Getting into the rhythm

I had my second hip-hop dance lesson today.

The routine we did was to Amerie's - I just died, and when I heard the beat for the first time, I nearly did.
When you hear the song, listen to the base beat which is clearest in the first 18 secs.
Thats what we were moving to.
Solid or what?

At first it was so hard and I was all over the place, finding it so hard to feel the rhythm and keep to the beat, but by the end of the class I could remember almost all of the routine and I felt I was performing it better.

The turn around was after the choreographer got us all to stop for a second and just to clap along to the beat, as it's so weird, so that we recognised it.
She then told us to stop looking at what others were doing (despite how tempting it can be) and to concentrate on doing it by ourselves.

She also said that it was a hard routine but that the only way we're going to get advanced is to be thrown in at the deep end, "der ain't gonna be no last year's Missy Elliott 'can I work it' stuff in my class. There ain't gonna be none o dat here"

I still really like the song which we did last week, which was Ramalama (bang bang) by Roisin Murphy (yes, her out of Moloko)
If you watch this video, the routine we did is very similar to that, especially the bit to the "unzip my body, take my heart out" line which was exactly the same.

Overall, I'm really enjoying it, even though it's not what/as easy as I though it'd be, and I'm thinking I'm going to get better week by week.

Homygodhomygodhomygod!

There's this new dance track around that has been blasting out of my stereo for a week now.

I first heard it at Hip-hop dance class and it's the one on the new Citroen advert with the transforming car.

It's called Love don't let me go (walking away) and is by David Guetta Vs. The Egg.

Anyway, getting to the point, I saw the video just now on MTV Dance and it is A-MAZING!

The video is of people doing Free Running/Parkour!

So very tres cool!

I can't find it anywhwere on YouTube at the moment, but there is a clip of it here.

Check it out, but remember, bass and volume up first.

It would be a dream come true if one day, all of this was red.

create your own visited countries map

Remember me saying "the stuff that I would talk about hasn't officially happened yet so I can't blog it"?

Well, now it has happened so I can talk about it...

I can exclusively reveal that...

I have a job!

Yes, tis true, I'm gettin' paid! I'm hustlin'! I'm gettin cheese!

And guess what I'm doing...

I'm sure you'll laugh when you hear...my friends did.

I am...

...one of those annoying people at those stands in shopping centres who gets you to sign up to things.
Except it's not in a shopping centre, it's outside along the main road into the city centre.

I know I know, I'm almost as bad as a chugger.

Basically all I do is get paid to sit in the sun and hassle ethnic minorities into signing up with us (as the product is aimed at them, I'm not racist or anything).

The pay is £6 per hour tax free, plus commision. Good neh?

However, it does get boring sometimes when no people are around, and the other major downside is that I'm outside all day in the sun which is really unbearable, I've gone so dark in just one day.
Not cool.

But I'm sure it will all be worth it on payday, when I get my hands on my hard earned moolah!

I went to my first Hip-Hop dance lesson yesterday, and I can honestly say it was sick*!
It was nothing like the picture above, but sickness nontheless.

*Sick - this generations version of wicked - a once negative word now used to describe something really good.

It was so hard and we (my sister, A, another friend of ours and I) were finding it difficult to keep up and remember the moves because there is only a general class over the summer and no newcomers classes.
However there were people of all abilities there, from the amazingly good (fellow choreographers) to crap people (us).

We went through two dance rountines, one to a Moloko track (which I've never heard before but was really good) which was..weird (the choreographers words, not mine) and the second to a new Ciara track.

The whole thing was so quick and there was so much to remember that before I could even remember the move sequences and do them properly we had moved on to the next bit!

Overall though it was really good and I'm sure that the more I go the better I will get.

Plus now that I've bought a pair of jogger bottoms I'm sure all that kicking and general leg movement will be easier than in the cargo pants that I was wearing yesterday.
And I think I'll wear a pair of loser boxers next week too. Moving on...

