The Rumble of a Ramble

I think that the reason why there is always a long gap between my posts is that I am looking too hard for things to write about. My holiday to Rome was an easy one and so it produced two posts. Other times (you will have probably noticed) I have really found nothing at all to write about yet I have still published well over 1000 words each time. I guess that fits in well with the title that I chose for this blog but I feel that it is time to just sit down and let a bit of steam off without being restricted by a topic or particular event in my life. In fact this decision comes at a pretty good time because I am feeling a bit blue at the moment as I feel quite a few of you will be as well. So let me fire off another splurge of thoughts and feelings and I'll see how I feel at the end of it - who's to say what will happen?

So I'm in my room, it's a nice day outside, Ellie Goulding is playing in the background and the lingering remains of a hangover are slowly fading away. This is actually a pretty typical day in my summer apart from the nice weather part: I've spent a lot of time in this room looking at this very screen with the same gaunt expression, wasting away hours on Facebook; I've rather fallen in love with Ellie over the last couple of months and she does play more often than not in my bedroom (I wish); and then the last part which I am not particularly proud of - the hangover. It's a guarantee that every time someone that I know has a little too much to drink at a party or get together that they will vow never to drink again. I have made such claims at a few junctures this year with the arrival of my legality and that of others. In fact turning 18 is maybe one of the worst things that I could have done - what a bad choice I made there eh? In fact that's a whole load of rubbish because it is true I have probably drunk too much this year, but there have been many times when I have enjoyed the privileges that turning 18 have brought. I have enjoyed the fact that I can go out with mates to the pub for a few drinks and the advantage that I don't have to ask people older than me to buy beer for me. I think the problem from my point of view (and a problem that I see in many people in my position) is that I struggle to drink in moderation unless I happen to run out before I've had too much - this never happens. You might be sitting there laughing at me or thinking that I should stop being so uptight about this but I see myself as being different to everyone else. The kind of things that I enjoy doing in my free time and the kind of things that you enjoy will probably be out of a completely different book. All I want to do with my time is read and write which I might be maligned for but I enjoy them more than anything. If I had the mental strength to decide between going out to drink or staying in with a Sherlock Holmes novel then the choice would be a no brainer. However I've come to the conclusion that there is no such choice to make - apparently teenagers have this urge to drink that must be satisfied at regular intervals. This kind of thing wrecks me, pardon the pun. 

What makes the whole thing harder is that I leave for university in little over a month, as will most of my friends - it's almost like I've waited too long to change. As a child there are an infinite number of things that you can do but soon those things dictate who you become as you drift into the permanently moody teenage years. Yes, I am an extremely happy person contrary to the way that this post in being composed but at the same time, when I'm not around people, I can get pretty down. I think I could cut this post extremely short and just say that I want a change in my life but that would be fairly boring on my part. I'll try and lighten the mood when I've got the depressive stuff out of the way. 

It feels like my whole self has gone into complete shutdown. If I was to attempt to study at the moment, just like any of you who have entered 'summer mode', then I would fail miserably. This is another thing that has to change because, life it or not, I'm going to be starting a law degree very soon. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to get started but there’s going to have to be a lot of hard work between now and then to get myself back to full mental fitness. I'll try to avoid sounding too full of myself but I am a smart guy with a lot of potential but it's not a question of whether it is there for me, more a question of whether I can harness that potential. Some will say that it's a certainty I will because of what has come before from me but as it happens, and all of you will agree with me on it, assumed success is fatal for futures. Negative rant over.

So apart from more or less locking myself into Facebook and drinking too much, what exactly have I done with my summer? Well reading has been the best way I have found of keeping sharp. I have read more books this summer than I probably did in the whole of last year. At times it is a case of wanting an escape which again sounds really negative but in fact I think that putting yourself in a different life is important for self-development. Other books have been read just because I thought I should and I don't think there has been a bad one so far. So that's a good thing right there.

Do you want me to tell you the complete truth? I don't think there's anything odd about how I am feeling just now despite everything that has been written in this post, it's just that I am feeling particularly crap today and just had to get this out. If there is an age when these feelings are justifiable then it would the late teens. Yes I feel a bit empty at the moment but that's only because there's nothing for me to do. I am just about to venture into the unknown, not knowing what is round the bend and it scares me a lot - I know I'm not alone.

