August already. Next thing you know, it’ll be September, mists and mellow fruitfulness.
And there is so much that I want to cram into my time - but there just isn’t enough time to do it all. Just as you start to actually achieve some of the things you set out to do (whether they are tasks you wanted to do or had to do), a whole new set of things come along. New films to see, new books to read, new people to meet, new places to visit, new work to be done, new chores, new love, new passion, new illnesses, new opportunities, new worries, new responsibilities.
It’s all too much! I’m going to have a cup of coffee.

Beer tonight in the Nags with Kearn, Aris, Helen (wheels fallen off), Theresa (wheels fallen off, dress following suit), Malcolm, Sally (getting the keys to their new pad tomorrow. Housewarming anticipated), Arron, Cat, the utterly beautiful Karen (I think my t-shirt is still saturated with her perfume), Becks, Paul F and the band, Gary, Nikki and several other familiar faces. The first time I’ve been in the Nags for ages, and a good night.

Busy today. Actually working. Don’t look so shocked!

The Secret Project will be launched tonight at 7.30pm BST.

The Secret Project:

You can listen by clicking here.
However, if you want to see the name of the track currently playing, you’ll need to use the Live365 browser gizmo, which can be downloaded when you go here. It’s very small, but comes with irritating adverts.

Radio Grayblog is an eclectic selection of music from my collection, including downtempo, electronica, jazz, funk, R&B, rock, pop - you name it, it’ll be on there. Currently there is around three-and-a-quarter hours of listening, with tracks being played randomly. I’ll be uploading more tracks over the next few days (I aim to have around 8 hours of music available), and will also regularly change the tracks around to keep you all interested. I’m also going to try and persuade Herbie Mash (a.k.a. Paul F) to do a cheesy jingle or two.
Live365 do insert short audio adverts - roughly every fourth track. They aren’t too intrusive. If you want to cut them out, then you should upgrade to their premier service, or make a donation at my support page so that I can afford to run the ad-free service.
I don’t guarantee that you’ll like all, most or even any of the music on offer. But you might!
Comments and feedback (nicely please) welcome as usual.

Incidentally, if anyone wants to grab the Radio Grayblog graphic for the purpose of linking, go right ahead.
I’ll be making a page for Radio Grayblog tomorrow, with track listings and more.
Radio Grayblog is also intended to be usable by anyone with a 33.6 or faster modem - so even those of us out in the sticks who don’t have ADSL will be able to listen (yes, you guessed - it’s just a way for me to listen to my favourite music at work without carting my CD collection around).

Advice: do not wear and use hands-free kits for phones after dark unless you want people to think that you are a total loon.
A guy has just stood outside my window, apparently talking to voices inside his head for all I could see of him in the gloaming. Then after he had finished his call, he took the headset off and put it in his pocket, and all became clear.

Shocking discovery for this evening is that I have an album with a local lead vocalist. Easy is a really good album, and I’m just adding a track from it to Radio Grayblog.

<xenophobe>Bloody foreigners!</xenophobe>

mmm…toasted bagels with poached egg, dulce pimentón and chives. Tasty!

radio grayblog now has it’s own page, complete with playlist.

You know how it is - sometimes you just don’t feel like it. This is the second night in a row that I’ve wandered around the city and not been bitten by it. Tonight I walked in and out of five bars. I could have a winge, but I won’t - wouldn’t achieve anything.
But I did bump into Bren, Greg, Donna and Tony, who were just going for a meal, and had a brief chat with them. Ultimately, I’ve rolled up at the Nursery Arms. The service is always quick here, the beer is cheap, and the music is exactly to my liking. Plus there is never a queue for the loo.

I’ve registered this site at BlogTree but can’t register the parent blog, as it no longer exists. The spawn of that blog can be found here.

I’ve just come home through an extremely heavy downpour and thunderstorm - the rain was so heavy, I actually took a taxi from the station to here to avoid a soaking, although I got pretty damp just stepping the five paces from the station canopy to the door of the cab.
The storm has passed right overhead. Counting the time between flash and rumble, a few minutes ago I couldn’t get beyond "oneth" but now I’ve just counted "fourthousand". I’ve also noticed that the new guttering on our building leaks above my living room windows.

