This thursday (29th Nov) I went on the 'Homophobia is Gay' bar crawl. This is an event run jointly by both the LGBTQ and Libdem society. I went on it last year and it was good. This year was good too but there was one small hiccup that is bugging me.
The bar crawl started at the university bar and then recommenced in town, so to get there you have to take the bus. I was with a small group of us, and we got on the bus and sat on the to deck. Near the back was a group of 4 young white guys (i.e. chavs).
When these guys were going to get off the bus, obviously they went down the stairs. And while doing so shouted "gays!" which, of course, was to the dissapproval of the group. One girl said something back, I can't remember what, but a couple more not so witty insults were thrown by one of these guys until (when the bus was stopped for them to get off) he came halfway up the stairs, leaned over the side and spat at her, then ran off the bus with his 'pals'.
This is a blatant homophobic hate crime. I want him to be held responsible, but have no idea what could possibly be done apart from a feeble complaint to the police?
I don't see how he could be caught, unless I knew maybe the registration number of the bus we were on, which is a definate no.
Homophobia is gay. It's disgusting that people do things like this guy nowadays.
~Alex
Friday 30 November 2007
Sunday 18 November 2007
Snow!
It has been cold up here in Birmingham for the last couple of weeks. And today we finally have snow!
Although I was too studious to go out and see for myself - I had to do work for uni!
Well it has stopped snowing now, but it had been goin for hours. Here are some pictures
View of Courtyard from bedroom window
View on the junction outside (from ktichen window)
Although I was too studious to go out and see for myself - I had to do work for uni!
Well it has stopped snowing now, but it had been goin for hours. Here are some pictures
View of Courtyard from bedroom window
View on the junction outside (from ktichen window)
View of MacDonald's from ktichen window :P
Friday 9 November 2007
Plans
This week in my japanese classes we have been learning new structures and things, and have been doing an excercise to say what we possibly will be doing in 1 years time, 5 years time, 10, 25, 30 etc. It was quite a humbling experience, as I've never really thought about it like that before, never even thought anything ast getting my degree. It was also a bit scary because you never know what unexpected things will happen to either yourself or other people which would influence you.
So, I thought I would blog a small bit about the kind of things I want to do.
Starting off in short term, by the time I graduate I want to be near-fluent in my languages. I realise that it's going to be a lot of work, but I know that if I honestly put my mind to it then I can do it. After uni though I have 2 trains of thought really. The first is to get a career. Pretty self-explanatory. The second is to either do a post-grad degree or maybe go take a 'gap year' and travel for a bit.
By the time I'm 30 there are yet again 2 options I would like to do.
1) I definately want to have an at least half-decent (in both enjoyment and pay) job. But doing what, I don't know. Hopefully I will have also found someone to begin to settle down with by then, and maybe start thinking about kids. I really would like to be a dad, I think I'd do a pretty good job! And I like having someone to fuss over.
2) I would like to live abroad. I was thinking possibly Japan, or Quebec maybe, or even just in Europe. I don't know exactly when, but I do really want to live abroad for some period of my life.
A pretty big fear for me is that I will be lonely in my life. I don't mean from friends and family, but a partner. I want to think that I would have someone there to share my experiences with, I don't even mind if there is more than 1 person!
So I guess all in all, I'm not 100% on what I want to achieve. I'm not sure if anyone is really. Who knows, I might get interested in a certain profession, or get hooked on supporting a cause.
The future is scary. But the possibilities are endless, and that's what makes it fascinating.
So, I thought I would blog a small bit about the kind of things I want to do.
Starting off in short term, by the time I graduate I want to be near-fluent in my languages. I realise that it's going to be a lot of work, but I know that if I honestly put my mind to it then I can do it. After uni though I have 2 trains of thought really. The first is to get a career. Pretty self-explanatory. The second is to either do a post-grad degree or maybe go take a 'gap year' and travel for a bit.
By the time I'm 30 there are yet again 2 options I would like to do.
