Hero Of War

new year and i should keep more up to date with my blog so i thought id start off with something i did for a friends essay research as its relevent here too.

firstly looking through the reviews of other peoples feedback on the songs they love i got the daunting feeling that my reasons would not be in any way comparable because having no background in music, other than loving to listen to it and dance away i dont feel i connect in the same way to the songs i love, in that i do not like them for the way they are composed or the tempo of the piece. i feel that i can relate mostly to the lyrics of a song, as someone that loves to read and write poetry i think it because of this link that i focus on this.
looking through my media player i could not find a song that stood out from the rest, so instead i chose based on that when i heard this song played live, is the only song to have ever made me cry at a gig. a song being able to provoke such a reaction in someone i feel has got to have some kind of strong bond with the listener.
i have chosen 'hero of war' by Rise Against as even though i only came across the band within the last year i think it is due to the politics within their music, particularly their lyrics that correlates to the things i have been experiencing around the same time, and some of the questions i have considered during this time.
the song is sang as a ballad about a father talking to his son and encouraging him to become a soldier but the song then turns to the songs perspective of war, and how it is not as glorified as it is often portrayed in the media. at the time of becoming aware of this song my brother had recently joined the H.M army infantry division and was in his basic training, with his reasons often being that he wanted to help fight for his country and instead of being an engineer etc he wanted to ' be on the frontline doing something '.
i think this is why the lyrics ' a hero of war, thats what i'l be, and when i come home they'll be damn proud of me' hit home, because having bad experiences my brother left his training 4 months in, after deliberating about coming home for a month before he left, fearing that we would be dissapointed in him for failing when all we really wanted was him home safe. for these personal reasons i like and relate to the song because it makes me think about the strong bonds i have with my brother and also in a way evokes that fear i had for a while that in the future there was a possability my family and i might lose him as a result of war.
the song also touches on ideas of perspective, how the job is glorified by his dad, telling him it would open doors for him, allowing him to travel, see the world and get paid, but the son does not talk about these ideallic experiences at all. i think this idea of political perspective and similarly for individuals is important because often they way things are advertised are often skewed by the intentions of the advertiser, and there is an ongoing prominence in the media whereby a soldiers view of not having enough equipment and support is risking their life, is due to a budget cut from someone elses paperwork who likely has no experience of war.
i think the title for the albumn 'appeal to reason' shows the bands intention not to force people to become anti war but just to open their minds to new suggestions and almost look through anothers eyes at the situation and maybe make a more informed decision. like much music if it asks you to stop, listen and rethink things, it is bound to get the listener on a deeper level than just passively listening, and this song definately does this in my opinion and is a reason for me liking it so much.

You're my cuppycake, gumdrop, snoogums - boogums....

ok so i noticed i hadnt posted anything since the incidence of the hippies in trees. alots been going on, i have been to visit my friends in kingston university and their freshers seem much tamer than ours were however they do have some lovely shops and a beautiful view and access to the river thames which made me realise how much i miss living by the sea in kent and i am considering moving in with friends there after university, but its a year away so we shall see.
i start back at uni on monday and i cannot wait, i am seeing my friend sorrel for shopping on saturday and i have a little date on sunday so we shall see... again haha. i also have successfully found myself a job at a lovely little jewellers and start there next week, where i am being left in charge after only 4/5 days there so i am thrilled to find someone has realised my capabilities and feel it will do wonders for my cv, plus i get to window shop while at work hehe :D
i have also decided i need to save more so i found a gorgeous little money box in new look for only £4 after discount, it is a kind of backwards way to save seeing as i spent money on getting it as someone has already pointed out to me but hopefully its forward and helpful from here on.
not much else really, have a few gigs coming up which i am excited about and frieze art fair which also proves interesting, found a couple of new art magasines i reccommend - juxtapoze (about art and culture) and the illustrated ape (art and music) especially issue 28 which features art created by radiohead and maximo park.
OH and there is th tour/exhibition coming up at the national gallery called 'rock and roll london' it says " see beatles to bowie: the 60s exposed then strut your stuff through the streets of london as blue badge guide kevin molloy leads a walking tour illuminating the hip people and funky places of swinging london in the 1960's." it is on saturday the 31 oct 2009 or sunday 1st nov 09 but i think the saturday would be easier for me, it is £20 for concessions for the exhibition and tour and i am going as it will help with my dissotation but if anyone wishes to join just let me know :D
and finally i think we should all buy a pumpkin to carve for halloween to decorate the front porch, and all go to electric ballroom for gothic scary halloweeness :D

the song for this post is going to be: the cupcake song

You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie
You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop
Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye
And I love you so and I want you to know
That I'll always be right here
And I love to sing sweet songs to you
Because you are so dear

the link to the song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a312hgYuIG0
ENJOY! :D

know your rights.....

