“Thus we never see the true state of our condition till it is illustrated by its contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.” Daniel Defoe [Robinson Crusoe]
It's official, I've become one of those people. People who I have previously dubbed as actually quite rude. People constantly on their mobile phone, constantly online, updating various statuses with life information few people actually care about. Hooked.
I am far from tech-savvy, but recently acquired a brand new phone. A phone with 'apps' and internet access. In fact, I could actually update my blog from there (if, y'know, I had got used to typing on the thing at all yet...). It seems that in this society even the least technical of us cannot escape, and eventually we'll all be online all the time. The pace of life seems to be increasing, everyone is always on the go...God forbid I get left behind.
This postsecret made me laugh. A lot. Along with the novelty of the internet, I am now obsessed with all the applications I can download. And one of the first? Angry Birds, recommended by my boyfriend (who consequently kept stealing my phone to play it, as he can't get it on his Blackberry). Can I hear you say 'addictive'?!
It is indeed a sad truth that, in today's technically advancing, ever-changing, world people are constantly 'logged on'. I honestly hope that my personal phone addiction will wear off as the novelty does, but I somehow can't see it. Gone are the days where you're not in constant contact with everyone you know. Gone are the days of simple country walks, trips far out with no contact with the outside world. We're all 'logged on'. We're all up to date. And we all love it, or (even worse) can no longer live without it.
In the early hours of this morning I arrived home after 10 glorious days in sunny Ibiza with my amazing family. And already I am flung back to a harsh, harsh reality.
You'd think that returning to a house damaged by water after terrible rain and storms in the area would be the main concern. And, being British, I suppose I have to have my complaint about the weather in here somewhere.
But no. In the grand scheme of things, that water damage doesn't really matter at all. It's not like we can change the weather.
No, what is really concerning, and almost unbelievable, is how I've just come from a country of sun, no worries and the 'party in the Spar' to a one not only dismally depressing in terms of weather, but also overwhelmed by riots and violence. I've returned to a country of destruction at the hands of it's inhabitants. A country of fire and murder and hate.
I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about what's going on. I'm not one to stay completely up to date with news stories and, having been away, I'm even more out of the loop than normal. It would be impossible NOT to know a few details, though, with the news of the violence even reaching across the oceans.
I'm thankfully not in an area that has been affected (if the situation elsewhere weren't so horrific, the thought of riots occuring in this small retirement town would be quite laughable) but that doesn't mean I'm not absolutely terrified for those I know (and don't know) who ARE in these areas. I just don't understand it.
Part of me wishes, however selfish this wish might be, that I could go back to lying in the sun, Sex on the Beach in hand, with no worries at all.
Being an English student, and a girl with a thirst for knowledge and far too much time on her hands, I read a lot. And I spend a large proportion of my money on books. Just yesterday, for example, I paid a visit to a charity bookshop in town to see if any books I need for my course next year were there. What did I leave with? A 3-volume collection of British Poetry, and a large book about Eighteenth Century England. For my course? Don't be silly [though the latter may be useful as I am studying some Eighteenth Century literature next year]. I am noticing, however, that I am suddenly becoming overwhelmed by literature of various sorts. I need a library. A traditional home library. It is one of my greatest dreams, actually, being the cool kid that I am, to have a library to house all my books in, to sit and read and write in, to relax in. Needless to say, in these first few lazy days of Summer this fantasy has swarmed my mind. And I have fed it. Picture time!
And in my library, along with many many books and my amazing old typewriter (courtesy of my grandad), I would have a traditional globe. It just completes the look...
[my personal favourite...no points for guessing why!]
And, although my heart is clearly set on the traditional look, I can't help but share the following picture. Totally cool!
My blog has been shamefully neglected for almost a year now. Whilst I recover my blogging muse, here are some music videos from a new favourite band of mine (since I attended Download festival last weekend): D.R.U.G.S.
Enjoy. x
Please excuse the fact that the videos don't fit. I am html illiterate. Blame it on the books.
