QNI last night. featuring a trip to morrisons, a spot of wii fit, and some improvised cooking up of random bits and bobs into a tasty meal.

today, i have lunched on a delicious spinach soup that i whipped up whilst cooking dinner. domestic goddess, get me! i should remember to label my stock before freezing it though. sniffing ice is a tricky business. my mum never used to label hers either; i remember eagerly opening a tub of cornish icecream, spoon in hand, only to find.... quite.

i have just had my lovely soup for lunch. i should remember how much i like it, and avoid the overpriced, over processed sandwiches from the deli on the corner. and especially the crisps.

watched drag me to hell last night. it was ok, many moments of jumping out of my seat skin, but also terribly predictable.

i'm thinking of giving up the demon booze for a month. to even have a hope of managing this, i probably need someone to bet that i can't do it. hmm.

you thought you'd managed to escape it, didn't you? you thought i'd forgotten all about it. WELL.

today for lunch, i ate some porridge. THE EXPERIMENT LIVES! the work cupboards were pretty bare, and i had no cash for the shops. what to do, what to do?

as (i think) 1423 suggested: porridge and cuppasoup.

mixed veg cuppasoup, to be precise. there was a leek an potato option, but it sounded too stodgy.

results? it tastes alright, yes. consistency-wise, though, ugh. baby food.

***

are you on facebook? are you my facebook friend? do you like wasting your life away? why not join MAFIA WARS so i can get a bigger mafia and subsequently manage to buy property and DECENT GUNS. i am being held back! pls be helping me out.

***

it's funny how the day goes so much faster when i'm actually working, and not just loafing about. hilarious.

some of you will be glad to hear there will be no porridge today.

today, demands a Big Bap stuffed with cheese and probably some crisps.

because yesterday there was some excellent karaoke with some excellent people and some excellent wine. (i did: half of 'i drove all night', 'the one and only', 'time after time', and 'swinging on a star'. i liked 'swinging on a star' best, i forgot how good that song is!) there was also excellent literal dancing, and excellent fun. excellent.

(i think they have done something to bloomsbury bowl. it seemed more hygienic. perhaps cleaned the windows. i couldn't work out what. hrm.)

the yo! sushi eat 10 plates get the 5 cheapest free deal runs out today, so if you fancy sushi, are a bit broke, and have a yo! handy, make the most of it. (i did this with charleston last night.)

***

today i am mostly waiting for lunch and browsing dawanda, which seems like quite a funky site. a bit like etsy i suppose - people making and selling. but in amongst the tat there are some quite nice pieces.

keeping me occupied at any rate...

(i am also looking at tiffany but we won't talk about that)

i'd quite like to be a wagyu. kept sozzled on beer and sake. continuously massaged. it sounds like a great life.

and then i could end up on a plate in yo! sushi.

yes, i finally got my wagyu. delicious.

it isn't unhealthy to obsessively eat sushi for lunch every monday and tuesday, is it? especially not when it's half price and the summer menu includes snow crab katsu and wagyu sashimi and all sorts of delicious creations....?

***

funnily enough, i'm bored at work. whom fancies a scrab? or similar?

***

i'm also coughing. i've been coughing for a while. previously full on ills, now no symptoms but a tickly, slightly productive cough. bossman reckons i should get it checked out. i'm now paranoid.

it could no way relate to continuously fvcking up my voice at various karaoke sessions, could it? i don't think my throat has been right since all tomorrow's parties....

things that are good

♥ yo! sushi 50% off offer.
♥ yo! sushi for lunch AND dinner.
♥ snow crab katsu. (booo no wagyu for me.)
♥ bursting to the gills clockwork comedy.
♥ stewart lee. no wait, he's not good. he's AMAZINGLY good. deconstructing a record sleeve wonderfully and extendedly.
♥ watching stewart lee with people not already prejudiced against him.

1. failing miserably at maths on tuesday and leaving something in the region of a 5% tip. LOSER.

