Below are the 10 most recent journal entries recorded in ramification69's LiveJournal:

Wednesday, April 12th, 2006
2:40 pm	NO LJ I am closing down this baby, all my entries are on my blogger account : http://www.ramification69.blogspot.com x (Comment on this)
Thursday, January 5th, 2006
3:56 pm	Dry I have been reading Dry by Augusten Burroughs, this is one of my favorite paragraphs: 'I stand by the door looking at the other guys who are themselves looking for other guys. The whole thing suddenly strikes me as beyond sad. All of this exposed loneliness. These raw nerves firing into the dark. I imagine the guy leaning against the pool table hooking up with the guy poking at the jukebox. They're both good-looking and aloof. Maybe later they'll speak to each other. Then fuck. Then- and this is the part that interests me- fall asleep together. Naked, snoring men. Strangers with their arms around each other or their backs pressed together. The thought revolts and fascinates me. It reminds me of two puppies that just met, curling up together and sleeping, then drinking out of the same water bowl.' (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 28th, 2005
3:55 pm	How Do You Know How do you know when you've met the right person for you. Is it a look, something in their eye that tells you that they, you know, 'get you'. Is it an instant familiarity, like you've come across someone that you could have known all your life. Maybe its a common sense of humour, or a shared social class. Or is it just random, you meet, you have good sex, you have a few things in common and both of you are just ready for a relationship at the time, and before you know it you end up buying matching his and his towels on your first anniversary because neither of you wants to be alone. I don't know, but I find it really difficult to judge how people hook up and make it last longer than a couple of weeks, maybe because I haven't been able to make it last with anyone past the second date in I don't know how long. There is always an excuse, he doesn't get my jokes, or he's not serious enough. He makes more money than me or he cannot keep up with my lifestyle. He's too tall or too short. He drinks too much or he doesn't like to go out enough. He acts too camp, or acts too macho. I can go on, but I am starting to think that maybe I'm the one who is putting excuses in front of me and not going for it. Maybe I am the problem, looking for things to pre-empt anything that can become serious. Or maybe I just haven't met the right person yet. Who knows. (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 22nd, 2005
3:02 pm	XMAS CHEER Man, I am not enjoying this Xmas season at all so far. Work is very busy, too busy, and well, I don't know its really getting to me. Sometimes I like my job, and others I just want to up and leave, disappear for a week and switch my mobile phone off and not tell anyone where I am. Go on a drinking bender, take the train to Paris or somewhere and just be by myself without any distraction. Then I remember I have 'responsibilities'. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I feel like I should say something about gay civil unions coming into effect here in the UK yesterday. Its a great thing, and I am happy for all those couples who can now enjoy the same rights as straight couples do. It is significant and historic. Look at all those cute couples in the paper with matching tuxedos looking ever so dapper. Why is it that with all these couples, one of them has a shaved head and really cool looking designer glasses (maybe a trimmed beard), and the other one is blonde, hair a bit longer, maybe spiked a bit. They all look the same. The bitter / cynical part of me wants to take these couples, corner them somewhere and shout at them: I DONT HAVE YOUR LEGITIMACY BECAUSE I DONT HAVE THE LIBERAL WHITE MIDDLE CLASS UPBRINGING THAT YOU DID AND MY PARENTS WILL NEVER LOOK AT ELTON JOHN AND THINK 'OH WELL, IF ITS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ELTON JOHN, THEN OUR LITTLE BOY BEING QUEER IS FINE BY US.' I am just jealous I know because I don't think I will ever get to have my civil ceremony and have it accepted by any of my family. Ok, I will stop moaning now, life is good. All is good. Current Mood: tired Current Music: 'Air For Life' - Above & Beyond Vs. Andy Moor (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005
1:09 pm	Things Thae Make You Go Hmmmm I was having a conversation with a friend and he pointed out that I am a 'List' person, which I am. That is why I love this time of year, its a good excuse to make lists, as evidence by my recent Top Songs of 2005 entry. I love making lists so much that I can probably do a list of Reasons Why I Love Lists, but that might be a bit OTT. Anyway, here are the top 5 things that baffled me in 2005: 5. Sienna Miller I am likely the type of person who should adore Sienna. She's really pretty and she has that 'IT' girl factor about her. The problem is that she is way more famous than she should be, she has only been in two films of note (Layer Cake and Alfie) and neither of them were major Box Office hits. Not sure why women want to emulate her style either, as she looks really frumpy all the time. This woman is famous more than anything because of her relationship to Jude Law, and the fact that he cheated on her has elevated her rather too quickly into the 'jilted lover' role that Nicole Kidman used to great effect a few years ago. I am officially BORED. 