Internet Manners and Etiquette: The Social Schisms of Getting it Wrong...

Welcome to the Internet, prepare for excommunication!

I'm going to get straight to the point. The internet is a judgemental place. And the worst part is you don't even need to know the person to feel like the lowest of the low.

Of course, not everyone feels this way and that's a good thing. But there are people out there who overthink their activities on the internet. And ashamedly, I used to be one of them. I say 'used' loosely because I'm still confronted with these issues even now. I've just learned to get a grip and not take things so personally. But that can be hard.

It can be said that every comment you post, every status you like, every message you send can be over-analysed to the point of insanity. I know there are some people who genuinely don't care and I praise these people. However, in a world where we are constantly craving the acceptance of our peers whilst maintaining a sense of individuality, I know that people will confront these issues in this mind frame. And it's unhealthy. I was inspired to write this blog because I have been confronted with many of these issues before and one recently, really got me thinking.

A few days ago, a girl added me on Facebook. I did not know her personally and I have never spoken to her in my life but she is also on exchange in Montreal and because she comes from the British Isles, I decided to add her. I thought perhaps she maybe wanted to open a dialogue with me which I was happy to provide (I'm a nice person like that). Now, usually, I do not add or accept people who I do not know and because this girl did not contact me in anyway, I decided to delete her today. Yet, when I went to delete her, I found she had already deleted me. 

And yet, I'm the one who feels like an idiot. Am I oversensitive or over-thinking it? Perhaps. And I will gladly admit that I am a sensitive person and an over-thinker. But there are questions that have been raised. Why did she add me? Why did she delete me? Was she being nosey? Was she unimpressed just by looking at my profile? All these questions have been brought since this silly interaction and its genuinely ridiculous. However, the worst thing was feeling like an idiot and it actually made me feel slightly angry. Then I got over it and decided to channel it into a blog.

This made me think about other things that make people feel ostracised from the internet. Here are a few examples.

• Bad Grammar: I'm not massively critical of people who spell the occasional word wrong or get the occasional grammar rule mixed up. It happens to the best of us (like me). However, there are some people on the internet who go out of their way to persecute these people (The Dreaded Grammar Nazis). 
• Adding Friends: You know when Michael McIntyre talks about the handshake/hug thing? When one person is going to greet a person with a handshake and the other is going to greet them with a hug and they meet in the middle and its horrendous? Well, how do you know when you're ready to add someone as a friend on Facebook? And why is it so nerve-wracking waiting for the acceptance? AND WHY DO YOU BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN THEY ACCEPT?
• Friend Number: I know this affects a lot of people (and if it doesn't, I envy you). But then again, that's what it boils down to. Why do we measure the success of our peer's social lives on the number of Facebook Friends? Why are we so jealous if someone has more friends than us? Does it mean they have more friends than us? Are they better loved than us? Do they have better social lives than us?
• Birthdays on Facebook: When it's someone's birthday, if they didn't say 'Happy Birthday' to me, I don't say 'Happy Birthday' to them. How do I find this out? I look at our friendship page. I think this is a pretty common law in the world of Facebook.
• Instagram Hashtags: If you have twenty hashtags, you are seen as an attention-seeking weirdo. And you're automatically jealous of people who have sixty likes with one hashtag.
• Arguments: Expect to lose your argument if you spell something wrong. Even if your argument is invincible. Also, expect to lose your right to an opinion if it conflicts someone elses and a whole day lost to arguing.

There are loads more I could list. I mean, basically every action on the internet has a consequence. However, the point I'm trying to get at is that why are there are so many unspoken norms about internet etiquette? Why do we need to think about every action? 

Nowadays, I don't care. However, when I was younger, I did and I think it's horrible thing to feel ostracised at such a young age, especially from a place where everyone is supposed to be 'welcome'. The internet can be a cruel place and we need to stop the judgement and the measuring of our self worth by statistics.

Yeah, this blog was pretty pathetic, I know.

Scottish Independence: How does one decide the fate of a nation?

Today, First Minister Alex Salmond (or maybe 'not so affectionately' known as 'Big Eck') announced in parliament the date for the Scottish referendum on Independence. In 547 days, on Thursday 18th September 2014, the good citizens of our great nation will come together and decide the very future of Scotland with a single 'Yes' or 'No' question. I think it's a huge responsibility that weighs heavily on our shoulders and with the  knowledge that the whole world will be desperately awaiting the result, it really has the potential to change the face of the British Isles as we know it.

