...any mental health expert will tell you its as healthy to unload those things that piss you off or just annoy you, so here goes:-
The apparent emotional sterility of far too many people I come across
The word 'no' and its connotations
Society's attitudes towards certain vices
The mainstream media, particularly the BBC
Political correctness gone mad
Rah's
The Manchester bus infrastructure
Flakes (people)
Identikit nightclubs, playing the same commercial R n B for the same assholes to pose to
The unpredictability of the winds in Manchester, re. positioning of one's umbrella
Being told I read too much
Intellectual bullies (I know I can be accused of this)
Paraochialism/Little England-ism/The Last Night of the Prom
Having said that, townies ignorant of the demands of country life, in particular vermin control
Racist, sexist, unfunny comedians
Rowan Atkinson and John Cleese since they sold out
Organised religion
The ending of Pearl Harbor, great movie until then
Rude, curt rejection letters
(Think that's it for now, probably think of some more later)
18/10/2008
13/10/2008
10/10/2008
An exercise in positive thinking
Taking a cue from one of my friends, here is an alphabetical list of things and people I like and love to refer to when I'm feeling a bit down and frustrated:-
American democracy
Albert from Only Fools and Horses
Apple juice
Answering quesitons correctly
Beaches
Brian Eno
Beautiful girls
Bags of free stuff from conferences, etc
Charlie Higson's work
Camel cigarettes
Chanteurs/chanteuses
Civil disobedience
Dad
Dozier, Lamont
Dewdrops on leaves
Dogs, not all of them though
Eating good food, or cheap stuff that tastes fine
Entrepreneurial spirit
Entering a club/bar
Entertaining relatives
Finding stuff
Finding stuff out
Fresh clothes and bedding
Freedom of speech
Gareth
Gogol Bordello
Gordon Ramsey
Gates kept in good repair
Hyannis
Hope
High items that I can reach and others can't
Howlin Wolf
I.T. support staff who are human beings
Indigo Jones, and other classical architects
Inigo Montaya (The Princess Bride)
iPod culture
Jewish humour
Jeans
John Sparkes
Jon Culshaw
Kate Moss
Kewell, Harry, circa 1998
Kit Kats
Kicking stones/leaves on an autumn day
Lazy days
Leone, Sergio
Libraries
Late service in fast food restaurants, very civilised
Monty from Withnail and I
Maggie
Making it in on time
Mum
Neil Young
New-born babies
Neckties
New shoes
Order of the Phoenix, book and film
Octupus, surprisingly tasty
O'Neills pub, anywhere in the world
Opening presents
Philosophy
Politics
Physical fitness (in certain circumstances!)
Ploughed fields
Q.I.
Question Time when no politicians are on
Quoting obscure lyrics/books/comedians, etc
Quails' eggs (again surprisingly tasty)
Roger Moore
Rule-bending (not breaking)
Rhodedendrons
Right-wing people being shouted down
Stephen Fry
Simon Amstell
Sancerre chardonnay
Sir Robert Winston
Taking time to do a good job
Trust
Tenacious people, women especially
T'Street (Coronation)
UV rays
Unbelievable (that dance song)
Unimaginable genius of Daniel Day-Lewis, The
Umpires decisinos being verified by a TV screen
Very long walks
V for Vendetta
Verizon US
Vocal singing
Werner Herzog
Wily old people
Who, The
Waiting for Godot
Xabi Alonso (great player even if a Red)
Xavier, Professor Charles
Xylophones, the kind Santana sample
X-ray specs
Yootha Joye sparring with Brian Murphy
Young Ones, The (TV)
Yelling jokey abuse at mates
Y2K celebrations
OK, I'll stop at Z but you get the idea. I'd also add proportional representation, the rest of my family and friends, and Shami Chakrabati/Clive Stafford-Smith and Michael Mansfield, the Holy Trinity of Human Rights lawyers.
Thanks!
