24 Hour Gaming Marathon

So yesterday, I was part of a team of people gaming for 24 hours without stop for a charity called Extra Life.

I say part of because I wasn't even in the team - I thought I was going to be busy today so couldn't do the whole thing but it turned out I wasn't busy.

However, due to me not being in the team, I didn't have to be there for the whole thing. Beforehand, I went to Kev's house for the first time and we watched the Liverpool game. His whole family are fans as well so it was good to watch it in the company of fellow fans as opposed to usually watching it on my own. Think I'll be going round more often for games.

It was a 1-1 draw but still a good result, btw.


After this, I went to the gaming marathon, hosted at Nicholas' house because everything happens there.

The three people taking part were Josh, Rob and another guy called Stu.

As I said, I wasn't doing the whole thing but still took my Xbox, laptop, a portable TV and an Digital SLR camera that the school have lent me over the holidays (Wasn't fun carrying all of it, I tell you right now)

I joined them about 3pm and went right through with them until 9am although it was easier for me because I didn't have to stick the restriction of gaming non-stop and had a longer sleep the night before.

I've never done anything quite like it. I took a risk in taking the Digital SLR because if anything happens to it, i'm liable and Nicholas' house isn't a place you'd want to be taking it to.

But I did and it was worth it. I documented the marathon, taking a photo of the guys once an hour. I'd post something on here but they wouldn't like that (even thought they wouldn't find out) and I wouldn't do that to them anyway.

Loads of people stopped by about 7/8pm and it got really distracting and we couldn't concentrate on what we were doing but when they went things calmed down and we got some KFC which kept us going for a while.

I thought it was a bit strange though, that Nicholas didn't take part due to it being at his house. He dropped off at about 4am leaving just us 4.

Obviously, we all got annoyed at each other at points out of boredom and being tired. Staring at a screen for that long really isn't easy and I didn't even do it half as much as they did.

We achieved it however. Got through to 9am and went to sleep. Although when I woke up, I found out that the guys raised over £200 between them. Awesomesauce. Probably could have been about £250+ if i was in the team to help but I've pledged to them that I'll join them next year. They guys are going to donate it to a local children's hospital by the way ^^

The whole thing just totally throws your sleeping pattern though. Mine is screwed as the best of times but it's going to be really out of whack for the rest of the week as i'm going back to Nicholas' house tomorrow for a party. I couldn't be bothered staying for 3 nights in a row so i'm home now to take a shower and freshen up etc. before going back tomorrow.

It should be good. There's gonna be a lot of people there and Kev has said directly to me that when he's drunk he's probably going to come onto me so I'm not quite sure how i'll handle that one...

I was supposed to be going to my film club tomorrow as well but I don't think I will be now because of Nicholas' party - I'd arrive too late. I feel really guilty because we are filming a trailer for the annual film festival next Sunday so it would be best if i was in attendance but i'll make something up. Don't feel good about it but i will. I don't go to many parties (compared to other people) but this is one that I'm not missing.

There's another meeting for the film group on Wednesday though so I can go to that one to make up for me missing this.

As well as the gaming marathon, Friday was busy as well. 7 of us were round at Rob's house helping him move stuff for a new extension and got paid 20 quid. Looks like the next few days are going to be busy, too, so just thought I'd throw a little update out there for everyone while I can!

Mr. Sociable signing out ;D


Rowan <3

A Week Away

Just back from my week at Josh's place.

It was a good week.

But my week actually started the day before, at Anfield in Liverpool. My dad and i went to see Liverpool vs Valencia. We won 2-0 which was good but i was mostly bothered about being sat in the Kop which is something i can tick off my bucket list (not that i plan on dying any time soon)

Obviously, it was just a friendly match and the atmosphere wasn't as good as it probably is for big matches but that doesn't bother me a jot.

While we were at the match, my mum and sister went into town to see a film and Liverpool's Gay Pride was on at the time but if they seen any of the festivities, neither of them mentioned it.
Anfield is a bit further from the city centre so i didn't see anything either.

Anyhoo, after this i was dropped at Josh's. Was about 30 minutes from Liverpool.

There were 6 people there that night and it was, in all honesty, the best night of the week and this was before the week even began :P

Josh was there of course, Nicholas was staying for the full two weeks, Rob arrived the same day i did and two other friends (who i wont name to keep names to a minimum) were there, too.

