A Scribble

One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.

1. I am not interesting playing your games any more. The way you treat others is shameful, everything you say is without thought and you made my life a living hell. I am glad to not call you my friend. You need to learn what a friendship actually is.

2. I occasionally think of how we parted ways and I do regret it. I hope you didn’t take anything I said to heart. You have a fine life ahead of you.

3. I would gladly trade away a year of my life to spend a day with you.

4. I’m sorry that I have been so confusing to deal with. At times I have been so fickle.

5. Don’t look down on everybody. Your opinions do upset people and you should be more considerate with your views. The world you live in is very different from most and life is too varied for you (or I) fully comprehend. Please could you also stop donating so much money to the church as well? They will just spend it on coffee mornings.

6. I’m getting tired of doing all the work. It would be nice to see a little bit of effort from your side.

7. Calm down. People won’t listen to you if you keep shouting.

8. I should never have got involved and taken the advice of my friends instead.

9. I still stand by all the things which I said. I know you have been putting the effort in but it is still not enough. Don’t see why it is of my concern if things are going wrong. All of this was caused by bad management in the first place.

10. Everything will be okay. He does this with all the girls. Move on and find somebody better. Don’t waste your tears on him.

Two: Nine things about yourself.

1. Recently I have obsessed about cashmir socks.

2. I read quite a lot of books. Recently I haven’t read as much but that might be because I am spending far more time in front of a screen.

3. I wake up each day not quite sure what I think about anything.

4. I have quite a dark sense of humour. At times I try to hide this as it can be a little unsociable!

5. Despite appearing to be a confident person my heart is far weaker. All of this exterior is for show. Inside I am still just as uncertain as when I was younger.

6. I really don’t take life seriously. It might seem that I do (because I work hard) but everything I do is for fun.

7. I find it quite difficult to access my emotions at times. This is something I have been trying to learn.

8. I’m an Atheist. I don’t believe in a celestial being or any kind of spirituality. However I was once a devout Christian.

9. I get along with most people. The people who I fall out with have usually tried to cross me in some way.

Three: Eight ways to win your heart.

1. Make sure that you are affectionate

2. Have your own views. I may not agree with them but it shows individuality.

3. Have a good sense of humour

4. Give me validation that you care, regularly.

5. Don’t be afraid to be emotional.

6. For some reason the people who win my heart the most are shy. Shy people are always very interesting.

7. Cook me food. I love food. Food is always the way to a man’s heart!

8. I like charisma and motivation.

Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.

1. If I will ever be satisfied

2. What work needs doing

3. If the people standing in the park are safe to walk past.

4. Brushing my teeth. When I was a child I kept forgetting so I need to keep reminding myself.

5. Random conversations I have recently had.

6. I think about what I last read. Sometime I will read an article in the morning and have it in my head for most of the day.

7. If today will be the last day.

Five: Six things you wish you’d never done.

1. Dislocated my brother’s arm when I was younger.

2. I wish I would have been more careful with a girl at University. Should have listened to her friend but by then it was too late. So… I regret wearing my heart on my sleeve.

3. Started smoking. I enjoy smoking but that is because I am addicted. The smell bothers me at times but mostly I think it gives the wrong image off to some people. Despite the smoking I really am a nice guy. Please attend my funeral. Ok?

4. Traded that Game Boy Black and White game at Primary School. I miss it dearly.

5. Did the interview for BBC Radio Five Live. It was a good experience but I was far too tired!

6. Agreed to pay those costs. That was a mistake.

Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)

Mum, Dad, Brother 1, Brother 2 and Grandma (there are a lot more)

Seven: Four turn offs.

1. Fickle

2. Unstable

3. Quiet

4. Dismissive Eight:

Three turn ons.

1. Chatty

2. Bubbly

3. Understanding

Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now.

1. :-(

2. :-P

Ten: One confession.

I’m never satisfied – this is a flaw and a motivation.

