Bernard Sumner - What *Was* He On About?

I've been listening to a lot of New Order lately. God, I love New Order. I love them so much, that when I was younger, I came up with an entire drug-fuelled religion based around Barney's lyrics.

These days, they sound so obtuse that I can't figure out if they're profound or meaningless.



What do I get out of this, I always try, I always miss
In the end you will submit, it's got to hurt you... a little bit

More wonderfullness...

Up down, turn around, please don't let me hit the ground
Tonight I think I'll walk alone, I'll find myself as I go home

Mine, All Mine

Alright, so I've moved. I am loving my new house so much. Every time I come home, I bounce around shouting "House! House, house, house!" (Though apparently, according to the land reg, its name is actually "Sizzlers".)

Still don't have much furniture yet, but who needs chairs when you have amps to sit on? I bought a clothes rail and hung up all my lovely Liberty print shirts, and what a lucky woman I am to own all that paisley!

S (who helped me move, bless him) said that apparently owning a house makes a woman seem more desireable. And then reprimanded me "Do NOT fill it up with a bloke just yet, though." Yeah, like where am I going to get one? Order him from the Homebase catalogue along with my paint and my dining room table?

I cannot wait to paint. I've got paintchips all over the floor, trying to figure out exactly the *right* shade of purple.

Shoot Me

It's because I've been listening to The Postal Service, isn't it?

Your 2005 Song Is

Mr. Brightside by The Killers "It started out with a kiss How did it end up like this It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss" Let's just say you're happy to be done with 2005!

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

cancellation

Yesterday, I had to turn down a gig.

This was the weirdest feeling - I don't think I've ever done it before.

I've only ever had to cancel a gig due to illness ONCE in my life. I've got out of hospital and played a gig the next day. But other than that, I've always done my best to play every single gig I've ever been offered, and if it had to be turned down, it's always been someone else's decision, not mine.

So about a month ago, we were talking about playing a gig on the 16th. Originally, we'd planned to take the month of December off, due to my move, and Xmas schedules and all that. The gig was on, then it was off. Now it looks like it's back on again.

We haven't rehearsed in weeks. And to be honest, the last time we rehearsed, it was late and we were drunk tired and emotional, and we didn't sound so great. I don't want us to go onstage sounding "punk rock". That's not the kind of band we are. I wanted us to be a reaction *against* that kind of useless girlpunk type thing. I wanted us to be about *perfection* - slick, sophisticated, technically competent - as well as sheer girly joy.

Add to that, I'm totally stressed out. Moving has become unneccessarily complicated. A gig would be just one more thing to stress out about, and I would be such a mess I doubt I'd enjoy it - and I'd probably make it miserable for everyone else if I was in a Mood and being a diva.

I don't know why I'm making such a big deal out of this. We'll play more gigs next year. I just feel strangely guilty, because I've never done this before.

Shimuras Reading List

We were debating this at rehearsal the other night, half joking that we should start a Shimuras book club. Our reading list:

-Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. Ah, the decaying British aristocracy and their terribly sad foibles. Self destructiveness as fine art.
-I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith. Coming of age novel set in 1930s bohemia that actually makes it seem terribly glamourous to be poor.
-I Knew I Was Right by Julie Burchill. Anna or AMP may subsitute her early journalism for this, but she still has the sharpest teeth and the best bitch in the business.
-The Lemonny Snicket Series. I haven't read this myself, but Marianna raves about it.
-Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Which sister are you? The sensible one who ends up with the whinging emo bloke, or the mad, passionate one who nearly kills herself over the original Bad Boy?
-Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. The original rags to riches bad girls go to Hollywood BLOCKBUSTER with sex, drugs, and the 1940s equivalent of Rock'n'Roll.

Other Shimuras, if you have more suggestions, please add them in the comments and I'll edit the list.

There will be a discussion and quiz on this next week so pay attention!