1) I definately want to have an at least half-decent (in both enjoyment and pay) job. But doing what, I don't know. Hopefully I will have also found someone to begin to settle down with by then, and maybe start thinking about kids. I really would like to be a dad, I think I'd do a pretty good job! And I like having someone to fuss over.
2) I would like to live abroad. I was thinking possibly Japan, or Quebec maybe, or even just in Europe. I don't know exactly when, but I do really want to live abroad for some period of my life.
A pretty big fear for me is that I will be lonely in my life. I don't mean from friends and family, but a partner. I want to think that I would have someone there to share my experiences with, I don't even mind if there is more than 1 person!
So I guess all in all, I'm not 100% on what I want to achieve. I'm not sure if anyone is really. Who knows, I might get interested in a certain profession, or get hooked on supporting a cause.
The future is scary. But the possibilities are endless, and that's what makes it fascinating.
Monday 5 November 2007
warning: geekish post
So today I watched Transformers. It was a good film, but it made me start to randomly think.
The main aim traditionally for the classic villain in a movie, book or story is to take over the world. This is no different for Megatron as well. But Megatron is not human. And this is what made me get confused.
Why would Megatron want to take over the world? Or anyone for that matter? It could be that you want to 'own' everything - for me that sounds a little too short-term satisfaction. I mean, the thrill would die off quickly.
So, perhaps the reason is that you want to be a ruler, and have people/things do what you want? So you could then be as such your own governement. And this brings me back to Megatron. He is a machine, much like all the other Transformers. Being machines, did they even *have* a goverment on their old planet?
A governement and world domination. I have begun to think that they are not mutually exclusive options. How should I explain this ... It could be that having a governement somehow unconsiously implies to our minds that it would be a good thing to control people, a country or even the world.
So then could it be acceptable to suggest that if there was no form of governement, then people wouldn't try to take over the world? My confusion about this comes again from the 'home planet'. What kind of society did they have? Did they have a governement at all, and was it like ours? Personally (and reading far too much into a film) I cannot see how the Transformers could have had a governement, at least not in the sense that we know it as, so for what reason does Megatron want to take over the world/universe? It just seems like too much effort.
Now, I realise that my rambling probably made absolutely no sense to anyone but myself. Sorry. At least it was interesting ... mayhaps.
Or maybe I just completely missed the plot of the movie.
~Alex
The main aim traditionally for the classic villain in a movie, book or story is to take over the world. This is no different for Megatron as well. But Megatron is not human. And this is what made me get confused.
Why would Megatron want to take over the world? Or anyone for that matter? It could be that you want to 'own' everything - for me that sounds a little too short-term satisfaction. I mean, the thrill would die off quickly.
So, perhaps the reason is that you want to be a ruler, and have people/things do what you want? So you could then be as such your own governement. And this brings me back to Megatron. He is a machine, much like all the other Transformers. Being machines, did they even *have* a goverment on their old planet?
A governement and world domination. I have begun to think that they are not mutually exclusive options. How should I explain this ... It could be that having a governement somehow unconsiously implies to our minds that it would be a good thing to control people, a country or even the world.
So then could it be acceptable to suggest that if there was no form of governement, then people wouldn't try to take over the world? My confusion about this comes again from the 'home planet'. What kind of society did they have? Did they have a governement at all, and was it like ours? Personally (and reading far too much into a film) I cannot see how the Transformers could have had a governement, at least not in the sense that we know it as, so for what reason does Megatron want to take over the world/universe? It just seems like too much effort.
Now, I realise that my rambling probably made absolutely no sense to anyone but myself. Sorry. At least it was interesting ... mayhaps.
Or maybe I just completely missed the plot of the movie.
