The Sun, Moon and Stars

 Hello my dear readers!

 It is Friday night and I have come home from Uni for the weekend. I have had a busy week - my first week of lectures and classes.

 There have been some problems, mainly getting lost around the huge university, but on the whole I have enjoyed this week. I have had the chance to meet people doing the same subjects as me, and I have made some new friends.

♫♥♪

 You never realise just how many people you will meet at university. People in your halls of residence, people in your classes, people in societies you have joined. It is amazing how many people you meet.

 And although I feel like I must have met all the students in Manchester, I know in reality I can only have met a tiny percentage. It's amazing to think how many more friends there are out there for me to make, if I only meet them somehow. Ah well, fate often brings people together who were meant to end up in each others' lives.

"I do believe, love came our way, and fate did arrange for us to meet."

 A line from Almost Unreal, one of my favourite songs by Roxette, who are one of my favourite bands. Actually, this song has been stuck in my head, not because I have been thinking of fate, but for reasons I can't quite put my finger on... it just floated into my head! Anyway, it is a brilliant song so I will share it with you.

 "Yeah, come on and do the hocus pocus to me; 

The way that you touch, you've got the power to heal."

 I love Marie Fredriksson's voice! She is so beautiful and has an air of wisdom about her. The song is so incredible; I think it is one of the mist underrated songs I have ever come across. It is up there with the best ballads of the 90s. 

 And the video is so ahead of its time; it is technically stunning and you could think that it had been made today, rather than back in 1993.

♪♥♫

 People are like songs; you can think you know all the ones worth knowing and then you discover one that is incredible and you wonder how you lived without it/them. That is my deep and meaningful observation for the day!

 An example of a song I discovered just yesterday, and which I love very much already, is The Sun, Moon and Stars. The version I know is sung by Nanci Griffith, but the song was written by Vince Bell.

 I love how she does a typical Nanci introduction to it - one of the things I love about Nanci Griffith is the way she introduces most of her live performances with a bit of information about the song, or an anecdote related to it.

 They are so endearing, and teach you things about the song you never knew or realised, which make the song so much more special and dear to you. 

 And I may not have understood the exact meaning behind this song had she not said what she said at the beginning. A few words made everything so clear. It is a song about the importance of friendship, something I am very aware of at the moment. I will probably always associate this song with my starting university now!

 Not that you would have found me, "drunken in a bar, with the fan turning," as I don't drink alcohol... But the message still stands that friends are one of the most amazing things we can have in our lives! Don't take your friends for granted. Never forget how amazing they are. Yes, I know I use the word amazing too much. It is my word. And here it is the right word; the only word that will do.

♫♥♪

 Watching this video and listening to the song, I realised what people mean when they say Nanci has an angel's voice. I had always thought her voice was beautiful and powerful, but it was her songwriting rather than her voice that endeared her to me. 

 Seeing the way she interprets this song, the way she uses her voice so cleverly, so carefully, so sincerely to tell a story, to convey every ounce of emotion in her, to make every word beautiful and significant... 

 I realised listening to this just what an amazing gift she has vocally, that she can sing other peoples' songs as if they were her own story - and with this song you get the idea that she understands and empathises with every word. She is amazing. Nobody deserves higher praise than Nanci Griffith. She really is an angel.

♪♥♫

 This song has also taught me not to be prejudiced and judge a song based on the first line - another life lesson that can be applied to people as well. I heard the beginning of the album version of The Sun, Moon and Stars once and I didn't think a lot of it, so I stopped listening.

 The live version changed my mind, and so I listened to the album version again (from Late Night Grande Hotel) and I really like it - maybe not as much as the live one posted above, but it is a very beautiful and special song in its own way.

 Nanci is one of those gifted few who can do an equally good job on a recorded and a live version of a song; making both incredible in their own right. I've said it before and I'll say it again: she is a genius.

♫♥♪

 In other news, I have started the new term of my Mandarin Chinese course, and it was lovely seeing my friends from the course again. We meet once a week to learn Chinese, and I love it - the group is so friendly and we all get on really well.