Just uploaded another six tunes to radio grayblog - there is now nearly five hours of music. I’ll update the playlist tomorrow.

Live music in W2 tonight courtesy of Herbie Mash (a.k.a. Mr Boombastic), Tommy Relish and Chip Sandpease, in fine form. Beer with Bren, Greg, Clive, Guy, Sally, Malcolm, Helen N, Cath, Mark, Aris, Kristian, Leah, Nik, Sarah, Dave, Phil, Terry and one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, with steely grey eyes and the coldest hands I have ever held. She works behind the bar in the Nags, but I don’t know her name. She really needs a pair of gloves.
Bumped into Bora on the way home.

Collective mismanagement and individual bravery. How often have we heard this story?

Talking of collective mismanagement, Monday hasn’t got off to a great start. Not much individual bravery either.

This is proving to be a long day. And it’s only just gone 11.30am.
And I note that the timestamp here is *still* one hour out.

ah. Things are looking up. There is some action from a quarter that had previous yielded only inaction and prevarication. This is a good thing.

hmmm. Knobbly carrots!

Approved.

I felt the urge to go off on a political rant this morning, but I’m a bit short of time at the moment, so can’t. And, no doubt, by the time I have got time, I’ll have lost the urge.
And talking of No Doubt (what a segue!):

Who writes this crap?

I had a dream last night. In this dream, I had pale pink pillowcases that were covered in soot. They were so dirty that my new girlfriend left in disgust.

This poses three questions:

1. what on earth was I doing with pale pink pillowcases in the flat?
2. how did soot get into my bedroom?
3. most importantly, who was the new girlfriend? I never actually saw her.

I’ve already had one learned opinion on this, but what do you think? Answers on a postcard please.

One or two people have reported problems with tuning in to radio grayblog. If, when you try to tune in, your browser tries to download a massive file, stop it. Instead, open up WinAmp, RealOne or whatever mp3 software you use, select “play URL” or “open location” or whatever your particular software says, and enter this address: http://www.live365.com/play/295011
That should work!

Beer and cocktails tonight with Arron, Kristian, Nikki, Diana and other assorted dropouts in W2.
Booked a table for Friday too for 7.30 (I’m saying this for my own benefit as much as anyone’s!).

I heard a song earlier on the radio - the chorus went “Sometimes the word love just ain’t good enough”. Anyone know who it is by or the proper title?

Been working away from the office all day today (a 12-hour day - urf), hence no updates.
Drove past a house called “Scurms” today, near Hawkhurst in Kent. Why would anyone call their house Scurms? (n.b. - not “Scrums”, so clearly not a rugby fan. Unless they are an illiterate rugby fan.)
Talking of sport, I really must organise my fantasy football teams for the new season.

Yes, I know, it’s another BBC link - but I didn’t want you to miss this one: Extreme Ironing. See also: extremeironing.com.

just uploaded another four tracks to radio grayblog taking the available listening to more than five hours. Still haven’t updated the playlist - I promise I will soon, but my priority is to get more music there for you to enjoy, at least another three hours of it.

Feeling a bit odd at the moment. These are strange days. I’ll explain at length sometime soon.

Advance warning: radio grayblog will be off-air for four hours on Friday 16 August, from 7am to 11am BST.

I suppose it would happen eventually. I’m listening to radio grayblog, and the server has just played the same track twice. Given that there are currently around 60 tracks available for random selection, I guess that it could happen at least once a day. Either that or I’ve fallen through a hole in the fabric of the space-time continuum. Or something.

Taxi snot taxing?

Big squid!

More evidence that the world needs more despots, dictators and autocrats, as the clearly barmy leader of Turkmenistan decides to rename the months of the year and days of the week, including renaming January after himself.
Although I for one really would have a hangover if I woke up on the first of Blair.
What I love most about this is that the guy has proposed stepping down in 2010 to make way for a democratically elected leadership, but the parliament has insisted that he stays on until he dies. They clearly recognise that the only way to get Turkmenistan noticed on the world stage is for their leader to continue to be eccentric and slightly unhinged.
And talking of despots, has America really considered the true impact of ousting Saddam Hussein?…..

