Let them eat Cake

Low, one of my most favouritist bands ever in the history of time have released a new album, 'Drums and Guns'. Here is the semi-nauseating video for their first single Breaker.

Low - Breaker

Catastrophe and the Cure

And so on to more exciting non-work related things.

El musico. I have taken up playing guitar again after an absence, but after bashing out a few covers and playing the same old tired chords I realise that I need to put in a serious amount of effort to create anything that I am remotely satisfied with, get disheartened and stop. I know this is a sad picture to present, but only because I hope to improve on it in future.


Listening wise, I am taking in the new Explosions in the Sky record (and its interesting remix second disk) but not listened to it enough to decide whether it is as good as the last two albums. Also my brother, Stephen sent us 'Wincing the Night Away' by the Shins, which is great as expected. The Shins are one of those bands that inspire me to create music; reasonably simple songs with great melodies and interesting instrumentation [inspiration is one thing, however].

I don't think I've mentioned that we now have a Nintendo Wii, which has been enormous fun. Interestingly Wii Tennis and Golf and Rayman Raving Rabbits have been our most played games, although I have got stuck into Zelda: Twilight Princess [just past Goron Mines, Zelda kids, in about 12 hours of play - think I'm a bit of a Zelda delinquent] when I was off on annual leave. It's great to see people playing the sports and laughing - although I have more than once accidently thumped the wife whilst taking a vigorous swing at the tennis ball. We also picked up Tiger Woods Golf, which sounds a bit sad - I'm not more than an annual pitch and putter in real life - but it has been pretty enjoyable to hit a round using the wii remote. So anyone who's in the vicinity and fancies a game, feel free to pop in.

Chimpy chompy. Till next time.

I still owe you for the hole in the floor

Another week passed, just 6 days left of my current job; it has had its ups and downs and in betweens.

At times I feel I've regressed into that medical student who didn't care about things and just wanted to get home as soon as possible, but when I'm in a more positive mood I've learnt about continuity of care, having had some patients on the ward almost throughout the whole time I've been there. I don't like sitting about doing nothing, but I don't feel there's very much wriggle room for initiative within the department, hence it is only noticed when you make an omission. It's probably just a clash of personalities with the all controlling Reg.

Anyway that was a bit depressing, sorry. On to the next post.

Thanks to the warning sign generator

Miss Happy Sunshine Face

Not quite the return you had all hoped for but nevertheless better than nothing. Perhaps. Maybe I will regain my portion of the internaudience, all 3 of you.

Enjoy other 'failed' Japanese inventions here: Ueba. Monster.

I'm melting.

It is very warm. Is Dundee always this warm in late July (in the middle of the night, no less)?

(I am merely posting this so that in December when it is 'baltico' I can look back and see how I complained about the warmth - self indulgent, I know but bear with me).

This ain't no holiday...But it always turns out this way.

Well Mr Black it has indeed been my holiday, the holiday that has been the first 23 years of my life; sadly now it is coming to a fitful close, with the impending beginning of my working life. Being a student has never seemed like so little work. After over 18 years of learning (allegedly) I now have to put some of it into practice, with the side effect of earning some money.

Graduation gone, summer weddings passed, trip abroad over, it's enough to make anyone feel down. The rusty wheel of life trundles ever onward downward down the mist enveloped bumpy road of life. I hope there's a cold snap next week as being baked alive in some old semi-converted wartime pre-fab (think the old Wellington for you Belfasters) does not fill me with the joys of summer. Hmm. It's not all bad though - I will have a role, a function, a reason to be hanging around - the least important person but yet have some responsibility [good/bad?]. Oh, if only they didn't keep changing things, but everything comes together for good.

Trying to put together a Mix CD to remind me of this period in time, but still trying to finalise the tracklist.

Later tater.

The same place...some time later

Bon soir mes amis.

Events:
I passed my exams and am currently a 'graduand', a strange state of limbo between finding out that I've passed my exams and getting bopped on the head by the bonnet of Dundee during graduation on the 11th of July.
Helen graduated yesterday with a 1st in her degree, which is impressive, cue champagne and tasty meals.
We had a short holiday in Greece last week, on the Ionian island of Zakynthos...pictures to follow, perhaps....
We also moved residence to a nice shiny new flat, which has been good to us thus far.
On Wednesday we were at the wedding of our friend Claire (née Woolsey) Trumper, which was great - the first wedding I had been to since my own - it seemed much more relaxing.

Life still seems inordinately busy but perhaps it will slow down a bit for a while now that some of the above have been done [but maybe that's just wishful thinking].

Added a couple of new links to friends' blogs - the blogosphere is seemingly alive and well, but I'm left feeling less and less unique by the day.

Enjoy.

We don't need oxygen...

Not only are JJ72 wrong about not needing oxygen (QED by D. Blaine), a Japanese Spar-a-like chain of shops suggests that a measly 21% isn't enough by planning to sell compressed 95% oxygen in cans. One can will apparently last about 70 seconds (or 35 x 2s bursts as they are marketing it).




Hmm. I think I'll stick with the free stuff for now.

On a mat o' poetry

Want an interesting comparative study in language or just a way to waste ten minutes listening to kids make animal and vehicle noises? Try onomatopoeic library Bzzzpeek [needs sound]. The British ones are quite amusing ('giddy up' from a Princess Anne sound-a-like) and some of the foreign ones are baffling - do goats in Hungary really say 'Mars Bar'?