These days I quite often find myself reading things that seem quite absurd, but are occupying our politicians to determine what's best for this country. Several topics spring to mind.
Yesterday, for instance, I was reading about the plans for a partial smoking ban in the UK.
What's now being proposed is that there will be separate smokers' rooms in pubs, so that pub staff won't have to inhale smoke from their smoker patrons. So, I'm visualising lots of pubs having to put in partition walls and have heavy fire doors so that the rest of the pub's customers won't be put at risk from smoke leaking out of the room. Apart from changing the way a lot of historic pubs actually look, this would be quite an expensive process, and would no doubt lead to a further increase in the cost of drinking for the end consumer. In my mind's eye, you'll also have drinkers who are now no longer entitled to have their empty glasses collected for them, lest the staff of the pub inhale their smoke. Or, maybe pubs will start to specifically recruit staff who are smokers themselves and don't mind customers' smoke, in order to service these new specialist smokers' enclaves. Yes, I'm being a little facetious, but this is the way things are going. Why does this government need to legislate over everything?
My friend Giles once pointed out that although there's a high cost of treating smokers through the NHS, maybe the NHS wouldn't be able to keep going if Mr Brown wasn't taxing smokers so heavily. I don't know whether it's true, but it'd be an interesting idea to test.
I don't smoke but I'm also not some kind of anti-smoking Nazi. If people want to go to the pub, they have to accept that there may be smoking going on, just as there may be smoking on the street. The next thing will be to confine smoking to the home. If there really is such concern over passive smoking, wouldn't it be a good idea to offer licensees some kind of tax break for installing powerful extraction systems? That way everyone'd be happy. The government keeps taking its tax on cigarette sales, smokers aren't sent into a special room, non-smokers aren't bothered by the passive smoking. But actually all of this misses the point. It's the meddling mentality that bothers me most - I think people are quite capable of looking after themselves with regard to smoking, and the government shouldn't get involved. I feel the same way about fox hunting, another matter that I have no vested interest in.
If the powers that be are looking for something to spend their time on, why not sort out public toilets? There aren't enough of them, many are no-go areas for those of us who don't go cottaging, and most are in a horrifying state of piss-riddled disrepair. I'd also be very interested for something to be done about coffee shops where they don't offer toilet facilities. You can walk down Picadilly in London and go into shop after shop that's selling food and hot drinks, where you can eat in, and drink in (at great cost) and they somehow seem to avoid responsibility for providing toilet facilities. If anyone can explain the rules and regulations in this area, please add a comment to this post, because I'm really interested.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Cardiac
Owing to there being no buses this morning, I had to run to Alexandra Palace train station, which is about a mile away from where I live. My heart has been bloody hurting me all day. I hope it stops.
I mean, I hope it stops hurting me. I hope it doesn't stop.
I mean, I hope it stops hurting me. I hope it doesn't stop.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Evening Standard Headlines
Today, I found out that somebody has started collecting Evening Standard billboard photos chronicling their daily orgy of metropolitan doom and gloom. I quite enjoyed it.
The day before yesterday, their front page bore the headline 'David Davis on Middle Class Drugs'. It looked to my eye as though Chris Morris had infiltrated their press room!
The day before yesterday, their front page bore the headline 'David Davis on Middle Class Drugs'. It looked to my eye as though Chris Morris had infiltrated their press room!
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Transport
Well, it was certainly interesting getting to work today, with there being no Northern Line. Took me nearly 2 hours to get to work, using a crafty combination of sitting on gridlocked buses and running down streets in the pouring rain, and I didn't arrive until 10:45 (gulp!). What puzzles me is that they must have known this was coming. I mean, the service has been pretty crap for the last week or so, and I can't help but wonder whether the removal of all services on the line has something to do with the major works that were in the press a while ago about having to shut the City branch for a couple of months because the track was in such a dire state.
I guess it's going to be interesting getting home tonight as well, *sigh*.
