Monday, January 31, 2005

Horsemeat Anyone ?

I went to Horsemeat Disco last night at South Central in Vauxhall for the 5th straight weekend (ever since they started to go weekly). My biggest fear when I heard the news that the club will switch from its monthly installments is that it will lose some of its 'event appeal' and that the crowds will start dwindling by the week. Thankfully this has not happened, as the club just keeps getting better and better. There are some regulars that you see every week (including myself) and some new faces, and its always a really nice mixed crowd. The music (mainly retro/ disco / soul) is just fun to dance to, very chilled and funky, and the crowd just get into it. The bar staff and promoter Jim Stanton always make the punters feel at home and there is definite 'I don't want the weekend to end' vibe going on with very little attitude. So if you ever wonder where I am on a Sunday night at around 8pm, I am likely at HMD.

Friday, January 28, 2005

Keeping Up Appearances

I've had no motivation to write any 'personal' entries lately .... so I'll just sum up all my complex ups and downs of the past week or so through word association:

Happiness = Friends
Friends = Bears (not old skool though)
Bear = Facial Hair
Facial Hair = Sexy
Sexy = Music
Music = House
House = Empty
Empty = Beer (Pint!)
Beer = Trouble
Trouble = Men
Men = Bastards

The End

Friday, January 21, 2005

Pretty Blue

... Meanwhile, it seems that sky blue is the colour of choice for some of the men ...

Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer
Rafeal Nadal

... and some of the 'ladies' as well

Anastasia Myskina
Lindsay Davenport

Honey I'd Rethink the Yellow .. Its Making You Look A Bit Heppie B

What is up with the top women at the Australian Open wearing yellow outfits this year. Is it a ploy to distract the other player by this hideous colour. Did the colour yellow lobby for not being fairly represented on the tour. Ladies, please remember this in time for the French Open, a yellow outfit clashes severly with the clay courts. Here are the main culprits.

Maria Sharapova
Serena Williams
Daniela Hantuchova
Amelie Mauresmo
Venus Williams
Barbra Schett
Karolina Sprem

What was Mom's advice about taking candy from strangers

A quiet frightening article about the rise of Crystal Meth usage on the London gay scene.

The D.E. Experience

Many of my non-London friends have been subjected to this outburst from me at some point in 2004: 'Oh My God, when you come visit, I have to take you go see the Dame Edna Experience at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Its fabulous.' And then the following conversation (or variations of) always happens:

F: Oh my God, I love Dame Edna, he actually does a show in London

R: No its a drag show, the guy dresses as Dame Edna

F: Oh

R: And he tells jokes that are usually very raunchy, not very PC

F: Right...

R: But its more than just that, he sings as well, does the songs really well, impersonating the singers

F: Oh cool, does he change outfits then

R: No, no, no ..... he sings them in his outfit, well the wig comes off during the show

F (in a very worried voice): Sounds NICE ....

... and so on. Its quiet difficult to describe to someone how brilliant the show is without them actually seeing it. I found this video on the Visit London website that may go some way to resolve that, although it still doesn't give you a sense of how much fun the show is or why I go there on an almost weekly basis.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Nicole Kidman

I don't know what they are thinking at E!Online praising this outfit, but thats gonna inspire so many hideous bridesmaid dresses, Nicole should be held accountable.

Scarlett Johansson

Rocks my world.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Australian Open

It seems that every year the Australian Open passes me by and I never get a chance to see much of it. Its probably because I don't have Sky Sports on my tv and the play times are all messed up because of the time difference. Still, I hope to see Roger Federer get to the final, and then be defeated in a 5-set match against another player (not that I don't like Federer, but a little excitement couldn't hurt). I would also love to see Amelie Mauresemo finally win a Grand Slam this year and she seems to be in fine form.

Monday, January 17, 2005

Turning Points

I find it quiet amazing that we can witness a turning point in a friends life as its happening. I had a pretty lovely weekend, it was both Steve and Phil's birthday on Friday night, and so about 15 of us went to Wagammama's in Soho for dinner and drinks afterwards. I got Phil a book called London: The Biography which I thought he might like as he is fairly new to the city, and I got Steve a couple of CDs that I knew he'd enjoy.

We went out to XXL on Saturday night, and I had such a lovely time. I was in a very happy space and was surrounded by good-feeling, nice music and friendly faces. A couple of my friends are going through some changes at the minute, Steve is looking to change jobs, Mike and Andy are planning on moving to London (well Essex), Ben is selling his flat, Phil is moving in with his boyfriend. And me, well, I am happy standing still for now, I need the rest, there has been too much change and uncertainty in my life lately. I wonder where all of us will be a year from now as I know I am not in the same place I was a year ago. It will be great to see what all my friends will be doing and how much they will acheive!

