MADE IN CHINA

Steamed up.

LDS-EDB

Back log.

Helaina Sharpley

This woman knows the good life.

Light Night

So, the new academic year is upon us and it's in full swing, we have been given our briefs, which to be honest, i'm quite excited about. I wasn't feeling so confident with myself and the courses compatibility, but i'm one tutorial down and feeling good.

The first part of the brief is to create a 1-3 minute video for the annual Light Night in Leeds (Oct 8th!) We did have 'the window of opportunity' at Nation of Shopkeepers, unfortunately, they double-booked us. So we now have a unit in The Light.

The video will be based around a found object, I have a bullet. :) Excitinggg.

I started to throw myself in at the deep end, but I've managed to drag myself back out and come up with a less controversial concept for the video.

Watch this space.

still.

Bit stale.

I drew a line on this patch of ground.

After losing my mind a little over the summer, i'm feeling a little more optimistic about things. I worried a lot about my degree, and whether or not i'm wasting this amazing opportunity to achieve a degree, because lets face it, it will soon be a thing for the middle classes, again. I was worried that I was on the wrong course, and a part of me still feels like there is something else I should be doing, but after much consideration, and many a blether with my wonderful friends, I've taken a different view on things. The fact that it's interdisciplinary, technically means, i can get away with anything, it's also one of the best ways to explore a wide range of ideas and concepts, and i'm wet for a concept.

So, i'm going to face this year, head on, smash it in the coin, get a 1st, and then write a SICK dissertation, get an all round 1st class, and head to the middle east. I might even cycle there, because, according to me ol' mate Benj Whitfield, you can lose 3 stone if you cycle to Baghdad. How mad would that be? You'd look so different from setting off.

idiot.

Why do we break our own hearts?

with your feet in the air and your head on the ground.

my mind has left.

WAR ON TERRORISM.

The world is in a bogeyed state, and it seems that whatever measure is taken things only seems to get worse, people are not striving for peace, they're not striving for a balance or interdependence (which realistically, we should be? we're all in it together, right?), they aim for money, power, sovereignty, without the realisation that this is impossible. Since the enlightenment and industrialisation we seem to have just built and built on hypocrisy, everything that is said or every action taken seems to be a contradiction to what they claim to be aiming for.

We don't want world war 3, but there's psychological warfare, breaking down our hearts and trust, resulting in us being backed into corners and agreeing to anything that they throw our way.

Take 9/11 for example, the constitution battled for a homeland security for years and this wasn't granted due to various states, whoever they may be rejecting the idea, 9/11 happens, the media tears through people with words such as "TERRORISM. JIHAD. BOMBS" low and behold, we want homeland security.

It seems that the conspiracies are just conspiracies within themselves, laying out horrendous events in the hope that the public will catch hold and in turn lose trust in the governing bodies, this results, i imagine, in some kind of over throw, or at least a restructure. But what happens with a restructure, if everything is laid out for us and we can see everything being planned in plain sight, how do we battle against it?

Somewhere there is an extremely intelligent, calculated, sinister, power hungry set of bigwigs.

The thing is, I don't understand the point of it all, if, and i say if, because i'm not so sure anymore, there is only Earth with civilisation in this entire universe, where else can this be taken? it can't. thats the point. So, what else is out there? Why do these people need all this money and power? Bloodlines schmudlines. It's pointless, but it's only pointless if this is all there is.

So lads, get yer telescopes out, oh wait. NASA control the ones that are even worth entertaining, ooh, and interestingly enough, NASA was set up by Nazi scientist, Wernher von Braun. Hmm, the plot thickens.

Maybe i'm a loon, maybe i think about things too much, but surely you have to question these things? It's all just a bit. Not right?!

woop-woop, it's the sound of the...oh wait, there is non.

So yesterday was Unity day and it was relatively good, apart from the mugging and watching some other guy have his head caved in with a skateboard.

There was a massive lack of Police presence, which of course, is due to the private security firm hired to man the event. They did real good in reducing crime (Y)! Well done.

A friend of mine was mugged for his point &shoot compact camera, then beaten by a bunch of youths. When he approached the Police (who were standing around the perimeter of the park) he was simply told "oh, yeah there's been a lot of that, there's not much you can do" now, i'm no expert in dealing with the Police, but i'm pretty sure that, that response is a fucking joke.

I then spoke to 2 officers, to question them about the lack of police presence and the reply that was given to a man who had just been robbed & beaten up, and was told "it's all politics, love. do you want me to explain it to you?"

No, my friend. I do not need politics explaining to me, because i'm not a fucking idiot. Secondly, don't call me 'love'.

I understand that the organisers of Unity Day have chosen to hire a private security group instead of paying for the Police, but I also understand that they have 4-6 strong team patrolling the park on a quiet sunday afternoon.