In other news, I'm reliably informed that Douglas Murray who was at Magdalen at the same time as me, and who sings at St Michael's with me on Sunday mornings, was on Newsnight last night, talking about Iraq. I wish I'd seen it. The internet doesn't seem to have any information on it, which is a shame.
And then there's the new video iPod released yesterday. I have to say that the idea of paid downloads of TV programmes actually does quite appeal to me. Yet another way to while away the lengthy commute!
Oh, and one final element to this disjointed blog post - for some reason there's a mysterious charge of $18.50 that was debited from my credit card on 16th August by "IT SOLUTIONS GROUP INC. 954-472-1656 FL", whoever they are. I informed my credit card company that it looks fishy, and they've suggested I contact the easily-identified (?!) IT Solutions Group about it. That'll be easy...
--edit-- Silly me! As Jack points out in the comments, it was the bill for a URL I'd purchased. Now my mind's at rest.
I guess it's going to be interesting getting home tonight as well, *sigh*.
In other news, I'm reliably informed that Douglas Murray who was at Magdalen at the same time as me, and who sings at St Michael's with me on Sunday mornings, was on Newsnight last night, talking about Iraq. I wish I'd seen it. The internet doesn't seem to have any information on it, which is a shame.
And then there's the new video iPod released yesterday. I have to say that the idea of paid downloads of TV programmes actually does quite appeal to me. Yet another way to while away the lengthy commute!
Oh, and one final element to this disjointed blog post - for some reason there's a mysterious charge of $18.50 that was debited from my credit card on 16th August by "IT SOLUTIONS GROUP INC. 954-472-1656 FL", whoever they are. I informed my credit card company that it looks fishy, and they've suggested I contact the easily-identified (?!) IT Solutions Group about it. That'll be easy...
--edit-- Silly me! As Jack points out in the comments, it was the bill for a URL I'd purchased. Now my mind's at rest.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Roma (part II)
The second day, we got lost in the morning and spent an hour or so wandering around a fairly ropey area near the train station. It became apparent to me that Italian men really have no idea of what is decent conduct around women, particularly those in couples. There was one point where Naomi strayed perhaps five feet from me, and two or three men in their twenties immediately started whistling and making what I assume to be sleazy remarks. Plus there is no holding them back when it comes to staring at a woman's breasts. They don't even seem to be aware that perhaps that isn't appropriate where a woman quite clearly isn't single. I'm a pretty protective, so all of this annoyed me a fair bit.
Once we got back on track and out of the crap area of Rome, we started to make our way across the city to take in some of its wonderful sights/sites. Naomi's Lonely Planet book had a suggested route that allowed us to take in many of the most notable attractions in one journey. As we walked down a little winding alleyway, we emerged into the square that held the Treviso Fountain. The sunny weather combined with the whiteness of the statues and the clarity of the water gave the whole scene an amazing silvery appearance. There were crowds and crowds of people there to enjoy the vast fountain, and some people asked us to take photos of them and reciprocated with our cameras. There was also an oriental couple having wedding photos in front of the fountain. After a few minutes we went on to the Pantheon. It's not often you see a circular church (in this case not entirely by design, as the building had undergone a pagan->Christian overhaul at some point). Again, it was a big draw for tourists. We stopped for lunch (more excellent pizza) at a restaurant on the square next to the Pantheon, directly next to a well-disguised McDonald's with pretty outdoor parasols and seating. They weren't quite so successful in disguising the smell of McDonald's food.
After lunch we went on to see more of central Rome, enjoying ice cream and coffee along the way. Later in the afternoon we went to the Spanish Steps (that's where the photo of Naomi on the previous post was taken), popping into a wonderful little specialist glove shop on the way. We went into the church at the top of the Steps to see the Caravaggio paintings inside, then emerged out into the balmy dusk air, to sit and enjoy the encroaching evening. Sellers of plastic roses flocked to try and persuade lovers to part with their money, below.
