Monday 31 August 2009

Pretty Good Week!

Hey,

I'm not going to lie, this week has been pretty magic! It's probably the best week since the Graduation/RockNess/Oasis period in early June. I know there hasn't been much competition for "best week", mainly because every week has followed the same format of three things:

a)That I don't like working
b)Whether I went out at the weekend or not
c)What music I like currently.

Now don't worry, because these elements are still in this week's blog. It wouldn't be a blog without them. This week just had a bit more good things to report back with! Normally I have to keep track of exciting things that happen be writing it down before I forget, but I realised that using twitter (see right) could do the same thing.

The week started just as any other, working Monday and Tuesday back shift. On Wednesday I went to the gym with Cara, which was fun mainly, except for her showing that the majority of the fitness I once had had diminished. Twenty minutes of the treadmill and I was nearly out of breath. I could blame it on Morrisons, on how I have to work all hours to save for university (see point A) but instead I'll blame it on the asthma. It is a right bastard.

After the gym I went for a swim with Cara, but tired as I was from the gym I opted for playing "drowning victim #1" for her lifesaving test. I played the role very successfully I felt, though the splashing and my shouting was unnecessary.
Apparently.

Then later that evening on Twitter - which is now in the English dictionary by the way, as is "btw" - cool stuff happened. Firstly a tweet to You Me At Six was replied by the band (I think, it's the official twitter but possibly not them), it went along the lines of this:

"DavidCHilds: who writes the lyrics in @youmeatsix songs?"
"youmeatsix: @DavidChilds That would be Josh!"

Now I know they are a bit emo, but I don't really care to be honest. Later on that evening they announced that they are doing a store appearance (meet and greet, acoustic set, I am not sure) at Avalanche shortly after I move to Glasgow. Good times!

Thursday was also an excellent day. Not because I was working 12-9 (of course not) but because an article of mine got published in When Saturday Come's website. WSC is this independent football magazine, a favourite of mine as it is filled with good sports journalism. To get my article published on the site (http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/3820/38/) about Fort William FC's reality TV is something I am quite proud of. The guy behind the project has actually read it, as he commented about it on his faceebook I have been told. In exchange for doing the piece I got a football book, which was in my hands the next day. So, in theory I got paid £13. Well, in pages.

I spent Saturday evening not going out (see point "c")due to finances/lack of willingness to go. This will sound sad but the TV was worth staying in for. The United/Arsenal match and the Milan derby were smashing matches, followed by Mock the Week, Have I Got News For You, Shooting Stars and Match of the Day. Perfect night in.

The CD fair was in town on Sunday (b). Got a few albums; Placebo's "Without You I'm Nothing" and Europe's greatness. The Europe album is immense! It's very 80's, very over the top with one too many solos but overall an album collection is not complete without one. Billy Talent III, surprisingly the third album from Billy Talent,is also a decent album.

And that has been the week basically. Been a pretty good week overall and this one should also be good, with a return to Ossians imminent!

DC

Monday 24 August 2009

One Week Closer

Hey,

A fairly unspecticular week this one I am afraid. In a bid to save as much money as possible before I leave this town I don't go into town as much. This has led to a few things. Firstly, I have saved money on shots and other poisons, and also a distance from Ossians has been maintained - it's a month now, by the way - which is good. What this has meant is that not much is happening in my life.

Glasgow looms nearer. At the time of writing, I have two weeks left of working at Morrisons, and a further five days until I leave for Glasgow. It's all getting quite close now; pre-registration is complete, Murano Street has a room for me and my Freshers' Week pass is paid for. What is annoying however is that the bands for the Freshers Week hasn't been announced, as opposed to Strathclyde who have (Idlewild, Funeral for a Friend, Twin Atlantic etc). I can only hope ours is as good as that line up.

Twin Atlantic are a band I have only just got into in the past seven days. The lead sings with a broad Scottish accent, but not one of those annoying Dundonian ones like The View. This could just be because I am West Coast, but it just sounds nicer, no? I learned about them through the site Grant works on (www.thisistheknow.wordpress.com) I wrote some gig reviews for the site of Athlete from the BA a few weeks ago and Rockness. Have a look if you like. I also got in touch with with a newspaper from the University. They say I can contribute, which is good. Another sign that University is nearing is that last week I got some stationary shopping done! The exclamation mark is deliberate, because there is something geeky - yet fun - of being organised. Like, it is comforting to know that you have an array of pens and paper at your disposal. As Cameron put it, it is the "honeymoon period". Is this making any sense to you? Because I can understand if it doesn't. Speaking of you (in general) I had to disable comments on the blog, because of "Bloggo". I don't really care if this blog is rubbish, I only write it to keep my nine or so brain cells active.

