On Watching Life Just Pass You By..

Something that I have been feeling recently is that I am not doing enough to make the most of the unique opportunity that life is.

This sounds like a bit of a depressing title but for the record it is not. It is just an emotion that occasionally crosses my mind, wishing that perhaps I could do even more than I currently am. I do not think that I am alone in this and it is a feeling that often arises through too much free time or boredom (just 8 hours contact time at University a week!?).


The closest way I can explain it as if you are sat on a train (’life’) and you know what station you want to get off at (’your goal in life’ for example). THe problem is that at every stop you are not there for just 5 minutes, the train is stopped for a full half hour before you get moving again. Once your on the go again everything is fantastic because you know where you are going and what you are doing. But the main issue reminds that immobile half an hour spent at the train stations every so often.


Take right now, a standard Monday night where I have done the work that is required for my lectures and played a football game this evening meaning that I have chosen to stay in the comfort of my own room. This may seem as if everything is fine, and it is, but occasionally that feeling crops up that is telling me that I should be making more use of my time and doing this or that.

It’s annoying because it is not the best thing to feel in the world, but as with all things I hope that this is just a phase and that sooner rather later down the line I will be writing about how little spare time I have and how many things I have going on at the same time!

Most Listened to Music: Last Seven Days.

Here it is, the 5 songs that I have listened to the most times in the last week..

It looks like a week where I have been listening to similar artists or the same band and then a surprise entry too!

5) Deep Blue, Arcade Fire – I can’t quite put my finger on what this song reminds me of but it seems like a really nostalgic tune and never gets skipped when it comes on on my Itunes. Its reference to ‘Kasparov, Deep Blue, 1996′ helped me find out about that chess game in ‘96 of which I had no previous knowledge at all. Interesting.

4) Crossfire, Brandon Flowers – The most well known song since Brandon Flowers went solo Crossfire to me is a really powerful ‘lift up’ kind of song that by its conclusion leaves me in a good mood. The catchy chorus only adds to it..

3) When you were Young, The Killers – Sticking on the Brandon Flowers theme I seem to have rediscovered this old Killers song. One of their best, I would say
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2) Sing for the Moment, Eminem – A true classic in Eminem’s discography and one that will live on in the rap world without a shadow of a doubt. The emotion Eminem transmits in this, followed by the memorable riff at the end of the song make it one of my all time favourites. 

1) The Well and the Lighthouse, Arcade Fire – ‘The Well and the Lighthouse’ was always a song that I skipped past when shuffling Arcade Fire songs but to be fair I never really gave it a chance. Coincidentally, it has now become one of my favourite songs by the band. The glory of giving a song a second chance…

Until next week!

Places that I would love to visit

These places are definitely on my 'to see before I die' list..

Travel. To travel the world is something so many of us dream of doing at some point in our lives. I think that the idea of travelling and visiting other cultures is one of the most fascinating things a person can possibly to in his/her lifetime. But assuming I can't be greedy and I can't see EVERYTHING, here are a few of the places I would love to visit at some point..

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Perhaps its the family link that I have with Argentina, the similarity of their culture to mine or maybe even the world renowned Argentine steak: Buenos Aires and its surrounding area has always been near the top of this 'list'. It strikes me as a frenetic and lively city with everything and anything to offer and importantly as a springboard to the rest of the country and undoubted highlights such as the Iguazu falls on the Brazilian border or the amazing Patagonian region with landmarks such as the Perito Moreno glacier!

• California, USA: Although the country as a whole fascinates me, I think that it is Cali and surrounding areas that have the biggest pull for me. Maybe it is its long history or the well known cityscapes of San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign or the huge national parks at Yellowstone and Death Valley that do it, I just don't know. The fact that Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon aren't unrealistic distances away just adds to the excitement of travelling California too. I think I'll wait until I am in a state to join those muscular types at Venice Beach..

• Russia: Perhaps an odd choice, not just because it is not the most popular tourist trap in the world but also because I haven't specified where in the largest country in the world I would like to visit! I once read Jonathan Dimbleby's 'Russia' book where he travels the country and since then have always been inspired to one day travel the Trans-Siberian railway all the way along. A journey so famed and long is sure to kick up amazing stories and surprises, right?