2. picking up the wrong sandwich in boots on wednesday and not noticing until back at my desk. tuna and cucumber is NO subsitute for prawn mayonnaise. i can't stand tuna. LOSE.

3. removing a piece of chicken gristle surreptitiously from my mouth, only to then drop it down my cleavage and have to chase it out the other end. LOSER.

***

is it time to go home yet?

♥Primark. It is an evil, Evil, EVIL black hole of a store. I went in for some cheap, colourful clothing. I came out with too much.
♥Primark Pants = still awesome.
♥Gilgamesh in Camden - over priced. Bland food. Pretty building.
♥green_badger = ace.
♥Red wine = mortal nemesis.

Ever since I found out that the high scoring two-letter scrabble 'word' ZA is allegedly slang for pizZA (I mostly refuse to play a word if I don't know what it means) I have been jonesing for some ZA action. And lo, verily, god my_red_dream did speak to me and say "you will be favoured on the fourth day of the ninth month, for it is my birthday and I decree there will be ZA!"...

...and so we all went to Pappagone last night to celebrate. And it was lovely and there were people I don't see often (and usually then fleetingly in loud clubs) and indeed there was ZA (Americano with extra anchovies and LOVELY CHILLI OIL) and wine and ace. Hurrah!

Lovely evening, innit. And last r@petrain home for me.

***

Today I am mostly friending people on Facebook to get more games of Scrabble, oh dear oh dear, addiction STRIKES AGAIN.

Tonight I am running stupid errands in the deepest south, though I do get to see JJM, most excellent person that he is. YAY.

At some point I should really get organised and pack for Bestival, though I can't work out when. I'll probably do it tomorrow morning. Potential outfits include Dorothy Gale, Batgirl, and random piratey wench. Minimum effort required. I am NOT feeling the love.

despite a brief break for work on Thursday, the stuff kept continuing.

Thursday evening I took the wife for dinner locally, to the Village Kitchen, which was nothing inspiring but alright. I had some goose-y pate, very tasty mackerel, and got carried away and also had a creme brulee and demanded some tasty port. Yum! Slightly tipsy by then, I turned down Fullmooners. Twice. (A good decision as it turned out.) Bed. Sleep.

***

Which meant I was sprightly and not dead on Friday, phew! Had a tasty Wimpey with curiousbadger (what is it about Wimpey in Wembley? It's always RAMMED!) and then headed up to the arena, over excited about Meat Loaf!! Purchase of 1x slutty Loaf t-shirt and 1x fridge magnet complete, we took our seats. Good seats! Closer than the Take That seats some while back. I could see without glasses! Phew!

It is the Three Bats Tour, so he opened with Paradise by the Dashboard Light (making it EVEN LONGER than it usually is, an almost impossible feat!) and did Bat I stuff, followed by Bat II and then Bat III. Everything you'd expect to hear was there, with the notable exception of Dead Ringer for Love, bad Meat. He was in quite a sulky foul mood too, at one point taking an audience member to task for screaming. Don't have a breakdown chap, I still love you! And I *know* you've been playing some of these songs for longer than I've been alive, but REALLY, don't mess them around so much. Too slow / incomplete / yawn. :(

Suffice it to say, he wasn't half as good as the last time I saw him. Perhaps that time was only so good as he didn't have a new album to plug. I dunno. My highlight was Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through which is quite possibly my favourite of his. After Hot Summer Night (too slow) and Bat Out of Hell (last of the main set and done properly, phew!). He encored with some rock covers, finishing on Gimmie Shelter. Seriously though, in what world is that better than Bat.....?

P'shaw.

Still, there was fire, comedy, and scary inflatable giant people, plus the songs still stand. We had fun at any rate. Literal dance moves ftw!

***

Saturday I had halfheartedly decided to go to Paradise Gardens. But got distracted by Walthamstow Market (heaps of denim duly bought for cheap, slightly cheating I know.....) and tidying my room. Oh shush, sometimes the mood takes you that way. Of course, once I'd found Talk to Me by the 60 Foot Dolls I was actually physically unable to leave the flat at all.

