Me & Milo, chillin' last night...

'All great buildings resemble crimes they say...'

Tonight I am mostly watching the Red Riding series. It's damn good and one of those shows set in the 70s/80s where costume, setting and atmosphere are captured and styled so well it's a pleasure to lose yourself into it. A palate of old school browns, beige, murky grey skies and characters dressed in flares and woolen jumpers, drinking larger and chain smoking. So not entirely unlike a night out in The Workmans Club or say Smithfield in Dublin. Andrew Garfield is such a great talent. He was the best thing about the Facebook movie too. Anything I try to express cannot come close to this incredibly beautifully written review though so I'll stop there.

Nice.

Ireland's week of snow - Irish Times

Ellen unscrewed

While most of us are playing in the snow, or watching it from our living room window, Ellen in in hospital. 

However it's all good. Screws are out of her foot and judging from this pic she is in good form, and on her way home. For later I am thinking ... vin a ma soeur de l'appartement.

Welcome To Our TV Show April 2008 [1] Johnny Flynn/MSaunders

While we are on the Johnny Flynn buzz, this is my favourite version of 'tickle me pink'. Smells more blue-grassy....

Starts at 1.10 mins...

Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling - The Water

Don't you wish they were your children? Soft blonde hair and pure voices. Brother and sister singing beautiful songs at the foot of your summer garden. Your guests would ask, 'what is that faint, angelic lullaby I hear floating in from outside, I can just make it out over the birds and the buzz of the honey bees'. Then you would smile and with a glowing pride, say, 'oh, why that's just Johnny and Laura', they love singing together. They're best friends'.

'Children! Come inside for some ice-tea'... or something.

*Johnny Flynn - Tickle Me Pink (live)

You would not believe how beautiful Killiney beach was today at about 4.30pm. The light had faded but twilight was clinging on and treacherous as the rocky steps were down to the beach I made it and stood in the centre near the shore. Nobody was around and I had no camera, we always feel we need to share these things with people, as if no one will believe how magnificent they are without proof but I think everywhere looks pretty special today and I am glad for my moment there alone. With the glow from the snow illuminating everything and Dalkey Island topped in white, I didn't want to leave and kept looking back as I did so. It seemed a shame not to stay outside all night repeating 'wow. Wow!' but it was a tad too bracing and I had some biscuits that needed to be partnered up with hot tea...

I slipped coming into the estate. 'Careful there' I said incredulously to a lady passing by, as if it was the iciest patch i had ever encountered. Really though it's that my cheap boots are as about as practical as a non waterproof tent at an Irish festival. (Yes i have had one).

I arrived at my mum's house before her, she trudged in a few minutes later, looking like an astronaut or Artic traveller, a large stick of wood as her support, south park like anorak and hiking boots. It took her a minute to disrobe the heavy outer layers and i did wonder for a moment was it even her.

'It's crazy out there' she said revealing her pink little face.

'I slipped three times and someone fell onto Dalkey Dart tracks and broke their leg.'
Then she added 'and what about the turkeys!?'

'They must be freezing' I agreed.

'No i mean how will anyone get them for christmas dinner?'.

The poor turkeys. Noone cares about the turkeys.

* Incidentally, I was listening to johnny Flynn on the way down to the beach.

Attendez-moi mon cheri

One thing keeping me going at the moment is that I will get to visit one of my bestest and oldest friends, Melissa in Nice at the end of January. It has been five years too long, but I know we will be exactly the same and also I cannot wait to meet her lovely husband.

Also I am hoping to bump into Mr Sexy pants himself (see sad French man below). France isnt that big right?  Dont be sad louis, we just have to get through Christmas.

Rubberbandits - Horse Outside

Just realised I know the director to this. Congrats Mr Foott, (Peter). Have heard alot about this recently.

Julian Casablancas - I'll Try Anything Once (Demo)

I'm awake early, overtired can't believe it's time to get up again. This song and a cup of tea are easing me into the day.

