UK Watercooler 31: Tony Robinson And His Time Team Found The Holy Grail In Somerset

We're back!!

Hey kate! Missed you! *hugs*

Yeh, I'm with mark on the whole "Not missed much" thing. At least, not much nice things.

Writing for terrorizer? *double take*

(copy pasted from other thread, excuse my laziness)

It's good to be back! Sod this whole work internet block thing. I don't want to work in an office again. How do I become an archeologist?

Where's Forest Pines? He can tell me. Oh, and I read Stephen Oppenheimer, finally, about the myth of celtic Britain thing.

Mention his name and FP will appear just like Mr Benn

FP! FP! FP!!!

::stamps feet::

Damn, I've only got ten more minutes in the web cafe. What's everybody up to this weekend?

Kontakte were talking about gonig to see TheLightShines on Sunday, but I'm not sure I fancy the horrible Old Blue Last. I've not been to a gig in ages! Oh wait, Hilton Betelgeuse wants to get together on Sunday to work on the comic, so I've got to draw him. Now how to STOP him from taking his clothes off!

er...wow! Hello Kate!

Kate whats the top 20 albums of the year for Terrorizer? It's not reached wh smiths here yet.
Just think, next year you might have a vote!

Hello there!

Kate, I was thinking about you the other day, because I was reading a book called "DIY: The Rise Of Lo-Fi Culture". Have you heard of it? If not I'll tell you why it made me think of you.

Kate's back! Teh Cooler's back! Woot!

am definitely up for London walking and megalith hunting. Or indeed megalithes. I saw signs pointing to them in Brittany last month.

I think we should do another New River walk. Only *south* from Palmers Green this time. Towards Stoke Newington. Or perhaps beyond.

Me, my mum, my sister and my gf have successively been struck down with NOROVIRUS over the festive season, unfortunately. It isn't much fun. If I had a worst enemy I wouldn't wish it on them.

Rocktor C! I see you are playing again. At least I think I got an email about that?

You know what this thread needs? More Neil Oliver. Phwoar! Here he is inspecting a trench on Time Team:

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/B/big_royal_dig/images/holy/h26.jpg

How polite they all are, those hott historians. I wanted more like a knock down all out grudgematch between Time Team and Coast with, like Tony Robinson and Neil Oliver wrestling over some artefact "no, it's MINE!" "no, it's MINE!" and Mick and Phil sneak up behind them to trip them into a trench, but then Nick Crane appears over the top of the hill with his TRUSTY UMBRELLA and takes on all comers.

Ha-hem. Oh dear. I need to get out of the house more.

x-x-x-post

No, I didn't get a vote in the Terrorizer end of year, I'm too new. I got a big piece in the Plan B end of year, though!

Who's that DIY book by, FP? If it's the one I'm thinking of, not only did I got to the launch, bUT I'M IN IT! I think. ANyway, out of time.

Good to see you all again!

The famousest megalithic site in Brittany is Carnac - it has rows and rows and rows of the things.

Someone called Amy Spencer, Kate. I haven't really read it, but I flicked through and looked at the pictures.

Kate, Mark, everyone... come to this!

Shameless self-promotion : Gig on January 19th!

Yes, playing again - this time full-on Jazzmaster madness, no pesky keybds for me.

What's Ned doing in that pic? He gets everywhere!
x-post

Oh, and to be an archaeologist, you either (a) go back to university (b) offer your services as an unpaid dogsbody. There aren't many other career paths, really.

Ha - Carnac! Camped there in Aug 2004, right next to the stones. It rained torrentially every single day and the tent was totally waterlogged most of the time. Enjoyed swimming in the Atlantic though..

Carnac - cheers guys.

Asia and I both love Coast. I had no idea that merkins had tried to invade Whitehaven before I watched it. The girl who dives, Miranda someone (sounds Russian) was on my course at uni (tho she was universally known as Miz back then).

An archaeology programme with a competitive element sounds like a great idea Kate, do you know any TV peeps you could pitch it to?

The first series of Coast had an excellent overhead shot of Grimsby Dock Tower. And, erm, that's all I remember about it.

Whoa! Hi Kate.

I think a friend had a third route of "c) become the admin woman for local archaeology crew and beg to be let on a dig sometime" but then both she and the more traditionally qualified archaeologist I knew have since quit because they couldn't find enough paid work.

I wish I knew how to build analogue synths (this is all in a "can't even be bothered to try making guitar pedals despite downloading the schematics and having friends who could do all the hard work for me while I watched and pointed and shouted NO NO MORE FUZZY BUT SLIGHTLY TWINKLY PLEASE help me decipher them and lend me things and make sure I didn't set fire to anything" way, mind).

Somewhere there is a picture of a 9-year-old spacecadet in knee-high white socks next to a wooden Obelix at the Asterix theme park near Carnac. Every so often I find it and wonder if it should be destroyed and then giggle at it and put it back in the drawer.

There isn't enough paid work for qualified archaeologists because of all the people who are willing to queue up to do the dogsbody stuff unpaid. Most of the work is in Rescue Archaeology - ie, dig X up in a week before someone builds a house / a motorway over the top of it.

I want to build analogue synths, too. I have got as far as: being given a second soldering iron for Christmas; and working out the schematics for those "make an annoying noise!" type of electronics kits you can buy in Maplins.

For building yer own analog(ue) synths, go here:

http://www.blacet.com

or here:

http://www.oakleysound.com/projects.htm

This is great stuff, & fairly easy to build. The quality of the finished items is great.

I've never used this guy:

http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/

But he has a decent rep by all accounts.

Don't ever bother using stripboard! I've been down that route, it's NOT WORTH THE HASSLE.

Hello Kate! I'm glad yr back (though I hope you get a job soon too)

Norm did you ever get that synth you ordered years ago?

There were 2 people I was waiting long term for stuff from, one of them I finally got the stuff after 3 (!) years, the other I've been stiffed by for sure. It's only 300 dollars, it could have been 1000 or something I suppose, but I'd rather have given the $$$ to the guy from wiard or john blacet.

I had a look at the Oakley site, and most of it is way over my head.

It's all over my head as well! Well, I have a basic understanding of whar a resistor, diode, capacitor, opamp etc do, but no more than that.

I just follow the instructions very carefully, everything's worked so far.

Oh, I understand all the electronic bits fine - what baffles me is how you're supposed to hook up all the finished kits in some way to make something musical.

Hello all, I am now unemployed as well. Made redundant on the first day of the year. Luckily I was in new york and decided to stay another week. So I've been enjoying myself, biking around and looking liek a hipster with Macbook Pro and Blackberry, hanging out in coffee shops.

Two jobs applied for. Neither of which I really want but they are there.

I understand none of it (and I haven't even clicked any links yet)

well, well, the gang's all here it seems...

Hurrah! now Mitya is here, we're almost complete. Anyone seen Goobs? Emil.y? Ailsa? (Coast scared the crap out of me when they went to investigate... AILSA CRAG!!! I screamed out loud and went "What's she doing on the telly?" before realising they were talking about the island.)

Anyway, ha ha. What do you look like 2008. I have no idea where the thread is, so I'll post this here:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2414/2168095877_707812874b_o.jpg

Miranda Krestoffnikov? I think she was on Wreck Detectives, too. (Ron was obsessed with that programme.)

emil.y has exams she says so wont be around for a few weeks. Not seen Onimo post since xmas but Ailsa posted yesterday on ILM.
Terrorizer's newest writer will have to post on Best Album From Terrorizer's Top 40 Albums Of 2007 !

Or should I say...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2168095861_09ee3fbf93.jpg

oh and xpost to Ailsa Craig not crag. Which I could see nearly everyday when I lived in Prestwick.

And think very carefully what you will vote here!
ILX : What is The Genre Of Music You Dislike/Hate Most?

Hey up. As Kerr rightly points out, I'm not really around much for a while, but just wanted to say hello & welcome back, hussar. That pic is totally terrifying, as well.

Oooh, also, I went to a talk the other week on 'Fragments & Ruins', which has really got me fired up and wanting to visit SHAM RUINS, oh yes. Don't know if that's particularly up your street, Kate, but if so can you point me to any good interweb/print resources on them?

bubble bump.

Hello! Welcome back Kate, I had lunch in the George in Brighton on Saturday and thought of you :)

I am poorly and grrr at the women I just phoned to complain to about sending us the wrong book, who acted like I'd caused HER the most giant hassle.

Hi there! Welcome back K8! I've not been posting so much since I submitted my PhD (yay!), as I've been trying to spend less time in front of the computer and more time in front of my Wii.

Yay, Archel, yay Emil.y, yay Goobs! Everyone is coming back.

I was supposed to get together with Hilton yesterday to start on the comic, but he never rang. Grrrr, OK, sod this for a bag of chips. I cannot be bothered chasing people. An unrecognised number rang once and then hung up before I got to it - that's been happening a lot lately, which is making me paranoid. it might be him, but who knows.

SHAM RUINS are good if they are OLD sham ruins from the Romantic Era. I have a book about them! Somewhere... Follies and mock ruins.

I've been reading a book about Stonehenge. Well, just finished it. This fantastic alternative history of Stonehenge - well, a history of the alternative cultures that surround it, from Druids to hippies and the free festival (Hawkwind, yay!) and then travellers and the Battle of the Beanfield and how that mutated into road protests and rave culture.

Very, very interesting stuff. So much of the crap that happened building up to the Criminal Justice Bill, I just didn't know about. I knew it was evil, but not *that* evil.

(and sorry, Kerr, but I'm not venturing onto the rest of ILX, just the watercooler. I need to start applying for jobs and stuff.)

Hey how was Belfast gig?

Uh it was... interesting. I mean, apparently the gig went really well, people responded to it really well.

But I really wasn't in the mood for it (it was, like, 3 days after I'd been made redundant, and I'd missed the plane there had just spent 5 hours in Stanstead) and I really didn't get on with the bass player (who I'd only met the day before the gig) and I wasn't really feeling it.

You guys are playing on Friday, aren't you? Can you kick Jim and tell him I STILL don't have a copy of the album that *I* drew the cover for? Humph!

On another tack, should I just apply for all jobs I'm qualified for, regardless of whether I think I'll like them? And be choosey at the interview stage, if I get there? I suppose it's the recruitment company's job to weed me out.

Yeah, that's probably the way to go, alas. Applying for jobs suck.

We are playing Friday...I'll remind Jim about the CD. PS I've told you how much yr cover rules, right? 'Cause it's awesome. We keep the cd on our coffee table, not because we love Jim so much (though we do, of course), but because it's so lovely looking.

Was this a Curves gig, Kate?

I'd apply for anything and be choosey later. From a few forays into the world of recruitment last year, I found that it was really difficult to tell what a job would be like on paper or from just talking to the recruiter.

should I just apply for all jobs I'm qualified for, regardless of whether I think I'll like them? And be choosey at the interview stage, if I get there?

Probably the best way. Daft things like 'nice staff cafe/eating policy/easy to get to' aren't always apparent upfront, also look at your colleagues there.. if they have the eyes of the damned, then don't choose that one, etc.

No, Dr. C, it was playing guitar with a friend of mine in a band called Millimetre. I don't let awful people in Shimura Curves. Any more! Hah!

OK, I'm applying for everything I have the actual skills for, that looks reasonable that I might get. Also, they're all through agencies, so even though the one job might not be suitable, they might have another better one. (That is actually how I got my last job. They interviewed me, and after two minutes said "this is not the role for you, but we have this other role on offer...")

Awww, thanks Goobs. I haven't seen the finished product! I only saw the mockup!

Oh I see, I thought the bassist thing sounded un-Curves like.

I am curretly obsessed with playing slide guitar in open G tuning. Fun, fun, fun, but I am still not very good.

I had a dream where I was paying slide guitar last night! Well... this morning... and it was more a steel guitar.

I often have dreams where someone steals my car.

Tom! Hello! I only have bad dreams. Last night I dreamed that some wag of a PR sent me the Krap-aid Plagiarism Co CD as a joke. Bah.

I haven't played guitar in weeks. I don't know what's wrong with me. No motivation. And I think a single sentance in Germaine Greer sent me spiralling off, thinking that all rock and roll is just sexual display, and it's males that should be doing the sexual display. And since I don't feel the slightest bit like doing a bit of sexual display, I don't feel the slightest bit like rocking at the moment.

