Free of Charge

I'm not too sure where to start with this post. Reading is a complete blur - four days mushed into one long weekend. I can't believe how much I've learnt from it. I'm aware that sounds slightly ridiculous as it's nothing more than a music festival but there’s something about having full responsibility and control over yourself, even for a few days, that seems to bring the best out of people. I'm going to restrain myself from expanding on any profanity in relation to the festival and attempt to focus more upon what we actually did there.

My normal day was as follows;
->Wake up fully clothed engulfed in (usually own) sweat
->Emerge from tent and be blinded by sun. Hear retina's sizzle.
->Search for sunglasses for 20 minutes.
->Realise they were on head already. Chuckle at stupidity.
->Get changed, brush teeth, use main arena toilets and return to tent.
->Have crisps, a nutrigrain and (if feeling naughty) bread for breakfast
->Sit on mat with friends and discuss nothing of importance. Laugh lots.
->11.00am. Open first beer. Discuss who we want to go see and that we want to go to the Silent Disco that evening.
->Watch 2 or 3 bands and return to campsite. Drink more.
->Stop drinking as 'it's too early to be getting pissed'
->Have another beer.
->Gather with a few friends and make way to arena whilst saying 'HALLA' to random people.
->Go watch some bands.
->Get separated from everyone and lose phone signal so nobody can be contacted.
->Befriend person standing next to you in crowd.
->Get crushed during performance and move further back into the crowd.
->Become frustrated as you're now even more crushed than before.
->Return to campsite and wait for evening performances for hours. Drink.
->Complain about how expensive a burger is.
->Watch headliners and feel self conscious about appalling dancing.
->Go back to campsite. Vow to go straight to bed due to extreme tiredness.
->Stay up for another 4 hours.
->Forget to go to Silent Disco.
->Go to sleep at 3.45am after body abruptly shuts itself down.

This cycle was repeated.

Sadly, the camera I brought with proved to have the battery life of a mayfly and died after just one day. I didn't take enough photos but still managed to get a handful of nice ones;

I got on with everyone around our campsite and enjoyed the company of countless people. I do regret the name we gave to our tent though. One tent named itself the 'Pussy Palace' and to rival this, our tent (formally Tentzilla), got the name the 'Vaj Mahal'. This became 'famous' amongst our fellow campers. The reason I regret it is rather self explanatory in that I stayed in a tent for four days called 'The Vaj Mahal'.

A few posts ago in 'A Pretty Mundane Post' I mention meeting up with a friend in Starbucks. Even though our meeting wasn't awkward I still thought I would somewhat resent her presence at Reading. She stayed a few tents away from the 'Vaj Mahal', and I thought this might dampen the fun. Thankfully it didn't. Far from it.
It made Reading better and without her being there I would have had less of a good time. I think it’s amazing how a handful of long conversations and the exchanging of knowing smiles can rub off on me so positively. I'll always have a soft spot for her.

Oddly, I wasn't that fussed about the music-side to the festival. I had a handful of bands that I wanted to see and I discovered a few that I liked. With that said, I quickly realised that I hardly went to the festival for the music - more for the social side and for the experience. Either way I absolutely loved some bands.
I thought that Noah and the Whale, The Macabees, Bombay Bicycle Club and White Lies were brilliant.
I really enjoyed Kings of Leon too even if the front man started having a go at the crowd. A handful of their songs bring back some nice memories from recent times. I thought that songs like Be Somebody, Closer and Use Somebody would make me depressed, and at first I was right. The more I listened though, the more I realised I could only associate them with good times I've had. That made me smile and I wished I could've been with somebody in particular when I heard them. If a song makes you happy then that’s a reason to like it. I love those three songs.
Other great bands were Radiohead (obviously) and Bloc Party. The Arctic Monkeys were a complete let down and their new, long hair/leather jackect-clad, image is nothing short of a joke. Such a dry performance. Oh well.

I learnt that when somebody says 'things will sort themselves out, don't worry' they actually make a valid point. Perhaps it’s true.
I learnt that when at a music festival I really don't like being in the mosh pits. A bit of jumping and pushing is fine but it gets to a point where you can't enjoy the music and are more worried about the massive, 30 year old, skin head called Ray, who keeps elbowing you in the ribs. I hate that guy.
I learnt how great it can be when you lose your inhibitions, just for an instant, and can be yourself. I reckon 'being yourself' is easier said than done. For some reason though, when I just let go slightly I find that people respond better to me and I have a inkling that that applies to everyone. After all, we all just want to have a good time and have a laugh.
I learnt that I'm unlikely to do Reading again. It's an experience. For me, that's the extent of it.
Finally I learnt that hearing a particular song or sharing a smiling glance can make a weekend for me. It sounds crazy - I paid £180 for a ticket and one of my highlights of the festival I got free of charge.

Tentzilla

Even though I didn't expect to pass my first driving test I'm still completely gutted. Thoughts of getting my own car and how much easier travelling around will be if I passed inevitably popped into my head, which made failing really disappointing.
I was unlucky though as the examiner was harsh (some might describe him as border-line evil) and at the very moment my test started it began to pour with rain. Brilliant. My low expectations didn't leave me as dissapointed as somebody who was already thinking about what he would hang from the mirror of his first car, so I'll manage.
Also I've decided I don't mind what my first car is. Whatever’s best value for money will do. So long as the car doesn't look like Simon's from the Inbetweener's I won't care.
I had to get on with the rest of my day and went to my cousin’s place to practise setting up the tent for Reading as we had no idea how we were going to do it. Turned out it's an enormous beast of a tent. Tentzilla if you will. There is only five of us so we will have plenty of room. I cannot wait for Reading. It's basically all I can think about!
After setting up the tent and packing it away I had to rush home in time for my guitar lesson. My dependence on the 113 bus emphasised my annoyance of failing my driving test. Either way I got home and had the lesson. I've now started to learn Apache, which was immortalised by The Fresh Prince of Bel Air:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7h-2UmHuxQ

I spent the remainder of the day packing for the festival and thinking of absolutely everything that I could bring. Amazingly my sister found a really old camera lying around in the house. It's a big semi-professional one that’s about 6 years old - maybe more. Its great luck seeing as I was seriously considering saving up £350 for a camera. I suppose using this old thing will tell me whether or not spending that amount of money is worth it. I plan on taking it to Reading with me.

These blog posts will begin to thin over the next week as after I return from Reading I'm off on a pre-season rugby tour to Loughborough for a few days. When I'm back, however, I hope that school will put me in a better frame of mind to start writing more acute posts will a more cohesive point to them (see first ever post).