American democracy
Albert from Only Fools and Horses
Apple juice
Answering quesitons correctly
Beaches
Brian Eno
Beautiful girls
Bags of free stuff from conferences, etc
Charlie Higson's work
Camel cigarettes
Chanteurs/chanteuses
Civil disobedience
Dad
Dozier, Lamont
Dewdrops on leaves
Dogs, not all of them though
Eating good food, or cheap stuff that tastes fine
Entrepreneurial spirit
Entering a club/bar
Entertaining relatives
Finding stuff
Finding stuff out
Fresh clothes and bedding
Freedom of speech
Gareth
Gogol Bordello
Gordon Ramsey
Gates kept in good repair
Hyannis
Hope
High items that I can reach and others can't
Howlin Wolf
I.T. support staff who are human beings
Indigo Jones, and other classical architects
Inigo Montaya (The Princess Bride)
iPod culture
Jewish humour
Jeans
John Sparkes
Jon Culshaw
Kate Moss
Kewell, Harry, circa 1998
Kit Kats
Kicking stones/leaves on an autumn day
Lazy days
Leone, Sergio
Libraries
Late service in fast food restaurants, very civilised
Monty from Withnail and I
Maggie
Making it in on time
Mum
Neil Young
New-born babies
Neckties
New shoes
Order of the Phoenix, book and film
Octupus, surprisingly tasty
O'Neills pub, anywhere in the world
Opening presents
Philosophy
Politics
Physical fitness (in certain circumstances!)
Ploughed fields
Q.I.
Question Time when no politicians are on
Quoting obscure lyrics/books/comedians, etc
Quails' eggs (again surprisingly tasty)
Roger Moore
Rule-bending (not breaking)
Rhodedendrons
Right-wing people being shouted down
Stephen Fry
Simon Amstell
Sancerre chardonnay
Sir Robert Winston
Taking time to do a good job
Trust
Tenacious people, women especially
T'Street (Coronation)
UV rays
Unbelievable (that dance song)
Unimaginable genius of Daniel Day-Lewis, The
Umpires decisinos being verified by a TV screen
Very long walks
V for Vendetta
Verizon US
Vocal singing
Werner Herzog
Wily old people
Who, The
Waiting for Godot
Xabi Alonso (great player even if a Red)
Xavier, Professor Charles
Xylophones, the kind Santana sample
X-ray specs
Yootha Joye sparring with Brian Murphy
Young Ones, The (TV)
Yelling jokey abuse at mates
Y2K celebrations
OK, I'll stop at Z but you get the idea. I'd also add proportional representation, the rest of my family and friends, and Shami Chakrabati/Clive Stafford-Smith and Michael Mansfield, the Holy Trinity of Human Rights lawyers.
Thanks!
05/10/2008
Getting better all the time
Beginning from a position of complete smugness at the fact that I don't pay tax (who'd want to when so much government money is being lavished on irresponsible monsters in the city?), I can honestly say that I feel a whole lot better about life than I did a few weeks ago. Yes, much of the LPC is still a pain in the arse, but I am learning to take the rough with the smooth, and find things to do to keep me sane.
Yesterday, for example, I went out hiking in the Cheshire plain with a group based in Manchester. It's aimed at young professionals so I was pretty young to be there, but I held my own against a lot of "real people". There was a very nice girl who'd graduated from Man Uni Law school 10 years ago, and who now works for Brittania, in no way connected with the law! Funny old world. I couldn't believe it when she said she'd turned down interviews with firms, I would KILL for one of those right now! But she'd decided it wasn't for her and fair play to her. She seems happy enough.
Then there was another chap who works for HBOS : o ! he's in IT and he reckons his job is safe. We had a very interesting talk about, amongst other things, grandparents and anthropology. He also told me about a pub crawl he'd devised in Somerset, so I immediately respected him!
The final characters were this crazy pair of guys from the South, one of whom is a lawyer with some niche fraud law firm in town. I'd never heard of them and they don't take trainees, but I listened anyway. He proceeded to rant unbroken for about half an hour about how I should abandon all hope of getting anywhere as a law student: he'd done his BVC, got nowhere, then cross-qualified onto the LPC, again got pretty much nowhere, and only has a job now because he re-located from the City to Manchester. That in itself gave me encouragement: I have on interest in leaving MCR and that is now pretty much a settled matter. Sure, I may end up bitter and twisted like him in a few years but goddamn it I'm willing to give it a try first!
