oh, and before I forget

Have just discovered this site courtesy of happy dave's blog and it is fab....well, I was impressed anyway...

It's occasionally a bit hit & miss (it offered me Cher on my Joni Mitchell station)but is generally interesting, and you can guide it once it's going to more closely match your taste!

Have already discovered a number of new artists I like through it - eek, could be dangerous!

A journey of 11980 miles starts with...

...a day at the office - harumph!

And I even made it in on time - luggage and all!

Which is most impressive considering the level of drunken-ness I mysteriously achieved last night. Things got off to a civilised start when I met up with purplemafling and the elf for a couple of glasses of wine. I then returned home and made the fatal error of joining an already in progress dinner party, which had 'already in progress-ed' beyond the food point, and into the gin point...which, it would seem, continued for some time! Somehow managed to finish off packing in between gins, so hopefully nothing has been forgotten!

And so, a couple more hours in the office and its off to the joyousness of Heathrow - and beyond!

For Karen & Gabriel (& any other antipodean types!)

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY (which I guess is now technically yesterday in your time zone - sorry!)

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Sleeps til I fly to New Zealand: 5
minutes since last cigarette: 0 (sorry shark & lizzy...am very proud of you both)

reading update (for jimbob's info)

The book choice was made, and for the past week or so I have been reading 'A Land of Two Halves' by Joe Bennett, which was left in by flat by the visiting winchursts, and is a witty and intelligent account of his experiences hitch-hiking around New Zealand - I now feel nicely prepped for my trip! Interspersed with this I have been reading a collection of short stories called 'Runaway' by Alice Munro, which I'd forgotten I'd picked up at JFK back in November, and whilst not being quite as entertaining as Joe Bennet, is enjoyable reading nonetheless.

These combined should keep me going until next week, when I'm allowed to start the book I've been saving for my trip - Mrukami's Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.


PS - thanks for reccommendations - have read both 'Lovely Bones' and 'Lucky' by Sebold, but not the other 2 you mentioned, so will def give them a try next time!
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Sleeps til New Zealand flight: 9

in memoriam...

Ode to The Whale

O great Leviathan,
What do you sing of?
Is it the fate of your kind?
Is it a song of love?
Is what you are singing
A song of your past?
Do you sing of your future
Or is this day your last?
Do you sing of the beauty
Of the beloved sea?
Do you sing of the pleasure
Of being free?
Man has betrayed you,
Gentle Giant of the deep
You must fight back,
Lest you forever sleep!

© Teresa Cochran 1/1/1979

whale of a time...?

During my imminent trip to New Zealand, I was planning on going whale watching in Kaikoura. It would now, however, seem that I needn't bother, and can infact stroll down to the Thames as a convenient alternative.

Possibly my favourite comment is "It is a very long way from home and we don't know why it has ended up here". This has to me more than a slight suggestion that it is believed the whale may have consciously decided to arrive - perhaps it is an undercover agent, or the new wave of terrorist....or perhaps it merely fancied a spot of shopping and some lunch in town?

I am also awaiting with interest to see how they 'persuade' it to swim back out....

watch this space

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Days til I fly to New Zealand: 11

Ups and downs...

its been a somewhat hectic and mixed week, and overall start to 2006....
On the upside, I now have my bank card back, and half the money has been refunded back to my account so far (rest pending fraud investigation) - hurrah!
and very excitingly Kate, Dan and the munchkin cam to stay - was very lovely to see them all, and I can officially confirm that the munchkin is the cutest, happiest, smiliest baby in the entire world ever (not that I'm biased or anything!)

broody? me? no comment....!

I then had (for probably the first time ever) a cliched Friday 13th....firstly, I diligently tore myself away from the munchkin charms so that I wouldn't be late for work, only to be stuck on a bus for two hours, thus being excessively late for work anyway...grrr! On the upside it allowed me unexpected extra reading time, and I have now finished all three Dark Materials books.....but am now left with the quandary of what to read now...help! All suggestions gratefully received!

The afternoon then brought forth a long cocnversation with boss where we both agreed that I was over qualified and under challenged in the job, and so I should actively look for something else as soon as possible....whilst being true and kind of a relief to discuss it openly, is also a little scary as I could end up jobless in 4 months....aaaaargh! so if anyone knows of anything suitable please let me know!

