The Shins, Blake Ritson and Pillows with Nose

I am tired. No. I think fatigue is a more appropriate word. Was out in Buchanan St. the whole morning browsing for maternity cloths, walked up to the Central Station to the Ticket Scotland counter, only to find a long queue. Pff...

Passed the Cineworld, tempted to watch “Factory Girl”. It’s about Andy Warhol and his muse. Could be interesting. I will wait for Union Guy so we could go to the movies together later.

Union guy is coming this Saturday. Planned to catch some live concerts with him in Glasgow while he’s here. I know Travis and The Shins will be playing Carling Academy and Barrowland while he’s here. I am not so optimistic in getting any of the tickets. Look what happened when Arcade Fire was in town last week. Tickets were sold out within hours. Anyhow, I got into the queue and waited for my turn. Oh, look, The Ampheteaminies will be playing King Tuts, whoever they are.

When I said “Travis”, the saleswoman shook her head and said “sorry dear, tickets a’ finished”. Then, I gave The Shins a try. She nodded and announced she had 5 more to sell. I said great and asked for 2. I know Union Guy is not keen of The Shins. He might just said “Yeah, I saw the Shins” similarly like how I felt about watching the complete Stone roses. Whatever. I liked The Shins (whether or not Natalie Portman declared your life will not be the same after you hear this band) and I guessed it will be a great show for me.

Felt some light flutters in my womb. The baby’s moving, I guessed. Or just hungry. Wait seminit, dear. I consoled it. Mommy needs to go to Fopp and buy some books. The one in Argyle St. is much more larger than the one in Byres Road. Union Guy would just build a tent in front of the shop and buy CDs or DVDs throughout his stay. You got Kurosawa or Bergman or Hitchcock film boxes at quite reasonable price. And we are talking about the whole set. Unabridged and uncensored.

Bought John Harris’s account of Britpop and Blair – The Last Party, Giles Foden‘s Ladysmith and to balance the politics, pop and history, I bought Peat bog Fairies ‘s CD – rock, funk and Celtic fused together for a yummy sound. Scottish music is very interesting, me thinks. I mean, yes, you got the melodic pop of Belle & Sebastian churning funk and soulful songs, but you also have some local bands that never made it – (commercially AND/OR internationally success, like Primal Scream, Teenage Fan Club, Franz Ferdinand or Snow Patrol) like Idlewild or De Rosa, which is rich with their home grown sounds that are found to be more of local delights than perhaps international British darlings.

As of tonite, Wikied and googled Blake Ritson but to no avail. He must be a very new British actor. He looks like Adrien Brody and I do have a thing for men with long distinctive nose. I mean, look at Union guy himself. Or maybe just because I missed Union Guy…wait, why these pillows appear to be growing long huge nose? See?

Need some sleep, badly.

Justice for Seven

Here I am, still stuck in the cold Clyde when all I really wish now is to be back in KL, to be with my other half who will be at the mercy of the Magistrate for the whole week.

At this very point of time, I would really love to applaud Wan Sanusi for “performing his vanishing act” which earned him a DNAA (Discharge not amounting to acquittal).Another 10 years, if he played his card well, he could be a free man. I hope. I mean, 6 years, 10 years, what difference does it make? The ISA7 had suffered prolonged judicial process for six years. Although, they are at Defence stage now, but who knows how long will it take to find them innocent. Is there any meaning to finding them innocent at all because as far as I am concerned, they have been severely punished even before proven guilty? Yup. Mrs. Jaded - Me feels conviction for the 7 students will be an anti-climax. Surprise me, o-judiciary…if u can.

6 years, are long enough a period for the seven students to have the most gruelling roller coaster ride of their lives. For such ordinary smart undergrads, they earned their notoriety with the State for being rebels, not by doing drugs or obtaining pornographic materials but for protesting against injustice-committed against themselves and also other people. I picked these two examples not because I have a thing against drug addicts or perverts, but because apparently, one of the seven told me that the university authority find it easier to help him if he is founded guilty for obtaining pornographic materials rather than charged for participating in an illegal assembly. “This is BIG trouble,” he claimed. Oh, if only we knew earlier!

