Sunday, March 26, 2006

Worrying

A girl just came up to me after the Pub Quiz and said that they thought I looked like Chris Martin. Whilst this is better than the usual lookalike comparisons I get (Noel Edmunds, Rolf Harris), its worrying that this is the second time in two months I have been likened to Chris Martin, a man who twelve months again I viewed as an absolute arse...

We all become our parents, or those who we define ourselves against???

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Other People's Houses

A strange thought came over me on the train back from Reading yesterday, and the more I've thought about it, the more it seems to be a very valid question: why do you always think that other people's houses are much nicer and better than your own? For example, when I visited Anna in Oxford, I thought her place was open and spacious, but had a more homely feel to it than our place. It had a much nicer bathroom, and a kitchen space that didn't look like the last part had been stapled on to it. In short, it was cosy and welcoming and not like some form of student place. Then, I visit Darren and Stacey in Reading, and it turns out that I'm also in admiration of their place! Sure, its a ground floor flat, but the rooms are about the size that you'd need of them for two people. It's warm, and the kitchen is big enough so that people won't fall over each other. Plus, why do other people's showers actually have some pressure to them, whereas your own is pathetic in comparison. I then followed this thought through some more and came to realise that I used to think the same thing about people's houses at Uni. For example, Chris, Darren and Beth's place always seemed more contemporary and inviting than the dark corners of Wyeverne Road. Ditto that for Jo's place, and Janine's. More strangely, Chris actually used to admit that he preferred our place at Uni to his. Bizarre! So there we are, dear readers. Great Mystery of the World #251: Why Do You Always Think Other People's Houses are Better Than Your Own?

On a different note, I recieved a bittersweet piece of information today. One of my old housemates, Yash, has been offered a job working on Wall Street in New York and will be leaving in three weeks. Naturally, I'm thrilled for the guy. He deserves it after holding out for the right type of job, and I wish him 100% success for the future. I mean, come on! New York! How ace would that be? It'll just be a shame we won't be able to see him that often, and we'll miss his easy-going, laid back humour in forthcoming get togethers. We'll miss you buddy, but just make sure you have one hell of a good time!

Cyber Control's Favoured Five to Swing Your Pants To:

I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic! At the Disco
Heart in a Cage - The Strokes
Stumble and Fall - Razorlight
Munich - Editors
Sussudio - Phil Collins

Monday, March 20, 2006

Retracted Statement

In response to last nite's post, I would like to make one thing very clear: I am not a poet. No matter how hard I try, I am neither Roddy Woomble, nor Michael Stipe. Neither am I Julian Casablancas or Thom Yorke, although I do try and immitate the former of the last two in clothing. No, I am just a guy that has too much on a Sunday evening and starts scribbling ideas on the back of a piece of paper at a pub quiz, who once dreamed of fronting a band only to be denied this due to being unable to sing in tune.

However, because of this I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite song lyrics:

"Don't you think that maybe I should calm down?
I'm sick of staring at these walls, I'm gonna kick them down"
(The Seahorses, 1997)

"You broke my soul, dear
You stole the plot. You left an empty shot.
Well, there's nothing left here
As you took the lot.
An empty cage is all I got"
(Travis, 2001)

"Apathy is happy now, it won without a fight"
(The Housemartins, 1986)

"Gentleman, mark your opponents
Fire in to your own ranks.
Pick the weakest, a strategic move,
Square off to meet your enemy"
(R.E.M., 1998)

That's just a taste, I'll put some more on next time.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

City of Knowledge

Dear Reader, I apologise for there being no Bronze Medal for a long time, but in all honesty things have been exceptionally hectic. I always knew March was going to be this way, a ndthings should calm down as of now. I've been filling in my PhD application recently and that's now almost done. Muchos Gracious is, once more, needed for the Man Much Greater Than I, but then again I should've known that would've been so in the first place. Anyways, I've been on my travels! It's hardly 'The Bronze Medal On Tour', but visiting Oxford has opened my eyes to the wonders of other places in Britain aside from Cardiff.

I went there to visit my good friend Anna, someone who I've grown very close to over the last few years and who I will always be eternally grateful to for the way she managed to get me to do some work towards the end of my A Levels. Following that logic, if it wasn't for her I may not be where I am at present, and hopefully from that you may realise why I always make sure I'm there to return the favour. Anyways, it was great to see her, and see the Radiohead Fan Guide to Oxford. It's the kind of tour/pilgrimage that only fans ever indulge in, taking in such exciting places as 'The Street Where They All Lived Together', 'The Park Where They Played a Really Big Gig', and 'The Restaurant Where Ed Used to Work'. Having said that, said restaurant did the best Cream Tea I've ever experienced. Seriously Dear Reader, if you're ever in Oxford, look out Brown's Restaurant and have a Cream Tea. If you're disappointed, let me know.

Oxford as a place rocks immensely. Its a place that's so beautifully designed it's hard to ignore. It's clean. It's got a wonderfully diverse array of independent coffee shops and book stores that sell things at cheap prices because they realise that everyone there wants to read and eat good cake. The buses work, and they don't cost a bomb to go ten minutes up or down the road. The people there are polite and friendly. The restaurants are good value for money, and the beer isn't too badly priced either.

The worst part was leaving. I always think it's good to leave visiting friends with a sense of melancholy as it means that although you've enjoyed yourself, you'd do a lot to have an extra half-hour in their company. You start thinking about the next time you may see that person, and make the effort to go back there. The ironic thing was that as the train pulled away from the station my iPod started with The Hollies and 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' which, aside from the gender issues, sums up my relationship with Anna.

I'm sorry if that all sounds a little gushy, but it's testament to how much of a good trip I had. I even tried to fix someone's computer (and, yes, failed), and got described as "sensible" and "nice". I usually don't like those words, but I'm really starting recognise their value in life. I suppose it depends who speaks them really.