andymatchbox

Hiding on the Backstreets

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:58:12 GMT

Hello to all.

So i'm really, really bad at updating this. I seem to find it easier (or the other word, lazier), to update mymurdoch than lj which is a bit silly, because it's only the music on myspace that keeps me addicted to it. I've also, like everyone else, become a bit addicited to youtube. I can be watching Jimmy Versus Timmeh one moment then finding rare Springsteen live shows the next. Makes sense!

I'm not sure where to begin in elsewhere so I shall say this - I'm off to Croatia for a week tomorrow! Been so busy lately that I think a week long break and being totally unreachable suits me very much indeed.

Love to all,

Andy

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 15:33:02 GMT

The end is nigh. The bells will soon toll. The cat is in the bag! The guy who wears black is at the door. I'm running out of badly construed metaphors.

No, I'm not really depressed about the fact that star trek is still cancelled (oh enterprise, your vision and depth was truely before its time). Nor am I in fact, lamenting the current middle east crisis (almost too depressing to consider). Instead I have but a few working days before I can say that I have worked a year in the education sector. As people who've followed me through the highs and lows of my first year, it is a strange feeling to realise you do still want to teach, especially after some of the things I wrote in here. But something stuck with for the year - the notion things might get better. And they have. I'm a proper teacher come september and will finally have the chance to prove myself a bit more. I think that's when I'll finally be able to settle the doubts I've had in my own mind, after so long cover teaching.

I went into London on saturday and had the kind of day you can only have in London - pretending to be cultured by going to the national gallery, destroying that by shopping for cds in oxford street (THE SHINS!), reading in leicester sq. park and having an unusually salient conversation with a christian missionary, and then getting midly intoxicated in a nearby bar with friends and random people.

Looking forward to a break now. Going to Croatia for a week and spending time with the Band in Bristol, will I hope, be the ideal holiday I need.

One small thing

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 15:15:29 GMT

Not long left of work now before a whole schol year is finished. Went to an inset training thingamyjig this afternoon and one of the people giving the talks there put various objects into envelopes and handed them out. The envelope on our table contained a £3 asda bra. This was to illustrate the point that we will all need 'support' in our first years as teachers.

Now I have seen everything.

How London Carried On

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 16:16:37 GMT

One Year on and as always, the Guardian does the most eloquent tribute to the July the 7th Bombings. It makes the interesting point that although the attacks were horrific, not a particularly large amount has changed - the stoicism of the country remains the same and the failure of the Government to erode our liberties via its 'terror' laws provides a small amount of hope, I think. We observed a two minutes silence at school and even the kids seem to understand the importance of it. My thoughts are with those who lost loved ones today, more than anything.

I also read this article by the (pretty darn good) American writer E L Doctorow and I think it really gets to the core of why I can sometimes find Western policy a depressing thing when I think about it too much.

I went to see the Divine Comedy last night, who were absolutely fantastic. I had always though Neil Hannon's blend of orchestral wittiness a wee bit pompous and overdone, but a live context is obviously the place to truely appreciate it. The gig was at Somerset House, formerly the place where all the marriage and death certificates were held (actually they might still be, i don't know), but I digress. They opened with 'To Die a Virgin', a clever and twisted song that somehow gets away with the line "After all the handy andys I've been through". What I discovered is there is that side to DC, but also a wonderfully touching wistfulness to their more delicate songs ("If" and "Lucy", for example), that reminded me of the sincerity I find so compelling in Ben Fold's writing. And they did Alfie which is just a great song from when I was very, very young so I was all happy about that!

I was predictably tired from the travelling in and out of london and not much sleep today, but work is over and the weekend is here so all is well. I hope everyone is alright, take care

And so it goes

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:20:57 GMT

A fairly lengthy day at work today, I think the fact that general busyness has lessened somewhat of late means that things are becoming that little bit more drawn out.

On the plus side, the new Ani DiFranco record 'Repreive' is nothing short of sublime. Good old ITunes - i don't even think it's supposed to be out until august, but those silly people at Apple seem to have slipped up and it's already available.