That evening we returned to the restaurant of the previous evening, Ristorante Unicum. It doesn't appear on the internet at all, I've discovered, but if anyone's interested, it's between Via Cavour and Via Liberiana, on what I think must be Via di Santa Maria Maggiore. This time we arrived before the pianist started (which was again fun), and we ordered starters followed by a huge fish (I can't remember the name of it for the life of me!) with spicy tomato and mussels. We were given several flaming Sambuccas at the end of the meal, which rounded off a really great holiday nicely, and guaranteed the waiter a good tip! I think we'll be back there again, one day.
Once we got back on track and out of the crap area of Rome, we started to make our way across the city to take in some of its wonderful sights/sites. Naomi's Lonely Planet book had a suggested route that allowed us to take in many of the most notable attractions in one journey. As we walked down a little winding alleyway, we emerged into the square that held the Treviso Fountain. The sunny weather combined with the whiteness of the statues and the clarity of the water gave the whole scene an amazing silvery appearance. There were crowds and crowds of people there to enjoy the vast fountain, and some people asked us to take photos of them and reciprocated with our cameras. There was also an oriental couple having wedding photos in front of the fountain. After a few minutes we went on to the Pantheon. It's not often you see a circular church (in this case not entirely by design, as the building had undergone a pagan->Christian overhaul at some point). Again, it was a big draw for tourists. We stopped for lunch (more excellent pizza) at a restaurant on the square next to the Pantheon, directly next to a well-disguised McDonald's with pretty outdoor parasols and seating. They weren't quite so successful in disguising the smell of McDonald's food.
After lunch we went on to see more of central Rome, enjoying ice cream and coffee along the way. Later in the afternoon we went to the Spanish Steps (that's where the photo of Naomi on the previous post was taken), popping into a wonderful little specialist glove shop on the way. We went into the church at the top of the Steps to see the Caravaggio paintings inside, then emerged out into the balmy dusk air, to sit and enjoy the encroaching evening. Sellers of plastic roses flocked to try and persuade lovers to part with their money, below.
That evening we returned to the restaurant of the previous evening, Ristorante Unicum. It doesn't appear on the internet at all, I've discovered, but if anyone's interested, it's between Via Cavour and Via Liberiana, on what I think must be Via di Santa Maria Maggiore. This time we arrived before the pianist started (which was again fun), and we ordered starters followed by a huge fish (I can't remember the name of it for the life of me!) with spicy tomato and mussels. We were given several flaming Sambuccas at the end of the meal, which rounded off a really great holiday nicely, and guaranteed the waiter a good tip! I think we'll be back there again, one day.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Roma (pt 1)
Well, today is my birthday (I think it's the first ever blog I've written on a birthday), and I thought I'd write about what I've done over the last week or so.
Last Thursday I woke up unusually early to get my things together and make my way to Liverpool Street to then take the Stanstead Express to the airport. Naomi was coming back via Rome (where Schola Cantorum had been asked to sing for the President of Italy), and we'd arranged that I'd meet her for a pre-birthday weekend in Rome, where neither of us had ever been before.
I arrived in the early evening, and owing to the security arrangements surrounding the presidential concert, I wasn't allowed to attend. Instead, I waited for Naomi until she'd finished the concert at a little fountain in the square next to the convent where the choir had been staying. I was engrossed in the Lonely Planet guide to Rome, when I heard an excited pitter-patter of feet across the stones of the square. I'll never forget the grin on her face as we hugged and kissed. Three weeks is a long time apart.
That evening, the choir had been invited to a rather swish dinner (cocktail dressed et al) and scruffy here wasn't allowed to go to that either, so I faced the prospect of eating dinner at a restaurant alone, something that has filled me with dread for as long as I can remember. By way of context, I've often looked at businessmen or women when I've been at restaurants with friends or family and thought that that situation of solitude is an unnecessarily miserable one, and have frequently found myself quite close to inviting lone strangers to join with us to eat together. So, gathering my courage, I went off to find a restaurant.
