Tails from the Bark Side

We played Camden Underworld, and it was amazing. I think that was our best gig yet! There are some moar photos here. Thanks Sophie, you are an awesomeface! I've sorta turned my YouTube account into a shrine to Dreams Divide as well, haha, seeing as videos keep popping up on there from our wonderful supporters! :)

This moving malarkey is bit of a nuisance, to say the least. I've had to shell out about £200 on various new things, and that's after diligent (expert) research and buying the cheapest option every time, and even after blagging freebies from family and friends! I've got everything sorted now, pretty much... everything from dishes to doormats to doggy beds! But... then there's the utilities. Good God! I'm just going to type a list.

- Find and buy contents insurance;
- Set up an account with the best energy provider (I think I've decided I'm going to go with British Gash, I pity the fool);
- Set up water account (phone Wessex Water?);
- Set up gigantic rent direct debit;
- Set up council tax payments;
- Get a residents' parking permit;
- Renew car insurance (WHY does that have to come up for renewal now, darn it, and WHY OH WHY did the cheapest quote have to be from bloody Sheila's Wheels?);
- My best buddies HMRC (change address);
- Bank (change address);
- PayPal/Amazon/eBay (change address [when the bank has changed their records]);
- All the other internet accounts, domains and hosting and so on (change addresses and/or get rid of those that don't get used);
- Barclay card (change address);
- Pension (change address);
- Travel insurance (change address);
- NHS cards (change address);
- Register with new doctor;
- Write a card for Dr Gallagher and let the surgery know I'm moving (I will SO miss him!);
- Find new and not-at-all-scary dentist and conveniently neglect to tell the old one I'm moving (he's a tosser);
- Driving license (change address);
- DVLA/car log book (change address);
- Cancel benefits/council tax account with Southampton City Council;
- Cancel account with the meat man (because I found a butcher in Romsey who does 400g tubes of pet mince for 25p!);
- Cancel O2 broadband (if I ever manage to get through to the bastards on the sodding phone);
- Transfer BT line (to be activated 28th October);
- Set up new broadband (PlusNet) AND I FINK THAT'S IT. (I can't get decent unlimited broadband because none of them are available in the area. I got PlusNet in the end; it's unlimited between midnight and 8am which is prime internettin' time for me anyway. It'll be a total of £23 a month including line rental, which is great, and means no more lame chunky quarterly bills from BT. Annoyingly, though, it won't be active until after my phone line's activated, so it looks like I'll be relying on 3G for 5-7 days. Boo.)

So yeah, enough to be getting on with, and I'm doing so much extra work at the moment. I'm knackered! I went back to dancing yesterday too, so my legs are killing. Ouchies. I haven't been at all this term 'cause I've just been too busy cleaning, temping in the office (which brought back wicked memories), gigging, staying in someone's house to look after a lovely doggy, roadying for VNV Nation (wat) and all sorts of crazy balls. Everything's paid off now though - all the overdue rent I owed, money I owed to a few friends, the album production costs... all sorted. So I'm starting with the proverbial clean slate! I hope this house is worth it!

Today at work was cool, I spent it all going round installing drivers on their computers so they could print from the photocopier – yay! I’ve still got to do more on Monday. I also typed some letters. When I got home I watched some DVDs and then Tamsin came round and Dave turned up later. I got given a bottle of Asti at work so we drank it all and watched the Wizard of Oz! It bought back some funny memories. Then everyone went to bed and so did I. Dave was trying to do the Tinman dance. This was funny as fuck. We made garlic toast which was nummy. Wacka wacka.

1st April
Oooh, bank holiday! Today was lovely, I went to the forest with Dave, Anna, Steve and Leepee and we chilled out and did some kung fu. We ate loads of choccy as well, it being Easter and all. We came home ‘cause Dad cooked us a roast dinner. We munched that and played GTA3 for a while – that game kicks ass – then Dave and Anna came back and we talked about moving out. I played more GTA3 and Dave took Anna home and came back, by which time I was chatting online. I spoke to my friend Spooky for ages, and Charlie and Joe. Work tomorrow, goddamnit.

