Notes on England

So,it turns out the rumours were true,the sun does occassionally appear over England,bathing all the land in its heavenly glow.Albeit for a very short period,but I was beginning to believe it really did rain all the friggin time.
I've been watching a fair bit of english television and have realised this country only has four kinds of celebrities. Television presenters(hosts),people that have won big brother(yeah,apparently people actually watch that show here and when someone wins people care.I don't understand it either,from the clips I've seen its just as bad as it is home),people that are in boy/girl bands and finally people that used to be in boy/girl bands. Funnily enough the people who win big brother usually become tv presenters.And sometimes the people on big brother used to be in boy/girl bands.Its one big vicious circle of talentless people with no personalities making careers out of nothing.And the thing that really hurts my head is the average family here in the uk only has four friggin channels.How many tv presenters do you need?
I've also noticed theres only four types of show on tv here.Gardening shows,home repairs shows,travel shows,bad soap operas,sports(I use the term loosely),and shows about super nannies that come to the rescue of bad parents who can't control their little bastard children.Really you can reduce this list down to two catagories:reality tv and bad soap operas. They don't really show sitcoms.They do show the occasional episode of friends and 3rd watch and without a trace and the occasional good film.But the only quality british television shows I've seen are Little Britain and League of Gentlemen.Though the former is far superior to the latter.It is in fact far superior to pretty much anything else on tv.But maybe I'm being a bit too harsh.I did enjoy the snooker world championships and the liverpool v chelsea match last night was very exciting.
But lets face it,I really shouldn't be spending so much time watching the ol boob tube.I should be seeing as much of this beautiful country as possible.We did drive up to the lake district the other weekend.Its gorgeous up there.All green hills,lakes,cobblestone streets,tiny(and I mean tiny)winding,country roads.We went over to Piel Island on a ferry that was really just a small row boat.There's an old castle ruins over there that was beautiful.But the real treat was visiting Furness Abbey.A monastery from the 11th century.Its one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.Apparently I have a real appreciation of old ruins that I wasn't aware of. I've been reading up on all the old castles and monasteries and cathedrals spread over England.There's hundreds of them and I want to see as many as possible.I also want to check all the old birthplaces that spread over england. I want to get to Stratford to see Shakespeare house and hopefully catch a play.I want to get down to Portsmouth to see where charles dickens was born.Over to Oxford,where I believe Wordsworth was born,also the birthplace of Radiohead.I want to get over to see where the Bronte sisters were born,the list goes on and on.There are so many galleries and museums and places bursting with culture.Oh yeah,and I really want to get down to Stonehenge,and the lesser known Woodhenge next to it.
Anyway,I'm very excited to hear Tash and Christy are finally getting ready to purchase their tickets to Europe and to unknown adventures.We will definately have to meet up in London.How weird and awesome will that be?
So whats left to mention?Uhhhh....I'm still unemployed,still jobhunting...ummm...I'm going to start doing some of that indoor rock climbing where you try and scale those big walls.Ummm...I'm bitterly disappointed that I can't watch the world hockey championships...and uhhh...I miss everyone.

Song of the week: Jurusalem by Royal City from their lovely third album Little Hearts Ease.

Film of the week: Touching the Void. An incredible documentary about a 1985 mountain climbing expedition gone horribly wrong.A beautiful example of the power of the human spirit.Man,is that me typing this stuff?

Book of the week: Last night a dj saved my life by ummm?two guys whose names I can't remember right now.Its the definitive history of the disc jockey from 1914 til now.Fascinating.

Quote of the week:'Wicked and weird I'm a road hog with an old dog,singing slow songs,trying to hold on.Wicked and weird I'm a ratfish trying to practise doing backflips on your mattress.'
Buck 65 from his song Wicked and Weird found on his masterpiece Talkin Honky Blues.

A final note:English politics is dirty, vicious, petty and disgusting.I used to think all this about Canadian and American politics until now. Tony Blair and Michael Howard make George bush and Jean Chretian look like gentlemen.Hell they make Stephen Harper look like a gentlemen.Ok,that last line is a lie but the rest is true.And The Times and Daily Mail and Guardian newspapers make the star and the national post seem completely unbiased.It really is ridiculous.Thank god the election is tomorrow,then we can focus on important things like May 19 and the final Star Wars film!Yeah!!!!!