Seas would rise when I gave the word...

So, we are back, its 2012. Who's excited? ... no, me neither. 2012 so far holds no promises greater than 2011. The year amy change but I can't honestly imagine anything else changing.

So lets start at Christmas, what a delight it was to go home, the process of getting home was quite the fiasco but once I got there it was a delight. Good to see the angels again as well as young Mr White. We had a carvery which was simply wonderful, nothing is better after student life than simply eating food and ever really stopping. I also went to sway to se the inhabitants, always an intriguing trip, new mysteries every time. The actual day itself was lovely, food that was simply to die for, tasting all the better after having been cooking for myself for so long as well as just being a lovely day in general with family.

Now it is time for my review of the television at Christmas time. Its always a brilliant time of year for TV but this year quite frankly the people who create these things just excelled themselves. My morning started with some classic Morecambe and Wise going on in the background, comedy at its best, proper timeless comedy setting Christmas day off to a cracking start...

"I'm playing all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order"

Then the festivities of the day took me away from the television, which is of course as it should be with the next television interruption being the Queens Christmas message. Now I have watched quite a few of these over the years and I have to say, I was rather impressed by the whole thing, the speech was one of the better ones, focussing on the importance of family which was lovely really. Next bit of christmassy goodness was Doctor Who, a heartwarming christmas special with lots of science fiction goodness. Strictly was equally lovely, a nice family show that everyone can sit down and enjoy.

The icing on the cake of a classic Christmas was Downton Abbey, It was simply divine. We were treated to some excellent storylines, answering many of the questions left at the end of season 2 but posing many more. Simply brilliant. Dame Maggie Smith stole the whole show with three words

"Do you promise?"

Brought the house down with all of Maggies glory. A True national treasure.

Boxing day I saw the new Sherlock Holmes film, It was a vast improvement on the first film but still not as good as Sherlock on TV which came back on New Years day and was quite frankly brilliant. More stunning adaptations from Steven Moffatt! Irene adler was portrayed very well and the whole things was just wonderful.

I have rambled about television for sometime now. I feel its time to stop.

Over and Out

I've been for a walk, on a winters day....

Well I have to open with the simple fact that York is getting cold. Its true, I know that over the past year you have come to suspect me of casually lying to you, but York is actually getting cold, not sure I can cope.

Last week I went to see a student production of Thoroughly Modern Millie which was actually really good. The music from the show I love and the plot is really awful but as a production it was well worth the seven english pounds and fifty pence that I paid to go see it. At the start, if I'm honest I was apprehensive, the first song was slightly tense, but after that it really picked up, and became a, dare I say it, thoroughly enjoyable evening of entertainment. Do you see what I did there?

Uni has been busy these past couple of days, Group project is due in quite soon, tests have been all this week and the excitement of the Study abroad talk is this week as well! I really want to do it but I am not sure if I will be able to afford to go, however myself and the bank will have a conversations about my finances, we will laugh we will cry, we will live the dream. Banks and I are such friends really, but shush its a secret.

I dont really know why I felt the need to write this particular blog, I diddnt have a huge amount to say, however it is lovely to think that infact I have now blogged. Lots of exciting things to look forward to next week, the old man is coming to visit not to mention the fact the angels will be re-united once more.

Gilmore Girls provides me with the quote one which I close:

"I don't leave messages, If I wanted to talk to a machine I would talk to my VCR"

Concrete Jungle where Dreams are made

Me and Goofy, out on Safari

Alright, So I'm not in New York, but I am now in york and its all very new to me so I feel the title is still relevant to the blog in hand.

Now it has to be said that I do appear to have abandoned my blog over the last few months. I cant pretend they have been the best months of my life and I was terribly scared that the blog would end up being a moan which I am against on principle! That being said I did go on Holiday in September which was simply amazing! I have a whole written out blog come diary of the two weeks sitting on my computer but for some reason I just had no inclination to post it. Two weeks in Florida are always just what the Doctor ordered, outstanding weather, excellent customer service and the most theatrical place on earth, Disney.