Outside after the class, A, my sister and I were talking and the choreographer and her friend passed so we got talking.
Both of them are only a couple of years older than me and the choreographer, G, is obsessed with Japan so clicked with my sister straight away.
Then we got talking about this Japanese Hip-Hop group that I love love love (if you're lucky I'll blog them) and we swapped numbers and recomended tracks and stuff.

Its great how although they're so talented and successful (both live and teach in London and aren't even 21 yet) they're so humble.
And G is a character, she's like the female version of Dizzee Rascal.
They also recommended a place in London near Elephant & Castle where they teach and it's only £5 for 4 hours. Wicked.

So to conclude, it was muchos funos and though we weren't taught individual moves in detail, I'm certain I'll start to pick it up after a few lessons.

I would love to learn to dance like the guys in the video below.
That is proper Hip-Hop dancing, feeling the rhythm and flow and...just watch it!
Especially the bit after one minute in - that's the hotness!

Well I guess seeing as I haven't blogged properly in quite a while that maybe I should write something.

It's just that there's nothing really to report.

I haven't been up to much other than the occasional meeting with friends, helping family, playing Yahoo-Gmail tennis, and watching TV.

Plus, the stuff that I would talk about hasn't officially happened yet so I can't blog it.
You'll understand if/when it does happen.

I met up with friends a few times last week.
One time involved a spontaneous picnic/sunbathing session on a bloody hot Wednesday with A and N followed by an even more spontaneous trip to the cinema with N.
Then on friday I met up with M in town for a bit.

August is growing slowly closer, which is great in my personal opinion.
I just want to get my results now, because then (if things have turned out good) uni related balls will start rolling, much to the excitement of me.

Plus my cousin has landed a job in Zone One and so will be going to move there in early August.
And better still, she has offered for me to go and stay with her as she will be lonely at first and we can go and explore London together, and in the long term, I will have family in Central London!
Yay!

Anyway, I think that's really it for now,

Bye!

Appologies in advance for being so terribly teenage-boy-ish:

Wow...

I've only just recently seen the video for Shakiras' Hips Don't Lie track, and damn its sexy!

Shakira is so so fit.

The way she moves.
My god, it's like she's in 3 separate bits.
Especially the part where she's in white.

And she's right, her hips don't lie.
Infact they just lay it out bare how gorgeously sexy she is.

Watch and I'm sure you'll agree:







Did I mention how hot she is?

In a normal lifetime, your eyes will show you almost 24 million images of the world around you.
Make sure some of them are worth remembering.

It's so hot.

I think I'm actually melting.

My new camera is here!

And my new Flickr PRO account is here!

YAY!

Breathe and Stop

This picture is one of my Flickr favourites and was taken by torkristensen.

My sister always tells me to dance infront of the mirror whenever I complain that I can't dance.
She thinks it's a good way to learn.
It's not that I can't dance, I have rhythm, I just get shy and too self-conscious sometimes, and can't let myself just flow.

Today however I decided to take her advice and managed to ignore the "oh my god you look so stupid, imagine if everyone could see you now" voice in my head.

And it was fun.

I don't think I was particularly good, but I could move different body parts independantly and think I was doing so to the beat.

So thats all good, but the thing is, I can't bust a move.
I want to learn to dance dance.
As a pose to just do what people do when they go clubbin'.

I remember when I saw the Run DMC vs Jason Nevins video for It's like that.
I was like "WOW!".

And then when Justin surprised everyone by teaming up with Pharrell (Midas) Williams and dropped Like I Love You; I recall seeing that video and thinking "I want to do THAT!".
The choreography in that video was amazing.
Even Justin's backing dancers were so so good.

So I think I'm going to go to some dance classes.
There's a studio in town that offers street and hip-hop dance classes, and I figure that even a few lessons will help me open up.

My cousin is amazing, she has only been going to classes for a term and is already competing. And after showing me her piece (to Rihanna's S.O.S.) in her room, she began improvising, just making up all these moves on the spot.
She's so talented.

The problem with me I think is that I am a very creative person, but I don't get the chance to express it enough.

