Currently...

New Favourite Stockings/New Neil Gaiman/Essay Outlining

Reading:  I am about to start The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.  I got it about a week ago and I've put off starting it to catch up on varsity readings and finish my essay.  Talk about a test of my willpower!  I have read/heard so much about the book that I hope I haven't ruined it for myself.  I am also currently reading a lot of South African fiction.  The second half of my course is focused on post-colonial feminism and it's shaping up to be rather interesting.

Watching:  A new season of Deadliest Catch.  I honestly cannot say what draws me to this show.  I don't like fishing, you won't catch me dead on a boat but for some reason this show captivates me.  I love the human interactions, the danger and the way of life these guys lead which, as I type, I realise is exactly what draws me to this show.  So far there is already tension on The Northwestern, engine trouble on the Time Bandit and sneakiness aboard the Seabrooke!

Thinking About:  The concept of Othering and how we use it to make judgements on different people and, in extreme cases, justify our treatment of them.  It's come up in both of my courses this year and I'm starting to see it in action in my day to day life. For example, there is a lot of very justifiable anger at the truck driver that caused last week's accident.  He was irresponsible and shouldn't have been on that freeway at all.  His actions make it easy for us to assume that all truck drivers are irresponsible and treat them accordingly.  What that fails to realise though is that there are a) a lot of really good truck drivers out there, b) there is more to the problem than just irresponsibility and c) every single person who runs a red light or cuts someone off in traffic is as bad as that driver, the only difference is that they haven't caused an accident yet.  I don't know, I hate trucks with such a passion and banning them from using the M13 is a start but there are so many other factors to consider as well...

Listening To:  All of the Biffy Clyro.  I am so excited about the possibility of seeing these guys next year.  I am currently plotting the logistics and that sort of thing but I am sure we can make it work!

Enjoying:  Roller Derby!!  This might be a getting a bit old to hear about but it really is so much fun.  It's great exercise and an awesome way to meet new people.  It's so cool to learn new skills especially when they are things you'd never thought you'd be able to do.  I had zero confidence in my skating ability when I started and now I am skating backwards, in a pack and through obstacles with relative ease!  We have a Fresh Meat Bootcamp coming up at the end of the month and I am more than a little excited.

Loving:  The warmer weather, the opportunity to prove myself, coffee and fresh cinnamon buns, the fact that it's getting light earlier and earlier and that my essay is finally submitted.  Yay!

This post is inspired by the ones over at Sometimes Sweet.  You can check out the latest one here.

Biffy is Coming (aka RAMfest 2014 Lineup)!!

On Sunday, I promised to forgive RAMFest for passing over Durban if they announced Biffy Clyro and guess what they did???  Or rather don't guess because my post title gave it away...

BIFFY IS COMING NEXT YEAR!  

I honestly couldn't have hoped for a better announcement.  A few months back, the guys did a Q & A where they hinted at an upcoming SA visit and I figured it would either be OppiKoppi or RAMFest that bought them out.  RAMFest's organizers promised announcements at 3 pm on Sunday afternoon so I sat with their Facebook page open, constantly hitting refresh until I saw the news I was hoping for!  Now all that remains is deciding whether we will mission to Johannesburg or Cape Town to see them. So much excitement!!  Lest I forget, the rest of the announcements included Killswitch Engage, Foals and Trivium:

 

Now, although I used to love Killswitch Engage, I am not really too excited about the rest of this lineup.  In comparison to Biffy Clyro, they all seem a bit meh.  Anyway, I will post more details as I find them but in the meantime I can tell you that RAMFest JHB and Cape Town both take place on the 6 - 9th of March 2014.  Follow their Facebook page for more info.

*All pics courtesy of the RAMFest Facebook page.

Things I Love #38

Happy Sunday guys!  Today I am essay writing and reading so I hope that you are all doing something much more interesting.  In case you're not, here's what I loved this week:

Finn, Jake and Marceline finally arrived this week.  They are so super awesome and I am SO happy with them!  I'll do a proper post later in the week but here are some pics to tide you over:

I found this NY Times article about Gesture Writing super interesting and helpful.  Seems as though the concept will help with writer's block.

I really enjoyed Joss Whedon's 2013 Wesleyan commencement speech.  Specifically this line: "You have a responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself."

So Biffy Clyro did a Q & A this week where they promised to answer the most popular questions put to them on Facebook.  One of those questions:  When are you coming to South Africa?  Answer:  End of this year or early next year.  My reaction:  unabashed giddiness!

Also in music news, Ray Toro from MCR unveiled a solo song in which he played and recorded everything himself.  Listen to it here.

I'd be lying if I told you that this painting of grown-up Calvin and Hobbes didn't leave me with a lump in my throat.

I LOVE the smell of rain.  Would I want to smell like rain?  I'm not too sure but for those of you who are, Blushie has Petrichor perfume oil.  There is also Fresh Cut Grass, Snowfall and Oncoming Storm.

How cool are these Adventure Time BFF Necklaces?  I want them all please and even though I love my friends, I'd probably keep both myself.

This Waning Chesire Art Print by Eric Fan is officially on my wishlist.

