And on.

2006-07-24T12:07:00.000Z

This afternoon I'm off back to England, so I thought this would be a good time to round things up. I'm going back for a few days to celebrate birthday and see a few friends, then Katie and I are going to Germany for a few weeks on a road-trip. Should be fun!

The tour planned for the end of september is more or less finalised with 2/3 dates still to be booked. So if you live in London or Paris and you want to help us get these final dates I'd appreciate that more than you know.

I've spent the last couple of days getting the flat into shape; there's nothing worse than coming back to a dirty flat. Wow. Wouldn't have caught me saying that a few years ago. It didn't help that last night I went out with the boys in the band. We arrived at the Frog at 18h and proceeded to buy happy hour cocktails by a convoluted game involving throwing darts at random numbers. So by about 20h everyone had imbibed rum, gin, vodka, tequila, triple sec cachaca, beer, wine etc. The barman thought it was his lucky day and started giving us free shots as well. We rounded the night off in another bar with some Guinness, so you can only imagine how great I felt at 4 am when I woke up on the couch fully clothed. Mmmm.

Anyway, everything's sorted more or less. Neighbours are kindly watering plants etc. Woot.

I just need to finish packing and get out the flat now. Am instead listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs whilst updating my blog. Hmm.

Bye! and check out the band's myspace (http://www.myspace.com/beautifullunarlandscape) to see if you can make it to one of the gigs on the tour. Check back as there'll be more dates added.

Love ben x

2006-05-25T12:02:00.000Z

If you stumble across this and see that I have indeed updated, pat yourself on the back, and be proud. You are the persevering type.

My news is mainly music based I am afraid. Work being as it is, since the massive strikes a few weeks ago, most departments have grinded to a halt, and my time is nearly up. Have renewed said contract though, so invitations to Bordeaux extend to end of next year now.

With Beautiful Lunar Landscape the gigs are coming along nicely, and we're getting good feedback on our myspace. But the biggest news I suppose is our impending tour across France Belgium and England. This will be in the first week of October, so we'll let you know as it comes along. We're getting some exposure on local radios and a London radio called playvybz. All good.

For summer I have August down as holiday around Germany in car with tent. Should be great.

Let me know how you are... and who you are!

2006-03-22T12:40:00.000Z

In true Ben style, it has been a good month since the last update on here. I was only really reminded to update as my good friend Oli asked me for the address, and he has a smart blog on Myspace. I didn't want mine to look so pants.

Anyway, it has in all fairness been a busy month. I actually have the time to sit here and write this mainly thanks to the Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and his lousy CPE youth work contract ideas. This proposal has been angrily shoved back at him by most universities and colleges in France, and in the wake of the autumn riots, the French youth seem to realise that there are some serious problems that need to be addressed. Now many different issues are falling under the same umbrella such as the problems with the advantaged middle classes with their own private colleges and universities against the state run and thoroughly decrepit uni systems. Along with the massive youth unemployment rates and miserable prospects, institutionalised racism is prevelant in every sector of this flaky secular society.

Which all means I don't have to go to work for a few days which is great.

Over the last few weeks we've been recording and mixing our first proper demo. You can see/hear/comment upon the results at

http://www.myspace.com/beautifullunarlandscape

We are very happy with the results, and without wanting to hideously jinx things, we are getting some great interest from local organisers and people in the music scene. We are being lined up to support a well known French band called Calc who have had success on both sides of the Channel and who have a record label in Oxford. Fingers crossed.

Ben x

2006-02-17T11:31:00.000Z

Here are some swans

2006-02-08T16:22:00.000Z

Hello. It's February now, and Bordeaux is picking up in the general weather and work stakes. I have failed dismally at sticking to my 'less than 30 mins on the internet a day' resolution. My eyes are now feeling pretty messed up. I've been posing the new year's resolution question to students, and they have been pretty obvious, with the exception of the guy who said he wants to sell his bike and use his car more. Fair enough.

I am currently procrastinating from lesson planning by updating my blog. I should be preparing a two hour lesson on illegal downloading and file-sharing and the like. Time is running out.

Music is going particularly well at the moment as we are rehearsing loads more than normal. This does have it's problems as evenings get eaten up, but then we are searching for the greatest offering to music since Stiltskin, so we musn't grumble, we must focus Daniel son.

Went to Basque country the other day for a mini holiday in the Basque country which was just perfect. Here is the farm/hotel if you're interested, and the room was Socoa-

http://www.ostalapia.com/chambre_fr.html

The French part of the Basque country is beautiful with diverse geography for such a small area. From the farm we could see the purplish Pyrenees mountains, and a kilometre the other way are some beaches. We'll go back in the summer to see what it is like. Probably more full of tourists.

Oh, and I drove back from Biarritz. Was really weird driving on the right (wrong) side of the road. Kind of fun though. Less fun in a rented car, but fun all the same.

Ben x

2006-01-26T13:42:00.000Z

It has come to that cherished time of year when I start to wonder what the hell I am going to do over the next few years. It's something to do with spring I think. Staying in Bordeaux for a further year is looking sensible. Any suggestions for a career plan are very welcome. I can state that I don't really want to be a teacher, although it can be good fun at times and the holidays are great.

Music continues to go well if not slowly. We're working on lots of new stuff, which is more sophisticated emotionally, but hampered somewhat by my intensely cliched lyrics. It only seems to work if I set my poems to the music. Writing lyrics after the music is written results in trash.

I have a scary claw for a right hand after cultivating my nails for a few months. Classical guitar sounds loads better though, and I gave my guitar the present of new strings the other day. Students are a-coming. They're going to be subjected to modals and prepositions. Lucky day. Good bye.

2006-01-02T18:52:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

Am back to France on Thursday after a hectic but great few weeks in rainy old England. Lovely to see people from Bristol and home, and anyone I haven't seen I am sorry and we must meet soon.

Work at uni is going very well. Students are great and teaching is strangely satisfying work. Katie is well and teaching more than me whilst being paid less. Yes I am fighting for equality in the workplace.

www.beautifullunarlandscape.blogspot.com is where it's at with regards to the music. We're recording in January with a guy in the wine country. He is great and doing it free of charge (says he likes the music. Little does he know when we're all together we can explode).

Anyway, come to Bordeaux, eveyone's invited, eat and drink with us in our little flat.

Ben x

2005-10-13T10:07:00.000Z

Apparently I've been tagged by my sister, meaning I have to give 20 bits of thoroughly interesting information about myself on this blog. Please don't break down before the end through sheer boredom.

1) The woman across the road from me is crazy nuts. She shouts at any time of the day from her terrace to nobody in particular.

2) I went to the window to see what she was doing the other day, and she had no clothes on. She is 65 and looks like she is wearing a sumo suit. She doesn't shave. Women in general now terrify me.

3) I watch Star Academy.

4) My band has a gig on Wednesday in Bordeaux in the Houses of Parliament pub. Do come. It starts at 22h.

5) I have been telling this to my students. They think I'm trying to be cool.

6) I probably am.

7) Food I miss the most is chinese crispy pork.

8) Any bacon.

9) Fish and chips. Not frites. Fat chips. Potatoes in France aren't very imaginative. That is a strange sentence.

10) I'm looking forward to Christmas. It's at Liz my sister's house. I'm going to leave poos unflushed in her house.

11) I would like to go and see Manchester United play with my Dad over Christmas hint hint.

12) I would love a car, but then I would love a parking space too. Can't haveboth in the centre of Bordeaux.

13) The wine here really is very good.

14) My mouth is dry.

15) I bought a key ring yesterday. It is a skateboard with Skeletor on it.

16) I like weddings. Can someone get married please?

17) Hungry.

18) Teaching 17 yr olds is odd. Teaching 24 year olds is odder still.

19) This is the first time I have done a chain anything in about 6 years.

20) It will be the last.

2005-10-06T08:27:00.000Z

Hello.

So what's going on out here? I've got a job at the university teaching English. Just had my first lesson this morning which seemed to go well. I taught a bunch of 5th year chemistry students. Did lots of getting to know you exercises. What larks!

Katie has two students to teach now on a Wednesday afternoon. One is 15 and the other 11, so that is quite a challenge, and I'm really impressed with how she's getting on.

The band has a gig in about two weeks in a pub. We need to practice more as it's not sounding desperately tight at the moment. I'm struggling to get my voice back in form after such a long break. Had a couple of colds over the last two weeks as well. We're only doing 2 hours a week which isn't enough, but what with settling in and all the other commitments, it's a toughie.

Went out with Julien and Manu last night to a funny little bar where you can play loads of games. Board and card games. It was a good change. We played a card game involving dragons and treasure. Loved it.

See you soon x

2005-09-22T13:13:00.000Z

Thanks for the message Cath and Lucio, really great to hear from you. I can imagine you in Modena eating lots of lovely food and generally having a great time. We need to come and visit I think! There are rumours circulating between, well, me and Kat that we may, repeat may come out in December or January for a little fun time. I think that sounds cool.

Anyway, things in Bordeaux are certainly looking up. Our flat is looking more and more normal by the day, and sometime over the next two days, a van should arrive with our stuff in it. So that'll be double great.

Really good thing: I've got lecteurship at Bordeaux University, which means that I will be given a salary, and be able to teach English properly for the first time. My contract will last a year. Now onto the next mission: to find Katie a job.

Time to go now, got a rehersal tomorrow with the band (first one), and need to do some writing pronto.

Take care and lots of love to everyone who continues to read this on and off!