2nd April
Please let my cheque clear today! Work as usual, in the evening we went to kung fu which is normal for a Tuesday, blatantly, and I cooked some chicken soup pasta, which was weird. I always make too much. Steve and Jezz came over and we watched The Simpsons. The we went to kung fu which was off, then we went to Al’s but he wasn’t in so we came back to mine. We walked to Dave’s and got him. Had a cuppa and went on the computer. Only me and Kate were at home tonight!

3rd April
Work was so goddamn busy today! I had 68 things to do and the phone rand like a bitch! I got my own account on the network at last, I’ve got a work e-mail address! How cool! Yay. Anyway, lunch was disgusting today; I made cheese and cucumber sarnies and they went all soggy. Minging. I got home and Christine came round and we all chatted and I got my photo done so I can send off for my replacement driving license. Excellent. The cheque I sent off can’t be checked because the stupid hole in the wall was out of order. So I’m gonna phone the bank tomorrow. Me, Dave and Tam walked down the Marina tonight. Steve wasn’t about ‘cause he had to help Jase out with something.

4th April
Today was niiice. We had band practice which was a bit annoying because we did a new song, and it took a lot of work and patience. Afterwards Dave came round and we did, erm, nothing. I played all the band’s songs on the bass and I worked out another Rammstein song. Rawkin’. I’ve got a little amp now! Anna leant it to me, bless her. I must remember to say thanks tomorrow when I see her. We’re going to the Dinge! Yay!

5th April
Anna’s friend Billy from Bermuda came to lovely old Southampton today, so we went to the Dinge. I only said “hello” and “goodbye” to him so I don’t have a clue what he’s like. I played pool with Dave and spent the rest the night at the bar downstairs talking to Jeannie ‘cause she was working. We went home early on the last bus to save a bit of cash and we talked about work all the way home. My DVDs had better come tomorrow, because I’ve got nowt to do all day! I’m going to the Nexus in the evening with Jeannie and Tara though, yay!

6th April
My DVDs arrived! Yaaay! So that’s exactly what I did today – watched 10 hours of them! I didn’t go to the Nexus tonight in the end, ‘cause I’ve got this bitchin' tummy ache. I went to the pub with Tamsin for a bit and had some coke which made my tummy a lot worse. We’re gonna go to the Forest tomorrow.

7th April
Today was so much fun! I met Tam and Rich and Steve and we played football at Hill Top, and rounders, and we flew Dad’s stunt kite. We stayed there for house and then went to the Heath for coke and then we went back to mine and made go-karts and drove them down the hill! Haha. I bought Shane’s old rollerblades for £10! Bargain! So I’m gonna skate and tone up my batty. ^_^

12th March
Hello diary of death! Today was wicked at work as usual. I got home and tried to phone Jezz about 8 times because he said he wanted to come to kung fu tonight. He wasn’t in so I asked his mum to tell him to call me. He came over at the last minute. Went to kung fu. Kung fu consists of Al, Jase, Bob, Steve, Leo, me and Jezz. Jase is the teacher. I’m the only girl, and I’m no good at the hands-on stuff. I told Steve I wanted to improve my stamina so he’s offered to come round every morning so we can do some work on it. He’s coming round at 7:30am tomorrow. Yawn…

13th March
We didn’t do any stretching this morning because Steve didn’t come round till 8am and that’s when I have to get ready. Oh well *yawn*. Work was boring today, nothing interesting happened. Nothing interesting enough to comment on anyway. Lots of shredding. Getting boring. I’m getting used to the phones though, which is cool. I met Dave and Timur at B&Q straight from work but I got a lift there so I had to wait for an hour, so I bought 2 money plants, one for me and one for Steve. They’re really cute little plants! We went round Timur’s house then, listened to Public Enemy and Cypress Hill and played some bass. Timur’s joined a new band called Squirt, haha. I’m knackered now, g’night.

14th March
Band practice was amazing! We have totally rewritten Sick. It rawks! Steve came along tonight. He’s got a brand new job! He starts on the 25th, which is my payday. Heehee! So we thought that was pretty wicked. I gave him his ickle plant too, he was well chuffed! After that we took Jezz’s stuff home and everyone came round here and we played around on the internet. I’m trying to get a page set up for us on mp3.com, but it’s quite hard when you haven’t got any mp3s. I didn’t do any kung fu this morning – Steve came round, but I was asleep and I didn’t hear him knocking!