4. Desperate Housewives Ok, I agree that its a reasonably good tv show, and there are some funny lines in it and it does have the Sex And The City of empowered women element to it. Watch the repeats however and you'll realise that this show is mainly fluff and not that greatly acted. And God help us, not only has it revived Nicolette Sheridan's career but it also inflicted us with Eva Langoria and countless interviews about her sex life. This must stop. 3. George W. Bush From his nomination of Harriet Mier, to his mishandling of the Iraq War and its political fallout to his adminstrations clearly 'vague' rules about torture, I am amazed with Bush's ability to just push through his right wing agenda with no regard for the consequences. I cannot beleive we still have a few more years left with this guy in charge of the most powerful country in the world. 2. Crazy Frog The Crazy Frog had one of the biggest selling singles of 2005, who bought this shit ? 1. Kate Moss Ok, I can sort of understand how the papers love using the term 'Cocaine Kate' and now they are all happy that they will be able to do so from now until the end of eternity. And I can sort of get how her relationship to Pete Doherty can cause a bit of interest. What amazes is me is the hypocrisy of the whole situation, I am a 30 year old man (around the same age as Kate) living in London with a fairly reasonable income coming in. I can guarantee that even without knowing them that the people who condemned Kate are people who have taken charlie at least once in their life. Its everywhere in London and taking coke is as readily acceptable as downing a shot of sambuca on a Friday night at the pub. Its truly baffling how big this story became, and I am glad that it has died out. (Comment on this)
1:07 pm	Best Songs of 2005 - The REST 15. Mariah Carey - Its Like That The first of two entries for Ms Carey, this was her big comeback single from the massive Emancipation of Mimi album. Mariah at her vocal best, with excellent prodcution value from Jermaine Dupris, this could have been a strong song of the year contender for me. However, the presence of the shrill Fatman Scoop at the end of the track costs this song dearly. Fatman is a great producer no doubt, but can he please shut up! 14. Lee Ryan- Army of Lovers First Kelly Osbourne, and now an ex-Blue member, but I can't help loving this song. Its two and half minutes of pure ballad genius with a soaring vocal from Lee. Fantastic. 13. Fallen Angels - City Life (Ian Carey Remix) Ian Carey provides a great electro-rock beat to this dance track, all about how great big city life is, no matter where you are from. A very under-appreciated track. 12. Max Linen - Back To Mine Linen was reponsible for last years infectious 'Flashback', and he uses a similar male voice-over on this follow-up, to tell a story about meeting a wild girl at a club and taking her back to her place. The story has a very funny twist in the end, and a sublime bassline to boot. 11. Destiny's Child - Soldier The DC girls go crunk, and they are looking for some tough thugs, and it works for the most part. The rapping on this track is a bit dull, but is made up for by a seductive minimalist beat and an assured vocal performance from Beyonce and Co. One of the few highlights on the disappointing Destiny Fullfilled album. 10. Girls Aloud - Biology This song kicks off with a bluesy piano riff and then switches gear twice, and as one critic pointed, it does sound like 3 songs blended into one. A track that I hated at first due to its strange structure but now can't get enough of. Also features the campest line of the year: 'So I got my cappucino to go, and I'm heading for the hills again.' How can you NOT love Cheryl Tweedy. 9. The Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha You really couldn't ecape this single at all this summer, and it got a tad boring after so many plays. This is how great girl-band R&B should sound like, even if its only one girl in the group that can actually sing. 8. Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl This Sh** is Bananas - B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Need I say more ? 7. Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes Ok, so I loved this Kelly Clarkson this year, she could do no wrong, and here she continues her pissed off streak with guys who have hurt her, but don't worry because she doesn't cry on the outside anymore! Maybe she needs to lighten up a bit on her next album, but I am not complaining. 6. James Blunt - You're Beautiful Another song that suffered from over-play this summer, but I can't help but still loving this song about falling in love with a stranger on a train. I think the beauty of this song is that its really personal but everyone can relate to it. 5. Chanel - My Life (Haji & Emmanuel Mix) Probably the best song to be remixed by the Haji / Emmanuel team in 2005. An uplifting and infectious house track, this was a great one to dance to at the club. 4. Freemasons - Love On My Mind Likely the biggest disco-influenced house song of the year, this samples from Jackie Moore's 'This Time Baby' and Tina Turner's 'When The Heartache Is Over'. Dancefloors went bezerk for this all summer long, and so did I. 3. Mariah Carey - We Belong Together Mariah back on form, even if this song is a tad generic, its sung with such wonderful emotion that Ms. Carey makes it truly special. 2. Missy Elliott feat. Ciara and Fatman Scoop - Lose Control Missy Elliott never really went away in the past few years, but even her most die-hard fans must admit that her form has slipped of late. Thankfully she came back with this monster of a track enlisting the help of hot R&B siren of the day Ciara and (God help us) Fatman Scoop. The Jaques Lu Cont mix and the mash up with M.A.N.D.Y's 'Body' are a great fusions of house music with rap. 1. Madonna - Hung Up There was never any doubt that this would land in the number 1 spot, and by a huge margin. Gone is the self-indulgent reflection of Madge's last album American Life, replaced by a truly fierce disco sound provided by the one and only Stuart Price. Best heard in the middle of the dance floor on a Saturday night at 1 am surrounded by hundreds of queens raising their hands in the air at the first hint of the ABBA riff. This is Madonna's best single in a very long time. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 13th, 2005
