So I was walking home from school this afternoon, drinking my Sprite, when I realised that I haven’t actually introduced myself properly. So, I guess this post is what the first one should have been, an introduction to me.
My name is Ben, I’m fifteen, and I live and go to school in Essex. I’m half French, in fact I was born in south Paris and lived just up the road from The Tuleries until I was three. I used to be a fluent speaker of my native tongue, but me being a stubborn bastard, I decided at the age of three that living in England meant I didn’t need to know how to speak French. Perhaps If I had remembered I would have already taken my GCSE in the subject, rather than Taking it this year with everything else.
I’m very interested in film, especially the different ways that a director can find to tell a story. In my opinion, the greatest two films ever made are Goodfellas (1990) and There Will Be Blood (2007). However, my favourite film of all time has to be the mighty Anchorman (2004). I take an interest in making films, in fact there are about nine hours worth of my short films just laying about in my room. I’m currently in pre-production of a short film (no title yet) which studies guilt, power, and violence as perceived by our culture. It will probably turn out shit.
I’m also really into Podcasts. I subscribe to about thirty, but my absolute must listen is Movies You Should See, it’s just a great mix of witty banter and fine film criticism. Many a time have I tried to record a Podcast of my own, in fact about a year and a half I had a feed up and running. It was a film review show (quelle surprise) which I wont reveal the title of, as it might make you want to check it out. But really, Podcasting is a whole other post.
My musical tastes are quite varied. At this moment I’m listening to In Rainbows by Radiohead, an album I consider to be the finest of this decade. Looking up and down my iPod, I see Scott Walker, The Pixies, The Kinks, Portishead, The Smiths, The Stooges. You know, the stuff no decent iPod should be without. I have nothing wildly profound to say about music, I just listen to peoples recommendations for me, and if I like it, I get it.
As for books, well, my tastes are improving. About a year ago I took the transition from reading children’s books, to reading more grown up fiction (I nearly said adult books then, would have conjured up a totally different image). My author of the moment is Cormac McCarthy. I just feel that his prose takes fiction to a whole new level, finding beauty in the most horrific events. I’m also a great fan of the brilliant Chuck Palahniuk. If you have never read one of his novels, go out and BUY Survivor. I say BUY because this is a book that you will want to own, it really stands up to repeat readings.
Writing this, I feel guilty that I can’t really say anything more exciting about my life, it’s really quite mundane. But, I guess, I’m still young, and there is plenty of time for me to collect some cool hobbies. It’s not like nothing happens in my life, just that nothing happenes which I can put on an ‘about me’ section of a website.

Ben