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Advice!
Can anyone recommend a good accountant for small businesses that is based in Islington, Camden or in/around the Square Mile? I need to get the accounts and tax sorted for my Ltd company, or the fines will start to add up. If someone could ask a font of knowledge such as London.pm for me, that'd be much appreciated. Thanks in advance ...

Current Mood: stressed

Quick Question - My Bloody Valentine
Anyone been to one of the London shows over the last few days? If so, couple of questions ... Who was supporting and were they any good? What time were they on? I'd have to really rush to try and catch the support, but if its worth it I can try and get there.

Meh
Yesterday kicked up a whole lot of emotions. I was going to make a post about it all last night, hoping it might be theraputic, but by the time I got home, at 11:30pm, it was dinner and then fall asleep without even making it off the sofa.

Today - well, its been a better day at work. Pretty good actaully. And given how wrongly people have taken things I've tried to articulate in the past, it seems best to just STFU.

Not talking about things is so much easier, especially now I don't get drunk these days. And one of the things I did realise yesterday and again today is just how bad my memory is getting. There is so much of the past that I just can't remember these days; not altogether a bad thing.

(I'd better just say, this is mainly work/career/life stuff, not my relationship, so don't worry Fran)

Current Mood: blank

Politics
Dearie me, I've not got the energy to do a big post, but there were several news items this week that hit the politics spot for me. (I may update with hyperlinks when I'm back at mine):

* Severn Estuary barrage - really quite glad that the initial report into this recommended against it. The scientific/technical and economic arguments appear to speak for themselves, but on a selfish, personal, surfing note I'd like to ride the bore at some point (altho' I concede that a future scheme will be unlikely to harm the bore too much)

* Good for the Irish. I'm an arch-European, but Europe needs a more radical shake-up. And part of living under a democratic system is listening to your voters (like, y'know, when the French people reject the same-in-all-but-name). Its hard to believe that the UK were prepared to cave on treaty ratification without extracting cast-iron concessions on the CAP in particular.

* There is a free-speech/hate-speech case coming to court in Canada atm. Not done too much background reading on the trial, but using anti-hate-speech legislation to gag criticism of religion gets my goat. In a rather big way.

* Great to see UK petrol use dropped 20% last year, yet we still managed 2.5% (ish) GDP growth. Maybe something for some of our more energy hungry friends to take note of. And a good sign that, given the relative inelasticity of demand for fuel, there is still a point at which market forces are going to force greater fuel efficiency.

Ah well, asides from the above: its been a good week at work, its been nice having Reagan over for the weekend staying with Fran, Brighton was very cool last night, and next weekend I have a couple of events at the GB Nationals and then the 40th birthday of my best friend since school days in Cardiff.

I want more fetish userpics ...

Current Mood: awake

My Bloody Valentine
I have tickets for myself and Fran for the gig on Tues 24th, but Fran isn't 100% sure she wants to go. She gave Sonic Youth a miss after hearing parts of Daydream Nation and deciding that it really wasn't her kind of thing after all. So ... I have little to hand, anyone able to lend/burn me a copy of Loveless, Strawberry Wine, or summat? Or point herself in the direction of yer fav MBV YouTube video. Playing her "Kevin is gay" and saying "they sound a lot like that" doesn't really cut it :o)

I completely missed MBV live first time around, so if its half a good "reunion" gig as Sonic Youth was, I'll be one happy old indie-goth.

PS - of course, it goes without saying, if Fran decides she doesn't like MBV there'll be a spare ticket going ...

Current Mood: recovering

Free cake!
Just been out for a quick(ish) 9 mile run. My legs are buzzing a bit from the insult (n., medical: A bodily injury, irritation, or trauma). Have had a bite to eat and am having a rest on the sofa and watching the ladies final at Roland Garros until I've worked up some energy to tidy the flat up somewhat.

Oh, did I mention cake? Well, its finally sunk in that I shouldn't really buy carb-laden treats for myself and Fran, now that both of us are working out a bit more and looking to lose some weight, but I slipped up last night and now I've got a M&S chocolate brownie desert that needs to be eaten. I'll certainly have a slice, but as it feeds about 5-6 I won't be able to finish it (and I'm meant to be loading up on protein, not carbs, this month). So if anyone in Goth Valley/Holloway area fancies a bit of a treat before heading out tonight (we're off to see Sinbad et al at Electrowerkz), give me a shout, and I can come round with goodies.

