THE MORNING AFTER
Been a bit quiet on the Blog front for a few days – not a good start to my quest for online dominance.
Still, after an Easter spent buried in Idiot’s guides to websites…I am going to go easy on myself.
Perhaps the more valid excuse is down to the start of the week being a wash out in terms of my mental health! It was the lovely Heather’s 30th birthday on Saturday night and much merriment ensued. Was DJ-ing and so duty bound to stay until very late in the morning. The curse and joy of mainly owning Reggae records is that the most appropriate time to play is the time you would normally be getting up for work.
Bit out of practice for very late nights as been minimal on the going out front for many months. Was good to go to a house party as there are precious few of them these days and they remain my preferred way to have a good dance and a good chat (although chatting was kept to a minimum as dancing was more essential!).
So Sunday was spent, primarily, doing three activities:
1) Staring blankly at things
2) Walking the dog
3) Watching as much snooker as my shattered mind could handle
Let’s look at these things in turn.
1. STARING BLANKLY
Surprisingly perhaps, I rather enjoy that the bi-product of a good night out is to vacantly stare at different stimulus for varying amounts of time. Whatever my head points at is what will hold my interest for an undefined period. It’s good for the soul to stare! Mostly, I stared at snooker (see point 3).
2. WALKING THE DOG
Flies on Concrete (2009)
Having a dog has many benefits, but perhaps the one that most people would not always agree with is the fact you have to take the little bastards for a walk every day. However, that is perhaps the best thing about it – when (after a night out for example), you really don’t want to leave the house and would prefer to stare at snooker (see points 1 and 3)…you can’t. A brief excursion to the park is required despite heavy physical resistance.
But – once there, it’s glorious.
Sunday was no different, the sun was shining, the birds were chorusing and the park was a hive of activity from people far more lively than me. Hannah and I sat on a bench, entertained the dog with a stick and stared (see point 1).
Mostly – I stared at the ground, the concrete seemed particularly attractive, not only to my eye, but also to a myriad of flies that seemed to hop about on the same small area in front of the bench. It seemed a fitting parallel to the people enjoying the park – all swarming to one location to benefit from what it had to offer, skipping around each other as they went about their activities.
3. WATCHING SNOOKER
Is it wrong. Is it?
Is it wrong for a young man to love watching snooker so much?
Is it wrong to arm chair commentate?
Is it? Is it wrong?
No…it isn’t wrong. It’s right. I do love watching snooker and I’m not afraid to admit it.
Snooker after a heavy night out is perhaps the greatest television that could exist. It’s the ultimate thing to stare at (see point 1). But its hard to drag yourself away from to walk the dog (see point 2).
Term started again on Monday so was back to work, which is the other reason things have been quiet around here.
Still, business will now resume as normal.
My favourite state after a long night is that place where the bollocks I have chatted all night (for me, chatting is often more important than dancing) becomes a ludicrous parody of itself. Where the mere mention of Eddie Murphy will break me down into laughter and the pointlessness of the moment becomes all there is.
In those less than quiet moments I find myself in a rare state. Thinking without structure, staring without watching. I love those moments more than he running around wided eyed aspects of the earlier part of the night.
(just reading your back cat John…)
Ah you see, there we both compare and contrast!
As you know – I really really find a good dance quite important! Something about the absolute letting go that is one of the more therapeutic things in life to me. As someone who enjoys their solitude and to wallow in their own mind – when you reach that sweet point of dancing where nothing in the world exists except you, the small space around you and the music…not much can top it! But then, you reach the point of being aware again and it all starts to seem a little bit pointless and perhaps a sit down is long overdue!
But, the I love a good chat as well – but find their is a sweet point to discover here too! The stage where people are too incoherent and just chat utter tosh generally frustrates me. But when you get those periods of really intense discussion about things that seem more important than breathing, then that is as good as the dancing! And then, yeah – I know what you mean, the point where you almost have an out of body experience and catch hold of yourself, all you have been saying and all that has been happening and realise it is all a forgotten memory of what MUST have been really salient points – all you can do is laugh at the how much and how little you have achieved! It is just like the dancing point where you realise you have blatantly had enough and need to sit down.
After these points have been reached and the big stare begins, then that is perhaps where I feel most comfortable. There is precious little opportunity in life to sit without substance, reason or justification and just absorb and reflect. That to me is the most rewarding point in a good night out and long may it continue!
(Hope your enjoying the back catalogue – got a few new ones coming soon. In fact – might upload a slightly comic one that might be of interest to you in 1 minute!)