Soni!

So, this is where I'm heading off to in less than an hour...



YES, MATE.

Amy, Sweet Amy.

I'm yet to do a name post on my blog, which seems odd as they are such a (rather bizarre) passion of mine. Still, there's a first time for everything, and I think I can say that this is the first time for a name to take centre stage on here. Non-name lovers, please bear with me.

From behindthename.com :
AMY

Gender: Feminine

Usage: English

Pronounced: AY-mee
English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.


Sweet sound, lovely meaning, fair usage, no obvious teasing potential...this seems like the perfect name choice. It is not so popular these days, but it IS heard of, which makes it an excellent option for any parent to be (unless, you know, they have some terrible personal association with the name). Yes, lovely. Hence it's position on my main list of favourite names. But why only my main list, I hear you ask? Well, it's me isn't it? I like things interesting, just that little bit more unusual, and whilst Amy is utterly charming, it lacks that spark; I can't see it wowing people so much, I doubt anyone would think twice about meeting someone named Amy.

It would seem then, that fair Amy needs a little spicing up. Parents could always go for the more elaborate French version (Aimée) but I find that just a little too fussy. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is beautiful. BUT, if a little bit more spark and interest is what you're looking for, this barely fits the bill. It's pretty much the same name, just with some more letters and an accent thrown in. Charming, but not altogether different when spoken. From my experience, I think there are two ways in which Amy can become just that little bit more interesting: NICKNAME and MIDDLE NAME.

Nickname
I have heard a couple of Amy's say that they see nothing wrong with their name, as such, but have always wished it were longer, or a nickname for something longer. So, what names could Amy be a nickname for? This is what I've come up with (of course, some are more usable than others):

Amalia
Amabel
Amadea
Amelia
Amélie
Amethyst
Amia
Amira
Amity
Araminta


Middle Name
I think Amy is so unexpected as a middle name choice that it instantly becomes fresh and new again. It can sweeten a more heavy first name, or tone down a more elaborate first name. Here's some combos I've come up with:

Beatrix Amy
Constance Amy
Delphine Amy
Genevieve Amy
Rosamund Amy
Temperance Amy
Vivienne Amy
Winifred Amy


So there we have it, my first "Name In The Spotlight" if you will. Probably a bit more detailed than any further name mentions will be, but the name Amy was just being discussed on the forum I visit, and it led to some interesting thoughts on my part. :)

Honeymoon At Hogwarts

There were many good postsecrets this week, but this is the one I'm focussing on because I think it's cute and fun, but also holds some truth about humanity. Yes, you read that correctly, I'm going to get something really deep and meaningful out of one person's love of Harry Potter, a fictional boy wizard.
I think that's the point, to be honest, that it's fictional. Every once in a while, we all need an escape from our real lives, and what better way to escape than delve into a fantasy realm and read about someone else's life in a far off world for a while? I think that's why I love reading so much...open a book and you're suddenly transported into another time or place entirely, following the lives of some made up person/animal/being for a while. I think that it's important to have that escape, that chance to relax and rewind, to live your dreams in your head for a bit, or worry about your favourite characters problems for a change, instead of your own. Experience one 12 year old's battle against pure evil and you suddenly realise that your own problems aren't all that bad.

***

In other news, how freaking awesome is this T-shirt?



It's only made better by the fact that proceeds go to Matthew's medical bill fund. I know what I'm buying as soon as I have money! CLICK HERE to grab one for yourself. :)

***
Finally, I am currently listening to Avenged's new album, Nightmare. In all honesty, I'm not overly impressed with it so far, but it could grow on me. You can definitely hear the raw emotion and pain that each of the remaining band members must be feeling at this time, I'll give them that.

Dead By Passion

I just found out that Dead By April are playing with My Passion on their October tour.

HAVE TO GO.

That is all. x

Glasses, Beards and Mermaid Tails.

So once again I've been browsing post secret. This one got me thinking because I often find that I, too, hide behind my glasses (but not so much my beard...).




And this one just made me smile. :)




I hope you're smiling too.

A little rant.

Having been brought up in an environment where those with disabilities are seen as complete equals, it never ceases to amaze me how cruel and heartless some people can be on the subject of disability, especially in the case of children. Today, I was told of one particular instance that really had me fuming. A grown woman, a MOTHER in fact, actually had the audacity to request that one mother leave with her disabled son as he was "scaring her daughter". Now, I'm sorry...WHAT?! How on earth is this mature, adult behaviour? What sort of twisted message is this sending to her daughter? Surely she should be teaching her not to be afraid, teaching her that we should treat every person in this world with love and respect. And if she had a problem, I'm of the opinion she should have got up and left herself!

