Now,
at the end of a third year of average blogging success, everything changes. One
of the two big, recent, changes in my life, which will undoubtedly make an
impact on my blogs from here onwards, is moving to London and being in
attendance at a University. The University of East London, for the next few
years, will be attempting to make me into a successful Writer/Journalist,
thanks to the pompously named course 'Journalism Studies with Creative and
Professional Writing'. This is going to give me many opportunities in both the
short and long term. One would assume that you should be able to track my
improvement in lexis choice and combination, throughout the next three years.
However, with me spending all my time writing thousands and thousands of words
in an attempt to get some sort of degree at the end of the three years, so I
can wave it in the faces of potential bosses; chances are the frequency of
writings for this blog will be heavily impacted. Mind you, I am a University
student now, so chances are I'll use this blog as a way of procrastination
instead of work.
Lucky
for me, some modules of work are not a million miles away from what I have been
doing for this blogs. I have a module at some point, in which I have to critic
the media for its celebrity obsession and thinking us all mindless lap dogs,
and its impact upon society. I've been doing blogs like that for years! Take
any blog about Jade Goody or Katie Price, or the blog about Jan Moir and her
slur on homosexuals. Take my recent News of The World blog, or a blog about a
large, life changing event, such as the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami, or the
blog about the Cumbrian Shootings. They all comment on how the media sexes up
the news, to make it grabbing and interesting in order to get the readership,
and therefore the money, they want. They comment on how Journalists all want
that prime front-page story, so they can make a name, and therefore money, for
themselves. Some also, metaphorically, spit on the grave of Jade Goody, but I'm
not sure if that will feature quite so heavily in my University work.
The
content of my blog might change slightly too, with some posts being more
topic-based on the World of Journalism. Assuming my application was successful,
I will soon have a press card. I can walk up to a police cordon, present my
card to them, and then get the low down. I'm almost one step away from saying
"The names Collyer; Stuart Collyer". I could, should I get the break,
start writing for small, mundane publications about uninteresting topics, which
I will inevitably be proud of, due to the fact they will be my first, printed
words for the public domain. I will also be able to attend press events, such
as the one I am attending soon, hosted by The Guardian newspaper, in which
people will debate about the recent hacking scandal and how the press can
restore trust. These might seem boring to you, but to me, they are interesting.
They are exciting. They are my life now.
For
the second big change in my life, which will have a large impact upon the
subject of blogs, is what makes me a sell-out. Throughout my blogging career, I
have been single (over three years I think you will find). This has, therefore,
made a large impact upon the subjects I occasionally choose to write about. I
have had numerous blogs bemoaning the fact that I am single. Bemoaning other
people in relationships and how open they are about the fact they have another
pair of lips to passionately kiss all the time. I just generally bemoan other
people who seem to be generally happy in front of me. However, due to recent
events (well, events that happened a little while ago now), I suspect that I
will no longer be moaning about the abstract noun of love, and its effects.
Yes, if you haven't already guessed, or don't already know; my Facebook relationship
status no longer says 'Single'. It doesn't even say 'It's Complicated'. My
Facebook relationship status now states that I am in fact in a relationship.
The
tale of our love is a lovely little fairy story; but minus the dragons,
castles, suits of armour and any real sense of romance. We have known each
other years, with the odd spark of chemistry here and there. People told us we
should be together. Feeling grew. People told us we should be together.
Circumstances brought us closer together. People told us we should be together.
We got depressed and lonely because we convinced ourselves it couldn't happen.
People told us we should be together. I wrote a blog about Unrequited Love and
even made a playlist of songs which made me think about her. People told us we
should be together. We made plans to make sure we went to the same University
together. People told us we should be together. We spent all our time with each
other. People thought we were together. In my car, on a wet evening, I told her
my feelings, with not much response. I organised an evening out for us, which I
messed up and also got a parking fine. Then we got together, and yeah, now
we're no longer 'Single Pringles'.
Just
a note to anyone reading this and thinking 'I knew it' or 'I told you so'… Shut
up! You may think you're some sort of 'Cupid', but you're not. I knew you were
right. Even you knew you were probably right at the time, but you didn't
actually help push the 'true course of love', so you have no high ground in
this debate. I don't think anyone actually believed me when I said I didn't
like her…
I
have now become the person I hated as a result of this changing relationship
status, but I love it. In fact, I love her. I used to take it as a personal
insult when people held hands walking towards me. I hated strangers locking
lips next to me. I disliked friends who were all over their partner in my
presence. Due to my cynical disposition, I could not see why people couldn't
just be all loved up in private. However, circumstances have changed my view
because I walk towards lots of people holding the hand of the other half. I
kiss her in view of many people. To save it for when we're in private, now
seems impossible. I know, you're allowed to puke if you want; I would have if I
was reading this in my single state.
I'm
somewhat of a different person now. Most would say for the better, but I'm sure
others would not agree. I don't hate hearing abstract nouns. In fact, I use
them very frequently these days: 'I love you'. I am not as much of a cynical
misanthrope as I used to be. Depression has been at a bare minimum, and
happiness has been the dominate emotion I have been feeling, since we became
fully affiliated with each other. I think I am also a nicer person since we
created a stronger bond between us, in that I am more tolerant and less angry
than I used to be. These have, unfortunately, led to a decrease in the amount
of blogs I produce. If I am angry about nothing, then how can I write an angry,
extravagant blog bemoaning the topic? That is a question I am yet to answer;
but I'm sure when the time comes, normal blogging service will resume. And if
not? Well, you'll have to put up with blogs about flowers, sunshine and bunny
rabbits.
Who
knows when I might blog next. I might blog soon about the Guardian debate I'm
attending. I might blog about the finale of Doctor Who. Or, I might not blog
again for weeks. I don't know, but all I know that I am now starting my fourth
year of blogging. Who would have thought that a small project for ICT would
turn into something which defines me and gave me the drive to pursue a career
in Journalism?
In
one of my first lectures, we were asked if any of us blog. A few put their
hands up. I was asked what I blog about, after a girl who was asked
responded with "My gap-year experiences". It made me realise just how
insignificant and pointless my blogs can be. But hey, who cares! I'm going to
keep writing them regardless, AND I'm at University in London with my beautiful
girlfriend. Screw you!
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