Very early start after little sleep and too much to drink. Felt unspeakably bad! Pretty much uncommunicative all the way to London, and only really started to feel better after coffee, breakfast and a long walk.
Consequently, not attentive or as enthusiastic about the parade as I should have been, which I'm really very sorry about. Felt that the parade lacked pageantry in some way this year. Still intriguing and moving to see some of the more traditional elements.
After this, my companions wisely left me to my own devices until later and went westward. After some meandering, I headed east to Limehouse in an effort to visit some Hawksmoor churches. Lunched in the churchyard of St. Anne's, a freezing windy circle of land just off Commercial Road. A little sun appeared, so back on the DLR to Shadwell and St. George's in the East. Walked to Spitalfields but found Christ Church under maintainence, so back through the City to meet friends at the Temple. The photographs of my wanderings are here.
Firework display was impressive - probably the best I've ever seen in fact. We were mystified at the exploding and burning of a snowman, but the spectacular fireworks more than made up for this perplexing beginning of the display.
After parting with one of our Company at Westminster, off to eat and drink copiously. Very pleasant meal, and then an amusing journey home. A strange old day, but ultimately and enjoyable one.
The long awaited DVD arrived today. It's refusing to play properly on the DVD player, but the PC seems happy enough to play it.
Its surprisingly a lot slicker than I expected. In fact, its a very watchable and well put together feature. The music is of course the focus, and there are enough unusual versions or unseen footage to add value to the videos which I'd already seen.
The interview sequences are fun, and show just how uncomfortable the band seem to remain with the music press and its continuing attempts to categorise the band.
Some interesting extras too, including a few more songs, a discography and such like. I've played the whole thing through several times already - in fact it made me late for work!
Can't wait to see them live again!
Remembered I was going to see Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure today, just in time to get ready and leave the house!
Really good stuff, causing me to laugh aloud in public several times (almost unheard of!). Dave insists we don't reveal the events he relates to others so as not to reveal the surprise. Suffice to say, there are lots of unexpected twists and turns.
Couldn't help looking for Googlewhacks when I got home, despite having even geekier things to do!
Set off at lunchtime for meeting in Trowbridge. All ran very smoothly, getting me there with time to spare. Lovely, bright winter day - so I wandered a little before going into County Hall for the meeting.
Meeting was reasonably encouraging, and we resolved to go back to Central Government and ask for more money or a more logical group of partner authorities (ones which use a common software supplier might make the cash stretch further for example).
Back at station with a little time before the 16:30 to Bristol. On getting back to Bristol I managed a quick change onto a slightly delayed and very full fast train to Weston. All seemed to be going very well...
...until we ground to a halt outside Worle. A bunch of tourists waiting for Weston continuously asked 'are we moving?' when we clearly hadn't been for a long time! Turned out that a unit had broken down on the single-line loop into Weston. They proposed to pass on the mainline and take us all to Taunton!
Finally, Virgin staff were persuaded to set us down at Worle. I headed over the bridge and caught a No. 7 the rest of the way home, with the bonus of a very friendly driver who chatted the whole way back. Exhausted.
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