But I'm (re)-reading She Bop II at the moment, to try and fill me with feminist fire.

But, quite frankly, I think the History of Scotland looks more appealing. (I really should learn more about Being Scottish. My knowledge of Scots history is really quite appalling. My Gran is probably spinning in her grave.)

Hello! I couldn't get a decent tune out of the steel/slide guitar, so obv. emblematic of something else

... errrrrr, nothing to do with "all rock and roll is just sexual display" I hope

Ha ha ha, oh dear, that would be problematic if it was. ;-P

(I really should learn more about Being Scottish. My knowledge of Scots history is really quite appalling. My Gran is probably spinning in her grave.)

Only £1.99!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broons-2008-Annual-D-Thomson/dp/1845353161/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199717739&sr=8-2

Most Scottish people don't know anything about Scottish history either... if they did they might not be so quick to blame the English for so many of their problems... I imagine the SNP are happy to keep it that way

Well, I have Magnus Magnusson's history of Scotland. Predictably, he's not even Scottish, he's Icelandic.

He's arguably Scottish - he lived there most of his life, and used a British-style name. If he'd used an Icelandic name, it should have been Magnus Sigursteinsson.

There are a few good one-volume histories of Scotland; and Historic Scotland publish a good series of books on more specific topics. I've just spotted one on Amazon called "Scotland's Hidden History" by Ian Armit - which I'll recommend without actually knowing much about it, because I know Dr Armit has a very good reputation and knows what he's talking about.

I finished the broons annual.
noo fir the oor wullie/broons hardback.

I got my GF the Broons Cookbook for XMAS, so far we have not tried it out.

I didn't get that for my mum. Maybe if i see it in smiths in a sale i'll get it.

I'm wondering just how many of its recipes involve frying.

Yeah, we got it for mine!

I have never had stovies, but thats always mentioned in Broons and Oor Wullie books.

I used to love stovies when I lived in Scotland. Yum.

(I'm getting hungry now)

Did you like Mince & Tatties?

It was OK - I didn't have it very often. It wasn't something I'd cook for myself.

Mentalist

Afternoon.

I got my GF the Broons Cookbook for XMAS

My mum got it! Stovies - yum!!

Not that my mum really needed a Broons cookbook, she knew how to make all that stuff anyway

Did you know how to make it?

Mince and Tatties, with toasted dumplings! yea

I'm listening to clips of a Hungarian singer called Marta Eggerth. They are very good and charming so far. I read this about her:

Hungarian-born American singer-actress Marta Eggerth has maintained her performing career for over 70 years. She starred in over 40 films, and recently performed a New York concert in 2007, aged 95.

Born as Márta Eggerth on April 17, 1912 in Budapest, she began singing at age 11....

....that's what you call a trouper, eh? They don't make 'em like they used to etc etc etc

Weather is surreal over here. I was biking in -12 (farenheit with wind chill) the other night.now It is 70 and I am sitting out side in the middle of 9th Avenue enjoying the sunshine leaching the Apple Store's net connection.

It's pissing down here.

Here too.

I don't know what the weather is like, I didn't get up until about 3 and the sun was going down, so I sat on the sofa and watched Neil Oliver bouncing around the Thames Estuary (they made him play cricket, ha ha ha, that was funny, and he complained about it, I wonder how many takes they had to do until he hit one. OK, not as funny as when they made him play golf and he knocked the ball clear into the Atlantic) and now it's dark and wettish.

I made myself sick by drinking too much by accident and I am a sorry girl, can't keep down anytihng but soup. Bah.

Not enough Neil Oliver on this thread. Here he is flirting with some random middle aged lady, so maybe there's a chance for me, wah hey!

http://www.genealogysupplies.com/fair_images/wdytya_live07_10.jpg

It was supposed to snow here according to this mornings forecast

Hello again everyone, i've been signed off for the last 8 weeks due to being a bit tired and emotional but am finally back. Neil Oliver's ok but surely Dr Iain Stewart is the man when it comes to dishy caledonian tv natural history types?

Hello, it's been really stormy here since yesterday tea-time. Gale force winds and heavy rain all the way.

Grey here today, can't wait to get back to get my p45 and sign on at the labour exchange. I've decided to see if I can move from broadcast equipment into pro-audio equipment. Shouldn't be too much of a stretch and there are way more knobs.

Raining this morning in bushwick.

Kate asked for more Neil Oliver, so....

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42373000/jpg/_42373218_neiloliver203.jpg

dunno who the little guy is.

it's nice and sunny here in Oxford, cold tho. Last night it was quite stormy and I expected to see more bits of tree lying about than was actually the case.

It's gone a bit quiet here, bet it starts getting windy again though like it did yesterday.

Terrorizer writers needed over @ "Terrorizer" magazine's "Best Album Of The Eighties"

So what does Dr Iain Stewart look like, then?

I've got the GIANT version of that Neil Oliver with a wee man as my wallpaper at the moment.

I'm still lost in Scottish prehistory, my ancestors living in a Crannogh and fighting the Scots (not Scottish at all, but PIRATES from Ireland) and the Northmbrians. Hurrah! All so very exciting.

McSonic McBoom

Dr Iain Stewart? Nah, not as hott as Neil Oliver.

http://science.discovery.com/convergence/hotrocks/bio/gallery/stewart_175.jpg

Neil Oliver's got that long, black hair and those penetrating black eyes. And I really like his eyebrows.

I've got a most embarassing crush on this chap right now

http://www.bbc.co.uk/home/images/main_promo/bbc2/may20thcent_wt_r_1.jpg

Who is that? I like his flying gear, reminds me a bit of Nigel Spivey.

Um, what has he got on his head here?

http://www.archaeology.org/0301/reviews/jpegs/trench.jpeg

La la la, only two jobs to apply for online today. I'm bored and cranky.

His nose is just so pointed. It's absurd.

I had a bit of Neil Oliver synchronicity once - I got up one Saturday morning, went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea drowsilly clocking Inchkeith Island which looms large in the view from my window then went through to the sitting room and flicked through the channels and came to rest on uk history which was showing 'two men in a trench' featuring Mr Oliver and another feller exploring the same island i'd just seen from my back window.

x post It's James May off Top Gear and other stuff

hi all. various and sundry xpostings

1. Scotland - K8 et al I highly recommend this, which i actually never finished but which was a kind of neat angle on Scottish history. a little bit highbrow (ie. don't read while lying on your back in bed)

2. Rocking out - K8 have you heard "Dead Sound" by Raveonettes? I heard it and immediately thought of you. A bit more JAMC than shoegazey but still

3. Randomness - last night at the gym i saw this guy with a perfect physique (well, at least the bits i could see ;) perfect also in the sense that it looked effortless ("if i just show the discipline and stick-to-it-iveness, i could look like that, too). then he came over and told me i was using the machine wrong, adjusted my body position, and it immediately became apparent that i was using the machine wrong and that no amount of discipline would help me get a body like his. i then went and sat in the sauna longer than i should have without being adequately hydrated, so that i felt faint and as if i would either retch or empty my bowels. had to sit on a bench in the locker room for 45 minutes before i could go home. (and i pay money for this?!?) all in all a good day. ;)

Ah, I've read that Scottish Enlightenment book! (And had to put up with a lot of nasty comments on the bus with people going "ha ha, has it happened yet?" and the like) It is very good.

I need to get more Raveonettes, I haven't bought any of their records in years. I used to really like them.

I've been sitting around writing about spacerock and drawing Litmus. I need to learn how to do video, so I can make the colours flip back and forth between these lot:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2215/2183173850_84022fb60d.jpg

Life is looking up a bit, I got a callback from a recruiter about a short term contract to do Crystal for about two months. That seems like it would be a good idea, while I got my head sorted out and figured out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Very slow today, huh?

it's fairly easy to do animated gifs in The Gimp - you create a multi-layered image, and it treats each layer as a frame.

Busy here - a disk died on one of our servers. One of our old servers that isn't properly fault-tolerant, of course.

Was going to do walk round town, but one look outside: Bad day on the onedin line, so drove to a caff instead.

I get worried when I see fp talking about gimps

Blowing a gale here earlier on. Worried about leaving my windae open this morning. Good job I'm on the top floor.

Is there anything within the Photoshop packagae that does animated gifs? There's got to be.

Yeah, that wind is mad. It kept me up half the night, I kept thinking someone was trying to get in the flat. Nope, the wind rattling the windows in their frames!

You got Image Ready? That usually comes "bundled" with Photoshop?

Or Ernie's ghostly gold-tops..

xpost TIMING!

Are you David Cameron or sumthin'?

Mark G is visiting Salford Lads Club?

Image Ready, yeah, I got that. Haha.

I'm not even gonna ask what you lot are on about.

Morrissey will be annoyed, what with him being a UKIP supporter (xp)

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/2/29/BennyHill.jpg

I bet mark has this
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/3a/4c/faf0c6da8da017bf54b32110._AA200_.L.jpg

I've got a fair few Benny Hill records meself

I'm waiting on Kate asking who Benny Hill is.

You really think I'm an idiot, don't you?

funny. now DROP IT!

I have walked across the famous Abbey Road zebracrossing, not been to Salford Lads club, um, that's it.

No, of course not.
x-post

Hello everyone.

How many times do you have to tell a bassplayer the flamin' chords for the same song? Every.Fucking.Rehearsal. Gah!

Bass player don't be dealin' with no chords!

Yes, well you know what I mean - what chords *I'm* playing..

A good bass player don't need to be told, they can just pick it up from watching your hands.

OK, just got a call about a job which SOUNDS perfect... in Dorset.

Six month contract. Go and live in Dorset for 6 months, why not?

Argh, is anyone a member of the Southbank?

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/harmonia-38424

Oh wow...

To Dorset or Harmonia?

Or both?

Lotsa good prehistoric activity in Dorset! Fogus and stuff! Could I swing a mortgage in London and a flat in Dorset or would I have to sublet?

Harmonia! I'll kill myself if I don't see this gig.

Me too! Me too! But I'm not a Southbank member!

I didn't know they had members only shows there! That sucks.

I just got a ticket to see THE SONICS THE SONICS THE SONICS THE SONICS in March! No idea how they will be now they're all 85 years old though. How well can Gerry Roslie scream in 2008?

I'll ask Ian if they're playing any other gigs in the UK. I know they played Berlin last year. He's gutted coz Kontakte are playing in Manchester on that date.

Is this Tom D friendly?

DIE TODLICHE DORIS: SOUNDLESS MUSIC UK The Berlin dada punk group's first UK exhibition re-presents their 1981 debut LP, " ", and its reissue 15 years later (as interpreted through gesture and sign language). Each track on the LP will be represented through different fashion designs and a video of its sign language interpretation. The exhibition is supported by The Wire. Newcastle alt.gallery, until 9 February, free.
*go to http://www.altgallery.org

It is but it's in friggin' Newcastle

In Dorset, you could wander along the Jurassic Coast picking up fossils!

Mark and Tom are going to? ;)

Jurassic Coast!!!

(OK, thanks, Alice Roberts, I now have the mental image of a three-layer cake with carrot cake as the Jurassic. Mmmm, carrot cake.)

OK, this could be cool. It's closer than Sweden, right? And I could go to the CHEDDAR GORGE all the time!

xpost He IS a good bassplayer - but lately keeps forgetting bits, which is irritating since we only have 10 or so fully worked out songs....

My other half is a member at the Southbank. Maybe I could do something...

Did anyone read the Harmonia review in Mojo? Sounds like they're playing fairly improv material. Also one of them (Rodelius?) was in the Hitler Youth!

http://images.quizilla.com/C/CathyRindhoops/1123185532_tyBooshBob.jpg

Hmmmmmmmm, Roedelius is ancient but I don't think he's old enough to have been in the Hitler Youth

Tom are you visiting home to coincide with Instal?

Unlikely

Well, assuming that they were conscripting say 12 year olds in 1945, he'd have to be 74 or 75. Hmm - you're right, that seems too old.

I'm fed up with all this "[insert German old bloke] used to be in the Hitler Youth" stuff. You had to be in it, under the Gesetz über die Hitlerjugend law, you didn't get a choice!

Please please please please please, Dr. C if you could score me a Harmoniaaaa ticket I would love you forever, carry your books home from school...