I played cricket on Saturday, and annoying, lost cricket on Saturday. What is annoying most is that we were capable of beating them ("them" being Kinloss) but we had a lot of younger players in the squad. They did well but on another day we could of won. I scored seven runs, which took me an eternity to score. During my stay at the crease I got hit by the ball on the body three times. And it hurt. To put it into perspective, a cricket ball weighs 5 1/2 ounces, and travels at about 70mph. A shinty ball weighs only 2 1/2 ounces. After the game I spoke to a player from Kinloss who has met Dallas Green. Needless to say I am very envious of him.


I watched a few things on TV this week. I'll start with what was probably the worst of the programs I watched - "Being Human". To simplify the program, "Being Human" is about a dead person, a vampire and a werewolf living together in a house in Bristol. That's right, Bristol. And for some reason, they are all obsessed, unnecessarily, with sex. As the werewolf boy with ears belonged to different postcodes to his head, "This guy is teaching me how to speak to girls". The scene when he chats up the nurse is truly horrendous. As for the vampire, his vampire friend sends him a video of "vampire porn", which only involves one person since the vampire isn't picked up on camera. Not only is it not very good, it's a touch disturbing too. Not to mention pointless.

"Outfoxed" is a documentary I watched on Tuesday about the work done by Fox News and Rupert Murdoch, and it exposes just how right-wing their "fair and balanced" news coverage is. I won;t spoil the program by going into detail but if you want a laugh, try and catch some of "The O'Reilly Factor". More conservative than I am when I only have £4 to last three weeks. I finished the book "Netherland" this week, bit of a dissapointing ending though, and I tried to read "Goodfellas" but I couldn't get into it because my imagination had been ruined from watching the film. I am reading a Charlie Brooker book instead.

So that's the week then, but before I go I have to say, Kenny MacAskill - and the SNP - got the Lockerbie thing wrong. Compassion is all fine and well, but it doesn't bring lives back.

DC

Monday 17 August 2009

Insert Title Here

Hey,

It has been a busy-ish week the previous seven days. Once again I have found taking notes to be the best way of keeping track with my mediocre life. Is it a bad thing that my memory is so poor that I need to take notes so that I don’t forget my own name? Maybe…

On Wednesday I went to Nikki’s house to watch the premier of the road trip that my friends went on during the summer. The trip took them round the country whilst I, although invited, declined to stay in Fort William. I regret this. The trip looked awesome, from going to “Storybook Glen” to their own Christmas dinner in Glasgow in July. Hopefully I will do something similar with them next year, possibly abroad.

That evening, on a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing, my friends and I decided to take a trip to Inverness to catch a film. With a bit of time to kill Cameron and I found us at the Morrisons outside the Eastgate Shopping Centre and, because my life is sad, I went to the Fish Counter. I am aware that, if I was ever popular, that popularity has vanished. What I will say though is that it wasn’t a touch on my – er, I mean Fort William’s – counter. Store 178 for life.

The film we went to see was “The Ugly Truth”, which starred the guy from “300” and the girl from “Knocked Up”. It’s a rom-com, a predictable one at that, a plot I won’t go into because when you eventually come round to renting the DVD you too will get it. This is not to say that it is a bad film, because it’s not. In some scenes it is quite funny. It’s just the ending is well, for want of another word, expected. With pay day not til Friday and with us hungry, we opted for one large pizza from Pizza Hut. However with no large bases left we got two medium pizzas for the same price. Good, stomach filling times.

Pay day did arrive on Friday, with those hours of overtime coming to fruition. The only snag being Mr Taxman decided to be a right tool. Out of my earnings I was deducted – tax and N.I. combined – roughly £200. This feels harsh but I should get a rebate for most of it when the time comes round, which I think is April time. So in a way the Government are saving money for me, technically? Friday night was also the night of Caitlin’s 18th birthday party, which had a 70’s theme. Personally, I hate themes. I hate dressing up, it makes me feel ridiculous. I feel like being a fishmonger is a form of fancy dress alone. But I made effort to dress up. Well, kind of. I went as a young Paul Weller, with leather shoes, trousers and a Ben Sherman top. I felt it was a clever choice but bar five people I got the general shout of,

“Here, you well didn’t dress up eh!”