I feel that I should end on a joke or something but I don't have one sadly so you can just laugh along with me at my 'predicament': I am an intelligent person, I have a place to study law at one of the top 20 universites in the world, I have great friends and a super supportive family and I'm moving away from the very place that I feel is slowing me down. Now if anyone wants an exchange then I will listen to you but be warned, I will probably have to duly decline any such offers.

Thanks for reading. If you like this post then why not let others read it by clicking on the little Facebook button below. I maybe should have put Google adverts this on this page to make a wee bit of money from hits but I write because I enjoy it and hope that everyone gains a little bit of enjoyment out of what I write.

Cheers, 

Martin

When in Rome - My 'Guide' to a Great City

After spending last week in the beautiful city of Rome, I came home with a lot of stuff on my mind. You may or may not have read my last post about being inspired to write and what have you, half of which was written with the old pen and paper in the city itself. If you did find a few minutes to peruse it then you'll be aware that I had more than a few urges to write whilst I was there - the kind that I have never really experienced the like of before. What this post is going to be however, is my take on this great city: the sights, the way of life and some other little intricacies that I came across during my week there. Forget your travel guides and tourist information websites - this is the place that you'll find all you need to know (well almost anyway).

Go to the Colosseum

You've been to football stadiums, rugby grounds or even arenas for indoor bowls (if you are that way inclined) but you really haven't seen anything until you have been to the Colosseum in Rome. Mass executions, animal fights, gladiator battles (without Ian bloody Wright). They have it all but be sure to book in advance because seating is at a bit of a premium nowadays. I am joking of course but the place is truly magnificent. My visit was improved highly by a knowledgeable and very friendly guide which is something that you should find if you go there. You get to skip the mammoth queues and you get to learn something as well. Well worth the visit, even if you get slightly burnt along the way. 

Visit the Forum

So do you want to meet at the centre or how about the temple instead? You have to admire the greatness of this place even if most of it now is in ruins. Having said that the place is constantly packed with tourists, so you can start to picture what it would have been like in its day - except that there would have been more toga's and less New York Yankees t-shirts at the time. The biggest thing that struck me about this place was the fact that nothing has really changed for hundreds of years apart from technology. We still have to have places to meet and do business - hats off to the Roman's for thinking it all up.

Visit the Trevi Fountain

Something that I once heard that someone had said after seeing the most famous and popular fountain in Rome was "it wasn't that impressive...it was stuck on the end of a building". I'm pretty certain that this person was actually referring to some drunk guy leaning on a building taking a leak who they mistook for the Trevi Fountain - in my opinion the fountain is magnificent. Not to sound like I am blogging from somewhere up my own rear end, but something that crossed my mind about a few of the tourists that I encountered in Rome was 'philistine'. Not being able to appreciate the Trevi Fountain takes a lot of doing and so I say to those that are unimpressed by it: would you kindly leave the piazza, some people are trying to throw coins over their shoulders.

Go to the Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica

I'm not a religious person but I don't think it's a necessity to be able to visit and appreciate Saint Pietro. The museums are OK but they are far too big I felt. The best part of the museums by far was the Sistine Chapel which really takes ones breath away (twice in my case because we got slightly lost and ended up having to go round again). St Peter's Basilica is also breath taking but if you are not there with even a drop of religious interest then be prepared to feel slightly intrusive. Even though I was in the majority who were there just to see the building and one of Rome's most famous symbols, I still felt like I was walking in on someone praying which in parts of the church is a real possibility. Don't miss it out though because it certainly will be the highlight of any visit to Rome. 

Go to the Pantheon

If you didn't really have a clue where you were in Rome but happened to be in the right part of the city, then you probably would never find the pantheon - well not through choice anyway. It sort of just appears out of nowhere. I was very impressed by the place and the interior of it but even if it fails to get your heart racing then it's nice and cool inside which is a very welcome relief from the heat. I was there on my very first day in Rome and was certainly not enjoying sweating my particulars off. So as horrible and wrong as this sounds: go to the Pantheon, even if it's just for a little bit of shade.

Visit the Capitoline Museums

You will have been to many museums in your life I'm sure, some through choice and others not quite so much. Choose to go to the Capitoline Museums if you visit Rome. They have the most amazing collection of Roman statues and sculptures you will ever see plus you get to say that you have been to the oldest public museum in the world - some people get a kick out of that kind of thing you know.