4:16 pm	Best Songs of 2005 Last year I did a post on the top 10 singles of 2004, and in it I mentioned how 2004 was the year I truly discovered and fell in love with house music. Well, 2005 was not a great year for dance music, a decent one, but not great. The year was mainly saved by a late fall entry that would land its place as my single of the year, and what a single, but more on that later. I've expanded my list to 20 this year. Here comes numbers 16 to 20 : 20. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone This was arguably the breakthrough year for Ms Clarkson, especially here in the UK. TheAmerican Idol label was quickly forgotten with this track, a song that sounds like it could have been by recorded by Heart in the 80s, if Heart was fronted by Pink that is. A great empowering track to rock out to, especially after a messy break-up. 19. Kelly Osbourne - One Word (Chris Cox Remix) Not in a million years did I expect to place Ms. Osbourne on this list, but she managed to come up with a greatl electro track to dance to. Ok, so I have no idea what the hell she's on about in the song but it doesn't matter. Although a great song in its own right, its the Chris Cox remix that elevates this single to one of the best of the year. 18. Faith Evans - Mesmerized (Freemasons Remix) The Freemasons take over from the Shapeshifters as the hot dance producers of the year, and their genius is evident on this re-working of this very funky minimalist Faith Evans track, turning it into a dance floor stomper. 17. Shapeshifters - Back to Basics Speaking of Shapeshifters, the act that had last years best single in the shape of Lola's Theme, come back with that oh so difficult follow-up single. They partly succeeded with this track, with a full orchestra backing, the same lead singer and a similar structure, Back to Basics suffered from sounding too much like its predecessor, but without as good a chorus. Still, without the Lola comparison, this song stands on its own as a very good dance song. Best remix is the Beginnerz mix, which takes the fairly fluffy sounding song and gives it a chunky bassline and a much tougher sound. The Shapeshifters didn't quiet manage to strike lightning twice in a row, but they deserve an A for effort. 16. Juliet - Avalon The other big producer of the year has to be Jaques Lu Cont (aka Stuart Price) who produced this gem of a single. Juliet has a beautiful voice thats a cross between Dido and Sheryl Crow(honestly). She has given us an electro-influenced, haunting and beautifully melodic track that will stay in your head for hours on end. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 7th, 2005
3:30 pm	Little Things That Make Me Happy Its amazing how sometimes the smallest thing will bring joy to my face. Case in point, today I had to go to my doctors office to get my flu jab. I didn't realise that in the UK you have to be over 65 or have some other medical condition to get it on the NHS, so I actually didn't get the jab and now I have to find a private clinic to administer it. And being that I am lazy, I doubt that that will happen. If I get the flu this winter then I will have to consign myself to the fact that I 'tried' to get the jab and the stupid doctor wouldn't let me. So I leave my doctors, and because I have to go to the high street to do some banking I take an unusual route that I've never taken before. And lo and behold, I find a Starbucks tucked into the corner of the street, an EMPTY Starbucks. I usually have to fight my way through the busy Starbucks thats located by the train station, and its always a stressful experience when all I want is my Tall Latte, No Foam, thank you very much. On Sunday there was a woman, who used her baby's pram to take over the entire 'milk/sugar' area and would not move it although there was 3 disgruntled people waiting behind her. Needless to say, the latte wasn't worth the stress. So now, not only is this Starbucks emptier, its even closer to where I live, and although I am in principal against this big corporate entity taking over every neighbourhood in London, I am glad that I have one in my neighbourhood. Current Music: Alanis Morrisette 'Crazy' (Comment on this)
3:14 pm	Life Rating This Is My Life, Rated Life: 5.2 Mind: 6.5 Body: 5.9 Spirit: 5.4 Friends/Family: 4 Love: 2.9 Finance: 5 Take the Rate My Life Quiz You know I am bored when I start doing stuff like this online. My Love rating is alarmingly low. (Comment on this)
3:04 pm	Back on Livejournal I am trying to see if Livejournal is better than blogger. I like some of the functionality in Blogger (my address there is www.ramification69.blogspot.com) but I am not getting many responses to my posts. I am going to run both side by side for a month to see. (Comment on this)