~Alex
Sunday 4 November 2007
Existential Dream
A while ago, on the 23rd of September, I wrote an entry in a my journal about a dream I had ahd the night before. I thought it would make interesting reading material; so here it is!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Basically, it was centered around this woman who had got killed. How she died was a mystery, it was like either a freak accident or someone killed her, no one knows. I was basically 'called' by what i can only think of as an 'angel' (no wings or anything). We were stood on some wide stone steps, the room/background is black and dark (sort of astral), the stairs went up indefinately.
The angel said that I would be told what had happened to the woman, as someone needed to know (i think to like, clear her soul). However, after I would be told, my life energy would have to be taken out of my body, and I would have to die. Of course at this i was scared, but the angle said that the body is liek a shell, almost like a bluprint, and they would 'bury' it somewhere, and that later on I would be reborn into the same body (i.e. i would grow up to have the same body, same attitudes etc).
I asked if there was any way to change the 'body' in some way, to be a little different. The angel answered that you can't change it, but, my 'body/life' was not finished yet. My attention was drawn to the stairs i was on, and there were like cracks and imperfections in it, and I was told that my path was not fully finished yet, and that I basically had great thing(s) to do in the future (when the builder angels got off their butts and finished my stairs! lol).
So I asked what would be changed (i think) and sort of what was in store for me. Suddenly there were people all around on the stairs, and we all sat down and faced a screen, a bit like the layout in the cinema! some reel came on and there were the letters "O H O". (this was supposed to be showing me my final 'true' name i think). Then between the OHO scrolled down "ohayo" (which is japanese for good morning :S). This then morphed into something different, and something again (i dont remember). But eventually it ended up as something that was like "Taryaru" or "Tabyaru", or something similar sounding.
Then I woke up, and I was kinda like whats going on" cos the dream was like proper real and made me think.
After a while, as i lay there, i thought about life, and everything i dont like about myself. Then I thought that, you know, its alright. I dont have to be perfect. My 'path' is incomplete yet, so instead of moaning about it, i would make do with what I have been given, knowing that eventually, i will be happy/complete/whatever. Maybe i could help finish my stairway, help chip away until it is nice and even and smooth. And i was just...content. It was a really cool feeling. Just being comfortable, and trusting that everything would work out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This dream left me in a really peaceful state when I woke up. It was almost like I was at peace with myself.
Dream, or vision?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Basically, it was centered around this woman who had got killed. How she died was a mystery, it was like either a freak accident or someone killed her, no one knows. I was basically 'called' by what i can only think of as an 'angel' (no wings or anything). We were stood on some wide stone steps, the room/background is black and dark (sort of astral), the stairs went up indefinately.
The angel said that I would be told what had happened to the woman, as someone needed to know (i think to like, clear her soul). However, after I would be told, my life energy would have to be taken out of my body, and I would have to die. Of course at this i was scared, but the angle said that the body is liek a shell, almost like a bluprint, and they would 'bury' it somewhere, and that later on I would be reborn into the same body (i.e. i would grow up to have the same body, same attitudes etc).
I asked if there was any way to change the 'body' in some way, to be a little different. The angel answered that you can't change it, but, my 'body/life' was not finished yet. My attention was drawn to the stairs i was on, and there were like cracks and imperfections in it, and I was told that my path was not fully finished yet, and that I basically had great thing(s) to do in the future (when the builder angels got off their butts and finished my stairs! lol).
So I asked what would be changed (i think) and sort of what was in store for me. Suddenly there were people all around on the stairs, and we all sat down and faced a screen, a bit like the layout in the cinema! some reel came on and there were the letters "O H O". (this was supposed to be showing me my final 'true' name i think). Then between the OHO scrolled down "ohayo" (which is japanese for good morning :S). This then morphed into something different, and something again (i dont remember). But eventually it ended up as something that was like "Taryaru" or "Tabyaru", or something similar sounding.
Then I woke up, and I was kinda like whats going on" cos the dream was like proper real and made me think.
