Month: August 2004

Flogging Molly

So tickets are now on sale for Flogging Molly at the Islington Academy on November the 19th, and yes, I have of course, booked one for myself.  Anyone else fancy joining me?  (The usual description I trot out is that they’re what you’d get if you crossed The Dropkick Murphys with The Pogues.  If you do, I recommend booking through ticketweb, rather than wayahead/seetickets as there’s a 4 quid price difference.)

I also note that Tom Waits may well be playing the UK in November, which fills me with a joy almost beyond measure.  In fact, it may only be equalled by the black depths of my murderous rampage should I fail to secure a ticket, whenever they go on sale.  Still, this means that if all goes to plan, then this year, I’ll have seen The Pixies, The Pogues, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, The Fall, Flogging Molly, Jason Webley and Menlo Park live.  That’s pretty damn close to “all my favourite musical acts”.  In one year.  Fingers crossed The Pogues and Waits, as the tickets aren’t on sale yet…

Work Song

Today is my last day in my current job. As of tomorrow, I am one of the great unwashed, only with, y’know, better hygiene than that.

Or, rather, I would be, but I’ve just had a phone call, telling me that I’ve got a new job. The one I wanted, in Dorking. It’s a three month temp-to-perm thing, but I’ve been given assurances that this is pretty much a formality, and to be honest, I prefer a probationary period, anyway – it’s best for all parties, in my experience.

There’s still a bit of dotting i’s and crossing t’s to do, but I’ve done the interviews and blinded them with my magnificence, they’ve made a salary offer that I’m happy with, so it’s just down to signing bits of paper, and I start with them next Wednesday.

One day, I’m going to find out what this unemployment thing is like for periods longer than a deliberate short break between jobs. Honest.

Americans in the audience

(And the rest of you, but especially the Americans) I’d like to direct your attention to this, written by my old mate dr_dastardly. This goes double for you Americans if you’re not planning to vote.

I mean, personally, I’d quite like Bush to get a second term – it might increase the chances of all my friends in America fleeing the country, and moving to London, which is obviously the best place for people I like to live, but on balance, I think it’s probably better for the world at large if he doesn’t get a second term, and whatever Kerry’s failings may be, he’s clearly a step up from the current shaved-monkey incumbent. So go on, read what Huw has to say, and give him a hand…

Down to Earth…

With a splat. Like a bump, only less coherent, and with a slightly unpleasant texture.

This is more or less how I’m feeling this morning. Sometime around the middle of last week, I developed a bit of a sore throat. Not enough to warrant complaint, and nothing beyond that. I avoided the pub, and I took it a little easy at the gym, just to avoid putting stress on my system, because after all, I’m interviewing at the moment, and want to look bright eyed and alert, so as to impress prospective employers. By Saturday, I was feeling right as rain.

I am, of course, deeply stupid. It turns out that eating two meals all weekend, staying awake for 26 hours, and dancing for seven hours or so of that in an outrageously sweaty club, as well as the usual intake of toxins that pubbing and clubbing usually entails isn’t good for me. I mean, who knew? I’m hoping that taking things fairly easy today will sort me out – my plans for the evening extend to a decent meal and a few hours of City of Heroes, before an early night.

And speaking of the game, for those of you with any interest in MMORPGS, I heartily endorse City of Heroes. I’ve been playing for maybe ten hours thus far, and I’m completely hooked (the moment I left the beginners area, just in time to see someone’s higher level character lauching into flight trailing a blaze of silver light just sold me completely – I just looked at the pretty thing thinking “I want to do that…”), although I’m already thinking of sidelining my current primary character for a slightly cleverer powerset. I think I may conduct experiments this evening with a few new low-level chars, rather than putting in any serious time with one character.