About Me

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Self-published author with 3 books out there dealing with the darker side of life through poetry, short stories, observations and sketches. 'Love or Suicide and the Life In-between', 'this heat, it's hell closing in on me' and 'Words to be performed from under a table by the last of us'. Can't live without music (heavy metal and soundtrack's especially), film buff (sci-fi floats my boat), anime watcher (old school mainly), book reader (anything that captures my interest), gamer (PS4/Xbox-One), gym pumper and all round geek.

Saturday 31 December 2011

Final blog of 2011...

...a sort of review of what has gone before and what will be ahead!

So, another year is drawing to a close.  Its been hard.  Its been rewarding.  Its been...interesting.

GOOD THINGS:
Not only did I get another top 5 shortlisting in The Writing Magazine monthly competition but I actually won first prize for one of my poems in the same magazine.  I was very proud and it re-energised the passion and confidence my writing can sometimes lack.  It was also very humbling to read the comments made by the judge.

I have seen many amazing concerts this year - Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper and Devin Townsend to name a few - but seeing Roger Waters perform 'The Wall' with the most amazing stage show I have ever seen was simply stunning.  I truly believe that it was the best concert experience I will be privileged to see.

Having my poems accepted on The Erotic Woman website and seeing them gain so many reads was also very humbling.  Again, it really boosts confidence and pushes you to continue improving with every word written.

Devin Townsend's 2011 album 'Ghost' is a stunning, heartbreaking, gorgeous piece of work which brings his 4 album concept album run to an end in the most perfect way.  The music soars so high, his voice is so versatile and the lyrics are sublime.  Personally, I believe the man to be a genius - and the title track is probably my favourite song he has ever done.

The yearly holiday trip to The Lakes was another highlight - a Jazz band cruise, lots of Pitch and Putt, walks with stunning views and lots of chillaxing - perfect.

Work - yes, believe it or not, there was one good thing that came from work this year.  I work in a car factory as a Quality Technician - until April when our Quality Manager decided to move on and alot of the responsibility was put upon me.  So, I was Quality Technician, Quality Supervisor and Quality Manager for the last 8 months of 2011.  To actually be sitting here saying that I actually managed to do all that, regardless of being pushed to my limits not only as an employee but as a person, makes me feel very proud.

BAD THINGS:
Work - yes, despite what I have just said in the previous paragraph, having all that responsibility affected my relationship with my girlfriend, my commitment to the gym, my writing, my whole life.  To the point where I was having to live according to work - which of course is not the point of work (especially the 9-5 job).

The other holiday we had this year was to Paris.  To say I hated it, was, and still is, an understatement.  It is fair to say that city breaks are not my thing.

Personally and just because I am not a patient man, I wish I was further on with my writing than I actually am.  Yes, I have taken it to another level with my competition win.  But, I want to be doing it full time, as a job...a published author...which I suppose brings me to...

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2012:
...by the end of January, I will be in the process of becoming a self-published author with my first book called 'Love Or Suicide and the life inbetween'.  This collection of poetry and short stories based on said subjects was written some years ago and just needed a tidy, front cover etc ready for self publishing.  I am not self-publishing for profit though, more wanting to get it out there.

The new Quality Manager starting January 3rd - pressure off.

The yearly trip back to The Lakes - hopefully to erase the memory of Paris.

Films, films, films.  Being a film buff and full time geek - The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, Prometheus, The Expendables 2 and The Avengers - are all at the top of my list of must see movies.

Entering more writing competitions and continuing to write for The Erotic Woman website as well as keeping my Facebook page more up to date as well as more blogging.

Lots more concerts - already lined up is Rammstein, Chickenfoot and Bruce Springsteen.

Anticipating what Devin Townsend is going to unleash next and counting down the days till he does!!

The unexpected - in all honesty, who knows what will happen in 2012.  Anything could happen.  So, I leave you, my fellow bloggers, with the image that will grace the cover of my self published book as described above and wish everyone a Happy New Year and prosperous 2012.  Thanks.


Sunday 20 November 2011

My week off work...

...is now coming to an end.  How did I spend it?  Well...

...I had the privilege of watching the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the MEN on Monday night and they were absolutely brilliant!  For me, the Chili Peppers peaked with the album 'Blood Sugar Sex Magic' with the later stuff not really doing much for me.  But, to see them live was always going to be interesting and upon buying the new album, 'I'm With You' (which is excellent), I was getting excited.  And believe me, they surpassed any and all expectations of mine with a blistering set full of energy, great songs, some cool big screen videos and effects and some brill crowd banter.  Song highlights were many, 'If You Have To Ask', 'By The Way', 'Blood Sugar Sex Magic' and 'Monarchy Of Roses' were excellent...but the absolute pinnacle of the gig was when they delivered an awesome version of 'Sir Psycho Sexy'...my favourite Chili Peppers song EVER!!!

