More chocolate, less socks.

Inspiration struck as I hobbled through Brixton this evening after a short, sweet shopping expedition to Oxford St following work. Top Shop have rearranged their bulk buy lolly section! There seems to be a lot less to choose from, but luckily I could still find the big round chocolate wheels with fairy sprinkles on. Yum.

Primark is a pretty disturbing place, but suitable for cheap trackies and pajamas. Even with the very long queue to the changing rooms it was still a better experience than when I tried to buy running socks at Foot Locker. Where does a girl buy a decent pair of running socks? Does such a thing exist? I need socks, because after an accidental six month hiatus, I started jogging on Sunday. I tried again Monday, and today I can report that my left quadricep is close to rupture. Still, if I can get myself out of bed before I wake up in the morning, I'll give it another shot.

Tomorrow night there is a planned expedition to Corsica Studios, at Elephant & Castle, to see Devastations.

the important questions

..and today's instalment is whether I get the yellow or the black shoes. Thoughts?

It was a good idea to host two couchsurfers this weekend. Means I don't spend money I don't have on petrol I don't need to drive someplace I don't have to go to see persons that aren't going anywhere anyway.

Last night's Dimmer gig was good fun, and as it was my last gig for my current employment I had a drink or two to mark the occasion. Today's been a little slow, but I'm still here in Grey Lynn. Strange relentless pull to be elsewhere. But I'm still here.

Offloading

Two months from ground zero, so to speak, my most important task is to free myself of this net of material possessions. I'm collecting bags of clothes, with the intention of taking them to a recycle shop. I'll do that today. But it's an agonising job.

For the majority, it's a simple decision. Do I ever wear it? No - and it's in decent condition - so it goes in the bag. But there are some tricky ones.

I will sell my suit. It's in pristine condition and I just got all the mould drycleaned off. What about my puffer jacket? It was excellent in keeping the icy Danish air at bay, but I've barely worn it in New Zealand. Will I swallow my pride and make like a marshmallow, or can I count on searching out a new warm outer shell by the time I hit a winter?

Such are the big questions of my Saturday. At least I'm not hungover, although I suspect I deserve to be. See you later on at Phoenix Fest.

sleeping on the floor

I have spent loads of money at Kathmandu lately (THANKS DAD!!).

To wit:

- 1x Odyssey std sleeping bag, willow/green
- 1x std silk sleeping bag liner, charcoal
- 1x sleeping bag storage bag
- 1x std 3.8cm self-inflating mattress, royal red
- 1x packaway rain jacket, black
- 1x LED head torch (GEEK!)
- 1x ultra deluxe toilet bag, petrol
- 1x money belt, black (no flesh tones for me, thanks very much)

Now I just need a large quick-dry towel, and I'll be set.

I bought most of the above on last Saturday afternoon, then was caught up with baking, sausage sizzling, being somewhat dismayed by the New York Dolls (call me ignorant), hanging out with Rhys Lightning and then meeting some Belgian couchsurfers so there was no chance to break my new gear out of the plastic until around 3am. By this time I was a little inebriated, so when I tried out my sleeping situation complete with bag, liner and mattress, I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow! There was some confusion when I woke up a few hours later. But I guess the important thing is that it was comfy.

What is the B for?

Today I stuck the first marker pin onto the map of my forthcoming European adventure - I booked flights from Frankfurt to Valencia, to arrive just prior to Benicàssim.

I also bought a new sleeping bag. It's green! The space I will save compared to the old one will be used up with another purchase I have yet to make: a self-inflating mattress. Mandatory. Kathmandu Easter sale is tops.

I have been driving a Prius lately, and it's something of a joy after my aging Prelude. However I have a question. To the right of the steering wheel, beside the slot for the 'key', is a 'power' button. That's not my question, I just wanted to mention it because it's so cool. My question relates to the joystick on the left of the steering wheel. The map on top of it which tells you which gear you're aiming for has the standard R for reverse, D for drive and N for neutral. Park is a big button marked P. But in addition, there's a B. WHAT IS THE B FOR? Someone tell me so I don't have to resort to reading the manual (which is obviously one of those things one doesn't do.)

Calexico!

I just smiled and smiled. Up the front, there was a small altercation with some talking people near the start, but really, it was smiles. I really love this band and without exception, all their output.

They played several songs from Garden Ruin, but also tracks from Spoke, and Feast of Wire ('Across The Wire' and 'Sunken Waltz' and 'Not Even Stevie Nicks' and 'Guero Canelo'), and 'Alone Again Or', and when I told Joey how I hadn't realised that that was a cover, he touched my arm again and said thanks.

I stood about afterward, and Joey Burns came and talked to me. I smiled. I chastised the double bass player about the poor merch selection, and sifted backstage to add John Convertino's signature to my purchases.

UPDATE! I found the setlist for last night. And I just spent over $100 on merch. Yusssss And check out the tour diary entry on NZ. It is so refreshing to be starstruck.

New Music Sanity

I've been fully into retail therapy this week. Tuesday saw me at a frayed end, until I took myself to Real Groovy. I took home the new Shins album (which WON'T PLAY IN MY COMPUTER! WHICH MEANS I CAN'T HEAR IT!! except at work), the Onus of Sand by Little Bushman (whose website DOESN'T EXIST!), and Jakob - Subsets of Sets (I lied when I said I had the entire back catalogue. But I do now).

I was actually after Calexico's Garden Ruin in anticipation of their show here in a few weeks' time. So today, during a tiny window of work down time, I searched for it at a few online stores. Then I realised that my smug period of spend,spend,spend was over now that I have spent any surpluses I had unwittingly built up. I'll buy it another time.. first I'll probably get The Good the Bad & the Queen. Maybe. Should I?

I was reading postsecret today, only I almost cried so I had to stop. I've been at work way too long. Funny how short weeks can be so tough.

Tomorrow I go on a wee adventure down to Christchurch and Queenstown. Fingers crossed for good weather and good photo opportunities.

New people

I want the itunes store to have tabbed browsing. I am so accustomed to following eight trains of thought at the same time using firefox, that I demand the ability to multi-task as I shop. The layout is not intuitive.

There's been a change of flatmates at my place - seeyou to Brian and Simon and hello to Mike and Mish. This evening, some friends and I went to the airport to wave off our friend Jane, and wish her well for her travels in South America.