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Avoiding work, as usual
Dec. 16th, 2001 05:05 pmOK, I admit, I should be writing up my presentation of 'The Rise of Punk and the Alternative Music Scene in the 1980's.' But I'm bored of trying to define such a wonderful bunch of subcultures, so I'm going to tell you about my weekend instead (what do you mean, you don't care?!)
Well, I do, because it has been wonderful so far, and isn't even nearly over.
didn't go into college on Friday, because I'd plaited my hair up and took 1/2 and hour to get the plaits out, ny which time I should have been there. I wasn't there of course, I was at home still, so I decided to spod and do more research instead. Then I looked out the window. The sunlight was pouring down onto the street and it looked heavenly (if a little cold - but then, if Hell is hot...) So I messaged E and suggested a walk. We met up at the College, I needed to go in after all to pick up UCAS forms for various people. As luck would have it, there were none, so we headed across Midsummer Common and down to the Cam. It was freezing, but still beautiful, and the water had that almost-frozen, gelatinous look to it, as clear as a mirror. Headed toward town, managing somehow to avoid the several pubs along the way (I think things may be getting better...) and walked past the colleges. The sun was setting slowly by this point and all the (terribly Gothic) buildings were back-lit in gold. Headed finally toward The Mill, where we stopped for just one drink. Watched the sun set through the window over the Cam, just like one of those landscape-style Christmas cards. Then set off back home to get ready for the evening's celebrations of (guitarist) J's 21st birthday.
We left mine fairly late, so missed the train. Arranged instead to meet L and D with J in the World's End in Camden, which we got to about 9:30. There was some guy doing a karaoke (OK, he had a guitar, but everything else was karaoke-style!) so we sat and watched him. As luck would have it, he was another bloody aussie so we got Crowded House (good, but he forgot the second verse...) and 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down'... Joy... E asked for something NMA, to which the reply was 'do I look intelligent enough to be singing NMA?' *Grin* We did get a rendition of Karma Chameleon. Where were my hair ribbons?!
Went on to the Ballroom for post-opening entry, but as always, they opened late, so we had to stand in the queue. I thought temperatures in London were supposed to be higher than the rest of the country. If so, I feel sorry for the rest of the country that night! Finally got into the warm, and dumped our bags by the speaker (the queue for the cloakroom was horrendous.) Danced to the early set of the usual Silence/Du Hast/Once in a Lifetime etc. That particular set is usually later on, so I was a little disappointed that it was followed by the (usually much later) 'bang bang bang until your head explodes' set. Wandered about for a bit, then went out with E for a chat (far too loud in there...!) My GODS it was cold!! We sat on the lock gate for a bit and then headed off in the direction of the 24hr cafe. Or so I thought, we couldn't find it anywhere... It was too cold to turn back, so we just kept going until we reached a hotel. The first one took one look at us and promptly denied the existence of empty rooms, the second was more charitable (noticed the Amex I think...) Didn't get to sleep immediately, had to warm up first... ;-P Finally got to sleep around 4:30, woken up by the breakfast alarm at 8:30. Decided bed was better so went back to sleep till 10.
Had stuff to do in Stortford (joygasm...) so stopped off there on the way home. Luckily we didn't have to stay there too long, just picked up the necessary (phone and pressie) and headed back to Cambridge.
Spent most of the rest of the day in bed and in the shower warming up (the flat was freezing again...) before heading back down to London for the night's entertainment, an All About Eve gig at the Union Chapel. They were _superb_! I would heartily recommend going to see them, they had so much energy and were obviously really really enjoying themselves. Julianne looked radiant, and the set was incredible. The Union Chapel is just that, a church - the stage was built around the huge pulpit, which served as a centrepiece. Virtually every free ledge was covered in candles and they also had loads of christmas tree lights festooned around the stage. The second half of the evening they had the Rose window backlit, which looked just amazing. the clarity and acoustics of the sound were fabulous. E only had a few drinks and the only real bad part of the evening wasn't really bad - just a little unsettling. E's stalker was there! Hehe, oh well...
Came home on the last train, which lost power somewhere godforsaken, we ended up getting home 3/4 an hour later than expected. Still, the evening had been so wonderful it didn't really matter.
Discovered the flat was cold because the heaters weren't in fact switched on. Flicked the switches, went to sleep and woke up warm and cosy at 11. :-) Started my presentation, got bored, spodded and decided to write this entry. S will be here in a bit to pick me up for rehearsal, so hopefully the end of the weekend will continue along the current vein. *Grin* I'm _happy_ today!