Has anyone noticed that at this time if you look out the window there are birds everywhere, on every roof. Massive seagulls, it's like a secret morning world. I hear them on the roof sometimes but I always thought it was a cat, so heavy were the footsteps. Now I think of it though I don't think cats go quite that high...

Mundus Avenue

So my younger brother has written and directed a play along with two friends in this years Trinity Fringe Festival. All this time I thought he was just getting drunk and sleeping in and now he is showing me up by actually being productive and talented. How rude. I will be going along on the closing day on Saturday. Lets hope it's good. Nobody enjoys writing a scathing review about their younger brother. Don't make me hurt you Craig.....Good luck!

On Track with SEAT: The Maccabees - Walking In The Air

Purty damn good. Happy Chrimbo!!

Arcade Fire - Rococo

Today I have mostly been listening to this song. I may have played it twenty times. It's a grower. Not that I didn't like it the first time I heard it. In fact I liked it alot, but something clicked in me today. Now I fecking love this song. I tenderly navigated my way through Temple Bar this morning in some sort of a numb, hungover stupor, this being the weekends of Christmas parties, I'm am just in from another. Earlier though I felt as if in a cocoon, protected in my still-drunk haze, morning workers scuttling past. Nothing and no one could speed me up as I sleep-walked/shouldered my way home. 'Rococo! Rococo!' blaring loudly into my ears. I was in no rush, bed at home awaiting me, I got a take away coffee and just strolled along with the song on repeat. Sometimes song and situation combine to evoke such an instant happiness in me, I don't think ahead or behind, I'm perfectly happy to be where I am.  I didn't want the walk to end. I haven't felt such a happy buzz from a song in a long time.
.

My latest follower on twitter = Legend.

I have no idea what the questions were, or if there were any but some of his posts read like this:

I am from Indonesia where you Come from?

Iam Alone

That is True

F*UCK YOU GIRLFRIEND

OmG I cant Sleeping now

Follwer me

Ronaldo is good.

Too soon?

On the dart tonight I noticed Mi Wadi had sponsored if not just my carriage but the whole dart with a poorly thought-out and patronising campaign. The banners dotting the train like parasites jumping on the bandwagon of our current crisis. I couldn't help but feel slightly offended.

Their ads made light of our situation with suggestions of 'building more funparks' and that the finance ministers need 'super powers' to fix this mess. Ha ha ha, let's all have a sugary drink. F*ck off.

The fact they decided to inundate the carriage by taking up every available ad space made it all the more desperate and greedy. Also the slightly generic nature of the suggestions reeks of rushing out the ads clearly showing they were made well in advance of the budget and so placing us at a distance. Like when you recieve an (insert name here) email. Everybody wants to feel special.

Am I wrong? All advertising is greedy and commercial by nature sure, but some hide it well, some can still be successful even if you know you are being duped. If an ad is genuinely funny I may be swayed towards that product in the supermarket or shops out of a small sense of respect over other brands even though I know I am being played. Mi Wadi just made me feel patronised and a little bit insulted to be honest.

Too soon to take cheap shots at my bleak future.

Ze March

Where all we said fell on deaf ears....


Photo's courtesy of the loverly Ellen.

Get outside once in a while.

Looking at these pictures by artist Piero Martinello, of young lads coming out of parties or raves intoxicated, it reminded me of this short film 'Evidence' (below). Both very conceptual projects demonstrating a scary reflection of everyday life in their vacuous stares.

For me it makes me think of anytime you lose hours to TV, spaced out on the couch, mouth open, vacant stare or experience the embarrassment and horror of a friend tagging a drunken picture of you on facebook. You don't recognise the red eyed, wild haired stranger that is you. Or when you witness the drunken masses spill out onto Wexford St at 4am, like the walking dead only they run, scream, gyrate up against each other and fight over taxis.

How does this happen? Is this really our legacy? Think of all the things we could achieve without trashy TV and binge drinking?

