According to Facebook, as of last night, I am “in a relationship” with Lorna. It is therefore 100% official. No turning back now (not, I hasten to add, that I have any wish to turn back). All is currently rather marvellous. I met her parents yesterday, though only briefly, and they weren’t scary. She has yet to meet mine. I’m taking her to see Spamalot next week, on her birthday.

Work is becoming more interesting. I am going to learn some new geekiness soon.

Oooh… I’m playing a J.S. Bach harpischord concerto (D minor, BWV 1052) on 23rd June, at St John’s, Smith Square. Very exciting, and not a little scary!

(a) Of course it was a date. Who was I kidding?

(b) More than friends. :-)

(c) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

… I have the day off work, and I shall be seeing L again. We’re going to see what’s in the London Aquarium, then spend a leisurely afternoon wandering where the mood takes us; there’s a free jazz concert at the South Bank Centre we might visit, and finally in the evening L will have her first ever ceilidh experience! I hope she enjoys it. Meanwhile… if this is a date, then it’s an epic one, as we’re meeting at midday and the ceilidh goes on till 11pm! I think there have been signs that we might be becoming more than ‘just friends’, but I don’t know… it’s easy to see hints that aren’t really there.

I’m really looking forward to seeing her, and she seems to be really looking forward to seeing me. That is all I know.

Work has been hellish this week, and pretty stressful last week too. I have hacked up lots of Perl scripts (in which I rediscovered how to make a hashmap whose values are pointers to arrays of strings) and a few WPC scripts, and mucked about with more CSV files than I care to remember. It has made want to learn Perl properly, though. Need a project, dammit!

I’m going to do some piano practice now.

Subtitle: “So what counts as dating, anyway?”

I wasn’t sure whether to blog about this, but have decided it would be interesting to see if anyone has any thoughts on it. I’m not normally one for making these things very public, and it’s even possible (though, I think, unlikely) that the person in question might see this… but I have decided I don’t mind.

Yesterday I met up, for the second time, with a girl I’ll call “L”. We met via okcupid.com, which I joined several years ago just to do tests, and recently revisited in order to see if I might be able to meet some new people with shared interests, make some new friends, see what happens. And, well, I have. One person, anyway. L and I exchanged messages for a while, and we seemed to have lots to say to each other; moved onto email and after a while I suggested meeting up in London. So we arranged to meet at the South Bank Centre one Saturday afternoon. I was a bit nervous, I suppose, but not massively. It just felt like the next step in getting to know this new friend of mine. When we did meet, we just talked and wandered along the river… into the Tate Modern for a bit… then ambled across the river and found a pub for lunch. It was really easy and relaxed, and when we had to go our separate ways (I had to dash off to play in a piano recital) we agreed we must meet up again soon.

We’d talked a lot about comedy, so I suggested going to see the improv show at the Comedy Store near Piccadilly Circus. As L works in a school, and isn’t actually in London, Easter Day turned out to be the next sensible date when she didn’t have to work the next day. Then, having suggested we go for a meal beforehand, I had to choose somewhere to eat. This was difficult. I wanted somewhere nice, but not too swanky and not so noisy/busy that we wouldn’t be able to chat. After some while spent poking around toptable and Time Out, and a brief excursion to the area after work one day, I settled on Chowki, a lovely Indian restaurant barely 2 minutes’ walk from the Comedy Store, which seemed to come highly recommended by various critics and websites.

Yesterday afternoon, I suppose I was a bit nervous. Would she like the restaurant? Would she like the comedy, for that matter? At the back of my mind was a bigger question—one I still don’t have an answer for. Am I just meeting up with a friend, or is this a date? Anyway, I went to meet L at Waterloo; it being very chilly outside, we took the Tube up to Piccadilly Circus, where (as usual) I took us up the wrong road before cutting through a backstreet or two to get us to the restaurant. So, we sat at our table, chose our drinks, and began to ponder the menu… but there seemed so much to talk about, we weren’t even vaguely ready to order when the waiter came round.