It was quite a crazy night, but that's coz we pretty much had a whole house to ourselves.

Basically there is the main house, then a little annex behind it and a two floor converted garage which was left to us, meaning we could stay up till whenever and be as loud as we liked. We did exactly that. Plentiful supply of alcohol as well. Must have had 7 bottles in 2 or 3 hours as well as Josh's dad providing some whiskey.

Needless to say, i was sick again and i apparently threw a whiskey glass at a wall but whatever :P


The two nameless friends left the next day and i think the effects were felt immediately. It was way quieter. I have to say that mine and Rob's arrival were probably a breath of fresh air to everyone else who had spent a whole week with each other but we were down to four.

The first couple of days were quite enjoyable, just getting to enjoy the place and the area. We went into Liverpool itself one day but it was a bit disappointing because all the shops closed really early due to the fucking disgraceful riots.

We still bought NERF guns and had a battle back at the house coz we're so awesome liek \m/

Went into Manchester another day, without Nicholas coz he's a lazy shit :P

I slag it off sometimes coz i support Liverpool but i don't think i'll knock it again. It seems a really open and diverse city. As soon as we got out the car and turned the corner, we walked straight past an LGBT bar and in the beer garden there were two guys kissing. It was really sweet :)

Never seen anything like that where i live. Truth.

I thought we were about to immerse ourselves into Manchester's gay district which i hear is quite large but that must have just been the edge because we headed right into the town centre and done some window shopping. Went to a milkshake bar. Yes, a milkshake bar. Where i had a skittles milkshake and played the owner at Street Fighter. He won but it was still awesome.

Apparently, there's some free tasting day this Thursday and i'd love to go but obviously i can't :/

That's all the city-seeing. Most other days we had things like food eating competitions, more gun battles, annoying Rob :P

Josh's dad got it right; Rob is the whipping boy of the group. We always take the piss out of him!

Josh's dad himself is honestly is one of the most legendary dad's on the planet - excluding the fact that he left Josh's disabled mum on her own - The amount of hassle is must have been to have a group of 17 years olds staying and getting food and drinks for everyone must have been insane but it didn't seem to phase him. Apparently we weren't a bother ^_^

Another running thing was having bacon everyday and playing a game of Monopoly. Josh's dad cooked all our meals (coz he's a god) and because he was stuck one night, he just put bacon through the mash potatoes. Words cant decribe :')

Also, with Monopoly. We all won at least a game each but Nicholas won 5.

A true reflection of his real life: having insane amounts of money, possessions and luck.


Towards the end of the week, things got a bit more tense. Everyone was getting on each others' nerves and we all kinda just wanted to go home. I had a stupid argument one night with Josh about music then another night about a new guitar he bought. Pointless shit.

In the midst of this, Rob, who never drinks, got drunk! Bloody hell it was funny and it was one of those "I was there moments" coz he is usually very anti-alcohol and afterwards said it would never be happening again.

We shall see about that.

Anyhow. The day before we were all due to come home, shit hit the fan. Nicholas and Josh really fell out and Nicholas left along with Rob and got the train home. Simply coz he wanted to go home and because he had enough money to do so.

It was quite a shock but i suppose spending two weeks living like a pig with the same person can get to you. I didn't like him leaving like that, without saying thanks to Josh's dad, but i understand why he did.

Rob has no excuse. He begged Josh to come down and after finding out he could, he leaves a day early.

It may also be the last time we see him for a good while as he won't be coming back to school. He left that early as well.


So Josh and I spent the final night adding the finishing touches to a song we've been working on which was interesting but challenging. From that alone, i can see how difficult it would be to actually be in a band.
Just difference of opinions on what sounds the best really but in all fairness the song is originally mine and Josh was just adding his input.
I've changed it about a little since then and i like it but it still isn't finished. It is indeed, the first song i have ever wrote.

I still don't even know if Josh and I are a proper band. I play bass obviously and he's a drummer but we both dabble in guitar and he got a new one recently...

The song we wrote is actually all distorted bass and drums with a little bit of synth in it and it still sounds good so we're debating whether or not a guitarist is needed. If it is, then we plan to approach Alex coz he's rather talented.


The next day it was time to go home and i saved over £50 in doing so.

As Nicholas left a day early, he left his original ticket behind so i used that and called my mum telling her so. She can refund the ticket i didn't use!

