An Unexpected Convergence
Posted 18th July 2008 at 12:04pm by M1ke, tagged as Random | Commenting Closed
I wrote a while ago about the big freeze that happened in Grand Central Sation, New York, the video of which was posted on YouTube. That event was organised by a group called Improve Everywehre, and it turns out they have plenty more to offer. The purpose of the group is to perform random activities, some large scale and some smaller, that go against what people expect, and with the emphasis on the idea that no one involved is in contact with anyone else. For the larger events clever signals are used - in one case a man moving his hands between his chest and a bin some distance from the group, and in another the instructions have been pre-recorded on MP3.
The activity is known as flash mobbing, and has some following in Europe as well as the States. For example some folks in Prague decided to set up a first class set on an underground train - bringing in a rug, chair, table and coatstand one by one before a business man boarded and sat down at the next station. In Manchester a large pillow fight was held. I've picked out some of the best videos to link here - others can be found on the Improve Everywhere website or general searching on video sites.
The first is a large number of people gathered in the windows of a department store in New York.
The second is a small baseball game in America that the Improv guys decided to give the big league treatment - including commentators and a blimp!
This one is the first class tube train from those crazy guys in Prague.
Finally one from the folks back in Manchester - a huge pillow fight in St. Peter's square!
I'd definitely be up for something like this - maybe starting on a smaller scale with more focus, but it seems like amazing fun. I'll keep you posted!
Midnight Snack
Posted 15th July 2008 at 12:09pm by M1ke, tagged as Random | Commenting Closed
A few years ago I was randomly bestowed the title of Doctor Who. It lead to some amusing events at the time, but since then I've seen that its a bizarrely awesome compliment. One of the coolest things about Doctor Who is that despite his being a time lord, amazing space craft and genius - all that stuff - the reason he still enjoys adventuring is because he acts on impulse, random maybe even to him, and does things unexpected by everyone around him. Many events in my life have made me realise the value of this randomness, of doing something that comes to mind despite perception or occasionally reality holding you back. Obviously there are limits, which is also something Doctor Who shows, but these random events have been some of the most enjoyable of my life. Sometimes they're one off and only continue to have their effects in memory; other times they've had more far reaching consequences. So that's the ethos I guess. Live life with that spark of randomness always in mind - by all means do what you need to survive, do good for yourself and others, but don't always do it in the way people expect.
That build up (and something I've intended to put to copy for a while now) serves nicely as a backdrop to last night's activities, which featured a planned pub visit which led onto a late night supermarket visit which neatly led to a 1am barbecue, via a ride on a very bumpy track and a misty journey across some moors. Little more needs to be said, simply because it was all just random.
Venturing Beyond
Posted 22nd June 2008 at 2:01am by M1ke, tagged as Random | Commenting Closed
Early morning posts are clearly in at the moment. I'm up late because tomorrow morning I take my first venture beyond these British Isles, a venture which consists of a week in l'Escala, on the coast near Girona in the north east of Spain (or Catalan, depending on your view of break-away states). It will be the first week in recent years when I can honestly say I have nothing that needs doing - other than liberally applying the factor 200 sun cream to prevent my inevitable dry roasting. If I can find a computer I may blog from there, and if I can work out the tariff I may drop the odd mobile Twitter. Failing that I've got a note pad and will write about the week, in a week! Buenos noches!
Reflections
Posted 21st June 2008 at 1:17am by M1ke, tagged as Random | Commenting Closed
Yes, its that time of year again, a time when I've had tea really late, drunk a bit and can't be bothered going to bed. Its also the end of my second year at University, which I feel is more important than the aforementioned sleeplessness. I was returning to our house today and felt that reflecting on the various goings-on of the year was an important task. Indeed as with every other year its seen some large events, some significant changes.
I've had a year now of living in a house, away from the parents and away from the more regimented and looked-after confines of college. Thinking back to the relatively uncaring mindset I had when choosing a house I realise how lucky I've been to have been in such a wonderful place for nearly a year. Also looking back I realise what a good decision I made living with my current housemates - if any of you happen to be reading this, you're brilliant. Of course that on its own would do a disservice to my other friends, all of whom have been excellent throughout the year. I've gained plenty as well, through getting to better know those in my year, and meeting people in the year below. Naturally one large area for meeting people has been skydiving.
Anyone who actually reads my blog will doubtless be finding this old news, but my entering into the crazy world of skydiving has to rank as one of the largest changes. This time last year the thought of skydiving was merely one of those things I'd heard about once (something that Stuart from Blue Peter did once, for those in my year who remember). Now its a major hobby of mine, taking up much random thought time previously dedicated to random amusing animals. At that point I must mention that despite the llamas from last year seemingly vanishing, the two new llamas are also great.
With making friends and finding new activities comes loss. Today I've said goodbye to two amazing friends who are leaving for their year's abroad, and in just over a week I will have said goodbye to four more. I am acutely aware that for none of them is it truly goodbye as all will be back in a year's time, but to think that I've got to know all of them so well over less than two years since meeting them, it is saddening to loose them for more than half that time again. Lest the fractions overwhelm, in the past year I've also lost a relationship of way over two years. I've written about this before and don't wish to do so again, but I must be honest when considering changes in this year. Still, as I loose I may also gain, as a few days ago I received the news that the hard work and stress of exams and assignments this year paid off, and I am once again pursuing a Master of Engineering degree here, rather than the Bachelor's which I've been assigned too the past three terms as a result of my poor efforts (read, enjoying myself too much) in the first year.
So overall I'd consider this year a success - I'm still alive, I'm still me, I've explored some amazing new areas and continued to tend some fantastic friendships. In a day's time I will be departing for my first ever holiday outside of the British isles, and I'll be bringing a notepad and a camera to record what I can. Time to continue, in true Doctor Who style, that journey through time and space.
Busyness
Posted 19th June 2008 at 10:02pm by M1ke, tagged as Random | Commenting Closed
Been websiting and that most of the day - now I'm off up to our college for a midnight barbecue and we then plan to watch the sun rise. It may not be the solstice tomorrow (the day before in fact) but its the solstice to us, and we intend to have a wonderfully chilled out time! If anyone else plans to watch it, enjoy!