Pynchon

An anniversary crept up on us almost unnoticed. I realised yesterday morning that five years ago yesterday (6th October 2001) Lorraine and myself moved into this house together.

We had torrential rain that day. It just bucketed down. I got soaked. Lorraine got soaked. My entire family (except my Mom, who didn't turn up to help us move in because she had doubts that it would last two weeks) got soaked. A workmate Alan Byron (a lovely, kind and decent man - still a friend - who was doing nothing that Saturday and offered us the use of his car) got soaked. In angry moments I have often said that it was God trying to tell us something, but I have never really meant it. Considering all the ups and downs (in some cases very big ups and very big downs), it was the best thing that has ever happened to me and a definite signpost on the road to becoming (fuck me!) a grown up.

An anniversary should be celebrated, no matter how small the celebration. Yes? Yes. I thought so as well.

When we got home from work I told Lorraine to wash her face as we were going out.

"Why?"

"Because 5 years ago today we moved in together."

"And you want to celebrate that?"

"Yes, I do and fuck you!"

We did go out. Lorraine didn't want to go far. She certainly didn't want to go into the City Centre to anywhere we would have to dress up for. We eventually settled on the Frankie and Bennys on Tyburn Road, which is only a stones throw from where we live. We have always had a nice time at that Frankie and Bennys. The food is normally OK and the service is good.

This time the food wasn't up to much (the starter platter was lukewarm, Lorraine's risotto dish was strange - a bit of risotto with some side salad and bread and butter, and my meatballs with spagehetti were not freshly made), but it hardly mattered. We had the nicest waitress in the world. The place was busting with people. (Happy people. It makes all the difference.) The music was loud. The wine flowed. Lots of laughs. Good times.

No hangover today. Hah!

Today I went to the early showing of "An Inconvenient Truth".



It is good. Very smart, very sharp. Full of ideas, facts and scenarios that will make your blood run cold. Absolutely must see documentary film making. It should be required viewing for everybody with even the slightest interest in the future of the planet. I would make every pre-teen schoolkid watch it. It's a word I hate when describing films, but I'll use it today. Brilliant.

...And not a bad advert for Al Gore either. If there was a better promotional film for the guy to demonstrate his qualifications to run for the Presidency in 2008, then I cannot think of one. He came across as sincere, clever, funny and self effacing. I came out of "An Inconvenient Truth" hoping that he does decide to run. I would vote for him.

I am not a political preacher. It's not me. Other people do that sort of writing better than me. I have not had a Damascas like change in my attitude after seeing "An Inconvenient Truth", because I have always done little things to conserve (only ever filling up the kettle with the water I need, always using scrap paper to write on, etc.), but I have decided to try to do more to promote the things that I believe in.

So, the first thing. Have a look at this website. It was advertised in the movie.

Have a good weekend, people.