Disco Electro

Onwards and upwards

2011-04-03T23:18:00.003+01:00

Au revoir blogger. It's been a dreamy ride but the lure of tumblr is simply too much.

If you want to carry on reading my blog then you should go here: http://oberonwhite.tumblr.com/

or there's always my twitter: https://twitter.com/oberonwhite

See you there.

Nude

2010-12-03T19:21:00.001Z

A body.

Just, a body.

Bawdy jazz band clatters and the trumpet growls up your arms.

You manipulate childish props with poise:

Feathered-fan thigh and parasol neck.

I imagine bearded men caressing your form out of undulating stone.

Hot soft marble flowing into the shape of you, whilst your

Face looks absently skyward, lips eternally pursed;

Perched on your creamy plinth, a fixed thing.

Under all these lights as you peel off skin upon skin,

Dousing yourself with tepid champagne.

I half expect it to freeze, half to boil.

You could be a daughter of catastrophe.

Mislaid in a black and white photograph,

Your skin screeching or your form contorted and wrong,

Or piled with your brothers and sisters whilst vision blurs at the sight.

Though you could be a lost Renoir.

And museum curators must stitch your sundered form together again.

Remake your world: unfracture, uncleave.

Piece. By. Piece.

Cymbals, you bow, applause.

The stage lights dim.

You and your body leave together.

Poem for a Journeyer

2010-11-21T03:37:00.003Z

The familiar or the vast, and the strange, and the new.

Environment altered and skeleton walls dressed with memories.

The seasons feel different and the sky darker blue

Though the language is the same in the murmur of the trees.

A laugh heard echoing down a long corridor,

As if you never left or maybe brought it all with you;

Until you open the curtains, seeing a different shore,

Realising that what you saw through the veil of sleep was true.

But life must be movement and nothing can be still,

Scenery shifts and props brought off and on

Against the rippling backdrop of midnight skyline and summer hill.

And we must grow and learn, not feebly looking on.

What is place but rolling road and stone?

It is voices and songs that make the world a home.

Here and there and everywhere

2010-11-16T11:23:00.002Z

The past couple of weeks have been full of frenetic activity and it seems that any moments of true stillness have been rare, snatched moments, and much too brief.

I've been jettisoning myself across the British Isles at least every fortnight for rehearsals for The Marriage of Figaro. I'm performing it with Opera'r Ddraig and it's wonderful to see familiar faces, though the cramped uncomfortable coach journeys aren't exactly thrilling. Still, suffering for one's art and all that.

Aside from that I've been in Cardiff for the glorious @smithsonftw's birthday though I'll be honest I don't think people saw much of her after her hilariously early retiring from the festivities after getting royally sozzled in her inimitable fashion.

But it's been really nice being back in Cardiff so often, seeing friends from home and relying on their unwavering hospitality *solemnly salutes*

As well As Cardiff I stayed the weekend with my bestie @LauraisFrank in Bristol which was simply swell. Perhaps the highlight of the week being our ironic racist and anti-semitic slurs and the absolute failure of the pizza delivery person in explaining where he was or where he wanted us to meet him. Also we had a walk and looked at a bridge, isn't it pretty!

Also I had my brother visiting and had numerous hilarious adventures/disasters involving a cancelled Manics Street Preachers gig, which caused us to go to an exciting hipster post rock album launch here:

Which resulted in us missing the last tube home and walking around nightime London for four hours. Also we pottered round Greenwich and I had my first Churro. So that was nice.

Finally I've been beavering away at my assignments and developing a passionate love/hatred of citations and essay formatting. Also on the weekend despite fate and megabus conspiring against me I managed to get to Norwich (despite a stint in Stansted airport) and saw Jimmy Eat World and had lovely catch up time with my sister, and joked a lot about raccoons. There's one on my ID, I don't know why.

Until next time. x

Ps. As always, click on the pictures to actually see them at a decent size.

A sense of place

2010-10-02T23:44:00.002+01:00

I've now been living in London for almost a month and slowly but surely the alien is becoming familiar and the unusual slipping into a comfortable routine.

It's the small things that make life here exciting: the friendly hustle and bustle of the market on weekends, walking across the bridge over the river that shakes and rumbles when a bus goes over, and of course studying among the building's of Trinity, grand yet elegant, austere yet welcoming.

The ambient warmth of September has faded and the chill in the air seems to signal the year ahead and all the changes it will bring. There's such an atmosphere of creativity here, a real place for creative potential; and when singing in a space likes like this it's hard not to be inspired.

Of course I'm experiencing the natural longing for familiar voices, laughter and home; but knowing that everyone is exploring their own new environment, it offers a shared sense of excitement for what the year will bring for friends, and sharing our new discoveries and adventures when we find ourselves together again.

200 Portraits

2010-09-12T20:24:00.001+01:00

Now been living in London a week, still adjusting to things but overall having a really good time and should be starting regular classes and lessons soon.

Today the very talented Audrey Bishop uploaded the next lot of portraits to her amazing http://200portraits.webs.com/ project, and I discovered her portrait of my ol' mug. I hope you like it, because I think it's brilliant! x

Yet more pictures

2010-08-21T00:40:00.005+01:00

I seem to be posting more and more pictures on my blog, I don't know why as I openly confess my disdain for bringing a camera to places and feeling obliged to take pictures.

