Suicide Silence Tour

Hernan "Eddie" Hermida of SUICIDE SILENCE and Chris McMahon of THY ART IS MURDER are leagues above other vocalists in the present day metal scene. Both have exceptional range and Eddie's ability to go from the lowest of lows to a beautiful pig squeal would bring tears to anyone's ears.

SUICIDE SILENCE was out on tour with Australian band, THY ART IS MURDER, the Americans, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, and Hull's BLACK TONGUE (UK only). The package was making its Manchester stop at Academy 2.

BLACK TONGUE opened the show and had a strong presence in the crowd. Although, the presence on stage was lacking energy. They played a decent set that was rewarded kindly.

New Jersey's FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY were next and the crowd once again showed their muscle in the pit. They were technically a tight band with drummer showing of monster skills on the set.

The opening two acts had solid vocalists, but both were nowhere near the level of Hermida or McMahon.

The Australians were one of the the highlights of the night. Like FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, THY ART IS MURDER are technically gifted. Their guitars are erratic, but satisfying. McMahon came out wearing a Manchester City scarf and proceeded to profess his love for the football club. But by playing The Purest Strain of Hate from Hate, all was forgiven. Their presence on stage drove the energy level through the roof.

SUICIDE SILENCE headlined the show, and likewise, the crowd responded accordingly. Although, it was tough watching a band that lost its face just two years ago. It was hard to stomach. Eddie's influence offers the band a lot of promise for the future, which the foundations of can be heard on their most recent release You Can't Stop Me.

Review: Aversions Crown - "Tyrant"

Tyrant (2014, Nuclear Blast)

AVERSIONS CROWN has produced some of the sludgiest metal in recent times: they are aggressive, tactical, and at times, border on incoherent, but they are beautiful in the most horrific way. The Australian death machine invades planet earth with their latest album “Tyrant” set for release on 24th November via NUCLEAR BLAST. It is the follow-up to 2011 debut of "Servitude".

The opening track Hollow Planet is merely a warning of what listeners can expect to hear throughout the ten-song track list. The new Hollow Planet outdoes the self-released stand-alone single by giving the lead lines a more ominous sound in the mix. They have also retained the perfectly placed reverse snare in the final breakdown. Lyrically, the themes found in Hollow Planet carry on throughout the rest of the album.

Drummer Jayden Mason continues to make use of blast beats and erratic snare patterns that listeners of the Australian outfit have become accustomed to hearing. The three guitarists once again demonstrate the depth in which eight-string guitars can be utilised – several tracks experiment with unique rhythm guitar parts.

Tracks Conqueror and Vectors have very different feels in comparison to previous AVERSIONS CROWN songs due to slower tempos and more melodic leads as opposed to eerie, but both are just as heavy. Conqueror is one of the strongest songs on “Tyrant”, alongside Xenoforms and Faith Collapsing.

If the world is heading towards its demise anytime soon then there is no better soundtrack than “Tyrant”.

Streaming of “Tryant” in its entirety is currently available through BLABBERMOUTH.NET and SOUNDCLOUND. The band will be on tour in the United Kingdom in January 2015 with I DECLARE WAR and WITHIN THE RUINS. You can follow AVERSIONS CROWN on Twitter @Aversions_Crown.

Asking Alexandria Tour 2014

ASKING ALEXANDRIA played Manchester Academy this past Friday night and were easily upstaged by Los Angeles act, THE GHOST INSIDE, who are continuing to show that they are the real deal. Being ASKING ALEXANDRIA comes with a tremendous expectation, especially when touring across their home country.  And whilst their set sounded tight and fully energised on Halloween night, their vie and apparent love for macho-sarcasm and rockstarisms hindered the  overall performance. 

Dallas, TX based band CROWN THE EMPIRE also made an appearance at the show.

THE GHOST INSIDE played tracks from across all their releases to date include Engine 45, Between the Lines, and Dark Horse. They also played the title track of their upcoming album Dear Youth, which is set to be released 17th November on Epitaph Records. Jonathan Vigil engaged with the audience throughout the band's performance with Engine 45 being a major highlight of the night as they crowd emphatically sang back the last chorus.

The headliners ASKING ALEXANDRIA played a hefty set with most songs coming from 2013's From Death to Destiny. For such a dramatic build up that included Europe's The Final Countdown in its entirety, there was little to back it up. It's been stated the band wants to backup their image as the bad boys of current rock n' roll and that was showcased by vocalist Danny Worsnop who spoke of living the "rockstar" life. Whilst seen as tongue-in-cheek since they are embracing a label, it's really not an attractive trait. There is having fun and then there is overdoing it.