Main Street USA

It really was outstanding, The Magic Kingdom is just one of those places where you cannot help but smile. Walking down Main Street USA having just entered the park with Cinderella Castle up infront of you, characters swarming around you not to mention Barbershop Quartets, ice cream shops and the occasional sighting of a rather famous mouse is, dare I be cliche and say it, a magical feeling.

Over the course of the two week I saw some of the best shows that I have ever seen, but it has to be said in many ways the whole place is a show, the moment you step through the turnstyles you are on there stage and are in the hands of the 'cast members' who I found will forever go out of their way to make sure that you are having the best time possible.

Mr Goofy

Before I close on the subject of Disney, as I am sure all the talk of it is boring you intensely, I have to mention two things, Characters and Fireworks. I have to be honest, I am a big kid when it comes to meeting the characters, I love to go up and get an autograph in the book and a photo with them. The character performers are simply brilliant, they are prepared for every situation whether it be a small child that is scared of the giant mouse, creating the perfect photo or dealing with a big kid like me! Not to mention the fact that they do it all without speaking.
The fireworks have to be mentioned, while I was there I saw four different firework displays, all perfectly timed to a musical accompaniment, all with a storyline, a message and one heck of an impact. I think to conclude it has to be said that what makes Disney special is that they always get it right and I am determined to go back in the not too distant future!

I will now, as promised, move the blog on to York. It has been rather a wild ride getting here but now I am here I am totally thrilled. The course is just excellent and I am pleased to say that I have already made some friends, always a positive when your as socially awkward as I can be at times. Yesterday I painted myself blue in the name of Fancy Dress... nothing ever changes.

The original Angry Bird

Societies have been very exciting, I have joined a choir, got involved with a Pantomime and I am hopefully going to get involved with the University of York Radio station. I have, since the age of 9, been a lover of radio and am super excited to be involved with a station in some capacity.

Being so far away from everyone from back home is rather tough I cant lie, Missing my angels, the old man, and of course my parents especially. But soon we will be reunited and it will literally be fine. Perhaps the oddest thing so far about moving away has been celebrating my Birthday away from home, for the first time in 19 years I was not with my parents on by Birthday however Cards, both from old friends and new made the day much brighter than it potentially could have been! Not to mention a belated present of a wooden spook from my Grandma! Epic!

Its time to march onwards I think, new day, new challenge.

To Isengard!

Wit Beyond Measure is mans greatest treasure

So something very exciting happened today, more exciting perhaps than a Poirot novel, and it is that my Pottermore email has arrived. I raced to my computer as soon as the words were displayed on my phone and from there I was able to begin the adventure.

Ill be honest I love it, there is lots of extra little bits of information that just fills in the tiny holes in the Potterverse. It really peaks the curiosity and pleases my mind. So far there has been some excellent information regarding McGonagall, as well as the Dursleys and Quirrell.

The sorting was a very traumatic process, It really scared me especially as there was a quick video from JK telling you to be truthful and that it was the moment to be sorted. Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. As you can probably tell from the picture above I was sorted into Ravenclaw. Now I just need to get a scarf.

In other news I saw the Smurfs at the weekend, crackin' little film, could do with some more singing of the Smurf themetune (I used to love that as a kid) but brilliant none the less. Neil Patrick Harris plays the same character he plays in everything else but that is his way and he is good at it.

My trip to America is on Friday, very exciting. I simply cannot wait.

Pip Pip

You've got a fast car...

Whats that? Two blogs in as many days? I know right? But I just felt I had to blog today, I think it stems directly from the fact I'm not really tired but Im just a cynic at heart.

Sang with Bournemouth Funky today, nice to have a good sing song again, sing a song or two without worrying about whether I am in teh correct diagonall or what the next dance move is. Singing with another branch of funky is quite odd really though basically the concept is the same and all the songs are the same its the little things that change, when the unversal breath point is, how things are pronounced, moments when the Rhythm is not strictly observed. Fun to try and adapt to their new way of doing things.

