There is nothing more, Sir, than to love and be loved

This has to be one of the best book-to-screen adaptations I've ever seen. I spent the majority of last night crying over it, and it's not left my head for a minute today. Too, too painfully lovely. And beautifully shot and played. Watch the first part here, and the second here.

Also, I'm madly, irreparably in love with Eddie Redmayne. And Clemence Poesy.

You've got to try a little harder

You're the come back kid.

What the Feral Child said to me, part one

Momentary pleasures are so 2011.

And she needs you

Heard this earlier on Zane Lowe and still reckon I prefer Fitzpleasure, as previously blogged, enjoy kids, enjoy...

Forlorn

Dear dear me, the Loyal Minder no longer has her Old Maid close at hand to care for, encourage, scold, and clean up around. The words forlorn, heartbroken and dazed all come to mind. 





Bonne chance a Budapest Old Maid of all mine own!

The Old Maid Is Leaving Soon

... Too soon.

I don't mind doin' it for the kids...

My my, I totally forgot how amazingly well Robbie Williams could rap. And Kylie, oh Kylie...

Cry on my own shoulder

A few weeks ago I saw these girls playing at The Free Love Club in Birmingham's Island Bar and was blown away. Worth making it out to see them live, it's an entirely unique and wholly captivating experience. Perfect.

"You're so l0-fi baby" "No, I'm just way cooler than you" - 15 Commandments for an Adequate Night on the Tiles - THE LAST ONE (no tears please)

1) Never ever dance to the Cribs.
2) Spanx all the way.
3) Ensure you have a totalitarian dictatorship over the DJ.
4) Less is more (in every sense).
5) Kiss as many children as possible.
6) Help the sisters no matter what.
7) Cry on the bar man.
8) Never mix wine colours.
9) Do not cry.
10) Shading collar bones is not a crime.
11) 2006 is a dirty word.
12) As is "lo-fi".
13) Always dry thighs.
14) A maximum of 20% of the night can be spent in the toilets. 
15) Bros before hoes.

Shapeless

This track has been in my head all day long.

Grimey

Just came across this on Pitchfork and am blown away. It's just so sweet, subtle and lovely. Enjoy.

This war is almost won

So here's Josh Record for The Mahogany Sessions - there is something about the tone of his voice and the way his lyrics lilt out of his mouth that I simply adore.

I hear what they say

So it looks like Brooklyn-based Frankie Rose is batting aboiut once again with a forthcoming album, titled Interstellar, out soon. Enjoy... (Le Chev's remix of "Know Me" is particularly good).

That was love, and it's an ache I still remember

So this is pretty similar to Gotye's original version, but I like it all the same. Also, they're generally a lot more attractive to look at.

I'm serious

It's enough

It's too much



The XX seem to be taking it a lot more slowly with this demo, Open Eyes, which is apparently from their forthcoming album which is expected to be released later this year. It's just incredibly sensual music, well paced and expertly layered - not that I expect anything less from the likes of one of my favourite all time live acts. Enjoy.

Crack Yr Skull

Get down there on Friday, kids. It's going to be a big night.

Pleasurefitz

Next big thing I reckon. Alt-J are supporting Ghostpoet, Big Deal and Wild Beasts over the next few months. Get down there and check them out, reckon they're going to be an incredible experience when witnessed live.

Fuck off Birdy

This is entirely shit and has ruined one of my favourite songs of all time. Birdy doesn't even have that "beautiful" a voice, I don't care that she's only fifteen, it ain't all that.
I am highly disappointed - she's now inflicted her average "just nice" self upon Phoenix, as well as Bon Iver. She can fuck right off.

Dirt

Flowers for the one you love

Flowers for the lost at sea.

Go for a ride

" It's 2-4-1, that means we can kiss children, right??!" - 15 Commandments for an Adequate Night on the Tiles

1) NO recycling.
2) Challenge 21 - Must ID all potential targets who aesthetically or mentally appear to be under 21 years of age. 
3) Don't waste a second of the night on banal conversation, even if in pursuit of a cigarette.
4) Never light one's own cigarette.
5) Kiss the bar man.
6) Remember to use the flash.
7) No thumbs on the lens.
8) Must spend a minimum of 56% of the night dancing to a carefully selected and requested playlist.
9) Never, under any circumstances give your real name.
10) Never, under any circumstances propose threesomes to formerly fat gentlemen.
11) Loyal Minders wear black.
12) Old Maids wear beige.
13) Harass the DJ until he cries, or just flirt with him outrageously until he cries.
14) Gun fingers are not a crime.
15) If you're sick on someone's shoes, own up.

Chilli Bites

These are fucking amazing. 

Tearing up

I'm tearing up, across the page.
I can see you see it, across my face.
I'm tearing up, through this age.
You know you can see me, see my cage.


I'm tearing up, across the page.
We all can see it, upon your face.
I'm tearing up, out the cage.
You're in here with me, in my age.

Used to know

I remember being entirely enchanted by this track months ago and only just rediscovered it as Edith Bowman played it on the radio. Gorgeous.

Hanna

I just watched this with my parents. It's now one of my favourite films. 
Entirely mesmerizing cast, entirely captivating story. 
Go on, watch it.