Thursday, January 13, 2005

WHO?!

Interesting story about the publication of the 'Who's Who' book 2005 edition. According to their website, the book 'contains over 32,000 short biographies, continually updated, of living noteworthy and influential individuals, from all walks of life, worldwide'. Fair enough.

I can understand the inclusion of Nicole Kidman and Matt Groening in the list this year, but isn't it about 9 years too late to start including Kirstin Scott Thomas ? I'm sorry, but I will never get back the five or so combined hours of my life wasted watching The Horse Whisperer and Random Hearts. Maybe she's noteworthy for being in films that bore us to tears.

Tonight

Going to go see the film Closer starring Julia Roberts and Jude Law. This is gonna be the THIRD Jude Law film that I have seen in the theatre recently, that gives him a track record of 3 out of 4 films that I have paid money to get into in the past two months. Sky Captain had an average story but was beautifully shot. I *Heart* Huckabees was just weird, although its saving grace was the wonderful performance from Lilly Tomlin. Still, I am looking forward to seeing this one, I usually love Natalie Portman in non-Star Wars pictures and Julia, well what can I say, she's Julia. Look for a review, soon.

On my 'to see' list for the month:

Million Dollar Baby
The Aviator
House Of Flying Daggers
Sideways
Garden State (MORE Natalie)
Limony Snicket (MORE Jude, he's only a narrator in it though)



My Mojo

Not sure what has happened to me this past week, but I think I have finally gotten my mojo back. That sense of excitement and anticipation upon seeing someone that I'm attracted to has finally returned to me. It must have been all the stresses of work, Canada, Christmas that have just made me shut down on that end, but thankfully I am back ... and with a vengance. So lock your doors gentlemen, Ramification is coming knocking.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

It Does A Body Good

Just a note to remind everyone to drink more milk. I haven't drank any for the past 2 weeks until this morning (except in tea or coffee), and I noticed that my body has missed the calcium, A LOT. So drink milk. I don't know why I felt the need to share this on my blog. Thankfully, its *MY* blog, so I can do whatever I like with it. Unless I happen to be working for a big book chain and bitched about my boss on my site. But I'm not gonna get into that, I do wish Joe Gordon all the best.




Ignore the previous post

After a couple of messages from people I should point out that my stream of consciousness post was way too dark and introspective, I am not in that negative space. It was written more from a character's point of view if you will. I was just tired and cranky from work and wrote it fairly quickly!

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Unfair (A Stream of Consciousness)

Is it unfair that I want my own space sometimes
Is it unfair that I never want to be disappointed by others
Am I unwise for drinking too much alcohol during the week
Am I unwise for not wanting the night to end and the day to begin

I live to move, yet my body seems to want to stop
Am I enjoying myself, or really just punishing myself
Why have I closed myself off from some close friends
Yet I can open up to total strangers with ease

I am afraid at times, and happy at others
I am either always too ecstatic or too sad
I reach the highs easily, and I dwell on the lows
Yet through it all I am never content

I look for love, but I resist it when its offered
I look for sex but don't want to appear too sexual
I judge others who are, but secretly I envy them
Though I don't hate being alone, I don't love it either







Earthquakes

Been a while since any science has made it onto this site, but I got this link through a friend via email. Here is the IRIS Seismic Monitor which monitors live and past earthquakes around the world. Obviously the area of the Tsunami has had a lot of activity in the past few weeks as shown on the map. Fascinating stuff.

A Change ?!

Just need to post this very breifly ... I think I finally know what I want to do with my life / career etc. Accounting is just not cutting it for me and sooner or later I will need to change my career because at the end of the day its not making me happy. So I am seriously considering learning Sign Language and looking at options in social or care work. Not sure how serious I am yet, but there you go, thats what where I stand at the minute. Now, back to crunching the numbers.

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Tsunami Aid

I am sure by now everyone who reads my blog has helped in their own way to contribute to the aid for the Tsunami victims. Its one of those things that happen that I usually don't like to talk about as it upsets me so much, but it doesn't mean that I don't think about it. I have found a page for a Tsunami Help Blog which has a comprehensive list of resources, articles and links, so check it out. Hopefully people won't forget about this disaster anytime soon as aid and relief is going to be needed for a very long time after the immediate needs of the victims and towns affected are met.

This is your brain - on BBC2

Saw a very interesting program last night on BBC2 about the rise of the drug culture in the UK. According to Drugland , there is about 5 million users of recreational drugs in the UK and as much as half a million dealers in the country. Last night's episode focused on dealers of 'softer' drugs such as ecstacy and cocaine. Tonight is going to look at herion and smack and there is a third part as well. You can watch last nights episode online at this link.