Note: I actually do know why I'm posting them more and more, it's just easier than writing a blog post.

But anyway, here's a quick catch up on life events. (not that anyone reading this doesn't know all this already)

1. I'm now 18, no more pretending to be 23 with my brother's ID, now to relearn my date of birth

2. Got A*s in English Lit, History and Drama, and an A in Music, which you can read about HERE!

3. I'm moving to London to study music in roughly 2 weeks time

4. So very very nervous, mostly about whether I'll be able to cope as a musician on the course...

5. I don't wanna leave my friends, especially so soon. I wish everyone congratulations and the best for their futures, and hope we all manage to stay part of each each others present and future.

6. I hope that didn't sound too cheesy...

Now for pictures from my brief holiday in and around Exeter

(As usual, click on them for effect)

Lyme Regis

My brother Rob at an Exeter vintage shop/cafe

Exeter

That's all folks!

Possibly the sexiest picture I'll ever capture

2010-08-06T23:17:00.003+01:00

The delightful @smithsonftw and @neufunkaum

*Again you kind of need to click on it

Remember those mountains I was telling you about...

2010-07-15T00:27:00.001+01:00

*You kind of need to click it to appreciate it. x

When the Weather is Fine

2010-07-13T03:48:00.001+01:00

I have a long hot summer

I have my new tenor ukulele

I have my exciting pile of books (currently reading "The Well of Loneliness")

I have barbeques and beach trips

I have the rolling hilltops

I have my birthday

I have all of this before the inevitable, exciting, daunting changes of September

Most importantly I have people like this to share it all with:

* Picture merely indicative of a sample group of people I love, there is no camera big enough to capture all of my lovely friends.

Fields of Blue

2010-05-26T03:29:00.002+01:00

Distant shore, your music sings,
Though not to me; I hear the waves.
The ebb and flow of season tide,
The tranquil breeze and raging tempest howl.

Shimmer glint of sharp sweet waves, pushed
onward t’ward horizons tender,
New sphere of blue.
Unseen, unheard.

The ships still few as newer stars stutter past
The deep sea’s gentle tug ahead
What blue pastures lie beyond…
Did you ever see a rose the colour of the ocean?

Fringe Hopes!

2010-02-06T21:33:00.001Z

Just a very short blog here to let you all know the exciting news that we are hopefully taking our A level Devised project performance to the Edinburgh fringe festival!

I can't tell you how excited we all are.

I've set up a new blog for all things about the project: http://fringehopes.blogspot.com/

I've also set up a twitter: http://twitter.com/fringehopes

Any hope and support you can give at all would be so amazing, even just encouragement or spreading the word about the blog and twitter because we need publicity, money, and even positive comments and attention from you guys would be truly appreciated.

Thank you everyone, see you in Edinburgh August 2010!

I promised you ART...

2010-02-03T21:39:00.001Z

...and here IT is! Not just 1, but all 5 of the portraits for our devised drama project!

Mine :)

Kath's

Laura's

I know what you're thinking, those lovely lasses are simply too talented for their own good. As for the performance itself (the physical theatre piece I've mentioned before briefly) that went really well on the whole and congratulations need to be given for our fellow actors Beth, James and Megan as well as Lawrence and Alex who did our lighting and sound.

I'm so tired now but the whole experience was wonderful (especially gorging on the post show buffet, cheese and pineapple FTW!) and I think I'm going to have a couple more bashes at painting, maybe even some #AFP Art!

Bye for now guys, I have a mini baking blog coming up next time.

Watching Paint Dry...

2010-01-29T01:40:00.000Z

Still waiting for my canvas to dry so I can photography it and show you all in its resplendent mediocrity!

In the meantime (Greenwich to be precise) here is a wonderful picture courtesy of this wonderful blog pointed out to me by the blunderful @neufunkaum

Yoko is my favourite Beatle

Also a big shout out to the glorious @smithsonftw and her delightful blog - lovely stuff.

I shall leave you with the knowledge that I have been baking myself into an early grave and tomorrow my friend Beth shall be formally presented with some very scrummy cupcakes and a lemon meringue pie.

OM NOM NOM

Those Blue Remembered Hills

2010-01-28T02:47:00.003Z

Into my heart an air that kills

From yon far country blows:

What are those blue remembered hills,

What spires, what farms are those?

That is the Land of Lost Content,

I see it shining plain,

The happy highways where I went,

And cannot come again.

- A E Housman

My Alcoholic Friends

2010-01-26T00:16:00.000Z

I've been painting - more on that another time (I feel it deserves its very own blog)
I've been baking - Coconut and pineapple cupcakes + oat and raisin cookies = yum

Most pressingly I've been dancing.

Dancing in drama, well lets call it physical theatre.
Dancing in youth theatre, lets say performing arts.

Dancing with my friends, lets call it sheer, hilarious, fun.

Omegle: a synopsis (As well as brief update)

2010-01-10T03:14:00.007Z

Oh dear and I began this blog in such a determined state of mind...