Ben x

2005-09-07T21:06:00.000Z

After a week looking, it looks like we might have found a flat in the centre of bordeaux. Yeah! IT hasn't been easy (even harder writing on a french keyboard) mainly due to the amount of info the landlords want that just isn't possible. For example, parents who pay their taxes in france. Well I just don't have any that do that. Your last three pay cheaqes in France. Same again. But in a good flat, we seem to have wangled through a mixture of anglo saxon charm and a fun loving attitude to have won round the landlord. Final bureaucratic rumblings tomorrow, and then onto the job and all that that entails.

Super bueno. Speak to you soon.

2005-08-24T13:13:00.000Z

Two things.

Number one: A list of people whose birthdays I forgot over the last two months or so through being crap. I mean busy, but that really means crap. Amy, Rob, Andy, Dan, Will, Benoit, my own. And if any one remembers that I didn't send them birthday greetings, then do remind me.

Number two: I'm off to Bordeaux very soon, Friday to be precise, to start again, and try some new tricks out. Katie and I are going to bring English to Bordeaux, try and stop all these French people speaking, well, French all the time. After a year, we hope to make them all fluent, rid France of the French language, and thereby make my degree utterly worthless. I can't remember Italian now anyway.

This all means that this lovely lovely website will carry on for a bit longer, and is going to have something of a revival. More will follow as we get a flat, and set up interwebs in the house. I shake your hand, and mingle my sweat in your palm.

Ben x

2005-07-12T13:39:00.000Z

If you read this, then you´ll probably be freaked out that I have written something on the blog. Understandable really, given that the last post was in May.

Since then I have graduated with a 2:1 in French and Italian, and I am now following a CELTA course in Barcelona. The course is intensive, but is definitely giving me the skills to go on and teach English in the future. A handy string to the bow.

Hope you are well, and get in touch by email.

Ben x

2005-05-11T10:09:00.000Z

Hello.

The exam period is upon us in Bristol, and there is little to report other than that the weather is getting better, I'm making plans for the summer and next year, and my head is filled with Boccaccio and not much else.

This time last year of course was considerably more fun. Eating panini, crescentine, mmm, reading, playing music, going out in the evening... Ahhh, well only a couple more weeks and I'll be free and probably wondering what to do with myself.

Did Lucio make it over to Australia? Who knows? I don't even know if anyone reads this anymore, so this is essentially a transcription of my thoughts. It probably reads like it.

May the force be with you.

2005-03-14T13:00:00.000Z

The Red Shift had their first gig in around two years last night. We played at The Fleece and Firkin in Bristol as support for a band called Keltika. We've been playing together for a few months since we've all come back from travelling, and it has been really good fun. We've swapped around a bit on the instruments. I play keyboards, backing vocals and melodica now, whilst Dom has switched from guitar to bass. Chris and Joachim are still doing the same.

It was a really great night, and went surprisingly smoothly. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, and we got some positive remarks from the sound engineer amongst others.

Other news; I'm really hitting the final straight at university now. I've got around 7 exams in May, all big nasty ones. I've got a big week this week with two essays to knock on the head, and then the blessed holidays come.

On Tuesday I'll have an interview with a lady from Bordeaux University with regards to a post as lecteur over there. I'm currently smartening myself up with new clothes and hair to give the right impression. Hmmm....

Anyway, have procrastinated enough from doing my work, so I'd better dash.

Toodlepip (Catherine?)

2004-12-23T19:34:00.000Z

Happy Christmas everyone!

Please think of a New Year's resolution before new year, and post it as a comment below.

That is, if you can be bothered.

Ben x

2004-12-08T13:22:00.000Z

Failed my driving test. Old news really, but I do have another booked in for the first of February. Hopefully I won't drive straight through 'stop' signs this time.

Catherine and Lucio came down last weekend, and we did lots of dancing at Thekla. It was a really great day and a half, and they are more than welcome to come whenever they like. We did a whistlestop tour of Clifton and Bristol, two York Cafe breakfasts, and two trips to the Suspension Bridge (which makes me feel very very faint).

Work all over now, Mum and Dad coming at the weekend for a few days.

Flat Christmas party on Thursday. I have to do the shopping this afternoon so I can start defrosting the turkey. Great.

x

2004-11-28T01:20:00.000Z

Well yo to you all,

I am surprised if anyone is still reading this since I update so infrequently at the moment. However, if you are reading this, then I love you, and give you a big hug for your patience. Times are less fun than normal with essays and the like, but I can confirm that by Thursday, my going out time will be back on track with the worst of the work for this semester out of the way.

On Saturday Catherine and Lucio will be coming over to Bristol from Modena, which will be the most rocking occasion of all time. I am planning how to entertain them for the night, and will hopefully give them a good time. Shame they aren't staying longer though...!

Thanks to Lucio as well for the posts, you spurred me on to writing stuff on this again. I just feel like there's nothing that interesting to tell you all. I could tell you for example that tonight I went to the pub with Ken and Sophie from my flat, and played pool and darts and had two pints of Guinness, but then why oh why? Maybe that is the thing about blogs.

Congratulations to Benoit in Bordeaux who is soon to be an uncle as well. Booya!

x

2004-11-15T15:08:00.000Z

Salve.

I am in the computer room in the language department, while my girlfriend is sitting next to me, breaking the computer.

Fun fun fun. I am trying to think of exciting things to tell you, but I can only think as far back as the last couple of days. Andy (from Letchwuff) came to Bristol, andn we had a great night out at Thekla's Espionage. The club night is based on a boat (a real boat) on the docks, and the music is old rock and soul. Very very good. If you come to Bristol, we shall go.

2004-10-25T14:36:00.000Z

Hello.

Update on news.

I am currently following a band that I think might be the next big thing. Their music at least is wonderful; a cross between Buckley and Led Zep I would say. The come from Bradford-on-Avon near Bristol, and are called Blackbud. Here is their website:

http://www.blackbud.co.uk/

Next. Work is horrific. Too much. Which is why I haven't really been updating this site as much as I should. Sorry. Bear with me and I'll try and make it more regular again.

Today I burnt my face. I bought a thermos flask (a flask that keeps liquids hot or cold for those of you who may not be familiar with this English vocab; I hope I am not patronising you), and used it for the first time today. It has a little flip lid, and I thought this is what you drink from. So I proceeded to try, and spilt scalding coffee all down myself and all down my chin, which was incredibly painful. I then went to the doctors because I am a hypochondriac. They said keep it cool. The end.

Lots of love.

2004-10-07T09:53:00.000Z

Tom Stoppard's Arcadia last night, The Zutons the night before. A couple of days of excellency. There's a lot going on here at the moment, and I have to try to balance it with getting a hell of a lot of work done.

There's a chance that Beautiful Lunar Landscape could have a gig here in Bristol in December, but there are logisitical problems at the moment that I am trying to sort out.

We'll see.

The house is going well, people are washing up after themselves for a change, which is great. Did I tell you I got the most meat ever at the supermarket the other day? I hope I am not repeating myself. Lamb, pork, steak, mince, chicken, you name, I've eaten the meat. Hmm. Got lots of good wine in too. Having wine in the house that isn't the 2 for £5 deal from Costcutter is highly recommendable. You don't have to go out to get a drink, and sometimes that suits me fine.

2004-10-01T13:36:00.000Z

Eeek. Sorry it has been so long; I have been getting ready for university over the last few days, and it has been really hectic; this is the longest it has been since checking email and the like for months.

I was at Fresh (a big fair at uni where you join societies and clubs) yesterday on the Helicon desk trying to get people to join. It is a busy affair and this year was no different; hot, sticky and unfriendly, and that was just me.

I passed my driving theory test the other day which means I have the real thing (real driving practical test) in November. Hurrah!

I have been consuming lots of meat and alcohol since going to Tesco the other day. It is good.

Fresher's week (first week of the university year) is very odd indeed. Too many people, you can't get into any clubs because they are all packed, and I'm not sure I'd want to go in anyway. What a fucker.

I've got my room all sorted and lovely. That really is important when the rest of the house is a bit of a hole.

Am going to a few gigs over the next few days. Tomorrow is one where there are two bands unknown to me at uni. Then on Sunday MC Solaar, Wednesday The Zutons (on my own), and then the Black Keys.

Oh, and I did get the sack like I predicted, but I got my money.

2004-09-21T08:38:00.000Z

The wedding ahas been and gone in a flash. After night after night of eating out all last week, we made it over to Cambridge on the Friday night to get ready for Saturday's wedding. Stressful it might have been, but the end result was definitely worth the angst of mother.

The wedding was in St John's college chapel, which was the most stunning setting you can imagine. Liz looked the most beautiful I have ever seen her, and everything went remarkably smoothly.

Tom Katie and I got lost on the way to the reception, but were greeted by copious amounts of Pimms which rather set the mood for the whole day. Can someone else get married so we can do it again please? Liz and Eben are now on a beach in Malaysia drinking pina coladas and eating nasi lemak.

Other than that, I expect to be sacked very very soon by Culinaria, the place where I do the washing up. I haven't been in touch, and think they are going to kick me out in either 2 or 3 days.

Not to worry.

2004-09-15T11:08:00.000Z

On Sunday I went with Ben to see PJ Harvey play at the Academy in Bristol. I got to see her over the summer in Imola with Catherine Andrea and Clare, and she impressed so much that I had to go and see her again. On stage she has this massive presence that was made all the more obvious when in contrast with the support group "KnifeFork", who had a couple of average singers with dreary songs.

