Away, books

Today is my last day at work and tomorrow I am required to get up unfeasibly early to go to Paris. This should in no way be interpreted as a complaint!

Evania and I will spend Christmas in Paris, before heading to the Jungrfrau region of Switzerland for a few days. Next we visit the Rhine Valley before taking in Amsterdam for New Year. It's the perfect time for a holiday, with a particularly hectic final quarter nearly over and various projects requiring breathing space for perspective. Much as I'm loving London of late, I need to get away, and particularly away from my mobile phone and its inherent temptations. 2009 promises challenge, both new and old.

Katy has given me Sloane Crosley's 'I Was Told There'd Be Cake' for Christmas, and I'm looking forward to reading this over the break. Also in the stack are Ken Follett's 'World Without End' and finishing off the latest build-a-better-me book, 'Persuasion: the Art of Influencing People' by James Borg.

Happy Christmas everybody: enjoy the sun, if that's where you are, and if not: it's all about the mulled wine.

catching up

Prior to my departure for ATP vs Pitchfork at Pontins in Camber Sands this evening here's an update on me. First, some advice on clicks elsewhere - go here to see the beginnings of my photos taken while touring Switzerland and France with Jakob. And then go here to see a video of me which I made on my birthday.

I had a great weekend away being a tourist on tour, although that felt a bit wrong so I made a place for myself helping out on the merch table most evenings. Stick with what you know! Switzerland was beautiful, as was France, and so hot! I swear it was hotter in Feyzin than a NZ summer. I was not prepared for that. Also, France was very pretty, even at the service centre truck stops we frequented. Lots of green and the fields of rapeseed were spectactular.

Most of the days were spent laxing in the van en route, which was huge and well kitted out. There was a lot of sleeping, a lot of potato chips, and time spent reading and watching movies. This is not to mention gazing at the beautiful scenery passing by the window. Following the final show of the tour in Nancy, we had a fun night of revelry and said goodbye to Thad and Justin of the Austerity Program, as they were leaving early in the morning. I got hassled for the lack of early Shihad on my ipod, and slept on the floor. Justice!

Next morning we drove north to Antwerp and there said goodbye to the unflappable Joris of Conspiracy Records, and the guys from Isis. We missioned on to Amsterdam, where we observed a strange sort of street fight between gangs of teenagers in an outlying suburb. It was a situation of, "Quick, get the gear into the van, jump in, lock the doors!!" They seemed to be hitting each other with sticks. We left as the police arrived, and drove on to our box airport hotel.

I spent the last day partly with Peter the Isis discographer (every tour needs one!) and Peter the soundman, and then on my own, cruising around Amsterdam revisiting old haunts.

Back to London for a few days, then along with group of mates drove down to Newquay for the weekend. Great road trip, in a great old van. We saw Stonehenge, some pubs, the inside of the van, Fistral beach, the Fort Inn. Then we drove back again.

An amazing thing happened during my lunch break today. As I waited at the lights after buying tissues, painkillers, ear drops (my hearing is severely diminished today), jaffa cakes and twix bars in preparation for ATP, I heard a little voice at my left elbow. "Can I cross the road with you, love?" A small elderly lady was beside me. Taking her bag, I offered her my arm. "I'm afraid my kneecap will go in the middle of the street." Quite a reasonable request. Once the green man appeared, we set out, with the lady thanking me repeatedly. We continued in this way to her bus stop, just near my office, where she thanked me some more. Truth is, I was grateful to be asked. The experience took me quite out of myself.

Final thought before I take off. How is it that it's taken me eight months to notice that the return and enter keys on my keyboard are navy, rather than uniform black? So many lessons to be learned.

hypermarché

Yesterday, Ange, Rin and I went to Coquelles for the day. We went on a bus, which went on a train, under the English Channel. Quite strange really. It was a good day, although we needn't have been in France - we could have been anywhere.

Next weekend there are various birthday and engagement festivities planned. The following weekend, I head to Scotland to take in the sights of Glasgow in Jane's company, and perhaps also check out an infrequent club night in some ancient caves beneath Edinburgh. Rin, Ange and I descend upon Amsterdam the weekend after, for some compulsory exploration, and them I have one further weekend in London before we all head over to Tuscany for Christmas and New Year.

Lest January become dull, I have a week in Turkey at the end of the month. I'll spend a few days in Istanbul with Libby and Guy, then see what's happening in Antalya.

There was a long delay at the tunnel terminal. I passed an hour looking through 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, gaining inspiration for heightened music collecting. More, more. The book made we want to relisten to lots of the listed albums which I already own, with the White Stripes' Elephant taking first honours.

After going for a run this morning, I spent the day in horizontal mode on the sofa kicking back through four episodes of Outrageous Fortune season one. I think it might be my favourite tv show ever. I also want to buy Spaced and Flight of the Conchords. TV series on dvd is the way forward, particularly as the days shrink and the cold settles in.