way over due

no excuse, just been sitting on laptop. Started FT now, more frequent posts to come soon.

Prime Ministers Questions begins with, as all things in Parliament, with a supremely silly quasi-royal ceremony, in this case a procession of poncy men in flowing black robes, occasionally proclaiming various random things (in latin or british, can’t tell)

The question time itself was quite fun, especially because Cameron (my guy) got the better of Blair. It opened with an Labour MP’s attempted jab at Cameron that floundered as the backbencher paused (‘uh…’) to look at his cue card. Then Blair bollocksed up a comment (“We proposed anti-social behavior!”). Then Cameron asked a variety of sharp, heckling-producing questions and pre-packaged one-liners that were still funny (this government is a sinking ship – the only question is when the captain is going to leave!)

Then there was a smattering of Tory jabs at the Deputy Prim Minister, who is sleaze ridden and scandle-hounded. He’s main crime, however, is being profoundly Old Labour, and all his class warfare jabs how now come home to roost.

PMQs epitomize what I enjoy about Commons, its rough and tumble nature. Not the bloody high and mighty US Senate (world’s greatest collection of inarticulate, uninspiring windbags).

When they kick at your front door/How you gonna come?

Really, Brixton is one of those rapidly-gentrifying communities. Still elements of danger (drug pushers, had bottle waved over my head) but not really. Our apartment has an absurd metal gate, like a fort portcullis.

Other news, I failed in my first attempt at getting a Nigerian visa. Not due to the fact that it was an organizational shambles (it was), not because there was only one ticket window open (there was), nor because the line was an hour long (it was). I simply forgot to bring my passport…Yeah.

I also got in to see PMQs live two days ago. Randomly got a spare ticket to the show yesterday (quite hard to get – have been trying for past month), then at 11:45 today realized that I had lost it or forgotten it somewhere. Furious/panicked, and somehow my ineptitude was salvaged because I (incredibly) stumbled upon another person who had a spare ticket. So, scatterbrained lack of planning lucks out again. Will actually describe the experience when I have time tomorrow…

another weekend

Another family visit. This time it was ana visiting Sa-Su.

But before then was a Friday were we did our first serious home cook. By serious, I mean we threw some pre-made garlic bread in the oven, made pasta, added pesto that had gone bad, and then got sick. It was stellar.

Ana arrived Sunday morning, met her at earls court and then showed her Brixton, where we made a neat wall calendar for us (I zach and sam) to list dates of important events coming up. Then Sam Ana and I went to explore Portabello Market in Notting Hill. Nothing spectacular (or, really, remotely interesting), but we bought a fallefel, some crepes, and a David Bowie vinyl.

Afternoon and evening were spent at Finsbury park at a free open-air concert with Graham Coxon, the Wailers, Common (some rapper, don’t know). The highlight, for me, was chatting with some anarchists and buying patches (I considered it charity more than anything else). Then it was again out to bars, where we all watched Germany beat Portugal (good).

Sunday queue up at topshop before it opens, Ana and I get lost and spent over an hour looking for each other. Wound up buying some skinny pants (nice, tres euro).

a life of penury

So, Zach and Sam picked up sheets for me while I was at work. Since we are all trying to cut corners on these things and save money for bar visits and the like, they just bought the cheapest sheets they could find.

Upon opening, Sam’s reaction: “oh my god, this feels like sandpaper. The thread count is so low I can actually count the number of threads”.

Truly, we are roughing it.

The apartment is very Spartan at the moment. Three pots, set of sheets and pillows, clothes in drawers, and a bunch of stolen Marks and Spencers spoons is just about all we have. Since that list doesn’t include an iron, I’ve been trying to get the wrinkles out by steaming my shirts in the shower. Suffice to say, this isn’t very effective.

The neighbourhood is reasonably rough and tumble. Sam got harassed a bit on the way back from the game yesterday, and after I intervened the dude waved his glass bottle over my head in a vaguely menacing fashion. The mass metal gate guarding our entrance is reassuring though.

changes...

Spent the night wrapped in a giant st. george’s flag like a pissed England supporter or homeless man (indistinguishable). Sans sheets etc. because I’ve just switch apartments to the slightly dodgy Brixton area and didn’t have a chance to do shopping because of the tragic events detailed below.

