Being Grateful.

The last few days have been unbelievably stressful for me with work at university and today I can finally say that I feel happy that everything is under control. I have been asking around for help from family and friends, all of whom have been ready to help me.
My friend has helped me to figure out a few things for my Independant Studies Project and has given me information that is undeniably useful and talked me through my project, calming me down. Thank you.
It is at times in which you are stressful that you crave to hear the voices of your family. I rang home and my mother picked up. It was so wonderful and comforting to hear her voice. Thank you.
The next day I called and my father who said he would help me with finding a sound recorder so that I may interview people for my project. He said that he could drive from Leicester and we could go out for a meal together. This was so nice to hear. I said that I knew a few good places that we could go to. Thankyou.
The same day I asked my brother to help me order books for my course which he helped me to do. He also emailed documents on attachment to me to help me organise my work from the days in which he was at university. Thank you.
I had an email conversation on Facebook between myself and my sister to check up on each other. I said I was stressed. She said that she was working on her dissertation and told me the trick is to make lots of teas. Thank you.
My other sister is no doubt busy also and I will contact her sometime to check up on her also. Thank you for what will be coming.
And thank you to the people I have asked that are willing to be interviewed for my university project. Much appreciated.

I am reflecting now on how much the people you love and associate with can enrich your life. Life is short and it is one of the greatest pleasures to be around the people who don't mind you asking favours and are willing to help you and give you advice. It may sound cheesy but it is true. You are all awesome, my amazing family to my rockin' friends

I know I am being sickeningly cheesy and sentimental but I'm in that mood at the moment. A weight has been lifted thanks to a certain group of people.

I shall end this cheesy post with an equally cheesy photo.

Thank you.

(*Everyone finishes reading the post and is sick over their individual computer screens.*)

Over and Out.
ED

Twistybach.

Twistybach exists within a remote part of Wales, a place nestled in a wild, mountainous region of wild lands, uninhabited by loud noises, bright street lights of the city or the stress and strife of normal life. In the words of my mother, Twistybach is a 'time out of time'.
This was the same place that was mentioned in an earlier blog, when the event of Twistyfest took place. This post is to show the wonders of this area of Wales, a place of enchantment and overeating...we ate a lot.

Above is a view of Twisty from the top of one of the steep fields. The house on the left is (as you have no doubt assumed) Twistybach. Look at that. There is nothing for miles.
It was on the afternoon of the second day of our visit that my sister Hannah and I decided to go for a walk. The pictures that follow are the result of my sister's snappings.

Here is one of the first snaps of the walk. There is not much to say about this. There is me...mountains...uh...and a gate. Lovely.

These pictures show the haunted cottage which is a five minute walk from Twistybach. It had changed since I last saw it, becoming more of a ruin than it had been before. It can really spark your imagination. Who lived here? It would be such a wonderful thing if someone tried to fix it up, maybe not exactly for a house but for... something.

There is another horse to my right that is out of shot with a funny hair cut... in fact here is the horse...

I have never seen a horse like this one. He looks like Jim Carey in the film, Dumb and Dumber.

We went back to the house and read our books...not necessarily by the fire but just reading wherever there was a seat to be found (as the below picture may make you believe).

Later in the day we sat down and ate a massive meal and after that we played card and board games....and we took a few pictures of the below scene. This is the version that seems to be of the good enough quality.

A great weekend in the magical misty valleys.

Over and Out.
ED.

The Birthday of Ed...and his sister...and his mother.

This is late. My birthday was on the 3rd January but I have only got the pictures now...so here we go...BOOM!

It was a day to be remembered. Does anybody know that my Mum is a midget...

My presents were books, money and a clock...and cards. But nothing can beat balloon fighting...

...and spending my time with this lot...

Oh yeah and I share a birthday with my sister and Mum...as I suggested in the title.
Over and Out.
ED

I have worked out the secret of eternal life...if we lived in an unrealistic world.

How to be immortal: Drink lots of caffeine drinks; tea, coffee, energy drinks and so on...because then you will be so awake that it would be impossible for you to die.

Thus speaks Ed.

Over and Out.

The Secret History of Rock and Roll.

I am currenty reading an amazing book called 'The Secret History of Rock and Roll.' The author, Christopher Knowles, presents the argument that rock music has existed further back than post war...that it may have existed in the mystery cults of the ancient world.
Rock music is an incredible driving force for creating great things and I feel great gratitude towards it. Knowles says that the book is dedicated to me,

"This book is dedicated to everyone whose life was saved by rock and roll"

Amen Brother.

Here is a quote in the introduction that I liked,


"I'm also writing in hopes that people will rediscover a culture and an art form too often taken for granted. The old stigma against rock and roll never really went away. Middlebrow cultural critics in the Eighties and early Nineties were always looking for something to replace it, which may speak to an unconscious loathing instilled by their parents and teachers...And somehow rock and roll has survived. I hope to convince you that it continues to survive, for the very powerful, compelling, and deep- seated reasons. It survives because in one form or another, it's always been with us and always will be."

Everyone should read it...and don't say that rock and roll isn't really your thing because that would be a lie says I. You know that you like it in one form or another.

Praise be.
Over and Out.
ED.

The last year before the apocalypse.

It is one year until 2012. The end of the world...nooooooooo!!!

New years was good...that is all.

I will gain things, lose things, be happy, be sad, be bored, be annoyed...all of these things I will experience in 2011.

Bring it on!

I have done exactly fifty blog post this year and I will match that in 2011 and even surpass it.


Happy New Year
Over and Out
ED.