The one with all the sex

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 21:32:11 GMT

So I finally saw the West Wing Episode where Josh and Donna FINALLY sleep together. In screen time it's been about 8= years coming. Imagine Ross and Rachael but better acted and with an even longer period of dragging outness. But finally. You'll forgive me if I get like this, but well, it's the West Wing. And it's coming to an end (it already did in america, i'm following it's final series on more4). It takes a lot for a TV show to hold my attention for over 7 series and the show took a noticeable dip after its creator left but there's so much love for the characters here that I've never been able to come close to letting go of it.

This weekend has been most relaxing for me. I washed the car today and played too much World of Warcraft (online games = bad for doing much of anything else). I then watched England limp home to a win against Ecuador. Wish I could be more positive and thankfully I found out we've got a grudge match next against Portugal (they put us out of the european cup two years ago on penalties), so I hope that we might lose some of the "Alright, old chap?", mentality that seems to perpetually plague the English team. Plus it's a vague excuse to get drunk next Saturday. I hope everyone else had a good weekend and a special mention to Kho who hass graduated with a 2:1! Can't have been easy mate, I'd take my hat off to you if I had one. Oh and Stu, what did you get?

That Friday feeling

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:18:20 GMT

A long Friday, but as I am typing this it must mean that the weekend is here!

For the first time in ages, I have absolutely nothing planned. Cannot wait - been so busy lately I think I need to have a few days taking it easy. A better update at the weekend will surrly follow....

Tired but that's generally a given....

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:26:15 GMT

long day at work, long weekend. Had a wedding to attend in Cornwall which consisted of very much driving and family I had not seen in a LONG time (like 5+ years - what is it with families?). And yet it was undoubtedly a good, lavish and (most impotantly), alcohol. Never had so much champagne ('it's pronounced "sham-pag-un"', tehe) in my life.

Why was work today so long? I think I am just getting a bit tired of cover teaching, of the constant element of being tested in every class and it's beginning to show a little bit more than it used to because I sense the end is in sight (5ish weeks), and yet it still feels like it's a little bit of a push. On a more optimistic note various things have fallen into place regarding my training in September and the more prep I can do for that in these last weeks, the more I can take my mind off the current job.

I am also typing this from my swanky new computer. Got the internet in my room again, so goodbye occasional internet surfing, hello potential addiction!

One other thing - A lot of my friends are still travelling the world right now and I just wanted to let them know that I miss them a lot. So there you go!

See the world......

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 11:16:59 GMT

It's a Sunday and for the first day in a while I am not actually doing anything so thought I would take some time to write down what has at times been a most bizarre and yet enjoyable week.

If you don't live in this country then you should take it from me - it's unseasonably hot here. Which of course makes my job more interesting (i.e. hard, but i digress because I've already fallen into the very British trap of complaining about the weather, even if good). Work this week consisted of teaming up with old friends (good and oddly proud inducing) and more formality interviews for this paid training course I should eventually be starting in september (still yet to recieve any official paperwork that I am on said course which is somewhat frustrating to say the least).

Other random things that now slip translucent-like into my slightly tired mind from the week -

- I am going to Croatia in the summer. Dubrovnik to be more exact. Cannot wait, will be quite a different city to some of the bigger European cities I've been too plus we have an apartment with a stunning view. I will also get up to Scotland at some point!

- I went to see the Goo Goo Dolls at Brixton Academy last Sunday. They were much, much better than I expected them to be. The singalong to Iris sent chills down my spine - never heard a crowd in better voice in such a small venue before. Shame about rude people that insist on chain-smoking in the middle of a crowd.

- I went to visit my friend Sam's university exhibition on Thursday night. He'd made a design portfolio and models on a tram design for London and it was really well done. Though somewhat paradoxically they got Jade Goody from trashy reality TV show Big Brother to open it. I think Sam may have tried to campaign against it! The previous night i'd been out with him and his friends in Hitchin and realised that I had probably neglected that place for far too long - some great bars.