I reckon that the entire Middle-Eastern cut-flower industry will be wiped out if he’s deposed.

radio grayblog playlist now up-to-date.

Busy at work today, so no updates. Will be leaving early to give American visitors Julie and Andrew a quick tour of Chichester followed by food at Woodies.

American place names: I’ve just read an article about someone who lives in Normal, IL. It was in the journal of a society that will hold its 2006 convention in Boring, OR.

I’m such a tart!

A stroll round the city sights yesterday, followed by beer in the Nags and food in Woodies in the very pleasant company of American correspondent Julie M and her husband Andrew, who are in the UK on holiday.
This followed by more beer in the company of Arron, Aris and Julie, with sightings of Amilia (now with warmer hands), Nikki and numerous others.

TFF team for the new season:

Pretty much the best team within the £50million budget, I reckon. AFF team to follow shortly.
(For those new to this, TFF = Telegraph Fantasy Football and AFF = Andi’s Fantasy Football)

And, staying with football, good luck to Brighton in their first Division One match for a few years, away to Burnley. I’m told that the odds are currently running at 50-1 on Brighton being divisional champions. Worth a fiver? I honestly think that avoiding relegation back to Division Two must be the number one priority. At least the club is financially secure.

AFF team for the new season:

A team that can really only do better than last year’s, I think you’ll agree.

Excellent food last night prepared by Lady Bren’s fair hand in the company of Greg, Paul R and Wendy. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

How true.

A chilled day spent with Bren and Greg, featuring a poke about the Chilli Fiesta at West Dean, coffee in Café Rouge (screaming kids! arg!) and food in Sadlers.

Some of the regular readers will be wondering how I am feeling this weekend. For those not in the know, Kev and Andrea got married yesterday. If this means nothing to you, you can either read the January 2001 archives (pull down the "yesterblog" menu in the navbar on the right) or skip on to the next post.
Well, how do I feel? To be honest, it’s kind of hard to put into words. In a way, it was strange to not be at the wedding - Kev and I had at one point agreed to be each other’s Best Man if ever we were to find victims to marry, and many of my oldest friends from school and since will have been there. But equally, it would have been far more strange if I had gone - I would have felt intensely uncomfortable and out of place. It’s not that I feel anything for Andrea these days (rather the reverse in fact - I really have quite a low opinion of her) - it’s a long time in the past, and there are other people that have come and gone since then and left an impression on me (most notably Marianne).
I’m far more concerned with the present and the future. I have no idea what opportunities and challenges, of all varieties, lie around the corner. And the past is the past, and can not be changed. But equally I don’t think I will ever really find it in myself to forgive or forget what happened. It isn’t so much a case of bearing a grudge - it’s more that it was something painful that happened, and I’d like to put as much distance between me and those events as I possibly can. And it was a series of events which shook and hurt me in a way I had never experienced before and hope I’ll never experience again.
So, for those who are concerned: I’m fine, thanks - I’ve got great friends, I have plenty to look forward to, and the future looks bright.

Happy birthday to girlfriend-from-long-ago Kate.
We started seeing each other only a short while before her 25th birthday, so I was faced with the problem of trying to find a suitably amusing and quirky gift (if you knew Kate, you’d understand that any gift must be truly individual) when I still really didn’t know her that well. I spent ages wandering around shops trying to find a suitable gift, anything that would be more original than chocolate or flowers.
I bought her a flying toilet on a spring. It was perfect.

Beer last night with the lovely Andi, David (both over from the US - great to see them), Bora, Paul F, Aris and Joel, with sightings of Terry, Ruth, Hamish, Dave W, Tim, Ted, Bec, Chris and numerous others. There was a band playing in W2, who started out doing covers (Oasis, Beatles, etc) and not particularly well. Then they switched into a more freeform jazz style, clearly heavily influenced by The Cinematic Orchestra, which was much much better. They are going to be playing at The Rox next week, a local free concert that promises to be really dreadful, so I’m avoiding it like the plague (besides which, I’m working all next weekend).
I also picked up a Chichester Film Festival programme - more on that later.

