Reading List

I have compiled what I have read and what I will be reading.

Read 2011

Alices Adventures In Wonder Land
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
American Gods
Black Powder War
Booky Wook Two
Business Stripped Bare
Casanova
Childe Harolds Pilgrimage
The Colour of Magic
Coram Boy
The Drawing of the Three
Don Juan
Dorian Grey
Dracula
Empire of Ivory
Freedom From the Known
Green Mile
The Gunslinger
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Life Under The Jolly Rodger
The Light Fantastic
Lord of the Flies
The Ode Less Traveled
The Prelude
Paradise Lost
The Rules of Work
The Secret Garden
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
A Study in Scarlet
Temeraire
Throne of Jade
Through the Looking Glass
Victory of Eagles
Wake Up and Change Your Life

As well as Oscar Wilde's short stories, the complete works of Lord Byron and the complete works of William Ernest Henley is what I can remember.

I tried to read a book a week, but in the words of Bruce Lee, "A goal is not always something to be reached; it often serves as something to aim at." I am sure I will add to that list this year anyway.

To Read

The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes
William Wordsworth Major Works
The Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
The Complete Chronicles of Conan
The Time Machine
The Island of Doctor Moreau
The War of the Worlds
The First Men in the Moon and The Invisible Man
In The Days of the Comet
Men Like Gods
The Sleeper Awakest
The War in the Air
Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
Emma
Northanger Abbey
Persuasion and Lady Susan
The Great Gatsby
Howl's Moving Castle
Castle in the Air
House of Many Ways
The Devine Comedy
Oliver Twist
A Christmas Carol
David Copperfield
Great Expectations
A Tale of Two Cities
Mysterious Wisdom
Complete Works Of William Shakespeare
Iliad
The Odyssey
Collecting Five Weeks in a Balloon
Around the World in Eighty Days
A Journey to the Center of the Earth
From the Earth to the Moon
Round the Moon
Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Mysterious Island

As well as the rest of the Disc World series and the Dark Tower series, plus what ever else I feel like. This isn't to be read in a year by the way. Or is it... I'm going to give it a go.

Stephen Fry describes it as a mountain goat jumping from crag to crag, or a butterfly going from flower to flower. By I like how Terry Pratchett put it, I'm going to get my self an education.

Good Impression

Video 4 - The Literary Pursuit

Between the time I recorded this video and when it uploaded, I question it's necessity. But since I typed that sentence I have reassured myself. What I didn't make clear, was that at the moment, with my real job, I am currently working 5 evenings a week, all day Sunday and get Saturday off.

In a nut shell I can't get out to do open mic nights. Poor excuse I know but I'm sticking to it.

But what I've been left with is an exorbitant amount of time during the day. I currently read a lot already and so the original hesitation of the necessity of the post. But what is the point of the blog if you can't be self-indulgent.

What I am to do then is post updates of what I have read or reading.

Wasn't that hard really.

Winter Wonder Land

I was sworn at buy santa on the way home.

Black Garden Tattoo

I'm giving a shout out to Black Garden Tattoo. Currently I'm fortunate enough to be getting tattooed by one of London's finest artists, Tutti Serra. The man is a gentleman and a fine ambassador of his craft. More people need to know about the professionalism that sadly isn't offered by all Tattoo shops.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Garden-Tattoo/170573999644129

Also a shout out to Cult Classic Tattoo, to Mike Wall that has tattooed me in the past.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cult-classic-tattoo/122019483888

And to Nick Horn who now works in Good Times Tattoo.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Good-Times-Tattoo/114140011731

Secret of The Sphinx

A black halo of swarming moths crowns him,
Wretched from the forest , his pupils dilate.
The lights welcome dispels the ensemble.
Staggering to his feet, he rises to fate.

Huginn and Muninn perched on each shoulder,
Whispering secrets courtesy of the Sphinx.
His linage, the bastard son of Loki.
His Destiny, to dethrone Dionysis.

Jack Greengrass

This Time With Feeling

For me and for you.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank what ever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley


Next Tuesday will mark the second undertaking of me becoming a stand up comic. I intend to show the power of human will. Please bear witness to all that unfolds.

This time for the right reasons.

"Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly."

Franz Kafka

Autumn

but the leaves haven't fallen off.

Silica Gel

Why is it in the same sachets as they put salt in?

My Allotment Part 2

This is what happens to an allotment when you leave it for a few months.

GOS

We are the children that still believe.

Alcohol

I think in England we have a special relationship with dirty water. I can only speak from my own experiences, which begin in Norfolk at my Grandparents pub. The bubbles of a lager, the frothy head of an ale, and yes both the bitter taste and smell of beer that seemed foul at the time. I could never fathom why people would drink something so unpleasant, in such vast amounts, in quantities that you only ever saw in milk. I was only told," that you would enjoy it when you're older."

