You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2008.
well, actually there is. You see I have a problem and the more it’s pointed out to me the more annoyed I get. So, in an attempt to reduce my annoyance at the matter I’ve decided to own it.
Ahem. When I grow my hair out there’s a transition period between short and long when it has a tendency to look like, well.. this:
It could be worse, I know someone who looks the spitting image of Lilly Allen, all the time regardless of hair length. I’m trying to debate what’s worse: looking like a cheesy one hit wonder or looking like Chesney Hawkes. How trivial my problems are huh?
A sad day today. I found out that while I was away, Danny Federici passed away following a three year battle with melanoma.
Danny Federici was the organist and keyboard player in the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteens powerhouse band, for almost 40 years. A founding member of the group, Federici bought a superb sound to Bruce’s music and there’s no way of counting the number of times I’ve sat and appreciated his music. The news truly saddened me when I heard and my feelings go out to the great man’s family and friends. As a fan I can only miss his music whereas they feel an even greater loss.
Please take a moment or two to read the touching eulogy Bruce himself wrote and read at Danny Federici’s funeral here.
Ok, hands up: who missed me? Don’t be shy… I’m sure you all did.
Where have I been? Well, I’ve spent the last 8 days in Paris with my Love. Of course, there’s a lot to tell and some that won’t be told. The city is a beautiful place with architecture that left me breathless. While I organise my thoughts and reflections on the city, I’ll post some observations:
The metro is an adventure in itself and the best place to hear lots of different languages.
Arrogance is the key. Arrogance and paperwork.
Sempe is a genius.
If I move to France I can always get a job selling Marlboro outside the metro stations.
There’s a lot to see and a lot of walking but it’s worth it and I feel better for it (you were right Linda)
Supermarket shopping is crap, shopping in French markets is the way to go
I can’t leave the UK for 8 days without Gordon Brown fucking everyone in the ass.
For now though I’m going to sit here with my mug of coffee and organise my thoughts more.
Oh, yes! The day before I left for French shores my band’s album made it for sale online.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
Why the early bird gets the worm;
Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Elastoplast to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, It’s Not My Fault, and I’m A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing
I’m addicted to two things and only one of them good for me.
Firstly, the good: my addiction to House is growing. Thankfully it is being fed by a supply of the first season on DVD. Phew
The bad. I’m addicted to spending, recklessly. Accordingly my lost blog on finances seems strangley apt as I’m now broke until payday. Thankfully I have enough of everything to last until then. Just means a week of no money fun. Fair enough.
Should’nt be too hard really. Four more days to go before I leave for 8 perfect days elsewhere. So, work.. gym.. House… sleep.. guitars.. dvds.. should be able to pass the time fairly painlessly, right??
Well, if I’m wrong I’ll be the first to admit it. Accordingly: I was wrong, it snowed.
I woke up this morning and took my first look at the Sunday I’d woken into and was greeted by a flurry of snow. Thinking to myself that it won’t last I showered and prepared for the day and headed to my Dad’s for laundry day*. Again, I was wrong. The snow picked up momentum as I wandered to my car with my arms full and continued as I drove the 8 miles or so to the countryside. Where I found it had not only continued but began to settle.
Excellent. I like the snow. I’ve never had a problem with driving in it and find it a whole lot nicer to look at than ran. Though would the world get so happy about it if it were not white but, say, brown? Exactly the same texture etc but brown? Is snow racist??
I don’t care. I like the snow. I’d really like to go somewhere where they get a lot of it, say.. Romania.. This snow, however, will probably be gone by tomorrow. As Calvin once stated: getting half an inch of snow is like winning 25 cents in the lottery. I feel it unfair that as an adult it’s snowed more than in my childhood and I have to go to work rather than stay at home and throw snowballs. Maybe I could get reimbursed.
This morning I had breakfast at my Dad’s. It was more of a contintal breakfast really – strong coffee and chocolate brioche and, even though I was looking out at the garden getting progressivly coated in the racist snow, I could only think of how in two weeks I’d be having breakfast on the continent. With Bolivian coffee from a new coffee maker.
One of the best things about snow is sitting inside with a warm mug of coffee and watching it happen without getting cold.
*Laundry Day: I do my own laundry but use my Dad’s washer and dryer. I don’t still turn up at my parent’s and expect them to wash a few bin bags full of clothes. Unlike a certain sibling…
Something I forgot to mention. New audio and visual treats that I’ve got my grubby mitts on this last week.
First. I CANNOT recommend this film enough. Go and get Me You and Everyone We Know. I may be biased because of the company I watched it in but watch this film:
My audio recommendations of this week are the new Raconteurs ablum Consolers Of The Lonely and Elbow’s Seldom Seen Kid. On a more ‘vintage’ level I also got my ears around the J Mascis acoustic album recorded at CBGB’s. Well worth a listen.
Ah Spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to love. So they say. I say: Te iubesc. Despite the prediction for snow on tuesday (to which I say “pah”) I think Spring has sprung. Or springed. Or Sprunged. If it hasn’t then the lambs are gonna get cold.
That’s one of the advantages of working in an office in the middle of the country (well, almost): driving past the fields of sheep with their new born lambs a leaping.. always makes the mornings seem a bit easier to take.
The sight of new born woolly things is also one that greets me on my way out to my Dad’s house in the sticks. When coupled with the early spring blast of sun and the endorphin release from hard work from the gym this makes for quite a positive element to the day. There’s a lot of these simple pleasures lately. Like going back to the coffee pot to find there’s enough for almost a whole second mug that’s at the perfect drinking temperature.
Another is waking from a horrible night’s sleep and remembering I don’t have to go to work today. Or, in theory, do anything. Though I did need to drag myself up to deposit a suit at the dry cleaners in preparation for company’s big 25th birthday party next week.
Then, as I was in town I also picked up those few things for my guitar that I’ve been needing for a while and, as I used their carpark I used the gym too. It’s so much nicer and quiter on a Saturday.
Ha, pointing out that I dropped some more cash on my guitar today seems to go well with something that’s just been sent to me:
SCORPIO – The Addict
EXTREMELY adorable. Loves to joke. Very Good sense of humor. Will try almost anything once. Loves to be pampered. Energetic. Predictable. GREAT kisser. Always get what they want. Attractive. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Loves to party but at times to the extreme. Loves the smell and feel of money and is good at making it but just as good at spending it!
Very protective over loved ones. HARD workers. Can be a good friend but if is disrespected by a friend, the friendship will end. Romantic. Caring
Yep, too good at spending money if you ask me. Sometimes it scares me how appalling I am with the financial aspect of my life. Though, in the grand sheme of things, I think there’s more to worry about as long as you’ve got enough and (touch wood) I’ve never missed a rent payment. These days I’m thinking more and more about the future and the person I want in it and where I want it to be so I suppose I should stop taking advantage of CD and DVD sales and start taking advantage of saving accounts or something. Or a lottery ticket.
For now: La revedere