He was born in 1934... I think. Slightly too young. He was in the DDR Army tho! (xxp)

Harmonia! I did see Rother + Moebius in November but it would be nice to complete the set, and it is near my birthday... but no, I'm not a South Bank member.

(electronic parts a little limp and overly digital but lovely to see them, Moebius all beaming at the audience at the end, and Rother still had that guitar tone, even on a borrowed cheap guitar)

Whereabouts in Dorset?

xposts I got a Roedelius bio for Christmas and have only read the childhood bit so far but growing up in East Germany as a small child he was made to join the Hitler Youth (I think? maybe a spinoff for younger kids), then as a teenager he was in a communist cadet group thing until he was put into prison for illegally going to the West... pretended to be devout comrade to get out early and then skipped straight off to the West but obviously had to give up contact with his family to do so, etc. (I may be misremembering but I can check when I get home.)

I should probably find out where in Dorset, I suppose. It's an aviation company.

Maybe I could learn to fly! If they'd teach me to fly, I'd so go down there.

xpost - Yeah I *know* it was conscription, Mark. It's still pretty mind-boggling if true.

I wikied it - 1934. Just about possible, I reckon.

Kate - I will check on what's possible re : ticket.

Hurrah!

OK, Dorset also includes Bournemouth. I would have to make sure it wasn't Bournemouth, no, no, no.

Get me a ticket too please!!!!!!!!!

what's wrong with Bournemouth?

Alex James says lots.

Heh I know someone who went to school with him. And not long ago he moved back to Bournemouth, so maybe it's got better!

Does it say you have to be a member? or are you just trying to save paying a £1.50 booking fee?

The former.

Lets hope you can get tickets then.

Wow I scored 9/10 (i guessed 3 of them though)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7180661.stm

My gran was taken into hospital this morning she was feeling dizzy. My mum just called and she seems to be ok with her breathing and stuff so hopefully things will be ok. I don't know how long she will be in for. The doctor is in with her now so my mum will call once they've heard anything. She just saw her latest great grandchild for the 1st time yesterday.
Fingers crossed she will be ok.

All wishes that she'll be ok!

Yes, best wishes.

Forgot to post last night when I had my Roedelius book with me, but I checked last night and here's a brief and possibly wrong summary of his childhood: he was forced into the Hitlerjugend in 1943 during panic conscription after heavy war losses, the idea being to send them off to fight the Russians, but the war ended before he saw combat. As a toddler he'd been in some films, too, one of which turned out to be a Nazi propaganda film. Then in the late 40s he was conscripted into the DDR's Volkspolizei but was eventually able to opt for a position as a postman. He escaped the DDR and picked up a summer job in West Germany as a fruit-picker but came back to visit his mother, who was penniless after his father died, and was thrown into prison until he convinced them he'd reformed, at which point he ran back to the West for good.

It's weird to think of these things as happening during the lifetime of people whose music I listen to. I got weirded out when Philip Sherburne (?) pointed out that "Autobahn" was recorded closer to the end of World War II than to now.

She's being kept in but I think she's ok. Dont know whats caused it. Shes got an oxygen mask but she doesnt like it, she says she prefers it off, but theyre making her keep it on. But her breathing is fine anyway.

Good to here.

Can someone get me a ticket for harmonia, I'm back on sunday.

Alex James didn't move back to Bournemouth! He moved to the Cotswolds. I've got his mortgage details! Ha-hem. Um. (No, I still haven't figured out what to do with that data disc.)

Anyway, I haven't heard back from that job anyway. Now I'm looking at Surrey. I've found a much better jobhunting site.

Does anyone actually read cover letters? It seems to make no difference to the callback rate if I use them or not. SO I figure I might as well not.

God,why is this computer so slow today? And the space bar is borken.

Hope yr Gran is OK, Kerr.

She's being kept in tonight. Will find out more tomorrow.

yes, hope your gran's ok Kerr.

Now I'm looking at Surrey

you wouldn't even have to move then. Depending where it is in Surrey, you might find it takes you less time to get to work than many places in London.

I think it is still a good idea to write a covering letter, Kate, as it shows that you are prepared to put some effort in and you really care about the job (even if you don't, heh). CVs on their own might send out the signal that you are taking a scattergun approach and are just applying for anything you're capable of doing.

The callback rate might, after all, depend on other factors.

Maybe Kate just wants to live in Surrey!

like these people

http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/everdecreasing1.jpg

Who is Howard & Hilda then?

btw it looks like Harmonia is open to all now:

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/calendar/productions/harmonia-38424?action=seats&production=38424&performance=38425&zone=790&isInSeries=1

A few ppl on the doom board are going, inc a few from Glasgow. Better get tix quick incase it sells out.

Argh, and I forgot to bring my wallet to the web caff! I will just have to hope it's still onsale tomorrow.

I'd rather Kent than Surrey, really, but Surrey is CLOSE, plus the added bonus of a reverse commute.

how far is the web cafe from your home?

Five minutes. I'm just lazy. And broke.

When do you think History Detectives will be out on DVD? Sigh.

Well you gotta save your cash.

Kate if you're bored you can read the Terrorizer threads?
Best of Terrorizer Top 50 Punk Albums Of All Time
"Terrorizer" magazine's "Best Album Of The Eighties"
Best Album From Terrorizer's Most Important Albums Of The Nineties
Best Album From Terrorizer's Top 40 Albums Of 2007

One of them is by Colonel Poo. Do you think you can guess what one? ;)

It's freezing here today, how is it down your way?

Back Home, Boo. Time to get out of bed and look for work.

Afternoon
last weeks album collage on last fm
http://lastfm.obsessive-media.de/weekly/10x3/trailofgybe.jpeg

I liked your "from the plane" pics on Flickr, Ed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7186894.stm

OK, Kerr, I'm going to say this just once. I don't actually READ Terrorizer. I don't care if that gets me sacked. Like Joe is gonna read this thread!

Looking for works sucks. I haven't actually done it in a few days, and I need to kick myself into gear again.

Right now I am in love with the Lionheart Brothers. What on earth do they put in the water in Norway? I want to go there.

http://a212.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/9/l_33b2c1b741f298446e4eab12f82ab393.jpg

They really are very good, like of like Spiritualized or early Stereolab or, duh, Serena Manish. It's big, happy, rushing psychedelic pop. It's not just about the floppy Viking pixie boys in paisley shirts...

http://a608.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/58/l_9eb4092d4ef34f6d5465155ddab1e0e7.jpg

Indeed, i have much less enthusiasm for looking for work but at least I seem to have a recruiter on my side who is pimping little teasers of me to various companies.

At least your pimp... I mean recruiter, is DOING something. I can't even get arrested, I mean, called back for an interview. :-(

I bought a new suit and paisley tie in brooks brothers in new york for interviewing.

rather excited about wearing it.

I should buy a new suit, but I don't have the money. And I should get a haircut. Argh. I hate all this, I'd rather look at pictures of the Lionheart Brothers. Oh, Norwegian pixie boys...

who are lionheart brothers and should I come and see them?

They are the Norwegian Spiritualized and yes! They have great paisley shirts. Except now I'm not sure if it's happening, and/or when, because it's not listed on their MySpace, in fact that says they're playing somewhere else entirely? I shall investigate.

Bought Harmonia tickets on Sat'day, sellin' like hot cakes

All gorn now, I imagine

ARGH. And I missed them. I suppose I can go down on the night and look for returns. But Ian Kontakte said the last time he saw Cluster, they were just standing there with laptops and wallets full of CDs that they were just popping in and pressing play. So I'm slightly less devastated.

OK, I've looked at the Rough Trade website, and there's no mention of the Lionheart Brothers. I wonder if I can justify going to this paying gig... ah! I can try and blag it!

Rother playing a bit o' geetar with Harmonia, so not all laptops. Didn't bother with Cluster cuz I expected it to be like that.

Not expecting Moebius to break out his steel guitar however!

Argh, this stupid website lets you apply for the same job twice, and now I look like a total idiot. Grrr.

How can a computer not have PDF?

I must look like a total idiot to this guy.

Those of you in London, hot foot it to Rough Trade East http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/

myu head is still reeling from watching that tom cruise co$ video last night. KWTF

I have a feeling a few people might show up to that, Leigh. Can only imagine the queues.

Shit! So that was why Lionheart Bros was cancelled. OK, I nearly went down to Rough Trade anyway to see what was up, but I'm kinda glad I didn't go, as even though I like Radiohead, that sounds like complete and utter madness.

But I didn't. I went to the British Museum instead and looked at Bog Man and the Lewis Chessmen.

Why can I never get a callback on a callback?

I haven't even had a first interview yet. Need to start making more use of this free time before it goes away again or I get too poor to enjoy it.

Easier said than done. I spend all my free time worrying. And not doing anything that would alleviate my worrying.

They call me up and say "you're perfect for this job" and then I never hear from them again. Sigh.

Is there anyone out there? God, this is depressing.

Is everyone off at lunch or actually working their jobs or what?

I am cleaning the oven.

things are that exciting

It's that mid-afternoon lul.

I am wasting away another day. I did pre-prepare 'Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic' to be put into the oven later.

That's a lot of garlic there

I should be fixing the oven. Or the washing machine. But I am not.

40 cloves?!?!? Is that one of those Gordon Brown 450 grams/kilograms HEAPS of tatties and cabbage mistakes, or do you really like yr chicken that garlicky?

Why not 41, why not 39?

However mmmm, garlicky chicken.

THe whole thing gets roasted for an hour and 45min, so the garlic ends up mild and spreadable on bread nom nom nom and (hopefully) the chicken gets all garlic-scented (I sealed the lid to the pot with dough so the garlic fumes can't escape!).

Why not 41, why not 39?

You mad

Recruiters are arse. I'm not actively looking, but I'm trying to keep my name out there all the time, so I get phoned every couple of weeks if there's an 'opportunity'. So you talk to the recruiter and it sounds interesting, then they send a job spec and it's something different entirely. Also, location....I am only interested in working in the London Area, and they know this, so why bother mentioning jobs in a) the South Of France and b)The Cotswolds?

Anyway, best of luck with yr job-hunting Kate and Ed. I really hope you find something good.

How did people do with Harmonia tickets?

How did people do with Harmonia tickets?

I got 2

One of my recruiters has failed so far to find me a job closer than 1hr from paddington or 1hr45 from waterloo. 1 is doing well though although I fear he may be aiming too high.

They can send me to the Cotswolds! Seriously!

Actually, a lot of the audio jobs are up that way or at least between Wallingford and Brum. I am considering learning to ride a motorbike to make them commutable.

I scored no Harmonia tickets. I am lame. and having money panic.

Which is, clearly, why I'm booking jaunts to Northampton and Brighton.

Sorry, £25 to go to the seaside or to go to the woods for a few days just seems like a better investment than a few hours, even of the best band on earth. This will seem like madness when Tom comes back and tells us all how AMAAAAZING it was.

This week :

Me : Well that sounds really interesting, but it's practically in Bristol
Recruiter : They realise that they might have to compromise to get the best candidate.
Me : How?
Recruiter : Say, one day a week working at home?
Me: And 4 days sitting on the M4 for 4 hours? Erm, no ta.

there is no job in the world that would draw me to an industrial estate in Guildford/Basingstoke/Havant/Newbury

Mmm, I have done that. Without the one day off! xpost.

Industrial estates are called Technology Parks now.

Oh my god:

http://www.lighthouse-holidays.com/

Wow, want.

£200 a week if you go in February!

And that will be PROPER LIGHTHOUSE WEATHER!!!

if you could get out there, that is.

Mark G - I couldn't do that. Did it drive you mad eventually?

My problem is that I am so used to working at home 2 or 3 days a week that I don't know if I could go back to full-time in an office, no matter how good the job was. Maybe if it was in walking distance from my house..

Only £300 a week in mid season! I want to go for my birthday!

God, if I could get broadband, I could go and work from home in a lighthouse. How good would that be? I'd never have to see anyone or even take a shower ever again.

So, should I learn to ride a motorbike?

Yes!

For some reason I thought you already had one, Ed.

I know we've had a thread on lighthouses, in fact I'm pretty sure that Gareth started it, but I can't find it. I still want to find that lighthouse on the island shaped like a foot that was in maths textbook in high school, that I used to spend all day dreaming about.

Might pop down to Metropolis who have a good direct access course. Will lend you a bike as well during it.