Fast forward to age 14 I was allowed the occasional shandy, which turned into a small glass of wine at a meal, which turned into one pint of Green King IPA.

Age 15 now, the older Scouts egg me on to do the "Bear". Four meters of piping, filled with flat white cider to be downed in one like a yard of ale.

Age 17 at house parties drinking alcopops, cider, bottles of beer, cans of beer, Applesnapz, vodka, Malibu, wine box's and anything else that older brothers and sisters would get.

Age 18 and finally old enough to enter licensed premises. I had my first pint of Green King IPA from a pub with my Granddad in Norfolk. As more people got older in our friendship group the more of us went to our locals and the occasional club. In Falaraki Greece, where spirits are not sold in required measurements, I had the "Jack Daniels" experience which I only know from the stories. I woke up stinking of cigarettes, mouth tasting of vomit, tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and in my underwear. My friends wanted to call an ambulance to have my stomach pumped, the hotel manager refused, bringing bags of Ice to put under my armpits and crotch which was why I was half naked. Fiona’s now boyfriend Chris (who had the flat warming party) didn't know us yet. All he heard from his balcony was, "there’s a boy on third floor, and he’s dying!"

The next three years I had similar exploits which involved me stealing rocking horses, drinking absinthe and gin with the Goths in Camden, paying 80p for bottles of beer and two pounds for trebles in Newcastle, fighting with homeless workers in Soho, getting kicked out of "the" worst night club in Britain (which is in Southampton and is called Jesters, I was told you could piss and puke on the floor and no one will kick you out) and many more.

At Fiona's flat warming party I had half a bottle of rum. I poured the half away on the way home. I have been thinking recently why I rely on alcohol to have a good time? It's not just me, allot of my friends have now finished uni so have been drinking like this for three years. I think the above illustrates what you will see in whole of the UK. I believe this stems back further than this, in which the poor people drank themselves stupid just to distract themselves from their boring mundane lives.

Hogarth's "Gin Lane" shows it has gone on forever, but I wouldn't want for other people to stop drinking even though I am. I also think that the Governments policy in preventing people drinking in excess is wrong, but I can't be arsed to rant about it here.

I did genuinely love alcohol, and not just drinking too much. But the amount we can achieve with out it I believe is far greater than anything I ever got from drinking the devils nectar.

Fiona's and Chris's Flat Warming

I'm only 21 and for my generation it's going to be harder than ever to get on the property ladder. So much so that this is a first out of all my friends who are even renting a place.

Now.

I am about to show you how it feels to be weightless...

STEBS SAYS LIVE YOUR LIFE.

Paper Fortress: 2009 - 2011 Reflection from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

Victory

There is so many things to see in my life tme and I will no longer dwell on this.

... ile still blog though.

Lower Than Atlantis

Saw LTA last night, they were very good.

Abney Park Cemetery

Abney Park Cemetery is a special place.



A magical place.



Which I have fallen in love with.

BBQ 04/06/11

I had a BBQ last saturday in which I took my friends to see my allotment.



I've done a little more on my allotment. But it deserves a proper post.




These are some of my best friends and my dog, Shaun was guarding the fort.




Paul doing some watering.




Walking home to the BBQ.

Goverment Inspector

Last night I went to see the Goverment Inspector staring Julian Barratt, it is the best russian comedic play I have ever seen.

Fuck Being Happy

Fuck Being Happy

There is so much pressure being happy people devote their life to happiness. This is the same thing as devoting your life in finding your favourite drug then being high all the time. People think that searching for happiness gives their life meaning, when in reality it gives them something to do. Morbidly obese people diet and loose all that weight to become what they perceive as beautiful. To be told how nice and slim they look. Yet at the end of it, after they have achieved their goal. They have nothing to do, so quite often they put all that weight back on.

Young people with low job prospects and poor education get there girlfriend pregnant then get married because centuries of brainwashing and preconditioning tell them this. But in reality the young couple have a lot of growing up to do themselves before they even think about raising another human being.

Like any pleasure people are attracted to sex because in those 5 – 7 minutes of intercourse (depending on which data source you choose to believe) your mind goes blank and you abandon all else, just to be in the moment. People like this feeling so keep chasing it, trying so desperately relive it again and again.

Be it loosing weight, raising a family, living your wildest sexual fantasies or being an avid stamp collector. It gives people something to do, because when faced with total freedom they flounder in the ocean. They’re given too much choice and so will latch on to the first thing that seems attractive. It’s easier living in a garden pond with its limited space and familiar surroundings than to swim in the ocean with its unlimited possibilities.

I’m fortunate to live where it is easy to do what I want, say what I want and think what I want. Even though I am no truly free, it would be both ignorant and stupid of me to think my environment is so constricting it prevents any form of self expression, and it is because it so vast, ultimately there is plenty of opportunity to live a life of ones choosing.

