Conor's big blogfest

Hong Kong

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:57:00 +0000

It has been a very long time since I have posted, but I thought I'd leave a brief one up here just for good measure.

I'm in Hong Kong, and it is awesome. Very big, very busy and very sunny (unusually for this time of year). I'll be home in 4 days, and I'll leave a proper comment up then because i am running out of internet time :D

Conor.

Fail at Humour

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Writing and the silent

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Here's a question:

Who do bloggers write for?

I personally don't really have a specific answer to that question. My blog has a relatively low number of views, so even if I am blogging for the readers my blog (as of thus far) has not been very successful. However, one other reason I might choose to write my blog would be for personal development and the ability to recollect my own thoughts in a more organised manner than if they were in my head. Also, I probably need to improve my writing style if I am to succeed at my chosen university course of History, so there is one thing.

While I say those words, however, I have always loved writing even from a young age, suggesting there is a lack of truth in the reasons I just gave. When I was 6 I'm pretty sure I was not too concerned about my future in the historical arts, and when I wrote I wrote stories, never a diary making much of my childhood hard to remember. Perhaps I write for something more, to satisfy some human need to communicate. To me, my thoughts go unsatisfied if I do not share them with others. I am a person that wants other people to know what I think, and I want to know what other people think on the same topics. In this way, I cannot understand those who are the "strong, silent types" who seem to give little care to whether people know what they are thinking or not. One of the most fantastic aspects of humanity is the ability to communicate, and to disregard that is to take for granted the evolutionary gift we have been given.

One final thing. While I talk of people who do not speak much, I would like to read the blog of someone who is considered to be the "strong, silent type", and see what really drives such people to say as little as they do. By no means is this necessary for me to continue functioning, but I would like to understand the types of people who are so different to me. Perhaps it is shyness, or perhaps it is something more to do with valuing your own thoughts over those of others (both admirable and arrogant), but I would really like to know.

So if anyone has any links to any types of blogs mentioned, please don't hesitate to send them my way. :D.

Much Love,

Conor.

Misfit Love

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:34:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h76NTH-f97k

Hello there,

I think most people would agree that I am rarely at a loss for words (indeed, often people note I could do with saying less on occasion), but this track off "Era Vulgaris" by Queens of the Stone Age leaves me stunned every time.

From the moment Joshua Homme announces "This is a little dance number called Misfit Love", the audience simply cannot expect the outcome. As the trance-like backing track moves towards the airplane crash guitar loop, the drums ride in with a consistent enough beat and enough variation between the bars to keep it as a reason to become addicted in itself. The screeching guitars, backed the sparse but tactical use of bass amounts to a devastating intro, which lasts for almost 2 minutes. In terms of pure performance, the band live seem to almost attack their instruments, getting as carried away as the track demands. Check out Josh's controlled savagery at 1.47, slicing his body through the rugged auditory chaos as the musicians amount to a mini-climax as the vocals come in.

Lyrically, Queens of the Stone Age have always been one of my favorites. Drugs, alcoholism and self destruction are a consistent theme, as the opening lines suggest:

"Wanna see my past in flames,
Don't waste a drop baby I ain't fussed"

As the band work their way towards the first chorus, it becomes clear that the song is largely about not only partying, but a sense of superiority imposed by their status. However, being QOTSA, the tone is often one of self-cynicism, as these lines suggest:

"Sidewalks, feel me strut so good?
Gutter, don't forget this face,"

Coupled with the cockiness of the initial line is the realistic realisation that the "Gutter" is never that far away, and that he may well return to it soon. As the track moves towards the final, almost euphoric conclusion, the backing vocals come in, chanting "I need a thrill", summarising the main message of the song (and sort of the band), that everything is expendable for the experience. Fantastically, between the two choruses the lyrics change from "I'm so slick" to "I'm so sick", perfectly encapsulating the two sided nature of Homme's business.

The final part of the song is perhaps the most interesting. Moving starkly away from the dark and cynical nature of the first two parts, The band keeps the tempo and dark lyrics but ups the tone of the song. Perhaps this is to suggest an acceptance of his situation, as he recognises himself as "Just a dead man, walking through the dead of night". He recognises his lost cause as he chants "Cause I've already gone", but perversely highlightes that other people benefit from his personal loss as if they "bet on me" they've won.

This live performance very accurately portrays the version I saw live in Dublin in the summer of '08, and the camerawork certainly does wonders for the effect. A very good live band, interestingly not making use of the many visual tools available to artists these days. However, the message is largely in the music, so perhaps this is a deliberate move not to draw the attention away from what is important.