Anyway, it was an excellent nuts gig, but what I am planning on doing is making a belt - hang on, have I already said this before? - that she wore at the Somerset house gig. Here, hopfully is a link to it:

http://pjharvey.net/ubb/Forum1/HTML/004910.html

You need to scroll down a few pictures, but the belt it there in full glory.

I have the cars, I nearly have the belt, but I don't have the knowledge of how to fix those little things onto the belt. I've had a few ideas. One is to glue them on with ridiculously strong glue. Another is to solder them on. Another is to try and attach them by some sort of strong thin material.

The belt is for Katie, not for me.

So if anyone has any idea how to go about doing this, then they can touch the belt once it finished.

2004-09-14T15:39:00.000Z

Family Ling is uniting against the forces of evil. Members of this mysterious clan have descended from all corners of the world at a time when, well, Liz and Eben are getting married. Mrs Upton she will be. What a strange thought. I will have a brother-in-law. Stranger still.

The house is getting full, and I can see the wedding will be excellent. Lots of fun seeing all these people together. Wooo!

2004-09-12T13:47:00.000Z

Bristol is a pretty cool place. I've been rediscovering it with Ben, trying to remember where the funnest places are. Yes, they do mainly happen to be pubs and slightly dodgy indie nights, but the city in the sun is as good as any other.

Ben is off tomorrow, and I think I am going to try to get home tomorrow too. Let the wedding commence!

2004-09-08T11:21:00.000Z

Benoit is arriving in Bristol today. I can't wait to show him about, and repay him for some of the excellent times we've had in Bordeaux together.

2004-09-06T09:33:00.000Z

Catherine and Andrea have been in England for a few days now, and we've had a rocking time. Lots of sunshine, meeting up with people, a barbecue, an opera (as performed by Tom, Dan and friends), a curry, and some alcohol. Good stuff; am thinking about going back to Modena in November for a long weekend or somesuch. See everyone, eat lots, and get a bit of Italian spoken.

Patrick, Ling and Graham (uncle, aunt and cousin) arrived from the U.S.A this morning, and they seem on top form given that they've been travelling for so long. I overdid it a little last night, and am definitely paying for it right now. Intense nausea was my welcoming present to everyone. Those damn waves. Didn't disgrace myself though, so I can be proud. So so proud.

Back to Eric Bristow tomorrow, Rob has moved in, and Ben(oit) is arriving on Wednesday. He'll be over for a few days which should be full of cider and guitars. Weeeeeeee!

2004-09-01T11:08:00.000Z

Last night was strange. Not just because I found myself in a badly lit Polish ex-military club where the temperature was ripe for augmenting under-arm smells. The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow were playing on their European tour. If you have heard of them (and I doubt you have, since they are plain odd), you will remember their strange setup. They are from New York, and are made up of Dad, a guy who looks like he was picked on lots at school, Mum who works the slideshow, and Rachel, the 11 year daughter who plays the drums.

Yes it was a bit sick. They go to car boot sales, buy slides from dead people, then make songs about the slides.

http://www.slideshowplayers.com/

2004-08-24T14:14:00.000Z

The olympics are eating up my life. Before, I was never interested in dressage, softball or synchronised diving, but now they have all taken on far too much significance. Why do I care if the Kazakstani judo player double ipongs the Latvian underdog? I just do. With a bottle of cheap white wine.

Alex has been staying round for the last couple of weeks as he looks for a flat. He left today leaving loads of washing up to do and general mess, the lazy bastard, so this means that all people from Woodbridge in Suffolk are banned from the house. All of them.

Ooh, I got new glasses and contacts yesterday. Yeah.

2004-08-17T17:25:00.000Z

Things are moving forward at the rate of things that go really really fast.

I am driving again. Bristol beware. It's all coming back quite fast, and the instructor Gary ("imagine you are coming out the junction like a tort-oise") is a pleasant guy who doesn't make me stressed.

Am working now in a kitchen washing up. First shift on Friday, so I'll start moaning then.

What is the worst summer job you have ever had? Mine is washing up 2 years ago in Bristol. So why am I doing it again? Who knows? I think it's because the restaurant is 30 seconds away from my house.

2004-08-12T15:22:00.000Z

Rain rain rain is bad bad bad.

Leaky roof. 2 litres in 30 seconds has to be a record of sorts, I'm sure.

Met up with Joachim a couple of nights ago. We used to play together in the ground breaking band The Red Shift. Most of the music you hear these days has its roots in our soulful ditties. We went to a couple of open mic nights to check out the local talent. We played lots of music back at mine, and caught up lots. I have never been out just with Joachim, and it was a brilliant night of music and beer.

2004-08-07T16:19:00.000Z

I've got my suit sorted out for the wedding now. It is made with Italian material and is a kind of blue. I'll stick some pictures up of the wedding when it happens anyway.

All things wedding are pushing on. Mum and Dad are in full wedding mode, and are making sure everything is going to plan. Should be a great party. I wonder what we're having for food?

2004-08-05T12:32:00.000Z

Well great.

The house is the dirtiest house ever. If it was in a competition to find the dirtiest house, it would win. So I'm ringing the landlord when he gets back on Monday so he can send cleaners round.

Other than that, I have been to the library, books out and all that, and I've seen a few Bristol buddies who are alive and well. The beer is still good, and I found an excellent honey cider. Hurray.

2004-08-02T11:21:00.000Z

Off to Bristol tomorrow to move into new flat.

If anyone needs to get in touch I am now on my mobile all the time:07771998036

Updating of blog will be challenging, but I will rise to that challenge, and keep you up to date with all things dull.

2004-08-01T11:18:00.000Z

The last few days have been very interesting to say the least. I'm sorry that the blog has not been updated much.

I have been seeing Katie for the first time. She is well, (a bit of a lie, she has a cold and has to have a root canal on her teeth soon) looks beautiful (not a lie), and is generally good. It's quite nuts seeing her for the first time in so long, and we're going to have to take it easy for a while. I love her.

It has been my birthday too. A bit of a non-event, just the way I like it. Relaxed, nice meal in the evening, some good dvds and books to mull over for the next few weeks.

Went out with my friends from home, and got hideously drunk. Met Tom's new girlfriend Isobel, who is great. She fit in really well, and dealt with the 6 other boys brilliantly I thought.

Highlight of the evening for me had to be at about 2 in the morning, asking Will for a phone number for a taxi back to Ampthill from Tom's house. Quoting the easy to remember 212137, I rang, only to be answered by a man who didn't know what the fuck I was talking about, asking for a taxi.

It was Dan's dad, on Dan's home number. Great.

2004-07-25T09:17:00.000Z

I catalogued all my cds yesterday. It was fun. I got to find all kind of rubbish that I'd forgotten about. And then I found stuff like Achtung Baby that Andy burned for me about 3 years ago that I'd mislaid. Mary Star of the Sea had gone missing too, but I found that, as well as Trailer Park by Beth Orton. I'm not sure I even like that anymore.

Every cd has its own card in a file thing, complete with band name and album title, particular points of interest, and if the cd is actually missing. As is the case with stuff like Bjork debut and others. I have decorated the box with pictures of Hendrix, a Strat, a thing that says "rock!", and Justin Hawkins' face. And a thing about the Stone Roses. I feel like I'm about 13 again and drawing spirals with Dan Smith in hommage to the Spin Doctors.

Notable absences include In Utero and Nevermind and Beck Mutations. Check your collections.

I have stuff which is not mine. I have a spare Pablo Honey and a spare Parachutes. I have the cd for My Iron Lung ep, but no case.

I found some cool old recordings of The Red Shift (my Bristol band) that reminded me that quite a lot of the stuff we did is pretty damn good.

Yesterday I also got a suit for the wedding. It is really nice. It fits well. The only disconcerting thing is that they seem to want you to have the trousers pulled up ridiculously high, like over your navel/tummy button. It makes you look either like a clown, some fat bastard in a gentleman's club with a brandy and a cigar, Stimpy in that great episode of Ren and Stimpy, or like Alaistar Glynn at school when we were 12 and he used to do an alternative look to his uniform which included tucking his trousers into his socks and such larks.

Happy Birthday Will, sorry it's a bit late!

2004-07-23T10:50:00.000Z

Hello.

I had a really good bath yesterday. On the plane, I noticed that I had mud on the underside of my forearms, and on my legs. I also had some mud in my hair.

I got a really great email from my Icelandic friend Anna yesterday. She has a very beautiful way of writing in English. Her sentences are very long, and flow just as her mind thinks.

Katie's plane was delayed by a day from Mexico city because of flooding.

As of today I have started studying. Oh yes, this is going to be fun. I'm kicking off with Ariosto, a 16th century high renaissance writer. His Italian differs a lot from the Italian that is around today. So I have just ordered a translation.

Icelandic however has not differed much at all over the last 2000 years, which means that Icelanders living today can read all the sagas with absolutely no problem at all.

2004-07-22T12:40:00.000Z

Just got back from a few really great days in Bordeaux. We played lots of music, and I spent a good deal of time working on two new songs.

Everyone in Bordeaux is well, and it is very reassuring going back and hearing how we play together.

Last night we had a kind of band party, which ended up with us going to a football pitch and doing penalties at 2 in the morning, drinking rum orange and banana from a pepsi bottle under flashes of lightening.

The flight this morning was less good.

Katie is back today. Hurray hurray hurray.

x

2004-07-16T15:24:00.000Z

Holy cow, I made it back. The journey was not that fun because I still felt quite ill, but the bloody mary on the plane was perfect. Flying really isn't a good thing to do. Who really knows how planes work? I think it was Catherine who was telling me that she knows someone who was in a plane when the door ripped off and several people fell out, and then chairs started being pulled out of their places from the pressure. This made me want to fly less.