- It got to Friday and it was still Hot. So I drove to Bristol in Friday night traffic! But when I got there I had very nice beer and mexican food so all was better. Yesterday was the start of England's world cup campaign and somewhat unfortunately for us, our gig just hours before kick off at Oppo (www.oppoharmonicfusion.co.uk). The place was pretty dead but there were a few people who came to watch us so we decided to position ourselves by the breezy windows and play unplugged. Nice dynamic and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Also getting more interest for future gigs so it was still worth doing. Then I squeezed into a pub and watched England play not *too* badly and win our first group match.

I went CD shopping in Bristol (it has a FOPP), and got many things - including the new Gomez album, Black Cherry by GoldFrapp and the best of Nina Simone. The new Gomez album is just exceptionally great and I urge anyone and everyone to buy it because I think it's the best thing they've done in ages! And I shouldn't like GoldFrapp but can't seem to stop myself thanks to Alison Goldfrapp's voice and some actual intelligent use of electronic instruments. I'm going to see the Dixie Chicks on Thursday with my Sister which should also be very good.

It was then time to head back home so I had today to rest and gear up for another busy week. More updates soon, hope all is well with everyone and special mention to all those people seeing Split Enz right now - I would like to have gone to the gigs, I know there is one person i would like to have seen even more - I think I just need to pluck up the courage to tell her that.

Supermassive Black Hole

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 14:27:24 GMT

The new Muse song is great. Kind of like Prince but kind of like Muse. Go watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF9OvIol9eY

Did you get ma message?!

Thu, 25 May 2006 19:09:30 GMT

I really do try and update this, I do!

Been another slightly mad week. My school's been Ofsted'd (scary inspector types who shut my old school down, remember?) So it is with MUCH relief that I can report that I am no swinging albatross, and that my school has been given the party line of "a good school with outstanding features." It basically did very well and it's been a very stressful last week in the run up to half-term (and there's still one more day to go hehe), but I am very happy with this. It also means I dont have to worry about being insepcted while I'm training from september - july (inspections only every three years). I also only have another 7 weeks left of cover teaching which I'm so happy about - i've really had enough of it and can't wait to move onto the challenge of my own classes come September.

In others news I seem to be continuing my penchant for falling for women that are far away somehow. No, not distance this time, but on this occasion, the fact that they are quite clearly already with someone and have been for a while. And yet I can't help but detect that slight air of attraction that you get with someone and that you can't quite put away. I'm just hoping I actually meet someone where none of that is involved and yet I can't help but wonder if I actually seek it out sometimes.

On the plus side, in 24 hours I will be seeing that most talented of men, Jason Mraz in Nottingham in good company with excellent friends. And after 3:00pm tmw I have a week off work. And lee, if you read this I have a present for you (no it's not expensive but it probably has a teeny bit of sentimental value!). Everyone else, I love you very much and don't talk to you nearly enough. And if you feel that i'm neglecting you, please slap me with a wet kipper repeadtedly. And with much feeling.

Peace, Andy.

hey i got nothing to today but smile

Sat, 20 May 2006 16:06:35 GMT

Hello all.

So I finished my first Nick Hornby novel today. He's one of those writers that I've always *meant* to read, but somehow never got round to, so I didn't know what to expect when I picked up his latest novel 'A Long Way Down'. What I got was a very solidly written and honest account of 4 people struggling in their own difficult situations and contemplating suicide (they meet on New Years Eve at a notorious suicide spot in London). I liked that the book made the distinction between recognising that the characters were contemplating suicide rather than actually going through with it. I think it made the 4 characters much more easy to identify with.

The first part - set on New Years Eve was one of the most vivid and arresting pieces of work I've read in a while. I think Hornby struggles a little bit after this - perhaps inevitably - as the unlikely bond the 4 have formed is continued after the 1st of January, but I also like that Hornby resisted the obvious tempetation to create some kind of structured narrative and a hammy ending. So in other words, definitely reccomended. I shall have to hunt out more of his works.