Well, I do, because it has been wonderful so far, and isn't even nearly over.
didn't go into college on Friday, because I'd plaited my hair up and took 1/2 and hour to get the plaits out, ny which time I should have been there. I wasn't there of course, I was at home still, so I decided to spod and do more research instead. Then I looked out the window. The sunlight was pouring down onto the street and it looked heavenly (if a little cold - but then, if Hell is hot...) So I messaged E and suggested a walk. We met up at the College, I needed to go in after all to pick up UCAS forms for various people. As luck would have it, there were none, so we headed across Midsummer Common and down to the Cam. It was freezing, but still beautiful, and the water had that almost-frozen, gelatinous look to it, as clear as a mirror. Headed toward town, managing somehow to avoid the several pubs along the way (I think things may be getting better...) and walked past the colleges. The sun was setting slowly by this point and all the (terribly Gothic) buildings were back-lit in gold. Headed finally toward The Mill, where we stopped for just one drink. Watched the sun set through the window over the Cam, just like one of those landscape-style Christmas cards. Then set off back home to get ready for the evening's celebrations of (guitarist) J's 21st birthday.
We left mine fairly late, so missed the train. Arranged instead to meet L and D with J in the World's End in Camden, which we got to about 9:30. There was some guy doing a karaoke (OK, he had a guitar, but everything else was karaoke-style!) so we sat and watched him. As luck would have it, he was another bloody aussie so we got Crowded House (good, but he forgot the second verse...) and 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down'... Joy... E asked for something NMA, to which the reply was 'do I look intelligent enough to be singing NMA?' *Grin* We did get a rendition of Karma Chameleon. Where were my hair ribbons?!
Went on to the Ballroom for post-opening entry, but as always, they opened late, so we had to stand in the queue. I thought temperatures in London were supposed to be higher than the rest of the country. If so, I feel sorry for the rest of the country that night! Finally got into the warm, and dumped our bags by the speaker (the queue for the cloakroom was horrendous.) Danced to the early set of the usual Silence/Du Hast/Once in a Lifetime etc. That particular set is usually later on, so I was a little disappointed that it was followed by the (usually much later) 'bang bang bang until your head explodes' set. Wandered about for a bit, then went out with E for a chat (far too loud in there...!) My GODS it was cold!! We sat on the lock gate for a bit and then headed off in the direction of the 24hr cafe. Or so I thought, we couldn't find it anywhere... It was too cold to turn back, so we just kept going until we reached a hotel. The first one took one look at us and promptly denied the existence of empty rooms, the second was more charitable (noticed the Amex I think...) Didn't get to sleep immediately, had to warm up first... ;-P Finally got to sleep around 4:30, woken up by the breakfast alarm at 8:30. Decided bed was better so went back to sleep till 10.
Had stuff to do in Stortford (joygasm...) so stopped off there on the way home. Luckily we didn't have to stay there too long, just picked up the necessary (phone and pressie) and headed back to Cambridge.
Spent most of the rest of the day in bed and in the shower warming up (the flat was freezing again...) before heading back down to London for the night's entertainment, an All About Eve gig at the Union Chapel. They were _superb_! I would heartily recommend going to see them, they had so much energy and were obviously really really enjoying themselves. Julianne looked radiant, and the set was incredible. The Union Chapel is just that, a church - the stage was built around the huge pulpit, which served as a centrepiece. Virtually every free ledge was covered in candles and they also had loads of christmas tree lights festooned around the stage. The second half of the evening they had the Rose window backlit, which looked just amazing. the clarity and acoustics of the sound were fabulous. E only had a few drinks and the only real bad part of the evening wasn't really bad - just a little unsettling. E's stalker was there! Hehe, oh well...
Came home on the last train, which lost power somewhere godforsaken, we ended up getting home 3/4 an hour later than expected. Still, the evening had been so wonderful it didn't really matter.
Discovered the flat was cold because the heaters weren't in fact switched on. Flicked the switches, went to sleep and woke up warm and cosy at 11. :-) Started my presentation, got bored, spodded and decided to write this entry. S will be here in a bit to pick me up for rehearsal, so hopefully the end of the weekend will continue along the current vein. *Grin* I'm _happy_ today!