[Honestly, you think you grow and your music taste matures, but the moment I listened to Angel and Easy (the b-sides) I had to listen to them again and again and again. Just like when I first bought it. Slag 'em off all you want, they have a special place in my heart. What are they doing these days? I can't even remember their names. Carl, I think, was teh drummer, rumoured to enjoy sh1t-play. Oh, and Richard Parfitt (not that one) who, popular indie legend would have it, once received Rick Parfitt's (yes that (Status Quo) one) tax bill.

But your name *is* Richard Parfitt?
And you *are* a musician?

I wonder if it was true....]

Anyway, the evening contained much lovely massage, lovely Devastations CD and lovely sleep. Lovely. Innit.

Also, lovely Doctor Who, with a brilliant episode. I can't cope with the evil scarecrows (don't give *them* brains, argh!) but thought Mr Tennant was being superb, and Jessica Stevenson lovely (oh count them of you wish, I don't care :P) and I can't wait for next week.

***

All of which meant that I was up early on Sunday again (!!! two days in a row!!!) and actually went to the gym for my first ever yoga class.

Oh my! It's *wonderful* isn't it? I don't think my shoulders have been so relaxed in over 10 years. Blimey. Who'd have known that a leathery Essex woman and some dubious New Age Music could work such magick charms! If all that happens is that I relax properly once a week I'm a convert. Actually, it's a bit like the meditation I used to do at the Croydon Buddhist Centre in that respect. (Sssh, I *really* liked the Beatles, alright?)

Kept up with most of the postures, although am a bit rubbish at things like 'down facing dog' and 'the plank' due to rubbish arm strength. I mean, how can I punch people so hard I almost stop their heart (sorry again Rob!) and not support my own stupid body? Give it time. I plan to be back there every week. We shall see.

Due to messing up the start time and no trains OR tubes out of Walthamstow, I failed miserably to get out to games day at Clairey & Johnny's mansion (sorry chaps!) and just about had time to head West to Hammersmith, for a mini pub crawl along the river before the Pet Shop Boys.

Errr, yes. Evil wine lead to speedy inebriation, I do apologise people! However, the PSBs are completely and utterly MARVELLOUS. Seriously. Everything they played was a classic. They have so many! And they played them properly. Listen up, Meat. They were so good, I'm going again on Wednesday. I shall be drinking less though.

***

Monday was therefore a washout. And not just because of the rain. Headache. Cold. So bed and duvet and BURNING pizza were the only ways forward.

Got this far? Have a medal.

***

( Or some (rubbish cameraphone) random Meat Loaf pictures! )


***

Who am I going to see at 7ish in the Bull & Gate tonight then?

Haha, it’s good to have an outlet for my nagging that isn’t dear p_dan_tic. Today I have (email) brownie points from my boss for my gentle (for me!) nag about tidying some drawings up. Validation! More! Validate me! Please?

Ahem.

***

Late notice I know, but I’m going to see Gilbert & George today. No two ways about it. The rest of my weekend is too hectic (thanks mum for the notice, grrrr). So, if you’re in the area about 1pm let me know, although I’m very happy bumbling around the Tate on my own anyway.

***

Why is everyone wearing a horrible plastic version of operating theatre clogs as sandals? They’re the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.

***

House was rather ace last night. Best start to an episode ever! Until the overly schmaltzy ending. Ho hum.

***

private_dick is back, hurrah! I need never be bored of the internets again. (I’m not even going to get a chance to read it all properly today, boo. Stupid blinking asbestos. Stupid blinking children. Grrr. I might turn myself off again today, don’t worry.)

***

Oh, and half price Yo! Sushi over the bank holiday weekend, hurrah! Go here for details and to sign up.

***

Last one, mupstasia, is there a pre Diamanda Galas meet up plan for Monday?

