I love the features of Windows Live Spaces but this place has become dead as the proverbial. I guess I'll keep it in existence but I don't really intend to keep updating it that regularly. If you are after that kind of level of updating then go to my MySpace site.

 

 

If you are just bored and want something to do, follow this link!

 

A lot of existence can seem cyclical. What goes around, comes around. Moods go up, then they go down. People say nice things, then they say bad. Ce la vie. It's the natural order of things. But then.........is mankind still natural?

I read a while back a book by De Bono 'Teach Yourself How to Think.' De Bono's basic premise was that the mind has a tendency to veer towards the familiar so, when it comes to doing anything, the brain prefers to fall into ruts. Effectively, we do what we did yesterday because it's what we know how to do and it is easier to do it again than it is to do anything new. Rocket science not!

Animals have patterns. People have patterns. However, the human animal can break cycles and patterns of behaviour and that breakage comes from the mind itself. Realisation is a powerful tool.

Currently listening : Sehnsucht By Rammstein Release date: By 13 January, 1998

Your results:
You are Magneto ..>

..> Magneto 69% Dark Phoenix 69% Apocalypse 68% Poison Ivy 65% Riddler 65% The Joker 60% Mystique 57% Catwoman 54% Dr. Doom 52% Lex Luthor 47% Juggernaut 41% Venom 40% Mr. Freeze 33% Green Goblin 29% Kingpin 29% Two-Face 25%..>

You fear the persecution of those that are different or underprivileged so much that you are willing to fight and hurt others for your cause. ..>

Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...

Currently listening : Creatures By Clan of Xymox Release date: By 13 April, 1999

Current mood: contemplative

Strange stuff. Anyone who knows me, or passes through this blog, knows that I do write the odd bit of poetry. Most of my stuff is published on an internet site called poemhunter.com. For the past few months one of my pieces has been consistently receiving a significantly higher number of hits than any single work of mine. This has confused me as I don't even consider the piece, Strategos, to be one of my better works.

However, the penny has recently dropped. Just the other day I happened to be in a hotel and unusually (I say unusually as I don't own one at home) was watching TV. Johnathan Ross was reviewing a new film called 300 which tells the tale of the Battle of Thermopylae, undoubtedly the most famous battle in classical history. And it was Thermopylae that was the subject of my poem Strategos. Talk about collateral interest! lol!

Anyway, I shall be going to see 300 when it hits the cinemas. It looks good. And although based on historical events, the movie itself takes its inspiration for the means of portrayal directly from no less a personage than Frank Miller. Neat.

Currently listening : Bread and Jam for Frances By Switchblade Symphony Release date: By 16 September, 1997

Thanks to Eve's 'Dunc' for providing a head's up on Angel Spit . This is a pared back industrial outfit with more than a smidgen of punk influence. However, they are also a band that give an impression of having invested as much time, effort and creative ability into their marketing and image rather than musical substance. The T-shirt designs, for example, are sublime and really simplistically iconographic - and therefore hardhitting with it.

I wish I could say the same for my favourite steampunk band Abney Park . They have the tunes and the talent, and their own look, but they just are not as in your face. But maybe that's not a bad thing. Laid back tunes for laid back people. There is a lot to be said for vintage. Certainly the fashions are, personally, more appealling rather than the more chaffing materials of the fetish side of the alternative community.  The only real difficulty is in getting hold of Abney Park albums in the UK.

If you want to try some other steam punk you can do an awful lot worse than Vernian Process.

Currently listening : Archangelo Corelli: The 12 Concerti Grossi Op.6 By Arcangelo Corelli Release date: By 09 October, 1992

Why join the navy when you can be a pirate?

It is when they count their booty that pirates become mere thieves.

Merchant and pirate were for a long period one and the same person. Even today mercantile morality is really nothing but a refinement of piratical morality.

 

Today I am 38. Hoist the Black Flag!

Currently watching : Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Release date: By 02 December, 2003

Aaarrgh! I am awake! I;m not supposed to be up for another hour at least! And I've already been awake an hour!