Like I've always been interested in design, and have had the opportunity to do quite a bit of interior design in our house, but all that really is is seeing if stuff fits together and buying stuff.
It's not like "I made that", or "I did that".

Also, since discovering Blogger and Flickr, I've been able to express more of my creativity and thoughts through blog and photos, but still, it's not enough.

And I've always loved my "ghetto" musick, so maybe doing more than just nodding along to the beat, and rapping the rhymes is the answer.

Bringin' Sexy Back

Oh how long I've waited for this album.

JT is so great.

And after hearing the first single, SexyBack, off the new album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, I just know it's going to be amazing!

SexyBack Lyrics:

I'm bringin' sexy back, Yeah
Them other boys they don't know how to act, Yeah
I think it's special... what's behind your back, Yeah
So turn around and and I'll pick up the slack, Yeah

[Take 'em to tha bridge]
Dirty Babe
You see these shackles baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way

[Take 'em to tha chorus]
Come here girl, Go head be gone with it
Come to the back, Go head be gone with it
VIP, Go head be gone with it
drinks on me, Go head be gone with it
Lemme see what you're working with, Go head be gone with it
Look at those hips, Go head be gone with it
Make me smile, Go head be gone with it
Go 'head child, Go head be gone with it...

...and get your sexy on, Go head be gone with it (x8)

I'm bringin' sexy back, Yeah
Them motherf**kers don't know how to act, Yeah
Girl let me make up for all the things you lack, Yeah
Because you're burning up I gotta it fast, Yeah

[Take 'em to the bridge]
(bridge)

[Take 'em to tha chorus]
(chorus)

You ready? (x 3)
Uh
Yeah

I'm bringin' sexy back, Yeah
You motherf**kers watch, I'll attack, Yeah
If that's your girl, baby watch your back, Yeah
Cuz you're burning up for me and that's a fact, Yeah

[Take 'em to tha chorus]

oh ooh ooh

You ready? yes (x2)

Now, go forth, crack up the volume, and sing to your hearts content!

God I never realised how hard it is to get a job.

I had just assumed that by now I'd be working 9 to 5 in retail in the city centre, and saving up lots of money whilst having loads of fun.

How naive I was.

I've handed my out about 40 copies of my CV now, and that was just to the people who were willing to take it.
If I have to ask, "hi there, I was wandering if you had any vacancies?" in my politest most delightful voice one more time I might just break something.

I've even been through two, yes two, local papers looking for jobs.
I had a red pen to circle potential enquiries and everything, just like in the movies.

And as if that wasn't enough, I've tried online too, sending emails to local people.
I haven't had any replies though, rude prats.

I've tried shops in the city centre, down the main road into town (both sides), the parade near where I live, and also a retail park.
Still nothing.

And apparently you need to have "relevant experience" to work as a Barista in Starbucks.
Er, like what? 3 months at mug washing college?

Even Asda don't have anything!

Oh well, I've given up now.
I'm just going to sit, wait, and see if any of the CVs I've handed out pulls anything in.

Until then I'm going to have to sit at home twiddling my thumbs with:
no money,
no job,
no World Cup,
no Lost,
no OC,
no Desperate Housewives,
no friends (I'm not that much of a loser, they're all just on holiday),
and even....dare I say it....
no school to keep me busy.

Joy!

Oh my god.

Possibly the most embarrassing thing ever happened yesterday.

I'm in my room, at about half ten in the evening.
My mum is sitting on my bed drinking coffee, and my sister is on the computer helping me with my CV.
I am in my pyjammas, as always.

I hop onto the end of my bed and as I do so my knee slides along the bed whilst my other leg is still on the floor.

All I hear is this tearing sound and so I look down to notice that my pyjammas have ripped in the crotchal region.

And not just a small tear, oh no, they split right the way from front to back, exposing my lovely green boxers underneath.

Needless to say my mum and sister both found it hilarious.
My mum almost spilt her coffee in hysterics.

Stupid no good £6 George Pyjammas.

And just think, what if I'd been going commando!

I need a job!

Give me a job someone, please.

