I arrived back in #lemmings this morning after my wander to the railway station, and was immediately and unceremoniously kicked. Strange. I'm not sure why. Whilst I'm sometimes a bit cranky in there, and borderline intolerant at times, I hadn't been for some days! Anyway, in post-kick surprise and general befuddlement I crashed xchat, and on logging back in decided to just join irc.gimp.org channels, rather than get involved in anything on #lemmings. It could be nothing, but it might not and I had no energy for that possibility.
This got me thinking about IRC in general however, and something mr_science recently said in that very channel about friendships made there being somehow 'more real' than many real world links are. I now totally agree, but I also think its something rather unique to #lemmings (and to its predecessors, dating back to Ximian's Monkeytalk server).
The inhabitants of #lemmings are a nice, slightly deranged and (I include myself here!) rather older than usual bunch of IRC users. The chat is usually pleasant, and I've never seen such thought go into the sometimes difficult politics of keeping a channel free of abuse or unpleasantness. I know that during many rather tricky times over the past couple of years, when 'real life' friends have either been absent from my life, or have found my sometimes bleak approach to matters hard to take, the #lemmings have generally happily accepted me. Even this week, feeling like crap and stuck indoors, my only human contact has been via #lemmings. Scary, but true.
Strange it took an unexpected kick to make me think about this, and to really start to understand mr_science's view about the place. I'm not sure whether the kick was intentional, a joke I failed to see, or even not meant for me, but the fact I'm dwelling on it speaks volumes about the channel. It also illustrates my tendency to 'minimalise' my life to the point that all my eggs are in one basket. Dropping the basket becomes of course, quite a disaster.
Built in a couple of 'rest days'. Holed myself up with books, computer and TV and concentrated on getting better. Noted a steady improvement over the past couple of days, including some decent sleep which was much needed. Woke today feeling much improved, hopefully in time for the grand office quiz this evening - a rare chance to get out in Weston.
Decided on some more Southern Region wanderings tomorrow, so headed for the station to attempt to haggle for a cheaper ticket. Failed, but the Saver Return gives me a few more journey options. Might aim for an early start tomorrow, sleep permitting.
Also called at Sterling Books on my return journey - I've been almost obsessed with Thomas Hardy's novels lately and needed another. I'm sort of surprised because school destroyed 'Tess of the D'Urbevilles' for me. (in fact, the only novel which survived the school treatment was 'Wuthering Heights'). Picked up a nice Macmillan edition of 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' - it's not particularly old, but its a nice edition. Agreed with the shop owner that a set of those editions would be nice. Why do I feel my obsessive/compulsive collecting side awakening?
Dr Richard Dennis: London's Enthusiastic Analyst
Posted in London on Tuesday 2nd March 2004 at 10:00pm
Took the long way round to London, which is just about the only economically viable way if you haven't planned a few weeks in advance and want to travel on a weekday morning! In fact, the route via Salisbury to Waterloo is not really much longer in terms of time, and is a pleasant enough journey in many ways. Arrival at Waterloo is often going to be far more convenient than Paddington too.
Arrived, feeling better than for several days but still a bit feeble. Set out, leaving Waterloo by the grand main entrance (not something I do often!) and then over the Thames in bright sunshine. Wandered a bit, arriving in Gower Street and finding UCL's Darwin Theatre in good time.
The purpose of my trip was to attend
Richard Dennis' lunchtime lecture - "George Gissing - London's Restless Analyst". The talk was well attended, and notable guests included Robin Woolven and Pierre and Helene Coustillas. Richard expanded on his 'Prejudice against Flats' talk from the Gissing Centenary Conference, giving a more general view of GRGs movement around the city in relation to the social status of the areas he inhabited, finding many parallels in the movement of characters from the novels. The talk was also well illustrated, particularly with excerpts from the Booth maps. Again, a pleasure to hear Richard speak, and wonderful to see his unbounded enthusiasm for Gissing still growing!
A little more wandering after the lecture, but didn't feel up to much heroic exploration. Tried to get a trip on the North London Line (and thence to Waterloo via Richmond) but was thwarted by a gas leak at Kensal Rise. This scuppered my plan of getting a quick look at Kensal Green - another vast Victorian cemetary, my second this week morbidly enough! Instead, found myself wandering through comfortingly familiar grounds at Clerkenwell. Stopped for a pint at the City Pride, then headed for Waterloo via The Drain. Had a quiet and pleasant journey home. Feeling pretty exhausted now. Resolved not to do anything tomorrow.
Woke up still feeling gruesome, but determined to get out and about. Set about getting to Alton, exploring some more tricky bits of Hampshire, and to perhaps potter around some more South West London surburban routes.
It was an incredibly beautiful day to be out travelling. For the first time this year, the sun was actually beginning to warm things up a little, and the clear skies left it cold and crisp. In normal circumstances, perfect weather for me, but today the cold seemed to aggravate my persistent (and embarassingly over-dramatic sounding) cough!
To Reading first, then a series of little hops to get to Alton. This included a stop at Aldershot, and the least convenient Convenience Store I have ever visited. Well, I suppose it might be convenient if the only things you needed were the very limited range of items he had in stock! At Alton, paused for a much needed bacon sandwich and a brief look at the Mid-Hants Railway's preserved stock. Narrowly missed returning on a pair of SWT's new Class 450s. Rebooked and headed towards the captial, getting a wonderful view of the vast Victorian cemetary at Brookwood, which was the terminus (appropriate term!) of the Necropolis Railway.
More short hops, included short waits in the sunshine at West Byfleet and Virginia Water, which were really quite pleasant! Back to Reading on one of the comfortable, but sadly already vandalised Class 458s.
Noticed I was losing my voice, so booked tomorrow's ticket at Bristol just in case, before heading home. Not sure a day out in the cold was entirely the best thing for my health today, but I certainly feel much less irritable and frustrated, so it can't all be bad!
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.