...OK well January 2010, AS Levels AAAB (Damn drama), slogging on with all four to A Level, Going to study music (singing) in London next year, probably Trinity College of Music, I need to get EE somehow I think that's going to be manageable, hoping to start "that" band, hoping to re-start "that" choir, hoping to re-start keyboard and drums, hoping to do some work tomorrow, performing in "Return to the Forbidden Planet" in March. Seeing Evelyn Evelyn (Amanda Palmer project in April)

That's you up to date, now onto the main theme.

www.omegle.com is a site that connects you randomly to another person anywhere in the world and allows you, quite simply, to chat.

In the inevitable world where internet anonymity leads to abject hostility and weirdness there are plenty of weirdos to ignore. However every now and then you find yourself speaking to someone completely fascinating and that seems to make it all worth while.....

Behold: ("you"= me)

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

You: hey there

Stranger: 日本語できる？

You: sorry

You: English only

You: or at least European characters

You: no Kanji for me

Stranger: You know Kanji?

You: know, just know what it's called :/

You: *no

Stranger: why?

You: umm I'm really interested by Japan and its culture

Stranger: but dont know japanese..

You: no....

You: just the odd word like Kaiten

Stranger: heh

You: mmm gotta love the kaiten, brings me treats!

Stranger: so you like Anime?

You: yeah I like the studio Ghibli stuff, Princess Mononoke, Spirited away Miyazaki is amazing!

You: I take it you're Japanese?

Stranger: Well Im in Japan

You: oh cool, it must have been difficult to learn the language, are you fluent?

Stranger: mostly...

You: well done that's such an accomplishment, where are you from originally?

Stranger: US.. and you?

You: UK (Wales)

You: so what brought you to Japan?

Stranger: I also like various aspects of Japan

Stranger: Language, food, etc..

You: brilliant

You: it's just such a fascinating place, couldn't imagine anywhere so different

Stranger: it is interesting..

You: so are there any parts of it you don't like?

Stranger: sometimes, the crowds

Stranger: have you been here before?

You: no, would love to some day

You: see the rural parts as well as the city

Stranger: two very different parts of japan

Stranger: when you get away from the city, there is not much but traditional japanese people

You: it's so polarised by the looks of things, I guess that's because it went from a feudal state to an industrial power in such a short amount of time

Stranger: well, even now it seems japan is changing

You: definitely, I think the West is beginning to fade as a primary superpower

You: it's probably time for Asia and India to fill the void left by Soviet Russia in world politics

Stranger: oh wow, interesting thought but a little beyond my knowledge

You: well I don't really know that much, just my vague musings

You: so were you young when you moved?

Stranger: well, about 22 when i moved.. now im 28

Stranger: so a nice 6 years in japan

You: that's really such a brave step, you should be proud of yourself

Stranger: I figured with the bad economy in the US and Bush waging wars and taking away as many of the American freedoms as he can in the name of fighting terrorism.... it was time to leave

Stranger: not as if you are interested in that.

You: no no it affects us all

You: it's just awful the way money was spent in America on inflated military budgets rather than helping the people with housing, jobs and most importantly I think- healthcare

You: but I've probably just seen too many Michael Moore films

Stranger: Japan has got it correct... good public health care system... very little money spent on defence...

Stranger: I think I am more free in Japan to say and do what I want...

You: that's good. I'm glad that I live in the UK, there's a National Health Service and freedom of speech is a given right, though people probably take it for granted

Stranger: yes, but what about big brother.. and the huge netowork of security cameras?

You: True true, I suppose in that sense we have a the quieter side of public surveyance- free to say what we will but constantly monitored on it. I do think however that even though the number of CCTV cameras in Britain are ver high the actual impct of that has been overblown

Stranger: of course.. I only know of what Ive read

You: hmmm I'm not sure, it doesn't affect me on a personal basis...

You: hard to say really if you only have the media to rely on and no real experience of it yourself...

Stranger: Thats interesting to hear

Stranger: I read all about the problems back in the States, but have not gone back and visited myself

You: you haven't been home in 6 years?

Stranger: nope... my family has been out here to visit a few times though

You: ah I see, that's nice

You: I don't think I could be away from home for that long without coming back once in a while

Stranger: Im starting to think about it

You: We have a word in Welsh that doesn't have a perfect translation but means a sort of longing or yearning for home. Hiraeth

You: I think I'd get that without seeing the hills sometimes

Stranger: Well Im from Los Angeles...

Stranger: One big city is the same as the next

You: hmm I suppose

You: from the ones I've been to, I do get a different sense of place

You: Rome doesn't feel like London

Stranger: ok.. maybe I overstated

Stranger: I also love to travel and everywhere I go does seem a bit different

Stranger: Tokyo, is very different than LA

Stranger: It is just that to me LA has nothing in particular that I miss

Stranger: Its a big city, with lots of smog, and dangerous areas to avoid

You: yeah I think I understand

You: I think it's important to find beauty where you can as well

Stranger: Another reason why Japan is nice, a short train ride from the city and I can go hiking in the mountains or relax at a hot spring

You: I live in a medium sized town, only 50 years old, completely artificial, drab, one word Ordinary. But it's the mountain on the horizon, the sounds of the woods that make a place where it is

You: Exactly!

You: I'm only a short train ride away from the capital city of Wales- Cardiff. it's pretty small as capital cities go, small enough to know your way around, but big enough to still hold little surprises

Stranger: Sounds nice...

