Author: Sue

I have been writing in various forms since I was a child. I write about what is going on in my life, what I enjoy, and the struggles of dealing with chronic illness and mental health issues. I love live music, football (Scotland and Dunfermline Athletic), reading, Formula 1, Stock Cars, and eating lots of vegan crap.

Homesick

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

After all the carry on getting the art blog up and running, I have been posting over there and have inadvertently left my internet home (ie- here). I didn’t mean too, it just happened. I wanted to update something, at it was easy to update over there because of this ( http://splittingink.blogspot.com/ ).  And no matter how much I use blogger, I am always a WP lover first.

Almost sounds like a line from a bad romance novel, a really, really bad romance novel. But dammit, I am going to get back on top of things. I am going to be using the internet a lot more over the next week, mostly because I HAVE NO MONEY!! Yes, the typical aspect of internet usage, it peaks as it gets closer to payday. Coincidence, I think not.

Anyway, if you have a sec, click on the link above, to go visit Splitting Ink, a collaborative art blog I am doing with my friend Paul, and his mate Darren. It is something we are trying to do, to try and get ourselves motivated to create new things. I post on a Monday, so I will have to complete a piece of work, and write an accompanying entry, to be posted early every Monday. Should be interesting. As you are well aware, I do try to post at least once a week on here, but I hope it will start to become more frequent again.

Very Boring

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Do I seem interesting?

With the immense time I put in to being an internet addict, probably not. Well, a little lie there, I actually find myself very interesting. I love my patterns of reading, blogging and TV. I say TV, because now my Sky+ is working properly mixed with Sky working on Xbox again, I have started watching a lot of TV. Most of it is The Gilmore Girls, but still, good quality, healthy TV.

The TV shows I like have to have good dialog and well written and developed characters. I like the fact that you can judge a character, because you have come to know their personality. I think it comes from a life a bookworm, where I did nothing but read for days on end. Not much has changed really, accept now, I tend to use writing to express myself more. It seems rather logical putting my loves for reading and writing together, but it didn’t happen that naturally. I liked to do things on my own, and write because I wanted to. When school became about essays and exams, it stopped being about writing for fun. It started to have a purpose. A purpose which was that I was writing for a meaningless grade.

That sounds bad. Grades aren’t meaningless. But I put a lot of love into what I wrote, and I didn’t like that it was graded and treating like a piece of crap, where all the feeling was sucked out of any piece, just so that the flaws (mostly in grammar) could be picked at. It was a bit of a change in things. Writing at school, became less a labour of love, and more a dementor. (5 points for HP reference.) And it made me think, ‘why’. Why did I have to put so much of ‘me’ into things, just for it to be torn to shreds because of my technical ability.

Through writing on my own, on blogs, etc, I have bettered myself in my grammar. I have become a better writer, but that is through reading a lot of novels, and writing a lot of pieces on other sites. Writing blogs has helped me a lot, in being an aide to help me find the words I need to express myself. The fact that I can put my thoughts across, and do it in such a way (I hope) people can pick up on what I am like, and how I feel. And that is a spiritual thing. The fact that you can connect to so many people, where age and country bare no significance.

Some say I am boring, and lead a boring life. I ask them, what do you do that gives you passion? What do you do, that makes you happy to be alive? What do you do to communicate with like-minded individuals? The internet helps me achieve all that and more, people only mock because they don’t know how to do what you do.

At an intersection.

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Now, as an individual blogger, I have always prefered WordPress, because I find it a really easy service to use. But now, due to a collab blog I am taking part in, Blogger was the easiest service to do that task. And I am left with two blogs one here and one on blogger, which I want to keep, but don’t want to have the same things on.

-.-

And because I have posted personal things on them both, I can’t face deleting either. Which leaves me with a dilemma. Or not, I mean I could just run them both, and copy posts across if I can’t be bothered writing two posts one day. I don’t even know why I have two for the same purpose. Actually, it was because the college decided the groups on blogger were great and everyone had to join. So I started up a Riot Graphics blog over there too, and it is still there.

Know what? That blog can be there, but I am still using this as my main one. I love WordPress too much just to stop it. Blogging is my passion, leave me alone. *sulks in corner*

Seriously, maybe

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I have a lack of understanding when it comes to being definate on something. It is not that I am a liar or anything, it is just that when it comes down to it, I hate setting something in stone. Maybe it’s because I am indecisive. I just know I am one for changing plans and ideas, and the thought of not being able to change things, kind of freaks me out.