Today I learnt how to set up a tent. I learnt that said tent is likely to get badly damaged and or totally destroyed by angry chavs and or by people jealous of its epic proportions. I learnt how to play Apache on guitar. I learnt that I really, really want to pass my next driving test, which I've already booked. I also learnt that telling people when I'm having it is a bad idea as its rubbish having to explain to a dozen friends that you've failed!

A Pretty Mundane Post

Practising playing on my guitar for as long as I did today can damage your fingers. Trust me. They certainly aren't the most attractive sight at the moment, that’s for sure. It's frustrating that I'm not improving as quickly as I would have hoped but I'm far older and more mature than I was when I played piano. That'll hopefully mean I will be more patient and relaxed about getting to grips with playing rather than getting hugely annoyed at myself. I was awful like that when I was younger. I used to slam my hands on the piano keys and shout at myself. I haven't changed really and still get peeved when I can't do something I want to do, except for that now I obviously don't have a semi-fit.

The leaver’s video for the guys in the year above at school was put onto Facebook today. I'm meant to be having a big roll in our one for this coming year and really, really have my work cut out. It was incredible. I hope I haven't taken on too much!

I discovered that I have two extra books to read for school other than Brideshead Revisited!

SHIT

I started reading one today after getting to Starbucks 30 minutes early to meet a friend. I thought our first meeting in ages would be awkward and unpleasant and originally I didn't really want to be there. Soon though it turned into a friendly chat and I'm glad it happened.

4pm - last driving lesson before my test. I have as little hope of passing as my Australian friend has of not having the piss ripped out of him due to the Ashes. In today’s lesson I stooled the car and almost ran somebody over. As far as I'm concerned that isn't the sign of a great driver...

Anyway, apologies for a pretty mundane post. I want to write a really good one on Wednesday night before I go off to Reading so I'll think of an interesting topic to write about.

Today I learnt that the idea of not being able to get on with somebody you used to have a thing with isn't necessarily true. It's hard and might be unpleasant but today I think I proved to myself that it can turn out alright. I learnt that I really should check my bloody homework diary before I go off and decide I've done all the reading I need to do. I'm going to have to read none stop now! Finally I learnt that I have to go over these 'show me tell me' questions for my driving test. I'll have to look at them in the morning...

A First Sign of Insanity

Another lazy start to the day. I'm going to make sure that this doesn't signal a return to a bad habit...
I went to Denmark Street and bought my first guitar! I'm so unbelievably happy with it and played it for a good few hours. I also tried writing my first little song. It's a poor attempt but I suppose you've got to start somewhere. It sounds like a song written by somebody who’s had two lessons. No surprises there then. Currently I'm also trying to learn how to play Hey Joe and Sweet Home Alabama but struggling with both. I'll keep trying and eventually I'll nail them.

Spurs played West Ham today and we won 2-1 which puts us top of the League with the best start to a season since we won the league in 1961. I'll enjoy it why it lasts! No seriously I really am going to enjoy it even if we're 3 games in.

Any free time I had after that was either spent practising card tricks ('cos I'm cool, and what?) and playing on my new guitar. I want to name the guitar something but cannot think of a decent name. I suppose it has to be a girl’s name because it’s this deep red colour and that would suit it better. On the other hand I'm probably getting slightly carried away as naming an inanimate object could be construed as a first sign of insanity...

In the evening I went to the exact same part of Highgate as last night where almost the exact same people were. Almost the exact same things happened in exactly the same way. Except a few more people were there and one or two go ridiculously drunk and fell asleep on a sofa (Helen). She has this amazing camera and I took some photos with it. I really would love to own one for myself. Maybe go out and take some photos as I've always loved taking pictures. After visiting the Newseum in Washington (a museum on the history of journalism) I had a desire to start taking pictures and I think maybe I should act on it. I reckon it’s important to act upon a desire as you sense it otherwise it could fade and you'll regret not going for it. With that said, photography remains a hugely expensive hobby so we'll see!

Talya sold me her Reading ticket for face value and I'm so excited now! I wrote this really long Facebook message to the people I'm meant to be camping with about details. It's helped us a lot especially because so little planning has gone into it and we're going to set up camp in just 3 days!

Today I learnt how Spurs doing well actually makes my day! It's quite sad really, that my football team somewhat dictates the state of mind I'm in...Oh well. I also learnt that I really should act on my instincts and just go for something. So as soon as I get up tomorrow I'm going to enquire about an affordable camera! Lastly, I learnt that there is no harm in trying to take control of a situation if you feel that you can honestly aid the direction of an issue. Thus this whole thing about the tent is sorted now and moving along at a much faster pace. I cannot wait for Reading. It's going to be amazing.

A Bit of Relaxation

Going against my recently created principles, I lounged about this morning for a good couple of hours on Facebook and playing Football Manager. I always thought that if I resorted to this (how I would normally have spent my free time) then I have somehow 'failed' myself but I figured that I could do with a bit of relaxation.
I had a driving lesson, which further implied that I am going to horrifically fail my test next week. I fear it'll be the first of many as I'm still making stupid mistakes and managed to get 4 Majors on a mock test.
The evening was a trip to the pub and then to a friend’s house in Highgate who had a few people over. I had a very uneventful day today but managed to learn something from it. And for no particular reason here is Seb posing with 5p coin he found on the street;
Today I learnt that, for me, it's definitely ok to lounge about once in a while. It's a pleasant release and there really is no good reason why I should deny myself of it.
I also learnt that drinking makes some people think they have a nice voice. This is not the case as this video clearly demonstrates:

Results

Got my results back yesterday. Glad the wait is over too. I had to go to my work experience straight after I opened the envelope and couldn't concentrate because I was buzzing so much. My cousin Ben did well and put the Deaner family in extremely good stead. It also helped heal his relationship with his parents who were still angry at him for allowing their house to be raped horribly.