After hearing this for two hours I changed not my clothes but who I was meant to be. For the rest of the night I was a man from the future. It was a very good night though it must be said. Drinks, friends and (cheesy pop) music meant it was a good way to end the working week.

I played cricket on Saturday. I lost at cricket on Saturday, away to Ross County. We are getting better though as a team and just for the record, we are not bottom of the league. No, no, no. We are second bottom. This summer has been a big learning curve but we can only keep improving. I was meant to go out on Saturday but tiredness and Match of the Day kept me in. This means the Ossians pact remains strong. Twenty-three days now. More paperwork from Glasgow University turned up on my doorstep on Saturday. From what I gather from my provisional timetable I don’t appear to have any lectures on a Monday. This means it’s a long weekend every weekend! (On second glance I do have classes on a Monday, but none on a Friday. Heck, I will take that!)

Work on Sunday was tough because I was by myself at the Fish Bar. This meant that I had to prepare salmon myself. I filleted seven salmon on Sunday and, if I am honest, I am quite proud of it. It’s a skill I may never need again once I leave the shop but still. I might make it my party piece. Later on that night Liam came round for a few hours of Kopparberg and Xbox. I am a man.

And that, my friends, has been my week. Only three weeks or so left in Fort William and then I am gone. To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. As my friend Lorna once said about leaving school, “it will be weird without a bell telling me to go”. She was right, probably. A wee mention also to Callum before he leaves to go to Guyana on Thursday for a year to teach maths and physics. Oh, as well as circus skills. All the best, son.

DC

Ps Craig, welcome to blogging etc!

Monday 10 August 2009

Dinner, anyone?

Hey,

As far as recent weeks go by, the last seven days have actually been quite eventful. I'm not sure if more has happened or whether the fact I have chosen to take note of what I did on a piece of scrap paper throughout means I simply have more to write about. Either way I'm not short of things to say this week.

So shall we start with those exam results I was on about last week then? The postman brought with him on Wednesday two C's and two B's. Not spectacular but I'll accept. What was spectacular was I managed to achieve a B for Int. 2 Hospitality! This, I am assuming, must be a printing error. For now, in theory, I can cook. Nonsense. My speciality, which you may want to try at home, is Digestive biscuits with Primula cheese. It's delicious and ridiculously easy to make, and to be honest it's as far as my cooking ability goes so I'm expecting my mark to be downgraded to a at least a C purely for common sense. Wednesday also brought with it a win away from home for Celtic in Europe. This created a smirk on my face for the rest of the week until Friday when I discovered we play Arsenal in the next round. Oh well. At least we won away from home for once. The last time we did I was twelve years young. Seriously.

Work has been less depressing now that I officially have a leaving date following the resignation letter I wrote on Thursday. My last day is Tuesday, September 9th 2009 at 2000 hours. I cannot wait. The only downside is I will probably be back there earning a few extra faces of the Queen at Christmas. But let's not dwell on that the now. I have four weeks left, and I can live with that. Although Thursday at work was particularly awkward. Despite being a blogger (a faithful one at that) I won't go in to details if that's ok with you? Yes you, ?

Saturday, my single day off, was also eventful. I played cricket against Elgin in Fort Augustus. We lost, despite my heroic four runs, but I feel we are getting better because we are playing decent opposition every week. And because we haven't won in a few months the only way is up. Besides, we're still doing better than the football team. At night I went to town and then to a friend from work's 21st. It was nice. It also had a buffet so all was good. Note that I didn't go to Ossians again this weekend? That's sixteen days now.

