// April 2007
Free at last!
Well… sort of. Of my Student Loan at least.
The Student Loans Company have requested that the Inland Revenue stop taking payments from my salary and it has come into effect at last in today’s pay. Suddenly I find myself free of the loan and about £230 a month better off.
I think I should feel damned lucky I’ve managed to get this paid off in six years really - I think some people will be paying theirs off forever.
Posted on April 30, 2007 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | 4 Comments
ShortFuse @ The Camden Head
Okay… so those familiar with The Opinions of Rob (TM) will know of my long-standing distrust of poetry - or more specifically of poets. It’s an instinctive response which, if I’m fair, is probably borne of having to deal with a complete arse called Adam in my Sixth Form who was - like so many pretentious teenagers - a “poet”, a role which basically seemed to involve wearing a scarf indoors and sneering at anyone who’d actually been published professionally.
Those English periods could be quite long sometimes, I can tell you - meaningful glances between students and teachers abounded as he expounded on whatever niggle he had with today’s author or choice of text and it’s a wonder he wasn’t lynched by the English Department on a dark November evening.
So, generally I avoid anything other than Yeats, Dorothy Parker and song lyrics. But when Christina suggested popping along to see her friend (and my occasional acquaintance) Martin White perform with his Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra at ShortFuse (”an electrifying weekly fusion of stand-up poetry and spokenword”) at the Camden Head last night, I thought “well, what the hell” despite the threat of being subjected to poetry readings before he came on.
After all, it sounded local enough and I felt I could do with having my horizons broadened.
There was initially some confusion over the venue, I must confess. I assumed the Camden Head would be in Camden, but as it turns out, it’s actually in Islington which meant I arrived slightly later than planned, but hey. Still in time to join ‘Stina and grab a glass of wine.
So… did I enjoy it?
Yes. Much to my surprise I did. Nathan Penlington was an excellent host who’s style completely subverted what I expected. He combined magic with a series of poetic observations, whilst pricking at the cliché of the teenage poet at the same time which I found deeply satisfying.
He was followed up by someone known as “The Racker”, an Irish gentleman of advancing years whose free-form performance poetry was delivered with such charm, wit and playfulness that I couldn’t help but be won over. His grip on almost obscure but always perfectly chosen words was incredibly impressive. I’d honestly never experienced anything like his style before and I feel I was the poorer before it, the richer after.
Then came Hugo Williams who was, to be fair, more in line with the sort of poetry I resist. The quality of his work is undeniable, but it really isn’t a type I respond to - although he had definite moments, and he was certainly a witty raconteur as he introduced each poem so I still found good chunks to enjoy.
The Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra then came on and just capped it off brilliantly. I really can’t quite describe them, but let’s just say they started with a song called “In the Evil Castle” and the following tracks were even more unusual, funny and clever. I think you could probably say they’re best described as “bizarre”, but that’s definitely in the good way.
It really was a most surprising, satisfying and unusual evening. I can heartily recommend doing something like this - it’s good, I think, to go outside of your usual cultural comfort-zone and try to appreciate things you normally wouldn’t. While I’m not sure I would be so lucky next time, I’m certainly tempted to go again - and would definitely recommend the Orchestra as worth a visit next time they play somewhere.
Posted on April 27, 2007 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | 2 Comments
Trademark - Raise the Stakes
Finally the new Trademark album “Raise the Stakes” has arrived at my door. And very good it is too.
2004’s “Want More” was a rather nice little album, but a little “art-school students playing with synths” at times. By that I mean it seemed a little too pretentious in places and lacking in focus. It did, however, contain such gems as “Hold that Thought”, “Sine Love”, “Interim”, “Stay Professional”, the Depeche Modeish “All Too Late” and “Trust in What You know” which is a good chunk of solid album by anyone’s standards.
So what of the new one? Well, it’s a definite progression. “Come to Love” has been around for ages now and is an excellent slice of simple solid electro-pop, a furrow which they continue to plough with “Toe the Line” and “Where You Went Wrong” and “Stuck in a Rut”. But there is more too. Choirs appear on various tracks, adding an additional colour and flavour to “Stuck in a Rut” - otherwise a sister track to the ones previously mentioned - and giving an extra mournful quality to the simple melancholy of “More Than I Deserve” and “Self Pity”, the latter of which starts unpromisingly enough but develops a soaring quality in its alloted minute and a half.
“The Circle I’m In” is a pleasant enough ditty if a tad bland for my taste (you all by now know my feelings towards slow tracks) and instrumental opener “Raising the Stakes” leads into “Come to Love” effortlessly, again starting simply enough but soon soaring its way towards the segue. “Over and Over” is a favourite from their live shows and is a chunky stomper designed for a good hard moshing.
All told, the only tracks that really don’t grab me are “It Wasn’t Right” (it seems to be trying to hard really), “How Times Change” (shorter and more shimmering than “Self Pity” but less interesting) and “Three Strikes” which doesn’t half go on (that said “Trust in What You Know” did as well, but this one just doesn’t work for me).
