Corrosive Shame

Of course it's actually many weeks since Christmas but now I've fought my way through the work-slog, the London-slog and the alcohol induced haze from last night I need to take advantage of my last day of work and the associated very little to do to crack on with my rather long list of personal activities.

Christmas passed me by wonderfully. My best of intentions fell at the first hurdle and spending Christmas Day mucking about up a mountain on a pair of planks proved to be a lot more fun that eating too many Quality Street and fumbling through conversations with relatives. Despite the terrible snow warnings where I was (Zermatt) was reasonably adequate. The upper pistes were in pretty good nick and the lower pistes interestingly hard and/or bare. A little off-piste was possible in Cervinia and my only face-plant was without long term injury to anything other than my pride. Christmas in the mountains is lovely - simply because everything still opens, people don't make a fuss and just carry on as usual.

I do like skiing - it really might keep me away from Dark City this year. But I'm not sure.

New Years Eve I spent with an amount of fine company at the Custard Factory in Brum. It was an interesting experience - I nearly got in a fight; I spent a lot of time listening to FC Kahuna and was surprised by the friendliness of people on drugs. I never get indiscriminate smiles normally... I was mildly amused by people coming up to me asking if I was ok when just standing still. Something about K-holes apparently, so the kids in the know say. Home about 5:45am felt very reasonable.

I do miss a good goth club though.

The last couple of weeks have been a little busy at work, which has been nice. The last two days in London have been mostly as waste of time but it's been sensible to update some of my contacts on what I'm doing next, and better still have some of them say "You should do well at that" when I'm frankly a bit terrified of what I'll be expected to do. Turn the blag to 11...

On Wednesday night I saw 586, Bolt Action 5, White Light Parade and David Ryder Prangley and The Witches at the Purple Turtle. Good lord - I feel cheated and it was only £5 to get in. Respectively they were "she can sing, he can't; mediocre idea, mediocre execution" "jumping around doesn't compensate for lack of musical talent, though they had moments" "competent indie guitar" and "whine whine whine; sure you're not a goth?". Still, company and food were pleasant. Last night I had tapas which was frankly rubbish for a vegetarian and I can still feel every glass of the wine. I abandoned my hotel at 6:30 to come back.

Resonance Live was much better.

Media wise I'm finally reading The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever after trying once as an early teen and giving up. He doesn't make his life easy... reminds me of so many people I know and indeed myself in the way that most (fantasy) literary characters don't. I've also watched The 4400 which was good. Reminded me of the investigatory style of our group in pax_draconis's Call of Cthulhu game. Except the investigators in the series seem much more capable.

Photography is kinda good - in the sense I'm happy with the results - despite the fact this is silly season and I'm not taking much. Anyone want to share the costs of hiring studio space in Brum? £25 per week for the "space" at the Custard Factory. It's a pipedream.

And tomorrow? To the Alps again. For any passing burglars reading this the alarm code is &^**

From jfs

"Another in the long list of "people with too much time on their hands" entries; Tony Blair covering the Clash on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1vwKZiDsY4"

From kamalaya...

Japanese Girl Licking Octopus

I use the "amusing" tag with some reluctance.

EDIT: This link involves a scantily clad Japanese girl licking an octopus (in case you hadn't guessed). Therefore it might not be work safe. Unless, like me, you work in your lounge.

I'm at a conference for european networking folk in London at the moment, and despite being awfully busy thought I would relate this tale...

The chap sitting next to me is from Hungary, and has the most wonderful "I vant to drink your blood!" faux-Dracula accent. I couldn't help but smile.

Easily pleased I know.

In other news I seem to be going to Whitby with berrega. I hope this is not a mistake.

It's funnie if you're a brummie...

Baywatch, Brummie Style

Work safe, humour, requires sound ideally. From http://www.birminghamitsnotshit.co.uk/