It's All A Part Of The Thing

[f4f3]

Sometimes I persuade myself that my life has a narrative, and sometimes things just come along in lumps.
Biggest lump at the moment is work. I've been brought into the end-phase of what is a pretty big deal. It should be relatively straightforward, but every time I straighten things out in one area another bumfles up. Annoyingly, the deal clinches on the 18th of October, so instead of having a relaxing time with intriguing visitors (yes, slobberpuppy I'm looking at you and hubby) I'll be working pretty hard. I'll just have to settle for taking them for curries and plying them with good whisky.

Social life has been simultaneously busy and episodic. I've been to see Blue Jasmine (brilliant, chilling) and Filth (brilliant, chilling) and gigs by The Temperance Movement and then The Duckworth Lewis Method. I've only had one episode of binge drinking (or drinking, as we used to call it) which was a leaving-do in Edinburgh. It stands pretty well as an example of how one simple plan can spiral out of control, so here is 30 hours or so in the life of our hero...

I left work around 5 on Friday with my friend Jen (no, not you, Jen, the other Jen) and I checked into my hotel in Queen Street before taking her to see the fancy branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Then onto the night out, which was in the basement of a bar called The Standard. The bar was free. Jen sneaked off from the carnage about 9 to meet up with her Farmer Man, and around the same time I realised I had been drinking for three hours on an empty stomach. About 12 I headed off with my friend Paul to a nearby club, for 80's dancing, and finished the night at MacDonald's in Princes Street. I woke up in reasonable shape, and found out that Marie and two other friends were meeting for lunch in a very nice little hotel called Bonhams. So I got a Guardian and a lot of coffee, and had a lazy couple of hours before joining them. Of course, a three hour lunch made it a bit tight to meet Kay for dinner in Glasgow at 5.30. I made it, though, and we had an enjoyable thali at The Wee Curry Shop in Ashton Lane, then ducked across into the Grosvenor to see Filth. I probably laughed more than I should have, at what was a pretty disturbing movie.

Then I dragged myself home, fell into bed and slept the sleep of the dead. It was a big black thing, about 12 hours long.

So, briefly, this life as a single man is wearing me down...

Comments

[andrewducker]

Sounds like a really good time though!

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

Sounds awesome to me!

[jen-c-w.livejournal.com]

I agree with both the above comments.

Also *squee* 80's dancing!

[helianthas.livejournal.com]

"Binge drinking, or drinking, as we used to call it" hahahahaha !!

[slobberpuppy.livejournal.com]

So excited to meet up with you! And no worries on work taking precedence, do what you can and we will be happy for the time we are able to share!

Plus - the best curry in the UK - I can't wait for some of that! I am also hoping to find some smoked salmon pie, kippers, and Arbroath smokies. Oh, and haggis, of course!

Your weekend sounds fantastic, and the big black sleep well deserved.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

It was, but it's not atypical right now :) This week, though, I've been in bed for 10.30 every night.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

It's a tough life, but someone's got to live it.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

This was particularly fine 80s dancing, you'd have loved it.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I was shocked to discover that I've been binge drinking for years. I think any more than a bottle of wine, and you get carted away. To be honest, though, when I was in the States in '93 with my pal Bill the locals did tend to look at us funny when we were only doing an average Glasgow night's drinking. So this is nothing new :)

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Smoked salmon pie... might be able to do that at Gandolfi Fish. And I'll book a table at Cafe India for Wednesday, I think. Kippers you can do in Edinburgh - they stink the place out :). Haggis neeps and tatties can be had all over the place, though I'm particularly fond of Stravaigan's version.

[slobberpuppy.livejournal.com]

Ooh, then Stravaigan's is where we need to haggis it up!

Thanks again - so excited for all this!!! :-D

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

Any more than 2 *glasses* of wine for women. What a load of bollocks.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

What an incredibly tiny load of bollocks.

[helianthas.livejournal.com]

I counted 7 vodkas, 3 beers, and 5 soda waters the other night. It's a miracle I don't float away....

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Doesn't sound too extreme to me, but that's because I'm Scottish.