You: yeah...

Stranger: seems Japan and Wales is a bit similar

You: yeah haha, maybe Wales is Japan in minature

You: Howl's moving castle is actually based on a Welsh story I think....

Stranger: heh, i enjoyed that movie

Stranger: I have also seen every Ghibli movie

You: oh cool, I'm working my way through, I wasn't fussed on Castle of Cagliostro but the animation was impressive for its time

You: I think my favourite is possibly Princess Mononoke, I thought it was quite similar to Avatar in its themes, but I definitely preferred Mononoke- more artistry

Stranger: I enjoyed Naoshika...

You: valley of the winds?

Stranger: One of the older ones, but one of the grates... ya valley of the wind

You: yeah that one is really great

You: it's good when they're rooted in a really epic theme

You: although I like the playful ones too

Stranger: like.. Kikis delivery service?

You: haha yes, watched that just the other day

You: oh and what's the one with all the cats?

Stranger: I only know the japanese title

Stranger: Neko no ongaeshi

You: ah i remember, "the cat returns!"

Stranger: ah yes

You: what does this mean then "日本語できる"?

Stranger: "can you speak Japanese?"

You: unfortunately no

Stranger: It seems no one on omegle can...

You: that's a shame

Stranger: yes...

Stranger: Yet, it was still a pleasure to chat with you

You: yeah it's been lovely

You: it's really strange this site, you trawl through so many creeps but sometimes you end up talking to someone really interesting

Stranger: I completely agree..

Stranger: Thank you.

You: likewise :)

Stranger: It is now noon in Japan. and I have a lunch date... so take care

You: ok, it is 3am here

You: and I need to sleep haha

You: nice talking to you

You: bye

Stranger: おやすみ　－　good night

You: domo origato

For what we are about to receive.....

2009-03-07T22:31:00.005Z

Heya, here's a short story I wrote for English on the theme of Dystopia. Hope you enjoy :)

For what we are about to receive.....

The knife plunges down in a series of precise slashes, rending the frail skin and spilling the deep red innards across the wooden block. Her elegantly tailored suit emphasises her statuesque silhouette; deliberately tasteful jewellery frames her carefully applied facade which melts slowly into a salty echo of a Willem de Kooning with each slice of her blade. The acidic taint of the tomato’s juices catches in the bourgeois goddess’s throat and she chokes with the understanding of the damned. The immaculate temple of dark granite work surfaces carefully accented by the contrasting high gloss tiling and the most fashionably branded appliances stands as a gleaming testament to capitalist success and impeccable taste. Of course should the enamel casing be ripped apart to reveal the bare wooden skeleton the stamps would be there, just as they were in the newly built tenement slums and the faux historical mansions, the carmine formal ink here would of course read “Government Issue- Bourgeoisie Grade.” ......

She reverently lays the tomato into the stylish bamboo salad bowl already laden with cucumber and spring onion with the knowledge acquired from her work as horticultural statistician for the country’s resources smouldering in her skull, numbers and statistics flashing through her mind like embers, images of poverty and famine rendered in binary. A sudden fall in the prison population accompanied with an equally sudden rise in the availability of food, the swift rejuvenation of the country’s agriculture and an end to the problem of increasing population. She caresses the smooth grain of the wood beneath her fingertips as she remembers buying the bowl. It was one of the highest graded shops she was permitted to frequent; the shelves stocked with luxurious commodities, the shop’s name synonymous with dinner parties and shallow prattle about books, ideas and wine. It was best to ignore that this like all shops was now supplied by the governmental supply vans that toured the country bedecked with tinted windows and averted glances. Not much had changed there since the reformation; there were of course no books on the shelves now... more wine though; the woman hums a nursery rhyme, half forgotten as if shrouded in deep green glass.

Her childhood; how distant that seemed, had it really been any better than this? Her memories confusing and vague, words and feelings drowned in nonsense songs and clapping games. Lost in sound and colour, the only constant her continuous melancholic leitmotif. That familiar sense of uncontrollable disaster that had walked hand in hand with her from infancy and embraced her with arms of flesh in recent years. Then she remembered that rare slice of epiphany carcass, the pulpy meat stark crimson against the dazzling porcelain. Her one moment of true freedom in defiance, her personal victory in refusal to consume flesh; her whole identity crystallised as if in amber, comforting and warm.

Slowly, deliberately she places the blade to her lips and tastes the residue on the knife’s edge hoping against hope that the truth would change or she would cease to detect what she knew to be true. An instant on the tongue and she unsheathes the blade from her sickened mouth, the elemental flavours linger mockingly. Phosphorous and iron on stainless steel, metallic yet organic in its truest sense...Lettuce next.

She thrusts her knife angrily into the lettuce leaves, imagining her knife as a sword of Damocles as she drives it into the leafy heart. The leaves would hold the same whispered truths of the tomato so there was no need to taste the blade again; the tang of betrayal still burning on her lips. Into the bamboo bowl go the emerald sheets of icebergs. Toss the leaves delicately, drizzle vinaigrette liberally; there was nothing in her countless recipe books about grief or culpability. Generously sprinkle with sorrow, season with guilt. Her gaze shifts to her own emaciated wrists and a lugubrious keening sigh escapes into the air and is dragged into the air conditioning. She will eat what she can, possibly two tablespoons of salad if she can bite her lip and pretend the taste of death is her own coursing blood.

