Tuesday 21 January 2014

Chapter 30: Don't It Always Seem To Go...

Well... Never thought I'd make it to Chapter 30, but hey! Just wanna say thank you all for your continued support, even if you do think this is a load of bollocks! Pretty soon I'm gonna have to change the title of this blog to "26 And... Still Don't Know What The Fuck I'm Doing?!" Haha! In all seriousness though I have learnt a lot from writing these blogs since April... A lot of things have happened along the way in my personal life, but I like to think the next year will be an eye opener for me with my career path. However, like I said last week, I'm not going to rush into anything because I am currently content with where I am right now in my job, saving lots of monies for the future and writing on here and on other projects... something I ACTUALLY enjoy doing!

As some of you may have read a good few blog posts ago, one thing is for sure, I am DEFINITELY leaving Three and moving onto another mobile network. I'm currently in two minds about whether to join Vodafone or Virgin. Both have their advantages and disadvantages (like anything), but I am certain I want an iPhone. When I rang Three yesterday to check when my contract ends, they then proceeded to ask what I plan to do after this. This is how the conversation went:

Three: "So, Miss. Baxter, what would you like to do when your contract comes to an end?"

Me: "Oh I plan to leave as I have been with you guys for a very long time and don't feel I'm getting the customer care I deserve. I had a bad experience with you guys a few months back and found each and every one of your reps extremely uncooperative and unhelpful."

Three: "Oh, Miss. Baxter I am so sorry to hear this. Rest assured I can see from your records you have indeed been with us for a long time and I will guarantee that if you do stay with us, I will give you the best contract you're looking for."

Me: "That's nice, but unfortunately I have already made up my mind and I will be leaving."

Three: "But I promise I will give you one of the best contracts going. You look around and get some prices and tell me what they are, I will match them. My name is Davil."

Me: "Aah again. I'm really sorry, I'm leaving."

Three: "Please consider my offer and when you ring do not accept anyone on the phone other than me, please ask for me."

Me: "Okay, what's your name again? David?"

Three: "No. D for Delta. A for Alpha. V for Victor. I for India. L for Lima. Davil."

Me: "Okay well thank you very much."

Three: "You're welcome, Miss. Baxter. Anything else I can help you with today?"

Me: "No, thank you very much."

As you can see, he was quite persistent and repetitive, but polite nonetheless. Why is it when you say you want out of something, that all of sudden that something (or someone) says they'll do all the things you wanted in the first place? I'm talking about Three, obviously. But this could be applicable to loads of things. For example, the past year for me has been one of the most difficult I have ever had to face and along the way I have lost a lot of people. My Mammy, friends and I have also come out of a relationship. After losing my Mammy, my life will never be the same again and I know you can all say that about someone you have lost who was so close to you too. As for the friendships and relationships, well, I am a lot tougher than I was a few years ago and can honestly say that if anyone crosses me in a way I am not comfortable with, they will have no room in my life. I have come to realise that if you don't like something and it serves you no real purpose or path in your life, then there is no point in having it in your life. Yes you can remenisce and think of all the good times you had... like just receiving your new phone and thinking it's the dogs bollocks, having the best contract ever and then a year later realising that just about everyone around you has a better contract, a better megapixel camera, more data. What do you do? So, I'm really sorry, Three... but you're out! It's just too bad for the phone providers (friends, relationships) that they didn't know what a good customer they had long ago!

So all I have to say is:

Question time: Have any of you stayed in something to stick it out and see if things get better? Have you come face to face with the problems and worked through them? Have you just left something and feel better for it? Or do you feel worse? Feel free to respond on here, Facebook or Twitter.

See you all next week for some more ranting folks - what I do best, I guess!

Here's a bit of Human League for you all, thought it was fitting!

Toodle Pip!
T.
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Tuesday 14 January 2014

Chapter 29: "The Dream Is Real"

Another week, another blog! Evening ladies and gents! As you can tell by the title of this weeks blog, I'm pretty damn excited to be jetting away with my bessie next month. As I've mentioned before, I'm off to New York! Knowing me I probably won't wanna leave the place as NY is where I'd love to live when I'm older, but one thing at a time!

When my Mammy went to New York with her best friend they stayed where me and my friend are in Manhattan and they went to eat at an Irish bar across the way, which was run by a young girl from Northern Ireland and her husband. My Mammy got chatting and brought up how I would love to come over and live there for a bit. Well the young girl gave Mammy her number and said that if I ever wanted a job, she could give me some work. When my Mammy got home she told me the news, but for ages she couldn't remember where she had put the number. I came home from work the other day and on my bedside table was the bar's card with the name of the woman Mammy spoke to and a couple of US dollars - I know where I'll be heading when I go!

