Week @ MindSay

As you may or may not know, May 18-May 24, is EMS week, and the way I'm figuring many of you don't, and for those of you that do, I'm guessing that most of you just don't care.

But I think its time to educate people on the importance of EMS, the Emergency Medical Services.

Well, I would like to start by being completely honest with you, I used to be totally and utterly ignorant of the true importance of the Emergency Medical services, that is up until I got certified as an EMT.

But just take a minute to think of this; What if you were in a car accident, or if your house was on fire and there was no such thing as the Emergency Medical Services? What would you do?

I'm just going to leave it at that... I could go on listing statistics, I could tell you how we've helped you, and what we've done, but I think I just want to leave you thinking about those questions.

EMS -- Busting ours to save yours!

Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart". - Who would have thought that an eight and a half minute song could be so enthralling, particularly when the lyrics don't even begin until after halfway through the song? Apparently Death cab For Cutie did, and personally, I think they got this one just right. It's hard to imagine this song without the beginning being so drawn out and sprawling; I'd call it an intro but it's so much more than that. It's the steady climb of levels and sliders and slightly out of focus riffs until it builds and then tapers off into the perfect volume for Ben Gibbard's deliciously mellow voice as he strikes the same bargain that I often strike with women: Just give him a chance. Some have called this single 'creepy' or 'desperate'. I call it honest and sincere and really, it just hits the spot on all of the things I've wished I could have in a song.

"How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me..." Give adorable Mr. Gibbard a chance - listen to his new single. I promise you won't be disappointed.

[Edit!]: Just got my hands on the radio edit of their single and oh, Mr. Gibbard -- why would you let them get rid of that delicious sprawling that gave this single so much volume and strength? Rather than the climactic buildup we are simply launched into a song that just seems... empty and flat-line without the introduction. *Sighs* Such is the way with radio sometimes. I'm really grateful that we're moving towards music becoming entirely online -- it means we have to destroy beautiful songs less.[/Edit!]

Surround Me"

They say no man's an island but I tend to disagree
I guess they've never seen my island,
And where it lies at sea
I'm lost inside my memory.
I'm still in disbelief.
If I could paint a picture for you this is what you'd see

I'm down on my knees
Begging you to rescue me
Please stop me
Don't let me run
Surround me...Surround me...now

A wounded man sounds desperate when he's lost all his belief
Can you look into my eyes and say you won't betray me
We're running out of time
How precious time can be
I'm counting all the moments of the times you could have helped me

I'm down on my knees
Begging you to rescue me
Please stop me
Don't let me run
Surround me...Surround me

I'm down on my knees
Begging you to rescue me
Please stop me
Don't let me run
Surround me...Surround me

Surround me now


When you don't wanna stop me should think that you don't care?  I don't wanna be surrounded by your attention.  I wanna be surrounded-block so I am stuck with no place to go but the right way. 

How can I surround myself enough never to get hurt.  Is it possible to love without getting hurt.  Sometimes I can deny my feelings so easily it's like second nature but why?

I just sometimes would rather die than let someone find out!  I'm torn hurt and I think I am out of options.  I'm lost I haven't felt this way in so long.  It scares me.  Now just to do right once again

Elliot Smith - Elliot Smith is to indie music as Joan de Arc is to the Catholic culture: A saint. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, grew up in Texas, but lived in Portland, Oregon for most of his life, he gained popularity with his rock band Heatmiser before beginning his solo career in 1994. As a solo artist, he was mostly well-known for his guitar playing skills, but he was also rather adept at bass, clarinet, drums, harmonica, and the piano. He was also well known for using multi-tracking to to harmonize with himself. Now that you have the background information as to who he is, time for me to tell you just why this guy is such a badass.

Besides being known as one of the men to 'single-handedly' redefine the singer / songwriter genre, he has influenced artists such as Regina Spektor and Cat Power. He released five amazing albums while he was alive with labels such as Kill Rock Stars and DreamWorks. His self-titled album is my personal favorite out of the five with a single like "Needle In The Hay" that is an excellent example of who he was as a person. But in my opinion, the crowning achievement of this incredible man's career was the album that was posthumously released, "From A Basement On The Hill". This entire album is packed with music that I can't stop listening to. During his life, Smith battled with depression, alcoholism, and even ADHD, and his lyrics really show that more than ever on this album, his voice taking new heights and such a sensitive personal side that he's just too amazing to ignore. Tracks like "Memory Lane" and "A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free" are lyrical genius and makes you want to lay in the grass on a warm sunny day and watch the clouds go by, picking out shapes here and there with the sweet taste of fruit in your mouth.

Now, besides being a pillar in the baroque pop genre, why is Elliot Smith truly such a badass? On October 21, 2003, Elliot Smith was living with his girlfriend Jennifer Chiba. They began to argue as happens with couples from time to time, and Chiba locked herself in the bathroom. Suddenly she heard a scream, and she opened the bathroom door to find Smith standing with a kitchen knife in his chest (!). She pulled the knife out of his chest, resulting in him collapsing and her calling 911. Smith made it to the hospital, but he passed away at 1:36 PM at age 34.

Okay, now let's step away from the facts and look at this. You're the epitome of an indie rock God, you live with your girlfriend, you get in an argument and she locks herself in the bathroom. You feel like killing yourself, and have plenty of antidepressants and ADHD medications and access to who knows how many drugs in order to do the deed. But no, no pills for you; no overdosing. You could slit your wrists, but that takes such a long time and isn't always guaranteed and more looks like a cry for help than an actual attempt at suicide. So what do you do? STAB YOURSELF IN THE CHEST.

Now, the official autopsy report that was released a couple months later in December wasn't entirely conclusive, therefore leaving open the possibility of homicide; but none of the authorities seem to be investigating this further, leaving it at the general conclusion of suicide. Also, a possible suicide note was found written on a Post-it note reading, "I'm so sorry--love, Elliot. God forgive me." What the coroner's report did reveal was that there were no traces in his system of illegal substances or alcohol at the time of death. In other words, not only did he stab himself--he did it stone-cold sober.

If that doesn't scream 'Epic Rock & Roll Badass' I don't know what does.

Rest In Peace Elliot Smith.

Dixie currently feels:

Depressed

 

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This week is going very slowly...

I keep waking up at the wrong end of my bed with all of my pillows on the floor.

 

I feel tired during the day and awake at night.

My sleep patterns are really distrupted.

All I want to do right now is just hibertnate.

 

 

In last lesson today, we were made to watch a video that some arseholes in my tutor had made.

It was all about choosing sixth forms.

 

I wouldn't have minded - if it were made by people I liked and respected.

But it was made by a group of total utter twats - who everyone likes, everyone finds hilarious - and they're pure and total wankers, not a shred of skin covering their worthless bodies is even fractionally amusing or intelligent.

 

Every year, our school has a film festival.

The head of drama - my tutor teacher - organises it.

 

I hate drama, I have no confidence.

 

But it's my dream to make a good film and enter it for the festival.

 

But I can't.

 

Everyone would laugh at me and take the piss - just because it's me.

It's not fair.

 

I can't do anything I want without being ridiculed for it.

 

I cried down my aisle today.

Then I came out and sat beside Claire - and cried on her shoulder.

She didn't move, didn't speak - didn't seem to care either.

 

Emily isn't here to comfort me.

She won't be thinking about me.

She seems so distant from me since the ban.

Every e-mail she sends seems to have lost the flair that makes Emily and everything she says... It just doesn't seem that I'm important to her anymore.

 

 

I'm not important to anybody.