Although the audience was memorised and pro-AA, THE GHOST INSIDE stole the night from a musical standpoint.

Manchester Metros announce team

Unanswered questions: Manchester Metros A season begins in disarray after losing one of its top players from last season to injury in exhibition game this past Friday night.

Manchester A retained their place in BUHIA's north division and will be facing the likes of Edinburgh Eagles, Hull Ice Hogs, Northumbria Kings, Nottingham Mavericks, and Sheffield Bears. Edinburgh were champions of the north division in 2013/14. Northumbria Kings are the only newcomers to the division.

Seven players return from last season's team that miracuously finished middle of the pack -- Max Drakely, Tom Wilson, Mike Di Paoli, Matt Lowry, Allen Gunn, Callum Notman, and goalie Phil Pearson. It has lost Tyler Schock, Topi Jylha, and Patrick Thomson to graduation and has further lost Shayne Langlois and Gino Poulin who are on indefinite leave from the sport.

Additions from last year's B team include defensemen Matt Crouch and Dean Smith and forwards Jamie Bower, Ste Chorlton, and Jack Walker. Matt Crouch and Jamie Bower played Division 1 Nationals last year, while Jack Walker saw action in a few A team Cup games.

The team holds onto its top scorers from last year, Gunn and Lowry, but the pair lose their centre, Wilson. The centre from Glossop will be sidelined for a considerable amount of time after suffering a broken wrist in an exhibition game against Widnes Wildcats a week and a day before the team was set to Nottingham for the first Cup game.

The loss of several quality players over the last few years will require new additions to Metros A to fall into gigantic roles from the get-go or the team could suffer the drop. The year-to-year changing of personnel in university ice hockey means no one can predict the strength of other teams until after a few games, but it is expected that Edinburgh, Nottingham, and Sheffield will simply retool and not skip a beat. Northumbria proved last year that they were a tough opponent, gaining Div 1 North status through promotion. 

Metros home games will continue to be played on Friday nights at Deeside Leisure Centre with face-offs at 2230. For all Manchester Metros information and to be kept up to date about the North West Varsity versus LJMU Leopards follow @MancMetros on Twitter.

Manchester Metros 2014/15 Roster: Jamie Bower, Ste Chorlton, Matt Crouch, Mike Di Paoli, Bryce Dorin, Max Drakeley, Allen Gunn, Matt Lowry, Callum Notman, Phil Pearson (G), Max Phillips, Lee Pollit, Dean Smith, Brad Valentine, Jack Walker, Tom Wilson (inj.), Mike Zyczkowski.

Division 1 North Schedule:

1 Nov - @ Nottingham

7 Nov - vs. Edinburgh

15 Nov - @ Northumbria

21 Nov - vs. Sheffield

5 Dec - vs. Hull

24 Jan - @ Sheffield

6 Feb - vs. Nottingham

19 Feb - @ Hull

22 Feb - @ Edinburgh

27 Feb - vs. Northumbria

For full BUIHA information,  updates, and schedules check their website at www.buiha.org.uk.

Within the Ruins return to Europe

Within the Ruins announce European Winter Tour for 2015 with Seattle deathcore band I DECLARE WAR and Aussies AVERSIONS CROWN, presented by Avocado Booking and Impericon.com.

The 2015 Euro Tour will be Within the Ruins second time to continent. The last time they were here was in 2012 on the Bonecrusher Fest with CARNIFEX, BENEATH THE MASSACRE, MOLOTOV SOLUTION, and  BETRAYING YOUR MARTYRS.

The boys from Westfield, MA will make stops in Germany, Belgium, and France beginning on 16 January before making their way to the United Kingdom for four shows in London, Glasgow, Leeds, and Cardiff. They will then return to mainland Europe and visit the likes of Poland, Hungry, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, and Belarus. The final show is in Kiev on 11 February.

Within the Ruins will be out in support of their most recent release "Phenomena", which includes titles like Gods Amongst Men, Calling Card, Clockwork, and another instrumental in the Ataxia series, Ataxia III. All songs are related to comic books in one way or another, as stated by vocalist Tim Goergen.

2006's "Driven by Fear" will always be my favourite WTR release, but "Phenomena" is the perfect workout album to get swole with.

MA Journalism

I have been at the MA grind for a full two weeks now and needless to say, it is tiring and I do believe I am still alive... barely, but it's been everything I hoped it would be and everything I expected. The MediaCity UK campus is absolutely stunning, as it were on the tour I was given this past summer, and even more so now that it is fully populated by students, alongside the neighbours at the BBC, Granda, and ITV. They say you never know who you are going to ruin into, and, well, I've run into no one of note so far.

