Highlights of a Bank Holiday

1. Dan's homemade chips. Made in a deep fat fryer, and wonderful even when slightly dropped on the floor. We ate them, exclaiming joyously about how tasty they were, then sat back and watched about sixty episodes of that TV programme called Heroes. I got really into it, but the experience was slightly marred by the knowledge that I will never manage to see another episode. I could try, but I know I won't manage it. I haveno television organisational skills whatsoever.

(I am finding it difficult to write anything, due to the fact that there is a man opposite me in the Internet café who keeps popping his head over the partition and waving cheerily at me. At first I smiled cautiously but politely back, and now I am studiously ignoring him. It is most off-putting.)

2. A barbeque in Earlsfield. It got off to a shaky start, there were some problems with the barbeque itself which led inevtiably to the firing up of the grill, but gas was purchased and food was made. I didn't really mind about the food (I had already consumed my bodyweight in Doritos and houmous) so I got involved in the wine and watched the straight men (about one third of a per cent of those present)take turns posturing with tongs and burning things.

3. The cabaret on Sunday night. There were nearly two hundred people there, and the stage was quite high up, so I was really quite nervous by the time we were going on. I hope my nerves didn't show. I mentally relaxed myself, trying to keep my shoulders relaxed and not allowing my fingers to wrap themselves too tight around the microphone stand. I find that, when I'm singing, time seems to slow right down. About twice as many thoughts crowd themselves through my mind, and I have to forcibly block the negative ones from gaining access, because if they did, if all the nobodylikesyou you'renotcutoutforthis you'llnevermakeit you'retooshyforthis impulses were allowed to take root I would be paralysed. It did make me realise that I have to do more live stuff, because as great as studio work is, it doesn't prepare me for the immediacy of singing on stage. Strangely enough, even though I started out singing live, I feel my studio work is becoming easier now. I cannot allow my performance skills to lose out. There are some plans for more live work, so I need to make certain I don't lose sight of them.

4. Meeting new people. On Sunday I felt like I actually made some new friends. This has been happening a lot recently, which is brilliant and makes me happy. I probably could do with having less of a social life, money-wise, but I am still incapable of turning down fun. There are, I suppose, worse afflictions to have.

(The man seems to have become bored of getting no reaction from me, so he has stopped the waving. I am very relieved.)

5. Not being in Luton for three whole days. I am of course, back now, but only for a four day week so it isn't so terrible.

I am resolving not to complain about Luton so much. I feel bad about it, because the people I have met here have been really very nice (mainly) and I am just being snobby. Which, whilst being quite fun sometimes, isn't very open-minded of me.

So, I will just get the last bit out of my system...

Everyone around me is wearing tracksuits and smells of Jobcentres!

...there. I will be a better person from now on. Promise.