Tuesday to Friday was spent in Paris on a city break.  One thing I realised upon returning on Friday night was that city breaks are not for me...I will not go into any more detail about the reasons why I hated it.  I did get to go to the 2 main Museums/Art Galleries though whilst I was there-The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay.  The artwork was amazing, the sculptures were incredible, the buildings themselves were stunning.  Below are a collection of photos for you to enjoy: 









And to finish my time off work, I bought myself a new desk for my writing and the new William Shatner album was waiting for me when I got back...and stunning it is!!!  Next up for me is the mighty Deep Purple next Monday night at the MEN...good times!!!  Until then, best get back to it!!

Monday 31 October 2011

It's Halloween...

...the night when all the ghouls and ghosts and witches and zombies all come out to play!!

When I was younger, we used to play Duck Apples and Apples on a string and eat lots of sweets and Toffee Apples...good times.  Of course the older you get, the more you turn off all your lights and ignore any knocks at the door for fear of being pelted or stabbed (joking of course!!).  Point is, it's different these days...alot different!

So, we usually just sit in the darkness and be as quiet as possible-we as in my girlfriend and me.  Tonight though will be slightly different and a bit more in the spirit of Halloween.  Tonight, Dominos Pizza will be ordered, lots of sweets and various drink will be munched on and a collection of scary movies will be watched in the blackness of the night!
Lined up, I have:  Poltergeist, Triangle, Rec, Rec 2 and Attack The Block with films such as The Thing, Paranormal Activity 1 and 2, and The Evil Dead all waiting in the background for extreme watching!  Of course, we still will be ignoring any stray trick or treaters that decide to darken our doors.

Naturally the perfect pre Halloween night last night was enjoyed watching Alice Cooper live in the Manchester Apollo.  And I gotta say, it was one of the best gigs I have ever seen.  Highlights were many: the New York Dolls supporting were amazing, a giant Frankenstein's monster joining Alice on stage was brilliant, Alice getting his head chopped in the guillotine was class, one of the guitarists taking a flying backwards slam was amusing, Alice spearing a photographer on stage was unexpected - whilst the whole show, song after song, was performed with such energy and tightness to almost defy belief sometimes; the entire band, especially Alice were that good!! 

But the crowning moment was during 'Schools Out', Alice and the band decided to throw in Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall' and had every single person singing along...it now stands as one of the greatest gig moments I have witnessed!!

So, to everyone out there, enjoying Halloween, not enjoying Halloween, have a good night whatever you do, wherever you are!!  Lets get to it!! 

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Its been a while...

...fellow bloggers!!!  But here I am, back and blogging free!!  So, whats been going on in the world of me...

I re-joined the gym...yes that's right, I enjoy the punishment.  Seriously though, I ain't getting any younger, my body isn't getting any slimmer...and I wanna keep going as long as I can because of all the enjoyable things I got to look forward too.
Concerts - well, I went to see the Queen musical 'We Will Rock You' which was absolutely brilliant and more importantly, a hell of a lot of fun.  Last night I witnessed the legend that is Bob Dylan...Bob Fu**ing Dylan!!  Supported no less by Mark Knopfler.  To say it was good is an understatement...it was a pleasure and an honour to see a living legend.  Coming up I got Alice Cooper, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Deep Purple and Lee Evans...nice!!
My winning poem, 'She', was published in the November issue of 'The Writing Magazine', which gave me a real sense of pride and hope...especially when reading the comments made by the reviewer.
My first book has been completed and sent off to a self publishing company for them to give a once over before giving me the OK to publish.  All that remains is the front cover - a rough sneak preview of which is below - and the back photo of yours truly...I haven't decided on arty moody photo or ordinary honest one!!
Work is still work - an evil necessity.  Christmas is just around the corner - 75 days away.  English weather is still as unpredictable as ever - rain, sun, rain, sun.  And the world continues to turn - thank god!!

So until next time, hopefully not as long this time...lets get to it!!

Saturday 3 September 2011

Advice on writing...

...to my fellow bloggers and writers out there.  Everyone is different.  Everyone will have their own writing space, time, method etc.  What helps me write and gets me in the zone may be totally different to everyone else who is reading this.  However, I thought I might share with everyone what helps me write.  What sets the tone and gets me in that special zone...hope it helps anyone out there with the dreaded writers block:

1. Music - I love music.  It plays a massive part in my life.  From the moment I get out of bed to the moment I get back into bed.  Every time I write, I listen to music; writing this I am listening to the mighty Devin Townsend.  For me, it sends me to a place away from everyday life, away from the 9-5 factory job, away from the pressures of paying bills and the depression of daily news...in other words it sends me to the zone and doesn't distract me at all.  (I have a very stressful job so on my breaks and dinners, I go and sit in my car and listen to some music just to escape for that hour during the day.)  In fact, depending on what I am writing, it can be a real help.  For example, if I was writing a dark poem, I would stick on some deep heavy metal crunching music - Slayer.  If I was writing a wish washy daydream type poem, I would stick on a soundtrack score - Tron Legacy...and so on.