I have thought about it in the past but it is only now when there seem to be a lot of good jobs up the M40 that it seems like a worthwhile investment.

God, think of the carbon. All that petrol. Not a very good hippie, are you, Ed? :-(

Mark G - I couldn't do that. Did it drive you mad eventually?

Yes it did. It wasn't actually the travelling, as it was alright, I'd load up on loads of CDs and stuff (The Fun House Sessions is your friend), it was more the job itself that was extradull. Especially as the one previous was in Pudding lane...

Motorbike is pretty carbon efficient. 94mpg for an average fast commuter bike.

I was teasing.

I want a motorbike. No, wait, I don't. I want a boat. And a lighthouse.

You know, watching that documentary bit about how they make unsinkable lifeguard boats, and the simple technology they use to do it... um, how come they don't go one further and make ALL BOATS using that technology, so they'd all be self righting, and then no one would need lifeboats at all?

God, these recruiters are so annoying. There's this one company who have about 3 different positions (and I checked, they are different, they haven't just listed the same position 3 times) listed, and I know I've sent them a resume, and registered, but when I try to go back to their site to recontact them, it's so automated, I can't do anything but re-upload my resume again.

Argh I hate that. I have names, email addresses and direct phone numbers for the individuals dealing with me.

They guard those like gold dust so you can't pester them.

OK, I hate calling people anyway. Give me a nice, easy email, please.

I used my 133t networking skills to discover these. (people told me who to contact)

Check yr nice easy email.

Thing is, you have a name and a telephone number.

So you ring, but they are not in. Do you leave a message with the other person who answered the phone? You can if you like, but they will not do anything, for they would get no commission if their colleague gets the placement, in fact why would they if they are in commission competition (as they always are)..

Ah, thanks for that, Ed.

I don't leave messages. Ever. I hate leaving messages.

I just like lighthouses. Look at this one:

http://www.lighthouse-holidays.com/pages/eshaness/eshaness.htm

Vegetarian cafes and seal sanctuaries. Oh yes.

Leaving messages does seem to be a complete waste of time, yes.

Everything to do with recruitment agencies seems to be a complete waste of time! Has this bloke even sent me the email he promised me this morning? NO!!!

I want to be here instead:

http://www.lighthouse-holidays.com/pages/eshaness/P3300008.JPG

This one's a Stephenson lighthouse!!! WANT!!!!

http://www.lighthouse-holidays.com/pages/sumburgh/Sumburgh%20Head%20Lighthouse.jpg

wow, there's a Roman lighthouse at Dover Castle!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/DoverCastle-lighthouse-2004-10-03.jpg/450px-DoverCastle-lighthouse-2004-10-03.jpg

very very nice.

Hmm roman lighthouse at Dover, maybe good for an away day.

DOVER CASTLE YES YES YES!!!

I was gonna say "I know someone who works there who offered to get me in all the weird bits..." but realised it was one of my ex's relations. Bah.

Still, that would be a nice day out!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/KopuTuletorn.jpg/450px-KopuTuletorn.jpg

the third oldest working lighthouse in the world. Bit far for an away day tho...it's in Estonia.

I would love to play with this:

http://backin.de/gumball/

There's something similar here using ball bearings:
http://www.sarc.qub.ac.uk/~pbennett/projects.htm

So this weekend I will mainly be in Northampton again. I don't know why, it's completely landlocked and there are no lighthouses. But there are woods, apparently, and I'm going on a TREETOP WALK.

I got the best book in the world yesterday but it was great because the title was so good and I don't want to reveal what it was coz I want it for the title of an album and I don't want anyone to steal it. It really does sound like a lost Stereolab album title.

OH, FFS, what is wrong with MySpaz mail?

bleaurgh, today is rotten, not sure why.

This month's Sound on Sound has an interview with Jean Michelle Jarre which, whatever you thing of him, is full of knobtastic synth porn.

I'm in Northampton. Fairly ruined. I blame Will. Will blames Luke. Which is funny because Luke is bouncing around and ready to go in the studio. We are all trying to get ourselves rounded up to go for a walk in the woods.

Mmm, the woods, mmm ruin.

Will not answering his phone now. Boo. Where are my boots? I want to get some good woods action before the sun goes! You should come up next time.

We found Will and Jonny. We went walking in Salty Forest. Amidst the treetops.

Hello!! I didn't expect to see this revived at this time in the morning, esp by Kate.

Was that first thing in the morning or last thing at night? I don't remember. We had too many white russians (and wub fests) by then.

1am

Still there then?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7199439.stm

thats the next town to my grans. you pass those tyres on the way. you will be able to smell it in my grans village

My gran is to get home sometime on monday btw. She cant wait to get home. Shes really frail though. She will need 2 people there to help her now.

Good morning!

Where are those cliffs and lighthouse? I'm sure it looks familiar, but I can't for the life of me remember where it is. Nice ruined bothy in the foreground of the lighthouse picture, though.

This weekend, I explored an obscure and rambly set of Iron Age ramparts:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2399/2208897330_25c0fe85e3.jpg

I am back now. I didn't get to the Northampton LIghthouse (I don't understand why they have a lighthouse, the town is totally landlocked) but I did go to the museum. I'm in love with Northampton. I want to move there. And that has nothing to do with all the DDBs, honestly.

Met a friend of yours on Saturday, Kate. But I can't remember her name - I think she texted you after we had chatted.

Kissy Chrissy! Yes, she did sent me a text!

Sorry, I did mean to go on Saturday, but instead of going back to London after the country walk we ended up sitting around all night and drinking white russians until god knows o'clock.

I was defeated by the non-working hammersmith and city line.

I also meant to go on Saturday but then some friends came down from Colchester for a piss up and since I don't get to see them very often that took precedent. Hope the gig was good, Doc!

Yay, I have an INTERVIEW tomorrow! Excited!

Things are looking up.

Chrissy - that's right. Yep, gig was really good. Despite the tube problems we had close to 100 there (+folks who'd come to see the other bands and some club regulars), rocked hugely and got lots of positive comments. I really enjoyed being able to let rip as sole guitarist for once and got interesting comments after - one bloke reckoned we sounded like a cross between Magazine and King Crimson, and that I sounded a lot like Robert Fripp! That's a first - I'm used to Magazine comparisons, as every band I get involved with ends up sounding like Magazine :), but Fripp is a new one. I've got to get some live tracks up on the myspace, because they're a lot better than the studio stuff. There will be another gig fairly soon, I hope.

Good luck for the interview Kate!

Bah. Job interview rubbish. They didn't want a data analyst, they wanted a DBA/developer. I have not felt so out of my depth in a long, long time. :-(

Does no one ever post to this thread any more? Boo hoo hoo.

I went to the new community thing for Lambeth and they were totally useless. The only relevant piece of information I actually got was the location of the nearest JobCentre. I'm so putting that off.

They only post as long as you are actually here posting.

I am here for the next hour.

I would be totally depressed except I got a really sweet email from Will saying thanks for the walk in the woods which made me all giddy and happy and skippy again.

There's a few agencies that don't know the difference between a DBA and a Database Analyst. Thankfully, a recent phone 'pre-interview' saved time and overexcitement of the "how much money? OMG" variety.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/e/e0/180px-Skippy-dvd.jpg

What's that Skippy? Little Kate is trapped down the well after going looking for the dirty drone-rock boy?

Is music an OK mentionable here?

I finally got the Joy Div "Heart and Soul" box, so that's my new "was sort of there at the time but missed it" re-education.

It was I guess purely down to 1979's "tried to get the Factory Sample, but they had all sold out so I got the "Battle of the Bands" double single instead, which was nice but not the greatness..."

I don't know if it was the agency that wasn't clear or me overextending myself or the bloke who interviewed me just not specifying, but it was quite a humiliating experience. I should see if I can get an "SAS for Dummies" and become a full-on data analyst.

I wonder if we can get Will to come to the coast with us.

Kate are you going to see EARTH?
05-Feb-08 - UK, Brighton, Barfly
06-Feb-08 - UK, Bristol, Cooler
07-Feb-08 - UK, Manchester, Zion Arts Centre
08-Feb-08 - UK, Newcastle, Stage 2 @ Northumbria Uni
09-Feb-08 - UK, Glasgow, Stereo
11-Feb-08 - UK, Birmingham, Medicine Bar
12-Feb-08 - UK, London, Dingwalls

I can't afford to. :-(

I'm not going to any more gigs unless I can get in for free.

What do people think about dropping CVs on companies I'd like to work for but having nothing going just at the moment? Is this just going to put them off.

Also do I want a Job in Mitcham?

The Brighton one is put on by Plan B

Mitcham is not nearly as rough as its reputation. That would be a perfect location for me, actually - reverse commute for you.

Plan B don't even like me at the moment.

Well, companies *should* go "wow, here's a CV without having to pay an agency to get this person, I'll get this person in!"

As opposed to "oh, a CV. I'll file it."

It can't actually do you wrong, you'll either get a tug or nothing at all.

Yeah, I doubt it's going to do any harm. Unless you, like, ring them every day and hassle them.

I'm having trouble getting to the point of even applying for jobs now because I'm talking myself out of it going "Oh, I don't have EVERY SINGLE SKILL LISTED" so it's no good applying.

Freaking Huxley, though... they have all the best roles listed, but I have sent them my resume about 3 times already, and never seem to get through to them because they have some weird automated system. Sigh.

Have also been waved something in Byfleet. Why oh why must all these jobs be so bloody far away, £2104 for an annual season ticket, so my salary has to go up 3 grand just to cover getting to the bloody place.

(hi)

I don't think you lose anything by posting your resume to someplace that doesn't seem to be hiring. You never know what might be cooking, and, in a strange kind of reverse logic, they may be more likely to remember you when you something comes in. When you're hiring, there's sort of a "oh here's another one" mentality; if you're not hiring then it's more of an... well, maybe not oddity, but you know what I mean.

Also I a filed away the fact that there is a big tradefair next week and should use the opportunity to set up some meetings.

Well, I just filled out another big, massive huge application for a job I probably won't get. And therefore haven't signed on today, or done my laundry.

Good luck, Kate. Last night I was bemoaning the fact that according to my current plans, I'm going to get out of education aged 28 with no real work experience at all. I'm not looking forward to trying to get a job.

Um, anyone in London any good with PHPBB want to teach me? Or just help out?

(Not job related.)

You know who would know this... Andy Koogs. Anyone know how to get in touch with him?

Quiet around here.

Kerr, hope everything's OK with you. My thoughts are with you, and with your family. x

Thanks Kate

Hello there.

Something that Kate might like: we were sat in on Saturday night watching a DVD. And one particular actor caught my eye. I kept thinking: he looks familiar! Haven't I seen him in something? I eventually worked out that I was *fairly* sure he was the actor who'd played John Willie (may be NSFW) in The Notorious Bettie Page. I went over to IMDB to check - and not only was I right, but it was Jared "Captain Anderson" Harris, he of the ginger hair and pointy nose that Kate has been occasionally known to post pictures of here. And I hadn't recognised him from *that* role at all.

I now have an accordion, fear me.

Also I have just scored a top pair of mid calf black leather boots in the charity shop for a tenner.

I now have an accordion, fear me.

Today would've been Sir Jimmy Shand's 100th birthday.

I am totally afraid of your accorditor.

But covet black boots!

Jared Harris is always totally unrecognisable from one role to the next. What was the film?

I am here for the next two hours, so entertain me!

robbieletmeentertainyou.jpeg

Tell us more about the amazing new band you saw the other night

Oh, they (well, it was a he - James Spankie) was great! And no, save your FP jokes. That's his name. It's a bloke I know off the TSM forum. And he turned out to be really good. He had a Rhodes and a violin and a loop station, and he was sampling all these loops of himself, kind of like Final Fantasy but more folk-prog, and then playing over the top.

Argh, I am having such trouble uploading songs in MySpaz.

I've got a new song all about SHIPS and WRECKING and CORNISH CHURCHES and LIGHTHOUSES and features THE DEVIL. And lots of wub.

Jared Harris is always totally unrecognisable from one role to the next.

he looked the same in the philip pullman (forget which book - ruby in the smoke? it had billie piper in too) adaptation that was on over christmas as he did in your ship thing. he was a sleazy bad mang in this too.

I am so angry I can't even speak.