I know that traditionally we, as human beings, are supposed to average eight hours sleep a night. For years now, though, I appear to usually be operating on six hours a night. It's pretty much become my usual pattern only extended if I've had a pint or several the evening before.

Usually I'm not too bothered by that as I stay awake a bit later and then arise, refreshed for work at a usual hour. However, recently I've been a bit bored in the evenings and I've been hitting the hay earlier. That results in me rising earlier! So I find myself in the dark at 5am wondering how to kill some time before the day even starts.

NO! Keep that suggestion to yourself!

Currently listening : Artificial Soldier By Front Line Assembly Release date: By 20 June, 2006

Stating the obvious, it is the first of March! And it is all kind of fun! I finished work early and I've taken off the whole weekend as a long weekend in order to celebrate (or commiserate) another birthday. And the fun starts here! I've ate, drunk and been merry all day and plan to maintain that pattern right through until Monday! If that ain't a good plan I have no idea what is! Right now I'm chilling with a good movie.........can't beat it. 

Currently watching : Apocalypse Now Redux Release date: By 20 November, 2001

 

 

Well, actually I didn't. Between work and moving flat I've been pretty damned busy recently. So busy in fact, that work whisked me away from the cosmopolitan wonders of the glorious capital, London, to temporarily plonk me in the provincial cities of Newcastle and Leeds in no short order. Was I impressed?

Current mood: contemplative

Lo and behold. Another day, another dollar and back on line! Just moved flat and have finally got sorted to get back onto the World Wide Web. My first blog post for a while. A lot has happened and it's very much a new start. Change combines sadness and joy. It is. perhaps, the natural order of things. What a world! What a world! Three cheers for the wonder of the universe! Huzzah!

Currently listening : Children of God/World of Skin By Swans Release date: By 27 May, 2003

Current mood: drained

Few things annoy me more than the pathetic thing that is peer group pressure. It is even more annoying where that pressure in being applied for no reason other than for individuals in that group to find some justification for their own weak behaviour. And more often than not it is the 'pushing' of intoxicants that are the subject of the pressure.

My take is simple. I am old enough and confident enough to know my own mind. If I say no to something, I mean no. If I say yes, I mean yes. When it comes to intoxicants I very much share the views of Charles Baudelaire in his opus 'On Wine and Hashish.' Baudelaire makes a distinction between wine and drugs. Wine elevates the will, drugs annihilate it. Wine is social, drugs are isolating. Does this make me sound like a puritanical prima donna? I trust not.

Barbereau sums it all up well. "I can't understand why rational man uses artificial means to obtain spiritual bliss, since enthusiasm and will-power are sufficient to elevate him to a supernatural existence. The great poets, philosophers and prophets are beings who, through the free exercise of their will reached a state whereby they are cause and effect, subject and object, hypnotist and sleepwalker."

If you cannot act or experience through the power of your own mind, you are not in your own mind, or your right mind.

Currently listening : Paradox Addendum By Crüxshadows Release date: By 21 November, 2000

Current mood: awake

I found out the other day that the tube I usually travel on, and indeed most tubes, are fitted with pretty good quality closed circuit television (CCTV). Combine that with the ones outside the office, those on the high street between the office and the tube station, those between where I live and my departure station, and those at both stations, most of my travelling life is captured in full digital colour. Is this Big Brother writ large? Only if I'm really naughty I suppose as, otherwise, do the powers that be really have the resources to watch every move of every individual? The real time maths don't bear it out. To completely monitor my movements for 24hours a day requires some poor sod, without a life, to be monitoring my sad lifeless movements 24hours a day. Then someone sad and lifeless has to monitor their sad lifeless movements too. And so on. And so on. The only real danger comes with advent of software that can do the tracking and watching instead and, while we've been going that way, the world is not there yet.

However, on the subject of a surveillance society, isn't that god bloke allegedly both omnipotent and all-seeing? Isn't he supposed to always be with his followers? That requires some shit-hot surveillance capability to be able to simultaneously monitor the real-time movements (and possibly thoughts) of billions of people in this part of the multi-verse alone! Now that is what I'd call a real infringement of civil liberties and basic human rights (specifically the right to privacy). And he's supposed to be a good guy! Expect the law suits to come flooding in...........