2. The Zone - so music sends me to the zone.  Once you are there, make the most of it.  But, for me, it is possible to stay in the zone even if you get distracted.  For example, when I write, I don't just stare at the computer screen the entire time I write...I look around a lot, I check my phone, I get up and grab a drink or bite to eat, I will even answer the phone...as long as you stay in the mindset and are determined to complete the task you have set yourself, you will stay in the zone.

3. Punctuation and spelling - forget it...at the start.  All you want to do to begin with is get your words on the page.  Punctuation and spelling can come later, words sometimes only appear once and if you forget what you wanted to write because you couldn't decide where a comma or full stop should go, then you will never succeed.

4. Rawness - embrace it.  Now this point, I know people will disagree with.  It doesn't take me long to write a poem.  As long as I am in the zone with some good music and a subject that is gripping me, it probably takes me about 20-30 minutes to write a 30 line poem.  And that is that.  I may make very minor changes - couple of words, punctuation, etc - but then to me, that is a finished poem.  I like to leave the impression of rawness and feeling in a poem because to me, that is what poetry is all about; an outpouring of raw emotion in that moment.  A poem should never be rewritten, revised, polished up, etc...it becomes less of a poem when this is done.

5. Experiment - and why not?  I would agree that you should write what you know.  But you can not and will not succeed if this is all that you do.  Experiment.  Write about things you have never done, let your imagination fly, put yourself in somebody else's shoes.  Enter competitions which give you set rules and a different subject matter every time.

6. Let it flow - read it out loud.  When you have finished whatever you are writing, read it out loud.  I believe a great poem is one that flows off the tongue and rolls around filling the air with an almost sexual tension.  Getting someone else to read it out loud also allows you to hear it.

So, to sum up:
Find something that will get you in the zone and keep you there but don't spend all day staring at the computer screen.  Get those words out of you and when they are out, don't mess about with them and drain all the emotion away.  Experiment with everything and anything and don't be afraid to try something totally new and alien and finally, it must flow from the mouth to the ear over the eyes and have that bite.

Hope this helps, now lets get to it! 

Monday 15 August 2011

I finally did it...

...after entering many competitions and being shortlisted in the top 5 twice, I have finally won a writing competition.

My poem entitled 'She' has won first prize for The Writers News magazine.  To say I was happy was an understatement!!  I was over the moon; I had finally won a writing competition!!  Even though I was becoming a little frustrated and feeling I was never going to win, I continued to enter these writing competitions and continued to write my best regardless of subject or rules.  And it finally happened!  I now await my prize and publication of the poem in The Writers News magazine which I intend to frame when I receive!!

I have also put into plans the self publication of my first book, 'Love or Suicide and the life inbetween' aiming for it to be done and out by the end of September, whilst beginning my second book which be a collection of poetry on the subject of Life...exciting times!!  So below is a poem which will be included in said book...hope you enjoy...back to it!!


A crack in the ice

Amongst the angst of life and stone,
we struggle and question each decision,
our brave façade a crack in the ice,
our brave façade a false reality.

Surrounded by our hot water and bed linen,
comforted by the bricks that lock us in.
Proud of the fancy floors we walk upon,
our arrogance keeping us afloat any-ways.

The lure and pull of the cardboard office,
an excuse to ignore the family life.
The higher we climb up the corporate ladder,
a reason to look down on the empty spaces.

The fancy car, the crazy nights, the young lust,
the wife left at home nothing more than scum.
Kids, mere objects that get in the way,
their tears twisted, their blame reversed.

And as we pretend it's alright,
we pretend we can change.
And as we pretend it's normal,
we pretend we can stop.

Then before you know it, its too late,
your past a sludge of unimportance,
your future limited to piss and wine,
and that crack in the ice now a hole.

Friday 29 July 2011

Very fitting that the mighty Maiden...

...bring my 4 concert run to an end because they were amazing!!! 

So, a few weeks ago, it began with The Black Crowes.  A band I have admired from afar with no real interest in buying any of their records or seeing them live...until a good friend of mine (metal god) insisted that I go with him...and they were stunning!  They are what you would call proper musicians!  Good music played with passion and note perefection...subsequently, I now own 5 of their albums!!
Primus was next...Primus, remember them?!?!?!?  At the height of my going out every weekend phase, Primus were one of those bands that were always around and the chance to actually see them was one I wasn't going to pass!!  Very bass guitar driven with unique vocals and a huge sense of fun made it one of the most enjoyable concerts I have been too.
Next was a double whammy...Judas Priest supported by Queensryche!!  I have seen Queensryche before and been a fan for a good few years now so the chance to see them again is always welcome...and they didn't dissapoint!  Again, brilliant musicians, good solid tunes and a good connection with the audience made them the perfect support band for Priest!  Priest, Priest, Priest...what can you say about Judas Priest?  Deafening volumes, lots of leather, the Harley bike, screaming vocals, shredding guitars, at least 1 song played from every album (impressive), face melting flames, brill audience participation...THAT'S what you can say about Judas Priest!!
And so we come to the mighty Iron Maiden, last night, Manchester Evening News Arena, 2 hour set comprised of old and new...brilliant!!  They are only one out of two bands whom I have seen a fair few times, 5 now, and they have never, or will ever, fail to put on one hell of a show!  Brilliant stage setup with appearances from Eddie in tall form and then in GIANT form coupled with an energy unlike any band I have seen and truly great songs!  A fitting end to my 4 concert run!!

