Nothing Now Playing: The de-humidifier Topic: Stephen Says
Don't really have anything to say. I think exercise is good for me (oddly enough...); my neck and shoulders have been footloose and fancy free and, while I had the usual degree of anomic dread (I should patent that term) prior to work, I was pretty chilled out and the fact that I desperately need time off didn't bother me so much. Or maybe it's the bizarre concept of actually relaxing (sort of) on the weekend.
Here's a canal picture that Elisabeth took on our travels. She wanted to take a whole bunch but, when you're being rained on 10 miles from home, a photo opportunity tends to be the last thing on your mind:
Oh, and in the spirit of gross egotism, this is me with a beard all decked out for a winter that's not likely to come until the spring (Thank you very much Al Gore. I blame you for global warming):
The facial hair will undergo some changes over the following days until it all gets removed on the 1st of November.
I also can't wait until our next bike trip. I'd forgotten how much I like biking around and England tends to be much more fun than Canada as it's got those funny little 'public houses' all over the place and our guide book for bicycle tours highlights them all. There's nothing like burning off a beer and then putting it back on all day long.
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHAW! Now Playing: Nomeansno - All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt Topic: Stephen Says
It's been a while. My stress levels have been pretty effin' high these last few weeks and I've been slightly comatose with things. I've also been fighting a cold which I've conquered like a Roman centurion.
I need time off real bad. Time off which I won't get until November and E&I have re-scheduled our bike riding plans to actually have a quiet, peaceful week together instead of booking time off and planning things which will run us down even more than what we usually get up to in Real Life(tm). You know the deal, lazy evenings in London 5-stars courtesy of lastminute.com, maybe a day trip somewhere pleasant, but mainly lots of nothing much at all, thank you very much.
So, what's been happening, you ask? Not much, I say. Other than dealing with Elisabeth getting screwed over in Waterloo station, me being (amusingly) questioned about shop lifting in a gay novelty store in London and witnessing a police car chase just outside of Ripley (believe it or not), it's been real quiet:
We've been acting like a married couple - working, coming home, eating dinner and watching DVDs (Our supplement for TV) then going to bed and doing it all over again.
But boring has worked and I now feel better. I think that today was just so hectic, hassley and stressful (pity I couldn't find another h-word [gotta love alliteration {or, in my case, illiteration}]) that my lid blew and I got to spend all day running around, being busy and official and efficient (e.g., spazzing out) that my brain has gone around the dark side of the moon and come out the other end and the pain has gotten so extreme that it's become pleasure again.
Stuff Now Playing: Tom Waits - Real Gone Topic: Stephen Says
Just got back from the pub and it's not even 9PM and Elisabeth's already in bed. My stress level is so high that I'm actually concerned for my health. It's team building day tomorrow which should be interesting at least. I'm going to be angry shouty Steve. I need to take time off from work and so does Elisabeth.
But bleah, I'm feeling generally shitty. Been waking up feeling massively hung over and I haven't even had a drop of alcohol. A collegue training to be a CPN had a look at my tongue (???) today and told me 'You're not THAT bad.' Whatever that means.
At least next month we'll be getting our alt country fix seeing Neko Case on the 1st and Calexico on the 5th.
This is how our society will break down and turn us all into homicidal maniacs and cannibals: Now Playing: Danger Mouse - The Grey Album Topic: Stephen Says
Last night:
I left my jacket at work and we had to stop off there to pick it up which meant that we were nearly on time for the show and not ridiculously early which, naturally, made me spaz out.
I don't like the Barbican or at least, the Barbican crowd. I can't imagine a place (Other than government) that gathers so many pompous people with their heads so firmly up their collective asses. I mean, there's a very fine line between pretentious-art-fag (One of which I reluctantly consider myself)and holy-Mary-mother-of-God-what-kind-of-a-pretentious-freazazoid-of-an-art-fag-are-you and the Barbican crosses that line.
Metropolis, accompanied by the Brandenburg/German Film Orchestra Babelsberg (Yes, that's their real name) was pretty intense. I'm not going to get into it because it really was a you-had-to-be-there kind of event but I will say that, for the 1st time ever, I got completely swept into the emotional whatever of orchestral music at the end of the intermezzo.
And then we headed home and got delayed just outside of Weybridge for 35 minutes due to 'signal difficulties.' A dubious reason if I've ever heard on. I imagine it's train-speak for 'I dunno.'
Anyway, what evolved over that 35 minute period was a fascinating societal breakdown: As people grew resigned to being stuck indefinitely in the train, they started to chat with their friends, not at a whisper but at a regular volume; they talked on their mobiles at a regular volume; some people stood up and meandered around 'for exercise' (Not to walk off nervous tension, naturally). Other people played video games on their phones.
It was so weird. My proposal to anyone out there who cares: A movie about a bunch of British people trapped on a train and, over time, everyone becomes normal. Obviously, it would have to be an experimental/surreal kind of thing (Think: Bunel) but I think it could work. Just give me credit for the idea.
