Ten days.

[zotz]

What have I been up to? Not much, really. Working, playing at Robin Hood for a couple of evenings (in the firing-arrers-into-butts sense, rather than the green-tights-and-pointy-hat sense, fortunately), and having a Calling. The Ted Hawkins, Johnny Cash and Giant Sand LPs arrived at the weekend (and are very good). Friday was T'Pub. It was a bit quiet, and I missed Sarah the Pilot, who had despaired of me arriving with flyers and had gone off to look for me. So it goes. So I hung around with other folks. Saturday, of course, was the Grand Hitching, at which I Ushed in my old suit (into which, amazingly, I still fit (just) after ten years). This went remarkably well, and involved a long reception with much food, wine, cake, and ecxellent conversation with all and sundry. Ihe next morning I thought I'd managed to lose a load of cash. I thought back very carefully and realised that it hadn't been lost or wasted - it had gone on whisky. So that was alright. And I was quite drunk when I tore myself away to catch the end of the Killing Miranda concert. They seemed on fine form, even to a man who'd walked across Cambridge town centre barefoot because hs only dress shoes don't fit . . . afterwards I got into a drunken argument and was very insulting (sorry) and walked home. Sunday involved first reading the papers and then going over to karmicnull's place to chat, eat and help paint a spare room. I hadn't actually seen, him, Sue or little Gigi in six months or so, so it was also a particularly good evening.

Monday was a day at work . . . and, I think, an evening at home. Tuesday was the Calling. I was on last, so I sat on the door with Loki until midnight listening to sets by SarahTP and the debut from alixandrea, which was very good even if she did insist on slipping a Jim Steinman song in. I played . . . stuff. A typically populist final set, and a typically shoddy set of mine. It'll be up on the website" soon enough.

Wednesday, of course, was work again. And in the evening, Film Club at mine. There was a select and intimate air, as one grahamb, surje and one Mr Sullivan could be bothered to attend. I suppose Beat Takeshi isn't as big a pull for a lot of people as he is for me. We watched Hana-Bi and then Boiling Point. I think the former is the better film. We were probably going to watch Violent Cop, but I couldn't find the tape. So that was another late night.
Last night also. After work, I grabbed a quick bite and then went arching again. I was back about ten. At a sensible hour for crashing, Wild Things turned up on cable. I didn't see this when it came out - I really didn't think it looked like my kind of thing. In fact, I only became even vaguely interested when I happened across the soundtrack album in the local Frigid Megastore. It had a little sticker pointing out that the incidentals were by George Clinton and featured two members of Morphine. So when it came onto the television some time later, I put it on to listen to the music. Eventually I realised it wasn't as formulaic as I'd been expecting. A nicely twisted film, and a very significant one for any player of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon". Anyway, it was after one again last night before I tumbled into my pillows, and after three late nights on the trot, I am feeling slightly weary. I'll probably have to have a quiet night in sometime n the next two orthree. It shouldn't be difficult - this is my last day at work until January.

I should also mention that yesterday was the team Christmas meal, at the same pub that aeia went to the night before. I didn't go, because I hate the place and the last time I ate there the vegetarian meal was large chunks of half-cooked parsnip with some cheese grated over it. No thanks. Also, the landlord annoyed some very long-standing members of staff here for the pub to be popularly 9and unkidly, I'm sure) renamed The Jolly Fascist. I've heard something he said to my previous boss' parents, and frankly I've no desire to go near the place again. I know I didn't point this out on Wednesday, but I got the impression that Andrea was committed to being there, so why poison her view of it in advance? Her experience of the place may well have turned out much happier than mine.

Afterwards, there was the opening of the Secret Santa gifts. I was slightly disappointed with what I managed to find for [unnamed teammate] - I must do better in future, but it was a bit of a rush-job - but I was given a live Ted Hawkins CD, which brightened up my day immensely. Dave knows who it was from, because he was asked (roughly) "Has Graham been droning on about anything lately?"

So I was happy.