You ever think certain things are meant to be? Don't get me wrong, the woman may not work there anymore and it could be a complete lost cause, but when that card was on my bedside table, I took it as a sign. My Auntie said to me, "yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery." A saying I'll keep with me forever now, I just love it! So anything I do from now on, I will take it as an opportunity and keep an open mind about it. 
Some of you might recognise my blog title this week; it's the tagline to the film, Inception (2010). Another favourite of mine and I would highly recommend it. You know what's coming - quick synopsis!:

Dominic Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio) is an Industrial Spy who collects 
all of his information by going into the minds of people through their 
dreams. In order to get back to his family, he is hired to do the opposite -
to implant information in a persons mind, also called, "Inception". Cobb does this with a team of highly qualified colleagues. However, things become complicated when Cobb is faced with something even bigger than him and his team could ever imagine. Can they complete the difficult task at hand with the obstacle that comes their way?

This has to be one of the best endings to a film I've ever seen. Is it all real, or is it
all just a dream? All of the characters have a totem, an object they use to depict whether they are dreaming or awake. Dicaprio's is a spinning tractricoid top whereby if it topples over, he is awake, but if it continues to spin, he is stilling dreaming. This is a main focus throughout the entire film and for such a little prop, it creates so much suspense. But isn't this a reflection on real life? Surely you all have a little something (a totem if you will) that gives you a bit of hope, suspense, excitement? This could be a passport, a watch, a tractricoid or even a business card with a number on it?

The point is, the dream IS real! We can all follow our dreams and it can take us days, weeks, months, even years! We could be 50 by the time we're living the dream, but it's important to go get it and make it real for ourselves...

I'm gunna leave you guys with a link to Hans Zimmer - Time. A fantastic song from the Inception soundtrack. Unfortunately you aren't able to look at videos on my blog through your phones, so I will put links to make it easier for you for the time being.

Life is for living folks. Keep the dream alive!
Big love.
T.

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Chapter 28: 2013: A Review

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a great Festive season as well with family and friends. I'm sure I have mentioned before (maybe a million times), I'm not a huge fan of either Christmas or New Year to be honest. The meaning has been blurred in recent yeasr and New Year is quite overrated in my eyes. However my festive season was very much brightened up by the fact my big sister gave birth to my little Nephew, Joseph! He's been such a blessing to us all since we lost Mammy and we count our lucky stars that he has been brought into our lives. Both my sister and Joseph (or Joefish as we all like to call him, courtesy of my nephew, Harry) are doing really well :).

2013 has been a very long year for me, but at the same time it also feels like it has gone by in the blink of an eye. One thing's for sure, it's a year I'll never forget. There have been more downs than ups what with losing the best woman, Mother and friend I'll ever know, but I know she is no longer in pain and is always with me and my family xxx. My sister always says, "a good day will follow after a bad one", I just hope this counts towards years as well. So I wish you all an amazing 2014 and I hope it brings you all much love, happiness and prosperity :).

I'm gonna give you all a wee break down of some music and films I rated back in 2013, and what movie entertainment you can all look forward to in 2014.
Firstly here is a list of my top 5 songs from last year (in no particular order):

  1. Bastille - Pompeii. For me this was a reflection of how 2013 was for me. If you listen to the lyrics, it almost relates to any different situation a person may be going through. But the main theme I get from it is 'change', which of course is something we all face, whether it be good or bad.
  2. Haim - Falling. Fantastic new all girl band which have a a great Indie Rock/90's feel, which for me is a winner in itself.
  3. Avicii - Hey Brother. This is a very personal song to me and two people reading this will know why <3.
  4. Foals - My Number. That song that comes on in the car on the way to work and you just can't help but bob your head the whole time. 
  5. The 1975 - Chocolate. SUCH a feel good song. NEVER get sick of it and will always cheer me up. 
It does help if the lead singer is hot as well (Bastille & The 1975). What? Don't judge me. 