Simply one of my favourite tracks, with much more to it than one might realise on the first listen. Probably my favourite band, although this track is taken from one of their less accomplished albums.

Anyway, that'll do for now. Toodles.

Musing on Musing

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:13:00 +0000

"Hmm",

The sound that I typically associate with the word "Musing". Its literal definition of course means:

"to think about something carefully and for a long time" - Cambridge Online Dictionary

However, when my good friend Simon suggested that I should put some "general musings about life" into my blog, it set me, if you don't mind the statement, musing on the nature of musing itself. For example, I find it amazing the amount of information our senses capture at one time, and that it is all processed almost instantly, but it still takes the human brain extensive thought, or musing, on certain subjects to be fully understood. By the literal definition, people muse all the time (e.g. deciding whether to date someone, whether they prefer Chinese or Indian food, or how they should get their hair cut) but i think the word "Muse" should have something of higher quality attached to it. I'd like to believe I live by the spirit of the law, not the letter, and musing to me suggests something more, something profound, that brings new meaning to ordinary things. The example given by the Online Dictionary I used was thus:

"I began to muse about/on the possibility of starting my own business." - Cambridge Online Dictionary

However, for my own romantic ideals to be realised, I would have made it something more along the lines of:

"I began to muse about/on the possibility of starting my own business, which led me to think about my personal goals as a person and whether I had my priorities sorted in such a way as to allow me to live the life that I have been given (which for all I know could be the only chance I get) to the fullest degree possible" - Conor's Wishful Thinking and Rambling Dictionary of Spelling and Grammatical Errors

However, I think its a bit difficult to argue with the Dictionary, so I might leave this point here. I just wanted to point out the strange, and most definitely individual, definition certain words have to certain people.

Also, Muse are an amazing band live.

Conor

p.s. A couple of weeks ago I had 13 pancakes for breakfast, and last weekend i spent in excess of 2 1/2 hours in a hot tub in one go.

The beveraged nature of Gap years and Gappies.

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:40:00 +0000

Howdy,

One other thing people seem rather more relaxed about out here is alcohol. I have lived in northern Ireland for the last 11 years of my life, a nation famous for its beverage consumption, but kiwis seem to do it both in more frequency and more heavily. I'm thinking about making a post in the next few weeks over what I consider to be the nature and motives behind excessive alcohol consumption (how fun), but for now I present you with a funny story of the weekend's antics.

Setting: New Zealand, Exam location at secondary school.

Conor finishes speech theory examinations.

Conor: (to Andrew and nick) Gee, I'm glad those are over. Chris and I will come watch you guys play rugby, and maybe drink some beers while doing so. After all, i did just finish generic excuse examinations!

Rugby match

Conor: Wow this is good rugby playing. I am also enjoying this chilled beverage.
Chris: I concur. The quality of rugby meets my high viewing standards and my beverage is also chilled. What a fine combination suitable for Zeus himself.

Back at flat

All: I cant believe we bought so much booze. May as well drink it.

4 hours later, back at rugby club

Conor: Whoa dude, you know so much about life and religion. You're amazing.
Dude: I know. I try my best. Let me buy you another beverage on top of the dozens you have already consumed.
Conor: "Sweet as"

In a bush outside, 30 mins later

Conor: Boooo!

Others: Conor, pray tell, why do you seem to have established residence in that bush?

Conor: Boooo! (trip, lies on pavement face down)

Others: Why, dear me, Conor seems to have experienced a rather healthy dose of fail.

Back at the flat

All: More drink!

In bar #2, after failure to make it into bar #1 due to inebriated status

Conor's female friends: Why hello there Conor. How do you feel this fine autumn's eve?

Conor: hehe, whooooOOooo, ugh (licks back of hands).

Conor's female friends: Perhaps we should return this fine gentleman to his place of residence. He appears to commenced snoozing upon the table and is also devilled by the drink of alcohol. (Conor gets driven home)

Outside bar #1

Andrew: woooOOOOooo (punches window) ooowwww (dribbles) ugh (hugs friend).

Friends: we should return him also to his abode. (Andrew gets driven home)

Flat, 1.30am:

All: Oh dear, the flat is locked.

Chris: I shall retrieve this caretaker! (retrieves "caretaker" from home, who is in fact a senior staff member)

Senior staff member: Oh dear, Andrew appears to have expelled vomitus into the hallway. I shall both clean it up and put this handsome man to bed.