• Sydney, Australia: Judging from amazing pictures and the experience of one friend alone, Sydney is not a place to be missed! Its beautiful weather and welcoming people place the city down under firmly near the top of my list and it would be incredible to see the New Years fireworks there one time, a scene I have so often seen on the television.

• Cairo, Egypt: Primarily for the history of the ancient Egyptians who produced things we can only dream of in the 21st century! The much famed Sphinx and the Great Pyramids may be one of the most visited places on earth but I would not like to miss out on such wonders and so Cairo and a cruise down the legendary Nile is certainly on the cards, one day..

I could go on and on and on but I said I could not be greedy and so limited myself to just five options, much harder than it sounds!
What about you? Where do you most want to visit at some point and do you agree with my choices?

When money is low, why do people turn to gambling?

Perhaps the answer is easy - but it defies the laws of logic!

People all over the world have money problems, it is almost second nature for people in the West to complain about whatever financial issues they may be implicated in these days..

What I have noticed often though is that when people do fall on tough times monetarily many seem to turn to one of the highest risk 'games' you could possibly play at such a stage: gambling! 

Don't get me wrong, I can very easily see the attraction of online betting websites and the betting shops when, say, a 'big win' playing roulette or poker could quite possibly solve your money problems. I would be wrong to say that because sure, it is impossible not to dream of such big wins and create almost a 'fairtytale story' all in the comfort of your own desktop computer. 

But it's a huge accident waiting to happen, like a person on the edge of a cliff in gale force winds. Yes, that risky! 

Why? Although we may read of success stories and such I think it is natural that winners in these circumstances are more than eager to show off their accomplishments while 'losers' who fall deeper into whatever financial black hole they are in tend to keep quiet, naturally. There must be thousands upon thousands of such stories of those who were tempted to put their faith in gambling and come out much, much worse.

Quick, easy money is a temptation that will never disappear or lose its lure yet it is crazy to think that when a person tries this solution (often supposedly 'last resort') to help themselves they are placing risks that they probably never even faced in their previous and ungambled ways.

Once again, this article is not and cannot propose a solution to anybody's money problems (I wish!) but it's just a brief reminder that gambling is NOT the way to go when times are hard and with enough hard graft and the correct attitude  - problems can be solved.

Hard graft and the correct attitude? Now there's something I would put my money on!

What really matters, the music or the lyrics?

A few ramblings from myself and some sort of conclusion as to whether it is the music or the lyrics that really make a song..

Music? Lyrics? Both? It's a question I ask myself whenever I try and highlight the importance of music to me.

There are those that couldn't care less about the actual words being song - they love the music/tune so much that they either completely disregard the lyrics or just sing along to them blindly without actually analysing them.

Then there are others who find so much depth and meaning in what the artist(s) message is that it's the music that becomes secondary. The lyrics are so deep and touching or relevant that this is what truly makes the song what it is.
Personally I think that this is a very intriguing question as I have often belonged to both of the above 'camps'listed.  Here are examples of songs that I have recently discovered/listened to that prove just how hard it is to have just one opinion on the matter..

MUSIC.. just MUSIC!:

• Idioteque, Radiohead - don't get me wrong I'm sure these words might resonate with some people but I have no emotional contact with them, yet I love the song! For me it's the tense, constant and futuristic beat that really stands this song out for me.
• The Fool, Neutral Milk Hotel - a song with absolutely no words at all but that captivates me every time. This shows just how powerful 'lyricless' songs can be and 'The Fool' has the ability to take you somewhere else without the use of aid in the form of lyrics.

NO! It's all about the LYRICS:

• Unknown Brother, The Black Keys - although this is a song that's lyrics do not strike a personal chord - their emotion and meaning convey so much and it is that which in my opinion makes the song what it is.
• The Clock was Tickin', Brandon Flowers - the song is very countryesque and not like anything I would often listen to and despite the slightly 'basic' lyrics I think that the final verse really gives emotion and a sense of meaning to the song.

These are only some examples but I think it opens up and interesting debate, what makes a song for you? Its musical side or the lyrics that are sung or very possibly both?
Feel free to post your opinions and examples!