My DVDs and CDs from Play and Amazon came through this morning, which was refreshingly quick. So, I've got X-Men 1.5 and 2, and Animatrix to watch, and 92 songs from The Simpsons to listen to.

I took a walk with Tim out to the Post Office sorting office to pick up my trousers I had ordered that couldn't be delivered. It's a good 4 or 5 mile round trip out to the office, the sun was high and the sky was almost cloudless. It was magnificent in my black jeans and black short sleeved shirt - feeling fresh and cool the entire time.

We stopped into ASDA for a quick look around before heading over to Pizza Hut for some lunch, and were served by the most beautiful and excellent waitresses, I believe, in the history of Pizza Hut. Very gorgeous, attentive and great overall service. Her automatic refilling of drinks without needing to check what is was, and without asking if it was wanted, is usually enough for me to warrant the 10% at the restaurant, but I increased it because, well, she was teh greatness, which I think caught as a bit of a surprise when I had put the meal on card.

Mmm.

(The pizza was good too.)

I spent money, it's hard to believe, but I did! So, from the money from Tim and Mum, I got:

From Amazon
The Simpsons: Go Simpsonic and Songs In the Key of Springfield CD Box Set for £11.99
The Animatrix DVD for £3.97

From Play.com
X-Men 2 2-Disc DVD for £8.99
X-Men 1.5: Extreme Edition 2-Disc DVD for £7.99

From [clothes place for lardies]
Trousers for £25.99 + £5 p&p

All I have to do is wait for my bonus now until next spending spree!

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Ah, choirs. Groups of saintly pressed youths raising their angelic voices to the heavens and filling the soul, about as classical as you can get, and about as innocent as a Band Camp.

Oh, bad example...Or maybe not, when you get sixty Belgian teenage girls' sweetly innocent voices performing the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself".

The Scala Choir give such a great version, it's pure aural addiction with that hint of high class respectability.

Their CD, Dream On, looks amazing with their multiple cover versions.

So, today I woke up and pulled myself out of bed. The day looked grey and miserable out the window.

Got down in the lift and as I knew would eventually happen, I tripped on the freakin' 3x3. Luckily I steadied myself, before going arse over tit, but it was certainly a wake up call. It was fine rain out, enough to leave droplets on coat and hair, but not enough for any real soaking power - that was fine by me.

Got into the office and spoke to Heth as I was going round to see her and the boys tonight, and we discussed plans for the meal. It amused me, despite not feeling in much of an amusement mood (yeah, as usual, I know). ( Dinner Plans )

Then, I got to my desk and awaiting me were two envelopes, a manilla from the Planning Inspectorate for the job I applied for, the other a mysterious grey polylope. I opened the PI envelope, and skimmed for the words :

Thank you for applying for the above post. The sift board has given careful consideration to your application form and I am sorry to tell you that you have not been selected for an interview.

I know this will be disappointing news for you. You have a right of appeal against non-selection for interview. If you wish to exercise that right, you must submit your appeal, stating the grounds on which the appeal is made, via your line management, to me at the above address by 15 November 2005. Should you decide to appeal, you should only submit information that was not previously made available to the sift panel.

I knew that first time out wouldn't be a success, but I really thought with the evidence provided and Si's warm recommendation I'd make interview. Still, it's practice, that's what I'm reminded.

The polylope contained Andrew's home made album Detached from the Crowd, which I'll give a listen to over the weekend.

The day continued, as days do.

Then I went on round to Heth's, chatted with Kels for a bit, and watched some TV that Heth had recorded (including Dead Zone which showed dreams with faceless people, which was so familiar, and CSI : Miami with the death by python, though when we saw slime and puncture marks our thoughts were leaking botox or implants) with her and Bren.

I don't know, I had a good time as I often do when we get to just chill, but it's really kind of fleeting at the moment to feel much.

When I left I had two messages on my phone, the one I was expecting from Tim and a surprise mystery call...oh, who could it be that wants to speak to me?...it was Si, with an IT query, which he had solved by the time I called him back.

...and now, back home. All I have to do now is sleep, awaken and start the process all over again.

I ordered a couple more things off Amazon this morning once I found out that Madness had a nearly complete compilation out in the form of The Lot and the B-Side and One-off compliation of The Business, combined with the release tomorrow of The Dangermen Sessions. So, I gave in and ordered :

• CD - "The Lot", Madness, £21.99
  
• CD - "The Business", Madness, £16.99
  
• CD - "The Dangermen Sessions, volume one", Madness, £8.99

Pretty much every track for under £50, considering the individual albums would have hit £80 easily I'm happy.

The Dangermen Sessions is pretty much a cover album, but it's got such a great range on it and given 'that nutty sound' it should be quite good. The tracks include:

1. John Jones
2. You Keep Me Hanging On
3. So Much Trouble In The World
4. Dangerman AKA High Wire
5. Girl Why Don't You?
6. You'll Lose A Good Thing
7. Taller Than You Are
8. Shame & Scandal
9. Israelites
10. Lola
11. Rain
12. I'm Ready For Love
13. I Chase The Devil AKA Ironshirt

The Lot is so accurately named collecting their six albums (77 tracks) and 24 music videos. Unfortunately, it misses live performances from Madstock, but the listing is insane enough as it is :( The Lot )

And, The business is their most popular tracks which were released as one-off singles and not parts of albums (how is that for a gimmick), the collection is 69 tracks long and includes :( The Business )
Seriously, if you haven't heard Madness, you need to...dammit!

My performance bonus went in yesterday and already I'm blowing it on cheap booze, badly cut drugs and syphilitic prostitutes all those little luxuries of life. I've been to my Amazon wishlist and attempted to knock it down a few items, as it is slightly ridiculous to let it build up so much. Fortunately for me there is a sale on some of the DVDs I had listed.

My recent order :

• DVD -"American Pie", £2.96
  
• DVD - "American Pie 2", £6.97
  
• DVD - "American Pie 3: The Wedding", £2.96
  
• DVD - "Johnny English", £2.96
  
• DVD - "Pitch Black", £2.96
  
• DVD - "The Hulk", £2.96
  
• DVD - "Transformers - The Movie", £5.99
  
• CD - "The Simpsons Sing the Blues", £4.97
  
• CD - "The Finest 'arvest of the Wurzels", £4.97

Ok, so maybe they wouldn't be my first choice of DVDs, but considering the price I felt passing it up at this stage would be slightly moronic. I'll probably pick up a couple more mid- or end of month, or at least a couple of CDs.

Hey, even with P&P it was cheaper than Play.com, that has to be a first (well, other than GW, it appears)

I want to get some clothes at some point, when my fashion sense kicks in. Could be a long wait.