To cut a long story short, the meal was delicious and the company was excellent. ;) I’m not great at keeping conversation going when a topic dries up, but L is very good at it so that was all fine. But the time came to get the bill and move on to the Comedy Store. This was a moment I had pondered about. Do I offer to pay the whole bill? L pre-empted slightly by saying “since you bought the tickets, shall I get this?”, but I (slightly shyly, I think) replied that I had wondered if she’d let me treat her. To my immense relief, there was not a big “oh no, you couldn’t possibly” or “are you sure?”. Instead (I think—it’s a bit hazy already) she hesitated slightly then said “ok, thank you… but I’ll still give you money for the tickets.” It seems such a silly thing to have fretted about beforehand (which I did) but as it happened it just seemed… ok. So that was good.

Now off to the Comedy Store, where I got us drinks and we found somewhere decent to sit. The show was excellent, and L really enjoyed it. Also, in the interval I discovered that she also really likes Eddie Izzard, which is always a good sign. :) Anyway, the show had to end eventually and I accompanied her back to Waterloo, to the platform where her train was waiting. We chatted a bit more, and established that it was her turn to choose something to do next time we meet up. We parted with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

So… as I have been pondering the question, “friends… or more…?” I have come to realise that, right now, it’s not something I’m going to fret about (although I suppose the evidence of this very post might seem to contradict that!) I don’t even know which I would choose, if given the choice! What I do know is that L and I get on really well so far, and it’s great to be getting to know her, so I’ll take each occasion as it comes.

Does that make sense?

Sadly, it hasn’t settled here. Not that it feels like Easter, particularly. I guess that’s a side effect of not going to church! Anyway, it’s also very cold, and I’ve had to put two pairs of socks on because this isn’t a very warm flat! Uncarpeted floorboards and many large, single-glazed sash windows do not keep the heat in.

I’ve just upgraded to WordPress 2.3.3; not entirely sure if it bring any nice new features but it’s always good to keep up with the security updates and whatnot, what with my blog being so high-profile and an obvious target for hackers. No obvious broken things just yet.

I should do some piano practice. And then maybe some more Super Mario Galaxy. It’s great! :-) And this evening I’m going to see the Comedy Store Players (improv).

I’ve ordered a Nintendo Wii. This will be my first ever games console, so I need a bit of advice on what games to get. So far, I’ve ordered:

• The Wii with Sports Pack
• Extra Wii-mote and Nunchuck (I share the flat with 2 others so would be fun to have multiplayerness)
• Rayman’s Ravin Rabbids (or however it’s spelt), on the grounds that for multiplayer silliness we might get bored with Sports quite quickly. Now, this one I bought from gamestation.co.uk and decided to risk buying a ‘used’ rather than a new copy, as it’s cheaper. Is this a good idea?

I also intend to get Super Mario Galaxy as all reviews I’ve read were positively glowing, and I have had a brief go at it on a friend’s Wii and was quite captivated by the whooshiness of everything.

So, at some point – though not just yet – I will be looking for more games. I’ve been reading around and so far I’m tempted by these:

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (N.B. I have never played a Zelda game!)
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (hey, I need at least one shooty game…)

Any hints, tips, suggestions?

Perhaps I will chronicle my first console experiences here in the weeks to come.

(By the way, having noticed the last thing I posted publicly here on this blog, I should probably comment that I am single, having broken up with Katy at New Year. London–Glasgow was pretty difficult.)

OK, so I haven’t posted for months. But I just found a blog entry which describes exactly what I hope won’t happen to me one day:

Wide vs. Deep

In other news, I have lost my (paper-based) diary. Pants.

Edit: I discover that I haven’t mentioned on here… I have a girlfriend. She is Katy and she is lovely. We are very happy, especially considering that she lives in Glasgow and I live in London.

Bloxorz

Very nice little puzzle game.

It’s been yonks since I last blogged. Mainly because I forget; partly because extra typing => hands burn.

I went to a wedding today – my uncle and his partner who’ve been together for 14 years, and have a daughter aged 8 (or thereabouts) finally decided to wed. It was a fairly small affair, just close family and a few friends… My eldest cousin was married last year; the next one is in the USA so couldn’t make it; the next two (both younger than me) each had their girlfriend with them; my sister’s boyfriend couldn’t make it but would have been there; both of my new aunt’s children from her previous marriage had ‘other half’ in tow. It didn’t occur to me at the time, but I am now feeling decidedly single and it’s not a very nice feeling. But I’ll get over it soon enough (the feeling, not the girlfriendlessness) — I always do. Still a bit disheartening, though.