When my dad goes on night shift, which is roughly one every three weeks or so, it means that me and my mother have control over the TV. This week was one of those weeks, which we used wisely to watch some films. On Monday, I witnessed my first Pink Panther movie. It made me laugh because of the slapstick, but I got the feeling I would have appreciated even more if I had seen it when I was ten. Still, the distinct lack of PC - ranging from the awful French accents to "Hello, my yellow friend!" - means it is definitely worth watching. After a break on Tuesday to watch Charlie Brooker (type "Iron Chef America" into Youtube, it is so funny) I watched "I Am Legend" on Wednesday. It's a good film but a few faults; for a start, when people die and become zombies, why do they become Golem from Lord of the Rings? There was a token Hispanic women in the film as well. Which meant she had to be superstitious and believing there is "someone watching over us". Nothing wrong with this, it is just so stereotypical. Look at Mia in Heroes for instance. The third and final film we watched this week was "Team America: World Police". Needless to say this was my choice, and I know at the back of my head that it wouldn't be mother's cup of hot beverage. But she really liked it, the skill to create the puppets and the sets partly, but also because of the way it mocks the mocking of right-wing America. I fast-forwarded the Puppet-Sex scene, before you ask.

Though I haven't mentioned it in recent weeks, I am still enjoying reading. I am currently reading "Netherland" by Joseph O'Neill. I can't really be bothered describing it to you, so if you are interested follow to the link to it's Amazon page (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netherland-Joseph-ONeill/dp/0007275706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249929280&sr=8-1). The next book lined up is "Goodfellas", and I cannot wait to start reading it. If it's as good as the film it will be worthwhile.

Of course it wouldn't be my blog without me voicing an opinion on music now would it? Last night, to see if they are worth the hype, I listened to a Kings of Leon album. Not "Only by the Night", but "Aha Shake Heartbreak". I have to be honest, it's not that good. It sounds as if a county band have only just discovered electric guitars. The lead singer's vocals are erratic in some parts and intolerable in others. The "IIIII" in Pistol of Fire is the single worst noise I have ever heard. Debate commence.

So that's been my week then. Meet you here same time next week to discuss Caitlin's 70s-themed birthday party and another week at the Fish Counter? I thought so.


DC

Monday 3 August 2009

Overtime, Family, and the Importance of Being Emo

Hey,

I'm back to writing my blog on a Monday after my special weekend edition, once again thank you for the ideas, hope I answered them sufficiently. Which I doubt. And sorry for not answering Craig's question. Nothing personal. You're just not on Twitter.

So what's new then? Not much to be perfectly honest, apart from a few people (ie Grant) realising just how emo I actually am. He discovered this on Last FM, this site which monitors just exactly what I listen to (http://www.last.fm/user/DavidChilds). According to this I listen to an unhealthy amount of Fall Out Boy. Yeah, I like Fall Out Boy, and You Me At Six, and all that other stuff. It doesn't make me less cool now does it? I certainly hope not. The thing with music is technically no-one's taste is bad, because it is emotive. It is personal to them. Therefore, in theory there is no such thing as bad music. Apart from The Feeling. No amount of listening will make them good. Remember The Feeling? They really were awful. They had a lyric along the lines of "At least they're not lonely" which seemed to be repeated over and over like tetanus.

Speaking of music, I can't get enough of You Me At Six's new song "Kiss and Tell". To be honest it feels like I am the only one who really like this band. They played at T in the Park, and when I asked people if they went to see them I got the same response of "errr heck no!" or "sorry David, I am not gay". I will let you make your mind up, I think it's really good but you'll probably disagree, knowing you, stereotypical reader (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8auJqDS65s).

I admit if you have read my Last FM page you will think I am emo, but am I? I listen to a lot of stuff, ranging from the "emo" stuff I like from Fall Out Boy to music like Simian and Justice etc. I even listen to Akala i.e "The Black Shakespeare" So please, don't judge me?

I must say I don't help myself with the tickets I have purchased last night. Billy Talent and Rise Against when I move to Glasgow to go with the ticket for Alexisonfire I bought earlier. I'm going to enjoy it so there! They all should be good nights I am hoping.

Anyway, I think I should move away from the emo music rant on to my life. This is what this blog is for after all. I did overtime this week on my scheduled day off on Wednesday. It's surprisingly OK. The pay is good (time and a half, which is pretty magic actually) and if anyone shouts at you you just say,

"Here, I'm in on my day off I'll have you know!"

For some reason, this creates an automatic reaction of backing off. The person, only seconds ago who was slating you, now feels apologetic, without realising that I am actually getting paid more than them. This makes no sense.

I won't be working overtime this Wednesday for two reasons; 1) exam results come in and 2) the Dinamo vs. Celtic match is on TV. You can make your on decision to what is more important. Luckily, I got my grades for University last year. I'm glad. I don't think I could hack waiting for the postman again. What I am interested in is the grade I got for Hospitality. It's a really difficult course and I'll be doing well to pass. Cooking doesn't come naturally to me so if I can get a C it would be an amazing achievement.