TEN ARE YOU’S
1. Are you single – Yes-ish
2. Are you happy - Sometimes
3. Are you bored – Not at the moment
4. Are you naked – Under my clothes ;)
5. Are you a blonde - Nope
6. Are you moody – Usually in the mornings
7. Are you a lover/hater? – Bit of both
8. Are you hot/cold – Quite tepid 
9. Are you Irish - No
10. Are you Asian - No

TEN FACTS
1. Name – Michael White
2. Nicknames – Don’t really have any
3. Any birth marks – Yes, on my bum!
4. Hair color – Brunette
5. Natural hair color – Same as above
6. Eye color – Blue/Grey
7. Height – 5’ 6
8. Mood – Normal-ish
9. Favorite colour – Purple
10. One Place You Want to Visit - Germany

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE
1. Do you believe in love at first sight – No
2. Do you believe in soul mates - No

4. Have you ever been hurt emotionally - Yes
5. Have you ever broke someone’s heart? - Yes
6. Ever had your heart broken? - Yes
7. Have you ever liked someone but never told them? - Yes
8. Are you afraid of commitment? – Not if it is with the right person
10. Who was the last person you said I love you to? – Mum I think

TEN THIS OR THAT
1. Love or lust - Love
3. Cats or dogs – Cats
4. A few best friends or many regular friends – A few best friends
5. Television or internet - Internet
6. Chinese Or Indian - Indian
7. Wild night out or romantic night in – Romantic night in
8. Money or Happiness - Happiness
9. Night or day - Night
10. Msn or phone – MSN, I work at Microsoft *pfft!*

TEN HAVE YOU EVER
1. Been caught sneaking out – No need to sneak about
2. Been skinny dipping – I have always wanted to try it.
3. Bungee jumped – No way
4. Finished an entire jaw breaker – No, I am a coward
5. Lied to someone you liked – Yes
6. Wanted an ex bf/gf back – I have done in the past
8. Cried yourself to sleep? – When I was much younger
9. Cried because you lost a pet – Find it difficult to get attached to pets
10. Wanted to disappear – Sometimes

TEN PREFERENCES IN A PARTNER
1. Smile or eyes - Both
2. Light or dark hair – Either
3. Hugs or kisses – More of a hugging person
4. Shorter or taller – Shorter.
5. Intelligence or attraction – Always both
6. Romantic or spontaneous - Either
7. Funny or serious - Both
8. Older or Younger – Either (not too young!)
9. Outgoing or quiet – I seem to go for quieter ones… not sure of this trend.
10. Sweet or Bad Ass – Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

TEN HAVE YOU’S
1. Ever performed in front of a large crowd – Well, I have done a couple of talks before
2. Ever done drugs – Haha, the legal sort? Yes
3. Ever consumed alcohol? – Most days
5. Ever been on a cheerleading team – I occasionally swing the booty
6. Ever Been on a dance team – No!
7. Ever been on a sports team – Believe it or not. I actually have. I was shit though.
8. Ever been in a drama play/production – Yes
9. Ever owned a BMW, Mercedes Benz, Escalade, Hummer or Bentley? Nope
10. Ever been in a rap video? – Haha, no

TEN LASTS
1. Last phone call you made - Erin
2. Last person you hung out with – Strangers at the pub
4. Last time you worked – Today
5. Last person you tackled – Probably at Primary School?
6. Last person you IM’d - David
8. Last person(s) you went to the movies with - Ben
9. Last thing you missed – My bed
10. Last thing you ate – A Cheeeeeese sandwich

LAST PERSON TO
1. Sleep beside you? – Haha *pass*
2. See you cry? – Not sure actually.
3. You went out to dinner with? – My Microsoft team
5. You talked on the phone to? - Dad
7. Made you laugh? – Nick at work

Despite being a Public Relations student, understanding the core foundations of the field and even having work experience and fully fledged jobs as a consultant I still consider myself to be an amateur. A vocational degree is traditionally not meant to be as academic compared to perhaps psychology or law degrees but the industry of PR changes so rapidly that academia acts as the foundation.