Now, this is the tricky part. My top 5 films of 2013 (with an extra one cause I have 6)! Here goes (in no particular order):
  1. Django Unchained - C'mon guys. This is me you're talking about. I'm the biggest Tarantino fan EVER and he certainly did not disappoint with this one. Although it was made in 2012, it was released in the UK in January of last year. Jamie Foxx debuts in his first Tarantino movie with this one and after his performance, don't be surprised if he recycles him again. Even if it is like Samuel L.Jackson's small cameo in Kill Bill Vol.2. Christoph Waltz also gave a fantastic performance which was a given after his role in, Inglourius Basterds (2009). My sister went to see it as she has broadened her cinema viewing recently and she absolutely loved it! Why? Because there was a love story in there (girl's girl, our Esther). The love story is between Foxx and actress Kerry Washington, also a Tarantino debut. If I had to compare, it would be a mixture of The Good, The Bad & The Ugly meets Kill Bill - a Revenge Western, a Restern. All in all, a must watch!
  2. This Is The End - Seth Rogen returns with another masterpiece (he wrote, Superbad (2007) at the age of 13) with a film about the Apocalypse and what him and his friends would do if the world actually came to an end. His friends include, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Ray Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson and Michael Cera with a funny cameo from Emma Roberts (I know, 'funny' and 'Emma Roberts in the same sentence, really?).
  3. World War Z - two words: fucking badass. Brad Pitt fighting off Zombies in order to save the human race? Oh, and with long hair? Nuff said. 
  4. The Conjuring - Horror is my favourite genre. Who doesn't like to be scared shitless? Now, I don't usually cover my hands over my face, but there were many a time I did this in the cinema. You can't avoid a big fuck off screen with a horror movie. One scene in particular still haunts me and let's just say, I will NEVER look at the top of my wardrobe when I'm in bed again. Starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as two Paranormal Investigators, they discover something so haunting that will stay with them forever.
  5. Anchorman 2 - The Legend Continues - Will Ferrell returns with his news team and this time they've gone big. They're working for a 24 hour news channel and become worldwide famous for their new and innovative approaches to reporting the news. As expected, there are numerous amounts of hilarious scenes, but I think my favourite was when Ron decides to raise a baby shark by feeding it with a milk bottle - it's just something you need to see with your own eyes! If you've seen the first, you know the 2nd will deliver. Ooh and FYI, they're already discussing Anchorman 3. Just sayin'!
  6. The Councellor - Starring Michael Fassbender, he plays a councellor (obvs) who becomes involved in drug trafficking putting not only his own life at risk, but his new fiance and the potential of having anything he could ever want. Also starring Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz, Diaz particularly gives the performance of a lifetime and probably acts out one of the most controversial and hard to forget scenes of all time. It involves her, and a Car. That's all I'm saying.
Now guys, I have watched more than one television series in the past year. But I don't think I need to put up a top five because there is clearly one winner; Breaking Bad. For those of you who haven't seen it yet (you must be fucking mental), this television series is about a Chemistry Teacher who discovers he has terminal cancer and finds a way to make money for his family to secure their future... by cooking Crystal Meth with a low down ex pupil. Together they make a great team; Walter White, interested in cooking and business, Jesse Pinkman interested in cooking and the pleasure of smoking it after. Throw in a family with a DEA Agent for a brother in law, a few bad guys and you're good to go. What the HELL are you waiting for? Don't even carry on finishing reading this blog, just fucking watch it already!

Entertainment to look out for in 2014
  1. What's the first thing to look forward to in the new year? The Oscars of course! Every new year, a film or two are released and you just KNOW they will be Oscar nominated. One of them will definitely be, American Hustle. I went to see this last week and to me, it was perfection. It had violence, but not too violent it would make you squirm. It had sex appeal... but not actual sex... but by God it was steamy. It had amazing 70's fashion; what I would give to have a bod like Amy Adams and pull off super low cut, but classy dresses with no tit tape required. It had humour which for me, all derived from Jennifer Lawrence. She won Best Actress for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook (2012), so don't be surprised if she picks up a Best Supporting Actress gong. Other than this film there will be a good few others up for the running, I'm predicting 12 Years A Slave directed by Steven McQueen (also directed Hunger (2008) & Shame (2011)), The Councellor directed by Ridley Scott and written by Cormac McCarthy (No Country For Old Men (2007) and The Wolf Of Wall Street directed by Martin Scorsese.
  2. New films to look out for, well, the remake of Godzilla will be out in cinemas in the Summer and is surely tipped to be a Blockbuster with the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston starring in this classic remake. Here's a trailer to give you a taste:

Not only will this be a hit, but Veronica Mars will be heading to cinema's as well as Dumb and Dumber To (yes, spelt "to"), Robocop, The Amazing Spider Man 2, Xmen: Day Of Future Past, Transformers 2 & Guardians Of The Galaxy. Here's a link to other movies to keep an eye out for: http://www.totalfilm.com/new-films.

On that note, I shall leave you with this lil' lady which I have high hopes for. She's a talented new artist called Stephanie Louise Fisher and she does amazing covers from Amy Winehouse to The Waterboys. Follow her on Twitter (@StephLouiseFish) and please subscribe to her on Youtube as she is always putting up new songs and is just simply fucking awesome! Enjoy!

T. 
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