I had family visiting this weekend, lots of them. There was Siobhan and her boyfriend Dale, who brought The Hangover with them. Hilarious. My only grumble is that Siobhan "borrowed" my Charlie Brooker book "Dawn of the Dumb". I'll be surprised if I see that book again. My uncle and his family were at my Gran's on Saturday night. I went there rather than sell my soul to the Ossian's Devil again. I am keeping tabs on my Ossian's celibacy. Currently it stands at nine days, so watch this space.

Saturday night at No.23 was a good night actually. Banter was decent, and I heard all the "How I Met Your Mother" stories which was nice. Turns out, my father didn't propose to my mum, but as they both put it, "she assumed". Amusing. A night not out also meant I was refreshed for my Sunday shift at work. And that my friends is rare.

Anyways, that is me for the week. My chest is slightly lighter after getting the emo stuff off it. Overall a decent week too, as well as a week in Morrisons can I suppose. I'll be back next week with exams results in hand.

DC

ps. Hospitality? Aye it's an Int. 2. Still tough though.

Saturday 1 August 2009

I asked. You replied.

Hey,

So last week, in sheer boredom, I asked for your ideas for what I should blog about because my life had slowed to snail pace. An old snail. A snail with a bad back and is just waiting for a size 9 to cut it's misery short. If I am honest I didn't expect many responses but thank you my Twitter community! I shall deal with the ideas individually, the Twitter ones. I would do the Facebook ones too but I am tired. Today's my first day off since last Wednesday, so if you mind I am going to enjoy it ok! But before I go to catch up on sleep. Here it goes...

@jaffajadey - "david childs i think you should write about your views on swine flu"

Ah. Swine Flu. I haven't done that much research but every now and then I come across the Daily Mail at work with it's fear-mongering. I know that it's bad. I know it makes you ill and can possibly kill you, especially if you are a Mexican pig farmer. But I am not a Mexican pig farmer. Heck, I'm not even Mexican. What it means is I - and this could be very ignorant of me - can't seem to take it too seriously. I'm aware that by typing this my chances of catching Swine Flu have multiplied by at least seventeen, but for me Swine Flu is just an insult now. Swine flu is the new AIDS.

@cambium0 - "write about me selling mr k non-alcholic beer"

Now Campbell is referring to Rt Hon. Charles Kennedy MP buying from Co-Op. Which is fair enough, although I have never personally tried the non-alcoholic stuff to be honest. Because, if we're honest, beer doesn't taste nice. It doesn't. Cider, yes but beer. No. The only reasons why men drink beer is for the effect and for the bravado. As said in Peep Show about wine,

"It's nice for wine. Not as nice as hot chocolate though"

That sums it up nicely. And hot chocolate is nice, any day of the year. As for Charles Kennedy, he has always been symbolic of Fort William for me. Not because of his much publicised drink problem. But because he, our MP, is the most famous person to come from here. Even more famous than that decorator on Channel Five. Or Duncan Shearer. The fact that our MP is the local celebrity shows just how little happens here.

@nimro - "6000 words on molecular theory and its application in cyan ink."

Pass. It's times like these I like to remind you of my science ability. I am hopeless at all that stuff. I did Higher Chemistry and got N/A, which then got upgraded to a D> That's right, upgraded to a fail. So even the word molecular strikes fear in me. Social sciences are far cooler anyway.

@monekymad2 - "The sexy side of Mr Blobby: A polka-dot prostitute."

I found this one amusing. It would explain quite a bit. Why Noel Edmonds always had that cheeky smirk in the early nineties, and also why he became a recluse until his return as a mysterious box opener.

The story for Mr Blobby then. A name like Mr Blobby isn't his proper name. It's Clive. His name is taken from a mistaken understanding phrase, which was perceived as "fond of the blobby". Clive soon became known round the streets of Dagenham as "Mr Blobby" due to the services he offered. His services in erotica led to him being invited to a house party in 1996 and with Noel he hasn't looked back. And before you ask, I don't know why he moved to Dagenham in the first place.

So there you go. I asked. You replied. I am grateful you took the time to ask me such questions, both topical and purely farcical. I'll do it again the next time my life falls in to a lull. Which hopefully isn't for a while.

Thank you all, my fellow Twits.

DC