I Lost My Phone (Again) On New Year's Eve.

It's around the hours of seven or eight a.m. on New Year's Day. I've just stepped in from Webster Hall on what is the best New Year's Eve of my life. I'm drunk, but not that drunk. Very much functional, having stopped drinking around 2 a.m. But I've made it home. Well, not home, I'm in New York. And not even my New York home, our beloved Meserole Street that was home for ten days. I'm actually at my friend's house in Staten Island, NYC. Because for some reason, it seemed wiser to do that. Drunken logic was that it was sensibler to head home with friends who lived much further than make my way home alone on what would have been a fifteen minute journey on the subway, and probably around the same length by taxi. Why would I have been alone? Well, we were playing a game of last man stranded and I'd vowed not to leave the club 'til at least 6 a.m. (the night was going on 'til midday). It wouldn't have been my first time drunk and alone in a foreign country. It wouldn't even be my first time drunk and alone in New York. And I'd been just fine all those times. Alas, my decision was made.

As I entered my friend's, I was feeling proud. I hadn't been arrested for being drunk and disorderly in New York City at a time where black men were moving targets for the police, combined with being on a night where every bar had open bar (and when they say open bar in New York... They really do mean open bar. Any drink you want).

Cardholder, check. 
Money (do I even know how much I'm supposed to have on me?!), check.
Passport, fuc-, oh wait, I put it in friend's bag because I didn't trust myself to not potentially lose it whilst drunk. 
Mobile phone, fuck.

I've done it again. Day six/seven and I've lost my flipping mobile phone. 

I'd Love to See It... But Wouldn't Pay

Well, those weren't her exact words. She actually said, "I wouldn't pay for it but I'd love to see it." It's not the first time I've heard someone say something like that. Or statements like 'it's not the kind of film I'd watch in the cinema'.

It's no secret that the price of cinema tickets are pretty outrageous today. It's not something that I acknowledge much; the only time I ever have to buy a full-price cinema ticket is when purchasing for someone else. Last week I purchased a ticket for friends for The Equalizer at my local and couldn't believe it cost £11. From time to time, I notice the price of tickets in the West End branches of the mainstream cinemas and balk at the prices. More so when I consider then the added fee if the film is 3D/IMAX, as well as if you want to buy snacks. When I told my friend, he asked  if it was IMAX or 3D, such was his confusion as to how expensive it was. I can't blame him. I'd even go as far as questioning how many people would honestly go to the cinema anymore if Orange/EE Wednesdays did not exist.  

Let's Talk Tulisa

If success is measured by money then it would be fair to say that Tulisa Constolavos has been the most successful member of N-Dubz. Money aside, she's also been a judge on The X-Factor (winning it in her debut year), clothing line, perfume, a documentary on BBC3 that raised awareness on mental illness and tugged the nation's heart strings, supposedly a role model for Broken Britain (and many young people) and much more. Hasn't done bad for a girl who reportedly left school with no GCSEs, right?

I would consider myself to be a fan of N-Dubz, call it one of my many guilty pleasures. When the media got on to her about her (dreadful) sex tape, I defended her somewhat. I mean we all do what we do in the bedroom as we please, just that she let them film it. But can we really blame her for, as she said, trusting someone who she was in love with? Surely not, who would think someone who they love would do something like that to them?

Unfortunately, there's a seemingly reoccurring theme here with Tulisa: stupidity.

The (Eventual) Revenge of the Concert-Goer

I am a concert-goer. I love concerts. And, more often than not, the incredible experience outweighs any potential burden of the cost. So when an artist who's music I love announces a concert date, more often than not, I will have every intention to go, regardless of the cost. N.B. That's not to suggest that I have unlimited finances - that's certainly not the case, in fact the only reason I was able to go to Watch The Throne in London & Paris last year was because they were both 21st birthday gifts.

I do however think that the music industry, or should I say the tour promoters, may be losing touch with reality. Recently I went to Kanye West at Hammersmith Apollo and it's dawned on me the last couple of the days that, at £75, it's the most expensive convert I've been to (bar the upcoming Beyoncé gig). I'm not saying Kanye isn't worth that money; he was. I'm not saying 'but I've been to festivals where I've seen artist X, Y & Z for less' because I understand the logistics as to why promoters are able to sell festival tickets at reasonably affordable prices. I'm not even saying that Kanye West and Jay-Z cost less together at better venues! No, my issue is - actually - the tickets that didn't go on sale to fans.

An Unhealthy Obsession

All my life, I've noted in others, and at some stage most likely myself, a desire to retire early. If it wasn't retiring early, it was wanting to retire my mother early. In the more recent years of my life, I've steered well away from that notion, truly wanting to spent the rest of my breathing days writing.

Why do we as humans have such an obsession with retiring early? And why do so few of these obsessions materialise? I think I can answer the first question. It's sad to say but one of the key reasons why most do the jobs they do is because it pays. That could be paying: - the bills
- holidays
- nights out
- addictions
- children
- debts