went to central london today to see some exhibitions and things on in london, jeff koons was good and worth seeing, went to the photographers gallery and the museum of childhood OMG that place is awesome hehe me and chris were wandering around like ooo i had that and chilled playing checkers before looking at some illustrations by Roald Dahl done for his books and having lunch there. i must say though the highlight of the day was a trip to regents park to see the tree houses that have been build there, they are huge and you can walk up inside them, there is an open stage area and an artist carving a seat from oak wood so its worth a see. we were taking pictures and hanging around when we got invited to a poetry reading group thing in the main tree house, went along and it was about human rights and apparently most poets have something to protest, although i did not agree it was raised a few points such as what are human rights and should prisoners have a vote etc... to which i think they should as they are still human. the woman however read a few of her poems and they were apparently about identity and how she felt when she comes here and people say oh how long are you here for and she replies 3 years.... she was saying how they make her feel like she should be going home or shouldnt belong here but i thought it amusing how she refered to people as they, a collective disciminating against her when really it was just that 1/2 people and so she is being quite vague when generalising to the rest of a population which is something she feels is wrong no? anyways we left her and went on to see a lovely opera performer in the stage area who had a piano accompanyment and it was lovely. but i thought it was interesting and so i would post the 30 rights we have as stated in the declaration of human rights if ur interested :D

1. all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
2. everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
declaration, without distinctionof any kind.
3. everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
4. no one shall be held in slavery or servitude. slavery and the slave trade shall
be prohibited in all their forms.
5. no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment.
6. everyone everywhere has the right to recognition as a person before the law.
7. all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal
protection of the law.
8. everyone has the right to an effective remedy if their rights are not respected.
9. noone shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
10.everyone charged with a crime is entititled equally to a fair and public hearing
by an independent and impartial tribunal.
11.everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until
proven guilty.
12.noone shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with their privacy, family,
home or correspondonce, nor suffer attacks on their reputation.
13.everyone has the right to freedom of movement.
14.everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from
persecution.
15.everyone has the right to a nationality.
16.men and women... have the right to marry and to found a family.
17.everyone has the right to own property.
18.everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
19." " to freedom of opinion and expression and to seek, recieve and impart
information though any media and regardless of frontiers.
20." " to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
21." " to take part in the government of their country. the will of the people
shall be the basis of the authority of government.
22.everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realisation... of... economic, social and cultural rights.
23." " right to work... to form and join trade unions.
24. " " to rest and leisure.
25. "" to a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing.
26. right to education.
27. " " to freely participate in the cultural life of the community.
28. everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which all these
rights and freedoms can be fully realised.
29. everyone has duties to the community.
30. no governments, groups or individuals should destroy any of these rights or
freedoms.

in the discussion it was thought that some of these are out of date, for example civil partneships are not covered, education is compulsory in this declaration... etc

ANYWAYS>.. on a lighter note, half day at work tomo and going to tesco after to get ingredients to make matt a roast as its his fave and some fudge pudding im gonna cook woop so hope it goes well and i dont burn anything hehe.

Song for this post is therefore 'know your rights' by the clash but covered by pearl jam so to those who may also know this and be seein pearl jam on tuesday ;) hope ya have a good time :D

this is a public service announcement
with guitar
know your rights
#1
you got a right not to kill
murder is a crime
unless it is done
unless it is done by a policeman
or an aristocrat
oh, know your rights
#2
you have the right to food money
provided at cost,
you don't mind a little investigation, humiliation
and if you cross your fingers
perhaps retaliation
know you rights
these are your rights
know your...
know these rights
#3
you have the right to free speech
as long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it
know your rights
these are your rights
know your rights
these are your rights
for freedom
ha!
maybe it's been suggested in some quarters,
that this is not enough
so get up, get up and scream, oh!!
get up and scream, ahh oh!!

'No one can make me feel this way, you always seem to brighten up my day'

not done a post in a while so thought i would update.. went to the london aquarium with matt today, was really nice cos got to spend time with matt before he goes away to sonisphere for the weekend and before he meets the parents next week :D i know theyre going to think he is awesome just like i do. london aquarium was lovely but i did love the terrapins most, they are sooo very sweet.
I also was reminded of a phrase that i love today : "where words fail, music speaks" which just really reminds me about why i called this blog what i did, because like art i feel music even more so speaks to everyone which is a feeling i love, just that a song or feeling in lyrics and a mood of a song can help people through the lows and help to celebrate the highs, i got lots of books on music and art from the library the other day so i can try n get reading to carry on my dissotation draft as this is my topic, music as a kind of art for the masses and it is this kind of ability to reach in and evoke emotion in people that i feel some art lacks and is why i am interested in works that relate to the self and are sometimes intereactive.
anyways i found a song to sum up life at the moment, particularly in the relationship area ^-^

Happy by Brandy:

I don't even know
How it got this way
When I first met you
I never thought your love was true
But I'm glad I saw just what was in store
All the while you plan to be my man
Now I'm in love with you

