Friday 9 November 2012

Manchester, Glasgow and Eurythmics

 Hello!

 It is Friday and it has been a while since I last posted on this blog, so I apologise for that. There have been times when I have really wanted to write a post to share a song or memory but I have had to put university work first.

 However, I am planning on making myself a blog schedule so that I can fit blogging into my week and still get everything else done. I am aiming to write at least two posts a week on this blog from now on. That is the plan!


 How am I? Okay, on the whole. Tired! But enjoying Uni so much. I keep meeting amazing people and making wonderful friends.

 I really love the seminars and the style of teaching and I really look forward to lectures and learn a lot.


 I also love living in Uni accommodation - it is really nice living with so many of my friends and being able to see them every morning and evening at breakfast and dinner - one of the many joys of being in a catered Hall.

 We had a formal dinner on Tuesday - it was the Hall's second one this year but my first. It had a Harry Potter theme so there were a handful of wizards and other spooky characters, and cobwebs draped over the wine bottles. The food was lovely, as it always is in Halls, and we got to wear gowns, which was fun. I had a nice evening.


 Manchester looks very beautiful right now, in that bit of time when autumn and winter overlap, with the trees all green and gold and yellow. There have been some truly gorgeous sunsets and I am so proud and happy to call this place my home.


 Over reading week, which happily coincided with my brother's half-term, I went with my family to Glasgow, another city I adore. The Clyde was as stunning as ever, especially at night with all the lights from the buildings and the bridges reflected in it.


 We visited the city centre at night, something we hadn't got around to doing before, and it was so scrumptious; all the lights and the beautiful buildings illuminated and the hustle and bustle of people doing their shopping and chattering and laughing.

 And somebody was playing an oboe in the street which was lovely and is a bit of a coincidence considering my last post on this blog was about an oboe piece!


 We visited the Kelvingrove Museum and the Glasgow Science Centre; both were amazing as always and in the latter I watched a show in their planetarium which was really good. As I've mentioned before on this blog, I adore stargazing, and I learnt a few things that I hadn't known before. It was so soothing just sitting gazing up at the stars while gentle, relaxing music was played. A lovely experience.

 All of my trip to Glasgow was lovely and I was sad to leave, but it was nice returning first to my home in Wigan and then to Manchester. How lovely to have so many places you feel you can call home.


 Music-wise I have been listening to a lot of The Cure, Nanci Griffith, Alison Moyet and Martika.

 "You've Placed a Chill in my Heart," by Eurythmics, got stuck in my head for a while for some reason, and at times I found it merging with with "Why" by Annie Lennox. Which is understandable in a way, because in my opinion the two songs are quite similar and of couse they both feature Annie Lennox's excellent vocals.


 I comment on Why in my post, "The Best of British," if you are interested in hearing my views on it.


 2.19 to 2.27: I love this bit! You go, girl! The above version of You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart is the original uptempo version, but for most of my life the only version I knew is the acoustic one below. 


 I love both versions but I think I slightly prefer the acoustic one because it feels, as acoustic performances often do, more raw and natural and honest, and straight from the heart. In fact, when I first discovered the faster version I wasn't keen on it, but have come to love it and see it as a great song in its own way.

 I'll sign off here for now, but I will hopefully be back very soon! I still have some really good news to tell you, so watch this space!

 Thanks for reading!

 Liz x

Songs: Why - Annie Lennox - 1992
You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart - Eurythmics - 1987/8
You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart (Acoustic Version) - 1988