| Around the world |
[Dec. 23rd, 2009|09:16 pm] |
I can't remember to whom I was banging on about this, but Canada is merely the world's second largest producer of oil, rather than the first. It's still quite surprising though. Although not as surprising as the fact that it has a population of about 33 million. I always thought it was about 6. (6 million that is, not actually 6). I think I also claimed to this person who I can't remember the name of that Venezuela was the world's 4th largest oil producer. It's actually the seventh, which again, is still quite striking.
And - was watching "Homes Under The Hammer" this am, where they were looking at a place in New Malden. An estate agent made the startling claim that the South Korean community in NM (which is admittedly large, at 25,000) was "the largest anywhere outside Seoul". Now, I know estate agents have a rep for pitching bullshit, but this struck me as the last word in utter bollocks. Indeed, a quick glance at Wikipedia reveals the existence of at least 9 other cities that comfortably trump that number by anywhere up to 3 million people.
So there you go. Don't say you don't learn anything from this journal.
I spent most of today with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) flaneurette, flaneusing and going to see the Ed Ruscha exhibition at the Hayward gallery. Best day out in ages. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 23rd, 2009|01:17 pm] |
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Hooray! I'm happily on my Christmas train home, sailing through lovely festive countryside - frozen ponds! - and watching Seinfeld on DVD. Happy Christmas one and all! |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 22nd, 2009|05:49 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | productive | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses | ] |
Still hawking up the odd bit of gilbert but the worst seems over, fingers crossed.
At work this afternoon we had the surreal experience of taking down the Christmas decorations. Health & Safety strike again - they'd been unable to stomach the prospect of the paper chains, tree and bells staying up in a vacant office for a week and a half. And as I'm the only male in tomorrow, and the ladies had persuaded us men that we couldn't be so ungallant as to leave them to do any of the heavy work of taking decs down, Phil, Ray and I got down to the job today. When we'd finished Liz said she felt sad - "the place looks bare now, Christmas is over". But as only a handful of us are coming in tomorrow, there were a lot of "Merry Christmas" wishes as people said goodbye, together with several '"See you next year"s'. |
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| BALLS |
[Dec. 22nd, 2009|11:56 am] |
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| The Kids are Alright |
[Dec. 22nd, 2009|10:47 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  cold | ] |
Walking uphill with the pram yesterday, in the snow.
Three yoot were busy throwing snowballs at each other and yelling various yoot phrases such as 'wicked', 'nang', 'sick' and so on.
Here we go I think, and steel myself for a volley of snowballs and more yoot-speak.
DA YOOT: Oy, you got a baby there?
ME: Er, yes...
DA YOOT: Ooooh, he looks cold!!
Me: Yeah, it's freezing! (smiles nervously)
DA YOOT: Where's his hat?
ME: He won't keep it on.
DA YOOT: What's his name? They peer into the pram.
ME: Joe.
DA YOOT: Aw, Joe! Happy Christmas!!
ME: Happy Christmas!
They slide off, shouting 'Merry Christmas'.
Warms the cockles. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 21st, 2009|06:29 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | snuffy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Xmas Bubblegum Machine by the Sultans of Ping F.C. | ] |
On hearing my sneezes at the beginning of the morning, Chris and then Sue asked "should you be here?" I'd never considered calling in sick with just a bog-standard cold; after feeling a little groggy for the first couple of hours the rest of the day wasn't too bad.
There were plenty more people around the office sneezing and coughing anyway.
During the afternoon, Sue was excited to spot snow falling outside. "It looks very festive over there against the trees." One less nice by-product of the snow was that the bus was 20 minutes late, keeping a dozen of us waiting huddled under the shelter.
Home for a hot cup of coffee. |
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| Clothes. |
[Dec. 21st, 2009|03:33 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | cold | ] |
I have really really got back into clothes again recently. Not in any edgy or interesting way, I just love, love, love them.
Is there a good LJ community for clothes? A sort of enthusiastic, squee-ing, non-trendy , non-judgey one? Not angsty or political or body-imagey.* Just- I am wearing this and I like it! And this is why!
I have no-one to talk to about clothes, really. None of the people I know are into them, apart from a woman I work with, who e-mailed me in delight about her new purchase of red shoes. Red shoes! Lovely. It made my day.
Does such a thing exist? I've searched a bit but I'm not sure I am looking properly...
Although today I am wearing thermals, long socks, leggings with yoga pants on top and a hoodie. Oh dear.
*Not that there is anything wrong with thinking, talking or writing about those things but they swirl round my head all the time. I need to escape them sometimes. |
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| 'On today's programme, we'll be discussing the difficulties of finding a doula." |
[Dec. 21st, 2009|11:53 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  busy | ] |
SCENE:
Front room, late middle-aged surveyor. Myself, ironing. Radio 4 in the background.
MAN: Ah, it's that time already.
