Category: Random

In a subsequent work-related development, I have been commissioned to write the Gay section of the Time Out London Guide – which will be repurposed for both print and web. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

I have an interview for a job. After almost giving up all hope of anyone ever thinking I was employable again, I have an interview for a job next Tuesday. And it’s a job I’d actually like to have as well. Frankly I’m astonished. I was having lunch with Mo yesterday and complaining about how my life was a barren wasteland of missed opportunity, when I got a phone call asking me to come in for an interview. Mo insists that it was his influence on fate behind the scenes all along.

This leaves me with a few conundra nonetheless. Should I have a haircut? Need I buy a proper set of (non-suit) interview clothes? If so, where should I find the money for such an indulgence?

It wasn’t really meant for public consumption, but if you fancy a disturbing trip into psychosis, you can read Chris’s transcript of Two Men on a Mailing List. For a short time only.

Four potentially dangerous subjects for debate:

PARTY POLITICS:
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Which political party do you support and why? Do you think William Hague was an admirable man? Is Tony Blair a toadying, insincere sychophant? Labour are all spin aren’t they? Europe is the future or Europe is the enemy? People from ethnic minorities aren’t really British at all, right? Neil and Christine Hamilton – what’s that about?

A-LIST vs THE REST:
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Who ARE the A-list bloggers? Are there A-list English Bloggers? Should
everyone else kneel down and kiss my arse? Who do you losers think you are
anyway? Coming around here and fouling up my goddam internet with your
whining… Is it like WWF? Do we get names? ‘THE PLASTIC POUNDER’, ‘THE
IRRITABLE INTERCONNNECTED ONE’, ‘DIGITALSTOMPERY’.

ABORTION:
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Are foetuses little kiddies when they’re two cells old? Or should the
parent’s right of abortion be extended until the child reaches the age of
seventy-eight?

GREYMATTER vs BLOGGER vs BENBROWN vs MOTHRA:
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Is Blogger a shiny piece of heaven fallen to earth? Or is it crap arseness?
Are we not REAL MEN unless we are building our OWN content management
systems? Is off-the-shelf too lowbrow for us? Does Ben Brown suckle on
Mammon’s ungodly teat? How about Ev? How about YOU?!

I woke up this morning with the windows and curtains open and light streaming into my bedroom and I felt completely elated and comfortable. An hour later I’d been thinking about friends and their careers and how I feel at the moment – essentially redundant, under-utilised, continually tired, like the edge and fire have been slowly rubbed away like silver plating on a cheap spoon. I don’t want to go and see my friends – I don’t really want to go outside – and I’m getting less able to smile with people who are getting on with their lives.

My darling old company is having a spring clean, 33 years after it was launched. Time Out has called in Wolff Olins to look at the magazine’s brand positioning and to see how to reenergise the flagging publication. I only worked there for two years but I have fairly strong opinions about where it’s been going wrong. I’d be interested to see how they match up with what’s going to be happening…

There’s nothing like a freshly delivered Ikea catalogue in the morning to make you feel that your life has taken an unfortunate turn for the inadequate. All those lovely, lovely places to live.

Another person has started using my little CSS template, which is, you know, nice: Quack the Duck World Tour Project.

Late night, Black Love. The Afghan Whigs sing “Faded” and I wonder where the terrible romances went.

I fear the time when I decide to emigrate this bloody country and ponce off abroad to fulfill my greater destiny is fast approaching. Goddammit I’m bored of this.