Current Mood: knackered

Top notch Saturday
SonVer gig was very enjoyable. For the last song of the set, they were a five piece inc vocals, which worked really well. Funny to think that not so long ago it was just BeN & Jo, the delay loop plus the usual truck load of effects pedals. I obviously hadn't been paying attention recently, as I didn't know that Jo had done quite a bit of work with Rose McDowall, who I rate quite highly (tho' more for her work with Death In June et al than the Switchblade days). Have DVD to watch when I get back to the flat.

Late lunch with Aaron & Fran on Essex Rd. Nice to chill for a bit before we all dashed off in different directions.

Then in the evening, made it to my first time at Vagabonds. Lotsa people coming out of the woodworks made for a good night. Said hello to a lot of folks I hadn't seen in a while, and had a good catch up with: Duster, who is keeping well, and someone I can compare sobriety notes with; LadyCat, had a bit of a serious conversation with her, re Kris Nun and things; Mona, who was bubbly and chatty; Carrie, who I'd not seen in ages. And then someone gave me a nice warm fuzzy feeling by paying me some very nice compliments. Not nearly enough time to catch up with everyone, very cool night.

And then on to Slimes for the inevitable extra few hours. Didn't stay too long as Fran was a bit tired by then, but did get my new card (a Red one, but only for 1 yr), and a chance to have a chin-wag with Steffi (who I'd not seen in ages), Chris Damage (likewise), Viking, Liam and, inevitably, a rather pissed French Simon.

Taxi back to Fran's, where I wasn't really ready for bed by a long shot. Watched the comedy stuff on the PVR, then ran out of that & TV. Located an old tape of Priscilla, QotD, which I hadn't actually seen before. Damn good film, even if it did make me think of how its been too long since I last saw

lilithmagna.

Currently wondering what to do instead of vegging away the rest of the afternoon ...

Current Mood: lethargic

Run, Forrest, Run!
Oops. Despite waking up and having brekkie around 5ish, I now appear to have faffed around sufficiently that I am running late. So I'll shortly be off out the door for a quick 6-7 miles jog/run round the park as part of my slow build up to some kind of running fitness again. I'm eyeing the Amsterdam half-marathon in Oct as a realistic target for the second half of the year.

Anyways, after I get showered and changed I'll be off down to the Union Chaple, Islington pretty sharpish, for the SonVer gig at midday. Recommended, as always - if you've never heard them before, give it a try, I'd imagine most of the folks on my flist would enjoy them.

Current Mood: late

Yay! Ladytron tics!
Yet again, I've managed to get tickets to a sold out show at less than face value from eBay. Gotta love it. Myself and Fran can now go see the Ladytron show on Thurs, despie leaving it until the last minute to get tickets (I thought the show was 3 weeks ago, when we were in Oz). Anyone wanting to join us might try this auction (ends in < 2hrs).

Maybe I shouldn't shout about it (shush!!!), but eBay has been great for cheap tickets for shows over the last 18 months. The downside is that you might miss a show that you want to see, but if you are prepared to gamble, or if it's a gig you are ambivalent about paying full whack for, eBay can be pretty damn good.

Current Mood: chuffed

Profile of Neanderthal ...
Well, despite some folks having mixed experiences at recent gigs, I have to say I thought Mr Cave was on pretty much top form tonight. I'm going to go get the Dig Lazarus album off the strength of the tracks (esp. the title track) I heard tonight, and when he launched into a hard version of Tupelo as his fourth song I had the feeling it was going to be a good gig. A balanced mixture of older and newer material (altho' I'd have to admit I've got precious few of the post Murder Ballads albums). And with a back catalogue of 28 years of music, forgetting and/or mixing up the lyrics of the occasional song is forgivable (even tho' I'd have prefered to have had Papa Won't Leave You Henry, one of my favourite Cave songs, with a little less stumbling).

But a great gig (and I did find takers for 2 of my 3 spare tickets). I was thinking on the way home that I say that about a great many of the shows I get to these days, and was wondering if I'm just too easily pleased. But I do call out poor shows (Kaiser Chiefs and Wolfsheim spring to mind) and mediocre ones (Interpol) when I suffer them, so I'm not mellowing too much with old age.

Now, should I go see the Lorries in Leeds on Friday ...

Current Mood: satisfied

Really no-one interested in Nick Cave in London tonight?
Hmmm, may now have 3 free tickets for show tonight, as I'm not sure if Aaron or Kitty have remembered about it (Fran has already dropped out). Ho-hum.