Had a good curry last night, and had a bath this morning. Excellent bacon, black pudding, egg, ketchup, hp sauce and worcestershire sauce sandwich for breakfast. Phew!

I opened up the prize from Modena for the writing competition last night. It wasn't a book. It was one of these.

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000235ASC.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

I shall be writing a thankyou letter. It is quite amazing. I have never won anything like that before. A big thankyou also to Miss Snothead McGlade for making me do it too.

2004-07-15T10:21:00.000Z

Last night was my last night as a third year Erasmus student. It really hit home as I was walking down Via Emila at around 4 in the morning, feeling slightly nauseous. It was a great night. We started in the flat with Lambrusco and the Martini, and then went to the Oca Golosa to eat to a standstill. Everyone seemed very happy, and it felt quite different to most nights. Not because they were happy, but more carefree or something. Maybe it was the drink before. I think with Clare going yesterday it has really made me stop and just think about the year and what I've got out of it. A bigger stomach I think is the answer. A good investment though.

Felt like death this morning, and the sun has got his bloody hat on again, and having a sore head with dehydration and the sun is less than fun.

Bus at 3.20 to Bologna woohoo, then plane.

Should I change the name of the blog?

I feel unbelievably lucky to have shared so many memorable moments with people in Bordeaux and Modena this year (and Barcelona and Mexico). I hope we keep in touch.

I'm rambling again. My mouth is dry. I need iced tea alla pesca yeah.

2004-07-13T14:09:00.000Z

Saturday I nipped over to Turin with Francesco (not Malvetani) to see Iggy Pop. A solid three hour journey, it was a great opportunity to get to chat to Francesco a bit more; something I'd wanted to do for a while. The gig was unususal for me. I don't normally go to see full on rock concerts, usually I go for more relaxed stuff that I can watch and listen to. In Turin, the crazy crazy people were out in force, creating mosh pit violence and hurting themselves for fun. Good gig though, and Iggy really does go for it. More so than I ever could. Probably drugged up to the eyeballs with it.

Sunday finished essay. It is over.

Monday sent essay. Post office was shut for a few days, so had to go out of town. No surprises though, this is Italy after all. Never rely on any public service ever.

Chatted to Katie face on MSN last night. Not long now.

Sorry for dullness of post, am very very tired, and smell bad. I have run out of deoderant, and am far too lazy to go and buy some more.

Am working on music for Bordeaux (I'm off on Saturday hurrah!), and looking forward to seeing Mum and Dad on Thursday. Will I see Liz? Not sure. Doubt it if I'm going on Saturday.

See you all soon.

x

2004-07-07T11:21:00.000Z

Me again. Forgot something.

We went to a typical Modenese restaurant the other day that Bastian pointed out. It was good. They did loads of tigellas (little bun things you stuff with parma ham and lard and parmesan), pasta, pudding et al. Excellent. Thanks Bastian. We thought of you. And then ate some more.

2004-07-07T11:14:00.000Z

Two things.

1) Has anyone heard a French band called Phoenix? Sing in English, nonsensical lyrics, but quite catchy tunes. I'd like to know what the album is like. Kind of what Beautiful Lunar Landscape does, but we have better lyrics and better music. Modesty gets you a long way.

2) Has anyone listened to A Grand Don't Come For Free? All the way through. If you have, please get in touch so I can talk to someone about it.

Dodgy, the greatest band of all time. If it's good enough for you it's good enough for me. They were quite amazing musicians though. Why do bands like them do suicidal songs? Like the Boo Radleys. Not a bad band at all, but then they do Wake Up Boo, that is on GMTV every morning for the next 8 years. And everyone wants to hurt them.

2004-07-07T11:03:00.000Z

Essay essay essay essay.

So so dull.

2004-07-05T13:22:00.000Z

Greece won then. Wonder what the odds were like before the tournament?

2004-07-02T11:33:00.000Z

Had an unexpectedly great night yesterday. After endless days of dull essay writing and distraction tactics, we went out as a flat to the pizzeria where Cristina used to work. We were celebrating Cristina graduating from school. I still don't quite understand if she means school as in A-levels, or school as in American university. She's 21, so I hope she means the latter.

We decided not to eat all day, and then go at 10pm and eat and drink as much as we could. We did. Then we made our way to a park where there is an outdoor pub and an atmosphere not unlike certain cafes in Amsterdam. So today I feel very strange.

Good news concerning Bordeaux. Am making my way out from the 18th to the 22nd to play, and get some music back into the bones after breaking la chitarra. Wish I could be there longer, but I hope to nip back some time over the summer anyway.

Back to the essay woo.

2004-06-29T09:52:00.000Z

I am being woken up at the moment to the music of Vasco Rossi, the lovely Italian crooner, and building works that are making me want to cry. I can't go on.

2004-06-26T12:33:00.000Z

Oh, and buy the new PJ Harvey album if you can. She rocks hard. I'll be able to tell you more about her as a person when I've done my collaboration with her, Bowie and Robert Smith next year.

2004-06-26T12:00:00.000Z

Very sorry about the lack of posts, but the guys from sunny Bedford have been here this week, and there really has been no time in between going to shot bars, guitars breaking, glasses breaking, little bastards called Sergio stealing wallets, films on frescoes, and eating lots and lots.

It has been a good week. Exams are over.

I got a cd from Benoit with 2 new songs on it which I am working on for when I come to Bordeaux. They are excellent, and I can't wait to get to work on them.

The essay from hell needs to start moving.

Love to all, and keep checking the blog, I'm back. With the shits. I ate mussels.

2004-06-21T09:54:00.000Z

I've finished all the studying I need to do out here. The essay however is still to be done.

Tom Gav Dan and Andy arrive in Rimini today, and I'm about to go and meet them at the airport.

Fiorentina are back in Serie A after 22 months in football purgatory.

I promise to write more soon!

Ben x

2004-06-17T12:32:00.000Z

Trying to study and write music at the same time. I hope to turn up to Bordeaux with some stuff that we can use together. I've got 3 or 4 songs, all unfinished, that each have something good about them. The last one uses some lyrics that Francesco wrote. It's got a cool shift that the Pixies and Jef Buckley use that's quite unexpected at that point in the song. Just missing vocals for the last part of the song.

2004-06-15T09:44:00.000Z

I had the interview with Ennino Cottafavi yesterday. He was very helpful, and gave me some good ideas as to how I'm going to progress with ye olde essay. He also gave me a small book with lots of statistics about the food industry in Modena which looks like it'll be invaluable.

Slightly less good news is that he lost his job last night. The election (from 2 days ago) results came out, and I just bought the morning paper (like gold dust for some reason), and Ennio lost out.

Bastian left last night. We saw him off at the train station with all his bags. It's strange to think he's not around anymore. I'll think of him when Germany play Holland tonight. And don't even talk to me about the England game. Now I know how it feels to suport Bayern.

2004-06-12T10:16:00.000Z

This morning I got out the shower, and there was a pigeon sitting on the kitchen table. Then it flew out the window. I think it has a message for me, but I don't know how to get it. Maybe it had a little bit of paper on its leg. Hmm.

2004-06-11T14:11:00.000Z

I managed to get an appointment with Ennio Cottafavi, the deputy mayor. Am going to talk to him on Monday about food. A good catch for the old essay anyway.

I have a soon to be homeless duvet and 2 pillows in Bordeaux. Dan can't get them back because he is going en avion. I hope one of the guys picks them up. Hint hint.

Oh, and I stood on a banana skin yesterday. I remember having a chat with Daniel Smith of Bedford a few years ago when he told me that if you stand on one, you don't slip, and it's just the Beano shitting with you. But I saw one in the street yesterday, stood on it, and slipped. So Dan, you were wrong.

2004-06-10T08:54:00.000Z

We had a last supper last night. Clare is off tomorrow, so it was the last time we (the english speaking bunch at least) would all be together. Clare made a courgette tagliatelle dish which was very good, and yes Clare, you can leave the recipe in the comments if you read this. Bastian made a Jamie recipe. Or was it Jamie making a Bastian recipe? I get confused these days between the two. I just expect to see Bastian on a little scooter dashing through London to Sainsbury's to try some pickled eel offal mousse.

He made an excellent roast pork dish anyway with potatos and beans. Who peeled the potatos? that's what I want to know.

Today I'm going to write a song. And it had bloody well be better than the last one.

2004-06-07T10:41:00.000Z

Hello.

Today is the start of a new week. I had a thought on Saturday night that I would really like to go to China, to learn Chinese, and to just get to know the place. I'm going to think about it more this week.

The weekend has been quiet, but that has been of my own making. Saturday was ok, but the night was a disaster due to my inexplicable inability to work out how much my body can take. Sunday was therefore crap, and I feel particlarly annoyed about that. My bed is very comfy though, and Clare kindly lent me Roman Holiday which was great. I think I'm in love with Audrey.

I think I need to go on a day trip. And not to Bologna.

Ben x

2004-06-05T10:13:00.000Z

Very strange thing just happened.

I typed in

www.beninmodena.blogpot.com

and Aaron's Bible appeared.

Maybe it's a sign.

Good day to you.

2004-06-04T10:17:00.000Z

Playing with Manu Francesco and Lucio is turning out to be good for me. We don't play as a band really, not in the proper sense anyway. We just try things out. Manu plays lots of chord based riffs, based on Muse to Pearl Jam, Francesco keeps a steady bass, Lucio thunders out some of the best drums I've ever had the pleasure to hear, so I get the chance to experiment with the guitar. It leaves me with lots of room to try bits out, things I've never been able to do with the old acoustic. The limits of my rented amp aren't spectacular, but it does create some fun sounds.