But it isn't over, merely on a break!!  The rest of the year will have me seeing Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers whilst next year, I have already got tickets for Rammstein!!!  Well, you gotta have something to look forward too!!!  UP THE IRONS!!!!!







Sunday 24 July 2011

A busy 3 weeks...

...is almost to an end.  By the end of this week, I would have been to 4 mighty concerts and spent 4 days in The Lakes...a busy 3 weeks!  My concert blog will be next weekend...today is all about The Lakes.

I experienced Windermere and Bowness in August of last year and have vowed to make it a yearly break, so 2 weeks ago, me and my girl spent 4 days in The Lakes...and it was great!!  Our first day had us wandering around Windermere and Bowness before spending the night on a Jazz cruise complete with live music, a buffet and a 2 and a half hour cruise over the lake.  It was so relaxing, the Jazz band were excellent, the food was good, and the weather was amazing!  The second day had us taking a map and venturing out over the massive walks through a scenery of green before hiring a motorboat and taking it out on the lake for an hour.  We also went to see Beatrix Potter's actual house where she created the Peter Rabbit books.  The third day we went to the Lakes Aquarium and on the fourth day we did a bit of shopping and then visited the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis which is home to some amazing animals and the gorgeous snow leopard.






Inbetween, we managed to fit in 2 rounds of pitch and putt, eat out a couple of times and just relax in some of the most beautiful surroundings with some of the best weather I have seen.  It really is a magical place, I cannot recommend it more than I am...and the fact that from where I live, it is about 70 miles away is extraordinary!!!  So, enjoy the photos above...but believe me, they do not do justice to The Lakes!!      

Sunday 3 July 2011

Transformers 3...

...I had read was pretty bad; better than the second one but still pretty bad!  Apart from the last 45 minutes which were meant to be stunning!!  So, after a wander around Wigan, spending some hard earned cash on cheap cd's, a Blu-Ray and a golf top, I decided to take my girl and go watch it in 3D.  And...well...I thought...it was...pretty........damn good!!  It is better than the second one but no where as near as bad as I was led to believe!
 
Their are bad points:
Megatron is underused which is a shame because, well, its Megatron!
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is NO Megan Fox, both in looks and acting!
If you didn't like the first movie then you will not like this one.

But the good points:
The special effects are stunning especially in the last 45 minutes.
The 3D is also brilliant, second only to Avatar!
It is a brutal movie, both humans and robots are killed in graphic, borderline, gory ways!
Leonard Nimoy, John Malkovich, Patrick Dempsey and John Turturro are great!
It still has that Transformers humour and some brill Star Trek references!
No one, and I mean NO ONE does destruction like Michael Bay does!

So, if you like the others, you will love this.  If you want to see a summer blockbuster, then you will love this.  If you want to switch your brain off and just gorge your eyes on amazing special effects and a good use of 3D since Avatar, you will love this!  Enjoy!!

Wednesday 22 June 2011

Some chilled...

...out poetry for a sleepy Wednesday evening as I listen to Devin Townsend's absolutely stunning album 'Ghost'.
Just words

Can you see the colours of a distant song,
feel the heat from a confused love,
bring together the harp strings on a wave,
and hear the collected harmony of a lost life.

Dance upon an ocean of emptiness,
swim through a sea of fog and ice,
create the way forward with words and rhyme,
and lift those spirits trapped and torn in two.

Will you accept the pain of time and night,
or light the way with your shade of hope,
decide a destiny full of worth and smiles,
and speak through inspiration and strength.

That the weather of a neighbours matters matter,
should bring us closer in common ideals,
all this can be done with just words,
and passed on with a wink and as you were.

Speak to me

This connection on a whisper,
these strings dance on a breeze,
the sounds that suffocate the air,
only there to speak to me.

A drifting scene set in stone,
uncontrollable tears pluck away,
the chord serenity reaches out,
only there to speak to me.

The shadow that waltzes by,
it's step in time with a grace,
full of peace and a ghost,
only there to speak to me.

A rainbow shines on us,
the stray snowflake swings past,
and the moon shares a joke,
only there to speak to me.

And an old fallen tree,
stands tall once more,
a defiance breathing new life,
only there to speak to me.

When a sea of loss and pain,
outshines a tender sun,
a mixture of salt and warmth,
only there to speak to me.

