The Nexus 4 is fantastic

Nexus 4 & it's box

If you're aware of the Nexus 4; you're more than likely aware of how much of a struggle it has been for the majority of people (me included) to obtain one. The original release in late November definitely flopped, leaving so, so many people disappointed. Fast forward to December 4th. The UK was having a second release!

I geared up at 4:30pm on the Play Store, passing time and F5ing slowly, the closer to 5pm, the more rapid the refreshing. Eventually, I managed to get through to the checkout after quite a few server crashes and successfully copped a Nexus 4 16gb at 5:07pm. Fantastic, or was it? Multiple errors?! Turns out Lloyds TSB were blocking the transaction on account of 'fraudulent activity' - are you kidding me? Weeks of anticipation and this is what happens?!. So, after nearly an hour and a half on hold with the bank and many new curse words later, I finally had the transaction authorised and was able to pay Google (pending transaction!).

Upon reading that many people were stuck in limbo from Google, with no acknowledgement of payment, shipping - any information at all; like many others I had no idea what was going on. Some were shifted to 5-7 weeks of waiting for the phone; whereas some were having their phones delivered despite being quoted 3-4 weeks. Unsettling, my patience is truly being tested here.

So, fast forward to Saturday 8th December. A day off work and I awake to a phone call from Meg at work. Our Birmingham store has a Nexus 4 in stock, it's on reserve for me. After initially crapping my pants, I rushed and dragged my girlfriend out of bed to head to town and God bless Charlotte for doing so (I think I paid her back by buying her a Harringtons jacket). I rushed down to our store, brought the phone and traded in my broken HTC Sensation. £257 after discount for a mint condition 16gb Nexus 4? I'm game. We had to rush home immediately to cancel the transaction on Google and I was preying it hadn't gone through. But all is well!

The phone itself is absolutely phenomenal. It just feels so good in my hands and I haven't even used it outside of my home yet (I'm waiting for my case to arrive!). I keep picking it up and just looking at it. It's so nice to look at. It feels like one of the more finely polished Android phones in recent years, I think this is a very good sign to the prospected future of Android (alongside the Galaxy S3). I wish I could write a more detailed review of actually using the phone, but hey - this is a blog. There are plenty of dedicated websites for that.

The long and short of it is: if you've ordered one and are in limbo - the phone is absolutely worth it. I haven't come across one of the complaints I've been reading online (battery? Over 24 hours of use here and I just hit 15% writing this..).

Boat To Row & a good night!

Last night, me, Chris & Charlotte went to see some personal favourites, Boat To Row, headline their show as a part of their UK tour - it was brilliant!

It was definitely one of my favourite times seeing Boat To Row perform - both in filming and concert. The venue was absolutely jam-packed, which I think surprised even Boat To Row. It's definitely a well deserved presence, mind you.

Misty's Big Adventure, terrifying.

The folk band were supported by Charlotte Carpenter; of whom we've filmed before for Croft Sessions  (below) and also absolutely love. So I'd definitely recommend giving her a listen. Also, Misty's Big Adventure; who for the most part have a very odd presence about them - but the character of the band make it work very well. especially when their mascot is this quite frankly, terrifying super villian (right). All through their performance he kept the energy high by being, well, terrifying.

I was disappointed that we couldn't see Young Runaways, who unfortunately dropped out last minute. Which is a shame, as I was excited to see them perform; we filmed them near enough this time last year and to be honest, they are very nice people, very humble. But hey, things happen. I really do hope we'll be seeing more of Young Runaways in the very near future!

Before and after the gig was such a laugh, we had some drinks in the Victoria pub, opposite the Mailbox and I'm disappointed in myself for not realising sooner how nice of a pub it is! I had been in there a few times; but never actually sat in there and took it all in, it's a great environment to surround yourself in and decorated so well! It's set the standard for what I want a pub to look like. We also hung about in a pub along the Broad Street canal, which made me feel about 10 years old due to the amount of the *ahem* older generation were occupying the pub. It was nice, funny and just a good night. I do always have a good laugh with Chris.

All in all, I had a very enjoyable night. I am going to make sure to get myself to more and more gigs, big or small. I'm mad at myself for not making myself go to more, even if I have to go on my own! (well, we'll see.)

Check out Charlotte Carpenter, for Croft Sessions:

Also, I'm writing this from Windows 8, I don't know how I feel about it, but I'll probably make a blog post about it.

Passion

I think it's important to have a passion in life, I also think it's one thing to have a passion & it's another thing to pursue that passion. So why aren't I?