Tall white Candles are lit, conspicuously antiquated among the solar powered fluorescents which cast no shadow at the hushed table. The woman sits opposite her assigned partner at the long glass table, the salad divided in equal measures. The woman breaths a muffled prayer for forgiveness to her plate, reading last rites to spring greens washed with tears.

It's been a while!

2009-02-27T21:19:00.007Z

A long long while at that! For any Family Guy fans feel free to emphasise the H in while.

My last post was in an entirely different year so I guess I should wish you all a belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Valentine's Day etc. etc. but please don't think It was sheer laziness, I've been having a couple of computer crises. My laptop and old desktop are now suitable only as avante garde and ridiculously oversized paperweights but my new dream machine looks so unbelievable shiny I have the utmost confidence that it will survive for many a decade to come.

Though I really should inform you all of the exciting events of the black hole between December and February I have neither the dedication nor memory to and thus this area of forgotten time shall be precisely that; as far as I'm concerned there isn't and never has been a month called "January."

Anyway lets look to the future and one thing that will be featuring heavily in the follwing year's blog is the wondrous "Guerrilla Gardening" which I'm so taken with I've even set up a facebook group- "Guerrilla Gardening Wales." The first hit on my agenda will be the hideous new cinema in Cwmbran town centre, I'll try my best to get some pictures of the exploits......

Ergh I'm just beginning to remember how annoying it is to get back into a blog after a long absence. Here's a picture to keep your (and my) attention.

There, wasn't that nice!

Right back to the point...............this could take a while, probably best you go make a cup of tea or something...................................................

Oh! Me and my friends James and Laura had an audition for National Youth Theatre and that was good fun, I performed a monologue cobbled together from the screenplay and musical adaptation of "A Clockwork Orange." I can't rightly say why there is a musical version, i can't think of many people who would sit through a dystopian musical sung in NADSAC, but then again that's proved by the fact that no one has heard of it.

Ooh I got into Welsh National Youth Opera and it's so much fun, the people there are really lovely and I can't wait to be in the chorus for Sweeney Todd in July. A big thanks too to Rob, for providing excellent accomodation and cuisine :D

School is as school always is, though performing arts festival might be fun, I'm going to sing a solo and a duet methinks. We've started doing our play for drama, "100" it has the capabilities to be good, we'll have to see though. Right well I've got to do coursework, write a dystopian fiction short story and sleep, hopefully in that order but I'll probably just go watch Spirited Away.

Good night people, I'm off under the sea to an Octopus's Garden :)

The Theatre of Cruelty :)

2008-12-16T22:30:00.007Z

Ahoy hoy readers (I use the "S" loosely) well the show is over, no more Guys and Dolls for ever and ever and ever! It came off wonderfully and plenty of people came to see it, well, the first night was a bit sparse but it was sold out by the end :) clappy clappy clappy clap!

The after show was good, chinese food was eaten, drink was drunk, I fell over to everyone's amusement and Sophie and Tready tried to steal some poor family's Christmas Tree and by extension steal their Christmas spirit (under my instruction, eat your heart out Grinch!) it was unfortunately firmly planted in the Earth so as bold as our attempts were, they were in vain. Probably for the best really; no place to put it.

Since Friday I've had the joy of Flu and it's HORRID!! It could be years before I fully recover from the ordeal, I've taken the liberty of prescribing myself bountiful amounts of laudanum to stimulate the healing process, only good can come of that methinks. Seriously though, I'm still ill and I don't have any energy, just enough for blogging and dusting off my gaming hands and going Jean Grey on everyone's ass on my X-Men game.

-----We interrupt this blog to bring you a political broadcast on behalf of the Tory Party*------

* Well a pretty picture anyway to keep your attention

Hope you enjoyed that, I can guarantee that a large percentage of my blog readers loved it, which is actually quite sad if you know the maths.

Well that's pretty much all this updated, I've got a lot to do, presents to buy- which I can't do because I'm ill, and school work- which I'm too tired to do. So I've got to rush off to do nothing. TAH RAH!

Oh before I forget, in my previous post I spoke about the restaurant Wagamama which some people mistakenly believe is a chain, this is an elaborate sham to make their business appear established in these uncertain economic times, Wagamama HQ is actually run by one very arthritic Asian man named Oshi in a toolbox in Shanghai. I accept your apologies in advance for your misconceptions.

Here's Love cats by The Cure by a string quartet! The original has embedding disabled :( still pretty nifty though :D... if a teensy bit sounding like an alternative theme tune for university challenge!

In with the old, out with the new :)

2008-12-06T14:10:00.004Z

I'm back to the usual format for this post, no more of that crazy literature for a while, it's habit forming and is shown to affect your brain!
Right so I went to see Evita in Cardiff on Saturday and got some Christmas Prezzies such as these Mondrian inspired Vans for me!

Evita was fantastic, especially the actress playing the title role and the dancing was incredible, it really is a show worth seeing, and I had a lovely meal beforehand at the new city centre Wagamama which as always does lovely food but does seem a bit clinical, maybe it will be nicer when business picks up however it seems like a great place for a nice lunch.