The former Minister of Education knew these seven by names, too. I am not even sure if he knew the names of all the student reps sponsored by the government during the campus election. But this is really something. He even offered them reinstatement into their respective universities if they said they are sorry for what happened and willing to admit their mistakes. A minister bargained with seven powerless lowly youths , not just for getting cheap publicity in the form of seven public apologies, but most importantly to save whatever remaining dignity he had; that tells a lot about how influential these seven are. And still am.

And every year, during campus orientation week, some universities I understand, offered brain wash session for free. Whose pictures did the university authorities put up during these sessions as examples of “rotten apples” or “troublemakers” whom freshies should not exemplify from? Nope, it wasn’t the picture of young Chin Peng or Abu Hamzah, the so-called terrorists, you get the pictures of these seven fine young men, publicly used and shamed in the universities even while the legal proceedings is still in progress. Why don’t the universities invite these guys to talk during these sessions and explain their actions? That would be more hands-on. I know the universities still have these seven’s contact details because my hubby received letters from the uni. last year despite being suspended. That’s what I call efficient networking.

Why am I all hot and boiling despite the cold weather, u must wonder? Because justice is becoming more elusive for these seven, because justice is a luxurious commodity that can be bought and sold and these seven don’t have the right kind of money to buy them some, because justice is prolonging truth. Honestly, maybe because I want my loved one to get the justice he deserved NOW. Not 10 years more when our first child start questioning me about how unfair the world is. Not later than NOW.

Give them justice now.

GLASGOW-WEEK ONE

For many reasons (a particular one that stood out like a sore thumb is that my online journal is not working...damn) , I have to post my stuffs on Glasgow here. So, the postings should be back dated. Guess, I am stuck to this old blog after all.

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Its my first week in the Clyde. The cold wet weather is still bearable. I think. Untill the cruel ghastly snow shows up later in the month, I guess. Anders, our international student guide, fast into becoming my verbal duelling mate was always reassuring us, “the weather is fine”. Oh, sure. He has been here for eons and I have been basking in the tropical sun all my life.

The University of Glasgow is like a huge community area of its own. Apart from providing the opportunity for newcomers like me to be lost, the University area is made up of beautiful ancient looking building with nice brownish slab stones and the works. My personal favourite is the Scott Gilbert Hall. An open hall consisting of beautiful cloisters of gothic looking arches, it used to be the only hall for students to have their academic lectures. The middle part of the hall was used to separate the Humanities School and the Science School which had they lectures together in the same hall as they like to fight alot. (Re-imagined verbal insults- HS: You’ re bunch of soul-less nerdies with no passion for life! SS: Oh sure, and u think those mopped hair, dreamy lyrics and tight jeans can save the world?). The centre part of the hall was also supposed to be the area where both schools had their fencing duels. Well, after exchange of verbal insults just got tiring, I assume. After years of establishment, more and more students came in and hence, the demand for more space. So, they built more buildings to place the growing number of students, but of course around the historic open hall and still in accordance to the humanity-science boundary.

Today, we will be touring Glasgow with bus so it is a pretty relaxed day. The fellows are a nice bunch of peeps too. We have Yasmine, the gorgeous smart lass from Egypt, Mani, the soft spoken activist from Ethiopia, Hamideh, the environmental activist from Iran, Nadia, also an activist from Khartoum, Sudan, Murtaaz, a funny large guy from Syria and of course many more. Those not mentioned is because I am running out of time to write but of course, I love you guys too. (Its 7.30 am, and I need to take my shower!)

So, I will write some more later. What with Chumbawamba, Keane, The Killers, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chief, New Order, Jarvis Cocker, Iron Maiden will be playing here in Glasgow… maybe an amateurish attempt at writing gig reviews? Well, why not. I am also checking out the new band to emerge from Glasgow-The Fratellis and the low profiled De Rosa. They are creating quite a buzz here.

I will also post pictures much later. No great snaps yet.

Till then, ta!