under another sun

Up with the sparrows on a Sunday, took my lovely some tea and then rain dodged off to Brighton Station where I met Anton, and we trained up to Waterloo South Bank to meet some of our old IBM pals at 12:30 in what had been billed as a direct marketing reunion. We were a bit early and stopped in a pub across the road from Waterloo called The Auberge where I have often been in the past. £7.50 for two halves of lager, blinking daylight robbery. Anton and I soon off to Studio 6, at Gabriel's wharf, a trusty old venue. And soon in and hugging lots of old pals, my old boss Jackie, Sue, Brian, Reuben, Marja, Andy Fitzgerald, Sarah Freems, Terry and Jax. Basically sat about having a bite to eat and a few drinks and catching up. Felt really normal to be chatting to them -- and I still have a lot of fondness for those folks. Interesting how many among us had stayed at IBM: Sue, Andy, Anton and Jax. I took an opportunity too to thank several people for their help in former times, and told Ja...

Blearily up to London to Tavistock Square again, for an honest day's work at the cattle diseases coalface thinking up some new concepts. Finished Paradise Lost this morning on the way to work, which felt like something of an achievement. Only took me thirty odd years. Jolly good it is too. After work I walked down to The Salisbury pub to meet Marja, who I hand't seen for about three years, and Anton, newly back from a trip to the States where he failed to see Toby, but had a good time nevertheless. Marja is Finnish and ridiculed my pronunciation of Tampere, where Laura, Derek and Claudia live, as I had mentioned that the number of Finns in my life was increasing. Marja currently editing an upmarket magazine called Darling based in Kingston where Beth was at college and seems in good spirits.  We then walked across the river down to Gabriel's wharf, weirdly for me it was the second time in a week, and had a drink there where we used to go when we all worked toget...

Have given myself a savage deadline to get enough of the New Idea book sent off shortly after I return from holiday. This means a sprint over the next couple of weeks, but is distinctly achievable.  I feel like I am working with renewed purpose. Some delight and excitement from Betty today, who took the clothes shop card Romy had given her to the shop and found that Romy had put a chunk of cash on it, which represented a small fortune to a student. Also she went to the Basketmakers with Gary in the evening, and they have offered to teach Betty how to pour pints this week: a boon which could lead to more work. In the evening up to Wimbledon with Anton to meet Sarah Freeman and Marja. Anton and I travelled to East Croydon and then caught a tram, provoking a degree of unnecessary anti-tram controversy from Anton. He hadn't seen Marja for about 13 years and spent some time talking about he achieved his super slim figure. He explained his tactic for renewing his wardrobe. ...

Tiredness today, but no psychosis. Bonus!  Pressing on with the business book (aka The New Idea) until my eyes started hurting. (I need new glasses). Then I listened to the Steve Jobs book, which as a portrait of a profoundly-repellent narcissist is quite compelling. Not often do you read a biography when you actively desire the downfall of its repellent hero. Phone chats to Anton and Marja, who I'd not heard from for ages and who is sounding fine, arranging a meet up with her and Sarah. Made time to meditate, and wasted time trying to clean the sofa with ineffectual cleaning fluid. Tonight Lorriane booked us a cheapish holiday to Greece. The idea of curling up like Endymion in the sun, sea, mountains and cicada-haunted olive groves is intoxicating.  Below, for no good reason, Calliope drinking from a sink. My cat is still very much my daemon and sees herself as a thing above the tabbies Brian and Basil. A newish thing is to steal illegally into Lorraine's ...

Strung out Up to the smoke again on a short train from Brighton. I stood up for a pregnant woman, and imagined a scenario where my leg was actually broken, and one jolt would result in it suddenly coming loose and hanging by bits of stringy stuff in the carriage. Off to the usual place in Hammersmith to work on a slightly dull campaign about Multiple Sclerosis. A day when having a decent idea was hard work, and left to get on with it alone, which is always better. Bumped into a few chums, Rick and Perky, leaving work. Then off to Wimbledon village up on the hill, to meet Marja and drink gin and tonic, and graze on overpriced bar snacks. Long and involved gossip: her life changing a lot at the moment. A fond farewell, then down the hill explaining to Lorraine about the leg/string business, but she seemed to be experiencing a mysterious compassion fatigue. Catching the tram back to East Croydon, and the train to Brighton. Loving this track at the moment.... Listening to it 9o times on th...

Munching with Marja Another wound day with Betsy. Up to London listening to Dune Messiah again, although it is nowhere near as interesting as Dune. Looked at some poems I'd been fiddling with lately on the train, and had a stern-minded cull, a curiously enjoyable process. Work fine, and had another Plum lunch with Betsy and Betina, a likeable German woman who is married to a Brit and has lived in the States. In the evening met Marja in the Salisbury pub. I'd not seen her for almost two years I think. She was looking great and it was good to catch up with her, and hear about her kids and so on. We went for a bite to eat in Browns, which wasn't too bad. Unusually I opted for a burger based meal, which was rather good. Marja of course had some species of delicate salad. Among other gossip, I always enjoy asking Marja about Finnish things. As she is Finnish and teaches the language and culture in the Finnish School. I learned about Kalevala Day on the 28th February, which is a...

Home at last Mercifully home today. Calliope working hard to completely wake me and Lorraine up at seven. I left Lorraine dozing and was about to start work, when the connectivity gremlin meant I had to spend the next hour or so on the line to a lady somewhere in India. Something about Vista, BT and McAfee updates spells doom. And there is something too about the branding of an organisation that calls itself British Telecom having all its telephone staff in a different continent which is slightly confusing. Off then to buy catfood having achieved nothing at all. Lorraine off to see rellies. Me back home to do the work for my pharma client and some other bits. All in all a good session today though no skeletons. Also sidetracked this evening by a computer game called Combat Wings, based on the Battle of Britain. As a person who constructed dozens of Airfix kits as a boy (as did any other right thinking lad of the same vintage) being able to "fly" a Hurricane and shoot down ass...

Several Finns and a nice fish pie Off today to Wimbledon by train and tram to have Sunday lunch with Marja and her family. I'd not seen her daughter Matilda, and her son Lucas for many years, and the youngest boy Rupert never. The children are bilingual and bright and cheery. They live in an enormous house in Wimbledon Hill. Her husband Dimitri was there, as well as her cousin and his partner. The cousin was a Captain in the Finnish army and was serving in Afghanistan with the UN forces. Fascinating to hear about his experiences there. Massive extremes of temperature. It is freezing now and will be 50 degrees celcius and higher in a few weeks. He was telling us about the various roles of the UN forces, such as "Look and Cook" i.e. standing at an observation post in the blistering heat. He said the main priority for safety was to make sure that everyone in the locality knew that they weren't Americans. Apparently once this is established, they can go about their busine...