Spring Update - 25 March 2007
Warning – Maria believes this entry to be too self-indulgent.
I realised a few days ago that my life is now almost complete; but a few weeks separate me from ultimate fulfilment. Perhaps I ought to explain:
Some would consider me a complex person. Once upon a time I aspired to such pretence myself. This week I realised that my ambitions are far more easily realised. I considered that fabulous wealth would be quite a handy asset. And yet I have done nothing to promote such an ambition thus far. The fact that I work in higher education, and Maria works in the civil service, means that this ambition won’t be satisfied any time soon. Perhaps my ambitions lay in universal acclaim, my professional and artistic skills at the pinnacle of popular endeavour. Unfortunately my own tastes are quite eclectic these days, and my opinions of the popular music industry such that I can’t really take it seriously, let alone aspire to it. So what would it take to satisfy the itch of dissatisfaction? You met one of the elements in my last update to our blog. Domino is doing well. He has started venturing forth from his tartan bungalow. He devours his biscuits bei nacht, and his new scratching post shows signs of wear, as does his wind up mouse. He really is a gentle soul, and I can’t wait for his intense fear of homo sapiens sapiens to fade.
My new studio is but weeks from completion. The false ceiling has been installed and the acoustic panels are on the walls. Only the internal fittings are yet to be installed and then I can call in the supplier to start delivering the equipment. The console will take about six weeks to build (it is bespoke, don’tchya know), so I’m till going to be a while, but I’m doing a commercial jazz recording over Easter at the Scarborough studios, so at least I can keep my ear in.
The final part of my holy trinity of smug contentedness (sorry mum) is the recent acquisition of a piece of motoring history. Many of you will know that I lust after the wonder that is the two door British sports car. And here she is:
At a monstrous 55 brake-horse power, she scares all but the mightiest of men! (I have already sourced an extractor/exhaust/carburettor needle kit to bring it up to Cooper spec, but you don’t need to tell Maria that just yet).
And so, with a cat, a mini and a recording studio, my life is complete. Anyone that knew me five years ago (when I had Doopee, drove a ‘golden brick’ and ran a studio at as my personal fiefdom) could probably have told you that, but sometimes we need to learn these things for ourselves.
In other, less self-indulgent news, we visited a restaurant with a difference not long ago. It is situated within a tourist attraction and research centre called ‘The Deep’. Billed as the world’s only submariam, it allows a dining experience nestled between tanks of a wide variety of fish, including sharks. I had ‘an halibut’. That one. No not really – you don’t get to pick your dinner. Shame really. But a fabulous night, to help us celebrate (it being valentines and all).
The last little while has included a couple of visits from Shaun. We thoroughly enjoy visits (hint, hint), and we hope he enjoyed it as much as we did.
Last night we enjoyed one of the perks of working in a music department; free tickets to the Hull Choral Union’s performance of Handel’s ‘ Israel in Egypt’, performed in the splendour of Hull’s Victorian City Hall. It was a fabulous night out, and my colleague, Colin, was virtuosic on the pipe organ.
We are looking forward to flying to Italy on Thursday, both to see my cousin Jacqui and our friends Stefano and Leanne and their baby Lewis, and to have a break from the hectic pace of our work commitments.
We’ll provide an update when we return, but for now, that’s your blooming lot for the week (Cundall, P., 2000).
Fletch’s Tip for New Employees
If your entire blog has been self-indulgent, you don’t need to write tips at the end of it.