Does everybody have a passion? Yes. Has everybody found their passion? No. I don't think there should be any rush to find one, you'll end up forcing one. I think it comes naturally and when it's found, you'll feel much better for it because it will just feel right. One of my old school teachers told me that he didn't find his passion until he was 44. Who's to say you should rush?

It's easy to say that you'll pursue a passion; it's easy to make plans and it's easy to say 'this will happen'; I don't know. Things can get in the way: money, time, confidence, knowledge, motivation - life. Life can get in the way. it depends on what end of the perspective spectrum you're on. All of the aforementioned factors are excuses, no doubt about that - if you have a passion, that is your motivation. That is what will bring out the very best and the very worst of you. That is what you will struggle for, what you will dream about and it is what will drive you forward.

My passion is filming. Filming bands for Croft Sessions. I love doing it, everything about it. I love finding bands, spending time with talent, learning and listening to their passions. Watching the way they talk about their love for music and really feeling the energy - then transferring that energy into film and releasing it is something that makes me feel so good and so accomplished. I just want to learn and become better and better at it.

I know for a fact that I have been neglecting my passion. It pains me, it does. I hate that it's happened and I hate that it feels like it's 'on hold' while 'real work (read: 9-to-5)' takes over. Don't get me wrong - I do like my job, even at the worst of times. I just honestly hate the fact that filming has had to take a side-step. It shouldn't; it never should have and it's my fault.

During this time I am going to be really strict to myself, I need to focus and put more energy into what I truly love and I know I will feel much better about myself; even if I'm surrounded by a majority who don't give a fuck about what they do - I'll feel significantly better about myself if I stop slacking.

2013, I'm coming for you.

So I got myself a PS3 and took a trip down nostalgia lane

Sony Playstation 3 160gb Slim

In 2008, I saved up enough money to buy an Xbox 360. The 120gb 'Elite' version; I remember saving up all of my money and even sold my Nintendo Wii to be able to afford one. If I recall, I remember holding all of the £20 and £10 notes infront of me and lay them all on the desk - 15 year old me couldn't believe I had all of this money infront of me and it was mine. I had earnt it and could spend it on whatever I wanted. I only had one thing in mind - the glorious Xbox 360.

It was a pretty big deal for me to have my own console that was all mine. The first memory I have of a games console is watching my brother and his friends play on his SNES - Super Mario All Stars. Even though I could have the occasional play on it, it was still his. The PS1? The families. The PS2? The families. The Gamecube & Wii? The Families. The Xbox 360? All mine. I guess in hindsight it seems selfish writing this now, but I guess testosterone filled 15 year old me felt it was a pretty big achievement to finally have something I can call my own.

Fast forward to 2012; I have a consistent pay every month and frankly, my 360 was showing its limits. Where's my file support? The 3rd party apps are all awful and it was painfully slow. Even though I like the 'Metro' look, paying £40 a year to have my dashboard covered in advertisements and my service to be minimal? No Thank you. Trading you in. Goodnight sweet prince. Hello, dark knight. Also, I didn't pay a penny!

I've been lingering to do this for literally a year, I haven't even set the PS3 up yet and I'm already certain I should have done this a long time ago. One of the main reasons for this purchase is the superior 1080p support, both in-console content and downloaded media. I have tons of HD content I've downloaded purchased legally that I can't wait to watch (without the annoying sound of the 360/PC fan!

Plus, you can play freakin' Playstation 1 games! You have no idea how much I want to play Crash Team Racing!

Until next time

life - the nexus 4 and a little consumerism rant

Before I kick this off, I'd like to state that I'm more than aware of the irony here, considering the majority of my posts so far have been about clothes I've brought...

 So the Nexus 4 plan kind of fell through, dramatically and very unexpectedly. Even with barely any prior promotion, Google sold out of the Nexus 4's within ~5 minutes of availability - and that's for a phone that went live at 8am (who puts a phone on sale at 8am?); what's more is that at 8:30am while I was travelling back home from Charlotte's I received an e-mail from Google telling me 'The Nexus 4 is now available for purchase'. Hilarious, Google.

After frantically heading into Carphone Warehouse on both release and post-release day - I was told they're not selling contractless for 'a good few weeks'; and the O2 store are selling the phone at a hilarious £399. So I guess my plan is to either wait until the Play Store restock (???) or if my own store gets some, cop one.

The reaction of the community who were unable to nab a device has been very disappointing. I can totally understand that people are pissed that they weren't able to buy one right away; but this suffocation of consumerism and the thirst for false-needs are evident all around. People tend to be SO outraged simply because they didn't buy a phone on release day. Sure, I have submerged myself in materialistic needs before and was disappointed I didn't get a Nexus 4 right away; but I'll accept it. It'll come, as with anything else.