ME: Hmmm, yes. (thinks he means Christmas.)
MAN: Ah, 'Woman's Hour'. Takes me back, that does (drifts off into reverie.)
LATER.
MAN: (looks out of window.) You have snow on the roofs.
ME: Yes.
MAN: Funny how there is less the further into London you get. In Coulsdon, four inches. Streatham, just a sprinkle. Here, nothing. But you have some on the roof. Funny.
ME: Yes, funny, isn't it? (laughs nervously.)
* * *
MAN: Do you have gas here?
ME: No, well, I don't think so, no, er, well, the central heating is gas, er...
MAN: I guess there is gas around. Long pause. Looks around, suspiciously. Somewhere.
ME: Looks nervously towards the nearest escape route. |
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| A vague account of the weekend |
[Dec. 21st, 2009|11:18 am] |
* Went to the Nine Carols show at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Friday night which was excellent. I can't remember any of the scientists' names now, but I liked the one who did his alternative awards ceremony, and I liked Stewart Lee even though his material was ancient. The elderlyish bloke sitting next to us looked totally mystified by Gary Le Strange.
* Accidentally heard Dotun Adebayo when I was listening to the radio late on Saturday night. He's rotten, isn't he? He first hosted a dreadful discussion about Leslie Hughes being sacked as Manchester city manager, then he talked about the snow in America with what he described as "native New Yorkers" as if we're supposed to be impressed by this. Real mericans? Live on the radio? Zowie! The best bit was when he said "'I'm just going outside, I may be some time' as Captain Scott famously said." Um, alright, whatever.
* Finished my nephew/niece Christmas shopping at the Science Museum/Natural History Museum shops. Got great stuff, including space ice cream and a T-Rex glove puppet!
* Went on a tube walk around the lovely houses and lovely food shops of Kensignton. Holland Park's good though, isn't it? It has a Kyoto Garden and peacocks. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 20th, 2009|11:40 pm] |
I got some new socks home only to find they are labelled with bossy suggestions as to which sock should go on which foot:
Well, fuck you, socks, I won't do what you tell me!
There. It seems Zack de la Rocha and Jimmy Cricket are basically the same. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 20th, 2009|11:17 pm] |
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You know it's Christmas when the Father Ted special is on. Oh, I love it so. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|11:20 pm] |
It's Saturday night, I'm in alone and boycotting Match of the Day in a football related huff to watch Love Actually. Therefore, in no particular order, my favourite LPs of 2009. I'll try and write a bit about them, but as usual when I try and write about music I'll probably just end up saying "I like it!" because I'm rubbish at describing music I like.
Love Actually's not bad really is it?
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Pains of Being Pure at Heart
I may have moaned a bit about their gig a couple of weeks ago, but I still think the album's great. Fuzzy indie rock, vaguely reminiscent of Buzzcocks. Great stuff. This is Contender
God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl
So this is Stuart Murdoch's B&S spinoff - the story of a mixed up girl sung by three singers he found through internet auditions. And it's beautiful. So listen to the title track:
Moofish Catfish - Moofish Catfish
And the self-titled albums keep coming. I saw Moofish Catfish supporting someone - I can't remember who - earlier this year, and I picked up their album. I like it. Here's About This Girl.
Slow Club - Yeah So? (£4.98! Amazing bargain!)
As you may have seen, I went to their gig this week. This is It Doesn't Always Have to be Beautiful:
Pocketbooks - Flight Paths
I've talked about Pocketbooks loads on here. I <3 them absolutely and I've already shared far too much of their album probly, but have another track anyway - Every Good Time We Ever Had:
The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Duckworth Lewis Method
It's not every year that a concept album about cricket comes out, and it's not every year that a track written from the point of view of Mike Gatting is released. Jiggery Pokery:
MJ Hibbett & The Validators - Regardez, Ecoutez et Repetez
Silly, witty, fun, catchy, INDIE! I've uploaded this track, because although it's written from the point of the view of the band, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed as a punter. It's called We're Old and We're Tired (And We Want to Go Home):
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|06:18 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sick | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Light My Fire by Jose Feliciano on Radio Solent | ] |
Driving lesson this morning not bad, especially considering the coughing and sneezing. Reverse around the corner would have been perfect if I hadn't begun straightening up too early, meaning I zig-zagged down the final straight. Parallel park OK apart from beginning the initial turn a touch prematurely, causing Peter to prompt me to put on some extra steering to the right on the second turn. No other problems except Peter at one stage pulling me up for 'coasting' with the clutch down just after slowing down behind a slowing car.
From there I went down to the town to see the start of the Gosport Mini Music Festival, which was opening with two talented young local chanteuses, Kat Perrio and Lucy Machin. I noticed them having a quick chat with each other before the proceedings began - they ought to do a duet.
