Dreaming of Another World

...Mystery Jets.

Oh geeeeez. Would like to say Ive been so busy living my life to write about it, but whilst partly true, it's more that I've spent the past 3 weeks stuck behind the Great firewall of China. (I say stuck, it was my own free will)
No longer staring hopelessly into a bleak, meaningless life in Blackpool, I now have some loose form of structure to my life. And it's rather adult looking.

1. After spending a few weeks at Meshed Media, I was offered a job. Which obvs I took. I start in 2 weeks!
2. I went to China, joined a class of MA, PHD students, lecturers and professors for the CUC Joint Summer School in Beijing - a bit scary but a bit exciting too
3. Returned to find my results waiting for me. I am the proud owner of a First Class Honors Degree... Oh yeeah. Also pleased to find I am in good company, my friends are clever little peas :)

So am now lay on my bed in Blackpool, as it is the only section of my room not taken up with bin bags and boxes. Separating the junk from the important stuff is such an unappealing task. The question of where all this stuff is heading is still looking a bit hazy, as I have two weeks to find a place to live in Birmingham... Shit?! Homelessness is a definite possibility, but somehow the urgency has yet to set in and I seem to be feeling a bit too relaxed about the prospect.

Anyway, I expect you - the only reader of this blog- is DYING to see my photies from China. Well you're going to have to wait until laptop senior has been located so I can make them look presentable. So for now, here's a picture of me in rain at the Summer Palace.

So This Is Goodbye

...William Fitzsimmons



Pulling tops, jumpers & dresses of their hangers, I remember them all. I remember when I bought them, all the places I thought I'd go to wear them, who I'd impress, the boys, the friends, the occasions. They all had a purpose. I'd convinced myself they'd all have their day and there was a place for them in my wardrobe.

And now they feel wasted, I'm throwing them into bin liners ready to go home, each one that's pulled out comes with a memory of old friends and places I'll never visit again. Some of these have made it through the packing up process so many times, I remember packing them 3 years ago, thinking about everything that I was leaving behind. Now it's the thought of returning, knowing that everything I left behind then has gone that's giving me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.
I'm wondering when I'll wear half of these dresses again. I literally can no longer picture an occasion for a short sequined dress. When on earth am I going to a dance night again in the near future? Long summer dresses that are too hot for summer, to bright for winter, with a memo attached telling myself to shorten them.

I've already filled 2 and a half bin liners and my wardrobe still looks full.

My hope is that these clothes won't make it out of the bin liners before they are out of Blackpool again. Let the job and flat search begin.

[ - At this point I would like to remind all that many of these garments were well under £10. I may be extravagant in quantity, but not in expense.]

Running On

... Villa Nah



Oh I knowww, too long. Thought once I had all my work in I'd be posting all the time, however literally since handing in the production project - which seems like sooo long ago - I have been busy busy making the most of Birmingham and friends.

In between hanging about in the garden and park, knitting, visiting St. Andrews, and preparing for our final year exhibition, I have also been doing a bit of work at Meshed Media with Rhubarb Rhubarb along with planning my trip to China, yeeeah China.

SO now that our exhibition is over I have OFFICIALLY finished all university work (so long as I dont fail and have to re-take anything). Strange to think of so many people who I will never ever see again. But apparnely not strange to leave Perry Barr, since I find myself sitting in the photography room. Thought I would finally try out the negative scanners, but i dont think a tech is coming to help me so maybe I'll just never get to make the most of these facilities.

Anyway, have just been in to sort to fill out my visa application for China, where I'm going for the first 2 weeks of July for a summer school based on The Politics and Economics of Media Convergence. It will be hot, it will be busy, and I - the lone little english girl who cannot speak a word of chinese - will most definately be out of my element. EEEK. Trying to make a mental list of things I still need to sort out;
- Insurance
- Accomodation
- Money
- Cool / floaty / light clothes
- which cameras to take

Oh goodnesssss.

Ok not gunna babble on until I have useful things to write about. Giving up on this idea of scanning, going to pop over to adam's for a cuppa before having a nosy for summer clothes in town.

Kisses.

Knock you out

...Tiesto feat. Emily Haines

I'm on a Twitter detox, so short posts...

1. I know I'm sat inside all the time, and my house is cold, and atm the curtains closed, but... WHERE THE FUCK IS SUMMER?

2. For this reason I resisted the gorgeous cord shorts in favor of a flannel checked shirt. Finally making the most of the Jack Wills outlet.

3. I cant wait for my trip to St. Andrews. But not the mammoth journey. Which I saved just under £80 on, score!

4. Spotify ads are getting so much more annoying. But I think I have acquired a public profile so people can nosey at my badly compiled playlists; http://open.spotify.com/user/alex-jones

5. Dissertation is IN. You'd think I'd be glad, but I would switch it for this production project anyday. I shall post a better post about my dissertation later in the week.

BYEZ

x.

Innovator

...Plains



I love this.

