialising - my brain will unconsciously find fault with something, or decided that whatever I'm doing is utter shit and I end up wasting hours of my time.

In the past two or three weeks, I've written about ten articles for Wicid and Clic, but they all are either documents on my computer or instantly deleted due to the perceived shitness of the written word. I could be a coward, create a fake account and upload them using that account so nobody'll know who really has written them, but I'd know.

Every idea I have, every thought I have, every comment I say, I always second guess myself, leading me to never have my idea come to life or the thought or comment never to be heard.

I don't know. Maybe it's because of some thing that happened in my history that I've condensed into the hatred of my being that exists today.

Maybe one day I'll jump off this train of thought and walk into the realms of not having second thoughts of my first ones. But then again, I have no idea whatsoever what to do to do so.

Ah well, that's a lovely end of to a shitty blog.

Now, if you excuse me, I have nothing else to do until tomorrow. Good day.

- Can't think of a witty end to this, so I'll just end with FIN

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.

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...).

A Pox On You

There has been a few things going on since the last post.

For reasons only known to me, my laptop and the hideous graphics that the BBC decided to use for the T In The Park festival (seriously, if that was the best idea, you need to sack that person), I shall do it in the good ol' format - the good, the bad and the ugly.

First off, the good. It is rather a lovely good piece of news. To cut a long story short, I've passed my first year of university. Those many few already know my surprise to this knowledge. Allow me to expand.

For some reason, Glamorgan University doesn't tell you how you've done for the year, just for the assignments and the mean marks for each module. For my university (and I guess every other one, though correct me if I'm wrong), I'd need over seventy for a first, between sixty and sixty nine for a two-one, fifty and fifty nine for a two-two and then anything higher than forty for a third (the basic pass). Anything lower than forty would mean I'd failed the assignment/module.

Luckily, that was not the case. Overall in each modules, I had one third (Video Production), one two-two (Radio Production), three two-ones (Media Technology For Applications 1, Internet Technologies 1 and Computer Graphics Technologies for Integration 1) and, the one that shocked me the biggest, one first (Electronics for Music and Media). As you can see, the subjects that I like the most are the ones I was best at. Well, that and the two modules where I had group assignments were my worst. Grr.

Granted, these are probably not the final grades for the year. Maybe they'd chance slightly, but probably not enough to change the grade (though some of the marks are close to the threshold). Anyway, I was intrigued to see what was the overall mark I was given for the year. So, I did what naturally came to me at first but then deteriorated as the years eroded its abilities and used my maths skills. And what was the value I got? I shall tell you, it was 59.5.

That's a two-two. I should call it a 2:2, which I shall now. But yeah, that's half a mark away from a 2:2. Get in.

I was further intrigued, and wanted more accuracy in my results. I then added up the marks from all assignments individually and divided by the amount of assignments (which, for the few of the few who are interested, is twenty). And what did I get for that? 59.55.

Ooh, only 0.45 marks away from a 2:1. Yes, a low 2:1, but one all the same.

I'm not miffed that I didn't get that fraction of a mark to get a 2:1, I'm just pleased that I've passed my first year and rather decently. Maybe if I was bossy enough and told my groups in the Production modules to wise up and finish the work, I would've had the 2:1, but you know me, I'm no good at that.

Next up, the bad. Not going to dwell on this too much, though. The people at Wicid decided to give the members of the editorial team a charter to fill out. In short, it stated that if we signed it, we'd agree to not write anything that could be considered pornographic, sexually explicit, abusive and political. Please say you looked bizarrely at this idiotic blog as you read that last sentence.

Anyway, some of us disagreed and are now trying to make a new charter that will mean that the council would not block us out all the freaking time. Oh, and to let us write about whatever we want, be that on whatever subject matter the user wants.

To finish off, the ugly. It's me. I have chicken pox. At this time, I've been plagued with it for about six days now. The first day (Saturday, I think it was) was just me being bed bound. I couldn't get up at all. For all of that day, I think I was only conscious for about eight or nine hours. Not good.

