The Dark Masquerade

I figured I had better post something new, as I was starting to get a little annoyed at the constant delivery of the word 'ANUS' in bright colors whenever I checked everyone's blogs (which I do the crap way, as I haven't been bothered to set up RSS feeds properly yet).

So, on to the actual subject matter: The Dark Masquerade.

As balls go, I'm not generally a huge fan (Yep. I'm happy to let the ambiguity run wild there, just for everyone's amusemement). This is mostly based on the fairly lackluster affairs that occured during:

A) high school: where I hated the music and, as I didn't really know any of the girls there, would rather have just spent yet another night drinking at someones house with my mates. Also, I was a teenager, and you seem to take a ot of pride in disliking things (at the very least) at that age. /shrug

B) uni: where I also loathed the music and couldn't ever manage to get drunk enough, despite the shining promise of open bars. (Technically I was also a teenager for some of these, but I'm not sure if that really counts)

However, this particular one I did enjoy. For one thing, a lot of effort had gone into costume and it looked pretty smooth, and, as you may have guessed by the name, it was a ball that was really targetted at the more alternative crowd. For one thing, this meant that the music was pretty good. I actually found myself go: 'Cool! I love this song' (This particular response I can attribute to David Bowie's 'I'm afraid of Americans' coming on) and stuff.

Also, I didn't really need to worry about not knowing any of the girls there, this time. Tee hee.

There are a couple of links up for photos, but one of them is a pain to use, so here's the 'Highlights' one (which we actually made it into, woo!).

Now I have a whole week of nightshifts, which is something of a bringdown. But! at least I've got a cool brocade jacket and mask and stuff hiding in a wardrobe somewhere. Maybe I should dress up to come into work. Might make things a little more interesting....

More fun out the back at the BBC

Man. Just realised how dodge that sounds.

Ahem, anyways. Check out the fun someone was having with sets from children's programs:



Hahaha. Awesome.

Music update

The world of Barnes's music:

Mogwai:

Gotten some good milage out of the album 'Mr Beast' and am moving slowly towards 'Yount Team', but not finding this as good so far. We'll see.

The Mars Volta

Well, I only have HALF of an album, I think. Dont ask me how that happenend. Anyway it is 'De-Loused in the Comatorium', and seems to be not bad. Dangerous proximity to hipster territory, but I think still acceptable, given caution.

Thome York

'The Eraser'. Mixed bad. Has some really good stuff and some definate filler tracks. Very much sounds like a 'laptop production' effort, but still acceptable stuff, I think. Particularly go for 'The Clock', 'Black Swan', 'And it Rained All Night' and 'Harrowdown Hill'.

Otherwise, I've found that NIN is almost perfect walking music. Good tempo to ensure that I'm not late for work, particularly. I need more of this stuff, as I only have a couple of albums at the moment.

Actually, I am in need of a new music binge very soon, methinks.

Making with the belated chrissy greetings, and such

So, as noted by young Sarah, I've been a bit of a lazy arse with the posting, of late.

It HAS been xmas, and I've had my mind on getting a few things together for that. In the end, I had a lovely Polish-style dinner on Xmas eve, with Natalie (a name that some may recognise and others may not) and her parents.

Xmas day invovled me driving (in a borrowed car) across London to Coz's place, where we proceeded to do more of the whole over-eating thing (as is required by the traditions of the season). We essentially had a roast dinner, which was also pretty good. Unfortuntaly we (Rob, Coz, Natalie and I) had done far too much eating to be able to think about getting drunk in the evening and so just took it quietly and chilled out, essentially.

Yeah. So, drove back to Natalie's again on Boxing day, and ate some more! Tough work, with the continual eating of tasty food, but these are the sacrifices we make, I suppose.

And that was Xmas (you'll notice I'm too lazy to use the full spelling. So sue me)

Aaand last night was New Years. I may or may not be feeling a bit wonky due to too much Cider last night. Oh well. Perhaps this is also something of a seasonal tradition...?

Anyways, packed in with a bunch of people (IE thousands of Londoners) along the Thames embankment and watched the fireworks. Chatted with people, drank cider and then tottered off home. Oh, with a brief tustle with rampantly overcrowded tubes.

So. Thats the finale for 2006. Another year older and wiser and uglier, and all that. Many thanks to those who have sent xmas and new years greetings. Some people I've gotten on to personally and others seem to have been luckier...

Anyways, will try to catch people in time. Cheers all.

Another test thingy (where do these all come from?)

There are a power of these things around, and I have never figured out why...

But anyway, I often stop to do them, because I'm easily distracted.

The results for this one seems to say that I'm all lovely and super into cuddles, which I'm not sure how to take, actually. Perhaps I shouldn't be broadcasting this sort of thing to the world. Meh.