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Sunday 18 November 2018

Music Hath Charms

     I rely on music to get through some of the most mundane situations (grocery shopping being very high on the list).  Music has the power to cover up the noise from around myself and within myself; it speaks to feelings that I cannot express (yet). With the correct playlist and the joys of singing along, time flies and it can make all chores enjoyable
      I want to share some of the lyrics that I find most profound, ones that, as I listen (and sing along), I get the freedom of opening up and acknowledging my feelings that I keep tucked so deep inside.
      Instead of trying to find and quote from all of these moving songs, I am going to do a series and focus on the groups (or individuals) that mean so much to me.  
     I’m going to start with Linkin Park, a band that has always had lyrics that spoke directly to my heart and pain, but now has an extra weight since the loss of Chester Bennington.
***All lyrics quoted from https://azlyrics.com/lyrics/linkinpark***


“Papercut”
“Hybrid Theory”  (2000)
The Sun
(It’s like I’m paranoid lookin’ over my back)
(It’s like a whirlwind inside of my head)
(It’s like I can’t stop what I’m hearing within)
(It’s like the face inside is right beneath the skin)
I feel the light betray me

“Crawling”
“Hybrid Theory”  (2000)
Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

“Somewhere I Belong”
“Meteora”  (2003)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real
I wanna let go of the pain I’ve felt so long
(Erase all the pain ’til it’s gone)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m close to something real
I wanna find something I’ve wanted all along
Somewhere I belong

“Given Up”
“Minutes to Midnight”  2007
I've given up
I'm sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away
I'm suffocating
Tell me what the fuck is wrong with me?
I don't know what to take
Thought I was focused but I'm scared
I'm not prepared
I hyperventilate
Looking for help somehow somewhere
And no one cares
I'm my own worst enemy

“Waiting For The End”
“A Thousand Suns”  (2010)
Sitting in an empty room
Trying to forget the past
This was never meant to last
I wish it wasn’t so

“Roads Untraveled”
“Living Things”  (2012)
Weep not for roads untraveled
Weep not for sights unseen
May your love never end
And if you need a friend
There’s a seat here alongside me

“Heavy”
(Feat. Kiiara)
“One More Light”  (2017)
[Chester Bennington:]
I don’t like my mind right now
Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary
Wish that I could slow things down
I wanna let go but there’s comfort in the panic
[Kiiara:]
It’s not like I make the choice
To let my mind stay so fucking messy
...
I keep dragging around what’s bringing me down
If I just let go, I’d be set free
Holding on
Why is everything so heavy?

“Sharp Edges”
“One More Light”  (2017)
Sharp edges have consequences, I
Guess that I had to find out for myself
Sharp edges have consequences, now
Every scar is a story I can tell
We all fall down
We live somehow
We learn what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger

“One More Light”
“One More Light”  (2017)
Should’ve stayed.  Were there signs I ignored?
Can I help you not to hurt anymore?
We saw brilliance when the world was asleep
There are things that we can have but can’t keep
...
Who cares is one more light goes out
In the sky of a million stars?
It flickers, flickers
Who Cares when someone’s time runs out
If a moment is all we are?
Or quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out?
Well, I do
Well, I do

     I'm done (for now), I hope if you are a Linkin Park fan my choices did not offend you in any way and if these songs are new to you I hope you've gained some insight into a group that was massively popular but who did not have typical rock star lyrics.
Take Care

Sunday 11 November 2018

Weather and it's effect on everything

I grew up in Colorado and it seemed like announcing how humid it was anytime the level reached 30-40% or God forbid a whopping 60-70% right before the sky opened up and tried to drown us (for maybe 5-10 min) or punished us with horizontal snow.  I’m cursed (blessed?) with naturally curly hair so we always had a real time indicator of the increase or decrease of the levels.  High humidity for me turns my wavy, loose curls into something Shirley Temple would have been proud to wear, lower levels of moisture mean I gain an inch or 2 of length as all the ringlets decide to take a break and let themselves down.  So I’m sure you didn’t check into this page to get a vanity report on curly hair, but I bring this all up because I knew coming here to Northern England would make those quick ebb and spike in humidity levels look like chump change in the grand scheme of things.      So what I knew prior to boarding the plane, my hair would be ridiculously curly while I tried to cheer it along to grow faster and straighten out due to gravity, the temperatures would not be as extreme but would feel much warmer and colder, there would not be a rainy season alternating with an arid season (rain is possible anytime through out the year), and that things would be greener than I have ever experienced them year round.     So on to Recent weather (and some averages):
 NE UK  NW CO
Cloud Cover   75%  100%
Humidity   82% (0% chance of rain)  78% (66% chance of rain)
Average Cloud Cover   50-60%  25-45%
Warm Season   2.9 months 3.4 months 
Cold Season   4.0 months  3.3 months
 Growing Season  6.5 months  3.2 months
Sun Hour Range   150-300 hours  160-360 hours
Average Low Temp Range   2* C - 22* C  -5* C - 22* C
Latitude   55* N  40* N
Data for table from weatherspark.com Growing up in Colorado I'm used to Fall meaning growing things will change into brilliant colors due off and the color green will not be seen again until Spring.  Here in the Northern realm of the UK, there are piles of beautifully colored leaves right next to plants that continue to grow in spite of it being November.  It's amazing.   Enjoy the picture and I will return.

Tuesday 6 November 2018

History in everyday Life

Welcome one and all,
I’m sitting here somewhat bleary eyed after experiencing my first Major UK holiday.  Since we kicked over into November every night has had a barrage of Thumps, Pops and Explosions.  I knew enough about the calendar to know 5 November is Guy Fawkes day, and because of his misadventure it was decided (back under King James I) that the day would be commemorated by Bonfires and Fireworks, and that tradition continues even in 2018.
     See Guy Fawkes and a group of coconspirators were very unhappy that the King was forcing upon the population a conversion to Protestantism and singling out the Catholics.  The group with Guy were very much Catholic and more so Roman Catholic and saw the changes so they decided to do something.  So they stockpiled barrels of gunpowder under the Parliament building and were waiting for the perfect time to blow Parliament sky high.  Unfortunately under one of Guy’s turn at guarding and preparing to ignite the gunpowder he was discovered.  Because this was seen as high treason he wasn’t treated well and when the trial ended he was sentenced to death by hanging and then to be drawn and quartered with his limbs being sent to all the four corners of the Empire so that others could see what a bad idea it was to try to blow up a King.
   Last night was intense but amazing.  Some of the mortars they used were completely new to me and that made it all the more fun.  The closest display to our flat was 2 1/2 blocks away and we greatly underestimated the number of people that would be there.  I had with me all the things necessary to soften the blows from the explosions with music, headphones and earplugs even.  I came through on the slightly overwhelmed side but I’m pretty sure that was from the number of people crowded around us.  Next year will be even better. we know we need to leave earlier, and to bring the right kind of music to go with such an amazing display.
     Today is a day to get back into the routines.   Laundry, errands, and cooking dinner later today.  I’m hoping to stay awake through it all, but a nap is nothing to scoff at either.
More to Come, join me for the ride,
👋