"I have been to the provinces, they are filled with madmen, and I alone am escaped to tell thee."

[reddragdiva]

Being a music journalism damage case, I have a pocket full of scribbled notes from Friday's gig. Will write it up later. It were ace, anyway. And the bands didn't suck.

Saturday morning I staggered off to Cambridge. (Here's to Qjump for fucking up the ticket purchase, by the way.) Arrived 1:30pm, to be greeted by the wonderful shekhmet. To a natural remedies shop for vitamins, then an unnatural remedies shop ("Cold cures that should not be"?) for Sudafed.

Wetherspoon's Regal for lunch. I fear I find Wetherspoon's too, um, chainy. The beer is both good and cheap, and selling real beer for £1.40 to £1.60 a pint in London earns them a lot of forgiveness. The food is middling at best. (Though my gammon steak was actually just the right thing at the right time.) The atmosphere is clinically scrubbed, which is the killer. It's probably better than a bad thing as far as the beer wars go, but ...

We adjourned to the KSR with kboyd and Tristan. Less good beer not as cheap, but actual atmosphere one might want to spend time in. kitty_goth, alixandrea and darkgoblin showed up later on as well. zotz was otherwise occupied, which was annoying. Deposited shekhmet back at her flat to sleep and recover. The visit was wonderful and worthwhile just for the afternoon out with the lovely people, and thanks to Peta for coming on out despite her cold.

Then to simonb's party. Which was pleasant enough in total. And large chunks of the vodka stockpile were successfully demolished. Cheers to many. Crashed at _nicolai_'s.

("This is not a kebab. Because kebabs are only edible by drunks, and you're not drunk." "That and the absence of rat.")

Stopped at the Dev on the way back through London - of course! - for a few quiet pints with marymortis (who was texting "JOBBIES!!!" to everyone, by the way, not just you) and Michael (and cyberpunkgrrl who happened along just before I went home). I like the Dev on a Sunday afternoon. Somewhere to quietly come down from the weekend in the company of nice people, dodgy g*th music and bad beer.

Sardonic amusement at the human condition versus just hanging out with nice people you actually like? It's a tricky one. But somehow the latter remains preferable.

redcountess has put the visa application in! Now we cross fingers and wait ...

Comments

[reddragdiva]

I meant the feel of the place, not the air per se (although it is nice that it is generally breathable).