Our collected screams soar,
the rhythm of time quickens,
and it's then that we get it,
only there to speak to me.

Saturday 18 June 2011

My week...

...so, life is life.  Unfortunately, an average week doesn't consist of saving the world or writing a best selling novel or fighting off a horde of zombies.  It consists of work and the bits in between.  So, my week consisted of:

I watched X-Men First Class which is damn good and has one of the best cameos EVER
I ate at Pizza Hut which was very yummy but I ate a bit too much and suffered for it on Sunday.
I bought a Darth Vader bobble head for £5...bargain.
I watched the Formula 1...not normally my thing, but it had many crashes and many drama.
I finished and posted off a short story entry for a competition about a man who watches himself decompose.
I started a new game for the PSP...Silent Hill Shattered Dreams...damn good so far.
I started a new poem for a competition for The Writing Magazine.
We got free loft insulation put in.
We watched Predators on Sky Movies.
My girl managed to get tickets to see Alice Cooper.
I went round to my mates and played lots of Mario Golf...but got my ass kicked...
...and that's really about it

Of course, spending any time with my girl is not boring or a waste of time and we have a heavy July and August coming up which will consist of 4 concerts, a holiday, a couple of weeks off work, MOT and service on the car, a wedding and lots of money being spent.  But, life is really all about work and the little things in between.  Well, I think its about time it should be about the big things in between and then work...ah, in a perfect world!!  Back to it then.

Friday 10 June 2011

Versatile Blogger Awards...

...7 facts about me that not alot of people know...here goes:

1.  I don't drink alcohol anymore.  Why?  Because I got addicted to Absinthe and was spending £35-£40 on a bottle which would last me a day and a half at best.  I also drank alot of Whiskey, straight, and was even drinking during the week.  It all came to a head when, after a very heavy day on the booze, I rang my sister up at god knows what time in the night and was expressing my excitement that a frog had found its way into the house.  The next day, with the usual banging head, I decided then and there to stop...that was over 5 years ago.

2. I like horror movies and I like it when they scare the crap out of me!  But there is one thing that I cannot watch, one scene in a movie where I literally have to leave the room...the scene in Jaws when Richard Dreyfuss swims underneath Ben Gardners battered boat and finds his floating, spaghetti eyed head!  The sight, the sound...just everything about it I cannot watch!  I can't even look at a still image of it!!

3. I love my music!  Especially heavy metal!  But I do have a guilty pleasure...a very guilty pleasure...I love the band B*Witched!  So much so, that I went to see them in concert!  In fact, I consider their debut album to be one of the finest albums EVER!!  I believe I should stop talking now!

4. I absolutely adore cats.  Ever since I was alive, I have had a cat.  The first one we had as a family was called Cleo, the second was called Catherine (Kitt as a nickname) and the third, and current one, is called Leia (Jeeps as a nickname).  There is just something about them...I can't even put my finger on it...I love them!

5. I have had a few brushes with the grim reaper a few times.  When I was very young, I decided it was a good idea to eat dog pooh.  Probably not the greatest of things to do in hindsight as it did make me extremely ill.  The other time was when I nearly drowned.  Again when I was fairly young, I didn't realise that the end of the pool I was jumping in was the deep end and I ending up thrashing about like an idiot while swallowing massive amounts of water.  Oh, and there was a time when I ran into a clothes line which was at neck height...damn, that hurt!

6. The very first concert I ever went to was Marilyn Manson whilst the last, so far, is Roger Waters.  In between, I have seen well over 100 bands (including support acts of worth)...the greatest being Roger Waters (obviously), the worst being The The...there is only so much you can take of some one repeating the words "voidy voidy numb numb" before its time to leave the concert and go the pub!!

7. My various claims to fame include:  meeting Vic Reeves in Liverpool as he was doing his food shopping, being named the most improved junior golfer in Golf World magazine and being shortlisted and named as such twice in The Writing Magazine competitions for my poetry!!

So, that's it.  A little bit about me.  Hopefully this blog of mine will reveal more...eventually!!
By the way...thanks Elpi! ;-)

Thursday 2 June 2011

So, as you can see...

...I am a writer.  As well as the competitions I enter, I also write some erotic poetry, some of which is on a website called The Erotic Woman.  Why do I write erotic poems?  Why not!  I write what I want to write and about any subject that takes me mood.  Some of my poetry and short stories are light and fluffy, some dive headlong into the darkest parts of humanity and life, and some are about sex, or those moments before, during and after sex. 

The website itself has got everything.  Stories, poetry, photos, discussions, film reviews with sample clips, everything you could want from a website.  It is also extremely well put together and has an air of class about it.  I really highly recommend it, to over 18's of course!  So, on this summer Thursday evening, on the eve of another weekend, below is an erotic poem for you to read and enjoy!


...and then, the excitement.

Feeling fresh, clean and young,
that question races through my mind,
is she thinking the same?