I emailed the local policing team for LS6, even though i have little faith in the Police service, they did actually email back and then called me to discuss my issues. The inspector that i spoke to did seem to take the complaint relatively seriously, but of course, nothing can be done because i didn't get the badge number. Still, badge number or no badge number, 2 sets of police gave bullshit responses to the publics questions. Can't be arsed with paper work much?!

Maybe i've got a bee in my bonnet about this, but i think situations like this build barriers between the public and the police.

when one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. when many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.

Religion terrifies me. The actions of it's millions of followers too often contradict everything that it stands for. Thou shalt not kill. Sorry, what?!

The tradition of religion apparently will outlive us all, in the 21st century, with science and technology so far developed, i find it hard to comprehend the brick wall that i, and many others seem to hit when faced with religion, be it Christianity, Islam, Judaism, the list goes on.

the more and more i learn about it, the more and more confusion it brings, firstly theres the overwhelming solidarity in people's faith, secondly.. in fact, i can't get past the first bit. it seems bizarre to me that people cannot and will not accept or even entertain the idea that it's just the greatest story ever to be told.

the scariest thing about religion is that people are not given a choice to have faith, especially when born into a very traditional religious family, the fear of God is put into children from such a young age, social control within households, 'obey mom &dad and you will not sin' thus resulting in a well behaved child, a child that won't burn forever and ever in a sinful furness of DOOOOM!

I don't even know what i'm trying to say about this. I know that it scares me though. I know that it seems to have manifested itself into a business. I know that it gives false hope to the most poverty stricken among us, and i know that it's claimed thousands upon thousands, millions in fact, of innocent lives.

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

This little beauty is my grandma's charm bracelet, that she's handed down to me!

How awesome is it? When i was younger i was fascinated by all the charms, how they opened and have tiny little people or cats or other bizarres! &how each one has a tale, and were bought by specific people for special occasions or trips to different countries.

fanks grandmaaa! ♥

Check out these little gems too, proper good find at a little vintage stall at Kendal Calling.
The big keys were £1 and the small keys were 50p! Bargain! I love the little compass necklace too, from Dolls and Molls. (www.dollsandmolls.co.uk)



Win.

walking round the kitchen in hotpants and a braaa.

For the past few weeks i feel like i've been walking around in a hazy bubble, not really taking on board the things that are happening around me, yet i feel like my mind, in it's confused state has managed to untangle a mound of thoughts that consciously i was unaware of. Now that they're all laid out in front of me, the tangling process begins. the more i think, the more confusion i create.

Kendal Calling was a larf. Met a couple of chums from the wrong side of the Pennines, but they were larvley!

p.s i can't be arsed telling you anymore about anything.

The future is bright, the future is apple taking over the worrrrrrld.

I'm looking forward to the future, i'm looking forward to the people i will meet, the place that i will see, the situations i will find myself in. I can't help but become overwhelmed and excited about it.

Things haven't turned out as i planned for this summer, but this is not something to get hung up about, it's something to learn from; don't spend another summer in leeds.

There are places that i want to take myself and sometimes i worry that i won't achieve these things, but the more we shy away from these things in fear of rejection or failure the further away we're gonna put ourselves from having a piece of everything we want. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it?

I intend to take my cake and smear allover the place.

Bottom line being is; you make it what you make it. &even though i'm not 100% sure about making this course fit what i want to explore, i'm paying a chuffin' massive amount of cash money monies &so, socks up please. Squeezy Squeezey.

Seedless Grapes.

i know it's wrong. but i don't know how to stop it. and quite frankly. i don't think i want to. i want it to happen. it will happen.

shoot me, in the face please. (dont actually do it - im scared of dying)

i'm such an idiot. i don't know what is actually wrong with me, but there's something not right. i fill up my time with meaningless shit, and surround myself with things that will only make me feel worse in the end, but for some reason i believe that the temporary happiness that all these things bring will outweigh the heartache at the end of it all.

secondly, i cannot be on my own. even when i'm on my own, im not on my own, i text or call, or sit on stupid fucking facebook.
i don't know what is wrong with me. i have realised now that the situation that i put myself in, is no good for me, and it's certainly not healthy. for the last 5 years i've surrounded myself with the most wonderful people; alice, dave, tom amd ben. amongst others. but for years, we've been a solid little group, a safe place. one massive big security blanket.

&now. thats all changed. i know that this is for the better and that things do have to progress and move forward, things have to be left behind, whether that be people, or routines, or lifestyles, anything. so if i understand it, why can't i just deal with it?

big moan. :)!