As I have mentioned before, I am a patriotic bastard (I'm actually the worst person you could ever meet). Therefore, my knee-jerk reaction is to vote a loud and resounding 'No'. Perhaps it's due to my half English, half-Scottish heritage, perhaps its due to fear, I don't know. But then, I remembered that I don't really have enough information to formulate an opinion yet. Therefore, maybe I should sheath my opinion until after I have vanquished my ignorance.

Personally, I don't think there is enough information being provided to the general public about the referendum. And it's not a simple decision either. The independence of Scotland would have such an impact on the entire running of our country, with the far-reaching consequences of our actions being felt by our descendants, the next generation of Scots. However, the lack of information is from both sides. You have one side telling you 'Independence is Bad' but not really going into detail why and vice versa with the Scottish government.

I'm concerned with the lack of transparency thus far. And I think a lot of it is to do with a complete lack of trust in our governments, both British and Scottish. The expenses fiasco, the lies, the corruption; it all feeds the public's contempt for the government. We all feel like we're not being given the full story, all of the time which is very counter-productive when attempting to make a decision like this. In short, we just don't know who is telling the truth or not.

Which is why, now that the date has been announced, I hope that this opens the floodgates to some serious debate on the subject. I don't wish to live in ignorance and I'm sure most of the Scottish population don't want to either. A series of healthy, CLEAN debates are desperately needed, which will help us all to see the benefits of becoming an independent Scotland and the disadvantages, coupled with some concrete facts which will hopefully give us a clear picture of whether Scotland is ready to become an independent nation or whether she is to remain within the UK. Then and only then, will we be able to make well-educated and rounded decisions about the fate of our nation.

However, until such a day comes where I see a strong argument for Scottish independence, my vote currently is a 'No'. And also, a strong point for the argument against independence is that the Union Jack would just look weird.

Anyway, Watch This Space!

Music Review: 'Every Weekend' by Hadouken!

So, on my old blog, I tried doing reviews and I actually really enjoyed writing them. Personally, they helped me to sift through all the good and bad points of a specific piece of media whilst having the potential to inspire at least one person to watch or listen to what I review which is always good. Therefore, I have decided to begin it again (I really want to blog more) so here's my review of Hadouken's new album, 'Every Weekend'.

Band: Hadouken!
Album Name: 'Every Weekend'
Formed: 2006
Album Number: 3
Released: 18th March 2013
Genres: Electronic, Dance, Dubstep, Drum and Bass

Hadouken! burst onto the grimey, underground dance scene in early 2006 before releasing their first mixtape, entitled 'Not Here to Please You' in 2007. The mixtape, initially released on a USB stick instead of a CD featured many songs with the age-old themes of sex, drugs, drink and 'Rock n' Roll', designed to appeal to the young, teenage generation of rebellious teenagers and 24-hour party people. The success of their mixtape lead them to release their first album, 'Music for an Accelerated Culture' which firmly established them in the dance/rave genre. However, with the release of their second album, 'For the Masses', their music began to move away from the immaturity of singing about crashing house parties and drinking to oblivion to a more mature style of electronica. Now, with the release of their third album, 'Every Weekend', Hadouken! have gone even further, finally gaining such a mature level of electronic dance that they may finally be ready to hit the mainstream.

Album Artwork

Hadouken! have really left the themes of teenage life behind and have embraced their new concept of futurism with the design of their album cover. The electric hues dancing on the face of the female is really eye-catching whilst suggesting that this album is sure to get a rave going. Definitely more original than their previous two album covers and easily identifiable as a Hadouken! album.

9/10

Track-by-Track Rating

1. The Vortex 

A Slow build up with an electronic fanfare introduces the album before breaking down into the fast-paced beat that immediately gets the head banging. Before the verse starts, we are reintroduced to lead singer's James Smith's fast-paced lyrics that have really defined Hadouken!'s sound. A good start to the album.

7/10

2. Levitate

In my opinion, 'Levitate' is the best song off the album. The drum beat at the beginning and the quiet verses really build up to some top-notch electronic music. The music is really emotive and drives the imagination. I think it could even be one of Hadouken's best songs of all time and may yet become the song that defines them.

10/10

3. Bliss Out

'Bliss Out' has the anthemic qualities that will definitely get a crowd going at a gig with its resonating lyrics and more mellow sounding beat that will be ultimately bring the crowd together for a raucous sing-along and light dancing.