Apparently, all the "in-crowd" like Costa and lifts.

To be fair, I've not exactly been "people spotting" on my breaks. I've been too busy trying to find a reliable source of food that keeps me going.

I have made friends across all pathways -- broadcast, news, and sport -- and our pastime is playing curling or four-person air hockey on the touch screen tables during breaks.

Shorthand takes up the most time in and away from the classroom as it is schedule for three times a week (everyday MAs are required to be in). It's like relearning how to write all over again. The module itself is taught through Teeline's Gold Standard for Journalists, which is accepted by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) -- the secondary qualification I will hopefully receive following the completion of this programme. Remembering a new word each day or something small from the previous day is a victory for me. The goal is to be at 100 words per minute, or close to it by March/April.

I am also learning essential UK government and media law, which is an absolute sludge, but a total requirement. The course is designed to make us the qualified and well-rounded candidates, so modules like government and law will certainly do this. These modules also prepare the group for NCTJ exams. As an American, it is interesting to learn a completely different governmental system. The two units are separated into two two-hour blocks with break in between.

I do feel like I'm back in high school though, where I dreaded going to U.S. Government.

Tuesday's only other class aside from shorthand is News Writing, or writing and gathering news. In News Writing, we learn and put into practice where news comes from, how we find it, and what makes something news worthy.

Wednesday starts with shorthand, of course, and is then followed by a group lesson where professionals come in to discuss topics related to the industry. Designated as News and Ethics, or ethics and professional practice, the hour module gives us that extra insight on why we do what we do, the power we have, and how we can work within our limits yet still do our job.

Directly following that we split into two groups, as we do for News Writing, and learn various Online and Broadcast skills -- putting content online, using photos, the mobile journalists, etc..

Overall, the standard and quality of the course is as billed -- semester one's schedule that is.
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Note: Pole dancing got much harder. I spend most of my time upside down.

Pole Dancing

Attempt at an Inverted-V.

So I went outside the box on this one: 

My housemate's girlfriend Sinead is an instructor at Pole Sessions in Worsley and had been challenging everyone in the house, or at least one of us, to attend a session for well over a year now. As we all play ice hockey, she felt our strength would give us an advantage making it easier to learn. And she just wanted a laugh, let's be honest.

I stepped up to the plate with an odd enthusiasm as I'm always up for trying new things -- not to mention six lessons for £20 on offer helps. Pole dancing had to be the most interesting experience and it's easy to say I have never done anything like it before. I woke up the following morning with sore forearms and calves. Also, my right hand is currently useless since tearing a bit of the skin on my palm. Hashtag pole dancing wounds. 

My instructor, Claire Henderson, who also owns the studio and is close friends with my housemate's girlfriend, was on strict orders to "put me through my paces". I worked on the side with the other beginner/intermediates who were on week 4-6 moves, but I quickly caught myself up to speed. 

My first task was to simply hang from the pole whilst supporting my weight -- easy. After that, I was taught to climb the pole, which I could do with ease. One of the girls was adamant I help her learn. The next two moves that could be connected were a forward and backward hook spins. These two are also my favourite as it feels I'm working towards a routine of sorts. The most awkward thing that I need to improve on is the leg not hooked onto the pole. At the moment, it just dangles behind me doing whatever it shouldn't be.

I also learnt how to do a handstand against the pole starting from the floor. It required trust that I wouldn't fall past the pole with the use of my core slowly letting my body unfold towards the pole. It was the most satisfying of all the moves from session one because of the trust factor. I'll brag. I did it first try.

The hardest move for me personally that the group was tasked with was to support yourself on the pole without the aid of your hands. I could only briefly do it, but it's something that would be neat to achieve.

Following the hour -- Sinead says the class always goes over -- the other girls in my group pressured Claire into "torturing" me with harder moves to see if I could do them. It was during this time that I began to fight gravity and fatigue more and more. I learnt how to do an inverted-v and the flag (with decent success).

A few things about the session made me chuckle. The first being what I was to wear. I decided on my hockey socks/cup supporter pants and gym shorts over them. Midway through the lesson, I was  struggling to do one of the handless holds. One of the girls chimed in, "You have too many clothes on" so I was made to lose the gym shorts. You don't expect that. The other thing that made me double-take in a way was when my instructor said, "You're really working me tonight" -- in the way that I'm a visual learner, so I was asking her to show me things two or three times.

Overall, a unique experience with five attempts still left to be great.

Metros Announce 2014 Varsity

The Manchester Metros committee has announced details of the third installment of their annual club showcase -- this time with a spin.