Tonight I'm going to watch the Motorcycle Diaries with the Gael García Bernal as Guevara. He was in Y tu mama tambien. I hope the film is good. The book isn't well written, but then I don't suppose he thought it was going to be published since it was his diary. He keenly observes everything around him as he travels, and opens up South America as it was and in parts still is, to those of us who haven't had the chance to travel in that region. I'm looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to hearing some Spanish too. Definitely the next language in the pipeline.

2004-06-03T12:17:00.000Z

J.S. Mill and Rousseau.

Nature and Man. That is what has been happening over the last few days, so nothing that interesting to report I'm afraid. I bought a strange thing today. It was like a calzone, but deep fried in batter. With tomato and mozarelle inside. A bit heavy, but good all the same. Won't have it again for a while I think.

This afternoon I am going to Lucio's again to practice with Signore Locati and Manu. I've written a new song that is ok, but maybe sounds a bit like the Vines. Which isn't a terrible thing since this time last year I'd have bitten my leg off to write a song like that.

Last night I had a proper study session with Catherine, and we learnt about Mill, and it wasn't so bad. Then we went to the pub to celebrate and abused our bodies with all kinds of drugs, and then came back to the flat after the most amazing rainstorm. We proceeded to watch the Young Ones, and see Madness.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Argentina in the World Cup Qualifier at 5 this morning. Two penalties. Good game. He is very quick.

If you plug my guitar into Manu's little amp while Manu has his guitar plugged in as well, it creates this surge that results in a really weird overdrive that has a type of ticking phaser on it.

Back to work.

2004-05-31T14:02:00.000Z

This is a link to Rob's poem. I hope he doesn't mind me sticking it on here. He won a student media award with it this year too. I thought it was great, and think everyone should read it.

http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Union/Helicon/April%202004/poetry.htm#The%20Terrors

Toodle egg.

2004-05-31T10:29:00.000Z

Saturday I played a song I've written with Manu and Francesco Locati from the flat and Lucio, a friend of Francesco (of my room). We played at Lucio's house in Cognento, a small village in the countryside out of Modena. There were dogs and cats and geese running all over the place and his Dad was making a glider with an engine in a makeshift hanger. There were wallflowers all the way up the drive. It was a hot day, and the scenery on the way was such a change to Modena city centre. I was in Manu's car as we sped along lots of narrow roads dodging tractors and the like. The song went well anyway, and I hope to play it in France. It's a kind of Weezer meets Nirvana song. Sounds a bit passe probably but I don't care too much since being one hundred percent original is out of reach at the moment. My electric guitar that I'm renting along with the amp is great to play on, and is giving me loads of inspiration I suppose. It's just that when you write a song on an electric guitar, it sounds like it's ready for a band, but when you write on an acoustic for 4 years, you come up with an amazing back catalogue of depressing poo.

2004-05-28T10:40:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to Miss Katie McGlade, 22 today.

Wish I was there to celebrate it with you, but in your absence I sang happy birthday when I woke up, and had breakfast for the first time in about 6 months to mark the day. Tea, biscottini things, marmite, bovril and a nectarine.

Hurrah and three cheers for Katie.

Lots of love,

Ben x

2004-05-26T13:17:00.000Z

I was just thinking, in addition to what I wrote just a minute ago, that it'd be great if whoever looks at this site could just say what they are up to by leaving a comment or something. It'd be nice to know who visits the site.

Ben

2004-05-26T13:03:00.000Z

I try to keep myself busy.

Why so? It makes me feel better than just sitting around, reading, playing music, eating and drinking.

Doing all that is great, but when there are exams looming, a massive essay deadline sneaking up, and a girlfriend a trillion miles away who you can only speak to on a crappy line, you have to keep on being productive.

I've just let down the guys in France. I can't make the gig on the 18th June because of exams. This is a huge blow, as the gig was a really big one in their home town of Gradignan, just outside of Bordeaux. I feel fucking awful, and hope to repay them by going over there late July and getting lots done.

I'm currently working on a questionnaire that I'm going to hand out to the locals about food, and am also hoping to interview the deputy mayor who I met at the trattoria last week.

Tomorrow I may buy a bike, and cycle around. I miss cycling from Mexico.

Francesco returns tonight. We will have fun and catch up.

Champions League final tonight. Allez les Monégasques!

2004-05-24T13:16:00.000Z

I had a heart attack sandwich today.

It had lard in it. And that was it.

I can feel my arteries blocking up as I write. It was good though. It is my Italian version of last years double bacon, egg and black pudding sandwich.

I might have another tomorrow.

Last night we watched the final episode of Amici, a kind of Fame Academy thing. They have to dance as well though, and do a recital. It was particularly awful, but also quite hilarious.

Leon won. He could do great ballet.

2004-05-21T14:04:00.000Z

I went for lunch today with Antonio, Caterina, Andrina, Chiara and Bastian, to a great little trattoria called Ermes. Ermes is the man who owns the place. He is about 60 or so. His wife cooks, his friend Aldo, who works in a jewellry shop down the road is a waiter at lunch time (he closes up his shop), and Ermes' son, who works in a bank, also helps at lunch. I am going to interview them for my essay.

The food was magic. We had antipasti of ciccione and salame with bread, I had the spaghetti al tonno, and then scallopina with balsamci vinegar and oil, which is one of my favourites. We sent this all down with lambrusco. The most overwhelming part of the meal was not really the food, even though it was great, but it was more the people in the trattoria. For example, we were all debating what to eat for the main course, and the man sitting on the table next to us over heard us, and promptly took a big chunk of the liver and onions off his plate, poured some balsamic vinegar on it, and presented it to me, telling me to try it. It was excellent, although I am still not convinced by liver, even if I try really hard to like it.

Later on, he gave me some parmeggiano to try with the vinegar, and we had a good chat about grappa. We then got chatting to a gentleman on the other table, who turned out to be the deputy mayor of Modena, who gave me his card, and told me to get in touch if I needed any help with anything. He then gave me a glass of his home made grappa that he seems to carry on him at all times, in cases of emergency perhaps.

2004-05-19T15:46:00.000Z

Explosive arguments have been reverberating around the house over the last 24 hours. Manu and Cristina are irritating the hell out of each other, and seemingly for not a very good reason. It's one thing shouting at each other in your room, but another when you're doing it in a small kitchen with Bastian trying to read the paper.

It was Manu's birthday party last night, and we all had a good time anyway. We had drinks at Griffins where they now have the summer tables out, and then we went for a really good pizza in a local restaurant. And then we went back to the pub. It's a good feeling to be round a big bunch of friends again, and speaking Italian is very enjoyable. It flows.

I had a look at a hotel for Dan Gav Tom and Andy for when they come. It looks fine really. Not the cheapest hotel ever, but there don't seem to be many cheap ones about in Modena.

Tonight, Bastian and I are cooking for Andrea, Catherine, Clare, Ella, and Bastian's new squeeze Federica, a pHD student here in Modena. Should be a fun evening if I can keep my eyes open long enough. At least my bed isn't too far. We've been cooking since 2 this afternoon so it's all pretty much ready and we just have to throw it all in the oven. The best thing has to be that Bastian has been watching lots of Jamie Oliver, and keeps saying "pukka mate", and "let's whack a bit of that in, lovely" etc... It is very strange in a german accent, just believe me.

2004-05-18T13:47:00.000Z

Phew! Got back to Modena at around 2 am this morning after a horrid Ryanair flight. I advise never to go with them. Tickets are indeed cheap, but the service is so bad, and they destination airport is always miles away from where you actually want to get to. I had to get the bus from Forli to Bologna and then the last train back to Modena.

Since then I have slept, been for a panino with Andrea Caterina and Bastian, coffeed, joined the library and replaced my lost aviators. Quite productive really. I plan to hit the library later all being well, to find out some stuff for my dissertation.

Bristol was great. Everyone is examing at the moment, so it was kind of them to hang around with me as much as they did. Rob and I played lots of snooker, drank lots of Flowers and Southern Comfort and went to the Vines gig. It was a good one, but fell inbetween the two I've already seen. Mr Nicholls was partially on the ball, which still made for a good concert.

I noticed that the mosh pit was particularly irritating this time. Usually there is a kind of rhythm to it, and pauses for chilling out, but not this time. Lots of violent, or supposedly violent people, who were all about 17, pushing too much, and generally being a pain.

Crowd-surfed for the first time, which was quite an experience, floating over all the hands. Like nothing else I've done before. Maybe it's a bit like bobbing on the sea. But with the worry that it'll all give if you're not lucky.

Jet lag still with me, and making me feel like bed is my best friend all the time.

Francesco has disappeared. No one is sure where he is, but it doesn't sound good. He may be changing college next year. The flat is quite empty without him.

2004-05-14T19:21:00.000Z

I'm back after the 24 journey of fun. 4 airports, 1 train, lots of waiting around. I smelt baad too. Was sad to leave as well. Katie saw me off ot the airport, and thrust the perfect plane book into my hand; the Dan Brown prequel to The DaVinci Code. Yes, a bad book, but a good bad plane bad good book.

Interesting things on an uninteresting journey.

1) 22L, the greatest seat of all time. Emergency exit=all the leg room in the world+personal televesion.

2) Almost missed Madrid to Gatwick (sounds like Flitwick) plane because I was playing the guitar and didn't notice the change of gate from A1 to B18. A long distance to be covered in 4 minutes. I ran, and I resent that.