7/10

4. As One

Another song that builds up to the dizzy heights of electronic strings and synth with Smith's vocals at the beginning telling us that he won't 'let us down'. And so far, he hasn't. Another immense tune to go with the others.

8/10

5. Parasite

I really liked the radio edit of Parasite and although the single doesn't really match the epicness of 'Mecha Love' or 'Levitate', it's still a decent song that almost seems to relate the old Hadouken! and the new Hadouken! together in one song. Plus, I love the breakdown. However, I think the album version is not as catchy as the radio edit and perhaps, they should have stuck with the edit.

6/10

6. Bad Signal

I love 'Bad Signal'. Sampling Kim Wilde's 'You keep me Hanging On' really gives the song a different feel whilst fitting perfectly with the song's subject matter. The lyrics are excellent and whilst the beat is more toned down, you can get a better sense of the concept behind this song rather than just getting a good sample of dubstep or electronica.

8/10

7. Stop Time

Probably my least favourite track on the album. I don't like the vocals or the melody in the song very much and is a forgettable moment in the album but no album is perfect. I could imagine, with the alarm-sounding notes, being quite popular in clubs but it doesn't really fit with Hadouken!'s style. However, in saying that, it's still not a bad song.

5/10

8. Spill Your Guts

'Spill Your Guts' is definitely one of the highlights on the album. It's 80's - sounding synths sounds like it's straight out of an science fiction - action movie. The alien-sounding main body of the song and the haunting vocals really makes the song stand out. A great moment during the album.

8/10

9. The Comedown

'The Comedown' is probably the one song that will grow on people on this album. It's perhaps one of these songs that one is unsure of at first but has the potential to be one of the best songs on the album. The song starts with the guitar which is reminiscent of the big summer dance tracks that you hear in clubs during holidays abroad before launching into a dubstep-rich beat. One to watch out for.

7/10

10. Daylight

At first, I wasn't sure about this collaboration with Drummsound and Baseline Smith. However, the more times I listen to it, the more fond I become of it. It's very drum n' bass, sounding very like early Pendulum stuff (from Hold Your Colour) and once I made this connection, I respected the song more. Again, another song that grows on you.

7/10

11. Oxygen

I never really thought much about 'Oxygen' when it was first released as a single and I still don't think much of it. I think because it was released after 'Mecha Love' (which I will talk about afterwards), it could never attain the same level of gravitas as it, which sort of set it up to fall anyway. It will never be a favourite of mine and probably one I'd skip.

4/10

12. Mecha Love

Ending the album on a high to end all highs is the track 'Mecha Love'. Not only is this Hadouken!'s best ever song but is also one of my all-time favourites too. Everything about it, the introductory notes, the vocals, the build-up to the beat, the final push and the ultimate finale of the song are all perfect, absolutely perfect. One of the best displays of electronic music of all time and definitely the one to put on loud.

10/10

Final Word

'Every Weekend' encompasses everything Hadouken! is trying to change about its image. You really get the sense of the growing maturity amongst the band members, who are no longer the rowdy, rebellious teenagers they once were. Most of the songs are excellent and whilst with their first two albums, which both have their highs and lows, this album is a complete and utter high. Although there are a few minor blips along the way, overall, the album is anthemic and epic. I hope 'Every Weekend' provides the platform that Hadouken! needs to attain the real levels of recognition and success that the band really deserves.

8.5/10

The Home Run

Right Now: 'The Vortex' - Hadouken!

"Day 83 in the big Montreal House". These very words terrify me. I can't even believe it's possible that those many days have gone by since I first set foot in Montreal. And it's been a period of time where there has been a lot of highs and of course, with any new experience, a few lows too.

I cannot lie, exchange life hasn't always a bed of roses. There were the infestations of mice and recently, ants that I've had to contend with, which doubled with my other flatmates 'rocky' relationship with our landlady (she loves me, she gave me a Chinese pear) has not helped. Then, there's of course the weather, which really is nothing short of abysmal, especially when about 12 inches of snow decides to dump all over Montreal at the end of March. It's rather unacceptable. And of course, the most obvious factor is the constant longing to see my best friends and family again. I think, you could travel the entire world, experience and see the most wonderful things the globe has to offer and yet, I don't think there is anywhere quite like home (even East Kilbride, even East Kilbride). It's a deep-rooted connection that can't be broken, you can hear it calling you back and there comes a time when you just can't fight it anymore.