Manchester will take on BUIHA newboys LJMU Leopards (Liverpool Johns Moores University) on Thursday, December 4 at Silver Blades Ice Rink Widnes with face-off to be determined -- although doors will open at 6.15pm with food and beverage services starting at 6.30pm. The new North West Varsity will feature several players from Britain's NIHL teams in the area, including Widnes Wild and Manchester Minotaurs.

Tickets are to be available for purchase through Skiddle.com with a standard entry ticket costing £5. For an addition £2.50, the ticket will include, with return, coach travel from a to-be-announced Manchester location. To specifically support either university team there is an option on the ticket menu that will allow you to directly purchase your ticket from either club. Silver Blades Widnes is located at The Hive Leisure Park in Widnes, just off Ashley Way.

Mark your ever-distant holiday calendars as the contest promises to be exciting and fast paced. Full details, such as rosters, face-off time, ect. will be confirmed and continually updated through the Facebook event.

For now, you can refresh your memory with FuseTV's highlights and recap of twenty-thirteen's varsity that saw University of Manchester walk away with the trophy again, winning 5-3 on the back of two goals scored by UoM captain, Max Drakeley.

Almost Famous; pretty popular

Third time is the charm -- and I finally have the meal down that I will get everytime someone suggests we go Almost Famous at the Great Northern Warehouse. What does that mean? I should probably give them a shoutout as I am a repeat customer to the madness and a regular to the Pig N' Waffle fries. 

Also, the hybridity of casual British rules dinning matched with upper echelon quality intrigues me.

There portions are gargantuan in comparison to typical local cuisne and the flavours are bitey with a serious personal flair for theatrics, so don't let the flimsy, punny, and generic Word Processor font menu fool you -- Comic Sans didn't keep Lebron James away from Cleveland and American Typewriter shouldn't deter you because Almost Famous means obscure burger business drenched in their Redneck BBQ Sauce. The service sarcastically mirrors their sauce's snarky personality. The waitstaff are fans of what they serve and appear jealous as they watch their patrons consume the deliciousness.

My first experience at Almost Famous was near-catatonic. Not only did I pre-game my meal with an Asda create-your-own pizza, but I did so within an hour of the main feast that included the Hog Hammer Pulled Pork sandwich alongside Pig N' Waffle fries. Together they form one colossal demon and as standalones they are individual colossal demons, still. Now I just stick to the Pig N' Waffle fries. Not only does the £5 price tag satisfy my conservative fiscal beliefs, but it totally fills my stomach -- a reward for so little. As North Carolinian bred, where I'm generally picky with what comes on my pulled pork, here I say, "load'em up lads!".

Pig N Waffle fries are a brilliant combination of pulled pork and waffle fries -- genius -- with fires doused in their signature Redneck BBQ Sauce (still don't know what's so redneck about it) and Bleu Cheese Sauce, topped by diced onions and jalapeños. Fork required as it gets a little bit messy.

Whilst I generally order from either the non burger or fries sections, the burger flow is something heavy. There are patties stuffed with pulled pork or chorizo and you'll only find double cheeseburgers here. Bring an appetite. I recently had a catchup meal with a friend from university who ordered the Chilli Chilli Chilli Cheeseburger, Winning fries -- a mix of sweet potato and regular -- with a Charlie Brown milkshake. One sip to taste the milkshake was my allotment of sugar for the week alone and it was only Monday.

If you have the time and patience, I highly recommend a visit to Almost Famous. Luckily the times I have been it's been rather quiet. Once at lunch, twice around 5PM, but the wait for a table as it gets busier can be horrific.

Almost Famous is on Twitter: @AlmostFamousGN.

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Edit note: Justify, justified.

Uni Survival Guide: UK Tailgating

The return of college football and the NFL coincides with a welcome return of various and obscure meats spreading their fiery aromas across carparks and fields, all, at the foot of America's great monuments [to sports]: The Lambeau Fields of America; The Horseshoe and The Big House. Cowboys Stadium. The Coliseum, The Swamp, and Beaver Stadium. These meats will then be sweat out without shame in the autumnal sun only to be replenished by America's favourite low calorie beer, Bud Light. Unfortunately, I am neither in possession of an incredible selection of golden meats -- they had elk on the College GameDay set in Eugene -- nor am I in America... but I did spend two Saturdays ago watching Tailgate Fan (YouTube Channel) for an hour and a half in preparation for weekends once again having a true purpose.