Either way, i didn't see one conductor on that train (a VIRGIN train) for the whole journey so i could have had the journey for free anyway. Good thing Nicholas did go home in that case or i might have actually wasted my ticket altogether.


That is really about all there is to tell. It was a good week, as i said, but i was a little disappointed from all the wild stories i've heard from previous years. Probably coz there were more people before. If the two friends didn't leave then it would probably have been better, or if other people were allowed to come.

Alas, it seems 4 people in a confined space can be difficult to deal with for a whole week. I'm still glad i went even if it probably was the first and last time i go - Josh's dad plans to sell the house -  but for now, i'm just really happy to be back in my own house and can't wait to sleep in my own bed after i click "Publish post" in a few minutes time :)


Rowan <3


Below is a band i have recently discovered after Josh told me about them and after i found they were playing Reading and Leeds. They are called Death From Above 1979 and consist of a drummer and a bassist only and is why Josh and I question if a guitarist is needed in our band as the music these guys make is amazing... and also rather insane! As a bassist who enjoys his fair share of distortion, i admire the bass playing for DFA and i simply cannot wait to see them in 11 days time.

Exam Results

Like last year, i was on the receiving end of an arse up from the exam board.

I won't go into detail but i received my email at 1:30 in the morning. Think that says something.

Anyway, my results... were great. I couldn't have asked for more. Well, i could've but meh.

English - B
French - A
Media - A
Music - A
Spanish - A


Clever clogs, eh? :P

Of course, i'm a bit irked at English but it's quite funny actually.

Last year in English i was on track to achieve an A since around Christmas, got an A in the prelims and then got a B in the final exam.

Exact same story this year.

Hopefully this year will continue to follow last year's path and i will get an appeal and eventually receive an A in about October. We shall see. I did get an A in the prelims after all, and i'm quite certain that i wasn't far off an A!

Most of my friends got the results they desired as well. Susan got 3 A's i think. Rob got 2. Melly got all A's i think. Bryan surpassed his expectations. Due to his Grandad dying during the exam period he didn't study much but ended up getting 4 A's and failing maths but he knew he would anyway.

The only person i know of who was left a bit disappointed was Josh. He wants to go into medicine and to do that you pretty much need A's across the board.
Think he got 2 A's, a B and 2 C's.

They're not disastrous results but knowing Josh, he definitely expected more of himself. He might even have to change some subjects for next year :/

I'm also going to do so tomorrow, but voluntarily.

I don't need to re-sit anything thankfully but i'm basically going to go in and say, "Right, i'll do Photography or Modern Studies in whichever column gives me Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning off"

:P

If pushed i can say i plan to do some volunteering work somewhere and they can only do Wednesday afternoon. Then when asked about it later in the year i can pretend they already took people on or whatever.

Honestly, my hard work, for the most part is done. I plan for a much more relaxed year and if i have to be a bit of an arse to get it i don't really care!

So yeah, now that the worrying about exam results is gone, i'll enjoy going to see Liverpool on Saturday. (Since writing this i have found that Liverpool's Gay Pride is actually taking place then, haha!) Anyway, after that i shall be spending a week with some friends near Manchester and then it will soon be time for Reading and Leeds. T'is drawing ever closer :)

Good times!


Rowan <3

The Hillsborough Disaster....Silence

I have a feeling many of you wont know of this tragedy that took place on 15th April 1989. Particulalry those outside of Britain.

The tragedy was the death of 96 Liverpool FC fans who died due to a crushing incident at a football match in Sheffield, England.

Most of this is down to the mis-management of the police present on the day.

I know i wasn't born at the time but the whole thing really grabs me.
How it happened, the aftermath, the support of the family, friends and the football club, it always gets me going.

Every year on 15th April a memorial service is held at Anfield, the ground of Liverpool FC, to remember those unfortunate people.
Today's service will be shown tonight at 7pm on LFC TV in Britain in case anybody is interested.
I will be watching it as i couldn't attend although i have made the promise to myself that i will go one day.
(I don't live near the ground btw)

The service is always held at 3pm because that's the time the game started 21 years ago today.
At 3.06pm a minute of silence is held as that is the time the game was abandoned at.
And then You'll Never Walk Alone is sung by the attending fans of which there usually is a good number.

So today at 3.06pm i held my own silence in my room, for a minute and i'm not ashamed to admit i cried a little afterwards, listening to You'll Never Walk Alone.
I find it strange how something that took place before i was even born can arouse such deep feelings in me but it just does.

