all your diction dripping with disdain....

Ah, back from a pleasant few days staying with some friends in Oxford. Ostensibly, the reason for my visit was that I was going to be working in our store there on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It was also, of course, an excellent opportunity to catch up with my friends down there, culminating with the 11th annual Juxom Street Christmas Party on Saturday. Work in the store was as good as ever, even if it did make me realise that life at the sharp end of a retail business is very, very hard on the feet (and they're not as busy as they should be at this time of year, either). I had a lovely 20 minute stroll from my digs with Rich and Laura, over Magdalen Bridge and past their lovely illuminated chapel and into the town centre itself, which made a most welcome change from my usual commute by car to a large industrial estate.

The evenings were busy though: Tuesday night spent in a nice Italian with my hosts; Wednesday spent intially with The Ultimate Olympian for a few pints and then a meal with my colleagues from Nottingham also working in the store; Thursday spent in a chinese restaurant with the Pollstar, taking the chance to be introduced to his lovely, charming (and far too good for the likes of him) girlfriend and then on to a pub to watch Leon perform at an open mic night; Friday catching up with friends and helping with last minute party preparations and watching "Ivor the Engine", and Saturday itself spent at the party, starting with the traditional drink (champagne this year) at noon. It's the 11th time we've had this Christmas party now, and I think it's fair to say that things have changed - not least because there are now several children in attendance, so things are naturally a little more restrained (actually, we all ended up in the kitchen listening to Dire Straits at one point, so we are officially turning into our parents).

It's all good though... an excellent way to spend the week. I may even be feeling a touch festive.... something I'm sure work will choke out of my before the end of working week.

Anyway.

Music maestro?

Shuffleathon 2008 Update

Reviews are starting to come in now, with new ones by Cody Bones, Russ L, Ben, Ian all now in. Several more CDs have also reached their destinations, with asta discovering that she drew the shortest of short straws in this game and received a mixtape from me.....

There are still a few to be sent out. I realise that this is a busy time of the year, but it would be great if everyone could try to get their CD done and out into the post before the end of the year (or at least drop me a line to let me know that they're still alive and on the case....). As always, if you could drop me a line when you have sent / received / reviewed your CD, then I'll keep this slightly unwieldy table up to date with links and suchlike.

Right? OK then.

Shuffler	Posted out	Received?
1. Me	yes
2. Mandy		yes
3. Charlie	yes
4. Planet Me	yes	yes
5. Ian		review
6. Mike
7. Jerry	yes	review
8. monogodo
9. Erika	yes	yes
10. Michael	yes	review
11. Lisa	yes	review
12. Cody Bones	yes	review
13. Del		yes!
14. RussL	yes	review
15. Tina	yes	review
16. Wombat	yes
17. Joe the Troll	yes	yes
18. JamieS	yes
19. Cat	yes	yes
20. Rol	yes	review
21. Beth	yes	yes
22. asta	yes	yes
23. bedshaped
24. Paul	yes
25. Alan	yes
26. Astronaut	yes	yes
27. Threelight		yes
28. The Great Grape Ape	yes
29. Paul W	yes
30. Ben	yes	review

Oh, and can you email me your 5 votes for Earworms of the Year please? Ta.