Andrew: dribble. (Andrew gets put to bed after further vomitus in the shower)

Flat 3.30am:

Nick, Andrew and Hannah: We have arrived back home! Andrew did indeed come come out to meet is in town. Conor, how feel you?

Conor: Well enough my pals. I hear we have pizza in the fridge!

All: HUZZAH.

Fin

So there we are. A tale of life, love and mystery, presented through pretentious drama setting and incorrect grammar. I hope you enjoyed it, because I certainly payed the price for it the next morning.

Anyway, expect a few more updates in the next couple of weeks.

Peace out xoxo.

Old post unpublished from May:

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:49:00 +0000

Hello everybody.

I realise it has been ages since blog postage on my behalf, so here is a nice brief one to keep the habit up.

"The Host" is a South Korean monster movie. It is also, interestingly, remarkably good, and somewhat famous. If you have not watched it, i thoroughly suggest you do. It has evil scientists in it, comedy and a big monster that eats people. I personally find that combination very hard not to like, and while it sounds rather silly it manages to satirise the genre that it simultaneously masters. Srsly, check it out.

Separate/related note: There is nothing more infuriating than an erratic DVD player. SHAME on you SONY.

Who remembers nerds? The sweets? Well, I was amazed to find out that they still sell them here in New Zealand. Amazing/delicious. They were probably taken off the shelves back home because they were dangerous or something, but the kiwis don't seem too fussed. Then again, our car's handbrake does not work and it passed its warrant of fitness, so it would seem the nation is more relaxed about things more significant than sweets.

Anywhoo, cheerie-bye.

Simon, the great man himself.

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Hello there :D.

Just a brief post to say that my good friend Simon Campbell, author of the fantasticly magical blog "thethinkingphrase" @ http://thethinkingphrase.blogspot.com/ and my personal inspiration to start blogging has kindly agreed to contribute to my blog and perhaps bring it up to the reasonably high standards expected of internet speak.

If you read anything of value on my blog, chances are you could go onto his and read an article on the same subject that is twice the quality (and four times the spelling, and I KNOW that doesn't make sense). So check it out... (especially his awesome reviews)

2 posts in one day! I'm on fire!

Cheers to Simon for the redecoration by the way. Very talented with that stuff.

Cheery-bye:

Conor.

ill informed opinion on swine flu and general musings on the relevance of the news.

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Tue, 05 May 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Hello there.

I was quite amazed 2 days ago to find out that a boy who goes to the school where I work at has taken ill with swine flu. While he has been to America with the school band (who have since been quarantined), i was still quite amazed that he managed to come into contact with one of the (at the time of his visit) 200-300 people out of 303,824,640 who suffered from the disease. What is also interesting (and concerning) is that the other people have been quarantined as a result, and a few of them have started to show symptoms. The odds of this are quite mind boggling (less that 1,500 people have contracted the diesease worldwide), and it is quite the stark reminder that it is not merely a story to concern everyone else. Fortunately, the sufferers seem to be either recovering or handling the ailment well, so no concern there.

What is slightly more worrying is the realisation that the news does not merely apply to everyone else. At my age, some people (but by no means all) make the mistake of assuming that the unfortunate events reported in the news have no relevance to them, that they have no danger of interfering in their private, irrelevant lives. I was (and to be fair, probably still am) one of these people, but now the proximity of the flu has got me thinking. What if I have trouble getting home because of quarantine issues? Also, I assumed that when I returned home from my gap year that I would still have a job waiting for me at the local petrol station, but who's to say I won't be re-hired because of the depression?

I realise these thoughts have probably come to me a bit late (most people realise the news is relevant when they are 12 or so), but I just thought that was a bit interesting.

Look out for an opinion on the Spanish horror movie "REC" soon.

Conor.

Genesis.

noreply@blogger.com (Conor Campbell) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:04:00 +0000

I figure everyone starts off their blog with a reference to how this is their first blog. Well, this is my first blog, and I'm interested to see where it goes.

Also, Like other bloggers, I'll ask anyone who reads this to please leave feedback so I know what everyone thinks of what I have to say. I am by no means expecting a lot of people to read this, but to those who do I'd appreciate the opinions.

Finally, I guess I'll round off my first ever blog with some interesting tit bit of information. Chuck Norris (apparently) doesn't sleep, He waits. You know, I've never actually watched a full Chuck Norris movie, although I have seen the end of "Lone Wolf McQuade", and one particular scene where he roundhouse kicks someone in the face directly from the prone position, and then proceeds to blow up an entire house with one well placed grenade. Admirable effort, if you ask me.

Cheery-bye,

Conor