Listening to: Air - Pocket Symphony

Had a brief stopover in Liverpool last night, as today was passport renewal day, a process which now requires an appointment to be made in advance. As circumstances make it necessary for me to get the whole thing done within one day, (instead of the standard 2-3 weeks) I had to part company with the ungodly sum of £108.
Things have changed somewhat since 1997, which was the last time I had to do this. Have to say, the whole thing is a lot smoother now than back then, when I recall being there most of the day, waiting for my number to come up.
You still have to wait for your ticket-number to be read out though, but now it's more akin to being at Argos or Sainsbury's deli counter. Still, that's it for another decade or so. Foreign lands beckon.

Listening to: Miss Kubelik - Rhapsody in Black
Albert Einstein once said that if bees disappeared, man would have only four years of life left. Four years. Now, he seemed a pretty on-the-ball, top-of-his-class kinda guy, so my guess is that he could've been right. Come to think of it, whilst I've been strolling about the ornamental gardens that surround Chéz Sonique, it's been a while since I've seen so much as a single bee. Sobering stuff indeed pop-kids.
The other happy little item concerns those fun-lovin' criminals Al-Qaeda, who apparently are planning some mayhem for us Westerners sometime soon, according to a leaked report. I have a message for them however: I intend to make the forthcoming season the Summer of Sonic... and nothing can spoil the S of S for me, hear? NOTHING!

Separate topic altogether but the new Quentin Tarantino flick (with a budget of $100 million) Grindhouse has not performed well at the U.S. box-office, proving too long and too obscure for mainstream audiences. It has taken only $23 million in three weeks in American cinemas, with half of that over the Easter weekend, and producers the Weinstein brothers are considering whether to slice it into two separate films.
Now isn't this exactly what happened with Kill Bill? Expect to catch it in a branch of Blockbuster near you very soon.
I'm more worried about the bees I have to say. The Summer may be a little less Sonic without them.

Listening to: Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs

The early arrival of Summer 2007 continued unabated this last weekend, blogstaz.
From what I can recall of it, yesterday was one glorious day-long procession of blazing sunshine, Nivea spray-on sunscreen, chirping birdies, chilled Chardonnay and the welcome return of Sonic BBQ2 - an event not without it's own religious aspects. Offerings of tuna, lamb, quorn and humble vegetables were made to and accepted by Chez Sonique's answer to the Wickerman, which in turn ensured my safe passage from spring into summer. I tells ya, I'm really diggin' this whole Paganism thing. Next up, butt-naked bad-dancing, you just watch.

So, as you can guess, for most of yesterday I was King of the World.
Didn't feel quite so...regal this morning though. Plus, 9.30am saw me fidgeting uncomfortably in the waiting-room of Herr (Is it Safe?) Szell for my follow-up dental appoinment to the one (A World of Pain) a few posts back. Not much fun pop-kids I can tell you.
Oddly enough, part of the morning's horrors involved being led up the stairs to the other Theatre of Blood I mentioned in the same post. You know, the... more basic one.
Thing is, since I last visited, it's had what I was informed was 5-figure makeover and is now all shiney an' futuristic an' all...TV on the ceiling and chrome-ass everything.
I was given so much anaesthetic that the top of my head was numb for nearly 6 hours thereafter. I was also, curiously, given a shot of adrenalin, (something to do with stemmng the flow of blood apparently) which was fun, in a fluttery kind of way, for about 5 seconds. Definitely helped with the hangover.
Have to say, in the midst of all the sawing, the drilling and the blood-letting, the thought crossed my mind that Herr Szell might've somehow stumbled across this humble blog.... but no, surely that's crazy-talk....
Anyhoo, Summer is indeed upon us people - Raise your chalice to the skies and rejoice.

Listening to: Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul

Greetings my Sonic friends.
Yes people, Spring finally seems to have sprung.
Sonic Shorts of varying description are now in constant rotation with less liberating trousers-types, Chez Sonique. I'm having to remind myself that it's still only April, and whatever the case, at least the thermal underwear has been put to bed until further notice.
So what have I been doing, lo, these past few weeks? Mostly lots of getting up in the middle of the night to go out and earn a humble living via the indignity of backbreaking toil. That's me during a tea-break over the Easter weekend. Not much fun at work that particular day, it has to be said.
What else.... oh yes, the week before last I apologised to a random French man for my involvement in the Battle of Hastings... even though we lost. He still punched me in the mouth, but strangely I felt much better, and fully divested of my White Liberal Guilt. Result!

Anyhoo, this morning I decided to give the butler a day off, and took myself into town. Swam like a juvenile dolphin at the olympic-sized water-hole for a half-hour or so, then, by way of reward for my efforts, had lunch Japanese style.
Just what is it about Japanese food? My choice was Akai Yaki Soba, (seafood/tofu collision with Udon noodles) and was the most delicious, orgiastic feast for the senses I've eaten since the last time I ate Japanese. Washed it down with a large bottle of Kirin, King of Oriental beers. Rendered me at one with the Universe and everything else for the rest of the day, and I'm still feeling like the Last Samurai hours after the event.
Surely every day should be like this...