15th March
KFC – Haha, like being back on the dole! Work was weird today - Mum took me in but she had to go to Cumbria with Frank (bleurgh). She was supposed to go this morning but they had another argument. He’s a knob. Anyway. So Dad picked me up tonight after I spent the whole day shredding (they tidied up the loft so there were loads of old files to shred. Steve and I actually did some stretching this morning! Not much though; we only had 15 minutes! Dave, Steve and I went to KFC, and went and munched in the forest. Steve bought a new video so we came home and watched it. It was a nice evening.

17th March
Chilled out Saturday – I did NOT leave the house! Today I chilled out. I finished 1984, had a long shower, surfed the net all afternoon until 10pm, watched a bit of telly until Dave and Anna came round. We had a cuppa and mucked around, talked random shite then they went home. No Steve tonight. I surfed the net a bit more and now I’m going to bed.

18th March
Boring day, apart from the evening when Steve, Dave and Al came round to watch The X-Files, which was piss-poor. After that everyone went home and I’m in bed now. TXF is shite these days. I didn’t even tape it to watch again afterwards, like I usually do.

19th March
Kung fu tonight was funny, Steve and I showed up and we waited for 68 years, and no-one showed up so we played skipping games and footy and I showed Steve some ballet, haha. We waited and waited and then we went to Al’s to see what was going on, and it wasn’t on at all tonight because everyone’s ill. So we got loads of choccy and came back here, and ate it all and talked for ages about food and stuff (random!) God knows what else.

20th March
Wages day! I got my payslip today! I wasn’t very impressed but it’s nice. I was gonna tidy my room tonight but I didn’t. When I got home Dad was talking about the rent I’ve got to pay him. We agreed on £100 a month – bargain! Heehee.

Fags: 4, plus 1 rolly

Work was great! I had the internet put in on my machine! Woohoo! I did some IT stuff, and I typed some procedures. There wasn’t a lot else for me to do really, so I printed some labels and did some more shredding. I’m about to go to band practice now, so laters.

Fags: 10

Oooh, what a wicked day! Work RULES! I’m watching Moulin Rouge – it’s so cheesy. Nicole Kidman’s character doesn’t seem to be the slightest bit bothered about the fact that she’s dying! The plot is so lame it’s unbelievable. But Ewan’s cute. Work was cool today, I’m getting the hang of it already. Nice. I was supposed to go to kung fu tonight, but I had a headache so I didn’t. Katy’s gone to Tescos to get some goodies. ^_^

I’m already planning how I want to spend my first pay check. I want to get:

Driving lessons and theory test
A PS2
TXF DVD Season 2
Ozzfest tickets
A black jacket and skirt/clothes for the office (it’s so cool saying that!)
A PC
A car
A new driving license (I’ve lost my provisional)

I do realise that I’m not going to be able to afford all of this at once, y’know. ^_^ Gah! I just fell asleep. I had to rewind a bit of Moulin Rouge, haha. Dave’s here now, we’re talking about the band and shit. Thursday’s gig got cancelled. O_o

Fags: 4

I’m no longer a bum! I got up and went to the doctor’s – my asthma’s being a whore again – and I got a bag full of drugs. Then I had to wait 68 years for them so I went to the park and swung really high on the swings, singing Space Dementia at the top of my voice. Which was a bit euphoric really. 2 people walked through mid-warble so I’m sure they heard me. I don’t care! It’s my last day of freedom. But I’m so happy, it’s like a (cliché) weight has been lifted! I’m a working citizen, I’ll be paying taxes and contributing to the fucked up system! Woohoo!

I walked down to the job centre then and SIGNED OFF (wooo!) visited Nan, came home and finished my room tidying mission from yesterday and did the washing. I sorted out some smart officey clothes from my wardrobe, I’ve got quite a few which is yay. Me, Dave, Jezz and T met up this evening and we met up with Richey King (from college!) and Rob and we bummed about and listened to tunes. Haha, Jezz just told me that the people in the park earlier were him and Lee!