It has always been in my interest, in my 3^rd year (although technically 4^th taking my sandwich year into account) to write a dissertation which causes students and lecturers alike to broaden their sphere of thinking. Although writing such a document does have issues. For instance it is far easier to highly mark a dissertation simply regurgitating common thought.

I like to think back to an instance at Microsoft where an employee told us of her dissertation written in the late 1970s. The title was, ‘How the internet will change the world’. Within the pages she painted a picture where each household will use the internet to socialize, to share content and to purchase goods. The lecturer dismissed the idea and marked the dissertation down. This not only showed me that it is important for lecturers to remove their personal opinions from marking but be willing to extend their ideas outside of the academic box which dictates our slowly evolving modules.

Whenever I am left alone for a period of time I find it all too easy to slip into a frame of mind which I would regard free of the distractions of the modern world. On Wednesday I will be leaving this small French village to continue work at Microsoft again in the hustle of London. London far too easily ticks over each day. This leaves very little time to consider how industries will change in the next 10 years.

It has taken me roughly 2 years to decide what my dissertation subject will be on. I have had to consider which stance I would take – Would I dare be visionary? Should I settle with common dissertation subjects? Shall I tip toe around possible controversy?

Ultimately I have decided to be honest with who I am and what I believe the future will hold for Public Relations. I have already done a multitude of research and have discovered that my view of how the Public Relations industry will progress has not yet been discussed. Although there are many academic pieces of writing which could be used in favor or against my stance.

So depending on what the University sets out for us (although I am confident my approach will be so diverse and have the ability to settle concrete guidelines at the same time) I have decided my dissertation subject. I shall spend my free time researching and begin the first stages of the writing process.

At this early stage I won’t reveal the ‘title in planning’ of my dissertation as I would like to make some progress on it first before anybody else does. This might sound slightly selfish, perhaps arrogant but some ideas are worth protecting in the finite.   

The storm rolled over the mountains and made its greeting upon our little town just outside of Perpignan. It is now late into the evening and the streets outside are quiet and cool. To be considered a welcomed reprieve from the heat of the day. The torrents of water which ran through the streets are now stilled, to be evaporated into the evening air which has created a damp, making the bright lights from other houses dim.

Even in this remote part of France. A small village full of local traditions and patterned pastimes. The laptop of which I am writing this post has still managed to find wireless connectivity. Truly this world is a global village.

Although I can fluently request a cold lager from the small bar across the road, I must confess that my knowledge of the French dialect ends here. Conversations with the locals mostly consist of body language and smiling. I have been to quite a few places in France but Perpignan is different. For a start the culture is entirely different to the rest of the country. Hardly anybody speaks English and it is quite difficult trying to spot tourists.

On past holidays it would be common to rent a villa for a fortnight. This year a friend of the family has kindly allowed us to use their holiday home here. I suppose the lack of tourists makes sense for this reason. There are no communal swimming pools here or tacky tourist shops selling meaningless anecdotes to remember the country by.

Yesterday I came within a few miles from Spain and saw a mixture of different cultures at a morning market. Stools would commonly be selling products made by hand. Wooden carvings, children’s toys, handmade garments and other necessary items people use to live their lives.

As a technophobe I could not but help spot that the amount of technology around this area is basic. Mobile phones are big and clunky, television sets are never crisp flatscreens and cars are clearly only purchased 8^th hand.

There is a beauty about this though. People living here are still in the Western world but find that the simple life still works. There is no need for large marble kitchens, eco-friendly cars, expensive smartphones, powerful gaming consoles or computers. All the gadgets which I find myself being obsessed about seem to be mere distractions from a world which is far more than the speed of a processor.

I could get used to this simple life. A part of me marvels over the thought of escaping commitments and living out here for the rest of my life. Perhaps one day once I have grown tired of the world. For now though it is still necessary to continue on and remember this place in my memory as the village that had very little but had far more to offer me than the bustling city.