I found that old trick of eating a lot of food and drinking a 1 litre glass of beer to help me while away the time (you know what I'm talking about - eating and drinking at an accellerated pace when you're in a place where you don't know anyone, because you don't know anyone. It's the non-smoker's approach to trying not to look awkward by means of keeping your hands busy. Generally I'm not very successful here). I also continued to read the guide book. I was in an outdoor veranda area, and the weather changed from being balmy late-summer to rainy autumn in a matter of seconds. As the rain bucketed down, it transpired that there was a leak in the roof near me, causing rain to cascade down onto the seat on the other side of my table for 2. I felt like I'd stepped into Woody Allen's world. The next thing to make me chuckle was the appearance of no fewer than 4 umbrella salesman within minutes of the start of the rain.
Shortly afterwards, I met up with Naomi and the rest of the choir for their end-of-tour awards ceremony. This was held at the impressive flat of a local guy, not far from where we were staying. Naomi was one of two people presenting the awards, and the whole thing was as funny as it could be for someone who wasn't aware of the inevitable tour in-jokes.
The next day we left mid-morning and made our way on the Roman Metro to the Vatican, where we bumped into another couple from the choir (Paul and Helen) at lunchtime. We spent quite a lot of time going through the Vatican Museums, which contained some amazing Early Modern maps of Italy, dating back to when Italy was just a 'geographical expression', as well as all sorts of wonderful sculptures and lots of trompe l'oiel frescoes. The crowds in the Sistine Chapel were enormous, and despite signs demanding silence and no flash photography, the Vatican Police had their work cut out to keep order.
We had some lunch at a little touristy restaurant(served by a brusque waiter) and then the four of us climbed the dome of St Peter's (and Naomi managed it despite her fear of heights). I counted each step as we ascended, and by my reckoning it was around 535 steps up to the top, but well worth it for the amazing views available over Rome, and into the basilica itself. Paul had a really good digital camera and took lots of great photos of the basilica, using specialist lenses to capture the way the afternoon sunlight flooded into the white and gold of the building. As the afternoon drew to a close, we went to a good - if over-priced - cafe for some ice cream.
That evening we found a great little restaurant where I had veal and Naomi had steak, after really good pasta and risotto starters. There was also an hilarious guy banging away at the piano, doing all sorts of pastiches and generally providing great entertainment. The waiters were brilliant, and at the end of the meal we were given shots of complimentary grappa. The boss of the restaurant, who seemed to run quite a tight ship, had also made various wax work busts that adorned the walls, including one of Pope John Paul II and one of a deceased head waiter from the restaurant. There was also a rather large elk head behind our table. None of these things seemed tacky. It was a really great restaurant. So great, in fact, that we would return the following night for more of the same.
Last Thursday I woke up unusually early to get my things together and make my way to Liverpool Street to then take the Stanstead Express to the airport. Naomi was coming back via Rome (where Schola Cantorum had been asked to sing for the President of Italy), and we'd arranged that I'd meet her for a pre-birthday weekend in Rome, where neither of us had ever been before.
I arrived in the early evening, and owing to the security arrangements surrounding the presidential concert, I wasn't allowed to attend. Instead, I waited for Naomi until she'd finished the concert at a little fountain in the square next to the convent where the choir had been staying. I was engrossed in the Lonely Planet guide to Rome, when I heard an excited pitter-patter of feet across the stones of the square. I'll never forget the grin on her face as we hugged and kissed. Three weeks is a long time apart.
That evening, the choir had been invited to a rather swish dinner (cocktail dressed et al) and scruffy here wasn't allowed to go to that either, so I faced the prospect of eating dinner at a restaurant alone, something that has filled me with dread for as long as I can remember. By way of context, I've often looked at businessmen or women when I've been at restaurants with friends or family and thought that that situation of solitude is an unnecessarily miserable one, and have frequently found myself quite close to inviting lone strangers to join with us to eat together. So, gathering my courage, I went off to find a restaurant.