I'll do anything!

Well, not anything, but most things.

Employ me someone!

Especially for those who wish to live vicariously:

So that was it.

It is all officially over.

I had my Leavers' Service on Friday, and the Leavers' Ball last night.

The Service wasn't as dramatic as I thought it would be, and no one really cried*. Infact, it only hit me when we 6th formers were filing in to the Cathedral and everyone was looking at us, both pupils and our teachers. That made it clear that it was our big day and that we'd never all be here again.

*By that I mean really crying, with tears streaming.

The Service itself was good. Thankfully the hymns included Jerusalem, and I Vow to Thee My Country, which are both favourites of generally everyone, especially the Geeky Boys. Imagine a rowdy drunken(sounding) chorus rising from behind us.

The guest speaker however was not.
Patronising, coercive, and so out of touch. And annoyingly repetative.
(Er, FYI No girls like Ronan Keating. Yes, we understand how a rollercoaster is a metaphor for life, you dont have to explain fifteen times. And if you ask "What next?!" one more time I'm pretty certain someone will bat you over the head with the House Cup.)

Incidently, my House didn't win the House Cup this year, so A (House Captain) was dissappointed (I'm assuming), but one of the four Houses won it for the first year EVER, so my friend AT (House Captain) was extremely happy (I'm assuming).

And then it came.
That moment which signifies not only the end of the year, but the fact that the upper 6th are leaving the school to go out into the world. And also the moment which N was dreading as she knew it would set her off.
It was the final hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers.
As the whole school sung, we processed out into the Cathedral forecourt, pausing only to shake the Canon's hand in the porch.

Surprisingly, there were hardly any tears at this point. Normally all the girls cry, and some of the boys, but for our year hardly anyone did.
B (the head girl) did outside straight after, and N did a little.

We all stayed out in the forecourt in the rain for a while, chatting, hugging, and photoing. And then everyone went their seperate ways.

Actually, most of us ended up in the Noodle Bar, where so many birthday and regular lunches were spent.
We took over the entire top floor, where the most depressing CD in the world was playing. Cry till you Die Volume 3, including Sinead O'Connor and James Blunt.
How apt.

After that, I picked up my tux, bought a large glass object, and eventually got home.

Saturday evening was the ball.
I am so glad I ignored the warnings of the guys in Moss Bros and wore a Cravat with my Tux. Apparently it's not convention. But I'm not conventional, I'm Individual.

As I walked up to the car, AT was telling R (her boyfriend) off for "not wearing a fancy tie like that" and wearing a bow tie instead.
And as I got in the car she said "Impressive".
I nearly fainted, normally it's always insults from her.

And then as I walked into the hall, I was met with a chorus of "eeees" and "awws" from the girls. Apparently I looked, "cute", "sexy", "grrr", "handsome", and even "very dapper".
Seriously, I highly recomend this with a tux.

During the meal, comedy duo D and D decided to hand out the awards.

With our yearbook entries, we had to vote in polls for such things as "Most likely to end up in rehab" and "Most likely to marry a footballer".

When it came round to a certain award, most people turned to me.
To be honest I thought I'd win it after the reputation I had somehow built at school**.
And then D and D announced, in 3rd place, blah.
In 2nd place it was blah.
But the award for "Most Vain Person" goes to [Azuric]!

On the wall right next to me was a mirror and I couldn't resist, so as soon as my name was announced, I got up and pretended to be checking my hair and Cravat before going up to collect my certificate whilst everyone clapped and some cheered.

N won "Party Animal", which I knew she wanted, and R won "Most Likely to Lose their Driving Licence".

The final and "most important award" as announced by D was "Who Won the (Geek-Jock) Sofa War"
"And the winners are...the...G...G...Greatest people in the 6th form centre, the Jocks!"

WHATEVER! That was so rigged. There are more Geeks then there are Jocks. Fact.