The next day was when the spots came out. The doctor told us just to take Beechams and that will be fine. That was wrong. On Wednesday morning, going on for about three I'd say, I was heading back to the hospital. I had an epic fever, though by the time I got to the hospital to see le docteur, that had gone. Throughout, he told us tales of when he had chicken pox at the grand old age of thirty one, and he knows how bad it can get in adults (me, adults... ha). For that, he instantly gave me antivirals for the virus, and some stuff for the fever. Hopefully I should get better in a week or two. Enough of that.

I'm off now. For the moment, ya?

- I pity the FIN.

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.

Fuck This Shit

Yes, this is about swearing.

If you didn't know, my recent Dear World article is about insults. In the article, I talk about how insults have become lazy and short like "motherfucker" and "penishead". I also urge the youth of Wales (well, RCT) to marvel at wonderful insults that are thoughtful and bamboozling at the same time. Well, I think I did anyway.

In this article, I do swear, though I don't write a fucking fuck after every fucking word. At first, the article went up fine. Then, I had a call, saying that the council wanted to edit it so the swearing won't be obvious (so, instead of twat, it would be tw*t). For some reason, they are still unhappy.

They now want to blank out all the swearing in the article, meaning that a rather light swearword like shag (for example) could be misunderstood for a fuck or a cunt.

Because of this reason, I asked if they can just have the first letter of it (so it would be t--- instead of twat), but apparently they are still unhappy with this.

So, for a website that is supposed to be giving the young people a voice, it has pretty much failed due to some rather stupid council people being unhappy that I've said the word "twat" and "wanker".

I'm sorry, but I've sworn in an article a few times before (and the majority of them in a Dear World article). So, why are they censoring it now?

Also, I don't understand why they are censoring it. If their train of thought is that the younger end of the Clic age group (say, eleven to fourteen) are going to go on a swearing frenzy just because I used the word wanker in an article. I write how I talk, and I usually talk to an eleven year old the same as I would a twenty five year old. I don't see how I should shelter, if you will, the younger generation by censoring my writing (well, anyone's writing on Wicid and all the Clic sites).

It's not like they don't know about swearing, right? I mean, people in the same year as me were swearing during the late years of primary school. What age is that? About nine, ten, eleven? They know all about these words these days. I don't think that, on a website that gives a voice for young people in Wales, that anyone should cover their arse by not saying arse. Yet, ass would probably be acceptable. Fucking Americanisms...

I apologise to you, my possible and improbable readers, as I'm ranting to you about the council's doing. I really don't care if they know that I've written this. Fuck, I won't even deny doing so. It makes no sense.

For my last part of annoyance, I'll wish you would click on this link. It is the swearing section of the Wicid (and Clic) style guide. If you cannot be arsed to click on a like, here is what it says.

Gratuitous swearing cannot be allowed on the websites due to the age range of our readers (11-25). If you feel you absolutely have to swear, please keep it light and ensure it is in context with your article, although we can’t guarantee its inclusion.

I understand completely why this is in the style guide. As the age group is eleven to twenty five, we must make aware that our content is between these ages. But, to my defense, I do believe in all of my being that my swearing is well within the context of the article. I'll stick it up on my Dear World blog for you to read. I was going to write one on swearing, though I guess that's out of the question.

Anyway, I honestly believe that I needed to swear in the article. For one, it was a form of quoting. Second of all, it was a reference to the quote and lastly it was an example of other swear words.

I only used three swearwords - twat, wanker and prick. I didn't type something racist, nor did I use something that is derogatory of women. It's three swearwords, and all in context.

Why? RCTCBC, why?

- Fuck the motherfucker. Fuck the motherfucker. Fuck the motherfucker. He's a fucking motherfucker. Fuck the motherfucker. Fuck the motherfucker. Fuck the motherfucking FIN.

Film Me In

I apologise that my blogging has been rather rubbish of late, I have been rather busy doing some stuff.