That evening was spent at a results party, which left loads of people in high spirits with a huge weight off their shoulders. It was a real relief for everyone to get yesterday out of the way whether or not their results were what they hoped for.
I planned to leave the party at 11.15 as I was getting up early but there was a mix up with the cab I was getting home in and it took 45 minutes extra. I was a bit miffed as it was embarrassing enough going home by a cab (which I almost never do...anymore) without having to wait outside the house by myself for 25 minutes. The driver made up for it though. I love it when sometimes you just click with a stranger. We spoke about all types of stuff. School, results, the youth of today, football, his family. Weird how I can spend 2.30hrs at a party with lots of good friends but take just as much enjoyment out of a 35 minute cab drive home. I mentioned in an earlier post that the thing that really lets down London is the coldness that people give off. Maybe if Londoners were more unassuming then more people could enjoy conversations like the one I had. It rarely happens and I got lucky.
So today, after only getting about 5.30hrs sleep, I struggled to stay awake at the Law Firm I was working at. I enjoyed my day though as I helped go over a report and produce a summary of a particular case. I came home and had a Friday night dinner with my family. My Grandpa has an operation in the next few days so it was good to see him before it happens. He's in amazingly bold spirits which makes all of us forget about the whole thing. It was a lovely meal and so nice to hear him complement me on my results. I'll remember tonight's dinner more than most of the others we have had together I'm sure.

In that tone I thought better of going out and stayed home with my family. We did little more than sit in front of the TV but it was the only night I have done that this entire holiday and I forgot how surprisingly enjoyable it can be. My Dad and I watched, what is possibly the worst film ever made - Encino Man. It had the guy who played Samwise Gamgee and Brendan Fraser in it when they were only a few years older than me. It was still a pile of stinking turd though.

In the last two days I've learnt that keeping this blog daily is going to be a really hard task. So far I think I have missed four days but made up for it as I've gone along. I'll keep trying.
I learnt that I have to give the cabs my FULL postcode as the reason it was so late was because there were two roads of the same name in N20.
I learnt that hearing praise from somebody close to you can really make your day and that there are few better feelings around than that of accomplishment.
Lastly, I learnt that there is really no harm in hanging with your family. I don't know what others will think about this as you often hear stories about how difficult respective family lives are but all I know is that once in a while it’s worth just sitting around and chatting. Just like we used to.

OK so I just sorted out that awful post from a few days ago - my rant on happiness. I learnt that I shouldn't asume that people are going to share my ideas just because I bother putting them on the internet. So, if I am going to try and write something that I think might be helpful or worth paying attention to then I better buck up my ideas and not be a prick about it.

Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself

Edit: I've noticed this post comes across incredibly badly. Sophie's comment (at the bottom) is completely correct. Who the fuck am I to tell people when to be happy or sad or that they are wrong to be unhappy? I aimed this post at the person who made the "I'm a..." comment and should have been more aware of the fact people will interpret it differently. I had this ridiculous idea that it would speak to people but that was ludicrously optimistic.
I come across as hopelessly arrogant and unpleasant and I don't want people to think I'm trying to speak from a pedestal. Of course it’s always ok to be sad or estatic whenever anyone wants to be. Hell, I was fucking crushed about something recently myself. I regret writing this post. Rereading it, I come across as a total dickhead and make a big deal out of nothing. I apologise to anyone else who this pissed off.

Anyway, I don't want to delete a post so here's a few paragraphs of me speaking out of my ass. I'd advise skipping it though.

"I'm a miserable person"

What a pointless statement for somebody to make. Why is it so many people mope around saying stuff like that?
What good does it do when you make your own self pity the basis of your entire existence? The girl/guy at the party who gets drunk and then goes off in the corner and gets upset about how rubbish they are. Wake up. You live once and once only. Stop drowning out the time you have by convincing yourself that you're miserable.

I'm not a guru or somebody who thinks he can screw somebody's head on properly just because I write an essentially pointless blog but I am a person who reckons that being happy is more important than anything else that anyone can possibly fathom. The mental block that people encounter when they come to the conclusion that 'oh shit, I'm unhappy' is the most self destructive thing known to human kind. Fuck the Atom Bomb. We didn't 'invent' that redundant nuance of depressive acceptance that keeps any positive thoughts tucked away somewhere in your head.

Sometimes I just want to shake people and tell them to stop being a fool. Of course, some people actually do have a condition. Manic depression, insomnia. These people cannot help it. It's those who are perfectly fine and have the potential to be happy right in front of them that really gets on my nuts.

Yes, I know that people have to go through some horrible, horrible things in life and yes, I know that sometimes it's things out of your control that cause you to be unhappy but for Gods sake - if you've not been through anything like that then get off your fat, stinking (presumably hairy) ass and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Anyway. Rant aside.

I worked in a Litigation Law Firm today. My first of three days. I learnt about Italian judicial proceedings (don't die of excitement) and how staying out late the night before work is NOT a good idea EVER....except tomorrow for results night. FUCK. Results!
I learnt that instead of listening to people casually mention that they're unhappy I should stamp down on them. It's just not worth having somebody you know acknowledge their unhappiness without anyone trying to snap them out of it.

Goddamn Moron Toddlers

I feel somewhat inclined to write entries more along the lines of the first I posted a few weeks ago. I'm worried this has turned into a documentation of my summer holidays rather than something of real value. I'll try and find the balance.

I've had a friend staying over for the past few days so I haven't really had time to blog. I also thought that it would be pretty rude if I did. That said, I did leave her in the house by herself for 2 hours whilst I had a driving lesson... (in which I failed my mock test...badly)

I have a very unique friend in Zoe (who stayed). I suppose only she'd know what I mean. Its odd how you can not see somebody for ages but then just get on fine with them when you do. I don't think many people have that so I consider myself lucky.

Sunday, I 'boxercised' some more and afterwards went to Hackney Marshes to play a friendly for the Sunday league team I've joined. We lost 2-1. I scored our goal. Unfortunately, our stand-in keeper, Dan, got tackled really badly and broke/fractured his leg. Not the best start to a season...

Next came a frantic rush to reach the Spurs game. I got a lift from our match from Scott who was actually a life saver. I was so desperate to get to the game that I offered him a tenner! And I actually would have given it to him. Spurs won 2-1 and left me buzzing. Next I went to pick up Zoe and we went to the pub, chatted and came home. We were both extremely tired. Her journey in the late evening tired her out, as did my relentless exercising.

The next day we went to the Southbank and the Aquarium. It had been all done up for little kids and unsurprisingly it was filled with this new target audience.

"MUM LOOK IT’S A FISH"

...what did that kid expect to see in an aquarium anyway? And what’s with them hitting the glass? THE FISH DON'T LIKE YOU! Goddamn moron toddlers!