Steamed

Alyssa Monks' work is simply stunning. And it makes me want to spend all day in the shower.

Islands

City High

I'm experiencing some hard-hitting flashbacks to singing this obsessively every break time for at least a year with my un-madeup school friends. Bastille know how to twist the shit out of childhood memories...

Shameless

Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, ultimate. Date night is set for The Old Maid and her Loyal Minder...

Reckless Abandon

This is the best version of this track I've ever come across. Everything about it is wonderfully lovely and sweet. 

Sleepy Head

Perfect thing to wake up from a nap from. And they're having so much fun making these noises. I've fallen in love all over again.

Cosmic

That harp is just too fucking lovely not to post this.

Tweetin', #2

So HTGAOML now has its very own twitter. Read me. Follow me. 
Boom.

Star Girl

"Did you see her?"
That was the first thing Kevin said to me on the first day of school, eleventh grade. We were waiting for the bell to ring.
"See who?" I said.
"Hah!" He craned his neck, scanning the mob. He had witnessed something remarkable; it showed on his face. He grinned, still scanning. "You'll know."

- Jerry Spinelli, Star Girl, p. 9

Oh, Lady

Dave and Will are the Old Maid and her Loyal Minder's heroes. Thanks for the fags boys.

The Old Maid's Collective Collection of Other's Words

Most Favourite:
Floodlights
Silhouette
Aloof
Melancholic
Beam
Emerald
Serendipity
Lunar
Cushion
Moustache
Road Kill




Least Favourite:
Squirt
Moist
Banter
Burp
Maggot
Prune
Froth
Jiggle
Squid

When the sky would ring like bronze

The drive home was uneventful. I left the car is Stover's drive-way. The rear seat was covered with blood. There was blood on the steering wheel, more blood on the dashboard and door handles. The scientific study of cultural behaviour and development of man. Anthropology.
I went upstairs and watched the kids a while. All asleep, fumbling through their dreams, eyes rapidly moving beneath closed lids. I got into bed next to Babette, fully dressed except for my shoes, somehow knowing she wouldn't think it strange. But my mind kept racing, I couldn't sleep. After a while I went down to the kitchen to sit with a cup of coffee, feel the pain in my wrist, the heightened pulse.
There was nothing to do but wait for the next sunset, when the sky would ring like bronze.

- Don DeLillo; White Noise; pp. 320-321

Landscape of Pain

In the landscape of pain, only three responses of real interest are possible; violent action, the probe of "ideas", and the transcendence of sudden, arbitrary, romantic love.

- Susan Sontag (political activist); Words of Love

Don't stop

This is too good to be true. So uplifting it's almost tear-worthy.

It's like a spell, once you pop you just can't stop

Rainbow
Drops are
Amazing.

Confession

So twitter tells me that Will.i.am and Justin Bieber are soon going to be collaborating. Is it a terrible thing to confess that I'm somewhat excited?

One day, I hope to make you smile again.

Midnight's City

Too good not to.

You are the hole in my head

You are the space in my bed.



I know I probably shouldn't admit this, "sellout" and all, but I think I quite like this track...

Dreamin'

God, today I want so much to just fuck off to America and be the French-speaking mess that is Penny Lainne for the rest of my whisky-soaked days.

Fiery

And I still love this. A lot.

I'm a lonely boy

Just heard this on the radio. I'm in love. And the lyrics are so fucking accurate to much of my life. Love it.

Brunchin' it

Just had a really good morning of a mates' date brunch in Whetherspoons with my good pal Mr Maximus Prime. We enjoyed hash browns, pancakes, cigarettes, orange juice and, most importantly, really good chocolate chip and vanilla latte frappes from Belle and Jerome in West Bridgford. 
That's just how to do brunch, kids, it was just what the doctor ordered.

Busily seeking with a continual change

They flee from me that sometime did me seek

With naked foot, stalking in my chamber.

I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek,

That now are wild and do not remember

That sometime they put themself in danger

To take bread at my hand; and now they range,

Busily seeking with a continual change.

Thanked be fortune it hath been otherwise

Twenty times better; but once in special,

In thin array after a pleasant guise,

When her loose gown from her shoulders did fall,

And she me caught in her arms long and small;

Therewithall sweetly did me kiss

And softly said, “Dear heart, how like you this?”

It was no dream: I lay broad waking.

But all is turned thorough my gentleness

Into a strange fashion of forsaking;

And I have leave to go of her goodness,

And she also, to use newfangleness.

But since that I so kindly am served

I would fain know what she hath deserved.

 

- Sir Thomas Wyatt

The Greatest

Feels like a relatively appropriate sentiment about my first day back at university... Thanks mainly to my shavey tiwn and pole-dancing pal...



Tea Time

Fancy some hot gin tea out my this guy my dear darling Old Maid?

Time Wasting Special, number one

So this is what I find myself watching in the library instead of essays study and critical postings galore. My academic library neighbours around me are totally judging me for it as well.
Aye well, this is Birmingham after all...

IWANTTHATDRESS.NOW.

'Oliday Snaps

These aren't quite your typical collection of holiday photographs. These images are the work of a good friend, Miss Jodie Herbage, who snapped the majority of these on her various travels over the past few months. She has an eye for this, to say the least...