I then got home and for the first time ever cooked something that tasted vile (which given it was for a dinner party was not good) - fotrunately, after 45mins or so of random spice alchemy I managed to transform it into something that was quite pleasantly edible....(phew!)...

My glee was shortly followed by much swearing as I managed to shower much of the kitchen (and assorted guests/flat mates) with a large (huge) bag of basmati rice....doh! 2 days and several sweepings later I am still finding random grains lurking in unexpected corners....

Yesterday I had a lovely day of relaxation before heading off to the Crisis volunteers party, where I had a fab time, and it was really lovely to see everyone again....today's been spent nursing the hangover i mysteriously acquired...tho I have also made some maya goldchocolate chip cookies much to the flatmates' glee!

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Days til I fly to New Zealand: 14

my daemon is....

Your WOLF DAEMON shows that you are solitary,
ferocious, and often intimidating, but not
without your sufficient loyalty and poise.
People tend to misunderstand you, but you
prefer your own company, anyway.


What Animal Would Your Daemon Settle As?
brought to you by Quizilla

welcome to 2006...

Well, New Year has come and gone - very happy 2006 wishes to those of you I have not yet had contact with...
Had a very pleasant NY Day evening, which was spent cooking a roast duck feast for the flatmates and Laydee...who arrived bearing a veritable plethora of fabulous giftiness...

Thanks to her I am now firmly engrossed in 'Northern Lights' (halfway through already!)....and am enjoying it hugely...

On the downside, 2006 hasn't started so splendidly, as discovered today that some nasty person has been using my account details and managed tro spend practically all my NZ spending money for me.....grrrrr! So most of this morning was spent cancelling cards with my bank - well I s'pose its one way to ensure I stay in this week - all the more time to read! Every cloud n' all that...!

Shows Seen in 2007

Live Stuff 2007
23rd June - Jarvis Cocker + The Valerie Project - Royal Festival Hall
20th June - Iggy Pop - Royal Festival Hall
14-17th June - Wireless Festival - Hyde Park
11th June - Royal Festival Hall Gala Opening - Royal Festival Hall
8-10th June - Download Festival - Donnington Park
22nd May - The National - Astoria
17th May - Last Man Standing - Barfly
17th May - Patti Smith - Roundhouse
15th May - Interpol - Koko
11th May - Roger Waters - Earl's Court
1st May - Frida Hyvonen - Purcell Room
30th April - Alberta Cross, Angus & Julia Stone - Soho Arts Theatre
26th April - James - Brixton Academy
23rd April - Maps - ICA
17th April - Rickie Lee Jones - Jazz Cafe
12th April - Joan as Policewoman - Scala
11th April - Patrick Wolf - Astoria
20th March - Misty's Big Adventure - Water Rats
17th March - Arcade Fire - Brixton Academy
16th March - Arcade Fire - Brixton Academy
13th March - Midsummer Night's Dream - Roundhouse
28th February - Tilly & the Wall + Kate Nash - Scala
26th February - Patrick Wolf - ICA
18th February - Micah P Hinson - Union Chapel
16th February - Guillemots - Brixton Academy
15th February - Kate Nash @ Koko
Last Man Standing @ 100 Club
Cold War Kids @ Barfly, Camden
12th February - Larrikin Love + Tiny Dancers - Koko
2nd February - Arcade Fire - Porchester Hall
6th January - The Mermaid - QEH
5th January - Zoe Rahman - QEH