People seem to have the idea that it's a right they have to have this phone, when frankly it's a privilege.

That goes for any sort of materialistic element one may obsess to possess. It's not what you want to hear, but you're not a priority to receive anything, the world doesn't owe you any favours simply because you exist. I get this more than enough while serving customers at work - there are more than a fair share of arrogant consumers who feel the need to get irate when something we have isn't in stock, to their price liking or that we won't take their item for trade & give them money (or that we're not giving them as much money as they'd like). I can empathise with the irritation, I can. But consumerism to this extent is optional. I'll repeat; optional. If you don't like how much money my store has to offer you for your device then simply don't sell it. I really don't have to spell it out. There are times where I really am sick of being yelled by a fickle customer who doesn't understand that it's not something I control. I guess with a good workforce and community my attitude is better but hey that's a tangent.

I'm not saying consumerism is all bad, there are many great elements to it - the satisfaction, the community, the even the sense of belonging. I think its definitely overshadowed by the obsession and thirst for instant gratification that the western world seem to possess.

Take care.

diamond supply og crewneck pickup

This morning, something I've been looking forward to arrived today; the Diamond Supply OG Sign 2 Crewneck:

Diamond Supply Co. OG Sign 2 Crewneck

The design of this basically does what it says on the tin. The simple crewneck features the original Diamond Supply Co. logo in a patch on your top left chest, as well as an outline of a Diamond on the lower-opposing sleeve, it's (scarcely) available in both black and grey colourways, I opted for the black because I felt it looked more simple and relaxed in a darker colour. I tried it on earlier, and it is honestly the warmest thing I have ever worn, (80% Cotton, 20% Polyester) with winter rapidly approaching this is going to keep me ridiculously snug, this could be partially due to the fit also. I brought it in a size M, though it fits slightly bigger - not quite a large, but just past a medium. Either way, it's going to keep me snug.

I do have a good relationship with Diamond Supply Co.; as with any brand, I definitely prefer the more simplistic and minimalist designs when it comes to clothing and clothing prints; which explains my uncertainty with Mishka - I like the clothes, but on other people. Personally, I don't like wearing gear with complex and extravagant designs, I'd like them on other people and may even like the design themselves, but it's not my style to wear it. 

From lurking boards online, I think the general consensus in the United States is that Diamond Supply is currently suffering the same fate as Obey, Trainspotter etc.. are suffering in the England; by being stocked in 'mainstream' malls and worn by 'hypebeasts'. I don't think this is the case for Diamond in England, however. One thing I've discovered as being very important in this clothing scene is that authenticity is everything, and that the authenticity is definitely not limited to the clothes. but how you represent yourself, as well.

Anyway, I'm currently eating BBQ noodles and getting ready for work so I'll end here. It isn't my intention to have this blog primarily be a "hey world look what Jon brought today!" page, so expect some life~ posts and whatnot in the future.

See ya

supreme x comme des garcons pickup

Yesterday was a pretty big day. Just over a fortnight ago, I purchased the below t-shirt from a nice guy on the internet super-highway. After being delayed by the hurricane in New York and being held by customs (I'll get to that...) I was able to pick her up.

Supreme x Comme Des Garcons SHIRT Polkadot T-shirt S/S '12

This particular t-shirt is one of my personal holy grail (most sought-after) items from the brand. I've always thought it was absolutely gorgeous in photographs and to be honest - in person, it's even more so. It's a size medium - which proved irritatingly hard to find on the internet amist a sea of size S, L and XL - and fits absolutely beautifully. The tags on her check out, and the guy was nice enough to supply a Supreme NY bag.

The collaboration between New York's Supreme and Japanese giants Comme des Garçons brand comes is a fusion of two significant design focus points from the two brands. On Comme des Garçons end - the polkadots are taken from what I can only presume is their CDG PLAY line of polkadot T-shirts and of course, Supreme's notorious box logo. I love the polkadots on this - although I do like the CDG Play shirts, I think the actual dots are too big and intrusive. The design on this shirt is nice and spread out. Noticable, yet subtle.

I woke up on yesterday morning to a notice from Parcelforce regarding a customs fee. Annoyingly, yet expectedly, I would have to pay it to gain access to my item. It seems customs held it for 5 days before notifying me I had to pay. I thought, sod that. I'm not paying online and waiting 5 days for it to process and deliver, I'm going to pick it up, so that's what I did! I phoned up Parcelforce and spoke to an insanely depressed sounding man, which lead to this tweet from Parcelforce.