This post, i planned to talk more about the incident itself and how (badly) the situation was handled by the police but i'm not really feeling upto it.
Most of what i have to say is covered on the Wikipedia page anyway so if you are interested or want to find out more then here's the page for you -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_Disaster


And speaking of silence, now is a good time to remind you all of tomorrow.
16th April. Day of Silence for homophobic bullying.
I have come to the realisation that i will end up having to talk at some point tomorrow probably but i will try my best to stay as quiet as possible.
Again, i encourage whoever is reading this to try and do the same if you can. I know it can be difficult, i had trouble staying silent for 1 minute today :P


Love you guys,
Rowan


I know i posted You'll Never Walk Alone not long ago but i need to do so again today. I can't not post it.....




Remembering the 96. You'll Never Walk Alone.

Pyjama Day!

Who loves a pyjama day? Well, if you wear pyjamas of course.

Truthfully, i don't normally but last night it was really cold so i put some on :P

This hasn't been a really long day for me coz....i was in bed till half past 3.
Lol, thats bad, i know.

It's coz i stay up till like 3am talking on msn and that was no different last night but don't get me wrong, i only stay up that late due to time zone differences and coz i want to stay up to chat to people.

It was at least 3:30am before i went to sleep tho then i woke up at 9:30am for some reason but i just nodded off again.
When i woke up i got the fright of my life coz my ipod said it was half past three in the afternoon lol.
Also annoyed at myself coz i missed some football on the tv.

So i didn't bother getting out of my pyjamas at all today, told you i was having a lazy day, and tomorrow will be no different but i will put some proper clothes on tomorrow or i will start to stink :P


Even tho im not religious i wish you all a Happy Easter for tomorrow, enjoy all your chocolate!

Mmmmm.....chocolate *drools*

Love ya's,
Rowan


P.S I'm going to post a song below, it's different from most of the songs i post on here.
It is the anthem of English football club Liverpool FC, who i support. I don't just like it for that reason, i think it's actually a really lovely song.
It also has a message for anyone who is going through a tough time that there will always be someone there for you and i listen to it whenever i am having difficulties.

I'm really posting this coz there are a few people who i hold very dear in my heart who I know will be going through their own storm soon.
Walk on guys.





Y.N.W.A

So.....

If you haven't read my previous post, you should read it first :P


Today was, apart from the bass exam, a rather normal school day with the inevitable couple of things worth mentioning.

English was good. With my presentation out the way i could just watch everybody elses. So i did, but a noteworthy presentation came from this boy in my class who i think is really hot.
I stare at him in class sometimes, although i know it is risky.
But this gave me the opportunity to stare at him for a good 3 or so minutes, so i took full advantage of that :P

That was good.


Nothing happened from then until lunch apart from the bass exam of course (but that is in my post before this)

But lunch was quite something.

Me and my group of friends all have this table which we pretty much claim as ours.
There's about 20 of us or something, all pretty good friends, some better than others of course.
But today's discussion involved football.
And why i support Liverpool FC when i don't live near or in Liverpool.

I give them the reasons, just like any fan supports their club, they like the players, the stadium, the fans, the atmosphere et al.
Do they listen to that?

No.

Well....half did and half didn't i suppose.

But then it starts getting personal.

They ask "Why do you support Liverpool if none of your family are from there?"

"Sorry, you're wrong, i do have family in Liverpool"

"Oh, so they're all serial rapists as well?"


.....


Charming.

Insult my family and my team all in one go.

Some "friends" i have, honestly.
They're not all bad, it was only a select few who found that comment funny and continued to progress it further, although i won't go into tht.

Funnily enough, neither Steven or Alex were involved in it...

But yeh, i wasn't in a great mood with some people for the rest of the day.


Also got some rather irritating news in maths, although it doesn't involve the subject itself.

There is a boy in my maths class. We shall call him Freddie.

Freddie is most likely gay. He is also rather irritating, even i find him annoying.
He has never said he is gay but the way he acts, the things he says....believe me, if you seen him you would think so too.

He's not what i would say is hot and to be honest he does get on everyone's nerves.

But i couldn't help but feel sorry for him today.