 Also, for those who have been keeping track of my Cornerhouse antics, tomorrow is the day we compile our shortlist of artists for the exhibition we are planning. I am really looking forward to getting back to Cornerhouse, and seeing my fellow curators Alex and Neetu again.

 Our family friend Tommi is visiting, which is lovely. He lives in Germany and hopefully one day I will be able to converse with him in German - it is a language I have always wanted to learn and maybe now I am at Uni I will have the chance to.

♪♥♫

 The moon is very bright tonight in Wigan; we were all looking at it through binoculars. Kind of fitting that I have written about a song called The Sun, Moon and Stars!

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Songs: Almost Unreal - Roxette - 1993
The Sun, Moon and Stars - Nanci Griffith - album version 1991; live version here 1990

We Are One!

 Hello!

 Today is Sunday, and I have been here a week! And it has been, as promised, one of the most amazing weeks of my life! Mainly because of the brilliant friends I have made ♥

♥

 I went home on Friday night, and it felt so strange being back in Wigan. The main thing I noticed at once was the stars - you never really see that many stars in Manchester; there are too many lights. In Wigan - well, my bit of Wigan at least - the sky was sprinkled with silver.

 I saw all the familiar constellations, and, as always, searched for the Andromeda galaxy. I know where it is, but some nights you can see it and some nights you can't, depending on how clear the sky is.

 I have always loved stargazing; the world can move quickly around you but the stars never change. I can look up and find Cassiopeia, trace my way to Perseus and Andromeda and the square of Pegasus. The stars can be scary, yet they can be reassuring... they are a force so powerful, unbreakable, ancient... I suppose they are an example of what you call the numinous.

 I will have to find out if there is a stargazing society in Manchester; if there isn't I will have to set one up! Anyway, it was lovely to be home and to see everyone again.

♥

 The next day - yesterday - I dragged myself out of bed to get my train back into Manchester in time for bowling and Laser Quest.

 I was a bit disconcerted at first because I didn't seem to know anybody on the excursion; however I soon made some new friends.

 The Laser Quest wasn't the best one I've ever been in, but it was fun and got very competitive! But may I say, whoever invented the need to recharge your gun in Laser Quest... it is the most pointless and annoying thing ever! I have been to Laser Quest venues where you don't have to do that, and I feel it makes the game run a lot more smoothly, and you can relax and get on with it without having to worry about recharging!

 Still, we had fun. We also had a game of bowling, in which I think I ended up coming last. I started out really well, then had a couple of goes in a row where the ball went into the tramlines... Not good. However, I met some more people in my Halls which was nice.

♥

 We then had a barbeque back at the Hall; I hadn't been really excited about the BBQ because I don't usually like BBQ food... but this one was so lovely; the food was nice and we got huge tubs of ice cream! I had caramel flavour and it was delicious!

 The sun was setting as we sat around on the lawn chatting, and it was such a lovely end to Freshers' Week. It was amazing to be celebrating it with my wonderful new friends.

♥

 I then went to the open mic night in the Hall bar; there was a wide array of different musicians and groups; there was even someone who I think said he was from Wigan! I will have to talk to him some time!

 My favourite act of the evening was a jazz quartet; they were really smooth and professional and so talented. Well done to them, and thank you to everyone involved for a great night.

♥

 I am going to share We Are One from The Lion King II; I have not seen this film but I somehow discovered this song when I was at college, and it really captured my heart. It is so beautiful, both the music and the lyrics.

 I am not usually a huge Disney fan, but I love this song ♥

 And in looking for it on YouTube, I somehow ended up on the Portuguese version. I love the Portuguese language - I think it is one of the most beautiful in the world.



 Even if you don't understand Portuguese - and I don't understand all of this song in Portuguese - just the sound of the language is so gorgeous. I would give it a listen.

♥

 I stumbled upon the original version of this song yesterday when looking for songs by the French singer Lio on YouTube and general Lion King stuff came up in the search options, and I thought, I'll listen to We Are One. It perfectly sums up my first week at Uni and the wonderful people I've met and the friendships I've made ♥

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Songs: We Are One (English) - Cam Clarke and Charity Sanoy - 1998

We Are One (Portuguese)/Somos Um - I don't know who sings this; if anyone could tell me I would appreciate it! - 1998

University, friends and the Red Hot Chili Peppers ♥

 Hello!