3) Man stabbed on train in front of us on Thameslink north. Train stops in Blackfriars, all out.

Woman "What happened?"
Balding Suit-wearing Man "Man stabbed"

Repeat 1000 times.

Lovely to be home. Played bassoon and piano, feel good. Surprised I can still play them. Off to eat now. Sausages and mash. I feel like a spoilt kid. It's great.

2004-05-11T23:13:00.000Z

Today I went diving for the first time. In the boat there were me, Katie, Darren (another intern at Hurricane divers, he does the same thing as Katie), Nata, my instructor and Javier, the boat conductor.

We went out to a bay called Maguey, and Katie and Darren did some mapping training for their Divemaster course. I did what is called a DSD, a Discover Scuba Diving course. I went down with Nata, who deflated my buoyancy control device so I wouldn't float any more.

It was fun going into the sea. I sat on the edge of the boat and rolled back. Felt all professional.

When we were at the bottom around 30 feet, we stopped on the floor, knelt down, and did some exercises. One was taking the regulator out (the thing you breathe through), another was finding it as if it were lost, another was filling the mask with water and then emptying it, and the last was breathing from the other persons regulator in case yours didn't work.

This was all a little worrying and I didn't enjoy it too much. But we then swam on for the rest of the hour, and I saw some amazing sights. We played with an octopus for a while. You can hold it (the ink comes out initially), and the suckers suck to your hand. It scoots away, and you can catch it again. Not in a mean way I might add.

Seeing schools of fish flash by, brightly coloured blue and yellow ones, puffer fish, sea urchins, coral, bigger fish, was all breathtaking. The highlights sur le plan of sights were definitely seeing a seahorse and two turtles. I especially wish Dad could have seen the seahorse as I think they are his favourite. It was quite beautiful, very still, and without doubt one of the strangest looking animals I have ever seen. Apparently it is very lucky to see a seahorse; many experienced divers have never seen one. I think Nata knows where to find things. Seeing the turtles was a fluke. I was wondering what it looks like to see the air bubbles float to the surface, so I turned my head around, and saw high above me two medium sized (I don't have much reference) turtles.

As we were swimming about I also saw Katie doing her mapping. Funny to see her underwater like that.

Back in the boat we went to La Entrega for Katie and Darren to do some horrible looking test where they had one tank, and had to swap all their equipment around. So they were both breathing off the same piece while having to swap masks flippers, jackets, tanks, everything. I snorkeled around and watched. Fun to watch, less fun to do I think.

I confirmed (Katie rather) my flights for tomorrow. It has been magnificent to come here, and I am very grateful. I look forward to trying diving again soon, maybe going on a holiday to do it.

2004-05-10T21:39:00.000Z

I see, so what you do is you click on

(0)comments or somesuch, at the bottom of the post...

then scroll down again, and click on...

post a comment

Good luck!

2004-05-10T21:26:00.000Z

I got back from Soan Cristobal yesterday morning after not so bad a bus journey. 11 hours sounds bad, but when you leave at 9 pm, you really can just sleep through it. With the aid of some good old-fashioned pills.

San Cristobal was lovely. It is an old colonial town, with low buildings, a criss cross network of streets with more indigenous mexicans than here in Huatulco. It is very cool being a mountain village, and enabled us to wear jeans, shoes shirts and jumpers for the first time since I've been here. It was pleasant not having to wear my hair in a ponytail and having my hair scraped back by a band.

We visited some excellent restaurants that were unbelievably cheap, drank caipirinhas and mojitos, danced in a salsa club to a very good band and listened to very talented drummers outside the cathedral, whilst standing back frmo the fire throwers and the crazy dreaded braless hippy woman.

On Friday we went to a paper shop where they make their own, well, paper, and print and make books etc. We decided to come back the next day to take a class in printing. So we were set homework of drawing a picture onto a4, then putting it on acetate, and then bringing it in in time for the lesson. Quite daunting really, but we knucled down to it, and Katie got the acetates done while I had my breakfast tacos. The results were much better than we had hoped for. Katie did a flowery heart with two birds inside that was quite awesome. She printed it with red and yellow. I'm sure you'll see the result one day. Mine was a guitar, with words from one of Beautiful Lunar Landscape's songs going round the outside. I like it.I made it into a few cards too.

When we got back yesterday, Katie threw a surprise on me, and rather than going to dinner at Robert's house, she took me to where we are now staying for three nights. It is a condominium on the hill, looking over the bay of Santa Cruz. The view is beyond description. The sunset. There is a pool (I don't think anyone else is in the complex at the moment) that looks over to the sunset in the evenings. We can see the boats and the beaches way down below. It really is a type of paradise.

Oh, and I think I have now enabled a comments feature on this site, so if you want, I think you can leave a message.

Ben x

2004-05-05T21:12:00.000Z

Had a good night last night eating pizza and playing cards at Robert and Pauline's house (Katie's bosses). I tried Mezcal which is a bit like tequila but slightly harsher in taste. It has the same end results though.

This evening I'm moving out of Huatulco for a few days with Miss McGlade. We're going to a place called San Cristobal, which is in the hills about 11 hours away by bus. We're taking an overnight bus. It is apparently a beautiful town that is very cool (weather).

I will report back as soon as I can.

2004-05-03T21:36:00.000Z

Katie has got time off starting next Wednesday, so we're going to Oaxaca to see Mayan ruins and the like. Apparently it is a lot cooler over there as well, so I may even be able to don my jeans again.

On Saturday I played pool and drank pina coladas. In the evening I played darts and drank beer. Excellent.

On Sunday I went to the beach and drank pina coladas. And ate chips. And read my book.

I like it here. As I look out the window now I see palm trees, people selling drinks, a cruise ship, torta lady who makes great sandwiches and tacos, the marina and lots of Mexicans lying on the floor. Twiddling their moustaches. Like Kitchener might do if he wasn't always pointing.

When you point your finger, you always have four fingers (well, three and a thumb), pointing back at you.

What a load of rubbish. Pointing is great. It means you can single people out for ridicule or say "oi, he's stolen my bag". Would you point all your fingers on one hand forward? How would Kitchener look if he had done that?

2004-05-01T15:34:00.000Z

Had a good Austrian meal last night at Helmut and Manfred's restaurant. I've met lots of very friendly people out here. I've been swimming and lazing, studying a bit, and eating lots of food. Oh yes.

I worked out a few Darkness songs yesterday by slipping the e string down a tone and hitting a few power chords. Genital warts song "Growing on me" was a good one to play.

And then I went down to a beach covered by the sound of waves, the splash of the moonlight, and the dust of the sand.

Have a good May weekend, and salute the mighty mighty Ronnie O'.

2004-04-27T17:04:00.000Z

Have made it to Mexico, after a long long flight, and a sudden realisation that knowing Italian doesn't mean you can kind of guess what Mexicans are saying.

Huatulco is beautiful. The beach is magnificent, the water is 26 degrees celsius, and there is a huge array of birds and scary insects that I don't recognise. The food is, well, Mexican, so lots of tacos and tortas with meats, chilis and guacamole with salsa etc. It is brilliant for breakfast.

It is very hot here, so I counter this by doing very little. I sit in the dive shop, reading, drinking water and Corona, and playing cards with Katie and her dive shop buddies. The heat saps any will to do anything that involves moving. But that suits me fine.

Katie is well, and looking beautiful. She has a gorgeous tan, and her hair has become a stunning blonde from the sun. I think the climate is good for her, even if for me it's too hot at the moment. We've spent some lovely time together, catching up, and just messing about, which is what I've missed most. The stupid things that you can't really do with anyone else. I've been waiting for this for so long that I feel unbelievably lucky to finally be here.

Yesterday, Katie made me rent a bike. I wasn't too happy about this, since I've only ridden a bike twice, and that was on the flats with no cars. We cycled in about 15 to the shop this morning, and although I was terrified, it was a bloody good feeling to have done it without killing myself. I may extend the rental.

I hope everyone is well in Italy, France and England. Am thinking about you all, but not that much, because I'm having too much fun.

x

2004-04-23T11:34:00.000Z

The last few days have been all about leaving Modena. Getting ready, packing bags, doing all those things I want to do before I bog off for a few weeks in the sun with the lovliest in the land. So on Tuesday I met up as planned with Bastian and Catherine to go to a little restaurant called Aldina where they serve local food at cheap prices, and drown you in lambrusco. The meal was great, and we spent a good couple of hours there. In the evening I dogged it (an Australian term meaning not going out when you are fully expected to), and didn't make it to the Modena City Ramblers gig in the Piazza Grande. Shame shame. But the guys did turn up afterwards, and we drank some wine at mine and I cheered up. It is a real shame leaving the place again, especially as I was getting back into it all nicely. But it certainly isn't a hardship moving about, and I don't want to make it sound like one. It is a great privilege. Spelling?

Yesterday I got up very late, nipped over for a final Schiavoni (keep up, the panino man of legends), a final lard bun, a final wine, all that stuff. I then procrastinated till the very last moment to do my share of flat cleaning and bleaching everything out of sight. I did this to the sound of Franz Ferdinand, dancing while mopping, while Francesco looked on, looking very confused. I packed.

The guys waved me off at the bus stop, and Bastian ran after the bus with a nuts grin on his face. It was great. I'll miss them.

2004-04-19T15:24:00.000Z

Hello hello hello. I've just spent a great few days with Mum and Dad showing them around Modena and Ravenna. We've been eating our way around Emilia Romagna, drinking balsamic vinegar here and there, and generally having lots of fun.

