Rock I

Posted on by Alasdair

Right. Bollocks to whingeing. Bad week last week. Like you’ve never had one of them. This week, a whole host of ace things, because frankly, my life rocks, and I fully intend to remind myself of it.

Today is Sunday. Things that rock today:

The Undertones – Everyone knows “Teenage Kicks”. Everything else they did also rocks, provided you ignore the fact that one of them went on to be Fergal Sharkey. Well, he was Fergal at the time, but he was good in the late seventies. Not entirely unlike what happened to Paul Weller after The Jam, I suppose. Yeah, they’re a teenage band. They’re being sixteen and having the time of your fucking life, are The Undertones. Everyone deserves to remember what it was like to be invincible for time to time, because that’s the bit that gets lost when you look back on being a teenager. You spend so much time laughing wryly at your arrogance, or desparing over what a little shit you were that you forget how much fun it was when you were young, attractive and knew everything. And that’s a shame. It may have been bullshit, but it was a lovely feeling.

Derek Raymond – Finest crime writer you’ve never heard of. Died a few years back, which is a crying shame. Anyone who could write like him deserves to go on for a lot longer. Burning, brutal stories of love and murder, told with poetry and style. And, of course, they’re bastard hard to find, but they’re well worth the effort.

London – London rocks. There are so many reasons why that I could list them for ever and ever and not reach the end. If you’ve never lived in London, then you’ve missed out. This is true of a load of cities, and I’ll get round to them later on, but for now, I’m going to go out and enjoy my home city. Because that’s what Sunday’s are for.

Why are you still sitting there reading this?

Wrenching

Posted on by Alasdair

This may be the most depressing picture I’ve ever seen. The title is “I had a good idea a few minutes ago”, and it’s simply heartbreaking.

Coyote Ugly

Posted on by Alasdair

Watched Coyote Ugly last night. I’m not proud of it, but I was bored and Andrew had been given a review copy. It was dumb beyond belief, had gigantic plot holes, and reeked of cheese, was a good laugh nonetheless. If you can see it without paying any money to do so, I suggest you do.

Reiterate

Posted on by Alasdair

Finished Safe Area Gorazde. I will be buying my own copy at the first opportunity. You should, too. Utterly brilliant work.

Not Stalked

Posted on by Alasdair

Aha! Clarification! Apparently, the request for information about my love life was from my mate Claire, who I haven’t seen since she departed for points North, and not in fact, a stalker. It would have helped to have signed the e-mail, dear, or at least used an e-mail address I might have recognised.

Obviously

Posted on by Alasdair

I give up. I’m never saying anything to anyone, ever again. That way, I cannot possibly be a horrible bastard that delights in making nice people feel bad about themselves. Which is what I am, obviously.

Reading

Posted on by Alasdair

Currently reading:

  • Safe Area Gorazde – Joe Sacco. Journalism, in comics form.

  • Down Under – Bill Bryson. Travel writing. Light reading.

  • Zot! – Scott McCloud. I’m about to start this.

Requested

Posted on by Alasdair

Reasons I have not acted on the requests I have recieved for things on this blog:

  • Plaster Cast Porn – Already linked to it. Also, frightened.

  • Fluffy Bunnies – Like you need to ask why.

  • Complete history of my love life – Unsettled by stalker-ish question.

  • Guide to Chinese takeaways in London – Just plain silly. May yet do this, actually.

  • Message Forum – I want to develop one, actually. Not for this, but would like to do it. Time consuming.

  • Currently writing projects – I don’t really have anything new to talk about.

  • Currently reading/listening to – Don’t really have an excuse.

  • Why are you a goth? – I’m not, really. No, stop looking at me like that that.

  • The UK general election – Dull. Very dull.

  • Something about comics – Ninth Art.

  • More weird links – No excuse. I’ll try and do better.

I’m still taking more requests, you know. And I know there are are people out there who read this who haven’t said anything. You know who you are. At least mail me with your feeble excuses.

Bristol

Posted on by Alasdair

Couple of things to talk about:

First and most important: Bristol. I’ve already written what might laughingly be called a report on the convention for Ninth Art. You can find it here. The article more or less entirely fails to mention the bits I did like about the convention, mostly because they’re of no interest to the general public. So, of course, I’ll talk about them here.

I like the quiet bits, when the noise and the crowd and the heat go away. I like sitting around tables in restaurants and bars with my friends, old and new, and talking. I never get to spend enough time with everyone I want to talk to, which is always upsetting. Still thanks to the people at pizza on the Saturday night, who rescued me from total collapse and gave me something to do besides a dinner and awards ceremony I would surely not have survived. Likewise, thanks to the Sunday night mob for a very pleasant evening when I had expected only brain-death and exhaustion.

Two lots of special thanks as well:

Firstly, to Andrew, Andrea and Ryan, for putting up with my company longer than any sane human should have to, and for not killing me for some of the choices on that tape I made for the car. I tried to make it as listener friendly as possible, but my brain slipped in a few places. I realise this. Sorry.

Secondly to the various people, who know who they are, who heard me kvetch about things I’m sure they’d rather not have at various points throughout the convention. I’m extremely grateful to you for letting me get things off my chest on a few subjects. If I can ever return the favour, you know where to find me.