I found that old trick of eating a lot of food and drinking a 1 litre glass of beer to help me while away the time (you know what I'm talking about - eating and drinking at an accellerated pace when you're in a place where you don't know anyone, because you don't know anyone. It's the non-smoker's approach to trying not to look awkward by means of keeping your hands busy. Generally I'm not very successful here). I also continued to read the guide book. I was in an outdoor veranda area, and the weather changed from being balmy late-summer to rainy autumn in a matter of seconds. As the rain bucketed down, it transpired that there was a leak in the roof near me, causing rain to cascade down onto the seat on the other side of my table for 2. I felt like I'd stepped into Woody Allen's world. The next thing to make me chuckle was the appearance of no fewer than 4 umbrella salesman within minutes of the start of the rain.
Shortly afterwards, I met up with Naomi and the rest of the choir for their end-of-tour awards ceremony. This was held at the impressive flat of a local guy, not far from where we were staying. Naomi was one of two people presenting the awards, and the whole thing was as funny as it could be for someone who wasn't aware of the inevitable tour in-jokes.
The next day we left mid-morning and made our way on the Roman Metro to the Vatican, where we bumped into another couple from the choir (Paul and Helen) at lunchtime. We spent quite a lot of time going through the Vatican Museums, which contained some amazing Early Modern maps of Italy, dating back to when Italy was just a 'geographical expression', as well as all sorts of wonderful sculptures and lots of trompe l'oiel frescoes. The crowds in the Sistine Chapel were enormous, and despite signs demanding silence and no flash photography, the Vatican Police had their work cut out to keep order.
We had some lunch at a little touristy restaurant(served by a brusque waiter) and then the four of us climbed the dome of St Peter's (and Naomi managed it despite her fear of heights). I counted each step as we ascended, and by my reckoning it was around 535 steps up to the top, but well worth it for the amazing views available over Rome, and into the basilica itself. Paul had a really good digital camera and took lots of great photos of the basilica, using specialist lenses to capture the way the afternoon sunlight flooded into the white and gold of the building. As the afternoon drew to a close, we went to a good - if over-priced - cafe for some ice cream.
That evening we found a great little restaurant where I had veal and Naomi had steak, after really good pasta and risotto starters. There was also an hilarious guy banging away at the piano, doing all sorts of pastiches and generally providing great entertainment. The waiters were brilliant, and at the end of the meal we were given shots of complimentary grappa. The boss of the restaurant, who seemed to run quite a tight ship, had also made various wax work busts that adorned the walls, including one of Pope John Paul II and one of a deceased head waiter from the restaurant. There was also a rather large elk head behind our table. None of these things seemed tacky. It was a really great restaurant. So great, in fact, that we would return the following night for more of the same.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Candle burning at both ends
Sorry for neglecting the blog a bit over the last couple of weeks. I've been really very busy, but have been having a really great time. The week that I last wrote saw two Action and Action gigs - the first with a number of bands (the best of which was The Olympus Mons, who were like a 3-piece Bloc Party. Actually I've just found that they wrote something nice about us here!) - the second with the truly exceptional Meet Me in St Louis in Kingston. MMISL were easily in the top 5 bands we've ever played with and I have to say I'm really looking forward to playing more gigs with them. They were tremendous guys, quite apart from being a spectacular (and incredibly intelligent) band.
In between those two gigs, I went to see Jake's current band, Popular Workshop, on the Wednesday. Those guys have only been together for a short while, but they're getting better every time I see them, sounding more and more like an eccentric take on Shellac and McLusky. Really good stuff. Then, on the Friday, I went to High Wycombe for one of Eddie's gigs, which was an amazing night, as ever. I got to see and hear a variety of wonderful punk rock, including Circus Act who I've been wanting to see for ages. I had rather a lot to drink, then passed out on Eddie's couch, while people carried out with discussions into the night in the same room, English and American accents invading my dream state.
(have I included enough musical links to show you what I'm enjoying at the mo?)
The next morning, Naomi called me at about 8 O'Clock. It was 4 O'Clock in the morning for her, in Argentina, and she'd completely forgotten that it was Saturday morning for me - so I wouldn't necessarily be up - but it was lovely to speak to her all the same. God knows what that phone bill will amount to!
