FUCKING COURIER FUCKING COMPANIES! The Meursault album is currently in FUCKING DUMFRIES, whence I have had to despatch a courier to collect the bastard things and drive back here immediately. This means that assuming all goes well, which of course it always does when matters are urgent like this, I might just have them in my sweaty little mitts by half five. Maybe.
Anyway, to soothe my fevered brow, apart from a pint of neat gin with a little tiny squeeze of lime, I probably need some music. Some quiet music too – something calming. Breathe in… …and out… …and drink… …and drink… and breathe in… …and out.
Well, whatever happens, things tonight should be tremendous fun. I’ll be shit-faced by ten, presumably, but all in all I think it should be a brilliant night. So to warm up for the evening we shall have our now-traditional Five Friday Favourites, as pinched from GUT. De-lurk and take part, people, nothing you say has to be clever or witty or anything, just slap down your answers and watch us bicker amongst ourselves. And the offer is always there to write next Friday’s five if you want to – just bung me an email with your choices and I’ll use them.
1. Favourite Christmas Tradition.
2. Worst Christmas present some distant relative insists on giving you every fucking Christmas.
3. If it’s not turkey, then what?
4. Work’s Christmas night out: the best bit.
5. Work’s Christmas night out: the worst bit.
Ella Fitzgerald – I Get a Kick Out of You (Cinematic Orchestra Remix)
Howe Gelb – Nail in the Sky
(The Real) Tuesday Weld – Nightingales
Morning Bride – Isabelline
Ndidi Onukwulu – Goodnight JF
Well I’m off for a bit over the next couple of days. Once again the splendid Campfires & Battlefields has volunteered to hold the fort while I’m away. I did think it would be a good idea to get other folk to guest post – regular commenters around here like DC (I assume you’ve not got even close to enough time for this), Bart, Euan, Dylan or folk like that, but ultimately I left it too late to have the time to set someone else up with the basics. Next time, maybe. It would be nice to see what other people made of things from this side of the software.
I have to confess I am desperate for the break. Proper Job has been hectic recently, with new systems causing all sorts of problems and having to teach new employees some really very complicated software, all at the same time as an unrealistically tight deadline looms for a very important new client. I wasn’t even involved in the project from the beginning either, just parachuted in at the end with enough ignorance to be clueless and enough responsibility for this to be something of an issue. Oh what fun.
Then there’s the label. And the launch party (next Saturday, so you’d better fucking be there). And the floors in the house being sanded. And the last Toad Session to sort. And Mrs. Toad’s brother has been rather ill (as of half two this morning). And on and on and on. And we don’t even have fucking kids.
Sorry, this wasn’t supposed to be the Great Big Post of Interminable Self-Pity. Just to say that I’m going away, I could do with a rest, and please be nice to C&B in my absence. To those lurkers out there: when someone is doing us all a favour by keeping the Good Ship Toad pottering along in my absence, this would be a perfect and very gracious time to de-lurk and say hello and let us know what you think of the music he chooses.
Have fun y’all. Play nicely while I’m away.
Ndidi Onukwulu – SK Final Don’t ask me why I like this, I just do. Just steadily turning into a dried up old queen, I guess, but she’s worth checking out and I’ll probably review the album properly next week.
Bowerbirds – In Our Talons
Jon Sonnenberg – DOA
