It’s probably fair to say that when I only post two entries on here in a month, and both of them are about other people (as much as they were worthy posts) that things are a bit quiet (or, perhaps, that I’ve finally decided to do some really off the wall traveling and I’m tucked away somewhere miles out of internet range…alas, this time I’m nowhere massively exciting). I’ve moved back to the UK for a while, and I’ll be spending some time working on the writing and chilling out at home. I havent been up to much, but here are a few edited highlights: the last few weeks: the good bits!
Irish Friends of Albania Ball: I’d somehow lumbered myself with the photography for what was actually a much bigger event then I was expecting. Black Tie, assorted local Galway celebrities and an impressive auction, as well as Helena looking quite ridiculously good in an designer dress. What more could I ask for. We got the photography out of the way early, drank more than enough wine, and found ourselves chatting to a lovely outgoing pair of widows who were going out of their way to enjoy life. How it should be. The auction was quite incredible – a rugby shirt signed by the entire Irish grand slam winning squad ended up going for nearly €4,000. Incredible.
Glasses: I’ve known for a while that I probably need glasses. I think I first realized it when watching Aston Villa vs. Ajax from the top tier about this time last year, so I guess I’ve waited far too long. Fortunately I only need them for looking at screens and driving, though in reality I can’t make out anything very clearly if it’s more than maybe 30 meters away. Probably to do with spending so much time looking at a screen. That put a serious dent in my finances, and has been making my dizzy for the first few days, working out that things really close up look weird through the glasses, and trying to learn when I should have them on and off. I look like an idio in them, just for the record.
Gym: Before I left Ireland I was talking about getting really fit and perhaps running a marathon again, but not actually doing it. Well now I’m back, I am. I think I’ve been in the gym about 9 of the 12 days since I’ve been home, and had a few torturous personal fitness sessions. LA Fitness also do a whole selection of classes and have a pool and steam room, so I’m starting to feel really good. Apart from the serious muscle aches after the personal fitness sessions, but hey, if it wasn’t hurting I’d be worried. I particularly enjoyed the cycling to heavy metal music this lunch time, quality!
Writing Update: It really is a full time job right now. Sat in front of my computer for working hours plus each day, but I feel like I’m slowly but surely getting somewhere. Latest interest is from AU Magazine (Alternative Ulster), which is available as an off the shelf magazine in a few places in the UK and very big in Northern Ireland. More music stuff, as well as a bit of eclectic feature writing as well, I expect. I’m also going to be writing the words to a cartoon to be published by an arts project in Korea (random, not really sure where to start with that), as well as doing some stuff for a Freelance Writing Blog and carrying on with all the things I already had. My Pith Magazine stuff should be out soon, too, which is nice.
Interviews: They seem to be coming out of my ears at the moment. Love it. The last few weeks I’ve done Bowling For Soup and The Wailers (as in Bob Marley and The Wailers). The Wailers were particularly interesting; they started an initiative at their concerts about two years ago and have managed to save 600,000 starving children through it to date. Fits in well with their charity ethos, I think. Bowling For Soup was… well heavy drinking, partying maniacs. Which is about what I expected. Click through for the interviews; they’re both fairly interesting I think. But then I’m biased. Basement Jaxx should be coming up in a few days, too.
Random Cover Bands in Salisbury: I remember Salisbury having an excellent music scene when I left, but then again I guess these things are all relative. I’m told it’s pretty dire right now, but Dickon and I did manage to find a quite impressive cover band in The Chough the other day. I walked past yesterday, though, and they were playing stuff like Build Me Up Buttercup. Painful. Morrisey’s here in a few days (assuming he’s got over his collapse in Swindon), so maybe I’ll go down and catch that.
So that’s about the state of things at the moment, I’m living back with my parents for the foreseeable, so if anyone’s around in the UK and feels like a coffee or a beer or a random camping trip (I’m actually quite keen to do one of them right now, could be a good laugh I think), give me a shout.
Until next time!
J x