However, and this is a big 'However'. I am now getting to the stage where I'm so settled into a routine here that it almost feels like home. I realised it today when I walked 'home' from university and I didn't have to think about which way to go or which path to take. I just did it automatically and when the experience has entered your sub conscience, it starts to hit you that this place maybe means slightly more to you than you first thought. I enjoy being able to wake up when I want to, choosing when to eat, what to eat, when to shop, where to go out for dinner... The freedom of choice is literally limitless and that for me, is something which is priceless. I have also had great opportunities to travel, the highlight being meeting my family in New York City. It was a dream to go there and usually, when you people say 'OhmyGosh, New York is the best place ever' you wonder, can it really be that good? Well, I can tell you honestly it is. Boston was also a very beautiful place and somewhere I really think I would enjoy living permanently. Finally and the most important thing is, I have met some truly lovely people here who I hope I can be friends with for life. At first, I found it difficult because I missed a lot of fresher's week due to illness and other factors. I admit, I felt out of the loop for a long time. But gradually, you build on it and you meet new people. I mean, if I had to put it in simple terms, sixteen people came out for my birthday and I've known them around two and a half months. Last year, about fourteen people came out for my birthday and I've known them for years. It's nice to know that wherever I go in Asia, I will always have a friend there and I hope these people they will always have a friend in Scotland too.

So, now it's the home run. I have 53 days left to make this exchange the best experience of my life so far. And with events such as Toronto and Niagara Falls and Spring coming, I don't think it will difficult! 

NB: As some of you may have seen, I recently became a blogger for Fireball Liqueur Official UK. My  first blog hasn't been published yet but I'm really excited! I'm not sure how this is going to affect the frequency of this blog (which you know, is pretty much non-existant anyway) but I really want to try keeping them both going. So, I would really appreciate it if I could see the same level of support for my Fireball blog as I do for this one (plus you might actually win goodies and you'll be getting a guaranteed blog from me twice a month).

Thanks dear readers!

What exactly is the 'Harlem Shake'? One Woman's Battle for Knowledge...

Right Now: 'Best It's Gonna Get Vs. Tainted' - Celldweller

As you may have been noticing on your newsfeeds, there is a new dance craze circulating the internet called 'The Harlem Shake'. Now, I have seen quite a few videos of numerous groups of people attempting their own version and I have to admit, it's funny! However, I have been confronted with the fact that for the first time in my life, I do not know anything about the origins of this viral dance epidemic and therefore, I have decided today that instead of studying for my exam on Sunday (It's multiple choice, Bite Me!), I will instead uncover the mysteries surrounding this craze and hopefully educate those who, like me, are in a permanent stage of confusion around this thing that 'seems cool'.

Step One: To Wikipedia!

My journey to infinite knowledge begins with Wikipedia (obviously). Whenever society is faced with the unknown, the first thing we turn to is a our good, free friend, Wikipedia. If Wikipedia was a person, he'd be the guy who'd let you borrow some sugar, who'd help push your car in the snow, who would offer you the last biscuit on the plate. The 'Good Guy Greg' of the internet, if you will. 

I have typed 'Harlem Shake' into Wikipedia and I have been greeted by three different pages. I was not aware that the 'Harlem Shake' had so much depth, so much history. Already, I can feel this is going to take some time. The first page is dedicated to the dance, which seems to be like a good place to start. Apparently, the 'Harlem Shake' originated in 1981 in... You guessed it, Harlem! It was based on an Ethiopian dance called the 'Eskista'. The 'self purported  creator of this dance, 'Al B' (which is a very lazy nickname) seems to be a bit too lively on the party scene, as he is quoted saying that the dance 'comes from the ancient Egyptians' and describes it as 'what the mummies used to do'.  Now, I'm not an expert on Ancient Egyptian history but I find it hard to believe that long-dead, saturated corpses could spontaneously 'get their groove on' and I don't think any evidence of this has been painted in hieroglyphics (unless that was the curse that killed Howard Carter and Lord Carnavan)...

Anyway, this 'Al B' nonsense is annoying me and I'm no closer to finding out what the virality of the 'Harlem Shake' is all about. I have fallen for the student trap that is Wikipedia once again. It's like my kryptonite. Therefore, it's time to try a different method of gathering information. 

Step Two: Yahoo! Answers

I love Yahoo! Answers. I'm not sure if that means I'm a sad human being or not but I find it useful (and amusing too). Sometimes. My question was simple: 'What is the Harlem Shake?' Here are some of the answers I received.