**This involves 2 major incidents along with general vanity.
Once in Chemistry we were meant to be looking through Cobalt blue glass at a Bunsen flame, but my Chemistry teacher (and Personal tutor) caught me checking my hair. And took great pleasure in telling everyone in the staffroom.
And then soon after in Biology my teacher stuck a photo of me on the mirror because I apparently looked at it too much.
Awww good times. So many funny memories.

After the meal, we all hit the floor and danced the night away.
The DJ was really good. Best one that's been at a private party.
Although he didn't have mine and N's song, Indeep - Last night a DJ saved my life.
He started off with RnB and Hip-Hop but moved into Indie, Rock and Emo, House, and then a few slow songs before ending the night with obligatory School Cheese.

Near the start he dropped Punjabi MC's Mundian To Bach Ke and everyone loved it.
It reminded me how this school is so fantastic. Everyone is so open and accepting with different people and cultures.
It was great, the Indian boys crew who wore traditional Indian Kurtas were doing Bhangra, and everyone else was joining in.
The DJ also played The Killers - Mr Brightside. Needless to say the crowd went wild. That song reminds me of school so much.
There was circle dancing and even crowd surfing throughout the night, because there ain't no party like a [Azuric's School] party.

In the last hour the House moved into the School Cheese (Bryan Adams - Summer of 69, Queen - Don't stop me now, etc).

With just a few minutes of the night to go, and everyone of us in a circle the DJ played the last song of the night before reminding us how we will never all be together again, and this is the end of school (talk about building up the moment).

It was TakeThat's - Never Forget.

I cant listen to that song now.
It's so sad.
It just reminds me of the circle, of all my friends, people I may not see again, school itself, teachers, classes, the feeling of belonging to something, the community, everything.

I'm really proud of all my friends, the doctors, vet, architecht, chemists, biologists, historians, politicians, lawyers, business mongols, dentists, and more of tomorrow.

And that was it.

The end of an era.

7/7

Two Thoughts for Today

"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment."

- Jim Horning

"They can rob you of your riches, but they can not take what is writen in your destiny."
- Old Indian proverb

The Best Blue's Best Blue

I know this will really tick IFB right off, and possibly Anyhoo considering where he lives, but its true.

I now officially support a football team. *smiles*

And it is.... Chelsea FC!

John Terry for England Captain!

The Middle of the day:

So thats it.
No more Glory, Just Hope for Euro 08 and 2010.

That match was so painful to watch.
Bringing me to the brink of devestation, when Beckham was crying, and then when that BBB (You can try and guess what that stands for) Ref pulled out the red for Roo.
And then when Slimeball Ronaldo scored that last penalty, it was just unbareable.

For a few minutes I just sat there, head in hands, looking at the screen, watching Ferdinand and Hargreaves cry, and the look on their faces.
Knowing that that was it, we were out.
Our world cup dreams shattered.

Then I left the lounge, dragging my feet up the stairs to go and mope in my room, and I surprised myself, In the hall I almost suddenly became close to tears.
I didn't actually cry, but you know that kind of wave feeling you get followed by the lurch.

It was surprising because I didn't realise how much I had got into it all.
This world cup was the first where I was really interested in all the matches and players, and was so passionate about ING-ER-LAND! and the beautiful game.

I couldn't mope for long as I had to go to N's houseparty later that evening, but It was such a depressing way to end the middle of the day, and everything I had done earlier. (See below)

N's houseparty was good.
It wasn't her best and the turnout was really low for one of their parties (N is one of a triplet, infamous for their houseparties), but it was good to see everyone now that exams were all over.

I didn't really do much but watch the Brazil/France match in the outside bar they have and mingle with everyone.

HA!
In your face!
Brazil are out!
Go munch on a Brazil Nut in the corner, loser!

(Just a selection of the exchanges between my mother and I this morning. She, for some unknown reason, is a passionate Brazil supporter, and was cackling like a crazy person after seeing my face at the end of the Brazil-Japan slaughter. I think really, it's just to piss me off.)

Viv le France! That beautiful performance by Henry almost partially made up for the England-out-depression.