Take an Open Top Bus Tour

If all else fails or if you are only in Rome for a short time, get a ticket for one of the open top, hop-on-hop-off bus tours of which there are a few to choose from. Not only is it a great way to see the city, it also provides a brilliant way to get from one sight to another. Anything that you can do to avoid walking in Rome is a good thing because the heat, the hills and the crowds can make it all a bit of a nightmare at times - especially when one is tired.

Now I think that I have covered the main attractions (or at least my favourite ones) with a few jokes thrown in there along the way. The next part of this post is going to be about a few other little things that I got up to during my week in Rome - some of which might make you laugh a bit as well. Some of these you have to do when you are in Rome and others should be avoided if at all possible - I think you'll be able to notice what I mean.

Lose a Case at the Airport

I love airports. From a very young age I have had a fascination with the places and I always get a weird kick out of flying. This has unfortunately taken a huge hit this holiday however because we were standing at the baggage carousel (carousel 13 would you believe?) at Rome airport with only two out of three bags and no more coming out - we knew that something might be wrong. So we spent over two hours trying to get someone to tell us where is was and when we would get it back again - we found out the answer to neither. I suppose that since it was delivered to the hotel a couple of days later then I can laugh at the whole thing now but it's not the best way to start a holiday. A small piece of advice that applies to all foreign holidays: try to avoid booking a connecting flight that happens to go through one of the busiest airports in the world. That's when things can easily go belly up and when you start to wonder if you will really have to wear the same socks twice. 

Look like a Tourist

There is something about Scottish folk that makes us look the complete opposite to Italians. It might be the sheet white skin or the constant need to have a map spread before us but I can't quite put my finger on it. The roads in Rome are absolutely mental with mopeds and crazy taxi drivers but I soon learned that to cross a road in Rome you need to make sure that 1) you have your will in place or at least an emergency phone number, 2) you can look as calm and dismissive as the locals and 3) you gave big balls. Anything less than this and you might call an ambulance in advance - ironically one of the most likely vehicles to get knocked down by in Rome. 

Sleep in the Afternoon

I did this at home anyway because I'm a lazy git but apparently it's the thing to do in Rome - maybe I'm more Italian than I first thought. All of the shops close at the hottest time of the afternoon before they re-open when the sun has died down a bit. Nothing gets you ready for a humid night out than a sleep and a cold shower. Again if you read my previous post then you'll know that this time is good for other things as well (now you have to read it because otherwise that last sentence could be seriously misconceived).

Use Public Buses

You have to! You simply must take at least on ride on a public bus in Rome. Every single one of them is packed tight with sweaty, smelly people - it really is a sight to behold when someone's face is squashed against a window. During my only experience of these buses to St Peter's Square, I think I had the Italian equivalent to a prostate exam at least twice and I'm certain that there was cupping going on at one point although I was surrounded by some beautiful Roman women at the time. To top it all off, the only space on the bars that you hold onto to keep your balance was right next to a super sweaty guy's armpit - salty hand wash anyone? I may not have sold this experience very well but I advise that you give it a go (laughs widely whilst disinfecting hand - again).

Drink Peroni

If you want to drink beer in Rome then there are really only a couple of choices, with Peroni being the best. If you want a pint of Tennants then you will have to take out a loan first. The best bit about it? Peroni is only really sold in the big bottles - have you ever heard the saying 'the more the merrier'?

Eat Fast Food (McDonald's, Burger King Etc)

You would think that in the beautiful city of Rome with its plethora or pizzerias and cafes that fast food chains wouldn't stand a chance. But somehow they have managed to elbow their way in there and have found themselves selling burgers in some of the most ornate buildings in the city. Have you ever ordered a Big Mac when there's been a marble cherub above the counter? Well you can in Rome. As bad as this sounds coming from a guy that generally eats healthily, nothing tastes better after a long day of walking than a large meal with a massive, cold drink - nothing. I should also add that the pizza in Rome is amazing but when it comes to fast food then look no further than the old faithfuls.

So there you go. I told you that you would not need a travel guide after reading this - I lied. If you can get your hands on a good one then it is an invaluable thing to have in Rome. You can get lost very easily there as I did a few times, so to have a rough idea where you are headed when you go out helps a lot.

It is a great city and despite the fact that I have made a few poor jokes about certain aspects, it is honestly one of the best places I have visited - and I have visited some great places in the past. If you do ever visit Rome, approach your time there with an open, receptive mind and great things could happen for you. I have honestly been inspired and maybe you will too one day. I guess that there are hundreds of places in the world to see before I go back but one day I will - that has been guaranteed by throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain apparently.

