bubbling enthusiasm for $arbitrary_topic
Me an' t'other created a tour de force jack o' lantern for Hallowe'en – my first effort, but surely t'will not be my last. Was an absolute scream though.
There are some really impressive efforts at Extreme Pumpkins. I wanted to try the kerosene-soaked rag, for effect, but t'other wouldn't let me.
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There goes my early night. Ah the joys of Calea…
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No one proof read this ad, did they?
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So, last Sunday evening me an' t'other went to Kew to see the glass by Dale Chihuly. Due to a fuck-up with the underground, it took us a lot longer to get there than we'd anticipated, but it was well worth it.
Chihuly's glass is amazing. Just amazing. I had a hard time knowing quite what my reaction was. I tended to oscillate between 'Wow, that's beautiful' and 'How the hell did he do that?' with the occasional 'That must have taken forever to do!'. There are some amazing photos of it on Flickr – look out particularly for the night photos.
Made me wish I had a decent camera, instead of the old Ixus v3 I have, which is losing its ability to focus in low light conditions (where low light = anything inside). Have a few more pressing expenses to cover first, though, before I start looking at new cameras. Like rent.
Anyway, if you haven't been to see Chihuly, you really should go. In fact, I need to go back in daylight and take a look at all the glass we missed because we got there late. It's a bit weird – I used to go to Richmond and Kew all the time, and never seemed to find the time to go to Kew Gardens. Guess it was too much on my doorstep.
chihuly, dale chihuly, kew gardens, glass, art, sculpture
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Friday night. The rest of the world is probably out on the lash, but I'd rather curl up on a sofa somewhere and chill. No sofa there though. Dammit.
Got away lightly with the jetlag, I think. It got lost in the general feelings of exhaustion. Not helped by to few early nights and too many early mornings. I kept saying 'must get an early night tonight' only to discover myself still up at midnight.
Early night tonight.
After I've blogged.
I have too much to blog, but some of it will get lost in the haze of the last $arbitrary_number $arbitrary_time_period.
I also owe people emails. If you are one of those people, I apologise. If actually have had an email from me recently, well done, because the odds are about the same as the National Lottery.
If this post seems a bit disjointed, it's only fairly and accurately representing my state of mind at the moment. I keep forgetting things. I woke the other night, in the darkness, in a panic because I didn't know where I was. Or who I was. At all. I lay there for what seemed like ages struggling to remember anything. A name. Anything.
Strangely, I remembered exactly where the light switch was, and as soon as I could see my surroundings it all came flooding back. Along with an 'oh bugger'. Can't win 'em all.
Early night tonight.
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More for my own benefit than anything, a link to Tamizdat, a website selling music from central and eastern Europe, including Poland. Hoping it will become a source of good Polish music, once I get the time to sit down and look through it.
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Cameron: I'm listening to the show. you make me laugh
Suw: glad i make someone laugh. although, weirdly, i listen back to the show and somehow make myself laugh, even though i know what i said.
Cameron: I'm sure there a psychiatric condition for someone who laughs at themselves
Suw: narhahassicism?
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iPod – check
Laptop – check
Earphones – check
With remote control – check
Episodes of Lost for flight – check
Last few American dollars – check
Book: The Singularity Is Near – check
A few quid to get me from LHR to Paddington – check
Someone really cute to meet me at Paddington and take me home – check
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From the cocktail menu at a restaurant called 718, in Astoria, New York:
Kevin Martini: Stoli vodka, olive juice, olives with blue cheese
Frankly, that sounds quite disgusting.
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I succumbed to the lure of New York today and ended up having a day buying stuff. Took a trip to the Apple store and got myself new earplugs (with remote), and an iTalk that turns my iPod into a dictaphone. Been wanting one of those for ages. As it happened, I was wearing my NTK iMachiavellian T-shirt, which drew a smirk and a 'nice T-shirt' from the sales assistant.
Actually, that is one of my favourite photos of me in ages.
Then went to Kidrobot, and got myself a small robot panda figure, and some sort of… rabbit. I think. Japanese stuff anyway, so way cute. There were some adorable Furillas (I think…) that came vacuum packed. Good job I saw those after I'd paid, otherwise the bill would have been much higher.
Popped into Borders and treated myself to V for Vendetta, and Watchmen, neither of which I've read since I was at uni, some considerable time ago. I only ever seem to buy graphic novels when I'm in the States for some reason. And quite often, when I'm with Dan.
T-shirt drew another comment from the sales assistant. Hm. Must wear it more often.
Also spotted a book that I was deeply tempted by, but managed to find reserves of resistance to (particularly when I noted its very brick-like qualities), called The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. Fact that it had Kiefer Sutherland on the front cover as David from The Lost Boys (one of my very favourite films) had nothing to do with its desirability at all. The fact that there didn't seem to be an entry for Arnold Paole, though, made it a bit less credible in my view, but maybe I'm just a bit of a vampire history snob.
Then we went for a wander through Central Park. Managed to find the Korean masseurs that Kevin suggested I keep my eye out for, and I have to say that ten bucks gets you a rather nice back and shoulder massage.
Lovely day, nice and relaxed with absolutely no rushing whatsoever. Put some photos up on Flickr in case you're interested.
Tomorrow is slightly busier, but not much. Catch the red-eye home on Saturday.
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