You make me happy
You make me feel so good
With the things you do for me
Oh baby can't you see that
You make me happy
Make me feel so good
With the things you do for me
Oh baby, baby, baby

In search of happiness
Tryin' to find thatone
Who can make my life so complete baby
If I only knew that someone was you boy
There would have been more happy days
So don't you go away

No one can make me feel this way
You always seem to brighten up my day

There is a time and a place for everything...

someone tagged a photo i had taken in berlin and it reminded me of a poem i could not quite recall so i looked it up :

To everything there is a season,
And a time to every purpose under the heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck
that which is planted;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and time of peace.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I then remembered this poem is quoted in footloose which is an awesome film but I love this poem and the photo so i thought i would post it, i love it because it is hopeful, it reminds me and others (i think) that when your down its ok because that is the time to be sad but there will come a time to be happy again and it will be all the more joyful because you have that sadness to compare it to. I am happy at the moment and im glad i held out for that special time to come about, just to remind all my friends if you are down and feel its not worth fighting or things are never going to look up, it is worth it, things will get better and you will never look back :D

My first post as a 21 year old...

so..... last night was my 21st birthday, after many facebook messages (thankyou all) and spending the day shopping and having a pub lunch with megan it was time to get ready for the club that is electric ballroom for the evening woooo!! I recieved some beautiful presents all of which were very thoughtful and greatly appreciated. the drive up to the club was fun, me, matt, jaz, tammy, megan and rob all laughin and taking lots of pictures :D upon arrival it was lovely to see the gorgeous matt waiting and we were also joined by the rest of our lovely group, all of whom looked fantastic i might add, especially the never before seen black nailvarnish on a certain gentleman, whose girlfriend i have already thanked ;) we had an awesome night dancing like mad and taking photos and driking hehe, shame matt and his brother had to go early but it was a treat to see him none the less. the highlight song wise did have to be 'youth gone wild' but skid row, which me and rob were screaming along to hehe, right after 'you give love a bad name' so a great set :D it was great to see everyone mixing and gettin on well, having a great time so that was realy cool. just before leaving i also got ambushed in the toilets by a girl that really liked my dress so that was nice too ^-^ even though she then went on to ask about tattoos and i unfortunately had to go. the car trip back was fun and i got to do my tour guidy bit when we went over the bridge to see all the lights and the london eye by night which was a beautiful end to the evening. off to tap n tin tonight to see those that couldnt make it to london from kent and so should be just as much fun! thankyou again for all making my birthday so special, with your messages, cards, gifts and for coming out :) i had an amazing birthday thanks to everyone :D

the song for this post is therefore - Skid Rows - Youth gone Wild -

Since I was born they couldn't hold me down
Another misfit kid, another burned-out town

Never played by the rules I never really cared
My nasty reputation takes me everywhere

I look and see it's not only me
So many others have stood where I stand
We are the young so raise your hands

They call us problem child
We spend our lives on trial
We walk an endless mile
We are the youth gone wild
We stand and we won't fall
We're the one and one for all
The writing's on the wall
We are the youth gone wild

Boss screamin' in my ear about who I'm supposed to be
Getcha a 3-piece Wall Street smile and son you'll look just like me

I said "Hey man, there's something that you oughta know.
I tell ya Park Avenue leads to Skid Row."

I look and see it's not only me
We're standin' tall ain't never a doubt
We are the young, so shout it out

They call us problem child
We spend our lives on trial
We walk an endless mile
We are the youth gone wild
We stand and we won't fall
We're the one and one for all
The writing's on the wall
We are the youth gone wild

They call us problem child
We spend our lives on trial
We walk an endless mile
We are the youth gone wild
We stand and we won't fall
We're the one and one for all
The writing's on the wall
We are the youth gone wild
We are the youth gone wild

when i put my lips like this i want you to kiss me...

so, i looked for a song for this post but none seemed to fit.
looking over my last entries it has been very up n down - typical of cancerians lol
before i went to download i wasnt really happy with much and was glad to get away.
i did not however realise how much things could change in a week or so.
i arranged to meet up with matt at download and did on the first day, expecting him to see me again on the sunday maybe before we went home i was really really glad when it turned out that we spend alot of the weekend together going to see bands and just chillin :D i have finally found a guy that is really sweet, funny and is a genuinely lovely person, this guy is now my boyfriend :D
it is matts bday on wednesday and i have already sorted his card and gift, i so cant wait, and hes coming to see me because it would be a nice bday treat for him :D how cute!!! lol i realise i am now jus waffling hehe so il get back to the point.
im happy happy happy and glad i have finally found someone that makes me smile, and that thinks my smile is cute hehe double bonus :D
i have had fun booking my birthday stuff also so woop that should all be done soon but really it only matters that i am with my friends and my boyfriend having fun, so im thinking this is going to be the best birthday yet :D
yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy about time.