Itunes is addictive. Since I got my Ipod I have become a slave to the whole thing. And yet it is a good tool for getting songs you'd never normally listen to. I still don't think I can buy albums entirely off the net, though. I need my little cd sleeves. Speaking of which, Bruce Springsteen's 'Nebraska'. In fact I'm talking to Helen now and I've noticed recently that my music taste is all over the place. I guess I'm on a hunt. A hunt for what? Well the perfect song, of course. I'm not quite sure how I'll do it, but the more I listen to popular music I realise I've neglected so many great songs in the past because they didn't fit into a particular cosy musical box that I'd warmed too.

How f-ing watever cussing silly is that, I hear you ask?

I guess these just days I look at what I consider to be great songs and I see how damn simple they are. It sounds silly too say something like that in the English language but it's absolutely true. I find so many bands today have this kind of self-ironic flexiblity to them - to suceed they have to have a few of these influences - but not too many, and a sort of borrowded image - but best not too much. Possibly i'm taking bollocks now but I know what i'm talking about because it comes from in here (no, not in my pants), and this believe seems to taking me to where the next Fallen View songs are. Getting there's half the fun after all.

Hope everyone is well, take it easy

Fri, 12 May 2006 08:21:53 GMT

Taken from www.brucespringsteen.net:

"Tickets for the European tour dates have all sold out swiftly. Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band sold out London's Hammersmith Apollo Theatre in ten minutes, The Manchester Evening News Arena in six minutes, and Amsterdam's Heineken Music Hall in just four minutes, all unprecedented. Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany also sold out in a matter of minutes. Legendary promoter Harvey Goldsmith said, "We announced Bruce Springsteen's concerts in the UK at 9.00am on Friday 7 April. By 9.10am both shows had sold out. This is the fastest selling show ever in Manchester.""

And I wonder when I'll ever get to see the Boss live. 'We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions' was an album I was not looking forward to (ageing rock-star does political protest folk songs). So it's been a very pleasant surprise that the album is probably the best thing he's done in years. Go buy!

Oh well, it's not all bad. I have the Goo Goo Dolls and Jason Mraz coming up.

So now you say it's....

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 18:58:32 GMT

No sooner am I two or three days back at work and everything seems to have taken on that slightly heightened quality - events and days seem to move faster and various interviews and imoprtant things continue to get nearer and nearer. I am neither thankful or ungrateful for this - I felt as if I did almost get stuck into a bit much of a rut during my holiday so the slight welcome of a routine is no longer such a bad thing.

In extremely good news the second Fallen View demo is completed which means 3 more tracks finished to a professional standard. While they're not stronger songs, the ease of their recording and the space they've been allowed in the studio has allowed for arguably better recordings, certainly more accessible I would say. I am tres happy with them and our slightly re-vamped website (www.fallenview.co.uk), which is just a bit more shiny than it was previously.

I also bought a ticket to see the Goo Goo Dolls today at the Brixton academy (London) on the 4th of June. They're actually doing a TOUR (unusual for such an obscurish american band), here so I'm most excited about the prospect of seeing them live.

That seems to be all for now, take it easy and take care to everyone else.

So, everybody's going to war

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 13:21:00 GMT

Isn't driving an expensive thing? I have begun looking into my options (I would like to buy a car and start driving as soon as possible) and as long as I can get some sort of loan that is fixed and not evil then I may be able to start driving about very soon indeed. As always the insurance will be a bit of a bitch, but the fact that I'm about to be 22 may well help a little.

In more important issues, Happy Easter everyone. There's something I like about Easter, I think it's probably the fact that it's slightly less hyped up than Christmas and yet still has that sense of togetherness of family and friends. Ok enough vague moralising, the holiday is soon to be over and it's back to work.

And if you have a spare 10 minutes and want to listen to some good music go to www.myspace.com/nerinapallot . what a voice and what a collection of songs. Must see live!

Won't worry 'bout no rainy weather

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 11:51:05 GMT

Current mood: Calm.

Current mood nearly 3 hours ago: Not so Calm.