Still, three out of twelve tracks is still a good hit-rate. And the others are so polished and assured that it seems hard to imagine why Trademark haven’t yet achieved greater fame.
But there we go - when they finally do at least I can say I was in at the beginning!
Highly recommended.
Finally! An Update…
Hello there! Gosh it’s been a while.
Thanks to all of you who have got in touch to offer kind words of encouragement and so on. I’m feeling rather more upbeat and relaxed at the moment, even if I still seem to be afflicted with hayfever of the most virulent kind and the dragging mucousy remains of a cold. Ho hum. It was ever thus!
So what have I been up to? Sleeping mainly, if truth be told. And having a good old think about what changes I need to make to my life to move forwards. The CV has had a much needed update for one - the boss actively encourages us to keep them updated as it happens, it’s just that I’ve just not had the time to do it in ages. I ran it past a couple of people I know and their only complaint was that they didn’t like the way the Garamond font italicised, so I think - once I’d altered that - it’s in pretty good shape now. I’m just awaiting some agency details from a former colleague and I’ll start whoring myself around I think (as it were).
Other than that the most notable events were a visit to the Popjustice! Live! event at “Punk” in Soho to see BWO (formerly Bodies Without Organs) in their first UK gig, lunch with young Simon yesterday (bless him) and the small matter of my 30th Birthday.
The birthday was rather good fun it must be said. I did get horribly (or more accurately “pleasantly”) trollied, at Rocktronica at Wyvils and got an excellent turnout and various presents of a serious, readable, drinkable and occasionally bizarre nature (TARDIS Can Cooler anyone?). Got to see lots of people I hadn’t seen in ages - my not-brother Paul and his lovely wife Ellie even turned up too on their way back to Kent which was lovely - and I got to hear a lot of tunes I hadn’t heard in ages too.
Carrying that much stuff through Vauxhall in order to find a taxi rank was a little disconcerting, though.
And BWO were fabulous. Martin, the lead singer, is - despite some shockingly bad photos for their latest album - absolutely stunning in the flesh. Sadly he didn’t show nearly enough of it, but on the plus side they also promised and delivered a “ballad-free” set which was just simply marvellous. (Popjustice’s notes on the evening suggested that this should be encouraged in all live acts - even if it would reduce Coldplay sets to about six minutes - a viewpoint with which I heartily agree.)
I’m now concentrating on flinging this cold out of the window, dosing myself up on Piriton and unwinding further and - since I now have a mood which is conducive to it - doing some actual writing. “Hosting Solutions” has approximately doubled in size already (admittedly this is only just over a 1000 words, but it’s a start).
Posted on April 26, 2007 | Filed Under Health and Fitness, My So-Called Life | 1 Comment
Argh! Mucus!
Trust me, eh?
I end up with an enforced period off work, start to relax and the first thing that happens is that allergies kick in and I start sneezing and being horribly snotty.
And this on top of the throat and ear thing.
Falling apart. I may not actually arrive at tomorrow in one piece.
Posted on April 20, 2007 | Filed Under Health and Fitness, My So-Called Life | 2 Comments
Doctor Who - Gridlock
Hmm. Well… worst so far I think. But thankfully it was still quite good.
My main problems were that Ardal O’Hanlon was so Dougal the whole time that I kept expecting him to go “oh, c’mon Ted” the whole way through. And again, RTD managed to stretch my credibility a bit too far with the whole “they’ve been stuck down there for twelve to twenty years” thing - if it had been months I may have been more forgiving, but years?
But even so, there were some very nice ideas. The whole underclass being saved because they were an underclass, the fact that in this dystopian world people were able to bond and create a feeling of hope and optimism and avoid being victims, and the other fact that precisely because of this bond they had effectively paralysed themselves, preventing them from changing the situation.
I get the feeling all told, that there could have been a rather good two-parter in this, rather than a fairly rushed blam-blam-blam single-part we got.
That said, David Tennant continues to astound. I fair welled up I did, during his reminiscing about Gallifrey.
I don’t understand why people keep going on about these “Macra” creatures, though. The Macra don’t exist.
I am, of course, now gagging for Daleks in Manhattan. In fact I won’t be turning up at my own birthday party until it’s finished.
(Well, you’ve got to have priorities.)
Posted on April 20, 2007 | Filed Under Film and Television | 0 Comments
Woo! I’m bonkers!
So once again I end up with another ENT problem. Sore throat, blocked nose, ears that feel like they’re popping and oozing the whole time. Coupled with my general increasing down-ness it’s no wonder I ended up having a spontaneous cry yesterday morning. There was a general feeling of “will this never end?”
So I went to see the doctor* this morning, assuming I’d get a pat on the head, some anti-biotics and a quick bums-rush out the door (actually they’re not unattentive at the surgery by any means, but I do try and take as little of their time as possible) but no, bless her… she was actually rather concerned. The fact I’d managed to end up with another infection - aside from about two other standard colds - of the last four months worried her and so she started to talk, ask about how my life was working out.
At which it all poured out.