I did also get talking to one of N's friends from work.
These two girls were sitting next to N when I came over and so I asked N, "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

N did and then we got talking, bout Unis no less.
She revealed that she was going do Psychology, and then somehow we began conversing about body language.
When she mentioned that, both A (who had also come over now) and I made a nervous, jokey face, and we all laughed.
Apparently when she talks about body lanugage people immediately sit back and fold their arms or change their position.
Then she said to me that she could tell I was open and outgoing because I was leaning in and asked N to introduce us.
I don't exactly know why I am saying all this, except that I'm proud that I got talking to people I don't know.
I am normally really shy but I'm trying to become more outgoing before Uni.
Plus she was quite hot.

Moving on.
After that, there wasn't much else, I got a lift home with AT and R, and then cooked and consumed four waffles whilst watching the start of Mr & Mrs Smith (I Luurrrve that film), and then went to bed.


The Begining of the day:

I got up at 7.30, late, and rushed into the shower.

Got ready blah-de-blah, and got dropped off to the train station by my mum, caught a train to Birmingham and was off.

My sister was already there from the night before, so we had planned for me to meet her there and to spend the day shopping and out and about.

Birmingham is amazing!
I always had this impression of it being some really yucky, boring, industrial estate-ish place, but in actual fact its so nice.
Like a mini London right on my doorstep.
Both my sister and I said how its ridiculous that we live so close and hadn't been before.

After having a bit of a kerfuffle in meeting when I got off the train we walked around and went to a few shops outside and then to the Bull Ring for a few more including Topman (which by the way, is SMALLER than the one here. So I don't know what all these people saying the Bull Ring is so amazing for were on about) where I exchanged that Red/Grey stripey jumper and bought:
A blue, fitted shirt.
A yellow/orange-ish T-shirt with Osaka on it.
Some brown "cargo pants" as the Americans would say.

After that we were both really hungy so decided to make our way to Wagamama, but upon arrival discovered that it wasn't going to open for another half an hour.

Not wanting to move through fear of wasting precious energy we decided to sit in the square type thing outside the Bull Ring in the sun, where there was a nice breeze, but were then forced to move because of a stupid cow who decided that the best place to smoke her cigarette was 2 milimetres downwind of us.

We spent a while in Borders procrastinating and then wandered back to Wagamama but there were still a few minutes to go until it opened, so we started back towards the square wandering what to do, when I turned to my sister and asked whether we should go into the church.
She laughed and said how she was just about to say the same thing, so in we went.

Apparently she loves Churches as they have something nostalgic about them, reminding her of school. I just like the architecture and beauty of the buildings.

I was looking up at the rafters, noticing the rays of light streaming in through the windows, and wishing I had my camera, when my sister turned to me and said how it was strange how
we never really think about it but Jesus is one of the Gods that has been really important in our lives, throughout our education, because we've both been to Christian schools with Hymns and Services, and he's always been there.

And it is true when I think about it. Although Hindus do acknowlegde Jesus as God, Ishwar, I had never thought about it like that.

***
OOPS!
I have a really bad habit of Juggling anything I'm holding from hand to hand.
I've just learnt the hard way, not to do it again with a glass.
And I doubt the hall wall appreciated that little incident either.
***

After Wagamama we decided to go to a few more shops, and then to make our way home to get back in time for the match.

We spent quite a while in H&M, where I bought a white, fitted, crinkled shirt with green and orange stripes, and my sister did something really embarrassing:

There were two guys looking at shirts near us, and one pointed out a particular shirt to his partner, who replied, "that looks like the cloth bus seats are made out of".
Both my sister and I smile/laughed (in a polite way) because it was funny, and then my sister decided to mention how she agreed.
God how embarrassing.
You don't add to the conversation!
You just smile/laugh politely and then get back to your own business.

There was a really nice brown pin-stripe jacket I fell in love with, thinking it was around £30, but then nearly fainted when I discovered it was almost thrice that.

I also saw Dan's funky flip-flops, but resisted the temptation to buy as I already have my pair from last year.

And now Im really tired and can't really remember anything else significant or worth blogging, so I am going to say nighty night.