#22 Burnt
Word. Here be the latest bulletin from Sheffield.
For a start, I know now that I made the right choice coming to Sheffield to study. Even if the courses are rubbish and my degree sucks, what a story for the grand-kids! Yes, I was in Sheffield in 2005: The age of the Arctic Monkeys, the birth of the South Yorkshire music scene... 'tis true: Sheffield is the new Manchester. Which was the new London. For a while.
I love finding things that I know are going to be a huge success before everyone else. When you tell everyone about them, you look infinitely cool: Just ask Tom Ford. I discovered Hard-Fi way back in January, when I bought their album and nearly went to one of their earliest gigs. So now they're all big and mainstream, I feel qualified to gloat a little.
The problem is when you don't tell anyone at the time. Because then when you say "I heard that ages ago", no-one believes you. That 'London Underground' song: I heard and downloaded that years ago, but only now is it all the rage as a real-sound ringtone. Bah. Similarly, I heard one of the contenders for this year's Christmas Number One ages ago too. Again, I didn't tell anyone, but I did download the track. So computer experts may be able to verify my story. It's the JCB Song by Nizlopi. Just to steal anyone else's thunder, check it out for yourself: Link
Friday last was bonfire night for me. What with half the campus swanning off home for the week, Saturday night wasn't looking like a big night out. So it was off to the local Catholic Chaplaincy's fireworks "doo". It was a good night, with scores of us packed into the house and garden, but a little scary too! For a start, one of the firework-lighters attempted to start the display by setting light to the nose-cone of the rocket. I'm not sure she'd done it before. After that, a wayward spark managed to find its way onto my neck. Luckily, my (now singed) scarf took the worst of it. The burgers were nice though...
On Sunday night, we went to see a film down at the Union: The Green Mile, starring Tom Hanks. Ever Since Cast Away, I haven't been too keen on Hanks, but he's in fine form in this 2000 production. It's a gruelling three-hours long, but well worth it. It's an odd experience: basically it revolves around executing prisoners in the electric chair, but there's a supernatural twist. On being asked how I found the film afterwards, I said that I'd enjoyed it. I corrected myself at the time, but now I stand my that original comment. I really enjoyed it, because it wasn't your typical film. It made you think, smile (a little), and cry (metaphorically). So go and see it.
Finally, some random stuff. I've been sampling the delights of BBC Radio Sheffield this week: it's a pretty good station: the "Raw Talent" show is the best for playing out all the great new music coming out of South Yorkshire at the moment. It's available online, too, so listen to it if you get the chance. One small point, though: the station's jingle is absolute pap.
People I've mortally offended this week: 1
Proudest moment of the week:
Out-Frenching a Frenchman with my poetic language
