Well, fuck me. Is it really a month since I wrote here? Is it really before Christmas? Well, shit loads has happened since then, and I've been on holiday from work for most of that time, so I certainly don't have the excuse that I didn't have time, busy as all hell as I have been. OK, so maybe I do have that excuse....
Christmas seems like a long time ago. So, I shall try to use this space to catch up on a few thoughts and things...
Christmas was great. The meal was good, although it turned out I forgot to put out the cranberry sauce. Too many people though - next time, a few less would be better.
A shame also that I only got the week off then, when I really needed two weeks - hence my current holiday. Which is why I'm sat here writing, a few beers to the good, after 1:30 at night.
The one thing that I'm finding difficult to write is the book. I'd taken a couple of weeks and really hope that I might have time to finish the initial draft. After all, it's probably only 10-20 thousand words to go. But that's difficult to get the time and concentration for. Still, getting there at last - it's been a few years in the writing, and now I have to start again with the polishing. I'll start letting other folks read the revised version too.
Over in the US, I'm getting more and more fascinated with Barack Obama. I first heard about the guy before his keynote convention speech, in this article. And I watched his announcement of running live. And I've seen a few of his speeches, and they're damned good. I'd like to hear him speak live, because he seems better than Jesse Jackson, who up to now was my high water mark in oratory. I've listened to Jesse live, and that's a hell of an experience, whether with 250 people or 250 thousand. But I was always very conscious that Jesse is a politico. Barack Obama genuinely strikes me as an extraordinarily intelligent guy who seems to be seeing through the game. The only bit tat bothers me is his Christianity, but even here, I'm impressed because he never raises his god-bothering in his speeches. Doesn't even give the near-compulsory "God bless America" type of bullshit. He's an activist from a working class part of Chicago, who went back there even after his Harvard Law School degree, who never did the corporate lawyer schtick. He was earning about the same as me before he got elected to the senate four years ago - which isn't average income, but ain't the usual big lawyer money either.
So, much as I despise politicians, there seems to be something genuine with this guy. He's doing something too that is on a bigger scale than British or Dutch politicians can manage. When he talks about "changing the world" as President - well, that means something, because, theoretically, he can.
Now we wait and see if the multinational world will allow change. And even here, i suspect, he may be lucky, because the multinational CEOs know things have to change. They're way more conscious of Hubbert' s Peak than the average bod, but they don't know what to do. When Obama speaks of the race for Renewable Energy being analogous of the Race for the Moon - this may represent our last, best hope.
Meanwhile, in other news...;-)
Suharto died a couple of days ago, and good riddance to the vicious old fuck. Now if only Thatcher would have the good taste to pop her clogs while I'm on holiday.
Which reminds me of an old blog - even Sharon's still alive, if I remember correctly. Hope the nasty old cunt is really suffering - he deserves it.
Elsewhere - well, the children continue to grow, and I continue to talk with people about a new job. We'll see what pans out on the latter, and on the former - well, they continue to be awesome, so i won't use the blog to rant about how great my kids are. It is nice though, to have some time with them where I'm not stressed from work, where I can really make time for them. To be reading 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' to Willow is one of the true high points in my life so far.
I even do lots of silly voices....
Just listening now to Pet Shop Boys' 'Rent'. A fantastic song, that was a big hit, and most of the people buying it had no clue what it was about. Even dancing to it, down in Heaven, most of the boys didn't have a clue about the feelings behind it. Still, it reminds me of the nights down there, and down Bang, Henry Africa, and all the clubs I can't remember the name of. Names and impressions of that party: Marc Almond speeding, the barman playing with my nipples, chatting myself up in a mirror, falling asleep on the Circle Line. Looking back now, nearly twenty years on, it's difficult to believe that that was me. There's only Bri still around, and he's only just back around, who knows what Iwas like back then, to my embarrassment probably. And even he didn't know me down the gay clubs - even then it was a private party that i enjoyed from time to time. East End Boys and West End - well, whatever...
Huge quantities of drugs helped of course. My favourite on that was in Amsterdam, at Exit, when I was stood in the line to get in, absolutely fucked up out of my face. I forget where I'd got money from, but I know I'd come from Dave's, which meant huge amounts of speed and whiskey. Stood there in a barely moving line, I suddenly noticed a small line of guys about my age stood at another entrance. Somebody came to that side door and let them in, and I jumped queues and tagged along behind. We went up some small backstairs, until we were in the VIP area. I never did find out who or why these guys were al there - I assumed rent boys, but nobody was waiting to receive us. And nobody stopped me going down onto the main floor and leaving the VIP world behind.
I suppose I could volunteer and help the Obama campaign. I could imagine them even using a bright guy like me.
So what do you reckon - do you think I'd be a liability? ;-)
Fuck it. Obama smoked crack too.
And fuck - get those troops out of Iraq. Fuck the oil - get shit sorted...And don't fuck with Iran.