I want to punch someone or something.

Jared Harris is always totally unrecognisable from one role to the next. What was the film?

Igby Goes Down

I love that film. And yeah, he's fabulous in it. I love the bit where he molests the army Sergeant that comes to talk to Igby.

re: angry posts above. I know this is just a stupid coincidence, but it's one stupid coincidence I didn't need right now. Will nothing go right in my life?

Igby Goes Down

Ha ha, read that as "Iggy Goes Down"

... it's the film that's crying out to be made

Um.

Whats wrong, Kate?

Anyone here like The Action Time
emsk? mitya? emil.y?

thanks to the good col poo for the singles I didn't have.

Job interview yesterday, another on friday and another on monday. Why didn't I move jobs a year ago?

Good luck, Ed!

yes, good luck Ed!

Good luck Ed.

I still can't get arrested. Even the jobcentre told me to call and do a claim over the phone. :-(

But! Will Carruthers is playing my birthday party. 20th April (yes, I know that's not my birthday, but it was the first Sunday I could get) at the Windmill.

OK, signing on by phone is actually a FUCK of a lot less painful by phone than it was going into jobcentres in the old fashioned way.

Oh can you do that now?

Mind you, I did (go) a few years ago. Got nowt.

You must have been on jury duty... or had too much in the way of savings.

The woman misheard me when I told her my savings and thought I said thousands when I said hundreds. That was pretty funny. I told her if I had that much in the bank, I wouldn't be calling her, I'd be on a beach in Bermuda.

God, the internet is slow in this web cafe today. Bah. It's worth paying for the more expensive one. It doesn't tell me that there's no such thing as yahoo.

...and there's some random woman complaining at ME becuase I'm complaining about the net being so slow. I really feel like hitting people when things like this happen.

...though she is sitting on the phone talking very loudly about how her daddy is going to buy her a new computer for her birthday, OH NOES, HOW AWFUL THAT SHE IS STUCK AT A WEB CAFE WITH US COMMON PEOPLE.

You must have been on jury duty... or had too much in the way of savings.

I had three month's "notice" and redundancy. The 'time' was up just about when I got the new job.

Still, for being unemployed, I got to Reading Festival (w/kids and Dawn), staying overnight in a posh hotel, and basically acted like an unemployed IT person, not.

This computer keeps crashing and losing the cookies for job sites.

And for the record - Emsk, you offically suck. I'm mad at you now.

One job offer, which I can't see any reason not to take, another interview today and another on Monday.

yay! GO ED!

I remain unemployed and unloved.

Except by spacemen.

Gah, I've been away for a while. Don't be angry, Kate, the watercooler loves you.

And yeah, I like Action Time, Kerr. Vaguely knew a couple of them, though they wouldn't remember me now.

hehe I knew you would!!!

And for the record - Emsk, you offically suck. I'm mad at you now.

-- Masonic Boom, Thursday, 31 January 2008 16:21 (2 days ago) Link

i have just seen this.

???

Since Kate doesn't read ILM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7226771.stm
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/04_02_08_musicalmap.pdf

Because you keep not turning up to things that you said you would go to, and not even bothering to say that you aren't going to turn up to until bothered about why you aren't there!

i.e. oh, the Kontakte show, Northampton, Norfolk, etc.

Anyway, I am half kidding. Email me if you are still confused, as you did last week the first time I said it.

Here is what you missed in Norfolk:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2245755717_b633b020a3_o.jpg

And here is An Spaceman:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2245755709_9fa0590e65_o.jpg

Hi kate

Kate was in my dream a few nights ago.

Did you mean to post that on the Lost thread, g?

JACKFACE D:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I might get to/have to interview the only Spaceman I'm missing from the set!

Not like, you know, I'm collecting Spacemen or anything.

ooooooooo!

(He's not after a job as well, is he?)

Had one of those, "OMG how did I get old?!" moments last night - had a beer with an American colleague last night and found he'd never heard of Roots, Battlestar Galactica, Richard Chamberlain or Lorne Greene, among other things. Who will cry tears for Michael Landon now?

The Spacemen are now a firm of laid back builders, painters and decorators.

Excellent:

"Where is my roof?"

"Man, look at all the starssss...!"

I went to see Art Brut supporting Frank Black (yes he's back to calling himself that) last night and now can't stop singing "my little brother just discovered rock 'n' roll" to myself.

I thought he was back to Black Francis.

[Controvertial Amy Winehouse joke deleted]

Excellent:

"Where is my roof?"

"Man, look at all the starssss...!"

Ha ha ha ha, um, yes, you're not wrong. Not at all.

Update: Pashmina is now playing my birthday bash! Apparently. HURRAH!

I have just emailed peeps re: London walking on Sunday 17th. Will now try to find the thread, as well.

Black Francis, yes. I was wondering: what should one call him if you actually meet him? How does he prefer to be addressed? Great gig, but marred by an idiot behind us shouting "Get on with it, you fat bastard!" the whole bluddy time.

Update: Pashmina is now playing my birthday bash! Apparently. HURRAH!

-- Masonic Boom, Friday, 8 February 2008 11:32 (30 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Yes! Blame/praise Mark for this, I've been walking around in a daze for the last 3-4weeks (mainly because of the VAT & tax return) - I'm looking forward to coming down & meeting people again. 2 gigs this year so far! Blimey. We'll be touring again if we keep this up.

remind me when this is.

Did you see Black Francis busking under the Bridge of Sighs too, Mark? I would've gone to see but I had to get back for my mother's birthday ;_;

no, found out too late -- apparently there's a video of this on Drowned in Sound.

20th April. At the Windmill.

Good thing, as we need an extra band now to fill up the lineup now.:-(

Yay for new river walks! I'm so there.

I am now officially dole scum. Hurrah. According to their database, there is no such job as Data Analyst. Um.

Data Consultant? Data Technician? Data from Blakes Seven?

people who work in dole offices are such numpties.

I know that dole offices aren't the most cheery place on earth, but the sheer cynicism and blatant apathy in this lot was, well, a bit shocking.

Poster/invite for my birthday party. I'm sure the lineup will completely change by the date it happens.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2159/2252538614_ef12e36812.jpg

Posting to this thread is like shouting from the bottom of a very deep well sometimes.

U still need another band for 20th, Kate?

No, sorry, we're all full up now. In fact, had Shimura Curves not split, I'd have entirely too many bands. You're still welcome to come down and groove, though.

Sounds good!

Hi Kate!

Bizarre thing this weekend.

My sister works backstage at theatres (usually Windsor, but latterly other places), and got chatting to a bloke who was "Oh, I was in a band, you look like the sort of person who would have heard of us"

(At this point, I thought "He doesn't know my sister very well")

She told me the name of the band was Hawkshead.

Nope, never heard of them, I said.

"Oh, hang on.. no it wasn't Hawkshead. Hawk something..." she says.

"Hawkwind" say Me, my wife and the cat.

"Yeah", she says.

general laffing.

Then she says "I told him I bought my first album for a long time last week, the Mica one, at which point he grimaced and said "oh, alright..."

oh yeah, she said "I told him I didn't know him, and asked him to sing one of their hits, at which point he said "no it's alright, really!"

I think you're lying about the cat.

OK, the cat just went "tsk" and looked the other way.

Where was Alice & Amber? I bet they would know.

They were watching "Skatoony" on Cartoon Network at the time.

They won an Emmy
They won a Nobel Prize
And Channel 4 staff got a payrise!

I love that song Kate!

Fuck me. Just put a gun up to my head and fucknig shoot me already.

My Mac has just died.

They've changed the Genius Bar so it doesn't even tell you HOW to get an appointment any more. MY COMPUTER IS DEAD. How am I supposed to wait around online to book an appointment? I don't even know what time they start booking. I can't fucking deal with this.

Does anyone know? Not like anyone hangs around this place any more, and if I post to a technical thread I'll be eaten by trolls.

im here

Do you have a gun? I need to be shot in the fucking head.

That seems to be a messy, extreme solution. Maybe take a walk and relax before deciding on a solution.

Died as in won't boot up. Or died as in no lights/no power?

Ed knows a fair bit about macs, IIRC?

Not having a Mac, I've never had to deal with their Geniuses. Have you any idea what might be up with the computer, though?

(as Pash says, Ed might be a better person to ask)

what is the Genius Bar?

I have a friend in France who is a Mac expert. In fact he teaches OS X for a living. So he may be able to help. If you tell me the problem in more detail and say what kind of Mac it is. He is usually pretty prompt in answering his emails.

Take a walk where? Where the fuck would I go?

I am unemployed. I have no money. I can't even get a job without a computer. I can't afford to get my computer fixed, I can't afford to get a new one, I'm begging anyone in my family to lend me the money to get another one, but apart from that, I'm fucked.

I can't even go and listen to some music or watch a movie to calm down because I don't even own a CD player that isn't the one on my computer.

Ed is in NYC again.

To get a Mac fixed, you have to go to the Genius Bar - you can't call up and make a reservation on the phone, you have to make a reservation over the internet. I don't even know if you can just turn up and wait. Their website says FUCK ALL about how to get help.

It won't boot up, it won't do anything, it gets as far as the grey screen with the apple logo, then it goes dark and says in about 4 different languages you have to reboot your computer. When I do reboot, it goes straight back to that screen.

I wasn't doing ANYTHING. I was just answering an email, and it just died. I lost the email, too. :-(

No one is answering my emails. Except the Jazz Butcher, who made the unhelpful suggestion of walking into the nearest house of god with a flaming sword.

OK, I'm expecting a flood now, except I've already had the water board round my house twice today.

I am unemployed. I have no money. I can't even get a job without a computer. I can't afford to get my computer fixed, I can't afford to get a new one, I'm begging anyone in my family to lend me the money to get another one, but apart from that, I'm fucked.

Do you have a credit card? Is it possible to apply for a loan? (I understand the no-job status would be an issue here but perhaps employment history, collateral could back you up.) Obviously this is a less an ideal solution but could be justifiable in an extreme situation.

Is there a library nearby with internet access for job hunting? And I meant a walk around the neighborhood, to the park etc. This often works better than the best Heath Ledger-recommended anti-anxiety pharmaceutical.

Um, where are you posting from just now? can you not get to the mac site through that as well?

wiki says you can just walk in and make an appointment that way, btw.

well i am looking at the Apple site now and it suggests to start off by unplugging all peripheral devices so you just have the power cable keyboard and mouse then rebooting to see if you stll get the problem.

Kate I didn't think you had the internet at home. Or do you have a laptop and all this happened in the web cafe? Im confused.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genius_Bar

The Genius Bars currently operate on a reservation system. Customers can schedule a reservation time online before coming in (choosing a time up to 48 hours in advance) or may choose to sign up when they walk in the store.

I am at a web cafe. They charge #1 an hour.

I have tried doing the peripherals thing.

Yes, it says on the site you can make a reservation, but when you go in to actually book it, it always seems to say that all their reservations are full. I had this problem the last time I tried to get an appointment. The only reason I got an appointment in the end, was because I sat on the reservation screen at work and kept hitting refresh until I got one. I cannot do that in a web cafe.

I do not have a credit card. I cannot get a loan from a bank - the unemployment thing would be a problem. I don't even know if I can get an overdraft, they've always turned me down. Any money I get coming in would jeopardise my JobSeeker status, and cut off the pittance that I do get.

My mum just rang and said that she will help with money, but we have to wait for my father and brother to wake up in California in another hour.

if I knew what time the shop opened, I might just go down there and wait out front... but fuck, it's #3.50 for a bus pass to get there, and they might make me come back the next day. I need to know what time the site starts taking new bookings in the morning.

I don't need this right now! It's hard enough trying to deal with no job, no band, and the rest of my life collapsed.

I really wish Ed were here. He would be able to sort this out. :-(

you have to get a lot of money coming in (and tell the jobcentre about it) before they'll touch your JSA.

http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/regentstreet/week/20080210.html

they're open until 9 tonight, btw, and back open at 10 tomorrow.

I have a much better chance of getting a loan off a family member than a bank right now. It's hard to stay calm when it feels like every damn thing has gone tits up one after another, like it has lately.

x-post Ailsa, that's brilliant. Thank you. I guess I should get to the web cafe about 9.30 and stay on until it comes up, then I know when to come in, so I don't have to deal with the buspass issue.

xposts Yep: http://concierge.apple.com/store/R092

I've had problems before w making a genius bar reservation; unfortunately you just need to keep trying til you find a quiet time. Last time I did it (maybe 3 months ago?) it actually wasn't that bad.