Ciao ciao,

Martin

Do I Need to go on Holiday Every Time I Need Inspiration? I Certainly Hope Not

When I head away on holiday I always do the same thing whether I am going abroad or just staying in sunny Scotland. I will pack a suitcase or sports bag with clothes and the other essentials then I will get a rucksack or shoulder bag and fill that this with the things that I see as being vital for a holiday. In it I will put books, iPod, chargers etc but there is always something that I will double check that I have in - pens and a notebook. Maybe I am being naive to think that I am in the minority by doing this but I don't believe that many of you will take writing stuff away with you on holiday. Well the proof is in the pudding for this holiday that I am currently on in Rome because the first half of this post is being written with the old pen and paper on my bed in my hotel room after a long day of sightseeing and subsequent inspirations. Maybe this is the kind of thing that makes me slightly different because I believe that we all have something that sets us apart from each other. It might seem a bit weird or, for the want of a better word, 'geeky' but I have the firm belief that if you have a passion for something then there should be no set time or place for it - my passion then is clearly writing.

I'm fascinated to know just what you are thinking right now after that introduction. Not because I am particularly bothered about what people think of me when it comes to this kind of thing but what is your current line of thought? Do you believe that the term 'holiday' means to leave everything that you would do at home there and undertake completely new things for a week or two? Or do you see sense in the way that I do things? I know for a fact that I would be quite lost without this pen and paper that I am using just now. For whatever reason and through no particular choice of my own, I find myself thinking about things to write all the time - even when I don't have paper in front of me. For example I have been sitting on the top of an open-top tour bus for the last couple of days taking in the magnificent sights of Rome and I can't help but be inspired by some of the things that I see. The way that we have gone about every day of this holiday so far is pretty much the way that the people of Rome go about theirs: we go out fairly early in the morning until mid-afternoon and then come back to the hotel to have a 'siesta' after which we go out for dinner and stay out until fairly late. It is that 'siesta' time though when I find myself not being able to sleep or having a few minutes to kill that I am able to write stuff down. I genuinely would love to know if other people do this on holiday or if I am just being different.

What I plan to do for the remainder of the holiday, when I have spare 10 minutes, is to keep writing down little musings and see what I have when I get home. Once I have read through all of the little paragraphs and verses that I have scribbled down in this notebook, I will add the second part of this post to see if I have actually achieved anything. Maybe then I will be able to see if I have wasted time on holiday but right now, sitting on my bed on a particularly humid evening in Rome, I don't feel like I am wasting time at all. I have enjoyed my first few days here immensely and feel that I have missed out on nothing as a result of my persistent urge to write things down - we'll see what happens though.

___________

So that's me been home for two days now and after having typed up my journal entries on the computer and having read all of the other little things that I have written down in my notebook, I am pleased to report that I feel all warm inside. This is of great advantage to me because it's pretty cold back here - in fact it is almost half the temperature that we were getting in Rome which is a pretty huge difference. Anyway back to this so called report that I am supposed to be writing about my holiday notebook. I wrote a few little poems that aren't very good in terms of language but the ideas in them are pretty good, I have made little lists to myself about things that I thought about doing when I got home and I have even put a list of Italian words for me to translate on the computer as well. When I think about it, having a notebook with you all the time (and not just on holiday) is something that maybe I should try more often. It annoys me when people say that they have 'brains like sieves' because everyone sort of struggles with remembering things most of the time. To have a place where you can just quickly jot something down might be the answer for these people. If they believe their brains to be so bad then they should do something to help themselves instead of using the excuse of bad memory.

It might be something important that I will use for the rest of my life because I am sure that there is going to be so much for me to remember both in university and then, if it turns out this way, as a lawyer. And the same goes for thousands of other professions. What I am trying to get at is that we should all carry a notebook or somewhere to write things down when we are out and about. That way we might become much more productive people which can only be a good thing for us all. 

So I urge you the next time you are going on holiday to slip in some paper and pens into your suitcase or hand luggage because there's nothing worse than coming home from a holiday and having nothing to remember your experiences other than photos and these 'sieve brains' we all seem to have been given. If that ends up working for you and you write a few little things down then maybe you could use having one in your everyday life as well. It's just an idea and one that I am sure to write about again in the future - we can't always rely on having a keyboard in front of us now can we?