My Time Travel Nightmare
Oh dear, the clocks went back last night, so it’s only going to be five o’clock today when yesterday it was six. (Well you know what I mean.) I’m now in for an Hour of Hell from Penny…
Oh, Ooh, I think it’s started already…
But worse than the claws, it’s the looks that really hurt…
Right now I’m listening to “Make Them Apologize” by Ani DiFranco.
From Carpet Tiles to 9/11, via Feeder and Sum 41
My legs ache. When I say this I really mean the muscles in my calves and the front of my knees are all totally wasted. Last night I went to see Sum 41 and the night before I went to see Feeder. I also spent the Feeder gig day cutting and laying carpet tiles in our new office at work, kneeling on the concrete floor to do it. I think these four things are quite closely related.
The Feeder gig was great. Feeder is a band that seems to consistently punch above its weight live. Of the two gigs I think I preferred this one, although to be fair there isn’t much in it. Two excellent gigs in fact. Feeder has a very mixed fan base and this felt the more friendly of the two gigs too. Think I nearly overdid it in the most pit though. Sum 41 are great live as well and have a better selection of songs. (Feeder can sound a bit too much like Coldplay at times; a sickening and perverted thought I’m sure you’ll agree.) Got floored once in the mosh pit, the first time for many months I’ve ended up in a heap on the ground. Actually I ended up more on my knees, as I tried to twist to one side to avoid falling on top of someone else; this was very painful, given the state of them at present. I know I know, I’m such a self-sacrificing hero to the masses. However, the Kentish Town Forum has quite recently had its wooden floor polished, so it did at least provide me with a really great and unexpected opportunity to examine it up close. (Who says you can’t combine a detailed study of interior design and moshing?) Sum 41 also boast “Still Waiting”, which is in the “Top 50 Songs Ever Written” in Cactus World. And here’s the rather excellent video for it.
“So am I still waiting, for this world to stop hating? Can’t find a good reason, can’t find hope to believe in”. Lyrically, a powerful blast of nihilistic energy and a song inspired by the dreadful things that happened on September 11th 2001. (It obviously brings out the music journalist in me too.)
Tonight I watched Sherrybaby, a film starring the very lovely Maggie Gyllenhaal. Another film about a dysfunctional family and well worth a watch. Very good acting and a very realistic feeling film too.
Right now I’m listening to a live version of “Apathy” by Subhumans.
Cat Porn
How exciting, I just checked and discovered that I’d got my first bit of spam here! But really, does Penny look like the sort of cat that wants to see Russian bondage porn? (Well it was hardly aimed at me was it? It’s not like I’ve made a career out of regularly commenting on this specific topic, so I can only imagine Penny’s been using the computer when I’m out and signing up for a range of dodgy literature to be sent to her; we’ll be having words about it later.) But here’s a little tip anyway, to all those that make their living from sending out spam. If you’re going to send porn to cats, do at least make it feature young, naked, live mice, splattered with a thick layer of catnip juice, wrestling in the jelly from a can of extra meaty Whiskas Supermeat. Now that’s hardcore.
Right now I’m listening to “Coppers” by Rancid.
Ford and Shit: Separated at Birth?
I drive a car; it’s a company car; it’s a Ford Focus. I try not to use it too often, as it’s a car and cars are the spawn of the devil in environmental terms; however, I do find I need to drive one for my job from time to time. It’s now about 4.5 years old. As such it’s been entirely reliable, except for one tiny, tiny little detail; the fucking thing has an inability to hold any sort of change in its battery! It’s been four days since I last drove it and this morning it won’t start, again. I can’t even bump start it down the slope, as for the first time this winter (and I know it’s winter as I had to put the heating on at home last week), the windows are all frosted up and I can’t see a thing out of them. I can’t even wind the window down to look out of as they’re electrically operated. I also can’t easily clear the windows, as I broke my last window scraper last winter and haven’t quite got around to buying a new one. (I did try once but Halfords was sold out. How Halfords “We Go the Extra Mile” and probably the biggest vehicle superstore chain in the country can be sold out of windows scrapers I don’t know, but there you go.)
I’m presently waiting for the breakdown vehicle to come out (for I think the fifth time this year) to get it going again. It will probably be the same guy again. In fact with my busy social life I probably now see this chap more often than any of my friends; he’s going to start thinking I fancy him or something, as no one can really have such an unreliable car can they? (Not that I have any friends as I’m a total loser and socially inadequate.)
No it’s not the battery. A new one was fitted less than a year ago. Anyone who remembers the fun I had then getting it imported from Inner Mongolia (well it’s a Ford Focus, so it’s apparently pretty exclusive and requires obscure parts) will remember that this isn’t a new problem.
No it’s not the electrical system. It was in the local Ford dealers about two months ago getting the problem ‘fixed’. (Like the same dealer has ‘fixed’ the missing hub cab three times after I’ve asked it to, which strangely still seems to be missing. Or the cracked button on the hand brake, which looks remarkably similar even though I’ve asked for this to be replaced twice. )
So basically what it must be is that the engine has been taken over by a supernatural entity with a crap and very limited sense of humour, who enjoys pissing me off. Either that, or Ford make shite cars (and run even more excrement fuelled dealerships who’s mechanics couldn’t organise a children’s party in a Toys ‘R’ Us store). Humm, choices, choices.
Right now I’m listening to (somewhat inappropriately) “Maximum Joy” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
The Xindi and WordPress: Separated at Birth?
Well, Cactus World has survived its conversion from Live Spaces to WordPress, just. I’ve a lot of battle damage to repair over the next few weeks and I have a feeling that those of us that lived through it (so that’s Penny and I) will probably never be quite the same. It was touch and go at times, I really wasn’t sure we were going to make it through; it was very much a one-way trip and the idea of a one-way trip to nowhere didn’t exactly inspire me; I don’t especially like travelling at the best of times. The emotional scars are there on so many levels. It’s not something that I, or probably many people, could ever express in words; (and you can probably imagine how difficult it is for Penny, with only a few variations on meow to pick from). But I just know things will be different in future.
When I need to reflect on life, I tend to look for analogies from Star Trek, Thomas Hardy or punk; (and quite frankly, let us all face the truth, right here, right now; what else is there)? To reflect on this particular experience, I’ve decided that the following video sums it up pretty well. (For Xindi substitute WordPress and for Cactus World read Enterprise). Enjoy!
It really was exactly like that, over dramatic looks at one another, explosions, stuff falling out of the ceiling, Penny running about with a fire extinguisher. Whilst this Home Page may look okay now, everything else is still a bit of a shambles. We were ‘that’ close to going under. To be continued….
Right now I’m listening to “Underwear Goes Inside the Pants” by Lazyboy.
Penny's Gallery
Saving the Planet – July 2010
worldofcactus.wordpress.com 