I have to give huge credit to Android & Google Now here - online, I entered the postcode to the Parcelforce depot, north of Birmingham and set on my way to the train station. Shortly after, I received a notification from Google Now on my phone. It displayed the quickest way to reach this location, provided all the information about directions, platforms etc.. as the image displayed. It did all this while tracking where I was in real-time and adjusted the information accordingly. Even with turn-by-turn voice navigation!

I was insanely impressed and fanboyed out a lot - simply because this is the first time I had experienced true Google Now on my barely functional and modified HTC Sensation. Today should be one of the last days I am using my Sensation - as it's Nexus 4 release day and I am hoping to cop one in about an hour or so! I'm pretty stoked to experience pure Android. I could go on, but that's a story for my next post...





I enjoyed my day yesterday - sure, I could have paid the fee online and waited for a later delivery, but my impatience and lack of things to do provoked me to enjoy a long train journey to the otherside of town. Besides, who doesn't love a long train journey?

boat to row "freedom" for croft sessions

Over the summer, we've had the privilege of being able to film the very talented Boat To Row for a-part of our Croft Sessions project. I say we - I mostly mean good friend of mine (and project partner), Chris. Who went to nearly all of Boat To Row's festivals to film while I was stuck at work.

We've released 4 out of 5 parts of the series with Boat To Row, alongside an official music video (!!!). Part 4, is hands down my favourite. The band performed their awesome track 'Freedom' - which they've given away for free on their Facebook. Chris filmed the band during Barn In The Farm festival in the summer. The music is great, the filming is great and the scenery is just fantastic. Here it is:

I'm not going to turn this blog into a shameless plug for these sessions - but do expect me to post about them occasionally. They mean a hell of a lot to me and I find great pleasure in being able to meet such talented artists and filming them is nothing short of a privilege. It makes me feel so good to sit back at and look at your completed work - to be proud and eager to want to share it with the world is something I've never really felt before. I'd love to do this my entire life. I want to learn more about promotion techniques - or at least with a promoter, I just want as many people to see these as possible because they mean a lot to me.

Anyway, Boat To Row for Croft Sessions.

Love.

how to spot a fake supreme t-shirt

Time for a post about everybodies favourite brand: Supreme.

The theme of this post isn't necessarily something I will be posting often ( if ever again). Personal opinions of the brand aside, I felt the need to write this post because it's something I wish I read when the unfortunate happened to me, and I'd like to at least help preventing this scummy thing from happening to others. It's a bit of a long read, but is definitely worth it when it's your money on the line.

How to spot a fake Supreme T-Shirt
It goes without saying that this is a very popular brand - there are many, many fakes around, from the hilariously awful:

Very poor: Fake Supreme OG Box Logo & Fake Union Jack Box Logo

To the questionably convincing:

Fake Supreme x Comme des Garçons Box Logo Shirt

The sad truth is - whether you're buying from forums, eBay or any other method - there are people out there who won't think twice about ripping you off with fakes, no matter how much trust they impose in their item description - just because a description claims the item is 100% authentic does not mean it is.

There are many ways of spotting a fake, even if they do look very convincing. First, by looking at the pictures of the t-shirt itself.

The Label

More often than none, the label is your dead giveaway. Below are two comparisions of two t-shirts I had:

Left: Fake Supreme x Kermit Shirt Label - Right: Real Union Jack Box Shirt Label

The differences seem very subtle, but once you've trained your eye, they are very distinct. First off, the 'Supreme' text on the fake t-shirt is distinctly thinner font than that of a genuine label on the right, with thicker text. (it's noted that more current Supreme shirt tags feature even thicker 'Supreme' text on the logo). As well as this, usually the following text 'Pre-Shrunk...' etc.  will often take up only 75% of the label instead of the 100% of it. Another major point to add is the back of the label.

Every Supreme shirt  includes a watermark on the back of the label. Here is what a fake one looks like:

Fake Supreme Label Watermark

The notable thing from this image is the italic text. Supreme watermarks are never in italics. Also, if you're actually able to touch the watermark - you'll feel that it is raised and appears consistently more visible in light. The real watermark is harder to read in dimmer light; written in non-italic font and will either say "SUPREME" or "SUP2003"(to it's corresponding release year) for older t-shirts.

Another point about the label is - if the sale photo features the Supreme Tag Lock - See how it's circular? Many (if not all) fakes feature circular tag locks, Supreme tag locks are never circular! They are always a straight forward pin, in the shape of a very long, thin capital 'T'.