I would say "thats the last time I get extra tickets for anything" except I've said that before, and always end up doing it again anyway.

Current Mood: exasperated

Nick Cave, Hammersmith, tonight
I might have a spare ticket for this. Anyone interested, pls let me know soonish (contact info here for flisters).

Current Mood: busy

Singapore II
Changi airport has free web. Yippee. On the flight in less than 2 hrs, and back in the Smoke in under 15 hrs. Catch up with folks over the next week - been missing quite a few of you.

Current Mood: happy

Singapore (plus some inevitable UK politics)
Sing is loverly. Bit too hot for a Scottish lad, but a/c breaks make it bearable. Had a great day yesterday including botanical gdns, cable car ride, Chinatown, cocktails on the beach and nocturnal zoo trip. And we've almost 2 more days to fit in (flight is late on Sun). And James & Jill have a 25m pool outside their apt window. Rather rusty after 7 days out the water when I got in yest, but will probably get a few laps in today.

Happiness tempered by our glorious new Etonian leader securing his London fiefdom. Arse. Ah well, just have to hope a couple of right royal cock-ups by BoJo will do eough harm to the Cameron juggernaut to prevent a Tory landslide in 2010, whilst not hurting London too much. It is a resilliant city, and less of its success over the last 8 years has been down to Ken than he'd have you believe. But on buses and Congestion Charge alone, I'd have (and did) vote for Ken over BJ, altho' I suspect the CC may have been a big factor in BJ's victory.

But what next for NuLab, eh? Or Tired Old Lab, as increasingly looks the case. I'm not about to bin my membership card, but if the libertarian noises that Cleggy has been making turn a little more radical I'd have to think about it. If one of the reasons people voted for Labour was a perceptional of Tory incompetence, then that pendulum seems to have swung right back. Or maybe there is only so much savaging from the right-wing media that people can ignore, before some of the message starts to get thru. Anyone remember the Third Way? Or did that die a death when Clinton left office, and Blair and Schroder didn't run with the baton.

Whatever, one thing for certain is that my LJ and IRL/RW circles are vastly skewed politically cf the wider population.

Current Mood: happy (still on holiday)

Purth
Swimming done and dusted. Placed 20th in the 400 Free, and 23rd in the 3K Open Water swim, in a new fastest time for that distance. Pretty happy with how it all went; now looking forwards to training for the next big event, the GB Champs in June. Results from this time around definitely trump those of 2 years ago, and on a lot less training too. Adding weights and other cross-training into the mix when I get back to the UK should kick things up another gear. Tho' what I'm really looking forwards to first of all is a trip to MK for snow-boarding, which I'd been avoiding since Xmas due to injury risk.

Been having a good time out the pool too. Went to a comedy night on Weds which was fun, the fetish night on Thurs was pretty good if a bit tame by London standards, and last night hit Perth's goth night which apart from a pretty average bleep band was a good night out as well. Also made the ANZAC dawn service which was pretty moving, and had a day trip to Rottnest Island yesterday, which saw Fran & myself riding about on bikes (which isn't an everyday occurance for her).

BBQ later on today for one of the UK triathlon guys, then I'm hoping to get some surfing in on Tues and/or Weds - forecast for Mon & Tues not great, but we'll see.

Sad to hear that Humph passed away yest - only ever got to see him presenting ISIHAC once, at the Edinburgh Fringe. I'll miss those episodes of "Old Men Behaving Badly".

Current Mood: chipper

Result no. 3
400 Free went well. Took 7 secs off my entry time (done 6 weeks ago), for another season's best and the second best time I've done since coming out of retirement. As with the fastest time I did two years ago, I was less than a second over 5 mins - 5:00:70 this time. Couldn't pick up the pace down the last length or I'd have gone sub 5 mins. That'll leave summat to aim for in June at the GB Nationals.

3K open water swim tomorrow. Have been assured that 1) the jellyfish have been washed out of Swan River by the recent rains 2) the ones that remain don't give nasty stings anyway. Dolphins were seen in the river today - I'm secretly hoping I can hitch a lift with one tomorrow and record the fastest time for a 3K swim ever done.

But first ... fetish club tonight. Shall be taking it easy and not staying out too late, as up before 5am for ANZAC day service.

Current Mood: pleased

Quick Update
Good training session with some triathlon guys I know thru the web (tritalk.co.uk) this morning - finished with a 400m Free that I clocked 5:09 for, cf my entered time for this afternoon's event of 5:08. Wasn't 100% flat out, so I should knock a good fews seconds off if I can avoid any mishaps in the race itself.

