RVdumb

This was the first time I was hard pressed to remember where I left off and thought, "shit, how am I gonna remember everything?". So I'm sure I'm gonna miss bit. I got the World Cup Fever, though both of my chosen teams, England and Argentina are now out. Oh Well. As I type, I am watching the early minutes of Italy V. Germany. I am of course partial to the Italians. This is fun stuff, especially the Duran Duran commericals on Sky One, which crack me up.

You are probably BBQ'ing or at the beach or being really lame and seeing Belle and Sebastian or something unmasculine like that. Me? I'm watching football after a gruelling vocal lesson. It's nice to lie on the couch and type at you. Poor Irene, yet again has to work on the holiday, which has become a tradition of now her racing home, us rushing to our roof (with half the people from our building) and seeing the fireworks, which is awesome because we have an unobstructed view of the event. Mega. Hopefully, she'll make it it in time to see it again.

This weekend was one nonstop even after the other. Friday night, Irene organized a great birthday even for her friend Lynell, who had a night I doubt she will ever forget and that I will struggle hard to remember. Our dear friend Robert was in town, (he is the LA based best pal of my Head of Business Affairs) to celebrate said HBA's club reunion festivities, but graced us with his presence for the birthday dinner, which took place at an awesome place called Forbidden City, which served some great Chinese Dim Sum dishes. I loved it. Then many drinks were had at Heathers, which was wonderfully decorated by Irene for the event. After a while, Robert went to join HBA, but not before having a wonderful summit with Lurch, who joined us for the rest of the evening. My memory of this is quite hazy, but the vibes remind me that a good time was had.

No rest of the weary as Saturday so irene and I get Robert on his way to Westchester before we had to dash to NJ for young Sarah's college graduation party. This was a fun afternoon, despite our exhaustion, mainly because we hogged the legends known as Ben (my mentor) and Shirley, who despite being now in their ninties and eighties respectively, are in healthy, happy and awesome. It was also cool for Irene to see where I spent a great deal of my time, but man were we beat. That evening saw me dead on the couch watching wrestling and the underrated URBAN COWBOY till I passed out.

Sunday was a lighter day. Slept in. Went to Rebel Rebel and bought some CD's: The new Razorlight single (good), the new Muse album (surprisingly enjoyable) and David Sylvian's new project Nine Horses, which I heard in the store and bought on the spot and like a lot. A good record day. Then we ate French and watched Pirates of the Carribean in anticipation of the sequel, which we will rush to see in a few days.

Since we last spoke, Brandt sent out revised demos of the material Ash worked on the other night and goddammit they sound good. Monday was music day and it was a lot of Brandt playing with the 909 on SOLAR which was a success and then many hours of trying new things for DONT DREAM, JUST SCHEDULE, all of which didn't work. But that's a good thing as it proved to us that the song is ready for the next step. Paging Dr. Charles. Oh I might add we made a return trip for a Dumont Burger and it fucking rocks it. The evening was spent watching the great sport with the Harlem MOGpac, and man am I disappointed in Rob Van Dam, arrest for drug possession while holding the WWF belt and being pushed to the moon. Idiot.

Been chatting with Mattagement who is raoming the streets of London this week, if you're there and see him, buy him a carrot or something while he's buying me the NME (Kasabian on the cover, you know). I admire any American abroad checking out music (this time he is seeing the reunited Nitzer Ebb, respect).

Enjoy your holiday, kids.

F