Currently listening : Songs for the Dead By Bella Morte Release date: By 26 October, 2004

Completely unrelated. Interesting article on goth.

Yesterday was intriguing. I, and a couple of colleagues, had been called in to help the high and the mighty of a major public sector body articulate their strategic vision for the next three years. Now, this was quite important as the vision was also linked to the organisation's budget. So, crap vision, less money. My whole team, together, probably earns less p.a. than any one of the individuals who were contributing to this 'vision' thing.

Notwithstanding all the silver bullion and power suits what was completely noticeable, by it's absence, was indeed vision. This was a command and control bureaucracy run rampant and a great example of how that creates a 'don't think, can't think' mindset in people. About £170million was riding on the ability of these people to get it together.

The team I was in did a sterling job. We've been given a crap pre-briefing (which served to highlight a major gap between what the boss of this organisation wanted done and what his lackeys thought he wanted), no choice over the facilities and then had to contend with a running order tampered with, ad hoc, on the day. Despite this we still delivered a quality service and product on the day.

And the outcome? As an exercise the body politic failed to produce any clear cohesive shared idea of a vision (Jeez some of the participants just cold not escape from the minutiae of their day job). However, some individuals within the body cobbled together a reasonable idea of sorts. Individuals all noticeable by their difference.

If a lesson was learnt here by me, it was this. Strategy is born of individuals, not groups. And someone has to take the lead.

Currently listening : Disintegration By The Cure Release date: By 01 May, 1989

Current mood: contemplative

It was raining today when I went out to work. Wet stuff. Falling from the sky down to the ground and generally causing ground and self to become quite damp indeed. As such, it was a perfect excuse to drag out the ancient tried and trusted cowboy hat. It performs a similar function to an umbrella except it leaves ones hands free. Now this is no ordinary cowboy hat. For starters, it was made in Canada and it's a proper black felt Stetson style cowpoke hat purchased 18 whole years ago. It's been rained on, sunned on and liberally covered in dust yet it retains it's shape and style to this day. A superb quality product. Yet, when wearing it you suddenly notice how few people are wearing hats and you do get the odd look amongst the London commuter traffic. I must confess I'm a fan of hats - good hats. And yes, it may be a bit odd to wear a cowboy hat in London yet I don;t really think that's any stranger than wearing a baseball cap. I mean, most people wearing baseball caps will have gone longer without actually playing baseball as I am to have gone without riding a horse. Stands to reason really. More people must wear hats. That's an order!!!!!!

Still, in stranger terms, was the old friend who was recently surprised to find out I was into 'goth.' Heck, I only used to meet their business clad self from work two years ago wearing a poet's shirt, skin tights and a waistcoat and wax lyrically about my latest Clan of Xymox purchases. And they saw my CD collection. Some people were evidently paying attention. You gotta laugh!

Currently playing : Halo Release date: By 15 June, 2006

Yesterday was the 13th. The 13th! It all figures!!!!!!!! So today everyone is reflective and introspective. Figures indeed.

Currently watching : The Outlaw Josey Wales Release date: By 20 November, 2001

You scored as Romantic Goth. You are a romantic goth, better known as a traditional goth. You are probably quickly identified as a goth by outsiders. Black lace, bats, and moonlit cemetaries are just a few of your favorite things. Click on my name to take my other tests if you liked this one. Romantic Goth 92% Old-school Goth 75% Ethereal Goth 71% Fantasy Goth 63% Industrial/Rivet-Head 54% Anything-Goes Goth 50% Perky Goff 38% Death Rocker 38% Cyber-goth 25% Understanding Outsider 21% Confused Outsider 17%