Kat was great, she did a set of Christmas songs beginning with a suitably sultry performance of Santa Baby followed by the classics by Slade, Brenda Lee, Wizzard and Shakin' Stevens and topping off with two that, in her words, "aren't Christmas songs but still show we love to party" - Rockin' All Over The World and Sweet Child O' Mine.
Lucy was brilliant too, accompanying herself on guitar and singing heartfelt versions of several songs by female singer-songwriters before rocking the place with an amazing rendition of Queen's Somebody To Love. I then heard what sounded like the opening chord of Sheryl Crow's All I Wanna Do and thought she was going to make a great set even better with that number, but instead she finished with I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. This young lady is a fine musician and, given the right songwriters supplying her with original material, has real star potential.
Was walking across the car park of Westleigh Park towards the clubhouse when Barry drove past me, informing me the game had just been called off. The pitch was covered in snow and ice. I popped into the bar to see if anybody I'd brought a Christmas card was for. They weren't. I began trudging back to the station; hadn't gone too far along the main road when Spud shouted across the road to me. He said the Hawk Travel club were in The Heron having a Christmas drink, so I joined them. The Heron didn't serve mixed fruit Kopparberg, but a pear one did nicely.
When they dispersed Bob gave me a lift back to the Hard where I posted Steph her card. Home for the end of Soccer Saturday accompanied by my office Christmas chocs. |
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| Radio Ga Ga |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|01:20 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bitchy | ] |
I had the unfortunate experience of listening to about 10 minutes of Liz Kershaw's show, after Adam and Joe.
She was talking about twinkly, sparkly Christmassy songs.
And then played Dubstar's 'Not So Manic Now'.
IDIOT.
I don't know why she gets under my skin so much, but with such a dearth of female DJs , how on earth is she still in a job?
I really find DJs unbearable, apart from A & J, Stuart Maconie and Mark Radcliffe.
Ugh. I am so sad that A & J are off for a while.
Don't get me started on George Lamb. I heard 5 minutes a couple of weeks ago and I actually thought it was a parody of a crappy, boorish , laddish show. Today I heard him being condescending, patronising and nasty to a female caller. What an absolute arse. |
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| shutupshutupshutupshutupshutup |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|12:06 pm] |
Dear The Media
cha⋅os
/ˈkeɪɒs/ [key-os]
–noun
1. a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order.
2. any confused, disorderly mass: a chaos of meaningless phrases.
3. the infinity of space or formless matter supposed to have preceded the existence of the ordered universe.
4. (initial capital letter) the personification of this in any of several ancient Greek myths.
5. Obsolete. a chasm or abyss.
NONE OF THE ABOVE DEFINITIONS APPLY TO ONE OR SEVERAL TRANSPORT SERVICES BEING DELAYED OR CANCELLED.
Jesus. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 18th, 2009|04:11 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | sneezy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Treachery by Kirsty MacColl | ] |
Cough and sniffles have really set in now. Several people at the office have also got it - Sue remarked on the chorus of sneezes ringing out around her. I'd won a box of Quality Street Matchmakers in the raffle, and someone had been sharing out the Celebrations as there was a plastic envelope with about a dozen in on my desk when I arrived. Bev couldn't resist remarking that I made a start on mine from the beginning of doing my first batch; I pointed out to her that a little chocolate goes down very nicely at 7 am when you've just come in from the cold.
Thinking of you, Kirsty. |
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| More matter, more art |
[Dec. 18th, 2009|01:41 pm] |
I knew I'd forgotten something.
First - Bob Kingham, who I don't need to tell you more about by now, and Richard Cochrane (also known as ornette) are performing their excellent "Align" at the Bridewell Theatre on Friday 22nd January. I wrote about one of its debut performances earlier this year here if you want to know a bit more. Tickets are selling rapidly, so if you're interested, book now.
Secondly, I can't believe how little coverage this story on the possible first glimpse of dark matter has got. It seems a tad more important than the variations on "It's snowing in Kent" we've got all day. |
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| bleak midwinter |
[Dec. 18th, 2009|12:36 pm] |
Snow. It looks pretty, I grant you. But it's basically just a massive pain in the arse. I was ready to hide in my flat and be snowed in, but it wasn't really bad enough, so made my way to work - wasn't v. stressful really. Coming home last night with the sleet on the ground freezing and snow falling rapidly on top of it wasn't much fun mind.
Went to see Stewart Lee at Leicester Square Theatre last night, and thinking about it this morning, it was actually quite brilliant - even better than I thought at the time. I think he's still on there till January, and I recommend going along to see it.
Afterwards, I spent quite a lot of time trying to explain why I think Morecambe and Wise are so good - in support, I draw your attention to this clip:
And for those with more time on their hands, try from 4.07 on this one (the classic "he's not going to sell much ice cream going at that speed" routine):
Still not feeling much love for Christmas - but this came on my iPod this morning, and although it's not festive in any real sense of the word, I thought I'd share. It felt good to hear it.
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