I'm not going to go through the next day. This isn't a diary (and I have to get up at 7am for work experience tomorrow)

I learnt that it’s completely invaluable to have a 'person'. By that I mean, somebody who you can trust no matter what. Someone who you can make yourself completely vulnerable to and not feel uncomfortable or awkward. I learnt I had more than one today.
Also I learnt that £16 for a few fish and some sharks is just SUCH a rip off. I mean COME ON! Finally, I learnt, over these past couple of days that there probably isn't a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching Spurs beat Liverpool with my Dad (awww ain't I cute).

Punching and Cleaning

I got home today at 10.30pm and which, apart from being one of the earliest nights I’ve had in a few weeks, was one of the first times I’ve come home after an evening got boring. Usually I’d decide to grim and bare it but in this case I thought I might as well leave and write a half decent blog entry. I’m not certain why I normally just prefer to stay out. Sure, the fact I am extremely tired played a part but I think that I favour the idea of being out during the holidays. Seems a bit daft when you don’t have any idea about what you’re doing and you’ve just come out for the sake of it. What a waste of an evening.

After collapsing on my bed for a solid 11 hour sleep I was woken up at 10.45am by a friend asking if I wanted to go for a run and do some ‘boxercising’. Essentially, this meant us running to the park and using boxing gloves and pads, whilst tiring ourselves out accordingly. Ed tried to convince me that my upper body is going to hurt a lot from it. I was sceptical, but judging by how both my arms are shaking and I cannot lift them above head height, I think he might just have had a point. It was good fun and I’m going tomorrow as well.

By the way, this is a press up, not some sort of sexual demonstration.

Shattered once again (this time from exercise rather than sleep deprivation}), I fulfilled my promise of travelling to my cousins to once more assist him in his Covert Operation - cleaning the house. It was a real mess. People had even poured jam and chutney in the bath and drawn an offensively large penis on the bathroom mirror which took an hour to clean off. The kitchen looked as if it had been hit by some sort of bomb and the stairs were blacker (they’re white normally). By the time I left, the house looked presentable and I think everything will be alright.



It's spotless now!

I then went home with a mate who I hadn’t seen for over a month. It was good to catch up and chat. We arranged to meet some people in Golders Green. I had dinner but came back here after about an hour because I was extremely bored and decided it’ll be nicer to watch TV with my sister than stand around without anybody making a proper decision about where to go. We watched 8 out of 10 cats together.

I’m glad the Premier League season has started now. It’s become such a constant presence and interest throughout my life. I suppose it provides a distraction from other stresses and burdens that surround everyone, everyday. Wow, I’ve actually created profanity for football…Like that ridiculous Sky Sports advert with Jose Mourinho that’s unbelievably embarrassing.

It’s true though. It’s important that we think about why we value something other than just accepting that we like it. I reckon it’s easier to appreciate something that way. For me, football is one of the few things I enjoy no matter what. So it’s exciting when the new season kicks off and once more I get the chance to slag off, defend and praise my dear Spurs. Most of the time I defend them - someone has to.

Tomorrow I’m going to the first game with my Dad against Liverpool. I also am playing in a friendly with Athletic Bilbaum beforehand, which I’m really looking forward to. When that’s all out the way I think I’m collecting a friend who’s going to stay at mine for a few days, although I’m not certain if it’s definitely going to happen. Either way it’s another busy day.

Today I learnt how imperative it is to stick to your word. I promised my cousin that I’d help him with his border-line squat of a house and despite the journey I fulfilled my pledge to help him. I also learnt that this whole notion of ‘being out for the sake of it’ is complete rubbish. I honestly cannot believe I do that. I’d be much better off having an alcohol free evening and a good night’s sleep. I mean, it really does say a lot when watching TV trumps leaving the house and, in future, when another ‘nothing’ evening comes to light I’m going to give it a pass and stay at home. I also learnt that Detergent definitely DOESN’T go into the dishwasher as well as how to clean various other parts of a house. Tragically, Ben didn’t learn how to clean a tomato soup-stained bedsheet, which will be an interesting conversation with his parents...

NB

I planned on editing my post from last night this afternoon as I had a feeling that it might be hard to understand or poorly written. I was so tired that I literally couldn't move and almost fell asleep on top of the keyboard...
Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm not going to edit it now because I just read it and it's hilarious...I didn't go to France...why the hell would I write that?
I suppose that's what 2 all-nighters in the space of 5 days will do to you. Take it from me - bad idea.

The Last Two Days

Ok, so I didn't upload a Aug13th as I was able to acess a computor and I apologise for how incoherent the words will be - I'm just home from France but I feel so so so so tired.

13th August

I started my day at the gym as usually and slowly made my transition to practising guitar and going ver some brief card tricks. Although, mundain and slightly cringeworthy in a sense, this is how the holidays are 'supposed' to be.

I then had a driving lesson where I cut up more drivers on Appex Corner - the roundabout of certain death (fun nickname). My dricving is still resuty and my prospects for the up and coming test look bleak.

Then came the return to my cousin's house (as can be seen in an earlier post)whereby Ben's parents were away for ten nights. Many agreed it was the best night he held but only a minutre percentage of these people actually stayed in the morning to help clean the house.

Anyway I learnt to go with my instincts and simply hope for the best.

Wednesday 14th

Woke up in TV room with someone else. Quickly got up and began tidying. This cleaning went on to 5pm despite an 8am mistake. Some people had put peanut butter all over the tiolet mirror and I cleared it all up. It took some 2 and a half hours to clean a single room!

We didn;t stop aside from a lunch break and to buy washing supplies. Ben came here for dinner tonight and we laughed at how hard we were trying to insure nobody worries.

Today I learnt it can be really fullfilling when you work as a team to reach a goal, whatever that goal may be. Also I learnt that I hate all -nighters witha strong passion. I cannot stay awake anymore...

It'll Be Tough

I've noticed that the ambiguity of some of the things I've written is over the top and I'll sort that out as a few people have mentioned how impossible it is to understand what I'm trying to convey. Speaking of which - today I saw this thing that made me think that everything is going to be ok with that other thing that only I know about.

Anywho...

As these holidays have gone by it's got more difficult to write here. It's not that I've broken all my fingers in an unfortunate car-door-slamming incident but that it's simply harder to find things to do. In the first week it was very easy to just choose a new skill to learn or attempt something that I had always wanted to try like guitar. Now, however, it’s a slightly different story.
Often what happens is that I get immensely frustrated when I'm idle in my bedroom or around the house. So I occupy myself with as many things that I consider to be 'productive' or 'worthwhile' as I can.

For instance today, as I had nothing planned in the morning, I went to the gym and had another steady workout. Unfortunately, even after weeks of working out, I’m still very pale, very Jewish and not hench.