The boy who sits next to me in maths boasts that he was bullying Freddie at lunch because of his assumed sexuality.
I'm not sure exactly what took place but Freddie was abnormally quiet and was crying in maths.
It was made worse that i was sitting next to the person who caused this.

I don't really like Freddie, i don't know him well either, but at that moment i just wanted to give him a big hug and help him out.
I never even got the chance to speak to him coz he was out of the class as soon as the bell rang.

:-/

I hope he starts feeling better.


So yeh, apart from the bass exam going well, today was not overly jolly.

.....The careers evening you may be wondering.

Quite a bore. Very dry, quite informative but very dry.

Went round loads of tables, meeting people of lots of different jobs but i focused mainly on those to do with music, journalism and languages coz that's what i'm good at.

It was bigger than i thought it would be but nothing exciting so that's really all there is too mention about it.


Phew.

It's been quite a long day.

Didn't know if i was going to post this or not but for you guys, i did :)


Oh, and lastly....i found another Scissor Sisters song i like lmao.

It's called "Laura"

I heard it on the bus today and i recognised it although i couldn't put a name to it until the DJ said but i thought it did sound like Scissor Sisters.

:P

Love you guys,
Rowan

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

Happy New Decade everyone!

2009 is done and dusted and i have to say it was probably one of the best years i've had so far.
Of course, every year has it ups and downs and it's difficult to say at the end, "Oh that was a really good/crap year"
So i suppose mine was a bit of both.

Over the past 12 months i've done many eventful things - Seen 3 different bands in concert (The Killers, Muse, Kasabian) went on a school trip to Valencia in April, went to see a Liverpool FC match a Anfield (which i had been dreaming of for many years) and lots of other little things add to that list.

Also, i entered Blogland! Hurrah!

Not many eventful bad things have happened, but there have been things that have happened.
This time last year and for the next couple of months, i wasn't doing all that well. I found myself confused, angry and depressed.
This was the pretty much the end of me coming to terms with the fact that i wasn't "normal"...

I wasn't straight.



About a year ago, this blogging community would have helped me a lot but i was still in self-denial at this point. I had been for the past year or so prevous to that.

I tried many times and many things to convince myself i was straight, many strange and awful things that now, perhaps, i do regret.

But that part of me is gone.
2009 was the start of something new, realising and coming to terms with who i really was.
It was only in about March/April did i fully let it all go.
But for the couple of years before 2009 ('06,'07,'08) i can see how much of a different person i was.
I was, tbh, a stupid, arrogant brat.

I now like to think i am no longer that, and in the past year i have matured more and have become a different and better person.

After March/April i was still scared tho.
I didn't know who to talk to, i didn't know where to turn.
I was lost.

And this continued throughout the summer, the only escape for me seemed to be the comment thread on "A Rent-Boy Named..." where everybody was (and still are) so kind and open-minded.
I started getting and replying emails from a fellow reader who i had become friendly with and found that it really helped.
I finally had someone to talk to.

And then one day in about August/Septmeber, i came across Blogger.
I don't fully remember how, it may have been through the RB site, i don't remember.
But the first blog i started reading was The Everyday Life and Thoughts of a Fabulous Teen.

I found how i could really relate to that.

So i wondered if maybe i could do it.
Eventually i did, in about late September, i started this blog.

It's wonderful.

It's where i can be myself and talk to other understanding and open-minded people.
It's really the only place i know of that i can be myself right now.

So really, although he hasn't directly helped me, i would like the thank the author of that first blog, James. Coz his blog encouraged me to start blogging.
And thanks to Blogland and my followers for welcoming me in, you've all made me feel really accepted and for that, i thank you.

2010 though, being the start of a new decade made me realise how much bigger and crazier things are going to get...and the end of this decade i will be 25!
That is weird.
But before i get there, i know how important and how defining this decade will possibly be.
This decade, i will be sitting important exams (as well as this year, in fact.) I will be getting a job, possibly a career. Friends will more than likely come and go. And perhaps most importantly, it will be the decade in which i finally take the step out of this small and dark closet and come out myself to my friends and family.

I certainly do not want to keep prolonging it, no matter what the outcome.

Haha, i never planned a review of the year but there it is anyway =P

So here's to 2010 - the start of a new decade, and a new beginning.



I listened to this on the stroke of midnight, the start of 2010. It really took my breath away and made me realise how important these next few years will be. I would recommend listening to it coz it's such a powerful, emotional and great song.

Cheers,
Rowan