Nun

...I Am Arrows (A link for the none-spotifiers)

Oh dear, April blogging efforts have been poor. Lots has been happening, but with still sooo much to do, I really can't be spending time writing about it. So I'll sum up with the help of a phew pictures.

I took a trip to Liverpool. Myself and Phil went to visit Kerry and to watch her dance show for Uni. of Liverpool's Bodysoc, which she's president of and put lots of effort into organising. It was great and made me wish i was a cool sexy street dancer. Then we went out for numerous drinks, shots and cocktails about Liverpool. (which was also strange, as i'm used to going to big clubs rather than dotting around lots of bars all night. quite liked it, will defs have to go back for another round). Also bumped into old college pal Billy, which was v.exciting and surprising.

Next on my travels, was a Trinket roadtrip to London, where we (myself, Jaime, Jen and Sarah) were live blogging from Communicate Magazine's Social Media conference, which was held at Chelsea football club. I'm not going to write all about it, but if you're interested you can look at that here>> http://communicateconference2010.posterous.com
We were also lucky enough to have a great host, Tanya and her family, who let us stay with them in North London, which is a lovely lovely area, with lots of greenery and blossom it's more like staying in the country than a huge city. Besides our long long day at the conference, we managed to squeeze in a drink in Camden, pizza in Hampstead, milkshakes at Tinseltown, and dinner in Covent Garden.



There we are blogging from the fancy box they put is in for the day

Yesterday we thought we'd check out the opening of the new MAC centre over at Canon Hill park, which looks greeeat. They'd put on taster workshops for all the different courses they offer, which obviously is not something we were going to miss out on. While most of them were full up, we managed to have a go at the animation taster, batik painting and clay modelling.




Mine is that unfinished looking duck.

The Golden State

...John Doe Feat. Kathleen Edwards

Wow, long time no post! So here I am, back in Birmingham. After a week of early mornings, lots of meetings, venue hunting, BBQing, finally being able to leave the house without a coat and living alone, I again have housemates and today decided to take the big step into the apple supported 21st century. Yes yes, helloooo macbook pro. Exciting stuff, but while it is without Office it's also proving a great distraction from dissertation writing, as i'm just toooo eager to start using it.
Definitely lots to get used to, no right clicking, no double tapping and still no idea what half of these keys do. Next distraction, read manual.

And so what else is there for a first time mac owner to do before they have any software installed?
HELLOOOOO

Like a prayer

...Madonna
I'm not really a big Madonna fan, but I can't think of anything right now, and since it was #1 the day I was born, thought it was quite apt. Maybe?

Today I went to the Steals warehouse. Always a treat, always dangerous. I did manage to resit many of the lovely dresses since I know all too well that I will never get round to wearing them as much as they deserve. This one however, how could I resit? Black, lacey and Christopher Kane for Topshop... £3. Yesss.



As for my other treats, birthday pressies included Topshop summer sandals, Cath Kidston sewing box, apron, button tin and passport holder, a beautifully decorated scrap book ready for me to stick my numerous homeless photos, Lola by Marc Jacobs, and a lovely white coat stand (which for now may well have to reside in my room here, not sure I'll be able to get that on the train). All in all I can safely say I have received no useless presents, they are all perfect :)

The Weakends

...Motion City Soundtrack.

Monday is my 21st Birthday. EEK. And last weekend was the masquerade party outing to snobs, surprisingly everyone made a great effort with their masks, looked great :)

Having celebrations early along with now being home for Easter also meant lots of early treats from my friends, including a beautifullll powder blue Jones sewing machine with white flowers on the cover from Beckie and Sherree (will post a picture when I get back), a floral Cath Kidston teapot from Adam, which is sooo pretty I love it :), knitting needles and lovely soft wool to get me started with my knitting from Jaime & Alex, plus various yummee chocolate cakes and this v. special chocolate-brownie-tart



Oh and I also made Ajay a Moomin/ butterfly birthday cake. Moonin is a bit of a podgey Moonin.



And now after a hectic journey - lots of running for buses and struggling with huge heavy cases - I'm back in Blackpool for the week. Before leaving B'ham I had Hannah to visit so used this as an excuse to visit all the art/crafty shops that are about, along with my first full visit around the museum and art gallery, which is seriously huggge. Today we popped into the latest exhibitions at the Ikon, and were rather disappointed, definitely not what either of us are able to define as 'art'.

Going to try and get tucked into my teeny bed now for the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy :)

Disappear

...Motion City Soundtrack

I think my fave song of their new album. Which they played when we saw them at the O2 Sunday night, along with a whole load of classics. (But due to 5 albums, not quite as many classics as I'd have like. This is because they should just introduce a medley.) And they were amazing. Considering how tired/ slightly hungover/ bleugh I'd been feeling recovering from Friday and Saturday night, it turns out a lot of loud fun music that was just what I needed.


Photo courtesy of Jaime. Trust my battery to die as soon as I whip out the camera.