Dream News
The dreaming subconscious is brilliant, isn’t it? Last night, my brain realised I was sprawled across the bed in an unusual spread-eagled fashion, and that I’d wake up all stiff and sore. Instead of calmly moving / waking me, it sent me a dream in which I was an Asian male* and going parachuting. However, my ‘chute failed to open, and I sped towards the earth** and smashed into it, landing in a (you’ve guessed it) bizarrely spread-eagled fashion - exactly the same as I was actually lying in. People tried to move my legs, but they were stuck and painful. And thus I woke up, and curled into my typical foetal sleeping pose, before nodding off again.

Woke up again as D came home***, only to drift off into a dream about watching Drugstore live, with Thom Yorke playing guitar and not singing (??) to El Presidente. Dream only notable for Isabelle Drugstore looking not like herself but my friend TM’s mother, and a lot of crowd walk-outs, causing a Thom Yorke rant, and a sensible audience heckle.

~~~

Diary News
Last night, an early repast of strange tapas creatures (the cheese based things are best. Cheese, posh ham and quince jelly ftw!) and a chat with green_badger****. Home in time for ER, how reasonable! Anyway ER, bleak bleak bleak. Although if you overload ALL the main characters with the bleak***** like that it detracts from every single storyline you peons. Cuh.

PW2 News
On the way home I discovered that the prime time to play Phoenix Wright is whilst on a train or a Victoria Line tube to Walthamstow, after at least half a bottle of wine. I’m not sure if it’s because of these journeys being particularly conducive to gameplay, whether I’ve just coincidentally just got to a bunch of dialogue each time and am not really *doing* anything, whether wine increases my clever reasoning, or, most likely, whether being a teeny bit inebriated makes me as stupid as stupid Phoenix Wright. Edgeworth is still hot, despite my theory that makes him the super bad guy. Almost finished too.

