snapshots

Slightly less than two weeks ago my dear brother Gaaga turned seven. We took him out for a big, unhealthy lunch at Mcmoody's.
So we are stitting there and I'm congratulating Gaaga on turning seven. "It's a big step you know" I told him "When you were six, you were still a child and now that you are seven you are..." (I got stuck there and finished weakly) "a child"
"Oh I see" He said "I was a child when I was six and now that I'm seven, I'm still a child. Great- that's a big change Minega"
I was stunned- my little brother had discovered sarcasm! I beamed proudly at him (nevermind the fact that I had been outwitted by someone sixteen years younger than I am) He is going to need it later in life. I know I did.

Friday morning: I found time to put up that double post, because the only day less conduicive for doing work than Monday is Friday. I wandered downstairs to have cofee and met Nikki and Cedric. However they were not sitting where we usually sit right next to the coffeeshop. They had discovered a new spot which was slightly elevated- a bit of a climb on the grass and you would find yourself sitting on what looked like a rectangular rock but in fact appeared to be a manhole. We were not actually sitting on the manhole though but on the slightly elevated bit around it.
"My God, I've never thought of having coffee up here" I told them "How on earth did you find this place?"
"Well I am a genius" Cedric replied with a straight face.
I looked at them both with awe. They had just revolutionised my coffeebreak! Sitting at this new spot, I could only go from strength to strength. All my enemies would be vanquished before my relentless march!
Cedric is telling a funny story about his father walking in on him while he was having sex with his girlfriend. He had walked in yelling"We are going to the swimming pool Cedric!" then spotting the visitor with his son, neatly finished with the legendary line "But you obviously have better things to do" and walked out. The coffee came out of my nose when I heard that line.
I showed Hannah the spot yesterday afternoon when we went downstairs for cofee together. She looked doubtfully upwards with the kind of trepidation I last saw in the eyes of Frodo in Lord of the rings when he was told where he would have to drop the ring.
"Am I going to make it up there?" She wondered aloud. I looked at her incredulously- after all, she had climbed Mount Meru less than a week ago-unwillingly yes, but she had climbed it anyway. This however was apparently a challenge too far.
We made it up eventually. It somehow did not suprise me that I spent Friday morning sipping coffee sitting on a manhole.

Song of the day: Demon days by Gorillaz. This is also the title of their album which I think was the best album of 2005. The music here defied categorisation- it was a kind of pop-rock-techno-soul combination. I didn't like Damon Albarn's band Blur, but with Gorillaz he has created sheer genius. Demon days is the last song on the album and I don't think I've ever listened to it without the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Like the song right before it- Dont get lost in heaven- the chorus is a rousing one done by a big choir giving it a kind of gospel feel. The lyrics dwell on what seems to be a running theme on the album- a fascination with the end of the world. Not too many groups would even dream of making a concept record like that (Muse attempted something similar with Absolution) but Gorillaz gives it a bloody good go. It's an eclectic and wildly ambitious album and this song is possibly the best thing on it.

In these demon days it's so cold inside
So hard for a good soul to survive
You can't even trust the air you breath
Because Mother Earth wants us all to leave
When lies become reality
You numb yourself with drugs and T.V
Lift yourself up it's a brand new day
So turn yourself round
Don't burn yourself, turn yourself
Turn yourself around into the sun