Now, before you criticise my late night Food Networking selection, know that I live for college athletics -- football, basketball, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, ect -- and the NFL, so this week's Uni Survival Guide Special showcases how one can create a bit of tailgating magic an ocean away to bite at the heels of minute homesickness. Because, what's a Saturday without yelling "COCKS" a little bit louder than "GAME" with a bunch of intoxicated strangers? Or a Sunday spent wearing No. 2 jerseys for America's most famous backup quarterback, Johnny Football? It's the last ten minutes of College Gameday to see what mascot head a 79 year old legend puts on. It's Cris Collinsworth's nasally voice. It's Dallas finding a way to go 8-8... again. It's tradition.

(Fact: No one does game day tailgating like America.)

I snagged this caloric gem after seeing it on one of the Tailgate Fan videos and it channels a bit of the The Vulgar Chef's "go get'em in the kitchen" attitude. It builds on the idear of getting as many different foods into your stomach in a single bite as physically possible.

Don't know what this sandwich of sorts is called:

- 2-3... to 4-5 chicken tenders or mini fillets

- A handful of french fries (I went with crinkle cut)

- Marinara sauce (I went with some generic red sauce)

- Sliced or grated cheese (The more variety the better?)

- Long sandwich roll (I'm classy, used French bread)

"What is pain?" -- "FRENCH BREAD!"

Assemble that out-of-the-oven bad boy as high and as fat as you can. A general tailgating consensus is the bigger the better; there is no "over-the-top". There are no limits.

Part II: Let me also introduce you to WHY YOU SO MADDEN BRO?'s newest team for the 2014 Fantasy Football season, #LindseyDukesNewBF. Lindsey Duke -- #1 in hearts and fantasy draft boards across the globe, she'll carry me to victory.

#LindseyDukesNewBF:

QB - Andrew Luck, Alex Smith

RB - Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, Stevan Ridley

WR - Julian Edelman, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks, Odell Beckham Jr., Doug Baldwin

TE - Eric Ebron, Martellus Bennett

D - J.J. Watt, Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman

K - Steven Hauschka

DEF - Seattle Seahawks

I didn't want a mediocre team so I took Richard Sherman, and Knowshon has passion as seen by his National Anthem waterfall tears, and I like'em young apparently (4 rookies). Yahoo! Fantasy gave me a B Draft Grade and told me I have a problem, rolling the dice with seven "high risk" picks. I don't see Josh Gordon or Wes Welker on there... At least I wasn't the guy who drafted the retired Tony Gonzalez.

"L.O.B. -- we the best."
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Edit note: Learnt from the best.

@a_gunzy I see that we taught you well! 243 pic.twitter.com/YtfsVujIlf
— Mary Allen Watson (@profsrimportant) September 6, 2014

Café Life: A Barista's Tale

Edit note: As I have struggled for "blog inspiration" recently (even though I enjoyed a swell time at home), I thought it would be fun to reach out to a friend and have them feature on my blog -- it's something I have wanted to have happen for some time now anyway. Contributions for this post made by Becqui Weaver.

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Becqui's cafe handiwork.

Hello! I’m Becqui and I enjoy blogging about books, life, and general happenings. Allen was a classmate of mine throughout three years of battling Critical & Cultural Theory and poetry. We're both continuing our education in Manchester, albeit at different universities, but I am still pretty excited that one of my friends is carrying on roughly the same path as me. I have recently taken up blogging to fill the summer university void left without any essay writing, so when Allen offered me a spot as a guest on his blog I jumped at the chance. At first, I was stumped what to write about as I didn’t think one of my usual book reviews was quite right, so today I’m going to talk a little bit about my experiences as a waitress and barista in a bustling Manchester café.

For the past two years I have worked at Café Muse in one of the city's top tourist attractions, Manchester Museum, which is located just off Oxford Road on the University ofManchester Campus. The café itself provides, what I think is, an extensive menu for a museum café -- I really like the emphasis it places on local suppliers, seasonal produce, and sustainability. These ethics are implemented within the coffee production by using organic coffee beans and Sweetbird syrups, which are a particular favourite. The syrups are not only vegetarian and vegan friendly, but free from all artificial colourings and high fructose corn syrup. I might be biased, but a gingerbread latte made by Muse beats all others. If you really want to indulge we make an amazing mocha which melts real chocolate drops into the espresso before being topped with foamed milk.

Because of location, the job also entails working various functions such as weddings or corporate hospitality events. As I work part-time alongside my studies, lately I’ve been thinking about the overall, non-monetary, benefits of my job: the values of companionship, appreciation of kindness, patience, and above all, a respect for hard work. At times it's hard to see those through stressful situations or impolite patrons I encounter, but the ability to handle such scenarios is personally rewarding.

