What's The Tea?... A Manchester Weekend, Graduation Nerves & Stone Cold Truths!

Don't worry about me, in this very moment I'm plotting my next move in life. This year has been crazy and confusing but I know greatness has been achieved so far. 2014 has been the year that I rewrote the book in many ways but difference is showing me to embrace life in the moment. From Manchester to endless job interviews, it's time to set the record straight. Oh my living life! 

Manchester came through for me at the beginning of 2014, I had some research to conduct for my Dissertation. I wanted to love life that January weekend! My higher education journey was onto its final frontier with my ten thousand word Dissertation keeping things interesting! I used the experience to my advantage, I needed some first hand field research for my paper. Canal Street hasn't seen the last of me! I wanted to graduate with honours but I was on a mad travelling hype during the final semester of my closing uni year in Birmingham. Bristol and Bath impressed me much with its realness, those Roman Baths served up exactly what I wanted. Birmingham life got me crazy, into the flow of my uni work I couldn't control that urge to shake my cakes on the dance-floor at the Village Inn within Birmingham's Gay Village! Downing another drink at the bar on a usual Saturday night, I wasn't ready to give up my nights out B! No, I had gotten things together and didn't wan the journey to end yet! Life was about to strike! Oh!

It was a family affair due to my younger brother loving life in his first year at University College Birmingham, he enjoyed his first throw of university life but we turned it up every once in a while! The fire was burning bright in my eyes, I had a dream to become a flight attendant for Emirates. I was obsessed with the application, driving everyone near me to distraction with the fine details because I wanted that gig so much. My friendship with Kelly grew with our Chinese New Year celebrations in Southside, she knows I will throw shade on others. February and March took a change for this blog, I fancied myself as a hotel, food and theatre blogger with the small writing gigs I secured during the first throws of my final semester at UCB. I stayed cool at the Rotunda, ate well at Coast To Coast and critiqued a show at Wolverhampton's Grand, endorsing those businesses through my independent hype! Graduation was in the back of my mind but I should have just stopped stressing! How the last two years have changed the game! 

Those final modules kept me going, it was a celebration to hand in the next assignment. I chilled my approach towards lectures because I had my study game on! Cheltenham and Dursley took me away from Birmingham to reunite with a dear friend from freshers 2010, I will no longer desire the taste of Pear Cider. I don't brag, I serve and inform and if you don't like that then get gone! OK, I got my European hype on because you know I was tripping when I got that bursary fund. Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen showed me a full packed five day city experience. I bow down to Germany, she's a fierce competitor who has a story I listened to. It wasn't a joke that I didn't get a job with Emirates, I'll stay nice because I have a plan to execute. I knew that 2014 afforded me the summer of experience with multiple foreign trips so I took a trip down to Stonehenge with a pit-stop visit in Bristol, yes I embraced my situation. It wasn't meant to be with the airline/airport job situation, for that reason I cherished my placement even more! Yes!

I loved my life down in Southside. After joining the UCB LGBT Society at the beginning of my final year at university I worked it out in the clubs that I approved of. Intermission, I hit Coventry and Lichfield for the afternoon to prove the haters wrong! Handsworth and Benefits Street opened my eyes to a side of Birmingham. We celebrated the advent of the legalisation of same sex marriages in our rainbow style, donning our hen attire whilst marrying the night because we rejoiced. My workload from university needed some let up, I would work on 4,000 words then turn it up on a Friday and Saturday night at the Village Inn. Birmingham Pride 2014 beckoned, filling my cup I enjoyed my Pride weekend to the fullest with a class act hangover that lasted three days after the weekend. I wasn't looking for any approval, the hands of time moved faster than words could say, I was on to the next thing! Uni done, B! During those final few weeks, I felt as if I knew Birmingham even more and for that reason I didn't want to leave! No!

Looking for the main attraction I took my life down to London for a quick minute, reconnecting with my parents and seeing another side to the city of my birth. The assignments had been all submitted, it was time to pack my belongings from my former Thomas House room and leave that student accommodation for the final time. London gave me some breathing space to seek that adventure out! My summer took me back to Bilston, living with my Grandparents until the next phase commenced. I called upon some sources to afford me a summer to remember. I got my 2;1 degree from UCB, I booked up a shameless weekend to Blackpool. I reported on the first arrival from China into Birmingham Airport, memories sure did reignite from my Newark placement year! Life changed so much but I wouldn't let it go up in flames! Nobody had prepared me, the last four years have been like a conveyor belt of consistency with each semester coming around and my placement year bringing me back into the security of The Maltings. BB!

I returned back to Birmingham in August prior to my Geordie getaway! The Angel of The North showed me which way to go, her cast iron self instilled some strength within during that Newcastle time. I snapped a shot with Beauty Killer at Eazy Street and appreciated the Tyne Bridge with time burning like a raging fire. Feeling free for a small period of time I silenced the crazy with an afternoon in Shrewsbury, you know I was on that Ramen Noodle hype! Autumn pounded the alarm, I owned the streets but didn't break any dishes in Stoke-On-Trent. I had to challenge the ordinary because I was getting crazy as the month progressed. London I thought we had a deal?! You know there's always something new in my life! I kept myself busy, I delved into the China possibilities after I had secured my TEFL online certificate. I saw a chance to teach English in China because I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I still had to get graduation done before I could fully pursue that option. Things will pan out, I am eyeing 2015! 

September brought my time, I had a duty to 'Sissy That Graduate' as I made my way across the stage at Birmingham's Symphony Hall to collect my degree. I had kicked up some fuss to get my paper sooner to get my ass onto the next hype. Striking up the band I said farewell to my university journey, making peace with Birmingham to realise the wait was completely worth the drama. I met Kelly again, meeting her Parents and Maternal Grandparents was great! I would be making plans for sure to visit them in Hong Kong soon enough! Feeling like dancing I returned to Wolverhampton for Wolves Pride 2014 to enjoy a day and night of celebration for my home city. Since July I have blogged about the comeback city from my own perspective. Blogging has been hard due to my location and lack of funds but I have made my mark no matter what! This year might not be over yet and this entry isn't a sweeping judgement of what has already happened I just want to recognise whats gone down because I have a lot more in the pipeline!

The time is now for a change, I want to challenge myself with a new beginning. I worked in America without the knowledge of creating this blog. I have every intention of taking this blog to the next level in 2015 and beyond! I'm not sure which direction things will go but I have a thirst to get back out into the world. I have seriously underestimated the prospect of looking for a job, my cushioned existence at university put me in dazed state of mind, it has been a bitter pill to swallow! I have love and admiration for Bilston but that West Midlands town doesn't inspire or give me life, so I best secure some employment then I'll have the funds to fly! Christmas 2014 looks to be a London thing because I shall be spending the festivities at my parents pub in the big smoke. London has been my crutch to escape to but I need to get my life already! 2014 has been a blessed yet stressful year with many twists and turns I wanted to serve this blog with truthfulness. Life can't always be beautiful but the truth sets us free, I know what I need to do! 

Trust and Believe!

Joseph Harrison