Helpful? I think not. Also, I find the top contributor's post the most terrifying. She's like fifty? What would her children say?  I'm horrified but I'm also digressing. So, according to the good (and rather strange) denizens of Yahoo! Answers, it's basically just a silly little dance where people go crazy (and get naked). Hmm, okay but how did it get so popular all of a sudden? (I think I'm onto a bigger philosophical discovery than Aristotle)

Step Three: YouTube

Perhaps it would have been wise to begin with YouTube but I'm a gatherer of knowledge, a hunter of wisdom. I want all the facts before I commit to something (even if the facts are from either a website that anyone can edit or a community where satirical answers reign supreme). Through sleuthing, I discovered that the original video was from an account called TheSunnyCoastState. Here it is in all its glory.

And now, I finally get it. 'Harlem Shake' is just another craze and a hilarious one at that. It involves one person in a room full of people dancing to the song. When the bass drops, everyone joins in. And that's the 'Harlem Shake'. The best part is that there doesn't need to be a point in it, everyone needs a little bit of crazy in their lives. It's popularity is marked by the fact that everyone can get involved, no matter where you come from. Gangnam Style was last year's fad but is this year's ultimate craze the 'Harlem Shake'? Only time will tell.

Tomorrow, HEC Montreal are holding their own official homage to the 'Harlem Shake' in the cafeteria. I feel the only way for me to truly become one with the 'Harlem Shake' is to experience it for myself. Watch this space.

This is a long blog but it's important...

Firstly, I just wish to point out that I am a straight lady and I'm not the oppressed one. But I am a very opinionated person and I wish to make a statement about my feelings on Gay Marriage. I would suggest grabbing popcorn, it's gonna be a long one.

Almost fifty years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered possibly the most iconic speech of the 20^th Century. You may not know all of its content but you will certainly have heard the phrase, ‘I Have a Dream’. The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech was about ending the prejudice and suffering that had plagued African-Americans since the abolition of slavery. And it set in motion a great change, a positive change. Whilst, sadly, racism is still around us from a small-minded minority, the thought of black people not having equal rights in today’s world is unthinkable. No-one could get away with it. It is almost horrendous to think that just a short time ago, black people were treated as second-class citizens. However, whilst it is a shameful chapter in our history, thankfully, it’s mostly in the past.

Sadly though, I find myself asking the question: why haven’t we learned from the mistakes of our predecessors? Why must some community of our society always be made to feel second-class or unequal? And will we ever get to a stage in our history where everyone can live equally?

I wish I knew the answer to that question but the fact is: There is no answer. No-one should be made to feel unequal. And yet, we continue to let it happen.

Gay people have been around since approximately the dawn of time. First of all, I’m going to put some metaphorical science goggles on and get slightly biological. Men have, over the course of a million years, developed a prostate gland, which when stimulated can provide pleasure. However, the site of this gland is only reachable through ‘ahem’, the back passage. Now, we don’t need to have a PHD in medicine to know that women do not possess the right apparatus to reach this area and whilst I can’t be totally positive, I don’t think men back then were double jointed or flexible enough to reach it (The Cavemen Olympic Gymnastics Team didn’t have much success, I hear).

Without going into too much explicit detail, ‘cough’ ‘cavemen probably had sex’ ‘cough’. Whilst I’m not pointing out that men are biologically gay, I am saying that men engaged in sexual activities with other men during the process of evolution and as such, men have developed to reflect that. However, I won’t ponder too much on this, I’d have to try and persuade people who don’t believe in evolution and that, my friends, is a whole other can of worms.

In Ancient Rome, there were, surprise, surprise, Gay people. When the ruins of Pompeii were uncovered thousands of years after it had been covered in volcanic ash, mosaics and wall carvings were found depicting same-sex lovers. Art dated back to Ancient Greece depicts women sharing intimacy with each other. William Shakespeare was rumoured to have been bi-sexual, with his sonnet, number 126, said to have been written about his male lover. 

I could go on but the reason I point all of this out is that when people have the opinion that there are more homosexual people now than there were in the past (and view it as a negative thing) they are wrong. Whilst, yes, there are more openly gay people now, it is because it is deemed more acceptable. Back then, there were probably many people who were gay but out of fear of being disowned or worse, they pretended to the world that they were heterosexual. They married the opposite sex to continue the façade of being ‘normal’.

The point is, I don’t see why Scotland as a nation should have to hold a consultation of Gay marriage. It shouldn’t be an issue and to be honest, it’s no-one else’s business if two men or two women want to get married, it doesn’t affect you. I mean, I am a straight woman but I do not think that I should have any more right to be able to get married to the man I love than any of my gay or lesbian friends do.