I glance over and see her perfect outline shine,
watching her just doing nothing causes a divine ripple,
a rush of blood, fast and light, she returns my look.
Should I ask? Does she want me to ask?
A quick smile and a sudden tiny blush answers loud
and a hardness comes over me,
a wetness over her...and then, the excitement.

Our surroundings mean nothing, distractions gone
as she stands with an overwhelming confidence,
her body now pulsating and dripping,
my body now alive and thick,
and we collide with force and complete willingness,
our clothes now a pile of rag, our bodies a tool of lust,
our intention, a fulfilment of each other,
our sex, a privilege of taste and touch...

and then, our excitement starts our explosion,
and descriptions are muted, meanings blinded
and we dissolve into each other and fuck.

Monday 30 May 2011

Antichrist...

...what a film!  I watched it Saturday afternoon and it completely blew me away.  Its gorgeous, shocking, brilliant, disturbing, arty, vile, amazing...its everything!  Its also brilliantly acted and directed with a unique style...incredible!  Anyone reading this who wants to see something they probably haven't seen before should really watch it. 

It also inspired me and I spent the following 80 minutes writing poetry; some of which is below.  Read, enjoy, comment, get to it.
Birth

Cracking and spitting, the violence,
this disguise of new life is ripped,
a metaphor for the end,
a scream of silence and freedom.

A twig snaps underfoot,
a carcass opens its eyes,
breathes a snow sunset
and flies on a wave of memory.

And so this beginning, this birth,
mere cement for a frail humanity,
moral support in a demoralised land,
a stage of cripple and wealth.

We cradle and burp a bastard sigh,
we congratulate suffering and disease,
and by cutting the single life cord,
we prove this metaphor for the end.

At arms length

See that line pissed on the floor,
don't cross it, don't look at it.
See that barrier staring from my eyes,
don't question it, don't point at it.
See that silence coming from my mouth,
don't answer it, don't reach at it.

At arms length I stay,
at arms length I live,
at arms length I breath,
at arms length I am.

See that empty space I occupy,
don't fill it, don't dress at it.
See that hatred filling the air,
don't purify it, don't pity at it.
See that death over my shoulder,
don't bother it, don't forgive at it.

At arms length I wait,
at arms length I run,
at arms length I lust,
at arms length I die.

Saturday 28 May 2011

What a long week...

...its been!  So, I work in a factory producing injection plastic mouldings for cars...bumpers, interior, door substrates etc.  I work on Quality as a Technician but am half managing the department at the moment because our manager left about 6 weeks ago.  Do I enjoy working there?  Work wouldn't be work if you enjoyed it!  I keep my head down, do the best job I can and get a decent wage packet at the end of the month...nuff said!!  Its been a long week though because I was off site for 2 days, done a fair bit of overtime and its been busy...but hey, it makes the week go faster and at least I have a job; the thought of being made redundant or struggling to find a job is not a happy thought!!

Anyways, I didn't start this blog to talk about work...lets talk about writing!  I got a load done last week.  I updated my Facebook page, blogged, wrote a erotic poem, sent another poem off to a competition and also started a short story ready for a competition.  This week will hopefully be as productive; I feel like I am still in the zone!  So, more Facebook updates, this blog (obviously), more work on the short story, some more poetry and maybe even some more erotica (if the mood takes me).  I have included a poem I wrote last week below; read, enjoy, comment,  lets get to it!!


Breath

Trapped inside this faceless shell,
my true being hidden and hurt,
saddened and naked travelled and weary,
a freedom desired, a reality lost.

Why do we shiver and cower,
our self loathing evident and on show,
freaks screaming in silence,
bleeding emotions empty and vanish.

Better to please boxed strangers,
burn our own paper bridges,
and ground the suicidal souls,
destined to meet again.

But all they say is 'that's life',
a sick twisted joke already written,
its punch line forever sought,
trapped inside this faceless shell.

Sunday 22 May 2011

So, as promised...

...here are some photos from Roger Waters performing The Wall last night at the Manchester Evening News Arena!!  It was the greatest concert I have had the privilege of seeing.  Not just the music, which was absolutely faultless, but also the spectacle!  Witnessing an actual wall being built during the first half across the stage followed by a second half with the most amazing visuals projected onto said wall before it came crashing down at the end was an experience!!  Will I ever see anything as mind blowing at a live concert again?!?!?!?  I really honestly doubt it!!  Anyways, enjoy...here's to it!!

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Roger Waters...

...the genius that is Roger Waters!  And I will have the absolute pleasure of seeing him perform The Wall in full, live on Saturday night in Manchester!!  I never 'got' Pink Floyd.  I had listened to Dark Side and Wish You Were Here and Piper, but I never 'got' them.  That is until I listened to The Wall...and it blew me away!  Then I 'got' them.  Dark Side and Wish You Were Here made sense, Piper and Saucerful sent me to space, Atom Heart Mother became my soundtrack when bus travelling and The Wall inspired me.  I also fell in love with The Final Cut which is so full of emotion and pain, the speakers bleed!  I did see Roger Waters do a solo tour in 2002 which consisted of Floyd and solo stuff and that was amazing...but...the chance to see The Wall in full is one of those moments in life when you pay what you need to pay and experience it.  It isn't gonna happen again!! 