There have been incidents where I have been called "stupid", or been sworn at by wedding guests too drunk to listen to me telling them that their taxi is outside. While these are isolated incidents, the humiliation of someone berating you in front of others when you are just trying to do your job is what hurts. And it’s not just behaviour towards me that is impolite. I have seen families come to cross words over who sat at a table first, and people who treat their surroundings with disrespect. I don’t think leaving dirty nappies in a restaurant is pleasant for anyone, let alone the server who has to clean up.

Some situations truly verge on farcical: while working a wedding recently, one woman who had been particularly demanding requested ketchup to go with her meal -- creamy chicken with potatoes in a tomato sauce, in case you were wondering. With some trepidation I nervously asked the chefs if there was any [ketchup] in the service kitchen only to receive a predictable, "F*** off". No way was I repeating that. The result? Me sprinting the length of the building through back corridors, down a flight of stairs to another kitchen, and back. Desperately trying to control my breathing I handed the ketchup to the woman only to notice later that she barely touched it.

Coupled with the monotony of cleaning up after other people everyday you would think that it’s an unrewarding job. ... You might therefore be surprised to hear that I love it. Even through the hard and unrelenting days, I ultimately leave work feeling satisfied. I talk to hundreds of people, meeting a host of interesting characters from students to ladies admiring my braids, and conservationists harbouring local news. From time-to-time, a few famous faces pop in: the team from The One Show, as well as the ubiquitous Professor Brian Cox. One of my favourite regulars is an old man who always spares the time to note down a poem or a writer he thinks will interest me. It’s because of him I have a prodigious love of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. I’ve learnt that a simple conversation can really cheer people up -- if someone is looking down then give them a smile. 

They might just need a genuine conversation.

Equally, I have learnt to take pride in everything I do; it’s another way of giving happiness to others. I already love having guests in my home for dinner or drinks, so working as a barista is an extension of that -- almost. I take pride in the coffees I make. In the same way, little gestures like bringing a family a high chair without them needing to ask or handing an elder couple extra napkins for their sandwiches, makes me feel like I’m doing something further to make better their experience and that’s where work becomes enjoyment.

Finally, I have learnt the value of good, hard work. Balancing four shifts a week alongside university has never been easy but I’ve managed it well. My job is a requirement because -- quite bluntly -- I would never have been able to afford university, and a post-graduate programme would have been out of the question. However, I am of the firm belief that working part time has not only enabled me to study, but also made me better at it. I am more time conscious and organised, thus, utilise it more efficiently. You can’t pull an all-nighter doing an essay if you have a ten hour shift the next day.

I’ll leave you with this brilliant Buzzfeed list that I was sent the other day, waitresses and baristas everywhere, enjoy!

Becqui's blog can be accessed at http://becquij.wordpress.com. She earnt a combined honours degree in English & Philosophy from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2014 and will be continuing her studies on a MA English Studies programme this Autumn. Enjoys conceptual poetry, running, urban gardening, baking, and Foucault. You can follow her on Twitter at @BecquiJ.

Strikeout ALS

"Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. ... I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for."

We are 75 years on from the iconic words of Lou Gehrig with little change.

For at least the last week and a half I have done little with my days. I sit on Twitter, on the couch, and watch Criminal Minds. I have also sat on Facebook watching ice bucket challenge after ice bucket challenge from an array of individuals: professional athletes, high-profile sportscasters, former teammates, and the total stranger. I laugh, I smile, I move on. Now, before you start bahumbuging me as someone with no heart, I tend to favour my donations towards the Kay Yow Cancer Fund as she was my mother's boss at NC State, whom through I have learnt a great deal of life lessons from.

More so recently, I have watched both sides state their case (as what always happens with anything this day and age of technology), that, "The Ice Bucket Challenge's intentions are self-motivated; not everyone is donating. They're just doing it to be x and y". On the other hand, the Ice Bucket Challenge is serving it's desired purpose as the ALS Association has seen a, "Major Surge in donations", raising $168,000 (£100,050) online nationally this past week alone, according to the Association's president, Barbara Newhouse.

That kind of change is pretty special. You can't deny results. Me? I was unsure myself until I read a few stories. Boston Herald writer, Steve Buckley, had one that stood out the most as he is someone close to the situation. That first hand account was enough.

Take it as you wish. A gimmick. A clever ruse -- for apparent "self-recognition".

But when you think of the latter, try and remember why this phenomenon started: Pete Frates. A man, himself, suffering with Lou Gehrig's disease. Already he has sought tirelessly to bring awareness to his own condition, which he was diagnosed with in 2012. Frates' commitment whilst limited only to his wheelchair is admirable. He hasn't given up. And this past week, he's not been alone -- whether you agree with his challenge or not, he has you talking. Success achieved.