This is by far the most addictive of my current regular online reading sites.

Space elevators - apparently likely by the end of the decade, or possibly by the end of my lifetime, depending who you believe.

I like the idea of a perfect newspaper. Mine would have the sports section from the Telegraph, although with CMJ poached back from the Times, the Indy news and review sections, a hybrid of Grauniad and Indy arts coverage, restaurant reviews from the FT and Sunday Business (or whatever it is called now), and Matt, the pocket cartoonist from the Telegraph.

A ridiculously alcoholic Monday in the company of Arron, Paul F, Nikki and Kristian with a late showing by Guy. Standing in the car park with a beer looking for the Perseids was definitely worthwhile - I saw one shooting star then, and another on the way home.

radio grayblog listeners (and there are a surprising number of you!) will be pleased to know that I’m working on more tunes for your listening pleasure.

I’m feeling decidedly pants this morning. I spent far too much of the night in the bathroom - not as a result of drinking a few pints last night, but as a result of some stomach bug, probably the same one that confined me to mineral water in the pub on Sunday night (yes, I know I said I had beer - in actual fact, I had mineral water and Red Bull). So I am tired and lacklustre today - may even go home early, and won’t join in the regular Tuesday night cocktail session at W2.

A few people have asked recently why I am less open with the emotional stuff here than I used to be. Well, there are several reasons.
Firstly, a lot of the people that I know read this site regularly, and sometimes I don’t want them to know what I’m thinking or feeling. Perhaps there is a case for starting an anonymous blog to record all that stuff, but inevitably someone would eventually find out who the author was. I actually think that it is better to be open with your identity when blogging - if you are anonymous, what happens when you are found out?
Secondly, I don’t think it would be very interesting to read. OK, it *can* be interesting - when the whole Kev/Andrea thing was kicking off at the beginning of last year, my readership doubled in a very short time because people love to look into other people’s pain. But at that time there was much that was filling my life in that respect. This year has been different - there has been much less going on, and I could sit and write endless reams about how I often feel fed up with being on my own or how I’ve got a bit of a crush on a girl I’ve met or whatever, but frankly, you’ve heard it all already and I’m sure you’d rather I didn’t sit around moping (because, to be honest, I don’t - life is too short to mope all the time, and there is far too much to be doing with friends, family, work, home and goodness knows what else) and fleeting crushes aren’t that interesting. Are they?
But you can rest assured that if someone comes along and sweeps me off my feet, you’ll read about it here. And, before you ask, there doesn’t seem much chance of that just at the moment!

Light may be slowing down. I thought that today was dragging a bit.

Today is International Left-Handed Day, which I shall celebrate by being left-handed all day (something that comes naturally to me).
Other famous left-handed people (aside from me, obviously) include Ronald Reagan, Jean-Paul Gaultier and all four members of Manhattan Transfer. I’m so proud.
Are you left-handed too?

I’m glad that some things are clear in this life. via LMG.

This is a good idea, but only if coupled with compulsory voting, in my view. As postulated here before.

Latest in MadDespotWatch: he’s at it again.

Five new tunes at radio grayblog. Enjoy.

Hello visitor number 70,000. [yipe!]

I feel marginally better today - thanks for asking.
Intestinal rumblings continue though.

Inventor of the modern Frisbee dies.

My least favourite chore: changing the bed sheets. Even cleaning the loo is less arduous than this. guh.

It’s a rare day that the Telegraph comes up with the best news stories:
Nepalese women dance naked to cause monsoon
British men are scared to ask Gwyneth Paltrow out - and the inevitable response
Hedgehogs don’t like tarmac

It is unspeakably hot. In an airless and sticky kinda way. God knows how I would cope if I lived in Bombay or Calcutta or Ho Chi Minh City or wherever.
I was going to go down the park this evening, but I’m so hot I think it would be rude. So instead, I’m going to stay in, read my newly-arrived September issue of Wallpaper* and possibly fix up a few more tunes for radio grayblog.