I went to I Heart Market yesterday for the first time in ages and came back with this awesome piggy planter and another skull necklace:

And while we're on the subject of offline things, I went to my first real roller derby practice on Thursday night and I didn't suck on skates!!  Yay!  Going back again this coming Thursday so I'll try snap some photos to show you guys.  In the meantime if you're interested in Durban Roller Derby, check out their Facebook page.

If you happen to go to Times Square right now, you'll find a giant LEGO X-Wing Fighter.  How awesome?!?

These Handmade Holster Bags kind of make me think of Han Solo.  Not sure if I'd ever actually use one though...

Check out Takahiro Komuro's super cool sculptures.  Lost at E Minor calls them "elegantly unsettling."  I don't really agree but I do like that phrase..

How cool are these before photos of famous pin-up posters?  

I also love these pictures of Heavily Tattooed Ladies from a Bygone Era by Ramon Maiden.

Fighting Spirits is a very awesome animation by Gene Kim featuring cyborg ballerinas:

Fighting Spirits from Gene Kim on Vimeo.

And lastly, here are some weird hybrid animals...I like the Killer Whale/Penguin combo and the Pug/Bird combo the most.

Seen anything you love this week?  Let me know in the comments:)

This Ladder is Ours...New Music #3

So many new things to listen to!!  Here are some of my new favourites:

The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Laws

Yet another band with a female vocalist.  What's going on here??  The Joy Formidable are a three-piece alternative band from Wales that  I've fallen in love with.  I'm not sure how to describe their sound expect to say that they are totally worth listening to.  Be warned though, these guys are not shy of long songs.  Most of the tracks on the album are around 4 to 5 minutes long.  Not that I'm complaining.  My favourite track is a toss up between This Ladder is Ours and The Leopard & The Lung.   

Benjamin Gibbard - Former Lives

Ben Gibbard is the vocalist from Death Cab For Cutie.  We caught an interview with him on The Cobert Report and he played Bigger Than Love which features Aimee Mann.  It's by far my favourite song on the album.  Apparently he plays most of the instruments on most of the tracks himself...impressive!  The rest of the album is pretty good...the songs are not that far off from Death Cab for Cutie if you ask me.  Quirky and easy to listen to.

Biffy Clyro - Opposites

The long awaited new Biffy Clyro album, Opposite, is a double album.  The two albums are supposed to be lyrical opposites of each other, hence the name.  One half of the album, The Sand at the Core of Our Bones is about the past.  The other half, The Land at the End of Our Toes is about the future and moving forward.  A lot of people have been really critical about this album and I am not sure why.  Sure it's not Only Revolutions but its awesome in it's own way.  The lyrics are perfectly quirky and there is a good mix of heavy and unusual tracks.  Right now my favourite tracks are Stingin' Bell and Little Hospitals.

Also on my playlist at the moment:  The Distillers, New Order and Union of Knives.  What's are you listening to?

Things To Look Forward To In 2013

There is a whole lot happening this year that I am really, really excited about so I thought I would let you in on a few:

Studying:  In October last year I applied to do my Honours in English part-time.  There has been a bit of a bugger up with my application so I am really hoping this is still an option for me this year.  Please keep your fingers crossed!

New Biffy Clyro:  If you haven't heard Biffy Clyro yet, you need to go and listen to them immediately!  I recommend starting with The Captain off of Only Revolutions.  They have a new album called Opposites due out this month and I am really looking forward to hearing it!  Here's the first single, Black Chandelier:

Colli's Wedding:  One of my bestest bests is getting married in March to an awesome guy and I get to be her Maid of Honour.  I am so excited to be able to share in their happiness and to catch up with old friends.

Rise Against and RAMfest:  You guys must be so tired of hearing me go on about this but I couldn't be more excited about the fact that Rise Against are actually playing in my city and we already have tickets for it!  Just thinking about it makes me want to play every album I own and jump around our flat!!

Adventure Time Funko Pop Vinyl:  I have mentioned these before but I am still desperately awaiting a release date or an option to pre-order the awesome Funko Pop Adventure Time figurines.  I neeeeeeed Marceline in my life.

source

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys:  My Chemical Romance is my favourite band of all time.  Really, all the rest are a distant second to these guys.  Anyway, in 2010 they released an album called Danger Days:  The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.  The comic book tie-in for this album is a collaboration between Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan and it's finally being released in June this year!  Seriously, if anyone can get me a copy of the preview that will be released on Free Comic Book day, I would be the happiest person ever!  Check out this interview with Gerard Way to get a sneak peak at the artwork.  Also awesome?  The fact that he is currently writing the third Umbrella Academy installment.  Happy days!!

Turning 30:  This is a weird one because I always thought I would have major issues with turing 30 but as it stands right now, I am kind of looking forward to it.  Time will tell whether it becomes an issue closer to the time but I really hope it doesn't.  Everyone says that when you turn 30 you care less about the little stuff, you become more comfortable with yourself etcetera, etcetera.  While I don't assume these things just happen magically over night, anything that makes me less anxious about everything is a good thing!

What are you looking forward to this year?