Rehearsals have been FRANTIC for Guys and Dolls and I think we're finally going to be ready to perform on Tuesday, but this show has been sooo stressful and we've been more behind in rehearsals than we ever have in the past, I just hope enough people turn up to see it as ticket sales have been awful.... FINGERS CROSSED!

Me and my friend Harriet have been writing sketches for our comedy project with our friend Amy and we're really excited about that, hopefully if we stick to it we'll have something solid to put online and hopefully perform round Cardiff in the near future!
We also went to the AMAZING Cardiff Vintage Fashion Fair with our friend Stephen and had a smashing time and we each picked up some gems! And we had a right spiffing time on the Winter Wonderland Carousel as you can see! ahahaha

Well I'm off now, gonna have Chinese tonight for my Bro's Birthday which was actually yesterday. Oooh and if you wondering what the lookbook thing is on the right of the screen then it's a wiget for this really amazing fashion site Lookbook Byeeeee!

Susan

2008-11-30T00:58:00.004Z

Here's a short story I've written about Susan from The Chronicles of Narnia and how she is left out of "Narnia" (which is in essence a metaphor for heaven) at the culmination of "The Last Battle" and left alone with the news that her entire family have been killed in a railway accident. Exactly why she is excluded remains a topic of fierce debate, many consider her exclusion to be the result of her sexual awakening and Lewis' naive and skewed view of female sexuality while others argue that her exclusion is merely because she has chosen to forget Narnia and Aslan and no longer cares for what she sees as a childhood fantasy.

""Sir," said Tirian, when he had greeted all these. "If I have read the chronicle aright, there should be another. Has not your Majesty two sisters? Where is Queen Susan?"

"My sister Susan," answered Peter shortly and gravely, "is no longer a friend of Narnia."

"Yes," said Eustace, "and whenever you've tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says, `What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'"

"Oh Susan!" said Jill. "She's interested in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up."

"Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can."

"Well, don't let's talk about that now," said Peter. "Look! Here are lovely fruit-trees. Let us taste them."

-From "The Last Battle" by C S Lewis

Susan

The peal of blithe laughter and shrill goodbyes as she left acquaintances at the entrance could be heard from the lounge and the door made of apple wood closed with a snap as she entered the house. The confident echo of her stiletto heels entered the room before she did; her cloven hoofed stride certain and sure. The man in the dark blue suit, uneasy in that debutante address, the lodging as unknown to him as she was. The quivering sheets of paper within his hands one of which bore her name, he’d never had to tell someone so young. How could he face this stranger, this girl this…Susan?

“Hello can I help you Mr…” She queried calmly in her flawless RP; if she was surprised in the least it didn’t show beneath her calm smile.

“Detective Inspector James. I think perhaps Miss Pevensie you ought to sit down.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather stand.” And with that declaration she took her place by the hearth, the unlit fireplace bereft of fuel the sight of which suddenly made the inspector realise the bitter cold which gripped the room; the dark room of antique mahogany and modest light. In the gloom it was harder to see the peeling wallpaper and chipped tiles, the moth eaten curtains and the chair arms worn away to wood. She could feel the detective’s gaze wandering around the room, concern lining his face.

“Oh how remiss of me, would you care for some tea inspector?”

“Well actually Miss Pevensie the reason for my visit is of some urge-”

“Nonsense! I’ll just get the service.” Her voice cracking with hidden emotion under her mellifluous tones, like honey over splintered glass. The silver service she brought into the room gleamed, its pristine sparkle dazzling even in the dim light, yet when she brought it closer it was clear that it must have been polished hundreds of times gradually stripping away its silvery radiance.

“This is a rose pouchong a friend bought me from China,” the words flowing as she poured the golden liquid into dainty china cups. The floral scent drifted around the room like an incense, its drowsy fragrance taking hold.

“Roses…” whispered the inspector, “roses. Like Turkish delight.” Susan’s cup shattered in her clenched hand, her formal gloves torn but her skin intact the colour drained from her face.

“Weak…cups.” The only scrap of language she could manage. As the inspector bent towards the floor, scrambling for shards of broken china he looked at her properly for the first time. Her tresses of russet hair fell about her shoulders framing a face that while beautiful appeared drained for someone so young; exhausted by looking elegant, her vivid green gown captivating but frayed from too much wear.

“Miss Pevensie I really must tell you why I am here. I’m afraid I have some terrible news. There has been a… catastrophe, a freak rail disaster on the same train which your family were taki-”

“What hospital are they in? Can I see them straight away?”

“I’m sorry miss, there were… no survivors. I have a list…” His words trailed off, useless as they were as he stretched out his hand holding the sheet of paper that had weighed so heavy in his heart. She became as still and cold as a statue, her hazel eyes glazed and listless and her skin as white as the paper she now clutched and there was no bell to ring to rouse her from her grief. There in the parchment were the names of a world that so suddenly had ceased to exist, but a world she had left long ago. The first two old and frail the witnesses of her world’s inception, her fellow adventurers brothers and sister through so much who had lived in her world’s golden age and those two who had journeyed after her, keeping the land alive; the final names her parents such accidental victims to a cruel and proud spirit. Within the names of that sheet of paper her heart had been made and died, the golden train carriage with its engine roar and mane of steam had claimed her world and family and her reason to live. Were their deaths incidental or integral, how could she know?