Major news over at radio grayblog: tracks are no longer played randomly, but now appear in the order shown in the playlist. Hopefully, this will help listeners figure out what they are listening to (which with several non-vocal tracks in there, might be hard), thereby encouraging you to purchase the CDs (and therefore support the artists - and if you buy them via this site, supporting radio grayblog too).

Beer last night with Arron, Kate, Sarah, Paul F, Kristian, Leah, Guy, Cat and Karen.

Been busy again today, so not had time to say anything here.
Also been looking at the pictures on the interwebnet news sites and on TV of the flooding in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Rather them than me (he says, selfishly).

Remember I showed American readers Julie and Andrew around Chichester the other day? They’ve sent me a Lush voucher to say thanks - how cool is that?

Five new tracks added to radio grayblog, and the playlist updated. I’m off to the pub.

Beer and cocktails last night with Bren, Greg, Arron, Paul F, Sarah, Paul, Kate, Nikki, Jeremy and Tanya.

On rare occasions, I shop in Sainsbury’s instead of Waitrose. What is it about Sainsbury’s in Chichester that utterly drains the spirit and energy? All I want to do now is flake out on the sofa.

I’ve just eaten a Sainsbury’s chicken with honey and mustard sauce, and realised that I really must start cooking for myself again. I’ve been on a bit of a readymeals kick lately out of sheer laziness and being tired when I get home, but I know I can make much better and much cheaper meals if I cook them myself. The Sainsbury’s sauce was too runny, not mustardy enough and generally just a little dissatisfying.

Looks like the girls across the road are off out for the night - a taxi has just arrived for them.
Me - I’ll be staying in and getting an early one, as I have to be up at 4.30am tomorrow to go and organise my plant fair at Pashley Manor, in Ticehurst, East Sussex. See you there maybe?

hmmm - how come some people are so gullible? Why should interacting with people online be any different to interacting in the “real world”? Surely you don’t just dive in headlong without finding out a few things first?

The terribly sad news that has been breaking during the course of today should not be taken as an excuse for another pathetic set of media-induced scenes such as those that followed the murder of Sarah Payne. I recall that at least half a dozen police officers were taken up with directing traffic as so-called “well wishers” came to lay flowers and other “tributes” near to where her body was found. The local agricultural college had to give over a large field to car parking for these people, traffic lights were set up on one of the busiest roads in the county for their safety, all at the taxpayers’ expense, and then the council had to come along and clear up the litter and debris (as well as the flowers, toys and other things) that were left behind. There were even Portaloos for goodness sake!
And what difference did it make? Not a bit, other than to provide rich pickings for florists and gift sellers in the area. It would be so much better if they gave that money to the NSPCC or ChildLine or some other similar organisation.
When will these people get a grip on reality, and stop following the stupid herd mentality? I dread to think what knee-jerk reactions we are going to see over the coming days and weeks - but reaction there will be, of that I think we can be sure.
Oh, and before anyone freaks, don’t get me wrong - if this crime is as it appears, it is absolutely horrendous, and I hope the perpetrators are caught and suitably punished. Preferably without any ambiguity in the courtroom too, as seems to have occured in some previous cases where the police and CPS have been under pressure to find a culprit.

hmm. Not sure about this. Might work as a temporary publicity opportunity for fad products such as games, but not likely to ever have any application for established mainstream brands. I mean, who would want the names McDonald or Waterstone? Or even Marks or Spencer?

Tired. Busy. More later.

Remember I asked about this lyric?…

It’s from "Word Love" by Rhianna and it is out next week. You can find it on Amazon here.
And I reckon it could be Graybo’s Chart Single Of The Year.

Very long day today. Absolutely exhausted with the beginnings of a headache. So I’ll be spending the evening listening to radio grayblog and flopping on the sofa, heading to bed quite early.

Almost forgot to say: beer last night with Bren, Greg, Paul F and Ted.