Anyway, it's done.

Finished.

I have completed my first year of university... kind of.

My lectures have finished formally. No more this year do I have to go to university and endure hours of lectures with people who seem uninterested in the subject matter in hand. Don't get me wrong, the lecturers were decent enough, it just seemed that only a handful of the students in the course want to learn, the others just seem to be interested in getting pissed or thinking that getting into university is enough. Ah well, don't have to worry about them for another few months.

Saying that I'm off from university, I have six assignments due in by May sometime - one for each module. Yes, I have to resit one assignment for Video Production. Yes, it was the group assignment. I knew we didn't finish the video, but the rest of the group thought otherwise. Ah well, can't change that now, can we?

In other news, I've received my second first in an assignment. Guess what for? Yes, for Electronics, again. Fuck yeah. And the next assignment for Electronics involve logic gates, something I learned about in GCSE Electronics. This is going to be interesting.

So yes, I have six assignments due in on May, then I'm free for the rest of the educational year. Though, during next week, I shall be heading Brighton for a video conference thing with Tantrwm, the guys who help run Wicid. Apparently, I'll be helping out with cameras and all that, maybe some editing (but probably nothing major). Should be fun, should be interesting.

Interesting thing to note to the fans of facts, this will be the first time I'll be sleeping somewhere outside of Wales that I can remember. Yes, I've been to France when I was younger, but that was when I was three, four.

Anyway, I shall leave you now. I have a pain in my leg. E-cookies to the first one to guess what leg.

- Fuck me, I've FIN'd university for the year...

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.

Pixel You In

Oh, how do I think of these blog names...

Anyway, this blog is just to ask you something.

What do you think of this?


DC1S01 Sound Sync Animation from Gareth Aled John on Vimeo.

This is a rubbish version of the final project for university. I was supposed to do a 60-90 second animation on either sound syncing (matching imagery to sound) or moving picture (having an image and animating it), using Adobe's After Effects to create the animation.. As you can tell, I went for the sound syncing option.

I had no idea what to do. Then, I though fuck it, I'll do it about Wicid. So, this is my university assignment about advertising Wicid. Ha.

For some cocking reason, it didn't upload in widescreen format. It turned it into 4:3 ratio. No idea why. I would up it onto YouTube, but it'll be taken down due to it having a song by Gob called Face The Ashes. Grr to them, I say.

Anyway, what do you think of it? Any good? I know that the text's a bit odd and slightly shit, I honestly has no idea what to write for it.

In other news, I'm off to Sealyham tomorrow for a residential with Wicid. Should be decent. I'll write something about it when I get back.

Ah, a nice short update here. Lovely.

- You got it. A FIN FIN FIN 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.

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.

Foot In Mouth Disease

Over this bank holiday weekend, I was up in Pembroke Dock (that's in Pembrokeshire, fact fans). Why? Because it was those happy days with the people from Clic and the other sites like theSprout, Swoosh and YoungFlintshire. Well, other people went too, from counties that have no site yet, but since they have no site yet, I cannot link them here. Ah well.

But yeah, young people from all over Wales collected in Pembroke Dock to have a residential. This was my third one. the first one being up North Wales, where some people from Newport decided they didn't like me for some reason. The second was in Cardiff Bay, where I was punished with cups. But this was a weird one.

To be fair, I realised my insanity would take over the moment I got out of my father's car to get on the Clic bus, with one of the people who tormented me with the cups of dread from the Cardiff Bay showing me the fact that she brought a cup to this one. Joy. Not only that, an eleven year old girl (I think that's her age) attacked me as we were waiting to pick some other people up.

Yes. I got attacked by a young girl. With plastic forks. Happy days.

But alas, we arrived safely at the place. Nice place, to be fair.