Will they think of me as the girl who abandoned them, will they know I’ve been toiling for them? Every night I put on my debutante smile and clutch my lipstick and invitations to try to secure our future, I was never allowed to live in fantasy with them when I could see our money was so short. To secure a future for all of us. But it seems someone has left someone behind. After so many hard hard years circumstance was a cruel beast.

Susan shed silent icy tears and snow began to fall outside the window, snow as white as a shroud, or nine shrouds as Susan thought; signalling the start of a winter that would never cease for her.

Updates Updates Updates!!

2008-11-18T20:15:00.001Z

Yeesh it's been a long while since updating this blog but since I have miraculously found myself with no homework and some spare time this evening: here goes!

Ok well Sweeney Todd is cast and I got the part of Judge Turpin!!! EEEEEE I'm chuffed it's gonna be an awesome character to get into and he's got some ace singing parts which sit really comfortably in my voice :) Not like my part in school who is a really good part but should really be played by a proper tenor as his song "sit down you're rocking the boat" is killing my voice! Speaking of which my throat is awful and I've had barely any time to recover it, I'm going through honey and lemon at an alarming rate! the school show is coming together though........SLOWLY!

I saw the spectacular Hot Chip play an amazing set in Cardiff with my friend Fran and they were on superb form and the hilarious yet oddly catchy tunes of Max Tundra were an unexpected bonus!

NEW YORK WAS AMAZING!!!!!! We had such a good time and some absolutely hilarious experiences!! America is such a bizarre country! I definitely want to visit again but from what I've seen I don't think I could live there happily for longer than a year....

Here's a pic of Me, Chloe, Laura and Sian in good ol' NY!

Continuing with the New York theme, me and my friend Hari went to see the band Electric Tickle Machine at Tafod in Cardiff and had a lovely time and they are really lovely people! Halloween was rubbish this year I did nothing but watch Psycho and The Birds! (the Hitchcock classic, not the animals). However the Halloween sixth form Partay was lots of fun and my steampunk inspired costume was I think you'll agree- more than a bit awesome!

Well that's you essentially all updated, now I'm off to fill in my application forms for Welsh National Youth Opera and chillax with a nice hot mug of honey and lemon :D

A Very Merry (un)Birthday!

2008-09-30T23:06:00.000+01:00

Oh my I have a lot to tell you blog readers! And I'm now convinced that someone must be reading this so don't be frightened leave a comment :) Anyway I shall relate my news in a chronological fashion ergo I shall,
"start at the beginning and when I come to then end; stop."

On Friday I went on a wonderful trip to a classical music concert with the school music department, although we were going for Beethoven's fifth (one of our study pieces) it was The Hebrides Overture which stood out as a highlight. The BBC Wales orchestra were highly skilled despite the first violinist breaking a string mid performance! Oh and it should be noted that our music teacher failed to turn up! The ever absent minded David Hale had apparently "forgotten" and he had spent his evening in his local....
Oooh I nearly forgot, the meal before the concert was lovely and Megan, James, Dani and I dined like Latin Kings in "Las Iguanas" and had a thoroughly lovely time when we met up with Loz and Beth.

On Wednesday had my audition for "Guys and Dolls" which I'll tell you about later and me and Laura went into town to find an outfit to wear to the sixth form partay on Thursday. Needless to say while my burgundy and white checked shirt, black braces and grey plaid trousers looked lovely (honestly it did.... well I think it did) the effort was lost on the less fashion rebellious in the obligatory jeans and smart/casual shirt ensemble. The party was quite good however it would have probably been better had I not heard the EXACT same songs in the EXACT same venue for the Rougemont sixth form partay. Lazy DJs lead to lazy dancers people!

However. My weekend was AMAZING!! My sister Rhiannon arranged a trip to London for our Mum's 50th birthday and she did a fantastic job. Les Miserables was fantastic, Madame Tussuad's, a lovely meal and Cream Tea at The ""Tea Palace"" (definitely definitely worth a trip) made for a brilliant weekend.

I've got to be honest readers I have been ill with a cold since Wednesday and it's only just beginning to fade, I honestly think if you cut me I would bleed lemsip right now! so that in combination with school on Monday did not leave me with a jaunty attitude. However the good news is I have the part of "Nicely Nicely Johnson" in Guys and Dolls!!!! Oooh it's going to be soo much fun, he has some really good songs :D AND They are casting Sweeney Todd at Congress in 2 weeks time!!!! VERY exciting but the competition is daunting to say the least, I shall need to do some Sweeney method acting methinks ;)

Anyway it's my Mum's actual birthday today so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! (I made a cake, it looked bad, tasted loverly)
also happy birthday to Laura, Ryan and some German teacher who someone said was her birthday.... ooh and Marc Bolan... sort of.... IT'S A REGULAR BIRTHDAY BONANZA!
As for the rest of you I wish you a very merry unbirthday and leave you with the delightful Dresden Dolls.

Sweet Dreams xxxx

The Wisdom of Cats!