One of the highlights in the history of mankind’s exploration of space must be the Voyager programme, which celebrates it’s 25th anniversary today. Notice how anyone with an interest in astronomy gets all emotional about these two spacecraft.

I was going to write a long post about my mood swings over the last few days, but I can’t be bothered. And besides, I’m in a good mood at the moment and don’t want to spoil it.

I’m nonplussed by the whole RSS feed thing that is sweeping Blogdom at the moment. I can’t honestly believe that there are that many people who would use such a thing if I implemented it here. However, I am willing to be proven wrong.
And if you don’t know what an RSS feed is - well, I guess that proves my point.

My parents were married 42 years ago today. And are still married today.
A feat unlikely to be repeated by their offspring (unless we both hurry up and live long).

Has anyone considered using a service like live365 to create an audioblog?

Much in the press and online today about the average price of a pint exceeding £2 for the first time. I can’t remember the last time I got a pint for less than £2 around here. I’m currently paying £2.60 for a pint of Kronenburg 1664.

Beer tonight with Arron, Guy, Nikki and Ted with sightings of Kate, Leah and Kristian.

A day off today, spent in Brighton in the company of Charlie, enjoying beer, food, great company and good conversation. Extremely relaxing indeed - just what was needed.

TFF, week 1: 20 points. This could be a looooong season.

I’m not very cheery today. Not sure if that is a symptom of coming back to work after a relaxing day off, or if it is to do with impending results, or the lack of a holiday, or the not-so-good news that a friend has, or the malfunction of my boiler this morning (no hot water. great), or "stuff" that is troubling me at the moment or whatever I really can not be sure.

Meg talks about her neighbours.

My neighbours:

upstairs: Frannie, a very cool retired fitness instructor, who lives with her taciturn “boyfriend” Joseph (do you still call them boyfriend and girlfriend when they are in their 60s?) who seems to have a different aging BMW parked outside every week. Frannie loves Sir Cliff - I was woken up at the stupidly early time of 10am on New Year’s Day 2000 by Millennium Prayer at full volume ….repeated ….for TWO HOURS!

To my left: Jim and Wendy, fruit and veg wholesalers. Wendy’s 50th birthday was at the weekend. The balloons tied to the gatepost are slowly deflating, but have yet to be removed. They look quite sad and forlorn.

Behind me: Elaine, a rector’s widow. Neighbourhood enforcer, ensuring we all behave ourselves, or else she writes to the newspaper. Secretary of the Chapel Street and North-West Quadrant Residents Association (I kid you not).

To my right: unknown couple, with dozens of WWF and IFAW stickers in their window, and a dog that barks at anything that moves at all hours and is likely to be killed in some horrid and painful way if ever I get the chance.

Opposite, from left to right: the bizarre hair salon that has no sign and does not advertise, serving a very small and select clientele of blue-rinsed customers. Then Jo and her other half, with whom I never speak (we met in a pub once), who have just bought a very small and hairy dog that looks utterly ridiculous. And next to them is the famous girls’ house that is frequently documented on Grayblog.

Elsewhere in Orchard Street: the domestic row couple; the protestant fundamentalist; the Korean students; the drug dealer; the school; the Salvation Army building (now defunct); the man with the very very old dog; the builders; the county records office and the fire station.

It’s a good street to live in.

Blode 5, complete with Blode’s Toad Abode.

Vaughan has invited some people to play blogging Consequences. You can find my contribution here.

Two bits of local news:
South Central Trains are to begin running the new class 377 trains along the Sussex coast in the next week or two. Good news for the disabled and passengers on foot. Less good for passengers with bicycles.
Shippams have removed the famous “wishbone” clock from outside their factory in the centre of Chichester, as part of their relocation to the Terminus Road industrial estate. It is (was) a famous Chichester landmark, and I’ll certainly miss it. I’ll see if I can find a photo somewhere (I think I have one, but not sure where).

My boiler is definitely on the fritz. Looks like a call to British Gas (or whatever they are called now) will be needed tomorrow.

Another productive day at work so far. Hopefully this afternoon I’ll have a moment to sort out a gas engineer.
I know this doesn’t make for exciting reading, but I’m busy!
Who’s on for going to the pub tonight?