Nothing really happened in that Friday, other than the dreaded icebreakers. I'll be honest, I don't understand icebreakers. I can't really describe some of the icebreakers, or how it made everyone look like they're attending a mental institute (no offence intended to people who have any sort of experience with mental institutes). On the Saturday, we actually got into the whole 'doing stuff for Clic', which went alright. The music activity didn't go well though, as I took my bass and I had no idea what to do over the chords Paul (a guy from Anglesey) played (damn you, capos...). But alas, I figured out what he was playing and just played the bass notes. That's the joys of the bassist, eh?...

So, why have I named this post Foot In Mouth Disease? Well, basically, y'know that young girl who attacked me on the bus on the way to the place with forks, well on that Saturday she decided to attack me again. This time with her feet.

Well, most of the time she was jumping on me and Elin (the cup tormentor from Cardiff), but other times she was messaging my face with her feet. But I think we got away with a little of that girl's evilness, as she was off attacking Dan most of the time.

But yeah, it was an alright residential, to be fair. Also met someone else who is off to the Atrium too. Woop. But yeah, roll on the next one, eh?

Edit - if you are bored or have a fetish for deja-vu, then feel free to read this article that I've written for Clic about the residential. I've added more to that one, so it'll feel more like semi-deja-vu. Happy days...

So, in other news. It's MkI's birthday on Friday. She'll be twenty-five and she wants to go out for food. So, it's a chance for people to watch us eat, and judge us for what we are eating. Not only that, MkII and MkIII are both being baptised in September. MkII one week, MkIII the next. I'll be honest, it seems to me that they are only getting baptised to please their boyfriends and their families. I, in all honesty and sausages, do not want to go to either of these baptisms. I'd feel like a fake. I'd feel like the whole situation is a fake. I'd feel that my sisters are fake.

But, before I go, I'd like to wish Rhys Bowen Jones a happy birthday, as he has finally turned eighteen, right before Sarah Thomas turns nineteen. So yeah, happy birthday for you two dudes. Don't die too soon, yeah? =].

Whoa, there's a load of links in this post, eh?

- Just one cornetto, give it to FIN.

Dead Man Walking

I know. I know. I bring so much happiness in my blog titles...

So, how've you been?

Well, I'm not bad. But, I will tell you, it seems that I'm shaping up better than other people.

If you didn't know by now, tomorrow is the A Level results day (or, as I like to call it, the day of three letters. A day where we, as past key stage fivers, discover if we managed to pass the exams and sail through on the sea of opportunity to the dock of knowledge and wisdom we usually call university.

Some people, like my friend RuhBuhJuh, are panicking over the results. Either losing sleep over their unknown future, or just feeling jittery about the whole situation.

But, for me, and with many a-blog post here...

It's just another day.

I know, I might change my blog tagline to Another day, another failed blogger as I use those same four words in that same order over and over. I've said it about Christmas, about my birthday, and now A level exam results. Okay, some things in my lifetime won't be just another day. I might get married (that is, if I lose all hope in finding a wife normally and end up buying a Russian bride who won't put out until I marry her, only to have her stolen away from me by some Chinese dude who learned to speak Russian for her love... hang on, that's an episode of American Dad...). That wouldn't be just another day. Neither would be the birth of my children (yeah, I thought the same thing...). Or, and I hate to say it, the death of someone close. Other than those potential events, everything else is just another day.

But this post was not supposed to be about me and my never ending use of that four word sentence.

Yes, I am somewhat nervous about what the three letters will turn out to be. All I know is that I have about twenty five percent chance of getting a vowel in my grades, with 99.99% of that quarter being an E or lower. But then again, I can't see myself earning anything over a C grade in my subjects. But these are just my thoughts and predictions for tomorrow.

Tomorrow starts at six in the morning, while others have to wait until the anti-six (ie, nine) before even thinking of having the grades in their hands. Why six? Well, Edexcel (the examination board whose behind giving Rhydfelen the choice of doing Music Technology for an A level) release their exam results at six in the morning.

Six...