I turned down the chance to play football in the park because after I could no longer get a lift there (as my friend with a car pulled out) I decided not to go. I shouldn't have been that lazy and regret not going.

In order to make up for this lapse in attitude I thought it would be a sound idea to try and write some songs. This is because once I and a few others came up with some amusing (but highly offensive) song lyrics and today I decided that some of these funny ideas should be put down on paper. So I went to a mate's house to get started. Unfortunately the session wasn't very productive but we did manage to recited a song about Joseph Fritzel. Yeah, I know, I’m going to Hell.

After dinner I had the urge to go to the pub to watch the England game against Holland. I ended up watching it with my Dad at home, which is how it usually is and how I prefer it. I don't know why I was so desparate to watch the match somewhere else. I've been watching football with my Dad for as long as I can remember and to change that would be odd. It ended up as a two all draw, with Defoe grabbing two, and England recovering from two nil down.



Next I went to a friends in St.Johns Wood. There were five of us and we ended up at Primrose Hill, which was just as satisfying as it was a few nights ago. It was another warm evening and reminicent of being in a European country at night. Unfortunately, due to excessive cloud cover, we didn't see the meteor shower that happened this evening.





Today I learnt that if I really want to keep this blog readable I'm going to have to try extremely hard to find something new to learn every day. It'll be tough.

Today I learnt that I should get into writing songs again because it felt extremely rusty today. I learnt that trying to involve myself in as many 'productive' activates as possible can lead to me becoming far too frustrated with myself. This frustration is damaging and unhelpful. Being annoyed with yourself is just one of the worst feelings ever. It doesn't get you anywhere. So to avoid such a problem I need to start taking the concept of this blog slightly less seriously. Finally, I learnt that I'll probably always enjoy watching Football with my Dad more than anyone else.

Glad That's Sorted, Then

This morning I had breakfast at the Golders Hill Park Café with a friend, which I had never even thought of doing before. Even though the sun was hiding behind the clouds and my friends' choice of apple juice attracted a legion of wasps, it was still one of the best starts of a day I'd had for ages. I could probably count the amount of times I've eaten breakfast out on my fingers so this morning was something a little different.

I got home and bizarrely made the decision to run an errand for my Mum. I usually only do that kind of thing if it doesn't include moving. So very rarely.
I walked into town and bought lunch from Tesco's. This is because I am cool. Hampstead is so pleasant on a summer’s day and I actually really enjoyed walking there and back. It cleared my head.
On the way there I listened to that reggae radio station I mentioned the yesterday. I'm really starting to like it.

My guitar lesson went well. It feels odd having music lessons at 17. For me, that’s always been something I associate with being 11 or 12. The difference now is that I actually want to play the guitar and my Mum isn't forcing me into playing like she did when I was younger but with the piano.

I can't go into detail about the more fulfilling part of my day. It's too incriminating and personal. What I will say is I got a whole weight off my shoulders and now know exactly where I stand with this issue. Anyway, that sounds like some hard-to-understand rubbish but I have learnt a lot from it and although it applies to me only - it’s invaluable.

Ah yes, my last activity of the day...discussing what I learnt. Easy. I learnt some of the 12 bar blues on guitar and another new card trick. I learnt how I'm actually starting to live in Golders Hill Park and that breakfast there with somebody who lives locally is a good idea. Oh, and I learnt I really like reggae.
Ultimately though I learnt that sometimes taking a big risk can be completely worth it no matter how badly a situation might turn out.

Anybody New, Anytime Soon

My morning began with excessive cleaning and a 40 minute bus journey back home. I was shattered. No sleep and no rest had left me powered only by a Cappuccino that I bought at Costa while waiting for the bus to arrive.


I sat on an empty bus (surprisingly surreal) and drifted off, safe in the knowledge that the Reggae radio station I found would suffice as company. I was a whole new classification of tired.

Opening the door to my bedroom was an overwhelming relief but by now I was in a state of 'overtiredness' - that contradictory feeling whereby you're actually too tired to fall asleep. Instead you find a new source of energy from nowhere and begin to think you're not that tired at all...until you lie down for 'a short nap' and realise you've just awoken 3 hours later.

I had a friend over in the late afternoon. We played table tennis again but, despite my cockiness, she beat me. I doubt I'll hear the end of it and rightly so. Beaten in my own home. A great dishonour. We then played Spit, which she also beat me at...5 times. Further dishonour.
I played guitar for ages today and it's starting to hurt my fingertips less when I play. With that said, I'm still a way off of retaining the full feeling among the tips of my left fingers. I have another lesson tomorrow, which I'm really looking forward to.

Soon, my evening turned sour. Suffices to say I was really upset by something. I won't elaborate or go into any sort of detail as this blog isn't an excuse for me to have a go at people or make assumptions of individuals. Hell, I'm even really careful about the names of friends I mention and delving into potential conflict would be unnecessary and boring. So I'll avoid that and just point out that it seems very probable that I was lied to concerning something I consider important. That shows a lack of respect and for me, aside from happiness, respect is the most important thing. I suppose that's all I want to say.

Either way I telephone my friend (the one who came over earlier) to talk about the whole thing. I don't know what it is about friends who'll always listen but she's one of them. I felt much better and we moved on to talk about other things as well.

So far, nearly everything I've learnt has been a positive thing. Today is different. I learnt not to trust people as much. I learnt that I can sometimes put far too much faith in people I care about. I think that is a mistake a lot of people partly bring upon themselves and I know that I definitely won't grant my absolute trust to anybody new, anytime soon. People can mistake a trusting attitude for weakness and go on to exploit it. It's sad but it's true. Obviously, this isn't news to anyone but it's definitely easily forgotten.
I basically mastered playing A Horse With No Name today and, to end on a positive note, I learnt that sometimes you don't need to look as hard as you think to find somebody who cares about what you have to say.

Oh boy.

Wow. That was dumb.

My cousin's internet wasn't working for some reason last night and I couldn't log onto this blog to update it so I'm doing it now instead.
Bottom line is there has been cleaning to do and sore heads to nurse and getting 2 hours sleep is a highly inadvisable way to start your day.
Yesterday, on the other hand, started well. I went to football practise and although it was unproffessional and of low attendence I still enjoyed it. It's easy to enjoy playing sport when the weather is like this. By that I mean really sunny in case when this is read its bucketing outside.
Afterwards I came here. It was a few of us at first so I took the oppurtunity to practise some of my super-duper-awesome-card-tricks. It actually went rather well - a heavy improvement on last night whereby I failed miserably to impress.
Well, the rest is history and those who know me, know exactly what I mean. Also; why is there 3 random people here still? Like, who are they and why doesn't Ben seem to care? They just came back from the shops with eggs and I'm begining to think they reckon this house is a squat or something. Oh Boy. One of them looks kind of like a pixie and not the good kind.