I donated to Team Gleason, a foundation that represents former NFLer Steve Gleason.

And then there's this because, after all, the Frates family requested smiles.
Note: I am not a public speaker. I am too shy, so I forgot half of what I was supposed to say.
#icebucketchallenge #strikeoutals

Tommy Gunn with Matt Nathanson

I like to think I have the best brother possible. There are things that do confirm this notion -- immaterial and occasionally material. The immaterial are those brotherly moments you can't write. Most of the times, only things we get. Tommy goes out of his way to ensure Lil' Man is looked after and I appreciate that wholeheartedly.

Last night he got to see Matt Nathanson again, again, again, again. Maybe one more again? I couldn't be there as Tommy didn't realise he was at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach so soon. So make that another time I've missed an opportunity to see Nathanson live. The last being when my parents visited me in March and my mother goes, "Oh! Matt Nathanson was just here..." Crestfallen.

It's a fact that anything Matt Nathanson get's my brother hype.  I was flooded with texts during and after the show: "I told him I first saw him live in '06 at Westfield State. He flipped. Then I told him I took MA to his first sold out show in NoHo. He flipped again." Poor Tommy only got a photo... but he gets to see him. I have to stick to YouTube and his Deep Rock performance from 2008, one of our favourites.

The next chapter in my brother's dialogues with Matt Nathanson is legendary:

THOMAS: "My brother couldn't make it tonight and he loves 'Detroit Waves' so I was wondering if you could give him a shoutout saying something about it?"

MATT: "F*** yeah! Where does he live?"

THOMAS: "Well he lives in England..."

MATT: "I was just there! What's his name?"

THOMAS: "Allen."

MATT: "Alright, let's do it, you ready?!"

[Thanks for the shoutout.]

Sat at Home Sport Rant

Edit note: No intentions of trying to call the game into disrepute…

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I was watching the USA blue-white scrimmage last night and witnessed Paul George’s nasty injury—I won’t even take the time to say which tib/fib break was worse: his or Kevin Ware’s, but boy, it made me light-headed. I couldn’t look away… To be fair, I’m not totally fazed by seeing sports injuries. Sounds dark, yes? Eh, my entire childhood of school holidays was spent inside my mother’s classrooms at UNC-Greensboro and Westfield State. I was typically doing one of two things: trying to memorise gigantic words to impress my friends with or inside the training room sneaking crushed ice from the machine to munch on from an official Powerade cup (they just don’t make ice like that anywhere else in the world).

I would also be that kid in the back of the classroom yelling that he wanted Napoleon McCallum’s injury replayed again for the class. I remember my mother pausing the video after Dan Patrick said, "This would be his final play of the night and maybe his final play for sometime". She stated, “No, that would be the injury that ended his career”.

I digress.

Any injury I see, it reinforces why I constantly tell people, “I don’t care how many goals I score or how many plays I make – I just want to be able to skate off that ice on my own”. At times, I do put myself in precarious situations mainly because I am a competitor, but I go to university. That’s job one, whether I see it as such, or not. I just happen to continue playing ice hockey for fun alongside it. What am I trying to get at? Look, it’s quite obvious I’m not compensated for my play. In actuality, I’m probably in the red because of my addiction. £15 per game adds up, but I shell out because I love it. I’m earning a degree; I don’t have $20 mil sat in my bank account. The only bread I’m currently putting on the table is Kingsmill 50/50. I don’t go home to Gisele Bundchen, although to be fair, Ken MacKinnon was a pretty good substitute when I had my concussion. You should see him topless, eh? Well known that the ticket lady at Southampton couldn't contain her wandering eyes. Lastly, if I get hurt, I could be sat in A&E for hours and hours until I’m seen – I probably don’t have enough money to even prank call Dr Andrews.

All I know is, there are some folks who, in the heat of the moment, forget we are all students and faculty who have to get up the next day and go to work. Our livelihoods are away from the rink as much as we might hate to accept it. I encounter two types of individuals: those who cannot take a hit and those who cannot properly hit. Both are equally dangerous. There needs to be a trust between yourself and your opponent. I won't sugarcoat it. I don't always get that sense with everyone. Some folks just aren't ready to take the next step safely. I’m not going to call out individuals, but the BUIHA and rec hockey are never going to be the place to try and make yourself “look tough” – you look stupid; don’t be a bonehead. It’s not cute. Play the game. Cos breh, if we going into the corner at full speed, we’ll battle it out for the loose puck, but I’m never going to stuff your neck into the boards just because you said something about my mama. She could easily beat us both up with her pinky.