Directly following singing with Funky went off to see Cars 2. I'll be brutally honest, is it a good film? Probably not the best, did I enjoy it? Hell yes. It was colourful, fun and a good chance to escape the dullness of our day to day lives. This film focuses far more on Mater rather than his Racecar friend Lightening McQueen. Its a move for the better I think, the romance side is far smaller and we end up with a Spy film but with Cars. Brilliant. Gadgets and visual spectacles ahoy. Some brilliant representations of London in there as well as a witty script and abouve all it was, unlike the first film, fast paced. If you are looking for the next Inception or Kings Speech I advise you now not to go anywhere near Cars 2, but if you want to smile for 2 hours head down to the cinema ASAP and get a ticket for Pixars latest offering.

When the credits started to roll this song was played, and I rather liked it, so I decided to add it to the end of the blog.

Toodles

To sit in solemnly silence in a dull dark dock...

Well its august apparently and I can't help but feel that old father time had a bit of fun with the changeover into this particular month, we were all casually enjoying July, weather was more hit and miss than an episode of take me out bit it was lovely none the less and then boom, there it is, august the first. I wouldn't mind but I ruined 2 forms on monday just because I diddnt even realise that the month had changed. I wouldn't mind so much if it was just a force of habit thing but it wasn't, I literally diddnt realise July had ended. Points definately go to Old father time for slyness there.

Another Charity players show is now over which is always rather sad but this one was particularily bad as it was my last for a while. Seems to be becoming a paternal at the moment. The show itself was a real laugh to do, as all charity players shows are, but also a real challenge from the point of view that I had not done review before and very quickly had to adapt to quick changes and constantly consulting a bit of paper to find out what was next. The audience seemed to enjoy it and my personal favourite moments of the evening were a song written and performed by the ever brilliant Polly Morris about a lost mobile phone as well as Tracey, Loo and George doing a rendition of the Cheap flights song. Blooming hilarious. Though the shows completion does give me more time it is a bitersweet moment as it marks the closing of another chapter and the tieing of another knot.

Pottermore has been another recent excitement and I am over the moon to say I have taken part in the Magic quill challenge and have obtained an account. This is very exciting and truth be told I am very excited however the sorting process fills me with fear, once and for all I will be told in which house I belong. Scary stuff. This is going to cause me to buy a scarf and tie in whatever house. If its slytherin I shall take solace in the fact that Snape was a syltherin.
Not really seen many films recently, went to see Harry Potter again at the cinema (its still awesome) but have seen nothing new :(. Got seven on Dvd to watch at some point but that is subject to the availability of friends.

Ah well. I'm off.
Ttfn

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Something Wicked this way comes....

So here I am, another blog, please hold the applause. This past week has been slightly epic. In this respect it has not been hugely epic but there has been one hugely epic moment.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released on Firday, I logically went on Friday. It was epic, sensation and just outstanding. I loved it. I have grown up with the Potter books, starting off having them read to me by my dad and then as I grew older reading them myself. The books have been a key part of my childhood, they lead to me making some of my best friends as well as an amazing trip to California. I think its safe to say the books have been crucial to my childhood.


Now onto the film, firstly Helena Bonham-Carter, always a brilliant actress but was truly outstanding in this film, in the Gringotss scene Bonham-Carter was playing Hermionie pretending to be Bellatrix (Bonham-Carters Character). This is a beautifully complex concept but she impersonated Emma Watson perfectly, with little mannerisims and even down to the way she held her hands.


Another mention must go to Alan Rickman. The big wide world that is the internet says that Rickman is Potters main shot at an Academy Award and I'm going to be honest with you people of the world I cannot help thinking they are probably right. The Prices tale, an epic chapter in the book, was just excellent, there were few people in the cinema not in tears. The amount of gifs that I have seen on tumblr about Snape and the fateful word that is "Always". I myself posted on tumblr "After Seven books, some amazing times the best moment is just one word, 'always'" Definatley one of my favourite moments of the entire series!


Maggie Smith and Julie Walters are also awesome, Special effects are the best they have been for all the films so far and I think over all probing that the British CAN do films, we can bing out a blockbuster and we can break records as Harry Potter has done all over the world this past weekend.


Thats the end of my rave about Harry Potter, I'm sure my love for it will never die, I also think that it is nearly the end of this blog entry. I have my last official choir session tonight, emotional times indeed. Eras are ending left right and centre. I cant pretend im even close to ready for it.


Ah well, onward to war...