2008-09-20T00:16:00.000+01:00

Hello cyber people! Sorry I haven't been telling you my tales for a little while, and I know how distraught you must be due to me absence, due to school being very busy this week I have not been able to give you the musings you so sorely need!

Anyway, the big exciting news is..... I have two new siamese kittens within my household - Merlin & Mim (Yes of "Sword in the Stone" Fame :D) My parents brought them home after they decided that home just wasn't home without the yowlings of siamese cats (anyone who has ever come into contact with a siamese will know what i mean) after our lifelong family pet Minnie sadly had to be put to sleep recently. They are just adorable and I cannot wait to discover their personalities :)

Well I do have lots of other news but I'm trying to ration it a bit for the inevitable in a few days when nothing will have happened. So I'll leave you with the exciting news that I HAVE KITTENS!! (Well coming up to five months old anyway) and that school particularly English has swallowed up plenty of time! Although Jane Eyre is proving to be a really good book!
Here's some Goldfrapp for you to enjoy! xxxx

What to write......

2008-09-10T22:45:00.000+01:00

....To be perfectly honest I'm not quite sure. I'm finding it really hard to know what to write about in this blog, of course it's a day to day blog but I can't decide where to draw the line between daily happenings and ludicrously mundane details; do promise you'll tell me if you spot something ludicrously mundane, it will be promptly removed and destroyed :P

Went swimming tonight with my friend Kath, so naturally another case of the "junkie eyes" for me! Whilst i was there I tried to book a gym induction but due to the grunting gym lackey and my inability to comprehend his ramblings I realise I booked it at the same time I start back at Congress Youth Theatre so that will have to be postponed.

Speaking of theatre, auditions are on Wednesday for the school play! It's "Guys and Dolls" and I can't say I'm particularly excited but it'll be fun as always, now I've just got to think of an audition song.......

Although I've yet to pick an audition song, I have found an invaluable resource for listening to music:
www.last.fm
and my profile: http://www.last.fm/user/Rhapsodomancy">http://www.last.fm/user/Rhapsodomancy

A really excellent website.

School is as school usually is- ongoing, unchanging, unwavering and what little novelty there was to be had from a school day without lessons is completely gone. Alas what can i do.... fire you say? Hmmmmmm..... No..... that won't do at all.......unless.......nah.

Well TAH RAH!! x

On The Ros!

Continuation of a theme

2008-09-07T01:34:00.000+01:00

Heya guys! (as absent as you are)

This has been my first chance to carry on this blog as I couldn't use my laptop until I got a replacement power cable, but I'm back on now so crisis averted! I've had my first school week and my first week of sixth form. It's more of the same really just with a really screwed up timetable, one day I have no lessons (literally) and the next I have a day completely full with a lesson even in my lunch hour because they've really cocked up music! Drama was excellent though as we're studying Sweeney Todd, a dream role of mine :D and "A Doll's House" by Ibsen which should be interesting and I'm just beginning to troll through it at home.

I've been for a swim which was fun as ever but yet again the chlorine in the pool has made my eyes sooo red I look like a junkie! It's a tough look but I think I can pull it off. The swimming is part of my drive to get into some sort of shape, part of the reason why I ate before going to meet up with friends at *shudder* "pizza hut," it's bad I know, but when you live in a town like mine you struggle to find any restaurant, let alone a half decent one. This healthy diet plan is hindered somewhat by my obnoxious father's infuriating habit of stuffing the cupboards to the brim with biscuits and chocolate. Naturally with all things sweet being a real weakness there has been a binge or two!

Well that's the majority of my news, I'm ploughing through 6 books at the moment so I'll tell you about them when I finish them. Oh also I've booked tickets to see Hot Chip!!!! Ahhh I'm so excited! Me and my friend Fran will be seeing them in October, THE night before my trip to New York! I am going to be knackered! If you don't know who Hot Chip are I thoroughly suggest you check them out at www.myspace.com/hotchip or catch them on tour!!
Here's one of their singles, ENJOY! xx

Ahoys in the dark

2008-08-30T03:08:00.001+01:00

Ahoy there blog readers! I say ahoy but I suspect that my ahoy will not be answered as this, my very first blog-ship is so new there is no crew to answer my call. Alas, I ahoy the void and hope it will soon fill.....doubtful.
After a bit of searching around I fear that this blog is ill fated, it seems that a blog's success lies in it's unique attraction, it's single minded expertise that is afforded those who specialise in a given direction and fill their own gap in the market. As I have not fully deduced what the focus of my blog should be, if indeed it should have a focus, I cannot yet tell if there is a gap in the market for what i shall write, or if such a market even exists now or ever. Do the people want to read the trials and tribulations of sixteen year old I? If so, who are the people?

I digress.

Given the nonsensical ramblings of my profile page, I shall describe myself and my current position as best I can and then you, oh absent reader may deduce if this blog shall be of any future worth, or like most things, merely transient.

I'm a Welsh lad honest and true and stand ready to embark on what is now self imposed education, IE I begin sixth form on Monday. Over the next 2 years I shall slot my numerous interests and a social life around studying Drama, History, Music and English Literature - noble pursuits I'm sure you'll agree. Well that's about all I'm willing to divulge as of now, make of it what you will, if in fact you are there at all.

xx R R xx