Tocsin! getting alarmed about not much: May 2007

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

coming home!!!

This is weird. I am running about, cleaning and packing and listening to the proclaimers on you tube. :o)
Fly back for just over a week tomorrow (wed).
First have to go to Dundee for a few days then home to Glasgow. And I am grinning from ear to ear just thinking about standing in the rain on Bath Street. Of walking into a bar and asking for a pint.
I think I'll miss the coffee from here, but I'll have some beer to make up for it.
For those friends who read this, see you soon.
Arrrgh!!!!
:o)

Sunday, May 27, 2007

haggis dead!!! headline news

Haggis last night was ritually slaughtered before a small but blood thirsty crowd. The following is a clipping from a completely fictitious newspaper.

Haggis disaster,
Death by disco


The naïve young haggis took to the decks with an optimism which out stripped his experience, and crowd control abilities, a recipe for humiliation. Opening with an eclectic and entertaining set he began to alienate his crowd as they revealed themselves as unforgiving and not fans of all things electro. One observer was heard to say “What’s this terrible noise, is this all he plays?” The small crowd had armed themselves with pitchforks and other rudimentary agricultural tools and were calling for him to be driven from the bar. This caused a deviation from the set where he played relentless guitar based indi music such as the Kills and Glitter Mini 9, but it was too late. They could not be appeased. After attempts to quell their anger, Haggis gave up and tried in vain to fight back with the advertised dark alternative electro mixture, the addictive strains of Seleenkrank worked well for him, but the crowd was once more angered.

Discontent

There was some crowd discontent and someone’s foot was stood on during the affray. By the time Hocico and Soman had been played, the outcome was inevitable, a request for Bloc Party nearly broke the spirit of the young Haggis, revealing both CDs he pointed to the latest release whilst bellowing that “This is complete tripe, over manufactured attempts at epic emotional outpourings, have you no objectivity in what you listen too? Are you sheep? who are the dark forces who manipulated your tastes to such bilge”. Once the tranquiliser dart began to take effect he relented and normal service was resumed.
An elderly gentleman, armed with a scythe, said “normally I like to come in here for a quiet game of chess before going on to the next realm, but this music was too dark and too spooky even for me, and I know dark and spooky”.

Terror

A government spokesman for popular music said “This is the next step in the war against terror, things that make us afraid are our enemies and young men who play music favouring the minor chord are perpetrators of such feelings. This has to be dealt with, harsh music requires harsh response” In a statement President Bush said “We must classificatorilally these peoples who move through our world. Once we know who they be, we can remove them from society; just because you like short bread, doesn’t mean it’s ok to eat short bread, I think the people know what has to be done”. Haggis has been moved to a secure location where the government are debriefing him with potent drugs and electricity.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Sorry Mr Fly :o)

Well tonight is weird, even by the previously fairly high standards set. The night has been dominated by trying to detail the results from the baby of my PhD research. I think I keep losing direction. First, trying to write a scientific paper in prose, not so good. Your average novel doesn’t lend itself so well to diagrams and topological representation of data, unless you count The Lord of the Rings. Secondly, the lightening storm and heavy rain. Never could resist those. Storms are always better observed with a favourite beverage. I had some Bombay Sapphire and tonic…
The door is now open, I am watching the rain, waiting for lightning and the insects of Guimarães are seeking shelter. No romance in their hearts, or whatever they have for circulationary facilitation, no appreciation of a good storm. So, a rather long and slender fly appears on the screen of my computer, wanders down and disappears into the keyboard!!! It reappears some moments later, just to the left of the f1 key. I quickly flick it off the computer and it seems I have damaged its leg. As it wanders in a wide circle, , approx 2m radius, on the floor. Be impressed by my floor space! But unimpressed by my cruelty to insects :o(
Sorry Mr Fly, I know you had family, and just wanted shelter from the rain. Do insects repair well? I mean, he’s not dead, just a bit limpy. Maybe he was stunned.
This requires more Gin….

Sunday, May 20, 2007

cold day. la la la la

Now this is weird. It's been really quite hot all week but today, it's very misty. This means we have the diffuse and dim lighting from the sun but the usual heating is quite muted, in other words, it's cold. So I have the windows (technically doors but they don't lead anywhere) open and I'm enjoying being cold. No further evidence of my insanity really required I think...

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Friend from university in dear old Glasgow posted some stuff in his blog.
First the google directions thing, scroll down on the linked page above
Secondly the 8th grade science thing in which I got the rocks wrong, and forgot about respiration. There were others but I can't remember
results were:
Mingle2 Science Quiz

would you put lizards in your TV set?

On the infrequent occasions I have visited the wilderness of that dear place Scotland it has become apparent that I have a slightly unreasonable fear of snakes. I’m not afraid of their bitey nature. Although thinking about it, I find my heart rate has gone up a little. What I am afraid of is the possibility that poor snakey will be alarmed by me almost standing on him and seek shelter up my trouser leg. The reason I tell you about this is that here we have the nicest little lizard things. Only about 9cm nose to tail and available in lime and black current flavours. As I walk down to the university each day, when the sun is out, the sit on the pavement basking in the heat. A nice lizard life I imagine, but they are quick to startle and that’s my problem. What if, in their panic, one darts up my trouser leg? I have considered the possibility of using some kind of flexible wall, to fit snugly around the ankle and secure against the wall of the trouser of choice. This would of course make me look completely mental and as such I have added it to the list of things not to do, but as I look at the pages, society is looking increasingly prohibitive and inflexible. I may have to go underground…

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

May flyer landscape version

I thought that as these things are on the interweb, it makes sense to have a landscape version. I think it's pretty.

:o)

dozy creature

last night I had the weirdest dream. I've written it down, so I will try and take the time to put it here. although I think when I do that I'll give up halfway through because it'll be pretty dull. I did have Bill Bailey as a flatmate though, so ah ha ha ha ha ha! I'm tempted to make some custard. have it with my last apple turnover the delectable stuffed badger sent me. Or I could just have some caffeine free Earl Grey... Choices choices
Bed I think.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Fun with Knives...

I saw this too. Get your kids comfortable with sharp objects from an early age. I suppose there is a similar doctorine with toy guns, except, this isn't a toy knife...



Of course it might just be a good way of teaching kids to be more practical; but I would envisage many unpleasant trips to accident and emergency with this one.

A few weeks ago...

A few weeks back, I babbled on a bit about the excellent outlets of illicit tat in the bus station in Braga. Well, finally I downloaded the pictures from my phone, so please, a big hand of appreciation for our very special guests.


Nob Color. Who thought this was a good name?



This is lame, but amusing deliberate mis-spelling of Panasonic. Fooling no one. but she does look happy with her hair though.


Baring in mind the importance of data security, I'd be interested in what monkey would store his files on ROMs with a name like Banana digital...

And finally, this tatty radio which the "designer" thought would be improved with the addition of a Mercedes Benz emblem afixed to the top face. Nasty, quite quite nasty.




So, shop at Braga Bus station is the message I'm not sending here.
The clock is really hideous.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Hot date!!!

And well in advance we have...

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

More Haggis my good man!!!!

Saturday went well. People liked the stuff I thought would be a bit risky, Combichrist, Icon of Coil, Apoptygma Berzerk, Velvet Acid Christ and XPQ 21 all shifted effortlessly in and out of King of Woolworths, Lemon Jelly, David Holmes, Bent and Sons of Silence. Next time I need to remember Soman and get some more K90. Unkle went well too. Thanks for suggesting that Badger.