Bless me, father, for I have sinned. It has been 18 days since my last confession.

It's always fun to go through a jar of old biros and find a cheap promotional ballpoint bearing the emblem of something unusual. Today I found out that I have one which says "VIAGRA" in big letters. And it doesn't fucking work.

Eastercon was a bit disappointing, mostly because I wasn't there as much as I wanted to be. The tiler who was doing the bathroom (there are some right fiddly bits, OK?) first said that he could only come on the Saturday (a tradesman on a Saturday? And only on a Saturday? That's breaking several laws of physics, isn't it?) then said with no notice that he was only available on Easter Sunday (my head explodes) and then didn't turn up then either. He was significantly ill, though, so my anger was wasted.

I went to see Mugyenko, a taiko crew from deepest darkest Lanarkshire, who were dead good. The heijun was there with four women . . . I don't know if this was supposed to be some sort of gimmick, but they weren't trying to make anything of it in the publicity or program and in any case they didn't need it, so hopefully it wasn't. Highly excellent, and if you get a chance I'd recommend you take it. They also had a couple of special guests over from Japan, one of whom used to be head of training for Kodo and the other was a Shinto priestess from a temple devoted to a god of drumming and performance. Fantastic.

Beltane's been and gone again too. Fred and I had the chance to fuck it up for everyone, in full view of an attentive crowd of 12 thousand people (nervous, me?), but we failed to totally and it went like bloody clockwork. The flame appeared and the crowd went Oooh, and then the tinder really caught and we got a big cheer. It was a little packed this year - three or four thousand more people than last time, which was significantly up on the time before - but it didn't cause too many problems. I got to see the bonfire being lit up close this time, and had an "Oh, that's Angus Farquar" moment. I have noticed him at least once previously. And someone tried to pinch my bum and missed. Apparently last year a woman saw us, shouted "Deatheaters! Deatheaters!" and ran to hide behind her boyfriend. Most odd, and not a little amusing. The club was good, with the Beastie drummers pushing the Processional drummers closer than usual with their performance. My bingo performance was pitiful. The Evening News had some lovely pics, which is just as well as apparently it's their photographer who irritates everyone every year by trying to be where he shouldn't be. They are very nice pictures, although a couple were spoiled by having me in them looking unappealing.

The next day I was helping derig, and afterwards we went to the Pear Tree. A couple of the Air Point people brought parts of their dragon down with them, and when we got the the pub, put the claws up onto the top of the wall before poking the head up and calling "hello" to their friends at the other side of the garden. How we all laughed, etc.

I had kixie and naturalbornkaos up for the weekend, and I'd said I'd meet them by the bower at the end. Unfortunately a few thousand other people also wanted to be there, so it wasn't a good idea and I didn't see them again until the morning. I had a very good time kicking around with them on Friday and Saturday, though.

This weekend I'll be Elephant-herding during a performance called The Sultan's Elephant, which is apparently inspired by Jules Verne and is going to look a bit like this. And is free. I'll be around until Monday, so if anyone fancies tea and biccies, let me know and we can maybe try to arrange something.

This week, I have mainly been being puzzled about politics and the press. And the general public, who I've started despairing of. Frankly, my hat is off to any and all politicians for their willingness to deal with journalists and voters every day. I'm bloody glad it's their job and not mine.