Where are you? In Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon, four weeks into university, in the library.

What are you? Discontented Student. Impatient for new experiences.

What do you make? A mess, pictures, programs, pizza, bread.

What do you love? I love to be loved. I love visiting my friends. Smells that remind me of places I've been. Songs that remind me of people I've known. My Mum, Dad and siblings.

What do you hate? My mood swings - being dependent on the fickle state of my brain's chemistry. Not having a best friend available to talk with. Uncertainty - I worry too much.

What do you listen to? Radio Four in the morning. John Peel on Radio One in the evening. Portishead, Ben Folds Five, Belle & Sebastian, David Holmes, Photek, FSOL, Pavement, The Delgados to name a few.

What do you watch? I used to watch TV(ER, This Life) - but I no longer have one, so I spend my time at the bar drinking with friends and watching people.

What do you drink? Too much coffee, peppermint tea, milk, orange juice, caffreys, murphys, pernod.

What do you smoke? Marlboro Lights and the occasional block of hash.

What do you take? Vitamin C.

What do you believe in? Myself. Fate.

When We were 16.

Where were you? At secondary school in Southampton.

What were you? Unconfident.

What did you wear? Big baggy jumpers, old adidas, DM boots.

What did you listen to? Elastica, the Lemonheads, Juliana Hatfield Three, Supergrass, The Mark Radcliffe Show (in the evenings at 10, when it was good). People I thought were cool.

What did you watch? Non-memorable TV programming.

What did you love? Music. Pretentious/arty films. Going to London with friends. Art & Design lessons. Going to friends parties. Going camping with friends.

What did you hate? Feeling insecure. Rumors. Not feeling normal. The way I looked. Fear of never finding someone to love.

What did you drink? Anything alcoholic.

What did you smoke? Marlboro occasionally. Dope occasionally

What did you take? I lied about taking a multitude of drugs.

What did you want to be? An artist.

Who did you fight? My dad.

Who/What did you believe in? The NME.

Where did you go? Camping. School. The corner shop on Copperfield Rd at lunchtime.

What did you learn? That things work out in the end.


october 1997.