Looking Forward

Hey guys!

A happy new year to you all once again. I had a wonderful festive season at home. On Christmas I went to my home-village, Kalamare. I had an interesting time- which would explain the picture. That is a...well it's not a small hill (duh), it's a rock or a boulder embedded on the ground. This is where local kids play. My dad claims that this place was one of his favourite pastimes as a child. They used cardboard boxes to slide from the top. Anyway, I had an even better time on new year's eve with my family and extended family. The celebration was just what I needed.

It's back to reality now. School-school-school! I won't let that depress me though, I have big plans for the year 2012 concerning my life and this blog too. I know that the combination of my busy schedule as a student and my character as a procrastinator, make me fail to post regularly- I know! I intend to share when I can, how I can...watch this space :) .

I wish you all a fruitful 2012. 

'Till next time...see ya!

Happppppy 2012!!!!!!!!!!!

Farewell 2011

Hey Zigglets!

I'll be honest, I'm not going to miss anything about 2011. I don't think there's anything I can highlight as being exceptional and life changing. However, I'm pretty thankful for the blessings that came with 2011. I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my sanity and my blog. I'm really excited about the next year as I have so many hopes and wishes for it.

Thank you for following me and my randomness in the year 2011. I really appreciate the visits and the comments and hopefully next year will bring with it more posts from yours truly! :)

Until next time...bye 2011 *waves*

Um, Where's the Guitar Solo?

The question has been gnawing at the back of my mind for quite some time. Is rock evolution causing the dissolution of the quintessential improv technique in a rock song? Are we losing the guitar solo?

Growing up in rock music, I’ve always known a rock song to have a guitar solo. I even coined it the ‘heart’ of a rock song. Some were wild and untamed (cue in the ‘80s hair metal era), some were just genius (Paige, Hendrix, Iommi, anyone?), and some were just so unique (Yep, Brian May). You know these are just examples of fantastic guitar players who understood what ‘being in your element’ really meant; taking the extra mile, taking a chance, showing off! Anyone remember Slash from Guns and Roses? Maybe you’ll also remember their song Sweet child o’ mine...from the guitar riff at the beginning to the that smashing guitar solo, I don’t think I need to further elaborate on that.

Whoooeee, let’s talk about the riff! Maan, oh maan! Certain songs pop into my mind: Cream- Sunshine of your love; Led Zeppelin- Whole lotta love OR Kashmir; Black Sabbath- Iron man OR Paranoid, just to name few of those that pop in my head first chance.

Fast forward to modern day ‘rock music’. Yes, it’s been spilt into several new entities. Now we have indie and emo and pop rock and goth and Pete’s pyjamas knows what else! Now, tell me, is it the same? I mean some songs will have a guitar solo lasting like two seconds and some, just progressions that are meant to be a solo. What’s happening to the rock solo? I’m just going to come out and say that these days, the musicians are not as hardcore as back in the day. Some element of passion and writing songs that really mean something, writing songs that you can feel becoming apart of you when they play, songs that give you goosebumps or make you smile just for no reason- is missing. Songs that make a difference. I’d say, today rock songs are just written to sell records and the adventure has just disappeared. Call me ignorant.

Tell me this, what will happen to our beloved “Air guitar” if we lose the rock solo? This is our culture!

Now I’m all for evolution and moving on with the times, but please rock solo, come back- improv, come back! I have a theory also gnawing at the back of my head. The future generations who really understand, are going to go back and start listening to the classics. I’m talking about ’60s, ’70s, ‘80s and ‘90s rock. You know why? They’ll be in search of that element again- the definition of rock music- the guitar solos and eloquence in music lyrics, the culture.

Alas, not all hope is lost...they call it Jack White! The man is a genius and a half and if you listen to the White Stripes or the Raconteurs or any of his music- hey, Jack White has got it going on. His guitar solos are just complex and brilliant- tell me I’m wrong! I'm not sure of any others.

Feel free to comment on this one though, where is the guitar solo disappearing to?  

A Very Christmas-y month!

A Very Christmasy hat!

Hello, far and wide- deep and shallow!

Hope I'm not too late, but my list is here and I'm ready to rock!...and do stuff. Okay introductions for this post are pretty simple and straight forward. If you're the ultimate Zigglet, you'd know that I like coming up with lists to get the month going and to repopulate my uneventful life with things to do. Because it's A very Christmasy month, we're going to have a list every week...I hope. So here's A very Christmasy list: take

1. Go out and get a job this week; preferably today...even if it's for free. Sitting at home waiting for school to resume and watching the telly all day has become old.

2. Draft a couple more introductions to my new novel

3. Watch Drunken Master again...(I'm still trying to figure out why people think it's the best kunfu movie ever made)

4. Start reading Daina Wynne Jones's "Year of the Griffin". It's going to be on the "Book Review" segment next week.

5. Bake, bake, bake! ...hmm, I see a carrot cake in that vision.

6. Active Sunday is back...we'll call it "Active Everyday". Yoga, aerobics, skipping rope 7 days a week. Which will bring me to a notion I want to prove. How effective is skipping rope on toning legs...well, I've got 3 weeks to prove it. I am the lab rat of course. Skipping for 15mins a day until Christmas. We gotta keep fit for that special day on the 25th (I want to eat with a clear conscience, feeling lighter- light as a feather).

There you have it. Well it's a little boring, I know...but quite eventful, you must admit. Well, I've got to go look for a job now :)See you tomorrow.