This entry would have been longer had it not been for the internet. Yesterday I learnt how important it is to throw myself a good time. I learnt how to get to Mill Hill Broadway from Golders Green as well as how to fix my damaged Table Tennis Table. I also learnt that any attempt of pulling an all nighter is completely daft and I was right to try and get some sleep.

Day In the Park

Waking up in Simon's room with four other guys is debatably an undesirable way to start a day. It depends though, as some may appreciate the constant 'man smell' that spread itself elegantly, whilst others may be put off by its potency (and general stench). Either way I managed to get home before midday, shower and eat lunch. This achievement, in itself, deserves a medal of some description.
My plans to go the gym were pleasantly disrupted by a phone call from two mates who were near by. Soon another joined us and eventually we went to Golders Hill Park, where we were joined by even more.



We stayed at the park for hours until it was 7pm when some came back to mine to sit outside, chat and play Table Tennis.
Preparation for my evening began as soon as they left and I arrived at the party at nearly 9 o'clock. Soon a lot of people were drunk, including most of my friends there. I wasn't drinking but I didn't feel left out...more of a sense of detachment because they were in a world of their own. This being the infamous drunken fantasy land whereby you're convinced that you actually can dance, not really embarrassing yourself (as you're being so god dam funny) and definitely not going to throw up if you have some more Smirnoff. The only place were these things make sense is in Drunken Fantasy Land.
The more I choose to stay sober at parties the more I begin to get put off drinking. At 11pm I decided I wanted to leave.



I'd basically had enough and was pondering whether I was in the mood to be out at all. So I asked Josh if he wanted to go to the pub. We did and it was easily the nicest part of my evening. The party itself was never bad or anything like that it's just that I didn't feel like I was in the right mindset for it tonight.

Anyway, onto discussing what I learnt. Today I learnt another card trick (which I'm not very good at sadly). I learnt that sometimes it can be great to hang out with a crowd you normally wouldn't mix with, especially in a sunny park. I learnt a little about the views of Robert Nozick, a political thinker (not that would interest anyone aside from me). Most importantly is that, after going to the pub with Josh, I really began to understand how invaluable it is to be able to discuss things in depth with somebody who's not only going through something similar to you but is somebody who you can trust to listen. I apologise about how ambiguous that is but the point remains.

Card Tricks and Simon's

For the first time in almost two weeks I didn't have any plans today. I woke up early, read a little more of my book and then started to fall into the unbearable hole of boredom. I began to search for a way to crawl out of its frustrating grasp. In my somewhat desperate search I came across an old hobby I used to have...
When I was around 13 I used to do card tricks and other 'magic'. In fact my parents must have spent around £200 on stuff for me to do with my 'magic'. So I dug up loads of my old books and tricks and started practising. I actually really enjoyed it and forgot how priceless it can be to make somebody gasp in amazement and how amusing it is that the trick you've just performed is so shockingly simple.
Later I went out for lunch with my Mum. No, I’m not embarrassed to say it, as it was really quite nice and I enjoyed it. Sometimes it’s good to go out to lunch with your Mum, even if she still tries to order for you - ‘Samuel, you can have a beer if you want?’
Soon after I went to the gym for a massively epic workout. I spent 2.30hrs in the gym and came home feeling shattered yet rejuvenated - that strange limbo-like feeling of exercise. I then went to the pub (again) and played Whist with the guys (again). Jonny nabbed me to it right at the end. The Bast.
Afterwards I decided to go to Primrose Hill. I was worried it might be a little dangerous but it was filled with people and really is a great location with a humbling view of London. Some people nearby were playing guitar and the atmosphere was just really friendly and relaxing.


Currently I'm at Simon's house with 5 others who are all downstairs in his kitchen eating KFC.


Today I learnt 3 new card tricks. I learnt that going out for lunch with your Mum once in a while is something I should do more and that Primrose Hill on a warm summers evening is a great place to be. I also learnt about a few other things but I'm currently sitting upstairs in Simon's house away from everyone and should stop writing now.

Reunited

I woke up early again - eight o'clock and started reading a new book, 'The Secret Agent' by Joseph Conrad. I practised playing guitar for about an hour and figured out how to play Horse With No Name by America. This is a very easy tune to play and a complete hippie song. I gained a real sense of accomplishment from nailing it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0KKGdb4qUY

Obviously I didn't learn the drum and base parts as I'm not a walking hippie guitar band (although that would be nice)

Later I went to Golders Hill Park to meet up with a mate who I hadn't seen in more than two months. We had lots to catch up on and during a hot summers day it’s nice just walking around the area with a friend, chatting about everything, without a care in the world.



After that I had a driving lesson and I finally got the hang of Appex Corner. I dread Appex Corner more than I fear Nuclear Warfare or Angry Lepricorns. Yup...that much. It’s so frightening to have to move across two lanes, on a roundabout, whilst changing gear, without crashing. Please...don't be in my test!

The evening was unbelievably fun. I went to the pub with some friends I hadn't seen in ages as they had been taking camp and it was brilliant to see them. Perhaps we drank too much but we had a total laugh as usual. I missed having friends around like that - those who you can just see for a guaranteed good time no matter what.




We went to another mates house and fortunately she seemed happy to see us despite our drunkenness. You see, by now the drink had sunk in more than the ink of a very potent tattoo and I fear I won't recall much of tonight by tomorrow morning...






Today I learnt a song on guitar (and that your fingers really do bleed if you play too much) and discovered how valuable it is to have a group of friends you'll always laugh with - plus having shots is generally inadvisable. Evidence for this is that I'm finding it hard to type coherently or stay seated on this chair...

Reggie Watts

Having found myself playing on the guitar for the first hour of my day I noticed that it was 10.30am and I didn't have time to get ready for the gym, walk down there and workout. By then my fingers were completely purple and it still hurts to type with my left hand...
I had to find another activity. I didn't have any plans for during the day so took it upon myself to do some extensive research for university.
I created a folder of all the courses I'm thinking of taking and their corresponding universities. This is because I am cool. Eventually I found a History and Politics course at Nottingham that looked ideal.
Although useful, I really didn't find my morning to be particularly productive, which frustrated me as I'm now desperate not to any waste time.
I did eventually get down to the gym but it was disappointing. In contrast with my two hour workout yesterday it was far more light hearted and less intense as I was tired and subsequently lazy. The poison laziness.

