First proper day 'at home' since the holiday so a lot of domestic stuff to catch up on.
Took the kids into town first thing to get soem new sandals (only two pairs needed, so got away with a fairly cheap round) then I stayed up the local shops with Stan doing odds and ends.
Shock - horror - I BOUGHT SOME NEW CLOTHES!! That never happens int he history of EVER. Spend almost five pounds on two pairs of shorts. Had to have an icecream almost immediatlet afterwards to recover from the shock!!
Got home to find Trx has set the "paddy-la poo" up in the garden so the kids ran around splashing that while we tackled some of the back garden.
Mr Man is booked to come in three weeks time and start building our new wall so there's quite a bit of clearing up to do.
We've set this up in a "planning for success" kind of way, and pray everyday for some divine help with the financial side of the project. At the moment, we can't even pay one quarter of his (very reasonable) bill, so somethng needs to turn up quite quickly.
On paper it is fine, cos I've just doen a deal with IJW to help him out in the evenings over the next few weeks with soem work for TimeOut on some of their travel guides. He has no idea how he managed to get this contract work and is very nervous about making a good job, but I don't doubt it will be fine.
Finished off most of the bits and bobs in time to watch the second half of England's game against Paraguay, and came away from the TV laughing. It's always the same, and I do wonder why people expect it to be different.
There is an English way of playing these international games that is almost without exception disappointing,a nd yet we, as a nation, tend to think we have the best national team in the world and built it all up to me so much more than it ever is.
I feel a sense of desperation when I look at all the money people have spent on kit, banners, flags etc etc, all hopes for their future well-being and happiness pinned on the boys in germany. Isn't there anything else to live for??
We are kidding ourselves if we think England are going to win, but perhaps that's not really the point?
I watched the Germany match too, and the second half of Trinidad against Sweden. Almost without exception the players seem happy to be there, proud to be wearing the shirt and genuinely enjoying their football. We act as if winning is the only thing that matters.
This is exactly the reason I watch the World Cup but don't otherwise follow football. I like the SPORT, the GAME of football, but not all the other shit that goes with it. And why why why do the press go on and on abouty Fekking Rooney? No wonder the other players feel they can't win if he's not with them on the pitch.
Piss off and let someone else have a go.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the team and I do wish them well. But they need to lighten up, ehjoy being there and put their egoes aside for a few weeks.
And we, the supporting public, need to let them without hanging every hope we have for the future of our society on a few guys kicking a ball around. Lots of guys do that in the parks every week just for the fun of being there. It's much better to watch.
Need to work tonight on some Foxx things. I have let the Media Archive slip over the last few weeks and haven't written anything.
Sent That email on Wednesday, and having the predicted Second Thoughts about it being taken the wrong way. I know it was the right thing to do, but I am naturally a 'worry head'.
Guthrie's "Continental" album ahs only come out of the CD player to make occasional playing time for his "Everlasting" EP and a couple more dives into the pool of The Drift.
Continental is very interesting, because it has more body and depth than I expected, and is considerably more percussive than most of his other material. The last track 'Pale' is exceptionally good, and I recognise it now as closing the set at Oxford. How will I know if Foxx turned up at the Bath gig. No-one seems to have gone along to that.
What this dfoes mean of course is that I haven't yet had any burning desire to immerse myself in TinyColourMovies. One play right thru and a couple of edited highlights. there is a lot going on in the music, and its extremely clever. Good to see John moving into new areas, and I love the retrospective nature of some of the pieces (reminiscent of The Man Machine at least) but there is a move towrds the whole Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis end of the spectrum that I'm really not comfortable with.
It seems like the album is both like nothing he has done before and yet like everything he has done before. Strangely not one thing or another. I've been promised its a grower, but it's not obvious yet.
Tonight, as I write, I will it give it soem more deserved attention