~~~

Gig News
Feist is playing tonight. I wish I’d known about this earlier. Still, Herman Dune tomorrow!

~~~

Internet Sheep News
I’ve had a myspace for years (easily findable and obvious by the Dorothy Gale themed photo) and not really done anything with it apart from add random comedians from time to time. Is there really any point in me getting a facebook? What does it do?

Here is a quiz all about me, me, me. Have a go! See what you know!








* Extraneous detail I suppose, but it meant I looked like a grown up version of Neil something-or-other who was in my class at junior school. Not so extraneous now?
** More extraneous detail. A sandy beach. It looked Cornish…
*** Rather late and very drunk!
**** Dammnit B, you were obviously right. April Whitby started in 1997, Bowlie / ATP started in 1999, I think my first was 2000. Ah well, still *my* heart lies with post-rock first!
***** And one for luck – BLEAK!

Stupid dentist is off stupid sick. I was all psyched up for it as well! Boo.

***

I don’t know whether it’s the lighter mornings, or the fact that the iPod is playing favourites with The Golden Mile, but I’m finding myself really REALLY liking My Life Story. When Sparkle appears on shuffle I have to listen to it at least 3 times before I’m satisfied. And try very hard not to sing joyfully out loud. (Usually failing.) And try not to sing at an inappropriate volume. (Usually failing.) And try hard not to sing in a bad Jake Shillingford impression. (I can just about stop myself doing this!) I’ve also fallen completely in love (hah, how perfectly apt!) with I Dive (and whatever the bit in brackets is). Which is weird, as usually songs that reference the singer by name make me MAD. Perhaps he gets away with it as he’s ‘quoting’ someone. Yeah, right. Grammar in a song bothering me? I just love it.

Also, loving Tanya Donnelly – Goat Girl (”I wanted a lion but I ended up with a man who wanted a gazelle, I am a goat girl, I am a goat girl and I do my brutish best…”)

And I think that El Presidente really does *need* those additional Thom Yorke vocals.

***

Ace restaurant in Walthamstow shocker! Last night to Priya, a South Indian / Sri Lankan restaurant. I can highly recommend this place! Friendly staff happy to have a joke with you, explaining the menu as much as you want them to, relaxed and laid back. Yummy bargainous food! The boy actually liked a curry based meal, which is astounding. The menu was full of things I didn’t recognise, as apparently the cuisine is quite different to normal curry places, so I went for random things as I like to do. Gorgeous onion dosai with stew and pickles to start. And a beautiful fish curry (south Indian style) with pilau rice and garlic naan. No idea what fish was in the curry except it was chunky and tasty and meaty, and I’m not sure exactly how the spices differ but I think it was subtly different to things I’ve had before.

Either way, big thumbs up, and there shall be return visits, oh yes there will!

***

Phoenix Wright 2 is beating me. Stupid Lotta Hart. I'll get you yet. New von Karma sucks. *I'm* getting annoyed at bad translation. (Spotted so far: 'surly' instead of 'surely', and 'alter' instead of 'altar'.) I shall be playing it all lunch break though. Obviously. Even though I should probably be Brain Training instead so I can STOP DYING KTHXBY.

Edit: PW2 update! Go me. Trial day 1 sorted. Back off to Kurain Village. Tomorrow lunchtime, I think. Also - I didn't realise that Udgey took different amounts of life off each time, doh!

***

Oh good lord! Email forwards from The Boss. How irritating. Can’t really use the ‘waste of work resources’ rant at him either, seeing as they’re his resources to waste!

Last night and turkey at the Rochester was quite lovely. Despite my fear of the Rochester*.

Booze + dinner + a huge amount of ace people + actual Christmas carols + a vague attempt at (too high!) descants = a top night out.

Too much pudding + early starts + crazy heart rhythm possibly brought on by too much gin and overexcitement at carol singing = leaving early.

Top marks to Chris and Andy for organising it! More of this sort of thing!

(Actually, I feel a real need for a Christmas carol service this year. Seriously. Who'd join me? Where are they? I'm not good at churches......)

****

Don't you want to go with me, don't you want to feel my bones, on your bones.... it's only natural

The Killers = old skool Marion. Seriously. I'm scared.

****

I'm spending too much time South of the river, chaps. Work. Out to Croydon. Out to Clapham. (Whisper it) [I may even be finding it homely again.]







*Fear being based on it being a complete blind spot for me. The crazy old drunks I can cope with. Though I don't WANT TO KISS THEM, ta! I know where it is. I know how to get there. EVERY TIME I go past it at least once. Stop hiding, pub!

a 3 part entry, this one. First, a ramble about music, not really important and ( hidden under a cut )

*****

And now on to the meat of the post. Well, maybe the quorn or something less substantial. I was having a conversation with people (you can probably guess who they were) and we started arguing about who was the best member of We Are Klang, top comedy sketch troupe. I can't seem to find anything useful on the internet to link to; this is their myspace; here's a thing from Chortle.

And a breakdown of the components to assist you. They're all fab, but this must be decided!