US rapper writes song to support campaigners for "rural liberty". I really have nothing more to say about this.

Today is National Slacker Day.

hmm. Just tried to organise British Gas into renewing my service agreement for my boiler, and then getting an engineer out to look at it. I have a quote that was sent to me for this three weeks ago for £57. Yet when I telephone, I’m told that they have no record of that quote, and that the charge will be £60 for an engineer to visit (i.e. not for a one-year service agreement). Say what?
I’m slightly peeved. I suppose it could be that the quote is only valid if I take up the accompanying quote for maintenance of my fridge and washer/dryer - and, to be honest, I’m quite tempted to do that, as my washer/dryer is in need of some repair work (the drying part is barely functioning) and it might actually be worthwhile. Or I might just phone someone else.

muh?

Happiness is a small pile of CDs obtained cheaply in the MVC sale. Yay!
UPDATE: I have a serious urge to go out and buy the entire Photek [inofficial (sic) homepage] back catalogue. Especially as there is another one in the MVC cheapo department at the moment.

Big Pant Trekking.

Beer last night with Bren, Greg, Kristian, Nikki, Leah and Helen, with sightings of Hamish, Ruth, Mandie and Jacky (these last two heading off to Thursdays, bless ‘em). An interesting evening - much was observed, solace was doled out, invitations to dance were declined and a potentially “entertaining” end to the evening was averted.
I think I’ll stay in tonight to preserve finances and liver.

Gas update: today I telephoned again, got a different operator, and it’s all sorted as quickly as anything. Clearly they have a problem with staff training. Hopefully, I shall be able to arrange an appointment with an engineer a little later today.

Right - gas engineer coming Wednesday morning (yay!). If he can fix the problem without using any parts (i.e. just by cleaning it) then it is free (yay!) but if he needs any parts, I’ll have to pay a call out charge, parts and labour (minimum £87) (boo!). He’s also going to service it and test it at the same time, for no extra charge - this is a good thing, as I have no enthusiasm for death by carbon monoxide poisoning.

We’ve now just had the Grand Turning-On Ceremony for a fountain that has been installed near my office window. It’s particularly twee and I really don’t like it. And the incessant tinkling of water is definitely going to increase the frequency of visits to the bathroom around here.

Scaryduck reminisces.

Roots Manuva - file under “R” or “M”?
It would be so much easier if he just used the named Rodney Smith.

Yay! Clean windows! (simple Sunday pleasures)

Today, so far, in bullet points:

• got up
• shower and breakfast
• cleaned windows
• bookshop
• park
• lunch
• Waitrose
• reading

Time to go out for a beer, I think.

Got very verry verrry drunk last night with Bren, Greg, Michael and gorgeous Fi, who I haven’t seen for ages. Sightings of James, Matt and Kearn too. Now need to tidy this place up ready for dinner tonight.

Five new tracks added over at radio grayblog. They playlist now has amazon.co.uk links for all available CDs, although the playlist does not reflect today’s changes (I’ll fix that as soon as I can).

Food (orange chicken and couscous) at chez Graybo this evening with Bren and Greg. Marvellous, marvellous, marvellous.

All day at IKEA with Bren and Heidi. Absolutely exhausted. More tomorrow.

Lots to write about, but later, when I get home. Nothing that’s very exciting, mind you, but I think you’ve come to expect that.
Still, at least I can report that the gas engineer came this morning, and fixed my boiler. £63.

Purchased in IKEA:

• the inevitable bag of 100 nightlights (and, yes, I’ll have no problems using them inside a couple of months)
• four light bulbs (the wrong ones - what an idiot! I *always* buy the wrong ones, and one of the main purposes of the trip was to buy the *right* ones. D’oh!)
• Two Boalt CD racks
• Some drawer lining material to use in my larder
• a knife rack for the kitchen
• a very large print for the living room, which is now hanging above the dining table
• a jar of sild

IKEA’s customer service levels leave something to be desired, it must be said (why say it will take 15 - 20 minutes, when it will really take six times that? - and why does it need to take that long? and why not open more tills??), but the meatballs are great and it also provides a brilliant opportunity to people-watch. There were two distinct groups of people there yesterday: those that really were relaxed about the whole thing and were not going to let it get to them, and those whose life expectancy was being reduced dramatically because their blood pressure and stress levels were so high.