The really interesting part of the conversation came when his friend got in on the act. I'm not entirely sure what he does, something to do with libraries in east London, but he originally qualified in neuroscience(?). Go figure. Anyway, he was obviously very clever and opinionated, and we had a ridiculously heated argument about Phillip Pullman (don't ask). He also regaled us with his stories about living out in America, and the pair's harassment by a local ropey old bird down the pub the other night. I could nod in shameful familiarity with the predicament.
So all in all a good day, nice to get back hiking and to get out of the city. the route wasn't too stressful, just a climb up a big hill before a descent into Macclesfield. i'll definitely be going out again.
As for this week, more of the same c.r.a.p ahead. BLP is the bane of my life, although it's more to do with our tutor than anything. The woman is incapable, utterly clueless. Reminds me of Mrs Goode, my old geography teacher: uttrely clueless if you asked a question outside the syllabus. none of the other staff are as unbearable, in any way. Property's alright, that guy justs whips through it and doesn't get hung on it, nothing wrong with that. Civil Lit is fun, pretty sure I want to be a litigator in the future. The girl teaching is an absolute doll as well.
Not long till reading week now, the thrilling prospect of business accounts and interviewing technique to work on. Gotta b done I suppose.
That's about it for now, must try and add to this more than once a month!
Oh, one thing. Was encouraged to get a letter from SAS Daniels of Stockport yesterday saying they'll consider me when their interviews start up. It may not sound much, but I really am just happy to have received a letter which doesn't start "thank you but unfortunately". I hope the reader can appreciate the distinction!
Bwi Bwi!!!
Yesterday, for example, I went out hiking in the Cheshire plain with a group based in Manchester. It's aimed at young professionals so I was pretty young to be there, but I held my own against a lot of "real people". There was a very nice girl who'd graduated from Man Uni Law school 10 years ago, and who now works for Brittania, in no way connected with the law! Funny old world. I couldn't believe it when she said she'd turned down interviews with firms, I would KILL for one of those right now! But she'd decided it wasn't for her and fair play to her. She seems happy enough.
Then there was another chap who works for HBOS : o ! he's in IT and he reckons his job is safe. We had a very interesting talk about, amongst other things, grandparents and anthropology. He also told me about a pub crawl he'd devised in Somerset, so I immediately respected him!
The final characters were this crazy pair of guys from the South, one of whom is a lawyer with some niche fraud law firm in town. I'd never heard of them and they don't take trainees, but I listened anyway. He proceeded to rant unbroken for about half an hour about how I should abandon all hope of getting anywhere as a law student: he'd done his BVC, got nowhere, then cross-qualified onto the LPC, again got pretty much nowhere, and only has a job now because he re-located from the City to Manchester. That in itself gave me encouragement: I have on interest in leaving MCR and that is now pretty much a settled matter. Sure, I may end up bitter and twisted like him in a few years but goddamn it I'm willing to give it a try first!
The really interesting part of the conversation came when his friend got in on the act. I'm not entirely sure what he does, something to do with libraries in east London, but he originally qualified in neuroscience(?). Go figure. Anyway, he was obviously very clever and opinionated, and we had a ridiculously heated argument about Phillip Pullman (don't ask). He also regaled us with his stories about living out in America, and the pair's harassment by a local ropey old bird down the pub the other night. I could nod in shameful familiarity with the predicament.
So all in all a good day, nice to get back hiking and to get out of the city. the route wasn't too stressful, just a climb up a big hill before a descent into Macclesfield. i'll definitely be going out again.
As for this week, more of the same c.r.a.p ahead. BLP is the bane of my life, although it's more to do with our tutor than anything. The woman is incapable, utterly clueless. Reminds me of Mrs Goode, my old geography teacher: uttrely clueless if you asked a question outside the syllabus. none of the other staff are as unbearable, in any way. Property's alright, that guy justs whips through it and doesn't get hung on it, nothing wrong with that. Civil Lit is fun, pretty sure I want to be a litigator in the future. The girl teaching is an absolute doll as well.
Not long till reading week now, the thrilling prospect of business accounts and interviewing technique to work on. Gotta b done I suppose.
That's about it for now, must try and add to this more than once a month!
Oh, one thing. Was encouraged to get a letter from SAS Daniels of Stockport yesterday saying they'll consider me when their interviews start up. It may not sound much, but I really am just happy to have received a letter which doesn't start "thank you but unfortunately". I hope the reader can appreciate the distinction!
Bwi Bwi!!!
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