I am a lover of music, but it doesn’t really inspire me to move parts of my body. I learned on Saturday night that that makes me strange. For the most part, the music that filled the room was of various metal-based genres, which at the very least warrants some head-banging. Other genres of music require more gentile body movements (like line-dancing, for instance). I meet all types of music with the same whimsical nodding of the head, a gentle tapping of the foot, and occasionally staring at the ceiling to appreciate where I am and what I am listening to.

That does, however, mean it appears I am bored and dislike the music. That is not the case. But it does make me look a right wally. But I don’t care too much about looking a twit (just as well, really). The important thing was seeing my friends again, and I am hugely grateful for that short time.

I know I’ve talked about it before, but it’s just too expensive. I’ve been on the BBC’s OneMusic How to… website, and it’s very informative, but it’s an eye-opener at the same time. The list of things I’d need is quite large, not to mention expensive, and the choices I have are confusing.

I want something cheap, simple and of good quality. But I guess that’s like wanting a brand new Aston Martin for ten grand. It’s not going to happen.

At the moment, I have Cubasis VST 3.0. This is about five years old. I have a 15W guitar amp and that’s about it for hardware. I guess it’s going to stay a private thing…

I would seek more inspiration from the type of music my stepbrother is interested in, but I don’t due to a combination of factors: fear, lack of interest and an unwillingness to either steal or pay over the odds to obtain such tracks are a few. I’ve thought about basing a song on a work of literature, but the same reasons for not doing so apply here too. So any inspiration is appreciated!

I like having sleeve notes, and what is almost like a keepsake in the form of the plastic casing. The album cover is an art-form – buying music off the Internet as a download pretty much renders it pointless.

What I don’t like – and I mean really don’t like – is where a record company releases different versions of the same album. It is an insult to my intelligence where a record company thinks I might buy more than one in order to have “the set”, if only so that I have every single colour. Furthermore, a record company might release “CD” and “CD and DVD” versions; the latter with a DVD containing a load of rubbish really. I have to say, that works. Each time I’ve been offered a choice between the “CD” and “CD and DVD” options, I have gone for the DVD option. Indeed, I have always been disappointed with the poor quality of the content. But I make the same mistake every time.

And I have done the same: buying Dream Theater’s new album Systematic Chaos. Can’t wait to get it, but I reckon I’ll be disappointed by the DVD add-on.

Why do people like clubs? The reasons appear to escape me for there are plenty that turn me away, and none that draw me in. Let me take you through a typical night out in a club.

1. You arrive. You are greeted by bouncers that make Londoners seem polite. After wrestling you for ID (in my case at least, my youthful looks won’t leave me), you are then hastled for money in order to get in.
2. Once you get in, you are offended by the worst music imaginable at a volume that perhaps makes it sound a little better, but nonetheless renders normal communication channels useless. If you wish to have a conversation, either you must withstand someone yelling millimetres from your ear, or must incur the operator charges for text messaging.
3. When you manage to get to the bar, passing sweaty corpses and those that have remained alive mimicking something that may loosely be described as dancing, you order your favourite drink and find you have paid £2 extra for ice.
4. On realising that your only release from the depressing place you entered five minutes ago comes at a cost comparable to Steve Gerrard’s Lucozade bill, you start to appreciate how pretty your watch is in low-light. You rather wish you started drinking last night to enjoy the present experience.
5. You somehow ask one of your party what time the place closes. On obtaining the reply, not even your friend can hear your cries.
6. If you are fortunate to find a spare seat, you occupy it as long as possible, attempting some form of sleep to escape the world you are currently tied up in. If you do manage to enter another world, it is rather likely you’ll end up in a club, and the nightmare continues.
7. So when you finally reach closing time, there are no buses and trains – just taxis. And so you will probably have to ask to stop at a cash machine on the way home, seeing as the money-grabbing bastards took your purse at the door.

I’m not a fan… Can someone please explain to me why they are so great?

I pretty much knew this was going to happen – I only applied as they don’t so often advertise for Mathematicians, so I thought I ought to apply this time round. However, they did ask that I apply when they seek new recruits around October this year, as they they did like my application. (Quite frankly I am surprised they liked it, it was threadbare. Anyhow, it’s a nice little ego-booster for now!)

Today, I went to the MetroCentre with Mum, with little in mind to buy. To be honest, the prospect of a breakfast at Wetherspoon’s was an attractive one. However, shocking as it sounds, Wetherspoon’s had no eggs. Risking your gentle hearts, I also report that in place of a fried egg, I was given two hash browns in addition to the two given. Not a fair swap, I don’t think, but I didn’t really mind. It was nice.

I decided halfway through the trip I wanted a "smart casual" shirt. "Smart casual" is a concept lost on me: either it’s smart or it’s casual. In any case, I thought I should have something in my wardrobe in case such a "smart casual" event arose. So I paid £35 for a shirt – probably the most I have ever paid for a shirt (though there were plenty in excess of that sum), but it was my favourite of the ones I saw. It came from Kickers (and from the website you can see the shop I bought it from, curiously).

I also bought another Dream Theater CD – Awake – for £3.97 from Music Zone.

I let myself get distracted by any small thing. My bedroom has a computer and a PS2, and my guitars. If I’m not in my room, I tend to be on my laptop. Over the last semester I built three websites from scratch – one for me, two for others. My note-taking technique was as bad as they have been since I have been in education: higher or otherwise.

So that’s my wakeup call. And I didn’t have to wait long in the day to discover where others succeed where I haven’t: discipline. While others can come in from uni and do some work, I tend to switch off completely and do anything non-constructive.

However, I really want to start recording my music, but it’s so much effort. I just need some encouragement and motivation. Rather like my uni work in so many ways…

My New Year’s Resolution is to produce my own music. It’s hard. I need new software, new hardware, etc. Here is my plan.

I have complained about the price of music before. I don’t think it’s fair. I got a recorder for my birthday when I was about five years old. I was given a small keyboard for Christmas the same year. I was surrounded by music from a young age. However, I feel that the scope for many to learn an instrument is too limited for youngsters still.

And for someone like me that wants to create music for people, my range of material from which draw inspiration from is limited. That’s because if I want to listen to music, I have to pay for it. Why? I’m not entirely sure. Sure, if musicians are to carry on producing music, money is an incentive. But music is more important to me than money.

So I would release music for free. I don’t care about download charts, music sales, or my general popularity. If people want to listen to my music, then they bloody-well shall! That is provided I can…