Amidst my outrage at this completely inappropriate behaviour, though, I also have questions. Are the people who say things such as this cruel? Or are they merely uneducated? Are all these negative attitudes towards disability stemming from the fact that these people genuinelly just do not understand? Is it possible that, if they had been taught from the word go not to be so wary of disability, they would actually be much more accepting of it? Perhaps this particular mother was not asking the other to leave in a malicious way, rather she did not know how to deal with a situation involving a special needs child.

So now I wonder...what can we do? It seems to me that so many people in this world, so many otherwise lovely, kind people, are harbouring fears and anxieties about those who may have differing needs to their own, those who have disabilities. And these fears and anxieties, I believe, stem from a lack of education, a lack of experience. It scares and saddens me that such people will then undoubtedly pass on similar ignorant beliefs to their own offspring, and the cycle will continue. How can we stop this? How can we get through to people that disability is not something to fear, that those with special needs should not be alienated, that they're not all that different from anyone else?

I don't know what point this blog post had. I suppose it was just a rant on my part, a chance for me to express my utter outrage at how so so many still think it is ok to treat others like crap. It's time it ended. It's cruel, it's heartless and it's ignorant. It deeply upsets me, too, that it is so easily avoidable. If people would just open their minds, open their hearts, I think this world would be a much better place. We need to speak up. But I'm not sure that's enough. We need action. We need to ACT, we need to PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH. For me it's just natural to treat all people with care, respect, love and equality. I barely bat an eye because I am so used to my home being filled with kids, some disabled some not. I view them all as just that, kids. And they're awesome. It's time for action. And it's time for those who don't know, those who are still harbouring these ancient and outrageous fears, to stand up and be willing to learn.

Barnardo's.

^^Click it.

<3

Know Any Wizards?

Me and my friend, Vikki Violet, have decided we'd like to take a trip somewhere random and just hang out there, not unlike what we did one day in Nottingham about a year ago (before I was at uni there). So, we looked at a map of Britain and have decided we'd rather like to go to Cromer. The problem? It's a devil to get to, so we definitely need to find a wizard in order for our dream to pan out and become reality. Haha. This is a shame, just look how cool the place looks:



Perfect for a random day out, don't you think?


***

In other news, we saw Summerlin last night. They are pretty darn good, and lovely boys, so check them out. That gig reminded me just how much I love the alternative/rock/metal etc music scene. There's nothing quite like being at a gig, there really isn't. :)

A Secret Shared

I don't know about any of you, but I love post secret. I just checked in there (a little later than usual) to see the latest ones, and thought I'd share my favourites. I think I'll put up my favourite post secrets every week, if I remember, 'cos they're so cool. Some are funny, some are sad, some make you feel better 'cos you know exactly what they mean, some make you think and understand people just a little bit more. So, these are my favourites for this week:




A little praise goes a long way.



LOL, much?



I get that completely, because I'd be exactly the same.



And that's just plain compassion.

<3

Maybe it's just 'cos it's Summer...

I am suddenly finding myself becoming far more girly. Not according to most people's standards, not at all, but to my own I am definitely becoming a more feminine being. Lol. I find myself looking at dresses online, and liking more typically "girly" music. Maybe I'm just growing up, or maybe the things that are important to me are changing and those things that I once loved now seem so insignificant. Don't get me wrong, I'm still my good ol' cba man self, but there's a girl in there too, and I think she's showing her face more these days.

I'm loving this song, for example:
[apologies for only half the picture, html sucks ass]



As the title of this blog post would suggest, maybe it's just 'cos it's Summer. The beat is so light and fun, and the video looks so bright and carefree and makes me want to get off this dreary British Isle and appear somewhere warm and sunny with a beach and the sea. Give it a month, just under, and I'll be sunning myself on the beach, cocktail in hand, in the Dominican Republic. My oh my, I love Summer. And, yes, I might even be wearing a dress.

That's alright because I like the way it hurts.

