Something Bigger, Something Brighter

The List: Collect vinyl

somethingbrighter — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:27:14 +0000

When we went to stay with his parents in Norfolk, Ross and I happened across a vinyl fair in Kings Lynn and I got tempted into buying a Marty Wilde 7″ of a song I loved as a kid and also my dad’s favourite song, House of the Rising Sun. Since then, Ross has sweetly given me his old Dansette (so I’ve “acquired” rather than “got” a vinyl player I suppose!) which means I have achieved this mission.

Marty Wilde – Rubber Ball
The Animals – House of the Rising Sun
(bought at vinyl fair in Kings Lynn, 6/11/10)

Squeeze – Cool For Cats
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
The Crystals – Da Do Ron Ron
Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
The Patti Smith Group – Because The Night
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Joan Jett – I Love Rock n Roll
(bought at vinyl fair in Sheffield, 27/11/10)

The List: Set books free into the wild with Bookcrossing

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:16:35 +0000

Bookcrossing is “the World’s Library. It’s a smart social networking site. It’s a celebration of literature and a place where books get new life. BookCrossing is the act of giving a book a unique identity so, as the book is passed from reader to reader, it can be tracked and thus connecting its readers.”

Usually when I have a book I don’t want any more I try to sell it on Amazon, but it’s not worth it a lot of the time as they’re only going for about 1p! Any like that usually get dropped off at Oxfam, but I thought it would be interesting to send the odd one off on a journey with Bookcrossing.

My profile can be found here. So far these are the ones I’ve released:

Atlas Shugged by Ayn Rand – travelling
The Remains of The Day by Kazue Isihiguro – travelling

The List: Send Postcrossing postcards

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:08:30 +0000

Postcrossing is a project which allows people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world.

My profile can be found here. So far I have sent postcards to:

Jennyyu, Taiwan
Ollychen, Belarus
Santruusa, Finland
Kaylamai, USA
Liujihong, China
Klausdiemaus, Germany

The List: Arcadia at the Lowry (See plays at the theatre)

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:01:18 +0000

Seven years after I produced it for SUTCo I finally got to see Arcadia again at the Lowry Theatre, Salford – and it was just as incredible, funny and beautiful as I remembered it. I might have had a little cry again!

The List: Ride the Sheffield Wheel

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:55:55 +0000

Done – twice in fact!

The List: Make mix “tapes” for other people

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:50:09 +0000

I like music, I like sharing music, hopefully people like music being shared with them, and hopefully they the artwork and geeky liner notes too!

Summer themed mix for Ian (part of the Facebook seasonal mix tape swap)
Grrrl music mix for Sarah (part of the Facebook mix tape blind date)
Eclectic mix for Bob (part of the Facebook seasonal mix tape swap)
Iiiit’s Chriiiistmaaas!!!! (festive Spotify playlist for friends)

The List: Eat some unusual foods

somethingbrighter — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:42:09 +0000

I’m quite a foodie and always happy to try something new, no matter how outlandish. Here are some of things outside of the basics that I’ve tried:

Alligator
Black pudding
Durian fruit
Glutinous rice cake
Goat
Kangaroo
Manifold (cow stomach)
Momos (Tibetan ravioli / dumplings)
Ostrich
Oysters
Pearl soy bean drink
Pheasant
Pigeon
Pouting
Rabbit
Wild boar
Zebra

The List: Learn first aid (CPR, Heimlich, etc)

somethingbrighter — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:05:43 +0000

People who know me, know I’m a bit of a control freak – so the idea of witnessing an accident, especially one that affects my loved ones somehow, and not knowing what do do, terrifies me a bit. My mum has done first aid courses with her school and they seem really valuable (although scary and hard work as well) and so I thought I really should see about getting some training.

As such I’ve signed up for the first available St John Ambulance emergency and basic first aid course, which will be held on 7th May 2011… I’ll update this post once I’ve taken part!

The List: Be brave and get on rollerskates again

somethingbrighter — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:32:22 +0000

Back in 2007, this happened:

I faceplanted at a rollergig and had to go to A&E for four stitches in my nose.

NEVER AGAIN, I said.

Well… then Drowned In Sound organised Rollerpalooza II and as I knew pretty much *everyone* I know would be going I bought a ticket, figuring I could just stand at the side and observe. Well, as the date got closer, I decided I should probably get over my fear – I wasn’t ever a bad skater, just not able to do emergency stops!

So, with knees a-tremble, on the night I asked for a pair of quads and found myself whizzing around the rink quite happily. I did fall over once but acquired nothing more than a bruised bottom. Very pleased with myself! Sadly I don’t have any pictures on me on my skates, but there are some of the event here.

The List: Go to Glastonbury

somethingbrighter — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:22:01 +0000

For some reason I’d never been to the festival goer’s rite of passage, Glastonbury Festival, even though I’ve always wanted to (well, I say always… I’ve been a bit daunted by the mud!), so I decided it was time to get myself down to Pilton and managed to get a ticket during the re-sales.

Here’s what I did and saw:

Thursday:

Michachu & The Shapes
something random at Club Dada
Shangri La

Friday:

Rolf Harris
massage in Healing Field
Tegan And Sara
Bombay Bicycle Club
Snoop Dogg
Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood
Broken Bells
The xx
The Rabbit Hole

Saturday:

Two Door Cinema Club (from camp)
Reef (from camp)
Coheed And Cambria (from camp)
Bill’s Big Round Up feat. Billy Bragg, Frank Turner, Beans On Toast, Grace Petrie and The Agitator
Here We Go Magic
Blood Red Shoes
Foals
Pulled Apart By Horses
Muse
Scuff & Inja at Shisha Tent

Sunday:

various circus acts
Crystal Fighters
Ray Davies
Chew Lips
Mountain Man
Dirty Projectors
Stevie Wonder
Motown disco

Highlights:

Runners up – Dancing to live MCing in the shisha tent on Saturday night, mooching about Shangri La on Thursday night, the legend that is Rolf Harris, singing along to Sunny Afternoon on a sunny afternoon, randomly bumping into some old friends from Felixstowe during Muse

3) Sunday night – listening to Mountain Man perform a giggly/giddy acapella set in a tiny tipi at the top of the hill at Park, looking out across the whole site, sipping red wine and watching the sun set. Then meeting people after Stevie, dancing to Motown until the wee hours, and laughing at a very drunk Lee.

2) Friday, aside from Radiohead – getting a massage, drinking mint vodka, chatting to randoms, Broken Bells, The xx, crawling down a Rabbit Hole and ending up in an electro club, crawling further down a Rabbit Hole and ending up in a cinema showing the wombles…

1) Did I mention Radiohead? :P – realising who had just come on stage, going a bit bonkers and running around in circles, alternately grinning and welling up with tears and the mass sing a long to Karma Police. AMAZE.

Lowlights:

3) Getting sunburned through factor 25 sunscreen. Neck = owwww.
2) Feeling a bit sheepish about being half German.
1) Having to wait for the Doctor Who finale.

And I loved it so much, I’ll be back again for sure :)

See you all in 2011 on Worthy Farm!