So that will be my Saturday night, expect a blog report and some photos Sunday daytime!  In the meantime, I wanted to share some more of my poetry.  Enjoy!!

Judgement Comes

The wooden chorus aloft with song,
encases a journey just begun,
while sullen mourners preach from above,
an awakening gorges from below.

Unshackled from this corpse flower,
whispered release from this restraint,
our tragic Earth now an observation,
its beyond now a grandeur stir.

The smell of rampant desire,
the taste of honey and sulphur,
the touch of an endless tragedy,
the sight of heaven and hell.

Our mirrored belief now home,
an eternity incarnate through dusk,
what awaits a reflection of shadows,
salvation or damnation?

And when contempt realisation floods,
and when midnight regret crawls,
and when that tainted darkness chokes,
and when slaughter and torture begin...

...it begins...and will never end.

For the difference between good and evil,
is all the more obvious after our last breath,
after our last thought and final heartbeat,
after silence takes over,
when the body is cold,
the brain stops,
the blood dries,
colour drains,
and then...
...judgement comes.

Back to it!




Saturday 14 May 2011

White mice...

...the sweet variety, how scrummy are they?!?!?!?  You can just taste the sugar; 3 for £1 at thasda!  I digress blogger readers, it's Saturday, it's been a busy week in work but another 2 writing competitions have been completed and sent off.  A first line poetry competition and a short story competition; the subject being an adult fairy story, the first paragraph is below as a teaser:

It began when Lucifer first shed tears. That moment when the angel Lucifer questioned His will and vanished from Heaven forever. It sent a wave of ripples throughout the mighty kingdom and sparked a massive revolt forcing God to shut the white pearly gates. Those Angels that were in Heaven remained Angels, those that followed Lucifer became Devils and those caught up in between became fairies.

So, at the moment, my girl is watching the football as I see what competitions are coming up in The Writing Magazine as well as online.  I am not listening to some death metal today, something the complete opposite; Bee Gees.  Now don't laugh, you there, at the back, stop laughing!!  The Bee Gees have written some of the greatest songs ever and I especially love the very early stuff so go out and get some Bee Gees.  New Doctor Who is on later as well as Have I Got News For You and then maybe a film to round off the day.  I can't believe that it is half way through May already, how fast is this year going?!?!?!?  Thing is, I can physically and mentally tell that the year is flying by, it will be Christmas before you know it and then another year is gone!!

Anyways, best get back to it!

Tuesday 10 May 2011

A simple blog...

...today.  One that just showcases some of my poetry.  Read, enjoy, dislike, comment, whatever you want for a Tuesday evening.

Our Soldiers

In muddied boots and damp helmets,
trudging across a land of mines and graves,
they fight for a reason lost in translation
and die for an excuse in education.

At home, politics and banks blind our senses,
dazzle us into a naïve arrogance,
what is happening to our sons and daughters?
what is happening to our human race?

They cling on to humanity through family,
they cling on to life through each other,
they cling on to reason through orders,
they cling on to hope through a future.

And still the bullets and mortar rarely miss,
the guns and ammo rarely run out,
the madness and sanity rarely differ,
and the beginning and end rarely change.

But they still go on,
and we still send them in,
and they continue to fall,
and we continue to fail...

...to stop the fighting,
stop the suffering,
and stop the loss.

A Cemetery Of Shipwrecks

A drifting away from the wreck of the Cryptic,
its bow dipping beyond horizon depth,
its resting place a blackening world upon itself,
and a burial of suffocation and release.

Floating through the playfulness of sea,
past the darkness of life and coral,
and into a realm of wonders and nightmares,
to a bed of absolute rest and nothingness.

It settles into its own desired plot,
surrounded by the fallen brothers and sisters,
of past victims of past storms of past times,
a sadness both complete and empty.

For now the Cryptic joins such esteemed company,
the battle and war heroes in unmarked graves,
the rescue ships that paid with sacrifice and honour,
and the complete ignorance of man's unsinkable.

A drifting away from the wreck of the Cryptic,
bobbing on the mystic blue above,
while bowing at the funeral below,
this now a cemetery of shipwrecks.

Back to it.


Saturday 7 May 2011

RIP Seve...

...what an absolute legend!  What an absolute magician on the golf course!  What a man!