No kidding. I have seen myself get in a panic about not having enough time to do something, and that something is rather remedial and not so important. I just irrationalise beyond the point of no return. Not something uncommon, I know. But I wish sometimes the dormant sensible side of my brain would actually do something for a change. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being impulsive and crazy sometimes, but when that is all you are, it is tiring.

That makes me sound crazy, I am not crazy. I have restraint, which is a saviour sometimes. Because speaking out of turn is one thing, but when you have such twisted opinions as I do, expressing such opinions ALWAYS ends up in bother. But, people who love me just say ‘Silly Sue, what has she said now to piss off the masses’. Seriously.

Going to change my name so it doesn’t fit with anything condescending.

Free Press?

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So obviously anyone who has any idea about News and the like, would have heard about the News of the World phone hacking scandal. It really is disgusting the levels some people seem to have gone to, so that they can have exclusivity on a story or event. Kinda makes me sick. I mean, hacking into someone’s phone is wrong, something made even worse by the very idea that even death didn’t protect some people’s private information from these ‘reporters’. In a, much delayed, reaction, News Corp International, The News of The World’s owners, have decided to stop the paper. And that Sunday will be it’s last edition. Which, to be honest, is fooling nobody.

This is a level of corruption in the British press, which has been dumped on the News of the World’s door, and to be honest, it runs a lot deeper than this. This is something which has being going on for a generation of at least 30 years. Whilst dumping a 168 year old institution seems like an escape, the fact is still there that the lackies got sent to the dole queue, whilst the people who are in charge will have a job, just somewhere else. This is what happened to the banks, and every other company that has problems. Those at the top are spared, and the people who really are the face of the company get sacked.

The British public have gotten used to seeing sensationalist headlines on their tabloid newspapers, with the various publications screaming like children to get the consumer’s attention. And to stand out from that crowd, a publication must seem more ‘breaking news’ than the rest. And this need to be the loudest, is what has created this problem. It is not about opinions and views, it is about the headlines that belong in an episode of Jeremy Kyle.  Journalism has always been an area I have looked on fondly, admiring the writers who get to write their feelings, and get paid for doing so. But how much of what they write, is what they think. The Newspapers should be something where people can read discussions, and see viewpoints on two sides of the ‘fence’. This way they can make a truly educated judgement on what they believe has happened. It is a forum for opinion, and for a paper to do so, it should be adequately mixed with a variety of opinions and values. Give the reader credit, and don’t make decisions for them and say what is right and wrong.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that the Pro-Labour press are condemning Rupert Murdoch and News Corp as they prepare their take-over of BSkyB. A company which wouldn’t be where it is without Sky Television, a company partially created by Rupert Murdoch. So they lather on the abuse to News Corp, and back it up with why they should be unable to take a 100% stake in BSkyB, and the phone hacking seems to be getting used as an excuse. When, there is not a doubt in my mind, that other publications in the UK, have taken similar methods, to make sure that their paper was the one with the most breaking news.

Which is surprising when you see the volume of jibes coming from other publications in the press. Look past their ‘booing’ and ‘hissing’ for the News of the World villain, it appears to be unsettling over-done. By that I mean, they are acting almost too appalled. Almost as if they are trying to put on a front to say they are against what happened, when secretly they have employed similar illegal tactics. And they think that rejoicing the death of the News of the World puts the situation to rest. No. Every news publication in the country should be investigated, so the public can see how deep this runs. And if a paper is true and honest, they should pay for it themselves, to show that they are innocent and give the money to an independent company to investigate.

British journalism has hit a low, and it is going to take drastic action to fix things. Because, right now, the idea that we have a free press in this country is becoming a running joke.

Just To Save A Life

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So yesterday, if you follow me on any social networking site at all, you’d have heard that I saw a cat get knocked down yesterday. I carried it off the road, onto the grass, tried to make it comfortable and phoned the SSPCA (Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). The poor cat was dying as soon as it was hit by the car, as his head bore the brunt. As an animal lover, I was devastated, but acted automatically to make sure the cat wasn’t hit again.The cat was taken away by an SSPCA warden, at which point he was dead. Nothing could be done for the cat, and thankfully he seemed to die relatively quickly.