I'm getting all ready to go to Mexico, and I am super excited. Do they give you free food and drink on long flights? I hope so.

Rob et al have sorted out the house for next year in Bristol and they have all agreed to let me have the nicest room because I am the nicest, most mature and rational person. That is a lie.

If anyone is wondering why I haven't been emailing, it's because I have limited time on line. A fat Modenese man runs the show in this cafe, and he could have bought a Ferarri with the amount I have spent on his computers. But I think he spent it on mozarella and mortadella. In a bun. A big bun.

I introduced Ma and Pa to Catherine and Bastian which was cool. We went out for dinner and had fun. I had a cold on Thursday, and now I cough a lot. And snore too according to Francesco.

There is a festival at the Imola race track in June if anyone is interested in coming. The Pixies and The Cure are supposed to be playing. If this is true, I am going. Will keep you posted anyway.

Ben x

2004-04-15T13:20:00.000Z

I have a horrible cold, and Mum and Dad are coming today. Feel very antisocial, and my head feels like it is underwater.

Will write when something exciting happens. Am off to get a bus to Bologna airport. I miss Katie, music and something else I can't quite place. Probably clear sinuses.

x

2004-04-13T13:04:00.000Z

I arrived back in Modena last night after another fun train journey. I was waved off by everyone at Bordeaux St Jean, and thoroughly miss them already. The last few days have been very hectic, and I apologise for not updating, although I'm not exactly sure who I am apologising to. Probably just to myself.

Thursday was the day of the big concert. It was a real success, and we were all very proud of our performance. We had a good reception, and it has kick started our wish to get on with the project. The fact we didn't make it through to the next round was disappointing, but not the end of the world. Music isn't based on competitions fortunately, and the other band (playing french folk) were good. In a french folk sort of way. After the gig I went out with Dan Arnaud and Julie to pick up some free pints grace a la pool competition, and we then met up with Kenza, Nick, Nel and the others in a small club. It was a jolly evening given that I thought I was going to be more upset about the result.

Friday was even better as it was the day of Julien's party. In the afternoon I went to see my old boss in Nansouty, a small quarter of Bordeaux, and we had a coffee together. We caught up, and I got to see Marie and Jean-Baptiste, the two apprentices I worked with for a while. J-B had an amazing knack of being able to electrocute himself at least 4/5 times a day. It was lovely to see them again and to have a chat. I have been very lucky this year meeting outrageously kind people who I hope have had a good influence on me. In the evening we had dinner at Julien and Ben's place, followed by going to the Break pub where there was a strong flow of Cuba Libres all night. Arnaud was dancing on the stools after not very long, and Julien was super happy. This was followed by going to a club on the quais, which was 70% straight 30% gay. It was a good place, and I enjoyed myself loads more than I thought I would. Gin and tonic flowed, and we all had a very alcoholic time. I seem to remember some Russian people buying me vodka. On leaving, there was a big fight, and the riot police turned up threatening to shoot tear gas at us. So we left.

Saturday was another good day, the evening (Dan and I got up around 3 or so) spent at Julie's house eating fajitas with lots of people. It was another great evening. The holiday was coming to a close, and I had time to think about the people I've met over the last few months, and what a pain it will be to start studying again. The music has gone well, and I hope I've grown up a bit. There's a lot of room for improvement still in that area I think.

On Sunday Dan and I went to the market and has chicken and chips washed down with rose. We met up briefly with Maz which was very fortunate. In the afternoon I recorded the vocals for a proper demo which I hope we'll be using to move things forward. A metal guy called Matthieu sorted out the recording for us, and he seemed very clued up about it all. I hope it all goes well. In the evening I hopped on the train, with music crashing round my head, and made it back here yesterday with the same songs on a loop in the brain. Who needs a walkman.

A quick note of thanks to Ben and Julien for putting me up, Dan for the same, Arnaud and Manu for their company, Julie, Julie again, (D)Anne-Helene, Jamie and Clare for putting me up, and everyone in Bordeaux really. I had a couple fo weeks that I'll never forget, and I can't say thanks enough. Oh, and thanks for the video of the gig Julien, and I'll send the keys back soon.

2004-04-10T16:28:00.000Z

Hello. Sorry I haven't updated recently. Have too little time and access to internet. I have a lot to tell, but I'm not going to do it on this sticky french keyboard where the space bar doesn't work.

A bientot,

x

2004-04-07T13:59:00.000Z

I had an excellent night on Monday at Julien's house for his birthday. His Mum, his brother, Marie, Benoit and his friend from childhood were all there. We had a superb raclette, and the whole evening was lovely. Everyone had fun, and we were all chatting and dancing and messing about. All the people I have met out here have been very friendly, and they all go out of their way to be kind and make me feel at home. I'll never forget these past few days. I've met more people and done more things in a week than I did in months.

Last night was a great evening for two reasons. Firstly Arsenal lost to Chelsea in the most high profile game of their season. I really dislike the side of me that gets so unnaturally happy when Arsenal lose. Real went out of the Champions League, which must have been good news for Katie's Dad. He also has a strong nature of disliking teams almost as much as he supports others. The night was rounded of by my winning of the pool tournament at the pub, which meant eight pints of beer. I shared 4 with my comrades, and I'm keeping the other four for tomorrow night. Hurrah, free beer. Nothing like it.

2004-04-05T12:58:00.000Z

The weekend has been excellent. On Saturday we had a party at Arnaud's house. There were quite a few of us there, missing just Manu from the band, and Dan came along too. There was lots to eat and drink, and we had a very good raclette. My best memory from the evening was that everyone was having a really good time, chatting and messing about. There was a good atmosphere, and it was good to get to know everyone a bit better. I love evenings like that.

Sunday was a long day. I was entertained for lunch by Ben's Mum and Dad, and was thoroughly spoilt with some scallops with mushrooms and cheese to start, followed by roast chicken and chips. I really was in heaven. That afternoon, I went to watch Arnaud play for his local football team. I haven't seen that much amateur football, apart from Northampton QPR once, but this game was fascinating. There were two sendings off, the game was stopped for 10 minutes as there was the imminent prospect of a fight between some players and the referee, there were two penalties, and there was some shocking, shocking defending. Arnaud's team won 3-2, he hit the angle of the woodwork with an opportunistic curling left foot shot from outide the area. The difference between the two teams was that Arnauds team, "les rouges" had discipline on their side, and kept their composure, whereas the the other team were essentially diving, complaining, and not really concentrating on their football. Great game though.

The evening we drove with all the amps and "materiel" in Ben's parents' Espace to the radio station TRG, about half an hour outside of Bordeaux. The band we're competing against on Thursday was already in the studio playing a few songs. When our turn came, we introduced ourselves and spoke about what kind of music we like etc. They played "It's your birthday" from our rough demo, and then we played "Strange" live. We then requested Talk Show Host by Radiohead, and finished the show off with us playing "Cold Wind". The sound was good;it was a really amazing experience, chatting on the radio, and even the rather small things like having headphones and the big microphones got me all excited. We had an excellent reception, followed by interest from the presenters, one of whom will be there on Thursday, all emoustille. C'est fantastique!

We got back to the flat, all on a high, had some food, and listened to the interview and all had a good laugh at it. A day I'll never forget.

2004-04-03T16:40:00.000Z

Good day to you all. Had a pleasant practice today, working on new stuff, and getting on with it all. Have a slight sore throat today which is a pain, and I'm taking care because the radio thing is tomorrow. Tonight I'm off to Arnaud's for dinner with the band and Dan.

Two pieces of good news. The first is that I won my first writing prize with a competition I entered a few months ago. Katie gave me the address and I sent it in. The website is here:

http://www.comune.modena.it/biblioteche/holden/concorso.htm

The second is that Manchester United beat Arsenal today, which made me feel particularly good for some reason.

Toodle pip.

2004-04-02T12:46:00.000Z

Had a good practice last night with Arnaud (guitar), Julian (guitar) and Benoit (normally bass, but backing vocals for the acoustic radio thing on Sunday). We'll be playing on quite a small radio station in Aquitaine. The plan is that for the first hour, the band that we're competing against on Thursday plays, and then for the second hour, we play. During the hour we play two songs, chat about music, and play some songs we think are really good, like Daphne and Celeste and the Bluetones.

And so tonight, we practice more.

2004-04-01T15:12:00.000Z

Last night was a good one. We had a potato, sweet potato, lentil and other stuff curry at Jamie's, followed by a terrible friendly at the pub between Sweden and England. I caught up with Rob and Andreas, and it was good to hear from them, and to see what they've been doing. Rob has managed to give up drinking and, ahem, smoking for lent, although the coffee and soft drinks that he is now consuming seem to cost roughly the same as the two more well known drugs.

I slept with Dan on Jamie and Clare's floor last night, which was lovely.

At 3 I met up with Marie, girlfriend of Julien (guitarist in the band) to do some shopping. We were mainly looking for some red fairy lights to wrap around the mic stand for the gig. We found some expensive blue ones. We will look more thoroughly soon.

Tonight at last I'll be playing with the band. Hopefully we'll be working on a new song. Given that this is the main reason I'm out here, it'll be great to start playing with them again.