The evening turned my whole day around though. I had been asked to go see a comedian (if you can call him that) called Reggie Watts at the Soho Theatre. It's a small theatre and only holds about 140 people. I had no idea it was there before this evening.



Tonight was the kind of thing I would just say no to simply because it would mean I'd have to travel in a manner that doesn't include the 82 bus route. I realised that this edginess of not wanting to go to an area just because I don't really know it is both stupid and lazy - again with the bloody laziness.

So tonight, I went.

What a good decision too. Reggie was awesome.



He used a loop machine and created songs just using his own voice. His vocal range was crazy and he was a massively talented singer and pianist too. Just by being odd and funny and border-line insane he left the audience in hysterics.
Definitely an acquired taste as I can't think of too many people that would have enjoyed it other than my two friends Sam and Louis who I went with.



This was the video I had seen of Reggie before I went, 'What about Blowjobs?' - http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1771127

Afterwards we began to walk to the station when Louis suggested that we go back and wait for Reggie to leave. Sam was up for it but for some reason I was sceptical. I snapped out of it and quite literally said 'fuck it why not?' and we all went back.
We did meet him. He was really friendly and seemed genuinely touched that we had stayed behind to tell him how much we enjoyed the show. Louis and Sam plan to watch it again as they were assured by Reggie that the show was basically all improvised and would be different tomorrow night. I wish I could go but I've already got plans.

I walked home from the tube station. The walk was relaxing as always and the moon was particularly bright. The kind of bright that gives the sky a deep blue colour. Walking home at night clears your head. It takes about 5 minutes more than the bus so I really don't know why I do it so rarely.

Today I learnt that I need to have a better idea of what I want to do with my life after school is over. I'm not far off starting my last year and have barely done any research on universities. That's changed slightly now though. Also walking home is better than getting the bus...unless it’s raining.
I've also learnt how to overcome that mental obstical I seem to meet when something out of the ordinary comes along. I had such a fun evening and even met the guy who made it so fun, which left us all buzzing. Plus I learnt that some American's really can pull British accents. Reggie Watts is from Montana and his English accent is better than mine.

Finally, Guitar!

Oh dear. A loss of respectability...just got home from a pub in Camden called Quinn’s. This blog entry probably won't be very eloquent. Bear with me.

I have had a long day. I woke up at 8am (as I'm done with lie-ins now) and got washed, ate breakfast and made my way to the gym for an epic two hour session. This is in preparation for the rugby season whereby I want to ensure I am not snapped like a twig - perfectly logical, no? It’s also revitalising and I feel fresh at the end of a workout. I'm going to try and go tomorrow morning too.



During the middle of the day I became frustrated. This blog seems to have altered my attitude slightly. When I get up I can't help but focus on what I can achieve that day. What can I write on the blog? What have I learnt? Has my day been worthwhile?

After making some notes on my personal statement and doing some research on a potential gap year I found myself bored. I'm not sure about a gap year as inter railing for £388 after school is over would probably suffice. I'll think about it.

They say boredom is character building but before I could decide what to do with myself I ended up talking to a friend who I haven't seen or properly spoken to since I got home from America. She is really into juggling and circus tricks so after having spoken to her I found my juggling balls to see where it would lead me. I was learning a new skill and, although essentially pointless, it's leagues better than sitting around doing nothing of any value. After about 40 minutes I competently juggled with three balls. Then I got carried away and tried to learn a trick called Mills or something from YouTube. After 2 hours I decided I was almost there but had to stop.

I stopped because I had been juggling for almost 3 hours (and I thought my arms were about to fall off) but also as I had my first ever guitar lesson. I have always wanted to be able to play since I began to listen to good music from the age of 13. I cannot believe it has taken me almost 5 years to take it upon myself to get a lesson. I loved it. I'm going to practise (albeit on my sisters guitar) until my fingers are bleeding. I write songs and hopefully I will finally be able to write a tune to them myself rather than getting somebody else to do it.

Later I went to a mates to watch 40 Days and 40 Nights before leaving to go to Quinn's. On my walk back to the tube station after the pub one of the girl's who was with us disappeared around a corner. Thinking she was on the phone I went after her whilst saying my goodbyes. Turned out she was squatting on the floor taking a piss. Charming. Possibly the best first impression known to man. There is no bigger turn on than having to avoid a girl's trail of urine that is menacingly making its way towards you along the pavement...Although disgusting, I can't recall the last time I have laughed so hard.

I got the train back with Miles who can be seen here - five pints to the good:




I'm a light weight so after three pints I was gone and have just arrived home in a drunken huff. I decided I would be totally dedicated to this blog and have written in it anyway despite my poor alcohol laiden articulation.

So, the big question...what have I learnt today?

I'm not one to avoid a profanity so I suppose having my first guitar lesson has shown me the value of just trying something new. It sounds so simple but I think people are afraid of that concept - 'What if I'm bad at it?' 'I cba...' etc etc. I often take that attitude and I'm desparate to rid myself of it. Its self destructive and lazy. I learnt to juggle (kind of), which is a new skill and I picked up a few basic chords on guitar - so it's been a decent day.

In Good Company

When I was about 14 I decided I had gone off reading. I resorted to playing Football Manager and watching hours of pointless television. Reading really is great and I underestimated how much more enjoyable reading a book (with my cat at the bottom of my bed) is than sitting aimlessly in front of a TV screen watching the Sky Sports News headlines over and over again untill I could recite the post-match interview with Ronaldo by heart. I'm currently about to finish Brideshead Revisited, a book by Evelyn Waugh, which I am studying for English A2 Level.



Its brilliant and I can't get over how easily I have been sucked into it. Finally, 'unputadownable' means something to me again.

I carried out arrangements to see a friend today. She surprised me by telling me that she used to be a tom-boy and by giving me a real run for my money at a game of table tennis. I have a ping pong table in my garden but today was the first time I had opened it up in ages - possibly 2 or 3 years. It was literally covered in spider webs and dead leaves. What a disgrace it is that I am lucky enough to have a table tennis table but never even bother to play on it when I have people round!

