these moments that I've had.

Sunday, May 30, 2004

Wedding Party for dear old friend, Linda, at the Hobgoblin on Holloway Road, last night. Me, Dave and Rob. Sorry not to see old friend Maria there, but she couldn't make it over from New York. An eclectic mix of cultures, but we still had to listen to Mobile Disco Man. A real let-down. Dave wanted to leave after half an hour, and even before the bride and groom showed up(!). Rob and I hung in there and by 11pm I was begging to be allowed to stay to get even more drunk (I don't get out much), but I think it was probably wise leaving when we did, as I ended up larking about on the Tube platform, including (purposefully and comdedically - well I laughed and I know Rob did so too)) falling down at one point. If only I'd resisted the lure of the kebab shop, I'd be heading for my third stone in weight loss since November. Alas, I seem to be stuck again, at 2.5 stones.

posted by Darren | 9:37 PM

Friday, May 28, 2004

Places in my heart this week... Walthamstow, Basildon, Romford, Beckton(née Gallions Reach) and Weatherfield.

posted by Darren | 10:45 PM

Monday, May 24, 2004

Great weekend in Manchester and Blackpool.

Morrissey was great at the M.E.N. Arena. We saw Amy Lamé and her girlfriend hand-in-hand, and our mate Big Jase, wandering around the concourse prior to the start of the gig.

No sign of any Manchester-based Premiership footballers, or any Coronation Street stars, though.

Unfortunately.

I had a pen and a bit of scrap paper handy just in case, and my camera-phone primed.

Hey ho. I'm just coming to terms with this and should be over it mid-week.

posted by Darren | 8:42 PM

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Go on Eileen! Smack 'er !

posted by Darren | 10:25 PM

Monday, May 17, 2004

Southend was nice today. Level 7 of the Victoria Plaza Shopping Centre car park gives stunning views over the Thames Estuary. Lots of garden centres on the A127. Thought of Blue Witch as I sailed past in my VW Passat TDI company car.

posted by Darren | 9:15 PM

Saturday, May 15, 2004

Well, the Ukraine entry was quite catchy and I did score it highly on my score card.

Poor Norway though. :(

posted by Darren | 10:48 PM

Currently (strangely) surprised by the Eurovision voting patterns....same thing every year.

Cyrpus give 12 pts to Greece.
Greece give 12 pts to Cyprus.
Germany give 12 pts to Turkey.
Turkey give 12 pts to Germany.
Balkan countries give 12 pts to other Balkan countries.
etcetera.

UK currently have 5 pts and my three favourite tracks have 4pts(Iceland) and nil pts apiece(Norway and Ireland).

Wogan just said "Good grief, I need a drink" and "Serbia and Montenegro? 109pts? I wouldn't have given them 1!".

Good old Tel.

In the meantime, do me a favour and help get the horny, gay, male nurse, a new contract in Corrie by signing this.

posted by Darren | 9:24 PM

Friday, May 14, 2004

8 days, 10 towns. Westminster, Scunthorpe, Beckton, Walthamstow, Greenwich, Enfield, Harrow, Leicester, Nottingham, Weatherfield. It's so draining.

posted by Darren | 7:56 PM

Monday, May 10, 2004

I'm off oop north for a couple of days work.

posted by Darren | 9:27 PM

Sunday, May 09, 2004

"I never noticed Bruno much before the current storyline He was just Sarah's boyfriend to me, cute yeah, but that was it, I never took any notice of his acting or anything like that before. But now he's been given the chance to really shine and show what he can do and show a whole different range of emotions and he has just been absolutely spectacular, completely phenomenal "
- quote from an internet forum.

I agree.

Therefore, I think I need help.

Fast.

posted by Darren | 6:09 PM

Saturday, May 08, 2004

Was so impressed with Friday's "USA-type retail developments", that I dragged Dave back to one of them. We saw some East End chav-scum having a (car park)road-rage fight with some muslims. The women came to blows through an open car window, including the white woman spitting at the muslim woman. Muslim man said "Did you spit at my woif? Thats bang owt of oarda!"(*east end accent*).

We were amused, while being alarmed at any possible racial undertones.

It also stank of shit, as there is a sewage works nearby.

posted by Darren | 10:49 PM

Friday, May 07, 2004

Went to two stores today, both of which are located in retail developments that, if it had been warmer, would have given me major déja vu about being back in the USA. The Americanisation of Britain. Great if you love your retail experiences.

It's Maria's 21st Birthday Party in Coronation Street tonight. All (gay) eyes will be on the unfolding of the Todd/Karl/Sarah storyline, of course.

posted by Darren | 6:17 PM

Thursday, May 06, 2004

New job, New phone, New car, New lease of life, New TV series, New Alanis.

posted by Darren | 7:52 PM

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Wasn't as ugly as it sounds.

posted by Darren | 7:23 PM

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

That was the first day that was....

interesting.
easy.
uplifting.
informative.

I'll be challenged tomorrow though.............. I'm off to Scunthorpe!

posted by Darren | 7:50 PM

Monday, May 03, 2004

In just over 12 hours, I'll be getting out of bed and heading back to work, after just over two weeks off. Back to the same office I left 18 days ago. Back to a different job. Over the last couple of days, I think I've been having one of my/those usual 'panic attacks', that I get before a job change. I'm still with the same company I've been with since I left college, but I've changed jobs and moved location 6 times now, but my last (location) change was in 1997, so quite a wrench to be leaving, in some respects.

I don't actually feel scared, or particularly (visibly) worried, but there is definitely something 'wrong' with me, affecting my mood, beyond the usual post-holiday-blues (We didn't really go on holiday, just a trip to Blackpool and to see our families. Maybe we should have done that, though; had a real BLAST before I have to get stuck into real work and learning, for the first time in months(years?)).

If you don't hear from me again this week, you'll know that I'm cocooned, curled in a ball, á la Bob Geldof(post-Paula-death), in the bedroom, after feeling I've made the biggest career mistake of my life.

Though, nothing ventured...

posted by Darren | 5:49 PM

Sunday, May 02, 2004

If you are off work and have nothing to do, why not watch TV, it can be very educational.

You start off with a bunch or weirdos fighting out over some ugly bird, followed by advice on how to spot a lost 'Picasso' down the market and make a profit of £4.60.

posted by Darren | 9:45 PM