Sunday

Sunday at work is a fairly straightforward affair. I like how straigthforward it has become since I started working here, at a little Edinburgh recording studio. It isn't that there's no work to be done, just that i've fallen into such a slick pattern every week that it runs like clockwork. If i had my way, every shift would work like this, hell every DAY would work like this.
Today was a bit different because i was not without my concerns. I had more on my mind than i usually do, with a fair measure of uncertainty and some small amount of fear. I find that the circumstances of repairs being done to my flat are starting to put a lot of strain on my relationship with my better, more talented, more awesome half, and this has been my source of worry.
I'm informed that within the next 5 days i'll be able to move back into my place and I sincerely hope that this relieves some of the burden that she and I have been feeling lately. I fall into a lot of stereotypes comfortably when it comes to her, I love seeing my phone light up with her name attached to an incoming text. I clockwatch when I know i'm going to see her soon. I find myself laughing at funny things she says hours later when i remember what it was she said randomly. She has a blog of her own which i check out often, not because i'm hugely enthusiastic about makeup, but because she writes about something that i'm unfamiliar with with enthusiasm, wit and a genuine reflection of her own personality in her writing. She even made an entry about 5 celeb boys she lusts for amusing a fun read for me, and i should have been mildly affronted!

Times are difficult right now and i can't believe i'm facing some grown up problems such as money and housing at a mere 24! I do, however, feel that the problems I face are made that much smaller with her continued support. i can safely say that the best thing she gives me, on a daily basis, is belief in myself that stems from her faith in me. For that, i feel fortunate.

8 Things Blog...

My better half has been blog crazy lately, totally left me in the dust. She has a lot of initiative when it comes to the things she blogs about, going beyond the original remit of her intended blog topics and informing people of all kinds of things.
To this end, she's amassed over 60 followers, so i have some serious catching up to do. Today's blog of choice then...an 8 things blog. Its something she did and i thought it would make a good jumping off point.

8 things I look forward to

1) seeing my girl again after time apart
2) listening to an album in its entirety on a long enough journey on my iPod, particularly something totally new.
3) Quiet telly based evenings with my family.
4) Fifty Caliber Smile EP launch on May 9th. gonna shift some EPs and rock the fuck out of the assembled masses.
5) College being finished but hopefully being in a more full time mode of employment after some time off.
6) Getting back into my own flat (nice to put my mark on my own space again)
7) Always love getting packages from Amazon or generally anything i ordered off the net.
8) Finding myself emersed in a box set of top quality dvdness. Particularly something NEW and untouched.

8 things i did yesterday
(in order)

1) Listened to my new favourite Wilco album end to end on my trip to college (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, it makes me sublimely happy)
2) Worked on soundtrack ideas for a short film, particularly acoustic guitar motifs inspired by "Let the right one in" and discussed arranging studio time to get them recorded
3) Wrote a short song based on a poem about happiness and not worrying.
4) Met up with my better half for a quick drink and wander around the shops.
5) Bought the graphic novel "Wolverine : Origin" which was nothing short of incredible.
6) Rehearsed with my band and an additional member for the launch of our new EP.
7) Stood in for an absent employee for the remainder of the night shift at work.
8) Came home in time for some chill time with aforementioned better half.

8 things i wish i could do

1) Enjoy a weekend of peace and quiet
2) Play a facemelting solo in front of an audience NOT entirely comprised of my friends that still numbers over 100
3) Sing more, and better.
4) Get through the backlog of music and dvds i have waiting to be watched and heard.
5) Find time for college work
6) Afford to go away somewhere nice
7) Find time for more music that isn't exclusively for college purposes
8) Get my hair right ALL the time.

8 shows i watch

1) Doctor Who
2) Lost
3) House
4) 24
5) Original Star Trek (new box set)
6) Arrested Development (never gets old)
7) Heroes
8) CSI (all iterations)

How about i add one since i can't get other bloggers to do this cos i know none?

8 Albums i currently adore

1) Sun Ra - Lanquidity
2) Fleet Foxe - Fleet Foxes
3) Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4) The Hold Steady Stay Positive
5) She and Him - She and Him
6) Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
7) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
8) Metallica - Master Of Puppets

What do people make of this?
Promise i'll blog more soon...if i have the time...

Oh what a shame...

'Oh what a shame that your pockets did bleed on st. valentine's
And you sat in a chair
Thinking "boy i'm such a prince!" '

Rufus Wainwright said that in a song called April Fools. It isn't april but it is valentine's day today. It's been a pretty standard day for me, being at work as is my usual for every saturday and to be fair, the vibe for today is a little subdued. Due to various circumstances, valentine's day for me today is a little muted with my evening being a quiet one in the flat with my better half, waiting for a takeaway to be delivered (with rumbling tums) and watching the telly.

The fact that the evening has been rather low-key has no impact on my enjoyment of the time i've had. I'm of the strong opinion that it doesn't matter what you do on valentine's day so long as you're with the person you care about. It's mega cheesy, but alas, its how my brain works. I'm pretty happy with the prospect of an evening watching dvds under the duvet with my favourite person.

And I better be prominently featured in your next slideshow...

Just the tune i'm listening to at the moment, that title there. I didn't want to stick up a big "Oh, i'm back" type thing cos A) no bugger will notice i'd gone and B)I couldn't think of a sufficiently witty one to stick on, so the aural equivalent of stating the obvious must suffice.

Why am I back? Where have I been? Neither question is really all that important. I'm inspired by my girlfriend's newfound love of blogging (hers is spefically about makeup) and my friend Helen's daily photoblog which she started in the New Year. So much has changed in the few months since i last wrote here it would be supremely foolish to try and accurately recount all the events that have unfolded. I was made temporarily homeless, which fortunately coincided with the appearance of an endlessly tolerant and supportive girlfriend in my life, so that was a turn up for the books : all of a sudden i had a place to go, and soon, i'll be back in my rightful place in my flat and will no longer be under her feet.

It's odd reading the last post I slapped up documenting the tentative first steps in recording the new Fifty Caliber Smile EP, but now we have the finished article in our grasp and it sounds incredible. Though the music we make isn't to the taste of everyone, i'm fiercely proud of the work we've created and once again lucky to work with such excellent musicians.

College is nearing its end and with it, an uncertain future, but i've learned in the past couple of months about how to embrace changes and what's down the line with good humour and optimism so my fears are minimal.

Expect more updates as things happen to me on a day to day basis, i'll try not to be so ambitious in scope with my posts from now on...