2004-03-31T15:59:00.000Z

Hello. Today I went to a radio station. It is called RTL2. My mission was to give the station our demo for a big competition that's going on all over France. Three bands will be selected from Bordeaux to play off against each other in a bid to reach the grand final. Not a likely source of fame and money, but worth a pop. The winning band gets a full recording session, 1000 discs made, air time and a tour around France. The kind of thing that would make you think about dropping everything else really. I gave them all the necessary things; the demo, the letter telling them not to steal our songs, our names, addresses, d.o.b., phone numbers, and also a really nice booklet that Ben, Arnaud and Julien made. They used the photos that Kat took, edited and clipped from our last rehersal in January, and put them in a bound booklet complete with profiles of us all. Very nice. So, things roll on. Hope you are all well. Bordeaux rains.

2004-03-30T11:04:00.000Z

Made it to Bordeaux in one piece. Am feeling rather tired; the last bit from Nice to Bordeaux was a long, uncomfortable train ride in a couchette with 5 other travelling folk. But not travelling folk in the sense that they played with hoops and fire, rather that they were just travelling.

I woke up at 0806, and got off the train at 0810 to be welcomed by the guys in the band, complete with a banner. It was amazing, they'd all got up to come a welcome me. It was so kind, especially given that I have no idea how they got up that early. I'm staying at Ben and Julien's tonight in Eurofac on the University Campus. I may be staying with Dan soon, but I'm not sure. It depends if he finds himself a flat and so on. He's currently living on Jamie and Clare's floor.

Catherine and Andrea came to wave me off yesterday (although I have my suspicions that Catherine was rather interested in a certain guitar!), and it was lovely to see them before I went. Francesco made me a coffee to help me get going, which certainly worked. All in all, it hasn't been bad at all. I've had a shower, and Bordeaux is my oyster.

The only sad note being that I walked from Place de la Victoire, down past my old flat, and past where I got the taxi to the airport the last time I was here. All that was with Kat, and it made me bloody miserable as I thought about it. We had an amazing final couple of weeks, and seeing the places have brought the fun back, but also all those bits of shattered sadness too.

2004-03-27T15:00:00.000Z

Try this; goose breast, pine nuts, sultanas, onion, home made mayonnaise and some other secret stuff. In a panino. With a couple of glasses of wine. You have entered the magical world of Mr Schiavoni, the greatest panino maker alive. He has a daily selection of amazing fillings, and is a living Modenese legend and institution. Come to Modena and try it. Today he was handing around some wild strawberries with his balsmic vinegar drizzled over them. That may sound odd, but the balsamic vinegar is so sweet and thick that it compliments the fragolini perfectly. I had ice cream with balsamic vinegar once. It takes some getting used to, but is good all the same. Oh, and we're kidnapping Signore Schiavoni soon. Either that or Caterina is going to propose to him.

I'm off to Bordeaux in a couple of days, so I'll try and keep this all going, but it might get more irregular. On the 4th April Beautiful Lunar Landscape will be playing on the local radio, and then on the 8th we've got the semi final of the "tremplin". So there's a lot of work to be done when I get there, and please all keep your fingers crossed for us.

2004-03-26T15:54:00.000Z

Rain rain rain. Well maybe not that much. I think that when you spend too much time indoors, even if you sleep lots, you still get tired. Italian verbs are as very dull.

I miss my music. I want to listen to the Pixies, to Grandaddy and to Sparklehorse. I've got one bloody compilation cd that I never want to listen to again. I've got the new Vines cd which just isn't very good. MTV is the crappest tv channel of all time. It actually makes your brain play terrible music.

I am eating very well out here. I'd even say that I'm eating better than in France. Ha ha. No really, the food is excellent here. The fresh ingredients and all that. And everyone knows how to cook as well. No one is rubbish at cooking. But then if I didn't like pasta I guess I'd be in trouble.

Tomorrow is Mum's birthday, so I'm ringing. I've had a horrible series of evenings that have meant that I haven't been able to talk to Kat, which is terrible. I'm such a miserable bastard. I will try to be more positive in these posts from now on. I swear I get S.A.D. All it takes is one morning of rain, and I'm all prepared to stay in bed till the next day. I also wonder if anyone reads any of this website. Oh, and there is a ginger haired pervert sitting next to me in the internet shop, who is looking at stills of film stars, and scrolling down to their chest areas. Hurrah hurrah.

2004-03-24T16:05:00.000Z

Am currently getting a lot of very dull organisational things done. Lots of university form filling that probably equates to around 7 trees used up by now. I have no idea why they need so many things signing by so many people that have the needle in a haystack approach to being found at university.

I bought the new Vines album yesterday. It's not as good as the first, but I still like the sound and the all round psychadelic effects of the harmonies. I'd like to meet Craig Nicholls. But only if he was in a straight jacket. He might mistake me for fast food or something. Do I look like fast food?

I wrote quite a fun story about two philosophers having a duel yesterday. I was in a philsosphy lecture, and was thinking ever so deeply about the consequences that Emerson and Mill's thoughts have had on the world. So I made up an imaginary scenario where they meet and Emerson says Mill's wife is ugly, and that it is nature's fault, and it all kicks off from there. Well, I thought it was fun.

2004-03-22T14:15:00.000Z

Many late nights, and late mornings. It has been difficult to get to the internet shop on time. My apologies.

I had my first round of congratulations for food that I cooked today. Normally, I'll cook something, or be in the process of cooking, and I'll be told that I'm doing bits very wrong according to the rules of the Italian Mama. Today however, I made a ragu and threw in some chili and some provencale olives. I was greeted at regular intervals by flatmates exclaiming "mamma mia" or "madonna" and the like as they walked into the kitchen. Bring it on.

Cars cars everywhere. Some mad Ferrari and Maserati weekend going on in the square. Over my shoulder I can see the most amazing Ferrari, and lots of people are taking photos. Apparently you can go to Maranello (Ferrari car factory and museum just outside Modena) and at lunch time all the workers come out in their red overalls. They then go to lunch in Michael Schumachers favourite restaurant in Maranello just over the road.

The flat is still great; it seems like something out of a film sometimes. 5 Italians shouting at each other in a small kitchen, generally taking the piss, and all having a great time. There is an excellent dynamic in the flat, and I'm slowly getting to know everyone better. Through eating and drinking mainly. This afternoon I'm going to look for shoes for Francesco (Converse, not normally his bag), and then guitars with Manu (his bag).

Must rush to a contemporary history lecture, but keep well everyone, and congrats to Al who is now engaged. Hurrah!

2004-03-16T13:11:00.000Z

Yesterday was the first time I introduced my room mate Francesco to my other friends out here. I took him to meet Clare (from Bristol), and Andrea and Catherine (from Sydney). Francesco is quite a womaniser to put it lightly, but he was very well behaved last night, and was only mildly rude a couple of times.

Francesco cooked me his Mum's canneloni last night which was amazing. Lots of different flavours present. I am thinking about doing my Italian dissertation on food. And wine.

I've got the tickets to Mexico, and am very excited. I can't believe I'm going to Mexico. I promise not to get a sombrero.

Bordeaux is coming soon, and I am quite sickeningly desperate for the band to win. We'll see.

2004-03-14T17:29:00.000Z

I happened to be watching television this afternoon, looking for some news about the football (Italian matches are played on Sundays). I was presented with many options, one being watching someone who was at the stadium, watching the match (so you just saw him chatting about what was going on on the pitch). Then there was the panel who had screens to watch the games and discuss what was happening. But the best without doubt had to be the crazy footballer professor, complete with Dr Emmet Brown hair, who every time there was a goal in a game, would recreate the exact moment, only with Subbuteo players and many hand gestures. Football focus has a lot to learn.

2004-03-12T14:31:00.000Z

I had my first proper night out last night, going to yes, you guessed it, the Irish pub. Which happens to be 23 seconds from my flat. It was a really good evening, with french Erasmus students, some australian girls, a german guy and two of my new flatmates. They happen also to have Theakston bitter there, which is not bad at all considering it has travelled so far. I'm going to attempt to buy train tickets for the epic voyage frmo Modena to Bordeaux today. I can't wait to get there and start practising again with the band. It's all very exciting really.

I'm hoping that Dan (Stewrat) will have a flat sorted by the time I get there. I'm sure Jamie doesn't want another body on the floor.

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=881&PHPSESSID=a923f8ccccf3e45528d285146a039967

2004-03-11T15:43:00.000Z

So I've moved in, and spent my first night in the flat. I had an excellent evening, going to the supermarket and getting to know my flatmates, and they also took me to a place to buy bedding which was extremely kind. It's great to be living in a flat and not in a hostel. I can use the shower without having to press the button every 10 seconds (an horrible invention specially designed for hostel showers).

My room mate Francesco has helped me settle in, and has already taught me lots of choice italian words, in exchange for their english translations.

Today I went to my first lecture, History of Philosophy. It took me about 15 minutes to work out that the lecturer wasn't talking about a russian (russo), but rather the french philosopher Rousseau. A great start. Luckily I was at the back and was asked no questions.

2004-03-10T19:32:00.000Z

Oooh, how exciting. A page for Ben.

I found a flat last night that was very central, and close to the Irish pub. Grr. They do have Theakston's there, which isn't bad. I'll be living with 5 Italians, and sharing the room with one of them. It's not perfect, but it'll at least be somewhere to chill out where I don't have to leave by 10 in the morning, and be back by midnight. And I imagine it'll be good for my Italian too. So there you are. The weblog starting off on a happy note.

2004-03-10T10:26:00.000Z

Hello,

This is the first of what will hopefully a fairly regular thing. I am currently studying in Modena, and thought this would be a fun way of letting people know what I'm up to, whilst at the same time keeping a kind of record of what I am doing. Hope it's not too dull, and feel free to comment on anything at all.

Toodle pip!

Ben x