Losing the Ability to Read Beyond … oops, there we go, lost you already!

In this Facebook age we seem to be losing the ability read more than just the headline. Many are happy to read a headline, believe it entirely and share the ‘fact’ amongst their friends. Even if the story is laid out in detail they just won’t read it, their mind is already set on the direction they’re going with the headline.

I write a lot, I write long and deep. It could be argued that I preach in my writing and, well yes, that’s correct. In a Facebook or Blog post that’s what we can do, we can have a thought, expand upon it and open it up for comment except … few are reading past the headline.

It could be that what I am writing is just not interesting enough and, it’s quite topical, quite current, quite not about Big Brother so, perhaps it isn’t so interesting. Perhaps I should add pictures of fluffy cats?

I’ve had people say to me that they really can’t be doing with reading lots of ‘stuff’. That they can’t take it all in. I’ve spent hours sometimes piecing something together which was really important. Something that, were it read, would have explained everything, helped create a better way of doing things, changed a situation totally only to be told that they ‘can’t be bothered’.

I think it is a real shame we have lost the ability to write and read letters. That’s effectively what I do, I write letters. What I write, well, it’s intended as an opening to debate, not as a stated fact which cannot be challenged. We can learn so much from writing such things and reading and, perhaps more importantly, understanding the responses. Of course, I have to accept, most of what I write falls on deaf eyes, if such a descriptive makes any sense.

None are so blind as those who will not see

Someone must have said that at some point.

Now, is it time for the cuddly cat yet? No, of course not because the average Facebook reader left us way up there before I ever mentioned cats! They are already seeing more important things such as Anakin Skywalker getting chased in South Carolina by the cops … yes, this is the news today. I have no clue if Big Brother is on at the moment but, that’s way more interesting than anything to do with immigration or multiculturalism. Those were my subjects of today.

Perhaps the stark reality is, people just don’t want real reality only TV reality. Nothing actually real can be as real as the reality TV programmes. No real life situation could be as interesting as the recreations of real life situations in Eastenders (UK soap). I often joke about my own life that no soap would ever run the story as no one would believe it, where fiction is more believable than reality and, seemingly, more interesting.

Often, when I write something I am telling my readers something about me. Perhaps I elude to it in what I’ve written, sometimes I spell out the connection. Very often I don’t mention how this relates to me. By reading the headlines of what I wrote earlier today on Facebook, some will conclude I am a racist (I am the total opposite of that). Some might conclude I am a sad old man who will never find anyone to love, that’s actually not the current reality … there see, if you’ve read this far you’ve suddenly discovered something, there is someone special in my life at the moment, I am just not sharing the information.

Let’s do a little test, see who can still read.

In your chosen place be it Facebook, Twitter or something else simply write, ‘I read to the end’

and so you can write that honestly here is

The End

Download Festival 2015

We arrived in Donnington Around 10am or so, perhaps a little earlier. Gates opened late meaning we only just had time to head over to the Zippo stage to see our first act the ‘Lounge Kittens’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv0H1Yhc89w

I didn’t record this video but it is them at the festival, the next one is the last set they did which was extra special awesome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWU6LhF2Ezg

I know I’m going to get this next lot in the wrong order but, most significant next lot are Hollywood Undead who I thought I’d never get to see as they are from the US.

1c0c779ff8ba022b6bc0e6a8e20a09fad205e4a8db9348295eea3c81b0ecc245

 

We had a great view

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADmbRFkKOps

They were excellent and it was so good to know each and every song they performed. It was also unexpected to see them without their masks.headerphoto

 

So, we also had Rise Against and A Day to Remember, Rise Against I think were first and, somewhere in there were Mallory Knox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1LhfdyToxA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMvt3d-CmHI

I thought the beard was a little suspect, looked like a fake one which I know it wasn’t which somehow made it worse.

The sound system was terrible for Rise Against, couldn’t hear much of the vocals at all.

A Day to Remember we watched from a long way off, just couldn’t be arsed to get close.

2015-06-13 17.47.59

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4byYQk2Rvwc

Over at the Zippo Stage was Black Veil Brides who I had listened to for a while and liked. The lead singer just doesn’t seem to fit with the image I’d had of him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK9VeiwLGO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka1m0EVVP6U

Very entertaining though

After them the mad dash over to ‘Muse’ and, I thought they were amazing on their studio tracks but it’s nothing like as totally awesome they are live, wow! I think they are on tour again next year and I intend going!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqEk746uyo

The above video is actually mine. Matt did some much better, indeed, totally awesome video but I am not putting that here, perhaps he might youtube them or something!

0f624510652b53fef21e0fcb020fccd779aec1090644425731d305a5b7d92bd11ccb003245d9afccc7f864d194c0f37db1e9c5436dd487af4e825989dce9a7e4 2015-06-13 15.11.59

Fair to say it was a little muddy on the day but that just added to the fun, the weather was, to say the least ‘damp’ though it dried up around 7-8pm and we managed to warm up a little.2015-06-13 15.11.22 Getting out of the arena was a challenge but nothing compared to getting out the car park. It was about 1:40 from Muse ending to us escaping Donnington!

On the whole it was an absolutely awesome first festival experience. Sure, there were negative, these being, the total arsewipes who thought it was OK to smoke dope wherever and whenever they wanted to … I had a dope hangover this morning thanks to them! Then there were the mosh pits which, let’s face it are just crazy stupid and I am probably just an old fart who doesn’t think the prospect of spending the night in A&E seems that appealing. The organisers were not exactly organised either and that’s understating it!

But look, negatives aside, it was great, I’d probably do it again if the right bands were on.