Yeah, sure, I'll be up by then. Fuck, I was up at six this morning without anybody calling me. So, chances are that I would be up at about four, five tomorrow. Hey, maybe even earlier. I have no plan for if I stay up all night tonight (other than watching endless shows of the Peep Show, Mitchell And Webb Look and A Bit Of Fry And Laurie). Neither do I know what I will do if I see the grades on the screen to be lower than the C. I'd be kind of gutted, I admit. But, what then? Do I slow-walk to school, further lowering my expectations of what I had in the other subjects?

No idea. But what I do know, is that I'd probably be updating this blog. Not necessarily on this post, bit on a two-for-one post. Either one post on pre-nine-thirty and post-nine-thirty (both are in the morning), or one continuous one, though I would publish the post before I go to school to collect my results. Then I shall update it with the news of the other results and if I got into university.

So... expect tomorrow to be a hectic day for blog posts. I apologise in advance.

I shall leave you now, as there's nothing else I could say. My ankles hurt from walking from a meeting for Wicid yesterday , so I find it hard to play drums a bit. Yeah, my life's a bit dull, yeah? I'm also going on another Clic residential at the end of this month. Such lovely information for you. =].

But yeah, sounds cheesy, but if you are waiting for exam results, I hope your results are what you are hoped for. =].

- I FINished ze blogpost, ya?

Break It Down.

Today, I was looking back at the past blog posts, and I stumbled upon the post named Diweddglo, which was written before the Earth had it's two thousandth and tenth birthday. It had four 'hopes' there...

And it got me thinking...

How close am I to them.

Let's revisit them, shall we?...

First one was about the exam results, and my hope that I would get into Swansea Metropolitan University to study Interactive Media Design. This was also before the open day when I went to visit the university. If I haven't said before, it doesn't seem like a good university. To me, for some bizarre reason, the building felt like the old Rhydfelen, but without the soul. The tutors sounded bored out of their skulls, and the only flicker of happiness from the people in the university was the image of a land that time forgot (otherwise known as Swansea itself). Now, I'm not calling Swansea a shitehole. But, it must say something about a university when nearly everyone looks bored and looks like they want out, right?

Luckily, I went to the Atrium for Creative Technologies and Music Technology. I won't bore you with the details of them, but I received offers from both courses. Music Technology for 300 points, and Creative Technologies for 280.

As out of the two Atrium courses Creative Technologies was my first choice, it made no sense for me to make a course that required more points to get into as an insurance, nor did it make any sense to go to a university where the tutors were counting down the days to retirement. So, I went for the Creative Technologies as my first and only choice.

And, about the grades I'm expected, you're better off looking at this post...

The second hope, which was to start a band, or at least work with a songwriter, I'm not sure where I am with that. Nick (who I know from school, if you didn't know) asked if I could be the bassist for his band (or possibly, bands). But, as nothing has really happened yet, I'm still not sure what will arise from his proposition. I still really want to work with a lyricist, even if we become like the band Gorilaz and just exist as animated characters. But, I'm still looking for a wordsmith of sorts...

There's no point talking about the third one. I can't see any chance of finding someone this year. Maybe next year (or decade), Ga?...

And the last one, keeping in contact with the people I like after school finished. I have done that, sort of. Be that meeting up if a pub for Jam Night or seeing some of them during the Wicid meetings. But, lets see what'll happen after September, shall we?...

I also have a question for you. With some things, parents can pass certain traits to their offspring. I remember, during a GCSE Biology lesson, me and my friend were having a discussion, which ended up with him asking the teacher (who was Mr Porter) if gambling was in people's genes. And he said they were. I know (well, I think I know but I'm not sure) that the possibility of certain illnesses is increased if the parent has that illness (for example, some cancers, mental illnesses, others).

So, my question is this. Well, not this, but you know what I mean...

Is alcoholism hereditary?

Answers (or thoughts) are welcome in the form of a comment, a Twitter mention or a passing comment on the street in real life.

But yeah, that is it for now. If I get a why are you asking if alcoholism is hereditary? question sometime, I may elaborate in blog form at a later date. But for now. Au revoir.

- And next on BBC One, The FIN Show...