Modern times

interestingly enough there's a mobile phone advert before this video is played. oh the irony.

i'm scared of the fact that maintaining a job, to enjoy life, can often be the very same thing that turns you into a nervous wreck and ruins everything that you're trying to build.
i'm scared of staying here, not seeing the world, albeit it's in a bit of a bogeyed state, but there is so so so much to be seen, and so many people to be met. imagine only ever meeting people from the town/village that you've grown up in your entire lives.
don't get me wrong, a sense of community is a wonderful thing, but to go to the same BBQs every summer, to see aunty jackie and uncle steve, to pass round this years holiday photos from Benidorm?! i just don't understand it.

people don't seem to want anything anymore, maybe they never did? maybe it's because i notice the people that i already feel like i'm leaving behind, people that i always imagined i would progress with. i don't want to be left behind. but i don't want to leave people behind. catch 22 or what lads?

i've possibly made a bad decision by choosing to study for my degree in Leeds, the course itself is awesome, there's some wonderful people, and the college has amazing facilities. but i enjoy meeting people, and i feel like there's just a caliber of people in leeds, they all go to the same bars, or they all hang out with the same friends, they all sleep with each other then get really angry and upset about it. squish fucking squish. when will these people wake up and smell reality? realise that noone cares about their boring stories about who said who's a bitch?! mindless boring freaks. these are the people that go to benidorm every year. the most depressing thing is, these people are so close.

CAKE!

I enjoy baking and it's a shame that not everyone does it. the lifestyle we lead has cost us so many traditions, knitting, baking, home-cooking. everything has turned into a world wind of timescales and deadlines. everybody needs everything right this very second. and it's not even that we don't have the time to do these things, but they're so far down on people's priority list that it's best to just take it to the dry-cleaners, or fill ourselves with manufactured flavours and put our money in the pocket of mr. kippo &his badselfs wife.

I'm not overly angry at this issue, and i understand that even if i was, there would be nothing i could do to change it.

anyway, dave has left for Morocco (infact, he left last tuesday) so on the monday before he left, alice and i baked ourselves stupid and filled the kitchen with cakes! &buns! &m&ms!










Lovely day <3!

times are changing.

The past 4 or 5 years have been, well, interesting to say the least. I've found a good group of like minded, open minded, enthusiastic and ambitious wonderful people. Over the years people have come and gone, but there's been a core of us, a big security blanket, and though sometimes the dynamics of the friendship are unhealthy, it has been one of the safest places i have found myself.

This is the end of an era.

Dave has a one-way ticket to Morocco, Alice is going to Glasgow for her degree, I have successfully managed to achieve the 1st year of my degree and things just feel right.

Sometimes I find myself hung-up on the past, no regrets, but a longing to be back there, to be care-free and have the world around me lightly coated in icing sugar. However, if the past 5 years have taught me anything, it's to look forward, explore, and throw yourself into any available situation! I'm scared of not living my life, the thought of surrounding myself with English people and English culture (current; tv, radio, "messy" nights, and takeaways) my entire life is daunting. Meaningless relationships with people you have nothing in common with and endless hours of X-factor.

<3

What is consciousness?

Try to stop thinking for 30 seconds.

You cannot do it can you?

Go ahead, try again.

Can you calm the incessant chatter of your busy, busy mind?

If you can, then you're ready to start a new adventure. You're ready to begin.

Wake up

fascinating.

a circuit board is possibly one of the only ways i can begin to comprehend the complexity of my own brain, the vast amounts of components, that carry an insane amount of signals.

&obviously, a circuit board comes nowhere near to the complexity of the brain.

350project.

"The 350project promotes stronger local economies through support of independent retailers and the consumers who shop with them"

350project.

This is based in the US, and aims to promote spending your money in local, independent restaurants, bistros, retail stores etc. Of the money that is spent in independent stores, 68% comes back into the local area, where only 43% comes back when spent in larger, corporate stores.

I imagine the stats will be slightly different in the UK? But still, it's something for us all to consider, keep our local communities afloat. The produce at local business is of much higher quality too, and often a little more expensive, but these people have put elbow grease into their work, be it farming, dressmaking, or cooking up a good meal! So a little more appreciation and support for the hard working local business' please.

At least buy your bread from the local bakery, you know it's so much better.

This week has been so peaceful, no internet, no signal on my phone. Settle is such a beautiful little place, the roads, the drystone wall, the views, the sky, everything.

Twilight seemed to bring out our experimental side and we managed to capture some pretty awesome photos.

I also turned 22 whilst we were camping, which was larrrvley. Alice brought along some balloons for the tent, so, obviously we had the coolest tent in the field.

Good weather.

It's been a good few days, the weather is beautiful. &&!NOW. I'm off camping. Hoorah!

Dave's 21st.

It's been a really beautiful day, the weather was good, the company was good &the surroundings were pretty good too.

Happy birthday Dave :)))