I would love to have known what would have happened if we had stayed put longer. Would people have started talking to stragers? Maybe there would have been a sing-a-long. I am very amused with the thought that all it takes for years of social indoctrintion to fall apart is a half hour in a stationary train car.
Aw crap Topic: Stephen Says
Elisabeth's not here to tell me to stop eating breee-tos and now I'm so full, I'll probably barf.
Typical day in Woking: I had a leisurely morning and thought 'Gee, I'd better go to town - the weather's beautiful.' So 2 minutes out the door it clouded over & started to rain and I didn't have my umberella because I still haven't learned that no matter how hot, dry and clear the sky is, it's still going to rain. So I went to the mall which was a totally brainiac move because every person in Woking as there because, like me, every person in Woking has not realized that every person in England should have an umberella on them at all times.
From then on in, with was scene after scene from Dawn of the Dead with me trying to avoid teenagers bowling people over, posh ladies stomping around like they're invisible and alone and chavs pushing strollers and being generally drunk, fat & stupid and getting in everyone's way.
Bleah, why do breee-tos treat me so bad when I love them so much? Why do I always come back for more? I am a battered breee-to wife.
Bleah Topic: Stephen Says
Elisabeth's in Sweden this weekend visiting her mom and friend so I'm on my own. And what do I do on my day off?
Why work, of course!
But I've wrangled Saturday off (I remember a time when I naively assumed that the average person would expect to have 2 days off a week. I also assumed that it was a cruel and inhuman thing to work 40+ hours over a 4 day period but that was before I worked for a charity...) anyway, I've given myself a fulfilling evening of drinking German beer and watching crap horror films (Land of the Dead [VERY good] and the original The Hills have Eyes [Not so good. I don't think I'm into Wes Craven's style of horror. I've tried to like his politics and nihilism but his execution just doesn't work for me. Romero's everything Craven wants to be and more. Want an example? Try comparing, I don't know, The Hills have Eyes to Land of the Dead.]
Tomorrow I'll watch Infernal Affairs. It's the original Hong Kong version of that new film that's come out wih Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DeCaprio (The guy from Titanic, not the Ninja Turtle) and Marky Mark (No word if his Funky Bunch is also in it). I've been trying to see it for over a year but stupid Blockbuster never has it in.
The end.
PS - I'm reading the Left Behind series on a dare with a mate of mine. Her dad believes in the rapture and is using them to try to stop her being a lesbian and to see the light. I'm reading them because I'm a masochist and they provide bizarre insight into the mind of the evangelical and all the ways that they misinterpret the world. The books are craptastic and I reccomend them to no one. *** EDIT: And just becasue I'm a Youtube junkie, here are the trailers for the movies. The Hills Have Eyes:
Is this how far I've sunk? Topic: Stephen Says
Last night in our apartment:
Elisabeth: I'm making a shoppong list. Is there anything you want me to add? Stephen: Bananas and berries. Elisabeth: You always say that. Is there anything else? Stephen: Bananas and berries bananas and berries! Elisabeth: No beer? Pretzels? Stephen: Bananas and berries! Elisabeth: You know, I'm getting a little worried about your concern about your health...
My turn to bla bla bla Now Playing: The Streets - A Grand Don't come for Free Topic: Stephen Says
Really, Elisabeth should be used to my long shifts by now. I don't know what she's thinking. Mind you, I'm not going to push the topic since I got supper cooked for me.
It was worst case scenario at work today - no new manager was hired including the fellow currently acting as manager. This basically puts his and my jobs in limbo as we'll be demoted as soon as a new manager is found. Only thing is, that won't be until January at the earliest.
Ah well, at least I'm still the Greatest Deputy Manager in the World.
And so that's basically it. There was a modicum of excitement today at work when we thought Tony Blair had resigned. Except he didn't; he was getting all teary-eyed because he was making his last speech at his party conference. Aww, poor old Tony. At least We now know he is capable of experiencing at least 1 emotion, even if it is only self-pity.
The real horror-show was Cherie Blair clapping and crying and generally looking like that killer doll from the Childs Play movies Chucky.
I bathed in human waste today Mood: smelly Now Playing: Ministry - Rio Grande Blood Topic: Stephen Says
Woking got hit by a flash flood and our drainage system failed so the basement at work got flooded by raw sewage (It was up to the door handles). I had to use plastic garbage bins to scoop out the 'water.' We used long sticks to un-block the drains. We lost a bedroom, bathroom and a large section of hallway. We had to cut apart copious amounts of carpet to stop the rot from setting in. We went to the pub.
I am exhausted. I didn't go to bed 'till 1AM last night and had to be up and at work at 6:30AM to set up for these managerial interviews. All I've eaten today is a cheese sandwitch.
I dry heaved for 5 minutes. I am not happy. I used my Amazing Managerial Ability to pay myself and my collegue who helped me time and a half because no one should have to go to the pub covered in other peoples piss and shit. My converse are in the washing machine. I think I've lost a good pair of Levis, shirt, and other things. I assert: I am not happy.
I don't know if I want to drink myself silly or just go to bed because a couple of pints and double Jack's and cokes barely had an effect.
smelly