So I took my Driving Test today. Woke up to Rain, mist and a distinct lack of light (oh what a fair and beautiful country we live in!). Instructor picked me up an hour before the test (8.17), to do some last minute practising and going over a few details. I wasn't really nervous until I got to the test centre and headed off with the examiner back to the car, without my instructor. That certainly got the nerves going. Then the test itself - I was very, very nervous. I often like to think I thrive in potentially difficult situation but something about the atmosphere of the test made me incredibly nervous, which I wasn't quite expecting. I stalled the car at one point - something I haven't done in my driving lessons for at least a month I think. The 40 minutes or so I was out with examiner on the road seemed like an eternity, but eventually we wound back at the car park where we'd started. I was faily sure at this point that I'd failed. But I hadn't. My examiner was not the most enthusiastic of people and so muttered something about 'you've passed'. Think it took a while to settle in because the nerves from the test and the hidden adrenaline had reached that point of wear when you reach the end. My instructor was impressed that I only got 8 minor faults (you're allowed up to 16) and I bid him farewell, feeling generally thankful that through my sister I'd managed to find such an excellent Instructor who is really the one who got me through this, most dreaded of things! First time as well!

Suppose I'd better buy a car now, hadn't I?

And also, the other night in wetherspoons was fun. Did I drink too much? I don't remember.....

In the words of Mr Tom McRae

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 21:28:18 GMT

Darling I'm lost
Adrift in the dark
I'm clutching your words
To my vampire heart once more
So let in the light
Turn me to dust
If it don't end in Bloodshed dear
It's probably not love

Here we are
In the darkest place
My reflection
Shows only your face

Something is found
Something is lost
Went looking for clues
On the streets of old New York
And I spilled someone's blood
I broke someone's heart again
Someone you know
You're looking at him my friend

And the people in our lives
We all leave behind
Leave behind

Here we are
In the darkest place
To keep from forgetting
I picture your face
And I wonder
While we count the cost
Which is sweeter
Love or it's loss

So I curse you
My vampire heart
For letting me you love you
Love you
For letting me love you
From the start

feeling awful loney tonight, no idea why, but random lyrics playing in my head.......

Diversions

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:08:58 GMT

Things are good lately. Except for the fact my birthday is rapidly approaching and I can't quite be made to feel that I should make an occasion out of it. Certainly after last year's audacious celebrations (oh yes dear reader, I can use big words and possibly spell them wrong) I doubt there is much topping them and 22 doesn't seem particularly significant to me. I will update more properly in the week when I have something resembling composed thoughts :)

Drink of the wine, that's my design

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:46:50 GMT

So Josh and Donna are finally about to have sex (oops, *really* should have put a spoiler there), My second season of Arrested Development finally arrived and I have become addicted to the writings of Peter F Hamilton. All is good in the 'Andy-entertainment' world. If I can be allowed to do that to the english langauge, of course.

It's not hard to fall

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:09:44 GMT

Lot happier than my last entry. Had an amazing weekend in Bristol and thus far the working week treats me kindly enough. The highlights of Bristol was a lazy sunny sunday morning and a gig in an idyllic little cafe on park street, both which made me realise how precious and wonderful weekends can be. With regards to people that frustrate me, I kind of realised that I, like them, need to take a step back from it for a while. I think it might just help clear things up a bit.

Got a nice beer in front of me (erdinger) and I've just put on Damien Rice's 'O' for the first time in aggggeees. Forgotten how very good an album it is. I hope everyone else is alright, i'm sat here on my computer thinking of the way messages travel so quickly and so quietly that I wonder sometimes if even my thoughts can touch you. No, i'm not on drugs. Perhaps alcohol.

I'm sure back home they think I've lost my mind

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:47:15 GMT

Well it's a Sunday and I just got back from one of the most interesting weekends I've had in a long, long while.

