I’m writing this on the plane on the wayo Vancouver after spending a wonderful 4 days in Edmonton spending time with family, some of whom I haven’t seen in 10 years.
The flight from Manchester was long. 18 hours travelling and back through various time zones does take it out of you so I pretty much went straight to bed when I arrived at my aunts. I did watch some good films on the plane and my new iPad mini is a fantastic travelling companion.
There’s so many unnecessary things in an airport. Why are you trying to do me a deal on 3 bottles of gin. Why is there a space for gamblers. Why is a Kit Kat £2.50.
Out of office on. Bags packed. Holiday is within touching distance. One sleep and the airport awaits. 🇨🇦
🎵Now Playing: Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (2010)
I’m stressing at work trying to cram everything in before the big trip. And Villagers can whisk me away into an indie-folk ethereal world while I deal with data. A stunning, lyrical album full of emotion and pictures.
I’m going on holiday this week, to Canada 🇨🇦. I’m hoping that I will make use of this digital space to record my trip properly, and actually blog something other than sharing what I’m listening to or my inane thoughts. To begin, let’s chat about why I’m going, how I’m travelling, and what my overall plan is.
The Why It will be 10 years since I last visited Canada. I have family over there and, as my nan has been nearing the end of her life (she’s 95 this year!
Another 5km. Another new PB. Now agonisingly close to the under 30 minute goal. Next time! (I am so sorry for who I have become.)
It’s going to be a long long season. 🔴⚫️⚪️⚽️😭
Not had a proper holiday for myself in years. So counting down the days left in work to next Friday 🇨🇦
I’m at a gig.
🎵Now Playing: Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (2005)
6music had them on today to celebrate 20 (TWENTY) years since it’s release. With that and seeing The Maccabees tonight I’m absolutely delighted to be reliving my youth.
Favourite Tracks:
Apply Some Pressure
Graffiti
Picture of a Painting
Going Missing
Limassol
🎵Now Playing: Muse - Black Holes and Revelations (2007)
I haven’t listened to Muse for ages, and normally I wouldn’t stray far from Origin of Symmetry or Absolution but they headlined my first ever festival (Benicassim, 2007) on this tour so I have a soft spot for it. Opening the set with Knights of Cydonia blew my teenage head clean off.
Favourite Tracks:
Starlight
Supermassive Black Holes
Assassin
Knights of Cydonia
🎵Now Playing: Santigold - Santogold (2008)
It’s Monday and I’m drinking a Lucozade (orange flavour obviously, I’m not a mentalist who drinks original). I clearly needed a pep in my step this afternoon so we’re back to the 00’s with Santigold’s fantastic debut.
Favourite Tracks:
L.E.S. Artists
You’ll Find a Way
Shove It
Say Aha
Lights Out
Unstoppable
Friday: The football’s back 😁
Sunday: The football’s back 😩
🎵Now Playing: Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future (2007)
It’s hot, sunny, and a Friday. 00’s nu-rave seems appropriate, and this is the 00’s nu-raviest of them all. Wall-to-wall bangers.
Favourite Tracks:
Atlantis to Interzone
Golden Skans
Totem on the Timeline
As Above So Below
Isle of Her
Gravity’s Rainbow
Forgotten Works
Magick
It’s Not Over Yet
The horrors continue and there’s nothing we can do.
To paraphrase the song Hurt (the Johnny Cash version)
What have I become My sweetest friend Everyone I know runs 5km In the end
One of my goals this year was to run a 5km, something I don’t think I’ve done since I was a teenager. This morning I did my third! I can’t believe doing a parkrun at the time I used to get in from a Friday night session is who I’ve become.
I totally forgot about Yeasayer. Yeasayer used to exist. I used to sing the ooh’s from Madder Red all the time. I will try not to forget about Yeasayer again.
A run down of everything I’ve consumed this month, and I have certainly had my fill this month. July… just… disappeared? What happened? Where did it go? What did I do? I guess we’ll find out.
If you didn’t know, Oasis are back. Everyone I know who got tickets say it was the best gig of their lives. Anyway, this collection of B-Sides is probably their second best album. Manchester vibes in the area.
The present life of man upon earth, O King, seems to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us like the swift flight of a sparrow through the mead-hall where you sit at supper in winter, with your Ealdormen and thanes, while the fire blazes in the midst and the hall is warmed, but the wintry storms of rain or snow are raging abroad. The sparrow, flying in at one door and immediately out at another, whilst he is within, is safe from the wintry tempest, but after a short space of fair weather, he immediately vanishes out of your sight, passing from winter to winter again.