Live Stuff 2006
20th December - David Ford - Bush Hall
11th December - The Books + Kim Hiorthoy - QEH
8th December - My Life Story + The Soho Dolls - London Astoria
5th December - Michael Franti & Spearhead - Shepherd's Bush Empire
24th November - Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Shepherd's Bush Empire
23rd November - Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Forum
18th November - Magic Numbers - Hammersmith Apollo
17th November - Estelle Kokot - Octave Bar
16th November - EST + Polar Bear - Barbican
15th November - Steve Lawson, Huw Warren, Cleveland Watkiss + more - Recycle Collective 1st Birthday - Darbucka
14th November - Flaming Lips - Hammermsith Apollo
12th November - Brian Wilson, Pet Sounds - Adelphi Theatre
26th October - Sparklehorse - QEH
13th October - Kenny Young & the Eggplants - Betsey Trotwood
12th October - Kenny Young & the Eggplants - Mother Bar
3rd October - Massive Attack - Roseland Ballroom, New York
29th September - Jamie Cullum - Roseland Ballroom, New York
27th September - Jamie Leonhart, Michael Leonhart, Kate McGarry - Rockwood Music Halls, New York
26th September - Erin McKeown - Joe's Pub, New York
12th September - Patti Smith & Kevin Shields (The Coral Sea) - Queen Elizabeth Hall
29th August - David Ford - The Borderline
23rd August - Steve Lawson, Seb Rochford, Andy Hamill, Julian Ferraretto, Mandy Drummond - Recycle Collective - Darbucka
23rd August - Fuerzabruta - The Roundhouse
22nd August - Rolling Stones - Twickenham Stadium
16th August - Fionn Regan - The Luminaire
15th August - Madonna - Wembley Arena
4th August - Puppini Sisters, Nouvelle vage & others, Fruitstock, Regents Park
26th July - Steve Lawson, Julie McKee, Cleveland Watkiss - Recycle Collective - Darbucka
23rd July - Hanne Hukkelburg, Alexander's Festival Hall - The Luminaire
15th/16th July - Summer Nights Festival - Bath Rec
6th July - !!!, Ben Harper, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield
5th July - !!!, Ben Harper, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Derby
3rd July - !!!, Ben Harper, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Majedski Stadium, Reading
2nd July - !!!, Ben Harper, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Ricoh Stadium, Coventry
1st July - Suzanne Vega, Lightning Seeds, Roger Waters & Nick Mason - Hyde Park Calling, Hyde Park
25th June - OK GO, The Fratellis, Thomas Dolby, The Dears, Mystery Jets, Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
24th June - The Automatic, Fratellis, Smoosh, Killa Kela, Chic, Freestylers, eels, Zero 7, James Blunt - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
23rd June - Astrid Williamson, Shortwave Set, Terry Callier, DJ Shadow, Flaming Lips, Massive Attack - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
22nd June - Sion, Mike Rosenburg, Violent Femmes, Ray Lomantagne, Fun Lovin Criminals, KT Tunstall, David Gray - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
21st June - The Raconteurs, Belle & Sebastian, Super Furry Animals, The Strokes - Wireless Festival, Hyde Park
20th June - XFM World Cup Screening - England v Sweden - Islington Academy
18th June - Foo Fighters/Motorhead/Queens of the Stone Age - Hyde Park
9-11th June - Download Festival (Metallica, Soulfly, Prodigy, Guns n' Roses) - Donington Park
4th June - Rodrigo Y Gabriela - London Scala
31st May - The National - Camden Koko
31st May - Steve Lawson with Julie McKee - National Theatre Foyer
29th May - Rapid City + Jon Thorne's Oedipus Complex - QEH Foyer (Jazz on a Spring Day)
26th May - My Life Story - Mean Fiddler
25th May - Take That - Wembley Arena
19th May - Radiohead + Willy Mason - Hammersmith Apollo
16th May - Hard-Fi + Wrongtom (+ surprise appearance by Billy Bragg) - Brixton Academy
14th May - Naked Sunday Collective - Beauberry House, Dulwich
12th May - The New Couriers - QEH Foyer
9th May - Robert Hylton's Urban Classicism - Purcell Room
8th May - Sol Seppy/Keith/Sebastien Tellier - The Spitz
6th/7th May - The Sultan's Elephant, Royal de Luxe - central London
24th April - Jose Gonzalez - Hammersmith Apollo
22nd April - Lola Perrin - Purcell Room
19th April - Recycle Collective (Steve Lawson/Cleveland Watkiss/Leo Abrahams) - Darbucka
3rd April - Depeche Mode - Wembley Arena
1st April - The Mighty Boosh Live - Hammersmith Apollo
30th March - OKGO - London Scala
29th March - Sigur Ros - Hammersmith Apollo
16th March - Recycle Collective (Steve Lawson/BJ Cole/Thomas Leeb)- Darbucka
13th March - Zoe Rahman - QEH Foyer
4th March - Steve Lawson/Theo Travis, National Theatre Foyer
3rd March - Andrea Vicari Quartet, QEH Foyer
3rd February - ()scape - Aotea Centre, Auckland NZ