Archive for year 2003

Bad Buys 2 is brilliant, just the right mix of comedy, explosions and car-chases. Complete garbage but enjoyable and that’s all I look for in films at the moment, in a similar vein the trailer for Kill Bill (Part 1) looks good, especially with the nice homage to Game of Death (hope you spotted it too). Also spotted the evil girl from Battle Royal sporting an even eviler (is that a word?) looking mace. Should be good.

Went back to Mark’s flat afterwards and won my first game of Risk, mind you half the opponents were pissed! Missed the DLr and had to sleep on Mark’s futon. Kept scaring the shit out myself cos its right next to mirrored cupboards, and everytime I moved in the twilight I could see something moving across the room – red wine does bad things to me! SPeaking of which it seems Byrney crept home after getting wasted and puking in a taxi and then decided to put his puke-trid clothes in the washing machine, with his wallet, bank cards, cash, payslip etc etc in the pockets. Good work B!

Heard from Oz, reminded me its Andy J’s birthday soon -> happy birthday to him!!

Lazy day today, nowt on the the telly so might have to drag my carcass down to the gym!!

Jp

Dollar was fun at the weekend but a bit strange to be honest. When I turned up the only piece of furniture left were four chairs, kitchen table and Mum and Dad’s bed. There were no other beds, no cupboards nothing! Went all that way to sleep on the floor, but it was good to help out with the last stages of packing, moving and clearing. Even managed a quick trip to Largs to drop stuff off.

There was a huge party in the hall for Mum and Dad, around 250 people there which was a bit dounting when we walked in to the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen in there. Lots of speechs and the odd comical turn later we dragged the family out to a Dollar pub for the first time in the 14 years we’ve lived there! Aunti Jacquline and Uncle David were down and a great help at sorting things out. Aunti Mo and Uncle Augusto came to the party too.

Work’s a bit of a nightmare for me cos I doing a solid 11 hours a day which is starting to kill me but I’m planning to spend this weekend sleeping. Bit of argy bargy today over some stuff but think we came out on top. I’m off tomorrow morning to get my stiches out and its “Jeans for Genes” day so casual stuff which’ll be a nice change.

Not much else to report, haven’t been out at all this week so have to make up for it tomorrow!

Jp

Spent all of yesterday digging, shovelling, screwing and carrying wheel barrow’s full of gravel! Two of the grads (Lorna and Johnny) organised a bunch of us to help out a school in a disadvantaged area of East London (Hackney) and they got us to do a bit of a Groudforce on their garden. I think there were 24 of us and we basically had a list of stuff that needed done including building garden furniture, painting rooms, digging paths, builing flower bed etc. etc.

Turns out that becuase the grads organised ourselves to do this and gave up our weekend we were awarded “Deustche Bank Citizens of the Year Award” which was £5000!!! We gave it to the school yesterday and they were well shocked, really quite cool to see the look on the head-mistresses face.

Should really have been a bit of a two day job really, we started at about 9.30 and we finished at 7.30 but there was still stuff to do the in garden, a bunch of us offered to come back and help finish it off, be really nice when its done.

Thursday night was spent in the King’s Arms again, bit of a boys night out so really good to catch up with the lads. Some went on to Charlies but I was too tired and had a hospital appointment the next day. Don’t worry nothing major just needed a look at a mole that went a bit “angry”. Having it removed on Thursday.

Friday night went round to Mark’s new flat, pretty nice, its really big and loads of folk staying there but was nice just to chill out with a couple of cans and a curry.

Off to meet Ronnie and the Murphy clan tonight, might get my latest photos developed on the way if there is time, will post them up soon!

Another week, another post. Hmm what’s happened this week???????

Spoke to Jim, he’s back from Oz/Kiwiland (by the way do Kiwi fruits come from New Zealand originally or is that just coincidence?), doing well but sounding bored in Falkirk. Looks like me might be joining – Nev, Dan and Alan in Reading! Interview next week, so hope he does well.

Lots of nights out in the last week, not really been home before 11 any night of the week, sometimes work related and sometimes not. Been to see an Irish folk singer (John Spillane) who was quite good but I didn’t get most of the Irish jokes. A nite in a comedy club followed by the strangest club in the world – Equinox in Leicester Square. I manage dto get in and some free drinsk because I was with some girls and that was the highlight of the evening. After hours of fending off intimidating looks, gropes and the scores missing-links hunting for a mate on the dancefloor I managed to drag everyone from “Bass in your Face LONDON!!!”. Won’t be going there again in a hurry.

Also got an email today from Morven Hughes from Dollar, she’s been working in Belfast for the BBC and is coming over to London for training, would have been great to see her and catch up but I’m heading home to Dollar myself this weekend. I’ll try and meet her on Wednesday before I go.

Now I’m really struggling to remember the highlights of the week, I’ll update this properly when I remember (i.e. NEVER!).

Nite nite,

Jp

Tuesday

Back at work, too much to do, too little time. Feel like I’ve been dragged from my grave by the grim reaper and forced to go back to the salt mines for years of hard labour. Really tired by the end, spent all day yawning and sleeping. Even worse that Byrney is off, just the knowledge that he’s sleeping in when I leave for work makes it even harder to motivate myself.

Went to see Charlton Vs Everton in South-East London, 2-2 draw, with a goal by Rooney, he wasn’t in the game for most of it but his first touch is brilliant and he fights for the ball. Jason Yule of Charlton was brilliant at coming back to midfield to fight for the ball but he had so many good chances and scored only from the penalty spot (twice). I think Everton were the better team but Charlton deserved a draw.

Monday

Most of Monday spent sleeping, got up about two and then headed to Derek’s new flat where he and Johnny were watching train-spotting, completely forgot about the baby on the ceiling and the glassing at the end, genius! We then went to The Auctioneer, an its-a-scream bar in Greenwich. Good food, small pool tables and football with no commentary. Kept amused through a pretty dull game (Man City Vs Blackburn), apart from Anelka’s late winner we spent most of the time singing to “The Gay Bar”. Work tomorrow!!!

Sunday

Yawn dull night last night, and just as dull day (at least to begin with). Eventually dragged my carcass out of the flat and went to meet Matt for a pint

in Clerkenwell, we’re supposed to go to a pool hall place near training but for some unknown reason it was closed so we headed to a pikey place round the

corner. Matt humped me at pool again.

Then headed into town to The Langley where we met, Caroline and two anonymous pals, Scott, Derek, Kevin (Derek’s pal from Dundee), Jean, Paula (Jean’s older sister), and Simon. Everyone else left before midnight leaving Derek, Kevin and I to soldier on. My head was saying N’ah just head home and have a beer but sure enough it wasn’t long before we were off to….The Zoo Bar, possibly the worst place I’ve been to in London so far. We paid £6 to get in and had one drink and a shot before we left.

When all else fails we seem to end up in the Gardening Club (off Covent Garden), and tonight was no exception! Didn’t dance much or meet that many folk but it was a good laugh and Del kept us amused for all the right reasons. Drank way too many rounds of Long Island Iced Teas which I’m sure got stronger as the night went on.

Staggered out of the place before 3 and headed up to Tottenham Court Road to get the night bus home, haven’t been on the night bus since being in Tooting so it was a bit strange. Managed to grab a seat next to someone who wasn’t, a) throwing up, b) snoring c) having carnal knowledge of the person next to them so felt quite lucky! Felt even luckier by the time I had made it home without losing my dinner!