Right, before you remind me, i realize that i haven’t done a blog in a while. I know this, and it isn’t because i’ve been ‘busy’ or anything. I’m rarely ever busy, so that negates that ploy. It’s mainly because…i’m lazy? Well, i’m not lazy, per-say, I’m just disorganized when i have nothing unpleasant to distract me with. I could suggest reasons why i may have been distracted from this:
A, i only know of two people who actually read it. One of which is revising for his exams, and probably has more important things than worrying about my life. Whereas the other, i’ve not spoken to for a while (which leads me to believe she’s deleted me on MySpace and subsequently forgotten all about me) which reduces my audience down to a mere one person who is more busy then i.
B, I’ve had two new albums to pleasure myself over recently (take that phrase however you wish). First is an album called Magic Recoveries by a Finnish Post-Hardcore band called Disco Ensemble. It’s alright, nothing incredible, but it’s worth checking out, i guess. And the second is the self-titled debut album from my favourite band, Drive-By Argument which has been sitting under the arse of their label Lizard Kock (It#s actually King, but i call them Kock) because they’re too much of an amateurish label to release an album under a year of it being made. It’s a good album. I know this, but being the jaded fan that i am, i need to say that i am slightly disappointed. I probably wouldn’t be as put out as i am upon hearing it, if i hadn’t had about a year and a few months to grow fonder/sicker of the original versions of the songs, and such. But i think this is just me, being the avid fan that i was (and still am, lest not forget that); i listened to Drive-By’s music every single day, quite literally, and in several doses and to say that after such a long time awaiting a release would mean that i would be happy with new versions of songs i’ve heard before, but poorly recorded, would be a foolish thought.
C, Grand Theft Auto IV. Oooooh, my god. I’ve been playing that like a fucking bitch. Wow, i’m going all Richard Smith, i do apologize. Actually i don’t because Richard ‘Ranting’ Smith is really funny and probably one of the only podcasters that actually makes listenable content. Check out Or Do You Think That’s Just Bollocks. But, yes. Grand Theft Auto Four. The best of the quad, equating to it being so good, it makes you feel happy inside. Anyone who has played it will realize what i mean by this. The game is quite literally faultless. Everything is amazing, from the graphics, the general realism of every aspect of the game even including the way you react to gun fire and crashing a car and the effects that has; the control system, the character interaction, the story, the driving, to the weapons. Everything is spot on and it is possibly the best game of the year. It lives up to the hype, and it isn’t exacerbated at all. The only fault i will say is the fact that you pay a fair bit of money to get medical treatment when you ‘die’, or get ‘wasted’ (as old school GTA fans will refer it to) which tends to eat into your pocket, especially if you’re having to do a job and you’re getting killed every time and by the time you actually complete it, you end up with less money than you had before you decided to do the job, even with the pay from doing it. The trick is to restart the game, or just switch off the machine and try again later because you’ll just end up despairing from the amount of money you lose.
So, that’s what i’ve been doing, really. I have started writing an epistolary type novel, encompassing the diary entries of a man who is approaching his wedding day and is just musing on his last days as a ‘free man’. It’s called “Parkers Writings”. The character is called Parker, although this isn’t his real name, more a nickname. I shall paste you an extract from the first entry here. I do hope you enjoy it, because it is something i can see myself writing more of, rather than most things i do write. Here it is:
March 4th, 2002.
In the days surrounding the pretence of my wedding day, things seem to just be getting even more complicated. I’ve not lost so much hair, ever, and I’m barely thirty. In fact, I often think about that. Is thirty-four too young to be getting married? I do love Marie, that’s for certain, I do. But, I do I want to end up being in one of those marriages that are rushed and never had a chance; the kind where a family is settled for in mere months after marriage; And even that marriage was only previous to a nine-month relationship. I’ve always told myself that I would never let myself do it. So, is thirty-four too young for it? I wouldn’t know and I don’t know who actually knows these sorts of rules. I suppose any time after the age of thirty is fine, and morally acceptable. Still, I just don’t want to learn to regret it one day when I am filing for divorce and wondering If I will ever get to see young Grant and Paula, my imaginary children or a regular basis as the mother always gets the custody for children In a separation.
Sweet.
One last point to raise here, before you die from over reading. Tomorrow, (being Thursday) i will start a job [well, i wouldn't really call it a job, per-say] at the British Heart Foundation. I will be working there on Thursday afternoons from 1pm and it should be a real good time (…). Every time i mention this to friends, i do get a depressing, sinking feeling inside me as though i’ve sold my pride to a charity. Because, i haven’t got a job as it is, and i’m starting a job where you don’t get paid. I have no money at the best of times. It depresses me because i can’t even get a real job, but really this is the only way i can actually get a job, because as everyone knows, you can’t get a job if you have no previous experience. It’s like a rule. They say ‘experience isn’t necessary’ on their job advertisement, but you know if you’re a seventeen year old boy who’s never done anything but education, you know you will not be taken on because you’ll be suspected of being incompetent. But yes, this job will give me experience and a proper reference on my C.V. as both are teachers and one of them isn’t aware that he’s my referee.
But, i’ll keep you informed on how the job shapes out.