You guys are a lifesaver.

I have a much better chance of getting a loan off a family member

Then focus on this and feel grateful that it is something which might go right. Put other things that don't contribute to your day-to-day survival (like bands) out of your head for the moment.

Stress is like a magnet and tends to attract all other possible stresses to join in. If you can resist that, the gun will seem far less attractive.

If you don't understand that making music can be something which is as critical to day to day wellbeing as food and shelter and a job, then I don't think your advice has much relation to my life and my way of being.

My brother, amazingly enough, rang me from the San Francisco apple shop, and asked what kind of computer I needed. He just bought me a MacBook Pro and has Fed Exed it to me, arriving tomorrow or Friday. I am absolutely flabbergasted. I never thought in a million years that my family would come through on that scale.

I'm in the Mac Shop on Regent Street. The bloody booking system would not let me choose the time of my appointment, so it just gave me the next one - which, of course, I missed, as it assigned me 10am and it took me 45 minutes to get into town. So I turned up and had to wait an hour and a half to get another appointment. Where they told me the hard drive was fuX0red. They can't fix that without the possibility of losing all the data. So I have to go to a data restorer. I have no idea how much that costs.

I have a whole album sitting on that hard drive which hasn't been backed up since last year. That's my freaking LIFE there. I have no idea how much this will cost. i don't have any money to spare.

I am so grateful to my family for sorting out a new computer, but this is still bad.

If you don't understand that making music can be something which is as critical to day to day wellbeing as food and shelter and a job, then I don't think your advice has much relation to my life and my way of being.

Well, no I don't know you, but I can't imagine being homeless and playing a guitar on a street corner would be good for your well-being at all. First things first. My suggestion was to focus on one problem at a time lest your brain explodes from stress.

My brother, amazingly enough, rang me from the San Francisco apple shop, and asked what kind of computer I needed. He just bought me a MacBook Pro and has Fed Exed it to me, arriving tomorrow or Friday.

That's great news. Your brother sounds like a wonderful guy.

Regent Street genius bar concierge:

http://concierge.apple.com/store/R092

Kate, is your email accessible to you?

I'm in web cafes, yahoo is still accessible. Obviously, the Ch@rc0l one is gone, though.

I has a new computer. I is in WUB.

::shrugs:: I've been homeless before. It's not fun, but playing guitar is what got me through it. Music is that basic a need. Fortunately, I'm not quite there again... yet.

fingers crossed everything works out. Im staying off the pc as much as I can a I think i've strained my right eye. its ok until i sit at the pc for more than 10 mins. I can watch tv read plan b and the wire etc but not the internet. It's better than it was though so I'm staying off as much as I can til im better. Just checking in now and again for emails and the odd post. Barely read ilx this week.

I'll reply to emails and cooler group postings though. and sms obviously.

If someone can keep bumping my Tim Buckley polls though i'd be grateful :)

Oh before i go, Kate did you see this? Best 5ive Album/EP

Kate, I have a 'useful' email to send yr CV to, PM me for the email address, prob best.

This is the thread where I suddenly remember bumping into Emsk at the Raveonettes gig last night when I was completely shitfaced and am now very embarrassed.

hahaha i was also shitfaced and had forgotten until i saw this, why are you embarrassed? do you know how come i stayed out so late?

Heh I always get embarrassed when vague recollections filter back to me, it's usually safe to assume I made a dick out of myself when I'm in a state like that! Unfortunately I don't know why you stayed out late, as I'm barely even aware why I did! Although that's probably due to the whisky I drank after the gig... oh dear

was a fun night but i do not know why i was in the office at 3.30am and home at 4.30. i thought i would be home by 12.30

New River walk was awesomeness (even if I did get stuck navigating again) and then we saw little James at the Electroacoustic Club. Life is good.

I has AN JOB!!!!!!!

The woman called me today all apologetically because she was just so busy she forgot to send me the details, but now she has, and I go to sign the contract this afternoon and everything is good again.

I have to work like a dog for six weeks, and then I get AN PROPER HOLIDAY with all the money I am going to be making.

Woo, excellent, but further proof, if proof be needed that recruiters suck.

Excellent, Congrats! (guess you won't be needing my contact now)

I know they suck. But today I don't care as I shall be working soon. Better take a shower, though, just in case.

More Rolling London Rolling Walking needs to happen, and soon! When are you back, Ed?

Sunday morning.

I has AN JOB!!!!!!!

Great, congratulations, well done.

Hello all, hope you are all good. Congrats on the new job Kate. I'm pondering giving mine up and going to medical school.

Yay to Kate and her new job! *erects bunting*

Walk was terrific, even if the best bit was the boose at the end. Oh, and the child genius, he was good as well.

Ha ha, you shouldn't call him child genius, it'll go to his head. ;-)

OK, Ch@rc0l came through with a reference. All systems go for tomorrow. Yay!

OK, I've figured out what's going on. It's like that episode of Black Books, where they get a job, but no one will tell them what they're supposed to be doing, and they can't figure out what their job is, or what they're for, or what is going on at all.

OK, this is because my boss is off sick, but still. I am completely perplexed. I've got a schema, but no database.

Ha ha, you shouldn't call him child genius, it'll go to his head. ;-)

He *was* though. I have friended him on myspace, so should be able to see where/when he's playing next.

Just found out there is a Pymmes Brook Trail! So maybe we can do that next time. Or do you think we should go south of the river next time in the interests of fairness?

hope yr boss isn't on long-term sick. is there no-one else you can ask?

Hmm, I has a database, but information_schema.tables doesn;t seem to exist on it. How does that work?

I want the Pymmes Brook to be full of Pimms! We should walk there in the summer, when it's Pimms O'Clock.

I asked the woman who showed me in this morning. She told me to ask the woman that sits next to me. She told me to speak to the data architect. No one knows what I'm supposed to be doing! Except this bloke who is off sick. It's all very mysterious.

I've been spending the time learning SAS, though. What a wonderful program! I want to do that now, not pathetic little Crystal.

x-post, no, the schema is the diagramme that tells you how the database works, what information is in it, and how it fits together. I've got one of those. But apparently they haven't even built the database yet. Um.

I am now colouring in my schema in pretty colours. So it makes more sense to me.

Copying tables from to. It takes longer, but at least information_schema will work...

I have just had my first meeting! Hurrah. I've now got system requirements, and a mock-up of the entry screens.

Still no actually DB yet.

"When it's done, it will look like this..." Yes. Nice. But in order to report on it, I need data, give me DAAATTTAAAAAA!!!

You can report on empty tables though.

That would presume that I have a table to start with!

I'm now digging around looking for updates in this version of Crystal.

Oh my god, they've added a "DDB" function.

::falls off chair::

....

OK, that was really boring. I was expecting some hott boy to appear, but all it did was depreciate my assets. Bah!

story of life, etc...

Ooh, I like this version of Crystal though, it is much easier. Though I still don't have all the bells and whistles applications that go with it. I want the Crystal SQL editor so I can do all the hardcore stuff serverside.

La la la, for a day spent doing nothing, I sure have accomplished quite a lot.

Today, my outlook has completely forgotten who I am. Sigh.

::hugz::

Yo chakidude.

Hows it going folks?
I got my doctors appointment moved to today and I got eye drops. Those things are impossible to put in right! My eye just knows what's coming and closes so it lands on the eyelid everytime. So I just put it in the corner instead and let it swirl around.
Still gonna stay off msn/aim for a few more days though. Just check in ilx the odd time.

If anyone wants to chat I will reply to email or cooler list posts.

Argh, argh, eyedrops, yuck! I hate those things, it's impossible to get them in yr eye without blinking.

I has a boss! Hurrah. Apparently, I has a database, I just have to be set up with access to it. And I just spent the morning preparing to build a test population. Ah well, at least it helped me understand the data better.

If it was one of those syringey type things where you squeeze it to take the stuff in the thing then just press it and it drops it might be easier. But it's that stupid plastic bottle thing that you need to squeeze really hard so you cant judge when the drops will come out or how much. Either nothing comes out or half the bottle!

Pull out the lower lid to catch it then shut your eye and swirl it all about.

That sounds like the instructions to some bizarre dance from the Rocky HOrror Picture Show!

Hurry up and wait... I had forgotten what it was like working in the public sector. At least at my last job, I knew who to go and hassle to get what I needed done.

"Oh yeah, you asked for that, didn't you?"

I should have gone ahead and built mine own test population. At least then I could be doing *something*... problem is, on such a short term contract, I'm going to be stuck working late every night near the end to make up for this. :-(

Yikes, just been looking at the bbc's Highers bitesize website as it's 16 years since i first sat mine, it's becoming apparent that i've forgotten practically everything i learned first time round.

Do you think that the moment I actually start building a test population, that I will be given access to the database? Or am I jinxing myself by saying that?

If you don't, you will *never* get access to it.

So, DIYD,DIYD once again!

Oh god, I have forgotten how to do this. I thought I was putting all my variable definitions in one table, and now I can't remember how to link them. Argh.

Ah! I've been given a username and password for the database... but no one bothered telling me WHERE IT IS.

::beats head against desk::

Funnily enough, all you have said is all I said 2 days ago about where I am.

(got the db, got the ip address, today.)

Argh. Got the developer over at my desk, she was talking about installing Oracle Client on my computer... no! Crystal can do all that, I just need a DSN and an IP and I can set up the ODBC myself. (If I remember how ODBC works, oh dear lord, rusty, rusty, I was never allowed to do mine own ODBC setup at stupid Charcol.)

Ah.

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Data Sources.

(Did this this morning (with help))

Nope, tried all that. I need Oracle installed on this machine. Grrrrrrrrr!

no wai.

(um, dunno.)

Oracle is weird and requires its own stuff for anything to get at it. (This is one of the reasons I don't like it.)

I found a download for drivers for Oracle... but for the wrong version of Crystal. Sigh.

I want to go home and not come back until this is all set up. :-(

Sounds a lot like the public sector. At least they are used to IT contracts overrunning, you should put in for an extra billion or two.

The reports they actually want seem to be excruciatingly simple! If only they'd give me the bloody tools I need to do them!

I want to scream. The developer came over, installed Oracle Client (I'm now an admin, and have access to all the software on the system) - it still doesn't want to play nice with Crystal. I think something needs to be configured. I don't KNOW Oracle. I've worked with it, but only on systems that were already set up. :-(

OK, who wants to take bets on whether I'll get access to my database today or not?

Then again, probably no one as I'll be the only person here... Sigh.

Like I say, you is two (or at most, one and a half days) behind where I stand right now, so I reckons it'll be about 09:50

I reckon someone'll come around and sort you out this morning. I'm not used to public sector wastage, so I can't conceive of someone NOT doing all the prep work for you before you arrive.

Did you find out whether a certain other ilxor is working at the same place as you?

I HAS A DATABASE!!!

Hurrah! He had to install about 3 more programs, and then reconfigure the whole Oracle thing, and then reinstall Crystal, but I'm now in through ODBC. Not ideal, but hey, I'm so happy just to be able to see the thing! So I'm ten minutes ahead of you, Mark!

Now to find out where on earth the data is in this labyrithine Oracle structure...

Nope, no other ILX0rs in the building as far as I know...

five minutes out!

I've even found my data! They were hiding it in a big table with a bunch of other garbage! (OK, I'm sure it's not garbage, but it's not my data.)

Why in the name of all that is holy, do people insist on using memo fields for crucial data? Crystal won't select or sort on them. :-(

Can you not 'cast' them as per SQL?

Nah, I've just converted the first 255 characters to strings in a formula. But some of them are bloody date fields. This database is set up all ass-backwards from what I'm used to. Going to have to rethink my approach.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j78/rich_hopkins/supersonic_web108.jpg

What a great line-up!

Anyone going?

There's maybe 2 bands I'd want to see?

I'm not feeling very into festivals this year. But when am I ever?

Marks out of ten... how on earth do I come up with marks out of ten for an album review. Is there a formula I can use or something?

Battles
Harmonia
Harvey milk
Wooden Shjips
Earth
Guapo
Noxagt
Orthodox
Oxbow
Thrones
Black Sun

all really good bands I'd wanna see.

