Let's face the music... and dance

A fair amount has happened since my last post. The council finally got back to me about my finances, but not before asking me to resubmit my evidence to clear up the payment conflict. Two week’s previously, I literally went down there and handed it to them in person. They even gave me a receipt (which proved worthless). But, well, apparently it got lost in the system somewhere/how. Or… did it?! No, it didn’t, it was just delayed, but they asked me to trapse down there again anyway. So I did. Whilst perfectly polite to the staff myself, I did nearly insight a riot by gossiping with the other poor saps waiting in the queue. Oh wait, this was all after three days of ringing the council’s call centre and sending emails, none of which the correct department ever replied to. I genuinely felt like I was stuck in some Kafka/Gilliamesque bureaucratic nightmare. Actually, forget the word “like”. There was a point where I was shaking with stress and pent up rage at the wall of silence I was experiencing. I felt like they were stonewalling me on purpose. Conspiracy-like. It was the darkest hour I’ve faced for about twelve years.

But it all worked out ok!

Some miserable sounding jobsworth called me at 1659 last Friday to say everything was fine and I just had to spend the large back-payment by the end of November. I still haven’t received a confirmation by post, so I’ll chase that up next week. Another delay will not surprise me.

Speaking of delays, I ordered a new acoustic guitar on Tuesday, but they’ve only just gotten back to me, just like the council, at close of play on a Friday afternoon, to say that they’re out of stock of the guitar I asked for. FFS. If they say they’ll have to order it special, I’ll cancel it. I haven’t even paid for it yet. I clicked on “pay by credit/debit card”, thinking that would be easier, but it then said that the store would be in touch either by email or phone to sort out payment. Double FFS. So now I’m pissed about that. Sigh. Fuck is wrong with people?!

As I type, I’m waiting for a Chinese takeaway to turn up. If this is delayed, or they refuse to come upstairs to my actual door, I swear I’ll… erm… well… you have to be careful what you joke about these days, don’t you? With that in mind, I’ll just say that I’ll just “hug them extra hard until they painlessly lie down and go to sleep”. There, isn’t that nice.

I haven’t been back to the pub since my stress-induced blackout two weeks ago. I’ve actually been enjoying going for drinks down at the train station. It’s a lovely pub, and I imagine it’s my house when I’m sat in their big, ballroom-like back seating area. I think I’ve just enjoyed being anonymous, especially while I’ve been super-paranoid. I might put a grocery order in tonight and stick some shitty lagers in the basket. I’m not much in the mood to go out anywhere. I just want to sit at home, watch crappy movies, and lose my inhibitions and self-loathing. Just for a few hours.

My takeaway’s here already! I only ordered it, like, half an hour ago. Right, I’ll continue this in a few minutes after I’ve had a few bites…

…brb…

…back! Damn, this new place really knows how to do chips! Don’t worry, I ordered some actual Chinese food too. I’m not that kind of a guy. Anyway, I think I’ve had enough for now.

I had some boxsets delivered earlier – Modern Family Seasons 1-11 and the Tim Burton Blu-ray set. I’ve just watched Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which is very cute. While I don’t believe Pee-wee is technically gay, it still feels like an LGBT film. He’s very flamboyant, and everybody in that world just seems cool about it. It’s very inspiring. Plus it co-stars Elizabeth Daily, who is literally one of my all-time favourite people. I’ll try watching some Modern Family later. I’ve not seen it before, but I’ve heard good/so-so things. Guess I’m just a sucker for middle-of-the-road American sitcoms.

I’m still listening to a lot of history reference audiobooks/lectures in bed at night. I started on the Etruscan civilization this week. The lecturer is a little one-note, but not as dull as the Mesoamerican guy. I’ve also started on the Vikings, but that guy’s so enthusiastic that I’ve had to take a break. He’s a bit like Dave Van Ronk… but really, really, really fucking into history. You half expect him to cry “Yeah, Vikings, bitches! Woo!” at the end of each lecture. It’s a slightly different high-energy to Bob Brier, but it’s just as infectious.

I’m back in fairly-regular communication with my old gaming buddy, but we’re still not back to a good voice chat place yet. We did talk last week, but that’s been it. There’s a few clips from our “first chat back” on my YT. It was just like old times. I’ve not spoken much to my guitar guru, but he, like most of us, tends to go through quiet times. I’m sure he’ll be back.

Hmmm, I best go fire up the supermarket’s website in preparation for the usual 1900-ish opening-up of new delivery slots. They must get confirmation of casual drivers around that time. Or a load of people cancel their orders. Who knows.

Right, I’ll leave you here and, hopefully, my stress levels will be back to “normal” by my next post. And I’ll have a new guitar. And washing machine. Speaking of which…

Do stay in touch, darlings.

Toodles!