It started off on Friday with the end of the working week for me, before hopping onto the first available train to Nottingham. The weather was dull and wet and got progressively more so the closer I got into Nottingham. Was met by Chris at the station (whose 22nd birthday I was up to celebrate) and we proceeded to travel on buses, get chinese food and most importantly, beer. Chris lives in West Bridgford which is very close to where I used to reside all of 6 months ago at University. So it was a little werid being back and because of tiredness + much drink I think I was probably at my most hyper in a long time. Lots of people were out, Chris has quite a lot of friends from Church but there were also a lot of other folk that I did know - like Susie (Fallen View singer) with Gwyn and Fran, also from university. All this alcohol and the familiarity of being in the bars I love meant I think me and a friend got a bit carried away at about the mid-way point through the night after some fairly frank admissions on both our parts. After that slight awkwardness I proceeded to just chill out a lot more and dance like a mad hatter. We ended up in the Cookie Club which as some of you may know, was my favourite club in Nottingham for a long time. It's changed now, it was like a fairly little kept secret back in the days when me, Chris, Fran and Susie used to pack it out every wednesday night, whereas it was packed to the breaking point on friday. No worries - me, Chris and his flatmate Oz then proceeded to wind back to Chris' flat, drink a bit more and spill hot tea. I eventually fell asleep at god knows what time.

Saturday was waking up on a deflated mattress and with only a slight pang of a headache. My mini disc player was nearby so I blissfully put some very good music on and thought about the previous night. (A lot like that episode of the Simpsons where homer starts off remembering the events of his house party last night in a very uhhh, overtly positive light only for the pieces to slowly fall back into place tehe). As if Friday hadn't been a bit random, it was time for Saturday to work it's magic.

Sam was travelling up from back home (ie near me) in car to visit a tram musuem. No, he's not like *that*, it was part of his research project for his degree. Sam got to where I was and then I went for a quick burger king (note to self - ate terribly this weekend. TERRIBLY!) with Chris and Oz before bidding them farewell. Onto the Tram museum. In Crich (or some-such spelling). It wasn't as boring as I thought it would be actually, the Trams run on a small line that positions itself next to a quarry and offered some moody views characterised by pereguin falcons and the half snowed under sky. There was also one of those old school police boxes (you know, THE TARDIS!), which was my personal highlight. It was also a grade 2 listed building. tehe.

With Sam having what he needed it was time in his words "for a cheeky beer in some country pub". So we stopped in some pub in Crich and walked inside to the usual 'everyone has stopped drinking and is looking at us' moment that only midland folk can really dooooo well. Then it got funnier, or weirder depending upon your perspective. One of the locals was clearly of "only gay in the village" stock. For those of you who do watch little britain then you'd know that what I mean by that is a camp and very gay man in a vilage full of people who still probably think the word 'gay' means having a nice ice-cream besides brighton beer on a wonderfully sunny day. He seemed to take an interest in me, oh yes dear reader, a shining one. The irony is Sam's the gay one. Then 'David' as he shall forever be known, enlisted the help of the landlady to show us what was 'underneath the cellar'. Me and Sam for some reason agreed to follow him down into the cellar. I was fairly sure I was about to feel something rubbing up my leg, but there was actually a well underneath the pub. With golden water. I didn't drink it but the landlady said most of the pub folk had and they were still with us. In a loose sense, of course. So after finishing our drinks and bidding good 'ol 'David' fare well we were back into Nottingham, catching up with Fallen View's beautiful singer miss Susanne Lambert (she also out the night before). After Friday night's bright lights and chaos we adopted a night out of chilledness to begin with, starting off in a bar called Opium. As I sat there sipping Guiness with two very good friends I realised that I was happy, very happy. And then 'Four Seasons in One Day' by Crowded House came on and just meant the already beautiful nature of the bar seemed to be just about perfect.

The rest of the night was spent having a few laughs and dancing like idiots in one of Nottingham's more colourful clubs (tehe). Actually it was just me dancing like an idiot probably. I think Sam had a good time in nottingham and spending time with Susie is always a bonus. Sam drove us both back home today and i'm back to work tomorrow but somehow I can't help but feel that this week's events will be somewhat interestingly rebounding in my head for the duration of the next working week!

