happy new year

I hope everyone had a good night last night – whatever you did and wherever you are. Let’s hope 2002 brings you all what you want.

I have decided to try and quit smoking again this year – so I thought I better make a public declartation. Although I am not going on the wagon too like I did in the summer for my marathon training.

I actually ventured into town last night to see big ben chime in the new year – something I have never done in the 12 or so years I have lived in London. I always avoided it like the plague – thought the crowds would be hellish but they weren’t that bad actually.

We had a german [patrick] and 2 kiwis [michelle and dave] which kind of steeled us into moving from the flat around 11 and going into town. Rick and david had already left for the pub!

So all in all a lovely night with less clearing up than usual for me today 🙂

wonderful weekend

what a lovely and relaxing weekend it was – steve came over from amsterdam on friday and we managed to see each other a lot considering he is trying to move flats over the next few weekends he is over in London – when I say move flats what I actually mean is giveup his flat in London in favour of a permenant base in amsterdam.

Saturday evening saw spence and his other half glen plus random chicken, with scally and his other half rick, joining steve and I for dinner before heading off to sports and shorts for a night of fun and very little debauchery – well compared to last time anyway. I was on my best behaviour with hubby in tow. jonathan had the channel 4 film crew in tow and all in all it seemed a little more subdued than usual. The cabaret was fantastic though – scally was right about ‘gaydar the musical’ it was hilarious – all I remember though is if you say your versatile you are a whore allegedly!

Steve reminisced about the lack of cabaret let alone decent cabaret in amsterdam. Hey who needs cabaret when you can have a night out at IT club with 1001 drag queens dressed as cruella de ville?

open house

This weekend some of London’s best kept secrets are open to the public. Open House allows you to go inside some of London’s most famous and archiecturally inspiring buildings. I want to go and see The Hoover Building in Perivale [now a Tesco superstore facade] or Angel/City Road tube station which is disused – and I’m sure would make a fantastic restaurant or bar.

well timed delivery of My

well timed delivery of My Beautiful Laundrette by mail this morning meant I didn’t have to suffer daytime TV today :o) I distinctly remmeber having to watch this with the volume turned down and subtitles on when I was living at home and it was screened I think on Channel 4 when they were running a series of late night films with little red triangles in the corner. So you had a comic mix of dodgy pseudo-porn foreign films and gay themed films all mixed into the late night schedule. I was amazed by how candid the film was though – no one actually comes out and it seems almost natural that the two boys fall in love. I so wanted to move to London thinking the entire place would be that accepting. So my little trip down memory lane was fab and just what I needed today.

The Metro today ran a

The Metro today ran a small piece today saying that English people moving to the Welsh town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch are being challenged to pronounce it correctly. I think that those of us in South London should follow suit and ensure people moving to St. Reatham learn not to make it sound like Streatham.

first day back in the

first day back in the London office and it already feels like I have not been away at all. I have come back to lots of junk mail and news of our department move. Gah another new desk. This will be the 5th time I have moved in 18 months. In fact all in all I am kinda hacked off and want to be
a. in amsterdam or
b. back in the US

It was all going so

It was all going so well – looking forward to going into work and getting back to it and bam…. the cold I have been struggling with knocked me over big style last night. So I am in bed still and feeling very sorry for myself with no man to cheer me up today 🙁
Also last night alegedly the taxi firm opposie my house was held up at gunpoint – I was too concerned coughing and sweating to get up and see what all the fuss was about but Elric was woken up and checked it out. Scary that and makes me wonder about staying in South London for much longer.
also reading yet another new book bought whilst I was away And the Band Played on – I watched the film years ago and the book is so far much better.
and in other news I was abducted by aliens at Davo’s birthday bash recently.

went out for drinks to

went out for drinks to Kazbar last night with Tim which was really nice. bumped into José who I thought was in Spain but turns out he is back on holiday so that was nice too. He has invited me over for a holiday and I must say if it wasn’t for my hectic schedule at the moment I would book it today. Next week I’ll be over in Dublin and then next Sat/Sun flying to Washington for 3 weeks and then back into sunny London on the 4th August – hence the lack of holiday so far.
It’s Jacs birthday party tonight in town so I have been out buying decorations and baloons and things – have no idea what to get her for a present though. Maybe I’ll wait until I’m in the states and bring her something back from there.

there would appear to be

there would appear to be power cuts across London at the moment :o) Good old battery backup on the laptop