So the royal mail lose my brother’s birthday card with 25 quids worth of vouchers in and all I get is this lowsy email apology:

“Thank you for your enquiry from which I am sorry to learn of the loss of an item of mail containing a birthday card an (sic) vouchers.

Unfortunately, I am unable to meet your claim as items of negotiable value like money and vouchers sent by the service you used are not covered for compensation.”

Well thats just great isnt it. Thanks Royal Mail….

As I’m no longer a “Young Person” I can’t take our fantastically reliable train service down to London at a semi-reasonable price anymore. Without a railcard its 57 quid which I think is a little bit overpriced. So for 20 quid I took the National Express, with the temptation of a 4-hour express journey time, no refreshements, minimal leg room and a comedian driver.

Actually on the way it took 2hrs45 mins to Golders Green, mainly as we didnt stop anywhere and there was no traffic. So it was all good. On the return journey it was full, the driver nearly didnt let me bring my hand luggage on (“It could take someones head off” apparantly – but only due to the ambitions of the driver to be a brake-tester for Ford).. this time it did take four hours as we took in the Milton Keynes “Coachway” and several service stations… despite all that its not a bad way to get there, especially as sometimes they have 2 quid return tickets.

Finally Valve came to town this week, but I had to give it a miss to preserve my ears for a checkup this week. Went to Zinc’s new night (Faster) in London on Saturday and going to a night in Sheffield this weekend (Sneak vs Metropolis) with lots of Movement Dj’s and it’s gonna be broadcasting on 1Xtra..

Finally, John Peel passed away yesterday and I felt gutted when I heard. He’s been someone to listen to music thru exams, University and more recently in work! You dont expect someone like that to disappear so suddenly. I expected many more years of listening to random punk next to drum n bass. I remember him playing a couple of years ago in the upstairs room at Fabric and shaking his hand.

And for this months post(!)… Been pretty busy. Settling into the 9-5 which basically means plenty more time for doing stuff that doesnt involve being stuck behind a desk churning out code… How good is being 5 minutes from/to work. And having hours to not watch TV in the evening!

So the students came back to Sheffield, and we went the Tuesday club to see Mr Andy C. And he smacked it. Played a lot of anthems (which is always good when half the crowd arent into dnb), we danced and got very hot and sweated off the booze and got to bed at 3 so was all good. No hangover really.

Everyone seems to have been ill, and as I am usually not well in the Autumn I caught it and although not having had time off work, I missed some big nights in Sheffield and Manchester. Boo.

Finally started learning some spanish so now I can say “I live in Sheffield (in the north of england), I have one brother etc..” reminds me of being 11 and learning French. Hopefully I will be able to have a conversation by Xmas.

The Departure came to Sheffield (featuring J-Hobs younger brother on drums) and they played the Fuzz Club. We drank far too many snakebites.. never again… got to bed at 4am; kept the neighbour up; had the worst hangover ever and to top it off my bike got nicked. Dont leave bikes unlocked in back gardens – even if you are too drunk to care…

Took some nice black and white photos around the Peace Gardens. Still drying the negatives as I write this. Looks like a few good’uns on the film though. Have to present a portfolio at the end of the year so better get cracking….

Last week, my mate’s band played the Boardwalk which was great (Pisco Sour Hour for those that know!)… went to ResFest last weekend and saw some great films and Warp Records afterparty. Then took a completely different musical direction on Sunday by seeing Kate Rusby at the Lyceum. (one of Britains leading folks singers)… she had the most amazing voice I’ve heard in a long while.

If you dont yet subscribe to all this globalisation is ruining the world malarkey(!), you should at least go and watch The Corporation. It just about sums up all the arguments into one (quite long) documentary film… if you do, go to the website, read the links, and get out and do something…

oh yeah transmissionsheffield.co.uk, is something that happens fortnightly at the Earl in Sheffield. Come on down, chill out, have a tea or beer. Read the paper, and listen to some nice chilled music – it’s what Sundays are all about. (Unfortunately i’ve taken a break from dj-ing recently due to some tinnitus type business…)

For my final thought. Dont go to a club at 2250 assuming its on til 2, pay your door tax, get in and the last orders light flashes… we do live in Britain after all… (alternatively find a local that stays open til the last person leaves – I wont say it’s name cos the Google-god will find and punish the landlord eternally..)

This month’s media choices: (cos I’m bored and it’s Friday)
Books – In Praise Of Slow (Carl Honore)
CDs – Ella Guru, Interpol, The Earlies
Films – School of Rock(!), Big Fish, Kill Bill (both volumes)

Phew….