Likewise, I cannot count the number of times we’ve shown up to a game and the referee has come up to me and gone, “I’m still learning all the rules”, “This is my first official game”, or “Is this game checking? I’ve never refereed a checking game before”. It’s kind of strange, and haunting. Playing ice hockey in the UK is one of the most gratifying things I do as an international student. The Cup Competition set up is very “British” and it makes me chuckle – the home/away legs, “fixtures” instead of schedule/games. It’s cute. It wouldn't be the BUIHA without it's quirky characteristics. It needs to be protected.

All I know is, Manchester Metros A were decimated by injuries this year and one in particular always sticks out as one that could have been avoidable. Shayner, as I roll with, sustained an injury to ligaments in his knee because a player on the opposing team decided it would be great to pre-drink before the game. Now, I’m all for having fun, that’s what the BUIHA is about, but at the end of the day, when it jeopardises another’s safety, that’s when it becomes a bit ridiculous. Shayne’s got to go into work, take care of his kids, et cetera.

That’s all I’m saying.

Sports tread such a fine line and that’s why I go out and compete. It’s fragile. You can’t script it – unless it’s the 1919 World Series I guess, so that’s not totally true, but for the sake of my point, go with it.

Let’s be safe, boys and girls.

Countdown to the new BUIHA season? Anyone know?

Transatlantic Journey in Selfies

Allen's view at 6.30am GMT:

Allen's view at 6.30pm EST:

Manchester to Charlotte
(apologies for having to stare at face)




Captions (left to right):
1: Airport selfie. #homewardbound
2: Sat in seat selfie. #homewardbound
3: Allen doesn't like NJ #homewardbound
4: Andy working his moves, go on lad?
5: Home. #homewardbound
6: I. Am. Tired. #homewardbound
7: PopTars :D #homewardbound

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Edit note: Spelling blunder on the last Snap... Pop Tarts not Pop Tars. Those sound like they would taste dreadful. And since when did they do oatmeal flavoured ones? Oatmeal too bland for my liking. Get Snappy wit'it: a_gunzy.

SpaghOMG.

Left: Ste's; Right: Allen's

Somebody not named Allen thought it would be a brilliant idea to make a meal really made for six people and split it between just two people. Stipulations like these require a bromance level beyond the casual. There is nothing more uglier than seeing your brotha crying over, not a plate, but a saucepan sized portion of mom’s spaghetti. No hating on Eminem, but there was no vomit on our sweater, already. There were spaghetti stains around our mouths though… trying scenes. Still. We owned the moment and will never let it go-oh.

Set the scene: 500 grams beef mince, 500 grams spaghetti, 500 grams passata mixed with 3 cups water, and additional puree for good measure. In total, Ste’s portion weighed in at 2 lbs solid. It was up against my own overweight-at-weigh-in meal coming in stout at 2¼ lbs. Needless to say, it was two prized fighters entering the ring, with an inevitable ending of both contenders unconscious on the mat. To be fair, I should’ve been well prepared for the task with the amount I eat each evening, which is basically the same size. It was the pasta. It got me. It made me weak. I know what Manny Pacquiao felt like getting K.O.ed by Marquez.

Words to live by: professional eating should be left to the professionals. The likes of Adam Rickman, Takeru Kobayashi, Joey Chesnut, and The Black Widow (Sonya Thomas). Them cats can eat next level. Here at No. 41 there was no cheering crowd, no kiss on the cheek from some stranger, and no little kid screaming, “do you have the huevos?” in your ear. In fact, I have never heard such little encouragement for two poor individuals trying to prove a point. What that point is? I have no idea. But we both proved it.

Ste succumbed to his wounds.

I went with the "slow and steady wins the race" approach whilst Ste went for the "scarf it down and get it over with" technique. Scientifically, I think both would be rendered "stupid" with the amount of food sat in front of us for a BroDate -- you can't forget the half loaf of French bread we each had as well. It would've been a sinch for The Black Widow. Today, I have gained much respect for the competitive eating field.

Honestly, I haven’t felt this grim after eating since ordering all-you-can-eat crab legs at Outrigger when I was like 11. Credit Ste's smarts. He played it safe and just had the meal. I stupidly had a doughnut on the way back from food shopping. So I wholeheartedly blame my late arrival at the finish line on that. And I look at it this way. It's all preparation for the portions I'll get back in America on my mini holiday. 

At the end, I did feel like “Money” Mayweather, without the backpack crammed with a million bucks (soon though, eh?). Such a promising night that started with glowing sentiments from Ste like, "I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when you're away", quickly turned sour and tasteless -- like the spaghetti. The sauce was just too heavy. Sorry mama, but please don't say we are having spaghetti for dinner on Wednesday night.

Two words: never again.