That is what it comes down to. Not just falling into jobs, but actively choosing what you do. It’s not easy, because if it was, everyone would be doing it. But when you find your art, your vocation, your higher calling. You pursue it with all the energy you have.

The happiness will come and go. It’s that balance makes us appreciate it, even recognize what it is.

When I look back at my life, what am I going to wish I did more of? Watching TV?

No.

Fuck being happy.

Jack.

Don't Push Me

A giant yellow banana slug collectively with the assistance of Wilfred the Strange (of Clapham Common) suck the souls of aspiring young writers. Stealing their ideas and selling them onto Hollywood who in turn create something that is sub par and unfaithful to the original.

100 Gigs

I make no apologies for Russell Brand being my favourite comic, and in this paticular interview with Dawn French I find him very honest. He dosn't feel the need to act up, which in the abundance of footage of him being interviewed on the internet is quite rare. Anyhow, there is a part towards the end when Dawn asks, "do other young comedians ask for your advice on how to get into the business or anything?" In which he replied about being honest and truefull to yourself. Which I think is important otherwise you wont appear genuine when performing, and to audiances, who aren't stupid, they will quickly realise if you are imitating other comics, and even worse, stealing jokes.

But that aside, what I took most from this interview was the advice that he got from another comedian Eddie Izzard, "don't judge yourself till you've done a 100 gigs". Even though it shouldn't of, in my head this has justified me to go out and do 100 gigs without the pressure of being judged by anyone. Not me, not you, not even God. Why? Because Eddie said. So without further ado I present the "100 Gig Challenge!" Woo!

Comedy Crawl + Dead Fox

Sunday May the 1st I went with my friend Daniel to the Camden Comedy Crawl for an evening of drunken stumbling from various venues watching up and coming comics as well as extablished acts. Some of my favourites included Bec Hill and her magical A1 pad. Late Night Gimp Fight though there was a bit too much willy for my tastes, and Tony Law who is one of my all time favourite stand ups who I didn' t think I was going to see, so I was pretty chuffed!

Video 2 - Comedy Crawl + Dead Fox from Jack Greengrass on Vimeo.

And then the long walk home. For some reason the N55 decided to drop me off at Leyton instead of Woodford Wells. It is 8.1 miles to my house from Leyton. I started to loose my touch with reality and filmed a dead fox. In the film I mention how I chose not to film any of the comics. This is because I know how some people feel about their material, essentially their lively hood being shown on the internet for free.

Shoe Tree

I found an Oak sapling growing in my allotment, so I thought that the most appropriate place for it is my shoe.

Listener

Dan Smiths listener and their "talk music", this is real fucking art.

My Allotment Part 1

I acquired an allotment about a month and a half ago at Loughton Potato Ground which is one of the oldest continually used allotments in the country. The above photo is of the top half.
This is the bottom half and as you can see I have a fair way to go.

But I have been hampered by both a dislocated knee and shoulder, going to Norfolk for a week and now this, a broken fork...

At least I can pretend to be an Xman.

wonderful

I feel elated, things are about to get really good really quickly. People don't even realise, it's going to be magical, special and many more things. Im living so hard its become easy, everything is just flowing and the is sun going into my skin, releasing endorphins from every orifice. Especially my mouth. In the form of words.

Amy Purdy

Pass The Bucket - Amy Purdy from Off The Wall TV on Vimeo.

This video is from a series that vans is making called Pass the Bucket which intends to inspire. Amy Purdy lost both her legs to meningitis, yet through her own determination she has continued to do the things she has loved, acting, modeling, snowboarding and skating. There are some more videos in the series about other peoples extraordinary lives which makes me to want to live harder than ever before.

More Snowboarding Videos >>


Gallows are a band that I have admired since their inception. Even though Frank Carter would say that no one should be idolised. That people only let you down, especially your heroes. Aside from his charisma that draws people to all great showmen, personally it's his and the bands no nonsense approach to all the bullshit that saturates the art of today. Be it theatre, poetry or comedy and his case, music and tattooing. This documentary is also about some other like minded people who strive to excel in what they do for its own end.

Video 1 - The Beginning

Video 1 - The Beginning from Jack Greengrass on Vimeo.

So it begins...

I have got permission from The Electric Wizard to start stand up comedy, but on the condition upon my failure, I have to forfeit my soul to the forest. To spend the rest of my life as a great White Hawk Moth, a guardian of the woods against lucifers children, who seek to wreak havoc on animals that call the woodland their home. I pointed out that I pretty much do this all ready, just not as a Hawk Moth, and he said, "oh". He then threatened to hand me over to the KGB for my crimes in the Cold War, when my fighting fame was at its most prowess. After to agreeing to the terms and signing in blood, he disappeared with a flash of lightning and a roar of thunder. And so began the Adventures of Jack Edward Greengrass King of The Gypsies.