But what bothers me, is that as well as me, and the poor woman who hit the cat (she came back to scene), 5 other people were walking past, and none of them even looked. It was like they ignored it. Surely, a person who is nice, would at least make another creature comfortable if it was in pain. Or maybe, that’s just me. I was crying out loud, and the pool of blood on the road was evident of an accident. But people just walked past, after glancing at me and the cat, and then at the road. I would have wanted someone to sit with my cat, so that’s what I did.

I had a think about it afterwards, about how people reacted to the situation. Which if you witness, is the worst thing ever. But even to see someone in distress, and crying openly, I would stop and see if they were ok. A lady who saw the accident from my work came out, as did a girl I work with. But everyone else just ignored it. I was about 7 feet away from a bus stop, and the guy waited for his bus and watched me trying to keep the cat breathing. I felt a bit strange at that. It was like he didn’t want to be involved.

What if it was a person, or if the car had crashed, would he have helped then? I don’t think he would have. I don’t think a lot of people would have. To me it is nature, because I would always expect someone to act like that to help me. But what if they don’t? What if people just watch, like they did with the cat? I have seen it where people have fallen and hurt themselves, and it is the same, people stand and watch as one person tries to help.

As a person who values all living life in the same light, despite what type of creature it is, I struggle to understand the concept, of people not helping. I would always expect someone to help me, or any of my family or friends, and I wouldn’t dare expect that, if I wouldn’t do the same for someone else. This is also the same for animals, as I didn’t have the heart to leave that little kitten in the road to be run over by other cars. I would hope that other people would do the same. But, if I wasn’t there, then I think the cat would have lay on the road, untill the council would scrape the remains off the road the following day. If you have a pet, or know anyone who has one, you would want it to die as comfortable as possible.

If you can reason letting one animal suffer without aid, what’s saying you would not use the same excuses if it were a person? Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see why there would be a difference, and why you wouldn’t help any creature that was in pain?

Illusions of Grandeur

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I don’t have an issue with people who have self-belief, I mean, it is that belief that helps a person achieve. So to achieve something, you need to have a little bit of confidence about yourself. I have an issue with people who pull others down, to make themselves look better.

And it happens everywhere. Rather than giving someone kudos for achieving what they want, people feel the need to bring the person down by demeaning themselves to make the achievement seem less worthy. It is just a person’s need to feel superior. It is strange, because most of the time people do it without thinking. Like, it is some natural instinct. Which is not too hard to imagine, when you think that other animals try to make others look weaker, so they can get a mate, etc.  Which makes you wonder, how much of this behaviour is us acting natural.

So whilst I frown about the behaviour of a ‘put-down’, I can only really disagree with people who do it on purpose. Like, they want to make that person miserable. That is something I don’t understand, why would it make someone feel better, to make another person sad? Surely I can’t be the only person who feels like this? I mean, I don’t see where a person can draw the line. If you attack someone because they annoy you for being happy, and it makes you better to change their mood, what are you next going to do to make you feel better? Is making someone sad going to become like a thrill to you? What are you going to stop at to get that thrill?

To be honest, everyone is the same. People have good things happen and bad things. It doesn’t mean you should avenge people who have good things happen to them. Because that feeling of achievement you may get from ‘knocking someone down a peg or two’, will only be short lived, and you will hurt someone else.

So if you catch yourself trying to kill someone’s good time, stop. Because if there is one thing the world doesn’t need is someone trying to spread more negativity.

Happy July

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I feel like July should be celebrated for a few reasons.

1) It’s closer to my holidays, and much needed time off work. It feels as though the end is actually in sight. I am actually on holiday the first 2 weeks in August, and am beginning to countdown. This year I am spending another week in Blackpool, for Rebellion punk festival. It really is the highlight of my year, and I am so excited to go.

2) The weather is getting nicer. Yes, even in Scotland, the land of perma-rain, there is a notable improvement in the number of hours we get sunshine. And it isn’t the sun hiding behind a clump of grey clouds, it is blue skies and actual warmth. It’s the kind of weather where I could easily sit outside with a few beers and some good music.