Oh, conditional formatting in charts, why are you not working?

Anyone around?

I'm here!

Not got much to say about anything at the moment, life is a bit of a treadmill right now.

We were out at Burton-on-Trent playing on Saturday. The hall had a really good DVD projector with a big screen so I took my DVD of "Faust" down.

Setting up:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/filby22/Awakenings%20Feb%2008/aw23.jpg

Playing:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/filby22/Awakenings%20Feb%2008/aw49.jpg

Wow, that looks awesome with the DVD going in the background!

I finally finished painting my bass...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2346/2291131222_5781bf43a7_o.jpg

It's a lot bluer than it looks in the photo, because it's stupid PhotoBooth and it's just picking up on all the pink walls in the room and making everything look pink.

I thought Norman was playing a pink hello kitty guitar there for a min

Come on, there's been loads of conversation about that guitar on the Cooler.

Argh! All my test data just... DISAPPEARED from the database. What the...

I thought more people would've come back to the cooler once kate came back.
Where's Mitya and tissp and emsk and suzy and everyone else?

Sorry, Kerr, I think it's over, once and for all. Ah well.

I've sort of resolved to stay off of ILX in a bid to do something useful with my time, now that it's so easy for me to just do nothing.

one by one, they all materialised....

New job, so not on ilx too much yet, very exposed seat in the office.

How is new job?

I have NOTHING TO DO and therefore more time to ILX than ever. I wish my boss would turn up one of these days. I wish they would give me my test data back. Sigh.

I have *too much* to do, hence absence. Mostly fixing things that are broken. Since they changed our email domain to match that of our Hoboken overlords, lots of things about email don't work, for example the Calendar that we use for arranging meetings and booking meeting rooms. Also, if anyone from outside the company replies to one of my emails, their email bounces. also, any Replies To All I do go to me, as well. Also, I have just had Office 2007 installed and am battling with its arcane toolbar buttons, unable to find anything and have also been told that I am no longer allowed to use PDF995 to generate PDFs as there is this handy little feature of Office 2007 called Save As Pdf, which does the same thing. Unfortunately, it also seems to output various fonts eg Helvitica, as weirdy fonts. Oh and they've moved the printing of my journals to Singapore and the Singapore people are real sticklers for everything and won't do any preflighting on the files whatsoever. And they have forced the poor septagenarian post room dude to bring round these 850 page hardcover histories of our Hoboken overlords (who celebrated their bicentennial last year). Mine will make a handy doorstop.

also, what is Compatibility Mode????

Sounds like a hip 60s chick

Compatibility Mode means that it won't work with any other program, ever, no matter how hard you try, because it is Microsoft and they don't play nice.

New Job is fine. Small company so no one has any time to spend on training me so I have to work it out as I go along, a lot of info to assimilate.

Hello I'm around, sort of. Congrats to Ed and Kate on nu-jobs - well done, both of you! Don't get do upset about the perennial software probs, Kate - at least you're getting paid now.

I am working at home right now, slowly emerging from the biggest pile of work ever, listening to (gulp) Santana! (It's on a 4CD Rhino box 'San Francisco Nuggets' which was a Valentines Day pressie).

The bass looks ace btw. I was going to buy an amp today, but I think it's going to be Friday now - bah. No time!

My brother was telling me to just chill. That it is not my problem if the client wants to keep me sitting around wasting time. However, not only do I feel a bit guilty, like I should be being more pro-active (even though this is the NHS - no one is pro active!) but also I get really, really bored really quickly. There's only so long I can attempt to flirt limply with the Plan B boys.

I have NOTHING TO DO and therefore more time to ILX than ever.

save yourself while you still can

x-post sneak out for a LONG LUNCH, Kate.

Now playing : Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - hmm, no thanks.

I am bored of lunch. OK, no, not bored, I just don't want to spend oodles of money on it. I wish there were a microwave around here. Actually, someone told me there was one downstairs, but have not located it.

Kate, you will get to hear the words "weeeeellllllll, it's not really a priority" too often to be funneh anymore..!

Well it doesn't have to be a *real* lunch - I just meant sneak out for a bit of me-time somewhere.

Lunch round here is a desert. Corner shop, Caff and a van that announces its arrival by sounding like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard. There is a pub up the road, but I need to start making my own lunch. Looking forward to it warming up and eating lunch in Morden Hall Park, though.

I spent a week in the NHS sitting doing absolutely nothing before I walked out. I'm now sitting in an engineering company doing absolutely nothing, but I don't feel so guilty about being a waste of their money.

Oh Lord, Grateful Dead are up next.

No broadband yet and oddly my computer went the same day as Kate's and like Kate, someone nice stepped into the breach and gave me one, so here I am leaching an open source of bandwidth on the basis that if the damn thing invites you to join the network, you're on the guest list and not crashing the party.

The ILX I am keeping up with is the primaries thread, which should just be renamed OBAMARAMA and have done with it.

Me-time on Tottenham Court Road? What am I going to do? Go to Paperchase? Wait, actually, that's not a bad idea.

I had some kind of japanese tofu thing in the end. Terribly greasy and disappointing. I was just confused by the tofu options.

Morden Hall Park! Hurrah! There's that lovely pub we went to on the Wandle walk.

I'm terrible. I don't care so much about wasting other people's money as I care about WASTING MY TIME. And being horribly bored. I get destructive when I get bored. No one has answered my emails - not my boss, not the developers, what am I supposed to do?

Look at bugs on http://www.eol.org/

Eeep! The NG just invited me in for an interview. I've got to call them back for an appointment. How much would I *LOVE* to work there? I practically begged in my covering letter.

Now playing : Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - hmm, no thanks.

IIRC Dan Hicks used to be in the Charlatans*, who were pretty decent.

*no, not that charlatans.

Ohmigod, ohmigod, I has an interview.

xpost - yes he was out of harm's way on the drums. I'm not wild about the Charlatans really. I have a quite a few tracks on comps here and there.

"pretty decent" kind of sums them up for me. They were OK, but you'd never pick their album up over one of the 1st 2 quicksilver albums, for example.

Haha Quicksilver. I am on the fence about too. Some nice guitar, but I kinda hate that west coast 'deep and manly' voice that the singer (and many other west coast bands) seem to use. I guess I prefer snarly/whiny garage punk vocals. There's some amazing stuff on this box though - The Blue Cheer tracks are great - never heard them before, and there's a superb remaster of The Oxford Circle's 'Foolish Woman' which I only had in lo-fi-ish quality before. Also The New Breed's 'Want Ad Reader' and a track from a band I've never heard of before called Public Nuisance. The track's called 'America' and has an astounding fuzz guitar line.

Quicksilver = terrible drummer. Same with Jefferson Airplane. I think Zappa was largely right about the SanFran bands.

Yes, terrible drummers.

And useless singers mostly. Great guitarists however!

What about Ed Cassidy then, eh? eh? eh?

I like that sloppy, lazy feel that Quicksilver had! The drummer, who you only see briefly, looks a bit DDB-ish:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqVVnExlX9c

Spirit and Moby Grape are exempt from the above criticism/generalisation

Don't go mentioning DDBs and then linking to sites you know I can't access. :-(

You still can't access youtube? Damn. It's the best jukebox ever invented. I don't know what I'd do without it.

Nope. At least I have MySpace, though. But, as usual, without any sound.

I am just waiting now for someone to get around to restoring from backup the bit of my database I actually need, dammit...

Man, it's over ten years since Randy California drowned. Bloody hell, it passes quick, doesn't it.

sKIP sPENCE WAS DRUMMER FOR jEFaIRP.

aH hangon...

I am so bored my mind is melting. I have talked to the developer. I have emailed my boss. Things around here happen at a snail's pace.

That's just it, isn't it?

And there's something about this sort of time that seems to prevent you idly writing songs/novels/doing something stimulating/creative etc....

Except for posting to ILX.

Well, I have to look like I'm working. Even though I have nothing to do. And posting to internet forums looks more like working than taking out a book and starting to read it, even though that's what I'd rather be doing.

You still can't access youtube? Damn. It's the best jukebox ever invented. I don't know what I'd do without it.

Don't open up a branch in Pakistan

Did everyone get the Moby Grape and Skip Spence cookies the other week?

What cookies?

Sorry, I've been looking at that blog linked to on the Fair Trade thread and thinking which family I'd like to join for a week. The Mexican family's food looked tastiest (except for all that Coke) but then I got distracted by the pretty room in the family from Bhutan.

...oh god, and then I got to the bottom, and realised she was a mormon. Oh dear lord.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7264939.stm

The Boyband Rourke and Joyce? I think not.

Eek, these med school questions are frightening http://www.medical-interviews.co.uk/Resources/QuestionsMS.htm . I suppose I've got a long way to go before I even get an interview but it pays to be prepared.

God, those are difficult questions. A lot of thinking and preparation to be done. And that section on ethics at the end... jeez. Mind hurts, just thinking about it.

I'm just wondering at what point it would be OK to go home, seeing as how I have NOTHING to do.

I appears I am to have a ID badge for access for a large broadcasting corporation, I wonder what I can get into with that.

Kate, we should do dinner one evening as your place is now on my way home, kastoori can be as well.

That would be good! I seem to get out of work on time most days, as well. Mmmm, Kastoori taste bombs.

Today I am mostly obsessed with dosas.

Is today going to be any less crushing than yesterday?

Wow, a week is a short time to start hating a job.

yeah, but focus on yr upcoming interview, instead.

Nothing wrong with an obsession with dosas.

Who felt the quake then? I didn't - I slept right through it.

People here are having to give their personal email addresses out to work contacts coz they can't rely on their work emails working. Craziness!

hey k8 has a job again, cool

The cold i got yesterday has kept me awake all night as the catarrh in my throat stopped me from sleeping as i was clearing my throat every 10 seconds. Also I have practically lost my voice. So im off to the doctors again at 11.20.

Damn, I would view not having a working email as an excuse to not do any work, ha ha.

I felt no earthquake. WHich is a shame, I kinda like earthquakes. No, wait, that's nuts. I hate California for having earthquakes. No, sorry, I like earthquakes, I hate California. I'm confused.

yes, thinking about the interview. I probably won't get the job because I want it too much. Even if it was rubbish... heck, I wouldn't care, I'd go and look at Dutch Landscapes every lunchtime.

I just went over to talk to the developer, and he told me he wasn't in yesterday. He will come and talk to me eventually. So I will twiddle my thumbs until then.

I think I would use yr situation as an excuse to familiarise myself with the layout of the building (including the fire exits) and just go for one long walkabout.

This building has three floors with a central atrium with very good views all round (by which I mean clear views obv, not claiming this building is beautiful, obv) and I have often thought about walking round and round the builing multiple times and seeing how long it would be before someone noticed and asked me why I was doing it.

I can't walk about the building at will as I've still not even been given a security pass. I have to be buzzed in and out to even go to lunch.

Argh, my former boss just messaged to say that the NG just asked for a reference, but they won't accept personal references. But she's my former boss!

Yahoo mail has somehow got it into its head that my new bandmates' emails are spam, and keeps losing them. Argh.

Yay! I has data! I'm downloading it this time, dammit!

i'm here, sort of, checking in a couple of times a day, am nice and busy. in other news I HAS A NEPHEW!! born in the wee hours of yesterday, haven't seen him yet, even a picture... apparently he is very chilled out.

Can I have some of your work to do? I'm so bored.

Aunthood is great, though! Congratulations again.

Congrats!
I'm just glad my Gran lived long enough to see her 4th great grandchild who was born on jan 6th(Same date as baby's mummy)

Can I have some of your work to do? I'm so bored.

i think you would HATE my work!

If it involves having to actually talk to people - esp. promoters and stuffs, YES, PROBABLY.

I finally have access to my database again, and can see my data... and my boss isn't here to show my work to. At least I finally have a security pass.

Someone please prevent me from starting a "100+ people who are heroes to fat, prematurely balding, bitter late 20s early 30s music journo wannabe fanboys" thread...

UK Office Watercooler Conversation

(only joking)

But I'm none of those things! (Except fat.)

Actually, go for it! I'd like to know who these people are.

(or, who they'll actually admit to, which is the difference)

Except I don't actually know who their heroes are. Paul Morley? Everett True? Nick Broomfield?

Would they not state their own?