Yes, I am officially basing my blog around a song that features Rihanna, the singer I have on many occasions said I have an 'irrational hatred' of. Lately, though, I have warmed to a couple of her songs. 'Rude Boy', for example, is pretty cool...if a little boring to my ears now, and 'Te Amo' has a cool Summery vibe about it, which I like. Of course, the song in question today is the Eminem one that she is featured on, 'Love The Way You Lie'.

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
Well that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
Well that's alright because I love the way you lie
Love the way you lie
It makes sense, it really does. It seems to me that most people will feel at least a little like this at some point in their lives, some more than others. It's that feeling where you're pretty certain that some person in your life isn't really that fussed about you, that they're just taking advantage of your good nature or whatever, but you're somehow ok with that because a life with them hurting you seems to be better than a life without them at all.

Like the way it hurts.
Not necessarily the pain itself, rather the feeling that that person is still there, that they're in your life. For some reason, if you care about them that much, it doesn't matter whether the only way you really feel them in your life is through the pain they cause you, as long as you still feel their presence. It's that whole idea of wanting the pain purely so you feel something, making you feel real and safe, regardless of whether you actually are. When writing about it objectively, it seems so stupid, but when you're in the situation there is no objectivity, you stick with it because you don't want to think about the alternative, the life without them. Perhaps the thought is too scary, or perhaps you just love them too much.

Love the way you lie.
Of course you do. It means that, even for a second, you can believe that they are the person you want them to be, the friend they always say they are. Their actions often say otherwise, but occasionally they might do or say something completely amazing, that pulls you right back and makes you give them a second chance. In life, in friendships and romantic relationships and many other situations, we all want to believe the lies, we love them, because they give us that false hope. It's like the semi-famous saying, 'lies are easier to believe than the truth'. And they are. We tell white lies all the time, to stop ourselves from hurting someone else. Sometimes that's fine, but I'm a firm believer that honesty really is the best policy in the majority of circumstances. Especially if the person kinda knows the truth already, and your lies are just helping feed their fantasy, helping them to ignore the truth and lie to themselves. All this reminds me of the Paramore lyric: If you wanna play this like a game, well come on, come on let's play. Cuz I'd rather waste my time pretending, than have to forget you for one whole minute. I get it, I do, but it's always struck me as odd. Of course you don't want to forget the person, but there comes a time when enough really is enough.

I guess what I'm saying is that, so often in our lives, we're willing to believe lies and we're willing to get hurt, purely because it seems easier than just walking away. If we ever get a glimpse of a life away from that, though, we can see that, actually, it's not so bad. In fact, it's often even better. The truth does hurt, it hurts a whole lot, but it also sets you free. So, in the long run, I can't see how it's not the better option. After putting up with so much hurt, I guess it would be a relief to finally walk away, despite how difficult it might be at first.

So, I guess I should say GO RIHANNA! And, of course, Eminem, but saying he rules has never been as difficult as admitting my newfound love of some of Rihanna's work. Eminem's just amazing anyway. :)

Hero.

<3

For Matthew.

I don't even know what to say. Some of the worst news in a long time has just reached me, and I suddenly feel so lazy for having my lie in and hearing about it so much later. Just. Ohmygod.

I have so little faith in humanity right now. So little faith in the world. Yet so so so much faith in certain people. It fills me with happiness to know that there are some people who do give a damn. The thing is, in a world full of hate and pain and violence, is that seemingly small group of people enough? I guess it has to be.



^^
This man, Matthew Leone, is one person whom I have the utmost faith in. He is one person who will do anything to help you out. He is amazing. And guess what? He's paying for it. Where is the justice in that? One of my heroes, one of the nicest, truest people out there is currently lying in a hospital bed, a third of his skull removed, fighting for his life. And why? Because he cared. He saw a woman being abused, and tried to help.

I try so hard to make sense of this world, but it seems it just won't make sense. All I can do is try my best to live in it, and be the best person I can be. For Matthew, if for no-one else. The response to this event from fellow River People has been amazing. It has been so beautiful and strong, and reminds me of all the good out there. But it only helps a fraction with the pain and anger inside me right now. This sort of thng should not happen. It should not have happened to that poor woman, and it should not have happened to Matthew.

I do not know what else to say. I don't even know if what I have said makes any sense at all. But I needed to write. I needed to respond to this in my own way.

Please, Matthew, keep fighting. Stay strong. Get better soon.

All my love to Madina, their friends, their families and, as always, the ever-amazing River People. <3