Aussie drinking culture seems to be causing some concern over here, much the same as back in the UK. There are plenty of binge drinking news items and documentaries on the TV. So I was a bit surprised when I saw the "Chess Shot Glass set" in a shop over here. Yup, thats 16 shot glasses each, with the piece painted on the side. I can imagine I'd have liked that back in my boozing days. Dunno quite how you'd play it tho' - if the person who takes a piece has to do the shot it'd be a partial rebalancing of the game (assuming you play chess worse when rat-arsed), whereas if the person who's piece got taken had to do the shot it'd lead to the game getting less balanced and the loser getting pissed faster. Maybe I should get a set after all and leave it lying around at the next post-Slimelight gathering at my place.

Current Mood: optimistic

More Perth
Having fun out here. 200 Free was a decent swim, placed 26th which is way better than 2 years ago. Looking forwards to the 400 Free tomorrow and the 3K on Friday, altho' the latter could be a bit of a 'mare as it's a large-ish entry for an open-water event. I hate the jostling at mass-starts, esp. after getting kicked in the face a couple years back in an event.

Ended up getting myself a Canon TX1 camera, as on balance it fitted my needs most, esp. wrt shooting movies. One thing I was really after is zooming when shooting movies so that when you are filming the sort of thing I do (eg Chaos Engine gig or goth party) you can get a wide shot (eg band on stage or full-room shot) then a close-up on an item of interest (eg Lee's facial contortions as he hits that high note or Kitty on fire). Yet to have a good play with it. Shooting video in HD is going to be most interesting and opens up all kinds of possibilities, as they say.

Tonight should see us at a comedy club, tomorrow we've a fetish club to try and Friday as well as the swim we're aiming for the 6am ANZAC dawn service. Been a bit strange not going out much in the evenings, but then again, it's great not to have hangovers (or fights) on holiday. Hoping to do some surfing before the end of the trip, but don't think we're going to have time to slot in the swimming with dolphins that we looked at briefly. Ah well, one more of those things to do before you die that remains unticked (its a bit of a cliche anyway, isn't it?).

Current Mood: chipper

Recommendations - cameras
Right, quick shout out for advice or thoughts. I'm thinking about a new camera - big reason is I never take the Fuji 6500 with me these days, as its just too big to compared to the micro cameras I was used to. Phone cameras aren't quite where they would need to be for me, prob won't be for a while yet. But I used to take loads of photos, and it pains me I don't any more.

What I'm looking for:

As I said, small enough to pop in my pocket, so not an SLR, etc

I shoot a lot of video - the video performance is pretty important. In particular, I'd really prefer models which let you zoom whilst shooting video, which a surprising number of cameras still don't

pref about 3x zoom

most of my photos tend to be at gigs, parties, etc, so low-light performance (high ISO) would be slightly more important than all-round picture quality. Being able to shoot at gigs and getting shake and motion blur free shots without the flash would be a big plus

I recall Diva posted a link a while back to a "proper" photography site reviewing the picture quality of micro cameras, which threw up a surprising range of quality - summat like that would be useful.

Two cameras that have perked my interest:
Canon TX-1 - really taken with this, esp like shooting video at 720p. A drawback would be that at this resolution you'd only get 13 mins on a 4GB card, as it doesn't do much in the way of compression on-board (or at least, thats what I was told in t'shop).
Olympus 1030SW - far more than I'd been planning to spend on a new toy (was looking to stay under £200). But is waterproof and snowproof; trade off here is trying to think if I would actually use it much when swimming, surfing or boarding (prob the latter, not sure about the 2 former).

Current Mood: chipper

First result
800 Free - bit of a mixed one. Was kept waiting around for ages - around 5 hrs from when I got to the pool, whereas I was expecting around a 90m-2hr wait. Was also on my lonesome ownsome, with no club-mates or people I knew to hang out with. Wasn't in the right headspace for the swim, and had a lousy race. Was rather surprised at the end to see I'd clocked the fastest time this season by a ways, and the second fastest time I've swum since I came back to swimming. Makes me wonder what I'd have got if I had had what felt like a good swim, but I've got the GB Nationals in June to answer that question. I placed 22nd out of a field of 34. Reckon a good swim would have seen me at least 10 sec faster and in the Top 20. Not too unhappy tho', can't be with a good time (I was dreading looking at the clock, was quite taken aback I'd gone as fast as I did).

Current Mood: chipper