The result is that I’m now signed off work for a week due to stress and depression (which I have to say sounds utterly feeble when written in three words, but hey - it was quick for her to write and is technically the cause of my current gradual collapse). She’s also recommended - as opposed to anti-depressants - a referral to the practice counsellors which, whilst it won’t happen for weeks (they’re quite busy) is definitely a preferred option as far as I can see.
Still, I actually feel that now something is actually being done by someone else it’s like I have a bit more power over things too. “The power of two will get us through”, or something.
Perhaps with people behind me (albeit not in that way) I may actually be able to move forwards, as opposed to continuing the terrifying paralysis I’ve come to find myself subjected to over the last few weeks.
* Yes. Yes I did type it with a capital “D” orginally. Doctor, for me, is first and foremost a proper noun after all.
Posted on April 18, 2007 | Filed Under Health and Fitness, My So-Called Life | 1 Comment
Collective Malfunction
I am 30 on Saturday. Needless to say I share my birthday with the Queen, something which no end of people seem to find oh so amusing and think that their comment along those lines is something original (like the number of people I’ve been out with who start singing “Son of a Preacher Man” when they discover my father’s occupation).
But there we are. It has been thus for many years and I suspect it’s unlikely to change.
What has changed, however, is that two people - independently of each other - have transposed it by a week.
I received text messages from one of my exes on Saturday (who shall remain nameless to spare his blushes) who had gradually come to the conclusion during the course of the evening that my birthday was in a week’s time. “Yes it is,” I replied. “Why?”
“Oh, no reason,” he responded. “This Wyvils place is quite busy though isn’t it?”
I wouldn’t have thought much more of it really (apart from to idly drop in conversation when I do see him) but then I arrived at work yesterday, took my seat and almost jumped out of my skin when my boss, Chaz, crept up behind me and quietly sang the opening lines of “Happy Birthday” to me.
I was swift to correct the error. At which point my colleague Olivier gleefully rubbed Chaz’s nose in it still further with the accurate - if worryingly star-sign centric - cry of “You see! I told you! I told you he was a Taurus!”
But there we are. Two people in the space of two days have been oddly premature and I’m wondering if perhaps there’s something in this.
I’ve often felt I was born out of my time, I must say, but frankly to only be a week out of your time is more than a little crap.
Posted on April 17, 2007 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | 0 Comments
Annoyance
It’s very frustrating, I can tell you, that when you consider yourself to be a pretty darned good backgammon player (and indeed an even better teacher) you can end up coming across a computer program that - more often than not - will wipe the floor with you.
So… damn you GNU Backgammon! Damn you to heck.
(And with that Rob started another game…)
Posted on April 15, 2007 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | 1 Comment
Doctor Who - The Shakespeare Code
There’s a worry, isn’t there, when someone you know writes something? That fear that they’ll go “oh, give it a read and tell me what you think”, the fear that you will give it a bash and not like it and then have to be nice about it, and get so sincere about the whole thing that they can tell you want them dead and thus start to harbour similar feelings towards you.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m a bosom buddy of Gareth Roberts. Yes we’ve met a fair few times, I’ve been to a party at his, we’ve shared conversations on the increasing “WFT?” choices and views of Popjustice, and had lengthy conversations about the relative merits of Stock Aitken Waterman songs (in particular a shared view that Lonnie Gordon’s “Happenin’ All Over Again” is a work of sublime genius).
But even then we aren’t exactly close.
But that doesn’t stop you worrying. What if a passing acquaintance should suddenly sour? Eggshells all round.
So I was a bit nervous about the Shakespeare Code. I worried I’d hate it. I worried it wouldn’t just be me who hated it. I worried it would be just me who hated it. In short… I was a right old barrel of fret, me.
Thankfully, I thought it was great fun. Yes, there was a certain pantomime element to it all - from the very first moment with the cute guy and the three witches (always there have to three - Shakespeare’s definitely got a lot to answer for) and there were moments when I first watched when the whole “Doctor giving Shakespeare quotes” thing occasionally made me think “hmm”, but it has to be said… how enjoyable was that episode?
For me it attained a level of sheer joie de vive that was quite simply breathtaking. I think you could even call it rumbunctious. Colourful, noisy, brash, pun-laden, gorgeous (I mean… how much did they spend?) and playful. It was an episode that I actually cheered during - and not just at the line about the 57 academics.
This - mark my words BBC - is the sort of telly I pay my licence fee for. Not Castaway, not dreary doom-laden soaps, up-itself twisty gritty drama, or reality shows fronted by some old git who made the worst, most plasticy Hi-Fi’s I’ve ever seen, but something which is actually simple, honest-to-goodness, glorious fun.
Fun, I find, is hugely underrated as an art-form. And this should change. Now.
So… if Gareth doesn’t get invited back next year I swear I will camp outside BBC Wales and belabour Julie Gardner around the knees with a pick-axe handle (and manifest meself over Russell T. Davies’ keyboard) until the producers relent.
I was worried about Series Three, I’ll admit. But two episodes in and I’m really fired up again.
Posted on April 12, 2007 | Filed Under Film and Television | 1 Comment