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◄ My review: The Hot Puppies - Dawn of Man (single)

Apologies for buggering off without saying more goodbyes. We, er, realised that our train was leaving in half-an-hour rather than an hour-and-a-half. Fortunately the cab firm down the road had a guy free after we discovered the one immediately opposite Pete's was booked up for hours. Would have loved to have stopped by the pub for a few minutes but, well, we were too busy running. It was very nice of Jez to run with us for a bit. (We also managed to get on the wrong train, before being redirected by a friendly guard, but so did other people, and it said Birmingham on the side, so that can't be chalked entirely down to incompetence.) Stella blamed herself for not reading the tickets before stowing them, but since I booked the things I'd say it was rather more my oversight. Thanks to whatever powers, though, we made it. :)

It's been an awfully pleasant weekend. Crawled into Bristol on Friday evening, party the Saturday and enough sleep Sunday (this morning. And, well, a bit of the afternoon too.) There should be photos, but as I'm writing this on a train, I only have inch-high TFT previews to go by. Been a long time since I got photos. Been a much longer time since so many of us have been together in one spot... and new people too! Only missing Kate, and I can have a go at photoshopping her into a pic if anyone wants. ;)

It occurs to me that I never got anything written about the last time I was in Bristol (New Years) ...not did I manage to remember a camera then, although this was something of a relief to discover on my return, because I thought I had and consequently spent several days cursing under my breath wondering where it was. I did manage to lose an open return ticket, but that was offset somewhat by finding the rather more expensive item of electronica hanging on my wall in its usual spot.

(Speaking of return tickets, ever wondered why rail networks do such poor casual trade? It's because they're a rip off. £16 gets you from Wolverhampton to Bristol when booked 7 days in advance, but is over twice that for an open return bought on the day.)

So, New Years. Well, glossing over the moderate levels of intoxication and ensuant nudity, 'twas also a thoroughly pleasant house party (which I think means next New Years will be a club event, working to an alternating formula of party / sweating the night away in similar environment to that enjoyed by rats in behavioural testing laboratories. They'd have to be very friendly, huggy rats of course, but I doubt I was the only one whose paws were hunting for the sugar pellet release lever by several'o'clock of the morning.) Curiously, I don't really feel that hungover today, though the constant vibration of trains and coaches never sits well with me. I think Glyn's asleep and no-one is particularly alert. Writing is good, though, as it keeps the brain in motion and doesn't require prodigious thumb muscles as would a keyboard, mini or otherwise. Can't see myself hanging onto the Sharp... pen and paper can't be beaten for just spooging thoughts, and that's most of my mobile output. Though perhaps I should learn shorthand, in preference to scrawl few besides myself can decipher. Something to think about, perhaps, whilst getting into the habit of being clearer.

I'm going to take a detour to pass over a Douglas Coupland quote now, just because.

God, she's skinny! I think I'm going to bring her snacks to eat tomorrow while she works. I hope this isn't like feeding a raccoon.

It's one of thousands of similar densely-packed bundles of meaning in the book, but one I appreciate all the more for having mulled over. The initial meaning I think we're intended to derive is that Dan is a little worried Karla will keep coming back... there's an instance a few pages back where he and Todd are feeding flat foods underneath Michael's door and she berates them for encouraging him... Dan uses the raccoon comparison then. And perhaps in this second usage he is unsure, nervous or resentful of the attraction... but there are other reasons not to feed raccoons, which have more to do with the raccoon itself. Feeding wild animals changes them... and, well, there's something highly romantic about appreciating things and people for what they are and not trying to change them. Run with us... we are free... Selah. :)

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