I was heavily into Golf when I was younger.  I was a member of Haigh Hall Golf Club and won many trophies and medals playing in competitions.  It really was my life, to the point that I wanted to turn professional and pursue it as a career.  I practised and practised and even began to study it as if it was a subject in school.  I was pretty good too; my handicap was 12 and I even had the privilege of being the Junior Captain one year.   Circumstances meant it became a hobby and nowadays a rarity.  I still watch it though with my girl and truly believed that Seve would return to the golf course.  Unfortunately life is life.  It isn't just the man that will be missed but his presence.  The game of golf has truly lost a great legend.

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Body Count...

...is on the stereo system!  Damn, its takes me back.  Ice T's metal band which combined rap and metal and did it brilliantly, especially on the debut album simply titled Body Count.  Yes, it was controversial with it's Cop Killer track (which was later removed from the album) but it still rocks as an album!!

As you can probably tell, I am a heavy metal music lover!  Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Cradle Of Filth, Devin Townsend...I could go on forever.  I also love David Bowie, The Divine Comedy, Johnny Cash, Frank Zappa, The Beatles...again, I could go on forever.  I am also into Soundtrack scores, Jazz and even some dance.  I think the reason I like so many different artists and varied styles of music is because the first band I really heard and got into was Queen.  They did it all...rock, dance, pop, opera, classical, groove, blues, metal...everything!  For me, I think their first 6 albums are incredible, especially Sheer Heart Attack...what an album!

To be honest, I don't listen to alot of the 'new' bands and artists that are out there now.  Maybe someone can recommend some to me?  you will never get another band like The Beatles or Queen or Led Zeppelin...it just will not happen!!

Anyways, it was a lazy day on Monday; TV and food basically.  Now and again, it's good to have one of those days.  Then its been back to work as normal!  At least it's closer to the weekend than it was at the start of the week!!  Back to it.

Sunday 1 May 2011

So, when people ask...

...where I was on the Royal Wedding, I can turn round and say...watching the mighty Thor hammer the living crap out of the frost giants!!  A very enjoyable, well made, well acted Marvel film with great special effects, a cool story and some good humour; brill stuff!  To compliment that, me and my girl had a Chiquitos meal-burger for me, prawn fajitas for her and then finished the day off with a trip into B&Q for some DIY stuff.  Why is it that most of the human race will do some sort of DIY on a bank holiday weekend?!?!?!?!?!?!

So, that was Friday, Saturday involved wallpaper stripping, a couple of trips to the skip and then some painting.  New Doctor Who and the film The Hangover were the nights entertainment with a couple of hours spent on Fallout: New Vegas to pass the time!  Today, so far, involved some time on the field with the football, a family day and I also started Portal 2 on the PS3 which is stunning!!  Anyone who has played the first one will know exactly what to expect and why the second one will be just as anticipated!  Some writing, a big Sunday meal and then some quality time in front of the television will finish the day off.

Bank holiday Monday will probably be a very very very lazy one...plenty of stuff on the Sky+ box to get through...Game Of Thrones, The Mentalist, In Treatment, The Event and lots more before the hard drive percent gets down to 0!!!

Anyways, back to it!

Thursday 28 April 2011

It's friday...

...and the beginning of another 4 days off work...good times!!  Although it didn't start so well yesterday!  As soon as I finished work, I had to go to the dentist for 2 fillings and a clean; I say 2 fillings and a clean, more like 20 minutes of sadistic tools, heat torches, mouth vacuums sucking the very life out of me and a very sore jaw afterwards.  Yep, that's right, I absolutely despise the dentist...always have, always will!  I then had to cancel my debit card for fear of its information being compromised...yes, Sony strike again!  Due to the Playstation Network being hacked and hackers obtained a possible 77 million people's card details, I wasn't taking the risk!

But, that was yesterday, and today will involve a trip to the cinema to see Thor, a trip to Chiquitas for some yummy food, a trip to Wickes for some DIY stuff and hopefully a good couple of hours writing!  I entered another competition yesterday and am getting into the swing on my fairy short story as well.  Anyways, I think its time to wander the wasteland and get some quests done on Fallout: New Vegas for a few hours.

So, to it!

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Writing...

...is obviously why I am here, why I started this blog, why I have a Facebook page and ultimately what I want to be remembered for. 

So, Easter weekend, I managed to get some writing done.  Finished off, proof read and posted my 750 short story for The Writing Magazine competition.  I also finished off, proof read and posted off a poetry mini competition for The Writing Magazine which was all about rhyming slang.  I have started work on another short story competition for The Writing Magazine which has to be about fairies and has to appeal to adults...no children's fairy stories this time!

I have been entering these competitions fairly consistently over the last 4 years and have been shortlisted twice for my poetry which is something I am very proud of.  I also write poetry for The Erotic Woman website and have had 4 published on the site which again, I am very proud of.  I do dream of writing an Oscar winning film or a poem as complex and vivid as Homer or even a television series as well written as Battlestar Galactica or The Shield...maybe one day!!

So for now, I write as much as I can (having a full time, stressful job can get in the way) and enter as many competitions as possible whilst searching and seeking through my brain for that one piece of originality that may get me noticed. 

Back to it.