Saturday

0515: Alarm goes off. Drag myself out of bed and head for shower.

0600: Start finding things to put into rucksack. Change of clothes, shoes, drum sticks (1 pair), Oystercard, diary, keys, tissues, Star Trek piano music, sleeping bag… no, that doesn’t fit, and I won’t be sleeping anyway… oh alright, just in case. Get other (bigger) rucksack, transfer stuff to it, add sleeping bag. Right. Have I got everything?—oops, look at the time!.

0630: Arrive at agreed meeting point and hop in car to go to Stevenage. Slight dozing in car, but not real sleep.

0745: Need coffee, but the only place that’s open is McDonalds. Oh well, that’ll have to do.

0810: Turn up at random school hall and set up drums while brass players make a racket. Find tea. Someone has bought jam doughnuts. Mmmmmm, doughnuts.

0845: Run through test piece.

0910: Find that we’ll be the second band to play. Gets it out of the way nice and early! But we have to pack up and get to the competition venue asap.

1015ish: Play. It goes ok but everything sounds weird in that hall.

1030: Return gear to cars. The bass drum is heavy!

1100: To the bar for a pint. Text Mat to find out if he’s free this afternoon. He is; make vague arrangement to meet.

1130: Catch train to Cambridge.

1220: Arrive in Cambridge and meet Mat. Dash round shops to get food. Back to Mat’s house, eat food. My first experience of Nintendo Wii. It’s fun! Quite tempted to get one… when they become easier to find!

Afternoon: Wander into town to buy Mother’s Day card. Check out what games they have in the Magic Joke Shop, buy 2 small Carcassonne expansions (River 2 and The Count). Return to Mat’s and play Carcassonne using river 2 but not the Count because it’s confusing! Bit more Wii, then pizza.

1930: CULES shows! First “Something of a Pickle” which is a little difficult to follow, because (i) the plot is bizarre and (ii) the cast is changing accents rather frequently. Nevertheless, very entertaining. After this comes “Babes in the Wood” which is, without a doubt, the best and most polished panto I’ve ever seen CULES do. I take credit for helping to choose a couple of the songs :) but basically the script is very clever (some truly appalling puns) and everyone sings in time and in tune to words which actually fit the tunes! Followed by after-show party at the House of Light Entertainment. I have very little to drink because I need to be prepared for…

Sunday

0230: Head to New Hall, where the G&S society is part-way through Act II of “Iolanthe”. Many people leave after this, and it is at this point that I seat myself at the keyboard to accompany “Ruddigore”, “The Grand Duke” (crap) and “Utopia (un)Limited” (for this one I only do half the work—play one hand each with Theo).

0800: Time to go home. Walk into town, find a cab near Christ’s, allowing me to reach the station in time for the 0828 train back to Kings Cross. I reach the train before realising I haven’t got a ticket, so rush back to buy one from the machine, then rush back to the train.

0828: As train begins to leave, I go to sit down and am hailed by Grace, a friend from college. Go and chat for a bit, then make my apologies and explain that I need to go and sleep. Settle down to sleep, but am interrupted by ticket inspector Revenue Protection Officer. He points out that my Young Person’s Railcard has expired, and he’ll have to fine me. Bugger. 10 minutes and £36 later, I can go to sleep, but not before realising I don’t have my Oystercard. This is because it’s still in the other rucksack.

0930ish: Am woken by other passengers as the train is at Kings Cross. A bit bemused, I head for the Tube, buy a ticket, and hope on the Victoria Line. Get off at Oxford Circus, only to find the Central Line is not running. Arrgh! Go via Victoria and Ealing Broadway (which is at the end of its branch of the District Line, so I can safely doze). Finally, the E10 bus takes me home. Trudging up the hill to my house, I look forward to going to bed.

1030ish: Once inside the house, I notice I am treading something unpleasant into the carpet. It smells bad. Check outside the front door… fox-turd on the path *$!@£$!$* Clean carpet, hose shoes, go to bed.

1530: Wake up, go downstairs, discover dinner is nearly ready. Give card to mum, eat dinner, relax.

2130: Bed.