I’m not religious in the slightest but I will always respect and support people’s right to have a faith and be religious. However, I do not think it is right to base a democratic country such as Scotland’s laws on a religious order. Whilst I have the utmost respect for Christianity, there is no solid evidence of the existence of a God. I’m not saying there isn’t one but presently, we cannot assume for definite that there is one. However, what you cannot dispute is that there are people in this world, men with women, women with women and men with men, who love each other and wish to start a life together. Heterosexual people get the opportunity to share their love with the world without prejudice whereas homosexuals do not and that, my friends, is the sign of inequality in our society and it needs to end.

To people who believe it is there business to protect the traditional family unit and prevent homosexuals from marrying, I ask them to take a look at ‘traditional marriage’. More and more traditional marriages end in divorce now than ever before. How is that a better family unit than two loving homosexual partners who might live together forever happily in marriage but currently do not get the chance? And to the people who say that they shouldn’t be able to adopt children, I ask them to put themselves in the shoes of countless children in care and see if they would rather stay in the system or be allowed a chance at a happy life with two loving parents, regardless of gender. The world is changing and family units are changing and we can either stay in the past with narrow-minded views or we can embrace change and let everyone become equal.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but unless it affects you, don’t prevent others from doing what they believe in. Personally, I don’t believe in religion, I think it restricts people (and that might be more a more strongly-held opinion because I am female) but I don’t go out and campaign for people to stop believing in their faith. Instead, I respect and support their right to practice their faith because it doesn’t concern me and people should be allowed to live their lives in a way that suits them without affecting anyone else. However, the same courtesy is not being provided to homosexuals and that is fundamentally wrong.

If you have a problem with gay marriage then I implore you to step back and look at the situation. Do two men or two women marrying each other negatively affect your life? And secondly, if you were in their shoes and marriage between heterosexuals was illegal, how would you feel? How would you feel not being able to marry the person you love?

If you can answer both of those questions sensibly then I ask you to either support gay marriage or to not stand in its way.

I hope that in the future, when my children are my age, they can look back on this chapter in history and ask me ‘Why were gay people prejudiced in the first place?’ and realise how ridiculous we were in preventing it for such a long time. Whether my children are heterosexual, homosexual or even convert to a religious order, I don’t care because all I want is for people to be happy and to pursue the life that they want to live and most importantly, have an equal standing in society.

Equal rights, equal love.

For those interested in supporting Gay Marriage, please sign or provide feedback to the Scottish Government's consultation on Gay Marriage through here:

equalmarriage.org.uk

'Beksinski'

I have a dilemma. I can't decide if I'm becoming an old fart or not.

I was browsing 9Gag the other night (as I do every single other night) and came across a post about an artist called Beksinski. Beksinski was a Polish artist and his work, for want of a better word, is creepy. Really creepy. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm old for finding another artist I appreciate but I'm also young because I found out about him on 9Gag. Make any sense?

People who know me, know that I don't really like horror movies. I won't go and see one in the cinema because I am all appreciative of a good night sleep without worrying that a fire-breathing, purple with pink polka-dots demon will grab my ankle that is hanging off the side of the bed and drag me straight to Hell. No-one needs that sort of thought-process before going to sleep. However, no matter how much I insist, I find the whole genre very interesting and I find these paintings very interesting. Like my previous rant about 'real art', these painting represent something: people's worst nightmares. And they're very scary, they're like photos a tourist who recently had an all-inclusive week in Hell took. And some of them match up with how I imagine 'Hell' to look like. But these paintings 'mean' something and just by looking at them, you can deduce the meaning (or find your own).

Bekinski often painted what he saw in his dreams, which makes me feel pretty sorry for the guy if this is all you're seeing in your dreams. And he lived quite the tragic life as well too.

So, Afremov and Bekinski. My two favourite artists. My ONLY two favourite artists. The only problem with Bekinski's works is that in my head, when I have the perfect family living in a perfect house, I wouldn't feel comfortable with my children seeing all these scary paintings hanging up in the living room (Original works, of course). Maybe they could be installed in the house situated on my private island. Oh well, a girl can dream...

http://www.beksinski.pl/

I think this one scares me the most. Although, add feathers and he'd look like  Aku-Aku from Crash Bandicoot.

None of these are particularly cheery but even orange, a warm colour can't make this painting look any less depressing.

This is what Hell looks like.

So yeah, that was a depressing blog. Here's a cute picture of a puppy to cheer you up!