We went for a walk on the heath as the weather was good. Again, I live a 15 minute walk from Hampstead Heath and I rarely even bother going there. It really is right around the corner and I am passive enough to just sit at home when I could be going out and enjoying the sun as well as another person's company in an atmosphere that is vastly superior to that of my Spurs-decorated bedroom. My room also happens to be untidy and filled with more uselessness than a water-proof sponge factory.
I would usually have planned a day like today out but instead decided to see what happened. It was good hanging with somebody I hadn't seen in ages but not so good when I bumped into a teacher from my school in the process. This is always awkward. Always.





Later I found out that many of my friends were going to my ex-girlfriends house as her parents are away. Naturally, (especially due to how recently we split) I wasn't invited so I had to find something else to do. I was kind of annoyed I would miss out on seeing a lot of people I wanted to see, all in one place, drinking and presumably having a good time. Fortunately, I found something else to do and spent the best part of my evening chatting and playing Whist. I definitely had a better time than I would have pretty much anywhere else. Sure, we weren't numerous or doing anything particularly active but when you're with two good friends you realise that you don't need to be at a party to have fun. As Will said - "why do people seem to think you need to be in a big group to have a good time?"

He's right and people tend to forget that. I did. The disappointment when texts saying 'hey are you doing anything tonight?' are met with replies along the lines of 'nothing I can't find anything' is unnecessary. Why, I wonder, do some people then think there isn't any point in going out? I reckon everyone must have a group of people they consider to be their closest companions. So on a night like that - go see them. Why the hell wouldn't you? You'll almost certainly enjoy it more than sitting at home by yourself.

Today I learnt that reading is as great as ever and after I've finished Brideshead I'll move straight onto my next book. I reinforced the old notion of looks being deceiving and believe you me - you would never have thought my friend as ever being a tom-boy if you met her now. I learnt that I have to try harder to take full advantage of the resources around me - the heath is a perfect place to go if I have nothing to do on a clear day. Lastly, it’s obvious now that I don't need to be in a big group of people who are smoking or drinking to have a good time - it’s the company itself that really counts.

Lie-ins Are Overrated

I woke up at around 10.15 today which is really early for my holidays. I turned on my phone and I had a really unexpected message asking me to come play football somewhere. It was a journey that could take me two buses and about 30 minutes plus I found out people would start playing at 10.30. In the spirit of my previous night I just decided to go. So I skipped a proper breakfast, eating a couple of Nutri-Grains and a Tracker Bar on my way, and went to play some footie.
Usually I wouldn't dare to do anything like that - not knowing who was playing (a huge amount of my friends are away on taking camps), not knowing how long I would be there for or what I should bring with etc etc. I just went because I liked the sound of it and made a decision without thinking about it too much, which is really unlike me.

Turned out it was a friends older brothers' football team made up mostly of university students. We did circuit training, attack vs. defence and shooting practise among other things. It ended up with them offering me a place on their team.
The team is in the men’s Jewish leagues and the last time I joined a team was around 5 years ago and I left almost 3 years ago because of GCSE's but I've always missed playing. So I thought 'why the hell not?' and said I would join. Its a men’s Jewish league so I doubt we'll encounter Dad's who tell the ref to 'leave my darling Moshe alone' or Mums who tell them 'not to get too muddy'. Yet somehow I think we'll end up playing teams that look like this:



I had no plans for the rest of the day until I heard my friend (the one who asked me to come to the practise in the morning) say he was thinking about going to the Emirates Cup to watch Arsenal vs. Rangers. It occurred to me that sounded like a fun idea and we arranged to go.
I enjoyed it even though I'm a Spurs fan. It felt like I was letting down my family heritage of avidly supported my beloved Tottenham Hotspur but I just figured that I wanted to watch some football while I was still in the mood. I hate to admit it but Arsenal do play some bloody good football and that Jack Wilshere is going to be awesome.



He's younger than I am and scored two goals! Unbelievable.

Today I learnt that it’s good to just start your day as soon as you wake up. I’m starting to believe that lie-in's are overrated. They just waste your day completely and even though they can be nice it’s not worth uselessly burning time in a life we only get one shot at. If I had one this morning and stayed in bed till 11-12 like I usually do during the summer I wouldn't have had the chance to play football, been offered a place in that team or gone to the Emirates. I had another nice day with another positive outcome, similarly to last night, where I've just done something off the cuff. Its not like I have joined the Space Program on impulse or enlisted into the Marines but its better than what I normally do which usually entails me being up-tight and putting far to much thought into decisions that don't require it. So I hope these last two days have been trend setters.

A Few Realisations

London is very possibly the most amazing city in the world. It has practically everything any tourist or resident could desire and even though it’s right under our noses it’s easy to forget just how brilliant it is.
This evening I went into central London without any plans or an idea of what I was going to do. The two friends that I went with were on the same page. I think we were just satisfied to be in each others company which was helped by the energy surrounding us on a Saturday night in the West End. It made it really enjoyable and one of the most pleasant evenings I have spent with friends in ages. Especially because one of my mates is somebody who I used to be really close with and haven't spent enough time with in the last few months. Plus we also met Monty Panesar the England Cricketer which was pretty cool.
This afternoon I got hold of another person who I haven't seen in a long time. I wanted to just send a casual text to her but I think it’s much more worthwhile to call people up and speak to them properly. Sure, it’s more expensive and more of an effort but a text is just so much colder, uncaring and complacent. This ‘texting culture’ has led to people finding it harder to communicate with one and other. Now you can speak to somebody without really speaking to them at all. It all just seems a bit false and lazy and I certainly fell victim to it. I aim to change that.
That’s the only major downside to London - a real lack of communication. In European cities it’s easy to find a friendly person to chat with and a lot of them even show genuine interest in speaking to you as well as being reassuringly familiar. Speaking to a Londoner is very different. Going up to somebody and just starting a conversation often leads nowhere as people here seem to treat others with suspicion. Obviously not all Londoners are rude or unfriendly but I think it’s generally something that brings down the city.
Today I have learnt that it’s important to positively exploit your surroundings. I underestimated how much I could enjoy going out without a plan and just letting go a bit. I learnt to appreciate London a lot more. I learnt that when you miss the company of a friend, that’s the moment you should get hold of them - it’s not worth risking losing a great mate. And finally I learnt that when you're trying to get hold of said person - you should definitely avoid texting them and ring them instead.
Most importantly, though, I discovered that a mate of mine is a really deep thinker. He’s generally a quiet person but revealed that underneath that he’s just as engulfed in self analysis as the rest of us. I learnt that even those who seem very different to each other are more similar than they may think.