Still with me? well done :)

Half of the time we're gone and we don't know where

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 20:34:28 GMT

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know your part’ll go fine.
Fly down to mexico.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da and here I am,
The only living boy in new york.
I get the news I need on the weather report.
I can gather all the news I need on the weather report.
Hey, I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da here I am
The only living boy in new york

Half of the time we’re gone but we don’t know where,
And we don’t know here.

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know you’ve been eager to fly now.
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da
Like it shines on me
The only living boy in new york,
The only living boy in new york.

Sun, 05 Mar 2006 14:06:54 GMT

Been a good weekend and a while since I've updated, so here goes a long list of things in no particular order!

- Aikakone is moving and making new beginnings. Best of luck to her

- I've booked my driving test! For mid april, so not that far away now. Who knows whether i'll pass, but my driving instructor has been really great and I feel like I will be as well prepared for it as I could hope to be and that's really all I can hope for.

- Spent yesterday in London and had the best day i've had in ageeeeeees! I went early and although those of you in the Uk will know that it's bloody freezing of late, the clear blue skies meant as always that central london looked pretty stunning. I was silly enough to go into Waterstone's and they had a 3 for 2 offer on some very good books (Flowers for Algeron being one noteable example), so obviously I had to buy 3 books. After much drinking myself, scarer and caz eventually wound our way to kings cross and a venue called the water rats to see a little known australian band called Betchadupa. The venue was ropey but still slightly charming and the alcohol was flowing. There were plenty of random people there that introduced themselves and it was just nice to be in good company for the evening. Betchadupa were very, very good. They're my space page is predictably www.myspace.com/betchadupa and I advise you to check it out if, like me, you occasionally like very loud music :). I spent a LOT of money on drinks last nite - therefore i was drunk. very. And hungover today. But it's been so long since I have been it has a nice kitsch value to it!

- I also saw Jason Mraz last Tuesday with Matt. That was just an amazing night. We only found out about 4 hours before the gig started that we were definitely there and that we were on the guest list (more on that later). So que lots of rushing into london and meeting up with matt. The venue was Shepard's Bush and the que extended all the way around the venue when we got there just as doors were opening. Those poor bastards standing in the freezing for hours waiting to get to the front. So imagine me and matt strolling to the front, matt saying "i'm on the guestlist" and the bouncer ushering us both through. Not sure that'll happen to me often and I've certainly paid my dues when it comes to waiting long lengths of time for gigs. Mr Mraz was predicably good. Live he's more diverse than on record, much more rapping, much more jazz. Andy like!

- Back to work tomorrow but the weekend has been kind to me.

And I see myself turn into someone else for a while

Sat, 25 Feb 2006 20:14:06 GMT

I miss how things used to be, to a certain extent. I miss meeting complete strangers and having a fun time with them and being constantly surrounded by friends, even if there was the odd disagreements. I don't know why but I'm feeling this a lot this weekend, maybe cause I didn't have much planned.

Clouds soothe, shredded by the calico

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:30:37 GMT

You know I've got too much time on my hands when I update my LJ more than once in a week, hehe!

So far this week I have mostly just been really relaxing and I realised it's the first holiday I've had in a long time when I've not really got anything planned. I've always been a 'i need my me time' kind of guy, so it's nice to be able to just inhabit that role for the rest of this week.

That said, I went into London yesterday to catch up with Matt, that crazy guy I used to live with. yesterday was also Valentine's day (which I have always hated) so it was nice to spend it with a mate, if not slightly funny that I think a fair amount of people must have thought we were great-big, flamboyant homosexuals (i blame my scarf). I arrived into London quite early and so got the tube to leicester square, walked to Trafalgar and took in the sights. The sun was struggling to push through thin white clouds and so everything had a lazy, dream-like quality to it. Was wonderful to walk around. Having walked to Victoria station from there I then proceeded to wait for Matt. In a wetherspoons in Victoria station (what a genius move, station owners!). We then ate at a pizza hut on leicester square and both ate far, far too much but fun was had anyway. Actually I might be getting drunk with him again at the wkd!

The rest of my day will involve lots of form filling, but hey, right now I really cannot complain. There was plenty of other random stuff I was s'posed to write, hmmmm, maybe I'll think of it later!