Greg Davies (this is his face) is the hugest man I have ever seen in my life. Really. He looks like an oversized Rick Mayall, and yet is strangely attractive. He's the one wot plays the guitar and is Darren Chillblain.

Marek Larwood (this is his face) is obviously the funniest of the bunch wrt voices and faces and y'know, being funny. Saying "that's when I was born" in the right voice in the right company will always illicit a chuckle. He's also a scary dancing horse. And far too excited-looking during 'spunk storm'. Ahem.

Steve Hall (this is a not-very-flattering pic of his face) can be found planted in the audience as a singing Jew, and more often with his bum or winkie out on stage. You've surely seen Gary Mabbot by now.

Poll #884449 Rate We Are Klang!!!
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 13

Who is the most attractive out of We Are Klang?

More importantly, who is the FUNNIEST Klang?

Any more Klang related business?

NB - If you've never seen We Are Klang you really really ought to. They were, quite literally, and according to their own blimmin' song, the best act at The Fringe this year.

*****

Watched Walk the Line last night. I thought this was supposed to be a good film. It was rubbish. Seriously. I may even agree with D that The Meatloaf Story as shown on daytime Hallmark TV is better. And not just because I ♥ Meatloaf.

Tried the new Domino guest pizza - The Meltdown as well, Level 2 (extra fresh red chillis). It was bl00dy lovely, and made the film more bearable.

♥ Tuesday night I had an incredibly vivid dream where I was sewing up the incision left after a caesarean section. The other person sewing kept doing it wrong, the woman was awake, the incision went up to her breast bone and you could see all the layers of fascia and fat etc.

♥ last night at a recording of Never Mind the Buzzcocks I saw Paul Young's bottom.

♥ tonight I am going to eat scampi, and love it.

I like that :)

Other things I like and will recommend wholeheartedly to all:

♥ sunday dim sum at The Royal China. Tastiest dim sum I have EVER eaten, and a veritable banquet is deliciously inexpensive.

♥ sitting in parks.

♥ Pappagone pizza and chilli oil.

♥ Pappagone in general - impromptu cheese plates!

♥ NOT watching Alone in the Dark, which is a pretty bad film. Still, I watch worse on Hallmark, and Slater gets his top off.*

♥ that lovely Nikita (?) girl on X Factor, singing her heart out for her (deceased) mother and giving me goosebumps.

♥ Paul Foot's ideas for his 'Guild of Connoissers'. Murder mystery fun! Hiring himself out to turn up to random things! Medaeval banquets! **




* I am going off Slater. Yes, yes, about time. But really, either he is the most professional actor in the world (performing straight and pretty well in such a lame film), or he actually thought it was good. And having seen his over-the-top-shouty-american-enthusiasm on Britain's Top Model I'm plumping for the latter.

** I cannot recommend Paul Foot's comedy I am afraid.

Despite my constant updating, I am so much more productive this week without the copious boozing. Yes, I may be here a lot, but in between I am being highly busy and organised, and not just hitting 'refresh' constantly.

Hurrah!

Anyway, booze last night = 1 beer and 2 G&Ts. Well within moderate.

Also, Yo! Sushi joins the ranks of the places I am more than happy to sit in and have a leisurely repast on my own. Num.

The best bit of last night was clearly The Mighty Boosh, who were very funny indeed. The spangly mirror suit hurt my eyes! They were wonderfully ramshackle and not smooth at all, but this is made the most of. In fact, I think I am quite glad I saw them still working out the show, rather than the (presumably) slicker touring product.

I'm not going to say much, because it can never be the same as Noel's ace Noel voice, or Julian's fake toothed corpsing, but let it be known that girls DO like magnets (I have just bought myself a new extendable magnetic stick disguised as a pen due to losing my previous one - an ACE christmas present). This girl in particular finds immense joy in opening windows with magnets, and picking up money and watches (although only pennies and shiny 2ps seem to work).

Also, man! That man-witch is wrong! Not being a complete Boosh obsessive I wonder if somehow I picked up on his brainwaves christmas eve, with my horrible dream about asexual r@pe......

*****

Oh yes, I also need to re-find all my macca mood icons because they have been DESTROYED without me having a saved copy. Gah. Help appreciated.

♥ Today I am mostly getting confused about the initials DS. Nintendo? or District Surveyor? Stupid.

♥ Speaking of DS's (you'll have to work out which one) I now know what all those pits I have been falling down are. However, can I find any more to dig up? I think not. BRING ME FOSSILS!!! So far I have a T Rex tail. ACE.

♥ I am getting obsessed with walnuts.

♥ Last night I think I almost found that happy booze medium when round at suicdeally's for tasty Thai dinner and chat (avec Abby & Simon). I was even functional when I got home. Failed to drink the Schloer though.

♥ I have sent a 'possibly' response to teh wrestling ref course.

♥ The Germans really do use the letter 'H' instead of 'B'.

Poll #650725 Does exactly what it says on the tin
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 17

Who is coming to B Movie tomorrow then?