 Today is Friday, and I have just had my first week at the University of Manchester! There have been ups and downs, but overall it has been an amazing experience ♥

 I had started a blog entry a couple of days before leaving home, and I never got the chance to finish it. Here is what I wrote:

♫♪

 "Hello!

 It is not at all long now until I start university. I am moving in some time today or this weekend, and my Fresher's Fortnight (most Unis get a Freshers' Week, we get a Freshers' Fortnight because we're hardcore) begins on Monday.

♪♫

 I am rather scared, to say the least. I don't drink, and I'm not a fan of spending nights trawling from one pub or club to the next, which seems to be the image of Freshers' Week that a lot of my friends and various online bloggers are painting.

 I am, however, excited about meeting some new people and hopefully making some new friends. It will also be nice to spend time in a city I love, and to discover every nook and cranny of it; as a friend of mine told me I will probably have got to know every inch of Manchester by the end of my first year.

 I am also excited at the thought of starting my course - getting my timetable, meeting my tutors and finding out exactly which aspects of French and Spanish language and culture I will be studying. I love France and French, I love Spain and Spanish and I find it fascinating learning about French- and Spanish- speaking countries all over the globe.

♫♪

 So, I have mixed feelings about Uni, mainly positive. Once Freshers' Fortnight is out of the way I will feel a lot better!

 In other news, I have been to Manchester twice in two days for non-uni-related things - on Wednesday, to watch two episodes of Mastermind, the British TV quiz show, being filmed at Salford Quays, and on Thursday to go to Cornerhouse to look at some of the applications sent in for the exhibition we are planning. Both were enjoyable trips. I'll be back at Cornerhouse some time next week to go through the rest of the applications."

♪♫

 Looking back at it now, I can't believe I was so nervous about starting Uni - downright scared in fact. It turned out that there are many people in my hall of residence who aren't really interested in drinking alcohol and partying and clubbing into the early hours; there are those who, like me, would rather just relax in Halls and have a good time with their friends.

 I've found a group of friends that is ever growing; we sit together at meals - our Hall is catered - and have good times together. I am very grateful to them all for making my first week of Uni so lovely, so if you are reading this, THANK YOU! ♥ You are amazing!

 That's not to say I have anything against clubbing; it just isn't really my cup of tea. I have some great friends who like going out; basically you meet such a huge range of people at Uni. I have friends from different places - people from my corridor in Halls, my regular dining table crew, friends from my course. They are all wonderful ♥ I am so happy with the way university life has turned out.

♫♪

 My Hall is amazing and has organised all sorts of stuff; we have had a comedy night (with Iain from Iain and Hacker! Though I didn't like some of his jokes that evening), a pub quiz (my team didn't win, but we didn't do too badly), and a karaoke night! I didn't get up and sing - maybe next time!

 Saturday looks like it will be really exciting, with bowling and Lazer Quest, a BBQ and an open mic night! I can't wait!

♪♫

 So... that is my news. Tonight I think I am going home - I don't live too far away - to see my family and my beloved cat, and then I will be coming back to Manchester tomorrow in time for Lazer Quest - I adore Lazer Quest! And I can become very competitive!

 Sooo.... I'm having a great time, and really enjoying university life. I love Manchester! ♥

♫♪

 I will leave you with The Zephyr Song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The guy running the karaoke sung it really well - I actually think I prefer his version to the official song! It was the first time I'd heard it, and it's been stuck in my head since. Here is the YouTube video - be warned, it is VERY psychedelic!

 I've just found out that a zephyr is a wind - I understand the lyrics a lot more now!

 My favourite bit is when he says,

"In the water where I centre my emotion,

All the world can pass me by."

 I really like this song and I'm glad I discovered it!

♪♫

 Thanks for reading! Also I want to give a shout-out to the blogs of my friends Louise and Jess. They are each doing a different gap year project, and both of their blogs make a great read. Click on their names to see their blogs.

 Thanks again for reading my blog, and thank you to everyone who's supported me in the transition to university. 

 Much love ♥

 Liz x

Song: The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers - 2002