Ziggie ~~~

Book Review: Withering Tights

Withering Tights: The Misadventures of Tallulah Casey.
Author: Louise Rennison
Rating: 3/5


Withering Tights is a bubbly story that follows fourteen year old Tallulah Casey who is obsessed with her long legs and 'knobbly' knees, as she puts it. She embarks on an at adventure at a summer acting college, Dother Hall for a course. There she's hosted by a more than eccentric family, the Dobbins, and she gets much of a culture shock living in the Yorkshire country side. There she meets other crazy-bonkers teammates at Dother Hall and let the fun begin!

• Boys- check!
• Dazzling humor- check! 
• Fabulosity- check!
• Rolling on the floor laughing- check, check and check!

Many questions arise when reading this book, will Tallulah adapt to this land filled with sheep and energetic citizens? Will she find love? Will she make the best of her experience at her summer school? Will she forget about her knobbly knees?

I must admit, when I bought this book I was really skeptical about the turn out. For those who have been following the Georgia Nicholson series by this author and loved it, you'd know it to be funny, juicy and more than accommodating when it comes to addressing teenage boy crazy issues. This story is more of a spin off from Georgia as Tallulah and Georgia are cousins, and it doesn't disappoint in the funny department-at all!
However, I was a little disappointed with the story- a bit. I mean, since this is a spin-off, I kept comparing it to Georgia and to me it just didn't get to that level. Maybe it's because this is aimed at a younger audience, maybe not. Again- sometimes I couldn't help but feel like this was not so different from Georgia, Tallulah's character more especially.

I'm not suggesting that this is not good enough, it's a good read and a must have if you are a die hard fan Louise Rennison books.

-Haven't read it yet? Go out and get it. :)

Smile :)

Sweet Hellos to you!

I know it’s been a long while, but sue me for being such a procrastinator. It’s been weird, away from the writing field and my blog. I feel a sense of emptiness because something that’s a part of my life has been stopped, because of my laziness. The good news is, I’ve refuelled, and therefore, I’ve got plenty to share with you...plenty! *nods head in a weird way*.

So, it’s October, mid. I’d wanted to start this month with a bang and list all my aspirations and goals; but hey, it’s not too late I should think.

After months of reflecting, I’ve come to the conclusion that I might be too negative on life. I don’t ever like seeing the bright side of things; in fact I hate anything that’s bright! So, I’ve formulated a kind of positivity meter. Some of my friends kind of know about it because I sing the chorus every now and then. Okay, on the extreme positive side of the meter is a ‘Smile’, in the middle it’s a smirk or grin, and on the other extreme side, is pure negativity; be it depression, bad stress or just plain sadness. Ever since October started I’ve been trying to weigh the possibilities (mine), based on this meter. If I find the meter going to the negative side, I try by all means to surround myself with some positive structure; be it a laugh with good friends or just...smiling. Just get those pearly whites into shape and show them to the world! Of course people will think you’re crazy, going around smiling by yourself; but hey, who gives a hay! It’s contagious, and it makes me feel so much better in the end (OMG, I just said ‘hay’).

Smiling makes things go easier in your day...try it. If you find yourself stuck in a sitch where there’s no way out, smile. It’s like a ray of sunshine, bursting out of the darkness.

Anywho, that’s all for today folks! See ya real soon.

Happy Birthday Freddie Mercury

There's not much to be said here; just many thank yous. Thank you for the inspiration, the love and the talent; thank you for the music. Today, a great man was born, and I am forever, the biggest fan. I'll share this vid with you, my lovely readers...just listen to the lyrics, and you'll get what I'm talking about; pure, inspired genius!

Happy Birthday Freddie Mercury; Long Live the Queen!

I promise to be back soon readers, sorry for the hiatus...
~Yours, Ziggie.

Bzzzy Bees!

So um, I got home yesterday and there they were. The tree they're on is right at the main gate, so I decided to take a picture. My dad seems to think they're good luck, so we shouldn't get rid of them...I don't know. I can still remember my first bee sting ordeal. I was nine, I think and I stepped on a dead one; *the horror!*. The next encounters after that are pretty similar and as painful.

Anywho, I'm not here to talk about my unfriendly encounters with bees. I would like to talk about them metaphorically, or comparing them to real life; my life (duh!). I don't know; my knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and behaviour of bees is quite limited. The last time I studied bees specifically I was probably in junior secondary. But from what I know; there are bees which are captured for honey and those that roam around freely. Since it's winter time here, it's bee season and it comes as no surprise that I'd find a swarm perched on my tree.

Bees are really busy creatures. Looking at it like a 'Plain Jane', you'd know that their main goals are to protect the queen and make honey. Every second, they're serving a purpose. So I asked myself today; what purposeful thing did I manage to do to day? 'Something, for someone else?' What should I do, for someone else? I know it's not really the same thing; protecting a queen (just one being), and my question. Either way, the queen is being protected because she's producing more bees (Okay, that didn't help either). Anyhowz I'm just going to use it.

I've not done anything, in a while that would benefit another person who needs it. So, I'm going to think of something to do, and I'll tell you what I did in the next coming blog posts...one of them. I'm going to do something that'll help protect another human being, selflessly and guilt free...just because I saw a swarm of bees at my gate. It pretty much makes sense to me.

'Till next time...c ya! (Wait, are you still scratching you head?)

Happy Birthday Brian May!

If you have no idea who he is, Brian May is the lead guitarist of my favourite band, Queen. I'll just like to take this time or post, to express my gratitude to all the inspiration I've obtained from just listening to him play guitar. I think out of all the guitarists I've heard play in my life, he's style is the most intelligent. It's like, I want to go out and integrate or do some maths...figuratively speaking of course. It's like I'm on a rocket, travelling to another galaxy (Hey, I call it like I see it). Please press play on the vid above and witness an amazing solo by him.

Happy Birthday, Brian May :)

'Till next time...