Category: old blogging

book review time, you lucky people. and guess what? – yep, double dose, as I never got round to posting my thoughts on Blue Light.
Blue Light by Walter Mosley was, for me, an intriguing and yet ultimately disappointing book. It’s is a strange combination of science fiction, 60s nostalgia and crazed drug trip. I felt it was a bit slow to start, and I only really got into it after 50 pages or so, but even then you wonder if there are bits of the story that the author has felt he has to tidy up in some brief way because he can’t see how to carry it on. The climax at the end is actually somewhat dampened by the epilogue, which puts a downer on the whole thing, And, as I am fascinated by human relationships and other people’s take on them, there was little in the book to challenge me, in spite of claims on the cover to question “identity, race and humanity”. nah. don’t bother.
Twelve by Vanessa Jones, on the other hand, comes highly recommended. Any comparisons to Helen Fielding undervalue this book by miles. This is much more about human interactions and emotions than pathetic cigarette counts and glasses of Chardonnay. The characters are totally believable (I know some people like them!) and the setting is convincing too. Recommendation: buy it!

oh, and thanks to the people who sent encouraging messages. I mean, I was only painting! Imagine if I’d been performing open-heart surgery or something!

right – first coat of ivory now shoved on the walls of the bathroom – it is definitely going to need two coats, as the sage green shows through in places. As the coat applied today will not be thoroughly dry before about midnight, that is all I can do today. Tomorrow evening I plan to do the ceiling and coving, although I think I need to borrow my dad’s leadlamp, as the lighting in my bathroom is best described as poor (hence purchase of new light fitting today). Then on Tuesday night I’ll do the second coat of ivory on the walls, and Thursday night the woodwork and radiator with white (unless something comes up in the meantime – I’ve got the day off on Good Friday and was hoping that a good plan for Thursday night and/or Friday would be made). I can always put off doing the woodwork and rad until a later date, although I’d like to get it done fairly soon. The other problem I have is that I can’t use the bath or shower until the decorating is done, so will have to make use of the facilities at mum and dad’s, or maybe give Sarah a call.
next on the agenda – defrost the freezer and sort out the laundry. then do the washing up and cook dinner. then head to the pub. no rest!

considerably less spiky today, no doubt helped by the sunny weather.
actually been positively saintly today, getting up just after 7am (I think the residue of spikiness I felt when I woke up was a spur to get some stuff done) to clear the remaining clutter from the bathroom (i.e. the last of the shampoos and the shower curtain and rail) and begin painting. By 9am, the ceiling and walls had been given a coating of damp proofer where it was needed (most of it), and I was changed into clean clothes and heading for the station.
Of course, I forgot to take my Network Card, so had to pay full fare to get to Brighton (guh – but it’s only a saving of about £3). Arrived there before the shops opened, so had an espresso and bagel in Starbucks. Also had a chat with Sarah on the phone (have realised that I refer to my friend Sarah as “Sarah”, and also Sarah-who-I-went-on-a-date-with – note that in future, Sarah-the-date will be referred to as Sarah W for clarity) whilst on the train to Brighton.
Anyway, post-coffee, I shuffled round Borders (not inspired), Habitat (£104 – mirror, towel rail, bathroom light, nightlights), Primark (very uninspired, but cheap) and Gap (nice stuff, pretty good value, but nothing that really grabbed me) before shuffling back to the station, just in time for a train to get me back to Chichester by 1pm. Then, after treating myself to a cab home, I went back out to look for two 9W SES tungsten energy saving bulbs (no hope), a bottle of white spirit (though prob too late to save this morning’s brush – I used my crappiest one deliberately), a CD-ROM drive (Dixons out of stock, everywhere else shut – guh), some flowers (both of my favourite florists closed – bah), a new book (Amaryllis Day and Night by Russell Hoban) and lunch (chicken in herb bread thingy, root veg crisps and choc wafer from Costa).
Just eaten lunch, about to have a coffee, then daub more paint. Not sure whether to get on with the ceiling or the wall – will probably do the wall, as I reckon it will take two coats to cover the ghastly peach-with-sage-green-sponge-pattern that I’m trying to get rid of.
Plans for the rest of the day? Laundry, dinner (ham and eggs) and then off to the bar for a beer and chat with Paul F tonight. And I’ll have AIM turned on all afternoon, so if you feel like saying hello, feel free to do so – but if I take a while to get back to you, that’ll be because I’m up the ladder with a brush!

beer tonight with [deep breath]: Kearn, Paul F, DA, DAGS, Tanya, Matt, Clive, Ian and James. Also witnessed were Catherine (long time, no see), DJ plus Al, Bruno and the delightful Claudette. And new bar decor, Jenny – nice (-:
am really tired tonight, and not a little spikey – need to sleep, so will do that now. long day of decorating ahead tomorrow.

Cal‘s “is Mo human?” poll is turning up some not entirely unexpected results. it has to be said, that stopping smoking has unlikely to humanize him either. but he’s still a top bloke.
ukbloggers – obsessed with other ukbloggers? yep, I reckon so.

I’m more tired than should be permitted. And I could really use some quality contact.
But at least the sun is out now.

had a strange conversation with my mum earlier.
she was talking about a neighbour – their daughter is getting married today for the second time.
suddenly, she came over all reflective and started talking about failed marriages, especially those of her brothers. then she said:
“sometimes I think you have the best idea, playing the field”
I was mildly shocked by this. I’ve never considered myself as a field player – my total number of girlfriends to date is still in single digits. yes, I might flirt a bit, but nothing more. maybe I should?

after the polyfilla sesswion, I headed out to the Nags for beer with DA, DAGS, Paul F, Mandy, Sacha, Ian, Kearn, Tanya and Jim. Ian bought me a triple vodka and red bull, which I can still taste now! After that, we headed back to Ian’s, drank all his beer but rejected the vodka (lacking any mixer) and listened to his CDs after he and Sacha had gone to bed (accompanied by much sniggering from those of us left downstairs!). I left at 2.30, but Paul, James and Mandy were still going strong.
The walk home was bliss – the city was being washed by a light drizzle, and was totally silent and completely deserted. I love walking home when it is like that – not a single car passed, and the only people I saw were a couple walking in the distance, enjoying the night as well. Chichester is rarely quiet, and certainly isn’t during the day. Sometimes, it isn’t even quiet at night – but if ever it is going to be quiet, it is at 3am. There have even been times when I’ve even been known to sit on the bench outside Marks and Spencer on East Street at 3am, purely to savour the solitude and silence.

the decorating is progressing slowly but surely. last night I had a polyfilla frenzy and filled all the holes created by removing the huge ghastly mirrors in the bathroom (feel free to burst into song now). tonight I have to wash down the ceiling and walls before starting on the sealing of the ceiling and painting tomorrow. and a survey of the kitchen reveals the need for similar work there too, it seems.
(incidentally, whilst looking for a link to The Beat, I stumbled across this site – I mean, like, um, what?!)