The Print
In regards to box logo shirt fakes - these can be relatively easy to spot. Once again, it requires a bit of practice and training of the eye. More often than none the font is slightly off, most commonly including a dodgy looking 'r' and capital 'S' in the logo. Aside from this, I'd recommend checking the size and style of the print with a side by side comparison to an image genuine shirt. There are plenty around the internet! If you have a fake in your hands, feel the print material. It feels odd. I remember it being very thick and felt very ironed on. Supreme shirts do not print in that fashion.

The Sale Itself
eBay tends to have more fakes than marketplace forums - I guess this is down to the community and moderators spotting & removing fakes more thoroughly than eBay does. In regards to eBay listings, it's pretty obvious. If the description exaggerates the genuineness of the shirt, do a u-turn and look elsewhere. Other than that, check feedback and other items.

Conversely, if you're buying from a forum - I'd recommend always asking for more pictures from the seller. There's no harm in asking and the seller will more than likely be happy to do it if they haven't already, they want your money, don't they? When people sell on forums such as Hypebeast, /r/supremeclothing, fuk etc. it is usually a requirement to post a tagged photo with their name next to said item, too. So expect that.

THE PRICE: If it seems too good to be true - it more than often is! Lurk around other forums to see how much said item has sold for and create an average price based on that. Google is your friend!

METHOD OF PAYMENT: Lots of sellers will take Paypal. If you're buying from a forum - the general consensus is to cover the price of the item and add 4% to compensate for what Paypal charges the seller. I recommend always sending money over paypal as a "Goods Payment" and never, ever as a gift, unless you absolutely (x3) trust the seller. If you pay by gift, you don't have to add the 4% - but you won't be insured by Paypal if you're scammed.

If they seem pretty shady, eager - get out of there. Trust your gut! From experience, once you've stated you're interested in a purchase, sellers are pretty friendly to you.

If you're ever unsure whether an item is genuine, don't be afraid to post an LC (Legit Check) to the forums. People on their can emphasise why you'd do it and will have more knowledge and good eyes.

I hope this helps somebody. I think selling a fake off as a real shirt is very scummy and shouldn't happen to anybody. Happy buying, people.

the state of fashion and me

This morning, when I just woken up and long after my girlfriend had set off to college - I hopped onto my PC and started doing something in which I never thought I'd be prioritising. I started browsing for clothes to buy. I ordered a Diamond Supply Sweatshirt (which I'll be posting about when it arrives).

Now, this may not seem out of the ordinary, but I realised that it was only really this year that I started paying proper attention to the clothes I wear, the style I want and how I present myself. Why have I suddenly gained this sudden desire of presentation? Is it the current trend? Is it the money? Is it a part of 'maturing' ? I think it's a combination of all of these.

Rewind the clocks two years ago - I'd a 16-17 year old on a shoe-string budget, relying on others to buy my clothes and I'd only buy the occasional cheap shirt if I felt like treating myself. I have never really opted to treat myself until this year. It's only really until this past year I've felt more comfortable with my own style.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not insinuating I am a fashion connoisseur - but I am more aware of what I'm wearing and what others are wearing. Since gaining an interest in brands and fashion, I find it very interesting to see the 'trickle down' effect from catwalk to concrete. To look at an item of clothing and think "yeah, that was inspired by x".

When it comes to my own style - I don't really define myself as anything (although, Charlotte refers to me as a 'streetwear fag') - I do like elements streetwear, in the same way I like elements of any other style. My personal opinion is that true fashion is bringing elements of each of these styles together to create and feel comfortable in your own apparel.

Just a few thoughts thrown together in a poorly structured post. Expect higher quality soon.

Peace

Hello (Blogging) World!

Hey all,

This is pretty much a filler and introductory post.

I plan to use this as an actual blog, rather than the faux blogging experience that Tumblr provides (my tumblr) - granted I do like Tumblr, but I felt that this websites community is definitely more revolved around actual blogging and written paragraphs. Over the past few months, I've found that Tumblr's community is divided into very bitchy cliques - hell, I've experienced a dramatic dip in follower count if you're not consistently being bitchy, 'out there' or failing to follow a specific theme of posting.

That being said, I still do use and relatively enjoy Tumblr for the instant gratification factor. (Reddit also plays a part in this...)

Anyway, to avoid a tangent - this is my actual blog. I hope to write about things that are on my mind, current events, minor reviews on products I have brought and overall, an outlet to let myself actually write. I miss writing.