I fear there are not enough cony indie gurlzzz (or whatever thei sed) to make a quorum.

Well, I need to come up with three people to put in the original question. Or maybe I don't. Actually, maybe you should start it coz I'm not starting any more threads, parody/turnabout or otherwise.

It's OK, the orig thread is turning:

100 people who are heroes to quirky, hair-dyed, oh-so-alternative girls in their late teens/early 20s old-ass male music critics

-- n/a, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 15:01 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

Good lord, it's feast or famine around here.

I just got another interview, next week, to be a data analyst in ha ha ha, a mental hospital. Getting those "inmates taking over the asylum" jokes out of the way way...

This lot want me to do a powerpoint presentation! FFS! Um. After this contract, I'm not sure I want to work for the NHS again. But then again, not all NHS is the same, my last contract at the NHS was great.

We should compare 'DA in MH' stories sometime.

Cookies been sent out. Mark G are you in the cooler cookie group?

Eh? De-acronymise, please? DA? MH?

Data analysis? Mental health?

yeah!

xpost yes.

I was getting worried for a minute.

Ahh ok, i wasnt sure since i never saw you post

If grandpoint genie or passing space cadet or anyone wants in please tell me your email

Someone please prevent me from starting a "100+ people who are heroes to fat, prematurely balding, bitter late 20s early 30s music journo wannabe fanboys" thread...

Hahaha!

Everytime I see a 700-post thread on ILM critiquing some critic, or carping about what someone said in the Guardian, or what Simon Reynolds said, or what Paul Morley said, or what someone said on Pitchfork or Stylus-this or Stylus-that, I want to torture kittens.

I'm not exactly talking about the same thing maybe, but I dunno there's something about music-journo wannabe-ism that really gets my goat.

yep.
why do they all hate Alex Pertridis?

or anything published in any newspaper ever? (not the actual story, just the writing style/ etc)

....Stylus-this or Stylus-that, I want to torture kittens

Your Passentroll Voodoo doll not working for stress relief then?

How many music journo wannabees does it take to change a lightbulb?

None of them will actually change it, they're too busy arguing about how rubbish it was when Alexis Petriedes changed the lightbulb last time.

why do they all hate Alex Pertridis?

Jealosy.

Oh good one, Kate.

Hey, while I'm here - Boss DD-3 or DD-6. Which should I get? I don't much care about the reverse delay on the DD-6, or the tap function (unless someone tells me they're great). Any thoughts on sound - someone told me the DD3 was 'warmer'.

Also it has to be one of these two, so don't say Memory Man or Professor Brainstorm's Vintage Echo-moogalator (only £600!).

Dr C are you in the group?

I used to have a... DD5 or DD6?

They are better because they are stereo and have an interesting pan function. I think they have a longer sample time, but I could be wrong?

I'm sorry, I just can't help myself, I'm c+p'ing this from ILM's "use other words pls" thread:

Tom E:

On this 'tip' ("tip"!):
"Chameleon" (Tanya made this point once but she nicked it off me or Pete) - David Bowie a rock chameleon i.e. ever-changing, unpredictable BUT chameleons blend into the background, so it's more like Soup Dragons-y bandwagon jumping AND the only colours they can do are various shades of dull green yellow and brown so 'unpredictable' is a bit off too

Me: (several years after the fact, and better for it)

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Why is this funny? Coz ANY FULE KNO (well, they do if they watch QI) that chameleons don't blend into the background at all, but change colour in accordance with their mood, which is presumably what Bowie was doing, tho presumably he was not that moody (a commendable thing, no?) coz he left it for an album, possibly two, and at the very least a song, before doing it.

A lurid pink chameleon would be as desirable as, say, Tin Machine?

x-post Cookies group?

I think I'll pass thanks. I don't really have the time to listen to anything that isn't right there at my fingertips at the mo'. If it involves downloading and stuff, I *know* that even if I get round to downloading it, I'll never listen to it. I'm crap, I know.

Ha ha ha, OK, that is funny.

On a delay/sampling tip, the "child genius" has one of these:

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/rc-50/69224

WANTWANTWANTWANTWANT!!!

I know what you mean, sorta, but Woa! That VU Gym album! (xpost Dr c)

fair enough. You can always send cookies though!

Want someone to bloody d/l and burn that for me. (VU Gym album.) Lots of people keep offering but then THEY NEVER DO.

x-post you and your stereo pan, Kate :) Yes, DD-6 has a longer delay time, you're right. Not sure how much I care about that.

I hope some folks will come to our (Fractured) album launch party/gig on Friday March 14th at the Bull and Gate. The album is really happening, at last. Our guests are I'Ludicrous (who are on the Fall tour at the moment) and sarf-london garage rockers The Probing Cranks. BB6 Music's Chris Hawkins will DJ, and everyone who rolls up will get a copy of the album.

How do I send cookies. I'll join in for that if you like. What do I have to do?

Now what I want is a...

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/hog/69727

what's your email address? and you will be added and once you've passed Kate's initiation test you will be given access to the wonderful secrets of the watercooler space cookie monster.

What? I've only recently re-signed up for the bloody list. And I can't even download, so they're just building up unread in my account.

:-(

OK, I seem to have totally missed something here... I was browsing through the "ask ILX" thread thing. What on earth happened WRT Luna? You can send me an email if this isn't appropriate to discuss online.

There's a lot of reading but basically it's all on:

Not location specific, No rules: Welcome to ILX heaven

I just found out what that was all about a couple of weeks ago. Some tool accused me of being 'something to do with the Luna business' when I'd never heard anything about it. So I thought I'd better find out...

My serious advice, Kate....don't.fucking.read.it! Honestly, it really is depressing.

Whoa. I just read the whole thing, start to finish. I had no idea any of that had happened. Was I still on ILX when that was going on, or was it after my old workplace banned me?

My head is really kind of spinning.

Firstly, with regard to offboard stuff I was emailed about Luna a long, long time ago and now puts that in a completely different perspective.

And secondly, because this is not the first time that an ILX0r has done something - that said, not for so long, and not affecting so many people.

I'm just getting really bad deja-vu about the whole thing.

But yeah, let's not drag all that up again. Sorry, this is just a new piece of information slotting into a puzzle.

Yeah, I missed the whole thing too. Then again I didn't know who the heck she was anyway. I reckon I read about one thread in 50 these days.

I did wonder for a moment where those threads had gone to. But thought it was just part of general ILX malaise...

Anyway, blimey, my life is getting complicated early next week. I've got to somehow cram in two job interviews and two rehearsals. We might be playing live by late March! Exciting!

I've had to cancel Action Painting in Hitchin on Saturday now. Damn.

Who wants to take bets on whether my boss will be in today or not?

Anyone? Beuller?

If you build it, s/he will come...

xp I don't think so.

I bet you a meal out at yr favourite curry house that (s)he won't!

You should so write a song called Action Painting, if you haven't already.

Hurrah! You owe me dosas! He is in today!

Now I just hope my reports are working.

hee hee.

That was a bet that I didn't actually mind losing!

I had dosas last night, mmmm, I am obsessed with dosas. Nothing can stop me from eating all the dosas in the world.

OK, I might not be *that* hungry, that's a lot of dosas. But still.

Repeat to self: DO NOT TALK ABOUT RELIGION ON THE INTERWEB. DO NOT TALK ABOUT RELIGION ON THE INTERWEB.

I keep walking by the Friends Meeting House by Euston Station and thinking I should become a Quaker.

Repeat to self: DO NOT TALK ABOUT RELIGION ON THE INTERWEB

Repeat to entire human race

No, note to entire human race:

One must alllow other people to have the freedoms that one wishes to claim for yourself.

or:

Just because you choose to restrict your own life to how you want to live it does not give you the authority to place restrictions on others

I quite like members of the society of friends, they seem to have a better understanding of belief and faith than most people of belief and faith.

Doesn't ken C work in that warren of buildings?

I believe Ken C works quite near me, but I'm in a different building from most of the NHS stuff around here. I suppose I should follow the train of chicken bones back to his lair. ;-)

It seems like a good religion for people who believe in god, but don't believe in religion.

I don't think you even have to believe in god. I think I could stand up in a friends meeting a profess my unbelief and not raise an eyebrow.

What happened to that note to yrself, Kate?

Obviously it didn't work. I am interested in Quakers. I would like to find out what it's all about. They seem like good people who do good things. I would like to do something, join an organisation that takes me out of myself. There is no harm in asking questions and finding things out.

I've been to meetings many years ago when i was still thinking that i might beleive in something. They were very pleasant affairs that mostly consisted of sitting quietly. Which is sometimes all you need.

Obviously you could do that without going to a meeting but the fact that there are other people there sitting quietly kind of encouraged you to do it.

I think I feel a great need for that sort of thing at the moment.

The only outward sign of activity by the Friends Meeting House in Oxford is that they sell vouchers for entry into the night shelter. It is quite commonplace for people to approach one in the street here and ask for some money to get in the night shelter and so to present them with a voucher is an obvious way of ensuring that the money is indeed spent on said purpose.

I don't think you even have to believe in god. I think I could stand up in a friends meeting a profess my unbelief and not raise an eyebrow

wikipedia informs me that such ppl are indeed accepted and are referred to as "nontheist friends".

This sounds better and better. I'm not sure I'm a good enough person to become a Quaker, but maybe this will inspire me.

the meeting house on charing cross road is lovely and often has art exhibitions in the lobby.

I didn't know about the voucher thing. Could be useful to know but I'm not sure if it's a great idea or a good way to be patronising and have your voucher ripped up and abandoned on the pavement. Are you meant to carry some with you in case somebody asks, or say "now wait here a minute and I'll go and buy you a bit of paper"?

(Nobody asks me now I actually have an income! Maybe I just spend less time wandering round the centre of Oxford. Last time someone asked me for money was when I'd obviously just stepped out of the job centre. Mind you I suppose I probably blew half my dole in the nearest record shop anyway, ahem.)

Congratulations on new job, Kate.

I didn't know about the voucher thing. Could be useful to know but I'm not sure if it's a great idea or a good way to be patronising and have your voucher ripped up and abandoned on the pavement. Are you meant to carry some with you in case somebody asks, or say "now wait here a minute and I'll go and buy you a bit of paper"?

well, obv you are supposed to buy them in advance, it would be impractical if you are a long way from St Giles (where the meeting house is) at the time. In what way is it patronising tho?

Funny road St Giles when you think about it as it has almost-neighbours Quaker Meeting House, Christian Scientists and Armed Forces Recruitment Centre. Wonder if any Friends ever push pacifist literature through the last named's letterbox?

::beats head against desk::

I've just been asked to stay on an extra week. It's taken every bone of my body not to scream "BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR ME TO DO RIGHT NOW!!!!"

But it's in another department. Maybe I can go over there and see if they can find me something to do.

I am meeting with my boss this afternoon. Might finally get something done. Maybe.

(xpost)
I don't know, I'd just worry that they were thinking "bloody middle-class do-gooder doesn't trust me, wants to tell me what to spend the handful of coins I'll get today on", or something? Admittedly hopefully if they actually do want to go to the shelter they'd be pleased and not think anything like that, and if they didn't they'll just tell you so and it's not your problem, or something.

Used to stop for and sometimes chat to a homeless guy pretty much opposite there most days when I was a student. Wonder what happened to him. Hope he's doing ok now.

They want you to stay an extra week just so they can take their time la di daa about what they have to do as thei part of yr project.

But you knew that.

I think that the vouchers in theory are a good idea. If anyone would have a problem with one's giving vouchers instead of cash, well, bloody hell, at least have the decency not to lie. If you want money to go get drink or drugs or whatever, then say so, and give me the choice of deciding if I want to contribute to that. If you're going to give me a long heartrending sob story about needing money to find a place to stay, then don't be surprised if I take you at face value.

If someone's asking *me* for money, quite seriously I don't care what they think of me. They're making the demand, not me.

But this is me reacting at a kneejerk middle class level, which probably means that I wouldn't make a very good Quaker. :-(

I categorically don't give money to beggars, whatever their sob story, and donate on direct debit to charities of my choice to assuage my guilt at this. This probably makes me a bad person.

"Beggars should be abolished: it is irritating to give to them and it is irritating not to." ('Mad' Freddy Nietzsche)

I never give money to beggars. And governments should be abolishing beggars, not charities.