After that, I left Eddie's and made my way back to London. I then proceeded to spend the rest of the day tearing apart my room in order to locate the wedding invitation that Richard and Philippa had originally sent to Naomi, who had then put it in my bag. I'm not good with paper work, you see. I managed to find it half way through the afternoon, just in time to put on a suit, tube down to Liverpool St, then take the train out to Colchester for the 5pm wedding reception. True to form, I arrived at 6. Dinner was good, and it was a fun evening all round, plus it was great to see Richard and Philippa so happy, and all of their extended families enjoying the occasion. They had a huge marquee in the extensive gardens of Richard's parents' house, and to cope with the numbers of people they had hired fairly large portaloos (which played back amusing panpipe versions of Queen songs - I discovered this on my accidental visit to what turned out to be the ladies' toilet). Doug and Chris (Richard's brothers) did an amazing iMovie montage of Richard misbehaving drunkenly from childhood onwards, culminating in an inebriated video apology to whoever his future parents-in-law would be). It was very very funny, as was James Bendell's speech, which included some immortal lines at Richard's expense. Richard's own speech was also funny, mainly because he kept losing his place, and was understandably nervous.
Of course, my highlight of the evening came when the disco started, because everyone knows how much I look forward to dancing... Richard and Philippa got into their taxi at the end of the night to get to their hotel before flying to the US for their honeymoon. I crashed in the hotel room of one of Richard's mates, and woke up to then get the train to St Michael's on Sunday morning. A very hectic week, but a great one.
In between those two gigs, I went to see Jake's current band, Popular Workshop, on the Wednesday. Those guys have only been together for a short while, but they're getting better every time I see them, sounding more and more like an eccentric take on Shellac and McLusky. Really good stuff. Then, on the Friday, I went to High Wycombe for one of Eddie's gigs, which was an amazing night, as ever. I got to see and hear a variety of wonderful punk rock, including Circus Act who I've been wanting to see for ages. I had rather a lot to drink, then passed out on Eddie's couch, while people carried out with discussions into the night in the same room, English and American accents invading my dream state.
(have I included enough musical links to show you what I'm enjoying at the mo?)
The next morning, Naomi called me at about 8 O'Clock. It was 4 O'Clock in the morning for her, in Argentina, and she'd completely forgotten that it was Saturday morning for me - so I wouldn't necessarily be up - but it was lovely to speak to her all the same. God knows what that phone bill will amount to!
After that, I left Eddie's and made my way back to London. I then proceeded to spend the rest of the day tearing apart my room in order to locate the wedding invitation that Richard and Philippa had originally sent to Naomi, who had then put it in my bag. I'm not good with paper work, you see. I managed to find it half way through the afternoon, just in time to put on a suit, tube down to Liverpool St, then take the train out to Colchester for the 5pm wedding reception. True to form, I arrived at 6. Dinner was good, and it was a fun evening all round, plus it was great to see Richard and Philippa so happy, and all of their extended families enjoying the occasion. They had a huge marquee in the extensive gardens of Richard's parents' house, and to cope with the numbers of people they had hired fairly large portaloos (which played back amusing panpipe versions of Queen songs - I discovered this on my accidental visit to what turned out to be the ladies' toilet). Doug and Chris (Richard's brothers) did an amazing iMovie montage of Richard misbehaving drunkenly from childhood onwards, culminating in an inebriated video apology to whoever his future parents-in-law would be). It was very very funny, as was James Bendell's speech, which included some immortal lines at Richard's expense. Richard's own speech was also funny, mainly because he kept losing his place, and was understandably nervous.
Of course, my highlight of the evening came when the disco started, because everyone knows how much I look forward to dancing... Richard and Philippa got into their taxi at the end of the night to get to their hotel before flying to the US for their honeymoon. I crashed in the hotel room of one of Richard's mates, and woke up to then get the train to St Michael's on Sunday morning. A very hectic week, but a great one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