AFF week 1: 14 points. Respectable in a mid-table kind of way.
Itsagoal.com: division 12 champion! Yay!
TFF: don’t ask. I’m already last but one in the super league.

BBC Radio 1 to scrap Evening Session. Sad really - I used to listen to it a lot when it was co-hosted with Jo Whiley, but must confess that it has lost appeal for me in recent times.

I *hate* those anoying e-mails that “friends” and far-flung relatives send with “here’s a hug, pass it on” and gooey Hallmark-style bear pictures in them.
grump.

I’m having a real problem with sleep lately. My sleep patterns are all wrong, and it is starting to get in the way of everyday life. I feel incredibly tired during the day and evening, often dozing off on the sofa when I get home from work. I’ve been going to bed reasonably early most nights, and then waking up at absurd o’clock in the morning. Then, when it comes to the actual time I need to get up and tackle the day, it is an incredibly tough struggle to get out from under EvilDuvet II and progress to the bathroom and beyond.
I need a holiday.

radio grayblog update: one new track added and the playlist is now up to date. If anyone is still counting, there are nearly 90 tracks totalling just short of six and a half hours of listening.

Neighbour update: I had an idea that the boyfriend of the brunette at 183 was young, but I hadn’t realised quite how young. Tonight, they’ve gone out in his newly acquired car - a tacky blue Ford Orion with boy-racer trim kit and L plates. Yep, looks like she is acting as the grown-up driver escorting the learner about. As they came out the door, I could see just how young and excited he is about the whole thing - and I mean young, like around 18 or 19 compared to her latetwentysomethingness.
What on earth is she doing with a bloke like that? She is a very attractive woman, and he must have some pretty amazing features that attract her to him. A bulge in his trousers, I suspect, either manhood or wallet.
I dread to think what will happen once he passes his test. The scrappy yellow 125cc bike will go, and the Orion will undoubtedly be lowered on the suspension, have a farty exhaust system added and “benefit” from the addition of a Wide Boy™ Mega-Bass audio system. Oh joy.
As for the blonde at 183, she was parading her boyfriend up and down the street the other day. He does a good line in tight white t-shirts, and clearly spends a lot of time at the gym. They are one of those picturebook couples - she the leggy blonde with the long flowing mane, he the dark bemuscled strong and quiet type.
Then there is the older woman, who continues to arrive home early in the morning with just-out-of-the-shower wet hair. I’m not sure whether she is going away for the night each night, or just goes for an early swim in the pool or early session at the gym. I prefer to think that she stays away every night, as that makes for a far more interesting theory.

Must go and polish my binoculars.

AFF: week 2. 4 points. riiiight.

E-mail from my college tutor:

So I now have a Chartered Institute of Marketing Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing.

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!
drinks tonight!

The 21st century comes to Chez Graybo - I’ve just ordered ADSL. Progress reports to follow. My primary concern is that my PC will not be up to the task, so I may start begging people for the funds for a new PC.

Beer tonight with Hev, Libby, Jeff, Ollie, Lord Percy the Magnificent, Lady Bren the gorgeous and Fi, who doesn’t like to have her name mentioned here. har har har.

Everyone I’ve spoken to from our group on the marketing course has passed their exams too - apparently, we have achieved the best results that our college has ever returned for the course.
I wonder how the people who purchased our case study analysis got on. If you did, let me know.

Flash Air Hockey - hours of mindless fun.

C Side has moved but her writing continues to be utterly gripping and most entertaining.
I haven’t really got any entertaining personal stories to write here at the moment. Oh yeh, there are a couple of people I’ve got minor crushes on at the moment, but I really don’t think anything is going to come of them, even though I may wish it otherwise, particularly in one instance. But hey ho.
What about you? Any exciting personal gossip you want to share?