OK, OK, OK. I know you’ve all been desperate to hear about my weekend at All Tomorrow’s Parties, so here’s a few highlights: And finally, five images that don’t sum up a fantastic weekend in any way, shape or form:
Archive for April, 2002
mission of burma
In 1988 I bought my first CD player, and on the same day my first actual CD (I’d been buying vinyl for years). My initial purchase was a Rykodisc compilation by Mission Of Burma, who had split up five years earlier. 2002 finds the band playing live again, and in a few hours time I’ll be watching them at this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties event at a Pontins holiday camp at Camber Sands on the South coast. Life has come full circle, or something, it would appear.
more kittens
Kittens! A Kitten Band playing happy music on a beach! What could possibly be more lovely?
le blog presidentiel
After France went to the polls to issue something close to a vote of confidence to the Nazi Jean-Marie Le Pen, many on the left are wondering quite how they managed to let this happen. This number includes a workmate, Laurence, who decided today to start her own weblog as a protest at the success of the far right. At least, I think she’s commenting on the political climate — I don’t speak any French — but it could be about baguettes. Or lingerie. Or delicious little pastries. Mmmm, yummy.
raising hell
Joeri pointed out a weblog out in the previous post’s comments, and it’s a doozy. Raising Hell is a team blog about parenting, run by four Americans and a Canadian and, more than anything else, I like it because it reminds me of Greg Knauss. Greg used to post on an almost daily basis at his website, more often than not about the experiences of fatherhood, and I tuned in religiously. Today I read Greg’s Rainy Day Fun And Games For Toddler And Total Bastard, a compendium of much of his online writing as well as some fresh material. It’s a brilliant, if brief book, taking less than thirty-five minutes to read from cover to cover. All the same, highly recommended.
fat blog
beef in your basket
“Now YOU can be the center of eye-catching attention at your next pool party or workout session! Just slip this realistic molded basket enhancer inside your briefs! Indented, tan-colored nylon cup holds your equipment comfortably while projecting a virile image of well-endowed manhood.” Despite being sold on a site aimed at gay males, I feel that The Bulge has just as much to offer the heterosexual gentleman. Also available: The Bubble Butt.
time to burn
Today I received notification of the three lucky, lucky bloggers who’ll be reciving copies of my Midsummernight’s compilation in a few days time. I won’t let you know who they are quite yet, but here’s a few clues. One is Dutch, two are based in the UK. One is quite well-known, one less so, one a complete newcomer. One is female, whilst the others are male. Two of them have sites I like. One of them doesn’t.
french slang
Enleve ta croute que je swingue dans l’pus. The French are extremely rude, I must say.
hungover
Well, that was quite some night. I finally got round to celebrating my birthday with a rooftop BBQ featuring several kilos of prime Argentinian steak straight from a highly secret source at the embassy. Touchingly, my friends finally headed my pleas to help me find a woman, buying me two girlfriends for the evening. The first was of the virtual variety on CD-Rom, whilst the second was made of high-quality burn-resistant rubber, with the look of a Russian long jumper applying an indecent amount of make-up for a podium appearence. It was also the first party I’ve ever hosted that was gatecrashed by a successful author, chick-lit star Lisa Jewell. Naturally enough I immediately bored her senseless with a drunken ramble about my own lofty literary ambitions, ignoring the likelihood that this was a conversation she probably has with every new person she meets. I swear I’ll never learn.