Thus far, the tube has been quite good to me. Occasionally crowded, often minor delays, but nothing too traumatic.

That all changed yesterday: moving from Earls Court and burdened by literally 4 big bags, like some sort of worn out mule I staggered in to the Earls Court station (I bid thee adieu) and entered the twilightzone of tube shutdowns. My first train overshot my destination station without a word of notice, then let me know that the Victoria line (the only line to Brixton) was closed because of [unintelligible] and it all went down hill from there. After two hours of crawling from tube line to tube line, I finally stumbling through the streets crowded with Jamacians and made it to my new home.

Also, despite hearing the announcement a thousand times over the subsequent hours, I never could discern what the cause was.

still fairly boring retelling of weekend's events

(note: if you want me to email you work related notes and haven’t received what I sent this afternoon, just send me an email or comment here)

Continuing from where I left off…Sat. morning woke up to get an email from the french girls whom I had heard nothing from for two weeks since tentatively arranging the Brixton apartment. Google preview: “I’m so sorry…” Shit…I knew these girls were flaky.

My heart attack passes when I open the email and she apologizes for not getting in touch in the past couple weeks. Then it was play about on guitar for a few minutes with dad, and off to meet Zach and Sam, who were arriving from the world cup. Wandered about looking for a hostel for them, found one, went to the Design museum where there was an F1 exhibit. Dad, of course, was like an enthusiastic kid in a candy store.

We got back in time to catch the England/Portugal game, which again ended in dismay as the team I was cheering for lost. I wasn’t that heartbroken in the end – I had only decided mid-way that I’d rather listen to a week more of ‘how England will win’ stories than a several days of moaning about a loss.

And finally, in the evening we went to the Roger Waters/Nick Mason (half of Pink Floyd) concert in Hyde park. Because of my stellar directioning ability we did a couple laps around the concert before finally getting our tickets and running in to opening notes of “Is there anybody out there?“. Absolutely fantastic two-set show, the first one covering range of songs from Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun to Final Cut and Amused to Dead (lots of anti-war sentiment). Then there was the entirety of the Dark Side of the Moon in the summer twilight…awesome. Then an encore ending with Comfortably Numb.

In the mean time, France won their game against Brazil. Figures, the one time a team I’m cheering for wins, I’m not there to see it.

Sunday was more relaxed. Went to some bookstores and cafes with dad, then in the evening to catch some nu-folk band at a bar with dad, zach and sam. In between had dinner at this very strange planned community housing project called the Barbican. Look it up. Hideously ugly from the outside (think mather at Harvard or evans at Andover) but interesting designs only marginally ugly from the inside. As Zach said, it looked like one of those sci-fi shots of the metropolis of the future, except in cement instead of steel and glass.

oi

Lot has happened since I last took the time to type up things. Last weekend was good. Did nothing at all on Sunday (besides watch world cup, practice guitar, etc.) and on Saturday went to Camden with some of Juliet’s friends. It was nice – just went to a bar, chatted and listened to indie bands.

Weekday was mostly work for international dev. stuff. Thursday was late start to day, and then moving to new offices (better location politically). Took Friday off because dad flew in.

In the morning I showed him around my favorite spots in London (or at least most frequented): marks and spencer food; wow retro; and Westminster. He admired the layout + quality of M + S too. At wow we analyzed the Nehru collar jacket, and eventually (keep in mind this is my 3rd visit) decided to buy it. And then at Westminster got a tour of the building, which was nice. In the afternoon, stopped at a bar to watch the germany argentina football match (again, the team I was rooting for lost. Leaving me 0-9-1 for the Cup). The Tate Modern, Kandinsky exhibit, was pretty good. Worth seeing. Some I like, some I don’t really like, none I absolutely love.

Then in the evening we went out to bars in Camden. Intended to go to Barfly, a popular indie bar, but didn’t have enough cash for the cover. So then spent a half hour looking for an ATM, finally found one, paid a stupidly large fee, then went back. But before we got back to barfly we heard a neat band playing a small bar. Jumped inside and they were really good. No cover charge even. Band is here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=44834567

Ach, have to go. Will post more later.

-Piotr