At the start of the year, I set myself the target to fill out a diary. I gave up on the 19th March, because I didn't really enjoy it, though it wasn't an experience I regret - far from it. The truth is that if I have been writing, it's almost exclusively been this blog, and that may have contributed to my fixation on technology this year. I don't regret my life in 2024, rather self-pity, since I've become less interesting in twelve months. Anyways, this is the first of four posts where I discuss things I did in each month which I didn't blog about, because I had other things to focus on. This post uses the diary entries as a starting point.
January
I saw Depeche Mode, the acclaimed electronic band, live on the 22nd. Everyone who I've asked at my school doesn't know about them, which is both surprising (they are very acclaimed) and not shocking (many still listen to synthpop, though not 80s synthpop). However, I had a wonderful time, mainly because I knew all the songs so could focus on enjoying the melodies.
Most songs were performed like their studio versions. The main exception was Strangelove, which was turned into a wonderful moving ballad - otherwise, the crowd was dancing and having a good time, so my view from the balcony was at times obscured. They played all their big songs, leaving Personal Jesus and its guitar piece right until the end. World in My Eyes was dedicated to member Andy Fletcher, who sadly passed away a year ago, and band members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore hugged after performing Condemnation in another moving touch.
Also on that day, I took a ride on the largest escalator on the Tube network, at Angel station. It was a thrilling experience.
Other moments from January include unexpected snow (8th), watching the show Fool Me Once on Netflix and finding it uninspiring, and endless revision for maths, which will be a trend throughout these upcoming blogposts. I also visited the Tate Modern with my family, and whilst I didn't see Matisse's snail, I did manage to spot this equation-looking artwork; it was a wonderful experience, and even if my family disagreed, I think the Tate Modern is splendid.
February
On the 19th, I failed my moments test. Due to my holiday in Egypt, I had to sit it another time, and so I belatedly rushed into doing it and realised I had no clue what I was doing. One question involved a bus teetering on a cliff edge, with gold dragging it down. It turns out this question was an homage to the film The Italian Job, because Michael Caine was renowned for liking mechanics. See former blogpost on my opinion of these types of questions.
I know I failed because I had to redo the test - and having practiced thoroughly for it, I got 80% in the end. Come August, it turned out I got an A* in maths, with 94% in my mechanics exam, so I reckon the setback was worth it in the end.
On the 26th, I wrote "the world is like a broken hourglass", probably because maths was frustrating me and I had to endure traffic along the way.
I know you probably want me to discuss my Egypt holiday more, since I left it at one blogpost. Here's a bullet point summary of the most dull parts:
- I nearly lost my camera on the plane to Egypt, but luckily it was recovered. I only noticed by the time we entered the terminal
- The resort did offer free ice cream at certain times. When I wasn't eating the ice cream, I was thoroughly enjoying No Country For Old Men by Cormac MacCarthy, which is a terrific book. It was engaging from end to end, and reportedly the film is just as good.
- I wrote in my diary that Soho Square, which is a new development in Egypt, was like Stratford. I'm not sure why I wrote that, I've never been to Stratford, and I reckon the latter is far nicer.
March
I overheard my friends discussing plans to go to Central London on Sunday. I asked if I could join, and they agreed.
I've told you about how I got there by Bakerloo train in an old blogpost, but I didn't mention how I got to see Trafalgar Square in its splendour, walk through the over-commercialised streets, and visit the British Museum. The Elgin marbles are lovely, and the museum made sure to tell everyone about what they were doing about the marbles (there being countless news about them then). It was very cool seeing the Rosetta Stone in person, and I'm glad that not only are all these artifacts in one location, they're free to access. Hurrah to the British Museum, even if its contents aren't.
I enjoyed reading Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany by Uwe Schütte, and found it fascinating how their cover art, music, and style all contributed to their Gesamtkunstwerk. Having listened to all of their electronic work, it was fascinating to read about how they went from humble post-war krautrock beginnings to influence a sea of synthpop, techno, and hip hop acts. I've always thought of Kraftwerk as one of the most important bands in modern music, and reading the book cemented that belief.
19th March was the last day with any entries, and featured practice for our assembly (my small group talked about opportunities in London, and I managed to get us to mention Morden Hall Park amongst them), as well as a maths exam. My photo library, meanwhile, also reveals I returned to Kelsey Park, and was braver around the geese this time, and I saw some bluebells in a distant field. Not the worst start to spring for me.
Additional photos may be uploaded to my Flickr account - I'm saying this, partially because I want to advertise it, but also because I have made several photos this year that are worth sharing.
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