3) Every month, nay every day should be welcomed with open arms. Not everyone gets to enjoy the freedoms that we do, so I feel we should take a moment and be grateful. If you do, and look at the things that make you happy, you will be a happier person as your mind will be in that mindset. So if you read this, do something that makes you happy. Yes work may suck, but do something fun outside of work that makes you smile.

You will notice that the person of the last few entries is a much happier person of past blogs. This is a mixture of reasons, one which is the nice weather. I am sure sunshine benefits everyone in that way, as it just makes everything seem so much happier in general.

I have also went into work with the idea that I will kick its ass. Basically, head down and focus on what I need to do. Basically forcing myself out of the lethargy I seemed so comfortable in. The best thing is, that I can see results, both in my productivity in work and my general attitude.

So doing what I do best and sharing, because good moods are contagious. So give in to summer, and go have yourself a wonderful first of July.

xox

Fall Behind?

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When you are in the habit of updating things regularly, you get into a habit. You can mentally check off the things you are doing, and get them done rather quickly. But when you fall out of habit, it is hard to start back up again. Well, not hard, in that the task it hard, it is finding the time to do everything.

This is a position I am finding myself in right now. Where I usually do so much online, that I find it taking up a large percentage of my day. Which is fine, until I began to pick up other things to fill my time, and the original activities kind of get pushed to the side. It is not that I am enjoying the tasks any less. It is more that I am finding less time to do what I want. Which is a pain.

Also, I have been in a much better mood than I have been lately, and I think that is a major factor in my writing and what I decide to do with my time. If I am depressed, I find nothing better than locking myself away, and writing away to myself. It is release. But when you have nothing to release from, and you want to be out enjoying the world, it becomes a different scenario. I think that is a big reason as to why June has been a quiet month on every website I go on. I have been doing things other than sitting in front of a computer all day. Which is sad really, because I have so much I want to talk about, either on here, or on YouTube, and I don’t seem to have the time to prepare them. So instead of a well thought out topic, you get an apologetic, ramble of  word vomit, thinly disguised as a blog attempting to make a point. Something which it fails miserably in.

Hopefully this is the last check-in post for a while, and things should be back to topical goodness as soon as I can afford to spend the appropriate amount of time on it. If I can’t, then I feel I should issue a warning about the word vomit. But, then I think, it is a blog, it is personal, and it is mine. So I shouldn’t really need to disclaim or apologise. But yet, I feel my grovelling is necessary. *sigh*

Lion King 3D- review

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The Lion King. What can be said about a movie which has became one of Disney’s most famous creations? With a killer sound track, touching story and memorable characters, it became the movie that made so many people fall in love with animation.

I am going to take it for granted that most people know the story of Simba and his journey to become ruler of The Pride Lands. This special screening of the movie was a late addition to the Edinburgh International film festival, and so was missed out of much of the promotion material. But, none-the-less Ediburgh’s stylish Festival Theatre was filled with both kids and adults to see the 3D premiere of The Lion King. The 3D re-release is in celebration of the movie being released from the legendary Disney Vault, in October. The pressure was on, after Disney made a mess of the 2003 release on DVD, mostly by re-animating scenes and even adding an additional song, (Morning Report from the stage musical).

Thankfully, the added song was absent, although it appears that the animation includes the re-animated scenes from the 2003 release. The sound has been re-done, and it sounds spectacular. The 3D, something I normally have difficulty in distinguishing, had a few moments were it shone. Best moments for the 3D, for myself, was at the start (Circle of Life), the stampede and when Simba follows Rafiki through bushes to the lake. These scenes really popped out, and really are amongst the best 3D I have seen on the big screen.

It is still a magical movie, well worth seeing in the cinema whether you can distinguish the 3D or not. The movie is still breath-taking, and I still will say that Mufasa’s death is still one of the saddest scenes in modern cinema. In fact, I know I was not the only adult who cried at Simba’s futile attempts to wake his fallen father. As an avid fan of The Lion King, this screening made me fall more in love with my favourite animation franchise ever. And everyone in my screening came out happy and satisfied. Well done Disney, you have done it right.

Lion King 3D is released in UK cinemas on 1st October, for 2 weeks, with the DVD/BluRay release on the 14th October. I recommend everyone to see it, if you can. Its not very often you get a second chance to see a true masterpiece on the big screen, so make the effort to see it.