After a while, as i lay there, i thought about life, and everything i dont like about myself. Then I thought that, you know, its alright. I dont have to be perfect. My 'path' is incomplete yet, so instead of moaning about it, i would make do with what I have been given, knowing that eventually, i will be happy/complete/whatever. Maybe i could help finish my stairway, help chip away until it is nice and even and smooth. And i was just...content. It was a really cool feeling. Just being comfortable, and trusting that everything would work out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This dream left me in a really peaceful state when I woke up. It was almost like I was at peace with myself.
Dream, or vision?
Fog Blog
For some reason tonight has been extremely foggy. I took some pictures out of some of my windows, but for some reason my camera doesn't want to give them to my computer!
It's not that it is foggy, but that it is so thick! I've not really seen this before and it's kinda of wierd. I can now hardly see the MacDonald's across the road! Can only see its lights which are on.
Not too good for the busy junction outside!
~Alex
It's not that it is foggy, but that it is so thick! I've not really seen this before and it's kinda of wierd. I can now hardly see the MacDonald's across the road! Can only see its lights which are on.
Not too good for the busy junction outside!
~Alex
What is a blog?
I have thought and thought about what type of things I could write in a blog. Should they be personal? Should they be enlightening? Should they be based on current events?
Well, for starters, I already (losely) keep an online journal about my life. So I do not want that here as well, although doubtless my life will creep in at some point.
Well, what about the current events? Perhaps. But I am really not big on the news. So perhaps not then.
Well, what about enlightening advice or uplifting discussions? Again, perhaps. But maybe not as a focus.
What I ideally imagine for this page, is that occaisionally people might suggest a topic that I could talk about. I may even do a few video blogs - if i had a microphone!!! So, if anyone wants any topic discussed or if I come across some point in my daily life, it will end up here.
So basically, you could probably be expecting a melange of random discussions, some rants, and a little of me. How lucky you shall be!
So...how often should I update? I guess it really depends on if people read this, and if so, then on how *many* people read. As for right now... maybe one post per week.
That is the plan anyway. Doubtless that I will forget to type!
So blog-reading-people... if you would like to leave any suggestions for topics here, then please feel free!!!
~Alex
Well, for starters, I already (losely) keep an online journal about my life. So I do not want that here as well, although doubtless my life will creep in at some point.
Well, what about the current events? Perhaps. But I am really not big on the news. So perhaps not then.
Well, what about enlightening advice or uplifting discussions? Again, perhaps. But maybe not as a focus.
What I ideally imagine for this page, is that occaisionally people might suggest a topic that I could talk about. I may even do a few video blogs - if i had a microphone!!! So, if anyone wants any topic discussed or if I come across some point in my daily life, it will end up here.
So basically, you could probably be expecting a melange of random discussions, some rants, and a little of me. How lucky you shall be!
So...how often should I update? I guess it really depends on if people read this, and if so, then on how *many* people read. As for right now... maybe one post per week.
That is the plan anyway. Doubtless that I will forget to type!
So blog-reading-people... if you would like to leave any suggestions for topics here, then please feel free!!!
~Alex
Welcome to my blog
Hello to one and all,
my name is Alex. I'm a 20 year old guy living in the UK. I'm a university student, second year (out of 4) so now comes the work!
The purpose of this blog is to really kind of talk or discuss a lot of things. I was inspired by some other blogs I have read out there and wanted to see if I could do the same. I have kept a blog in the past on GJ, but this was just about my life in general (useless to most people!). Most of this new page will probably be random gush, but I want to give my views on some issues as well. We shall see how well this goes.....
Watch this space!
~Alex
my name is Alex. I'm a 20 year old guy living in the UK. I'm a university student, second year (out of 4) so now comes the work!
The purpose of this blog is to really kind of talk or discuss a lot of things. I was inspired by some other blogs I have read out there and wanted to see if I could do the same. I have kept a blog in the past on GJ, but this was just about my life in general (useless to most people!). Most of this new page will probably be random gush, but I want to give my views on some issues as well. We shall see how well this goes.....
Watch this space!
~Alex
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