What subcategory of Goth best fits you?
created with QuizFarm.com

TELL ME ABOUT YO0RSELF - The Survey
Name:	Dex
Birthday:	3 March 1969
Birthplace:	Shipston-upon-Stour
Current Location:	London
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Brown
Height:	5' 10"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Right
Your Heritage:	Dal Riadan Celt
The Shoes You Wore Today:	Black boots
Your Weakness:	Pride
Your Fears:	Getting caught
Your Perfect Pizza:	Pineapple and Jalapeno
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	Neat
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Bollox! is that the time?!
Your Best Physical Feature:	Eyes
Your Bedtime:	Late
Your Most Missed Memory:
Pepsi or Coke:	Pepsi
MacDonalds or Burger King:	Neither
Single or Group Dates:	Single
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Neither
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Vanilla
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Coffee
Do you Smoke:	Kretek
Do you Swear:	Like feck I do!
Do you Sing:	After a few
Do you Shower Daily:	Yes
Have you Been in Love:	Yes
Do you want to go to College:	Again? yes.
Do you want to get Married:
Do you belive in yourself:	Yes
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Sometimes. When moving.
Do you think you are Attractive:	Yes
Are you a Health Freak:	No
Do you get along with your Parents:	No
Do you like Thunderstorms:	Yes
Do you play an Instrument:
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	Yes
In the past month have you Smoked:	Yes
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	No
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Yes
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	No
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	No
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	No
In the past month have you been on Stage:	No
In the past month have you been Dumped:	No
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	No
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	Yes
Ever been Drunk:	Yes
Ever been called a Tease:	Yes
Ever been Beaten up:	No
Ever Shoplifted:
How do you want to Die:	On my feet
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	A bigger kid
What country would you most like to Visit:	Jordan
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:	Blue
Favourite Hair Color:
Short or Long Hair:
Height:
Weight:
Best Clothing Style:	Goth
Number of Drugs I have taken:
Number of CDs I own:	Too many to count, not enough to be content
Number of Piercings:	two
Number of Tattoos:
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	too many
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort. You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds. You believe that people see you for how you are, not how you look. But deep down, you know that's not exactly true. Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it. For you, falling in love has never been easy. You can only fall for someone who is very patient and persistent. Inside the Room of Your Soul

Purely in the interests of research I chanced unpon a 1997 volume of poetry by the esteemed Father Jack Hackett, best known as the eldest of the Parochrial Priests of Craggey Island. The volume, 'Floor Polish Nights,' contains some of Jack's finest pieces.

Amid the continuing debate about the role of women in the Church, Father Jack provides a clear expression, from the point of view of his wheelchair bound self,  of the reactions of many in his work

'Women of God.'

Nuns! NUNS! FECK!
Reverse! REVERSE!!! 

Certainly Father Jack also celebrates what can be pleasurable in life while also demonstrating the extreme dangers of addiction in his 24 page epic poem from which this verse is extracted:

'Bottle of Whiskey/ Bottle of Floor Polish.'

Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!

FECKING WATER!!!? NO!

DRINK! Drink! Drink! DRINK!

Some critics have pointed to Father Jack's seminal piece 'A day in the life of a senile old alcoholic priest' as evidence of a repressed sexuality given the order of the words in the poem.

'A day in the life of a senile old alcoholic priest.'

Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls!

The brevity of this masterpiece really shows the struggle between Father Jack's vocation, his desires and his attempts to control them. Hence his turning to alcohol and derived cleaning products to blot out what may be leading him from a pure life dedicated to God.

Finally, let us consider Father Jack's profound insight into religion in:

Christianity

"That would be an ecumenical matter Father."

Here Jack summarises the struggle of the church in allowing a thousand years of prejudice to boil over when everyone should just be accepting the fact that there might be a god, there might not; and the debate over whether Jesus really was his son is a bit of red herring. Now if only everyone would accept who they are and go down the pub for a pint followed by a pint, another pint, six more pints and a bottle of whiskey before moving on to the cleaning cupboard.

Of course it is noted that Father Jack, despite having the odd fag himself, never writes about smoking.

Apologies.

 

Currently watching : Father Ted - The Holy Trilogy Release date: By 02 March, 2004