You could  read a book for instance. In a park. You could bake a chocolate cake. You'd like that wouldn't you?

For starters maybe just try drinking less and don't watch the X-Factor, pretend it doesn't exist, don't even let it into your subconscious even if people try and force you.

Go forth my little ones and maketh brain cells.


(Watch film to end to see...)

Laura Marling Ireland dates postponed

If it's not the ice halting planes, forcing musicians to cancel gig's then it's the drop in temperatures making them catch colds. Laura is the latest artist to announce they're ill and postpone her Ireland dates, starting with Cork tonight then the gig for me - sorry I mean the gig for Dublin fans, on Tuesday. Having woke up with a cough and killer sore throat this morning (the painful kind that brings a tear to your eye with every swallow) It may suit me better too.

New, nice video on her site.

http://www.lauramarling.com/

Ever wondered what Hugh's political stance is?

HUGH:

I always it difficult to explain when people ask me what my politics are. If I'm not in the mood and I don't think the person cares either way I always just say 'liberal' or 'leftist'. Both are lies, I'm not either. The closest thing politically I could describe myself is a pragmatist (a horrible word used by partisan politicians to show how inclusive they are) because each issue deserves a clear analysis, not be subject to party rhetoric.

For example, I have some sympathy for Israel, at least in its basic aims if not in its methods. I believe they deserved a nation state and they have the right to defend themselves against people that are trying to wipe them out (wrong or not, since the wall was completed there hasn't been a single suicide bombing in Israel). Now, every time I say this I am automatically assumed to be a flame throwing, child-killing, anti-woman, balls-to-the-wall right-wing fanatic who thinks Dick Cheney is the grandparent they always wanted. This is just stupid. 

Christopher Hitchens, although he describes himself as a leftist, is the critic that this sort of political debate needs. If you can describe most people as left or right I'd like to add two more categories - up and down. We all now who the 'Upists' people are; Obama, Kennedy, Mandela are all people who inspire those around them and lift the debate above partisan bullshit – but only for a little while. Obama, almost as soon as he was elected, became a lame duck, Kennedy's aura has lasted so long because he died young (the major achievements attributed to him, civil rights and the moon landing, happened years after his death) while Mandela rode on the wave of political change already being implemented by De Klerk when he was released and used this momentum to change a continent in less than five years, a brilliant achievement. If politics usually moves in small increments these are the people that can give it a serious push before being brought down by the people they help.

Now for the 'downists'. These are the people that swat away 'left' and 'right', are not impressed by oratory and have a pessimistic view on the world so bleak that it makes your local emo gang look like the kids on Sesame Street. They are constantly criticized during their life, often overlooked and dismissed as controversialists by other critics. The downists keep everyone else honest, or at least on their toes. They'll never win but they'll fight as hard as anybody. Hitchens is one of these. He's experienced water-boarding torture for himself in an effort to denounce it while still supporting the war in Iraq itself, he's continually championed for woman's rights in the Arab world in-between explaining why woman aren't funny, he's attacked Mother Theresa while bringing extreme poverty around the world to the attention of the Western elite, all while being thoughtful, funny, controversial and brilliant. If he has a bit of an ego, well, I just don't care to be honest.

So the next time someone at a party asked me what my politics are I'm going to tell them I'm a 'downist'. I'll just get my coat, shall I?

So there you go, commented.

Le Cool

I saw Ellamenope Jones for Le Cool this week on opening night. Great fun, some amazingly talented actresses. In the intimate Cube Theatre  in The Project you sit around the stage, the actors frequently catch your eye from a few feet away. There is something a little bit electrifying about confidence of good actors/performers on stage, when they fix you with a steady gaze. I feel a mix of awe and self-consciousness. Is that just me? Whoops...sorry, how rude, my insecurity is showing. Anyway I hope the snow doesn't keep people away.

Paxman Meets Hitchens: A Newsnight Special (1/2)