Revolutionary Rants

OK, so most “About me” pages seem to say ‘I’m a 42 year old housewife, what more do you need to know?’, so mine is full of trivial shite…

My name is Jess (or Jessica if you wish to be more formal…), I am 25 years old and I am very proud to say that I was home educated from birth until the age of 18 when I went off to University. I graduated from said University, Huddersfield, in 2004 with a degree in Politics. I then took (and got) a Masters postgraduate degree in Political Philosophy at the University of York. As of the end of 2007 I am working for CPND as a project worker and I also volunteer for Addaction (since 2006).

I have had quite an unconventional life, having been - as I said - home educated until I went to University. I have lived, variously, in Braintree (Essex), Mansfield (Nottinghamshire), Knockbeha (County Clare, Republic of Ireland), Huddersfield (Yorkshire), Reading (Berkshire) and Barnstaple (Devon). I like the change, but also have an ambition to live longer than ten years in one place!

I love politics and writing, hence the sometimes fairly political nature of my web log. I am an anarchist and I do not wish to be a politician at all – I am first and foremost a philosopher! Well, really that should read ‘arguer’, shouldn’t it? My ’specialist area’ in academia was the philosophy of Robert Nozick; hate his ideas but they are fascinating to chew over. And over and over (I wrote a total of two dissertations, one project of 5,000 words, one MA essay and two undergraduate essays on Mr N).

The other reason for me having this ‘blog is the main love in my life – Chris (a.k.a. Chicken or Mr. Chicken). He’s a rather lovely computer geek and we met over a 99p pint on a happy Wednesday in our Student Union bar. We have been together a reasonable time now (since 2003) and generally only washing-up issues come between us!!! We moved in together (”officially”) in summer 2004 and have lived very happily with many computers and a small telly in Reading, Huddersfield, Barnstaple and now in Swimbridge in North Devon. I did the very unanarchistic thing and made an honest Chicken of him in May 2007.

Chris is my joint favourite boy, along with my dog Beano. He passed away in 2004, which broke my heart. Having longed for a dog for ages, we got Ferris, a Jack Russell terrier, in early 2008. He is great fun, very cheeky and has brought enormous happiness to us thus far!

I am a vegetarian! Well, piscatorian as I eat fish. All together now: Hypocrite!

My favourite band is the Manic Street Preachers – I was very obsessed as a teenager, but I have more control over it now. Before I met Mr C, my favourite fellow was their lead singer James Dean Bradfield. Other favourite music includes Feeder, Mansun, Divine Comedy, Super Furry Animals, Muse, Travis, the Beautiful South, the Kaiser Chiefs and many more. My favourite song is without doubt Motorcycle Emptiness.

I am a massive Arsenal supporter (and have been since I was six, so do not say I am a bandwagon support, you!!!). My favourite all time player is Ian Wright, but of course, I worshipped at the alter of Tierry ‘Va va voom’ Henry as well! I enjoy sport in general (watching rather than playing usually! Although I like to swim!)

I love watching films and have a wide range of knowledge in completely useless film trivia. Some favourites are Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Citizen Kane, La Haine, A Room With a View and Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain. Amelie has crept up on the rails and is probably now my very favourite. I also like to watch anything with Orson Welles in it. Or Christian Bale… I am also very keen on Studio Ghibli stuff at the moment.

I like to travel - who doesn’t? The city I love the most is probably Paris, we try to go there once a year for a fix. I also love Yorkshire, especially Whitby, and my “home” county of Nottinghamshire.

The best book in the world is The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger, but I haven’t ever read anything I didn’t like by George Orwell. I also read a lot of murder related stuff, either fictional mysteries or, more usually, real crime (I sometimes like to scare people with my knowledge about serial killers, especially the Yorkshire Ripper!) I am also sadly rather keen on the Harry Potter books!

My favourite programme of all time is This Life, but I enjoy all sorts of telly. As Nicky Wire said “the TV is my best friend”…

I am also rather partial to: Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Wallace and Gromit, swimming, Postman Pat, leopard print, Dr Martin boots, cider/scrumpy, David Tennant, Philip Larkin’s poetry, red/rose wine, Snoopy, Whitby, Christmas cake, French cinema (although I don’t much like the Three Colours films!), eye liner, whiskey (sometimes with coke), Ronnie O’Sullivan, writing, pistache ice cream (if you are ever in Paris, try and find the tart also - unbelievable!), Willo-The-Wisp, and London!

Enough already, I can tell I am boring you…