espirit de l'escalier

as I was leaving the house today, jay suggested a great little rhyme: "spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch."

truly, the world is hilarious.

Ryanair's flying 'fat tax' moves closer to reality
Naked romp shames SMAP boy band star Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and puts media in spin
Beauty of democracy as Silvio Berlusconi picks model MEP candidates

and I haven't even started on the UK budget!

And at last, in its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and
from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat,
as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that
gloom brooding over a crowd of men.

Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less
brilliant but more profound. The old river in its broad reach rested
unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the
race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a
waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth. We looked at the
venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and
departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories. And
indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes,
"followed the sea" with reverence and affection, that to evoke the
great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames. The tidal
current runs to and fro in its unceasing service, crowded with memories
of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles
of the sea. It had known and served all the men of whom the nation is
proud, from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin, knights all, titled
and untitled--the great knights-errant of the sea. It had borne all the
ships whose names are like jewels flashing in the night of time, from
the _Golden Hind_ returning with her rotund flanks full of treasure, to be
visited by the Queen's Highness and thus pass out of the gigantic tale,
to the _Erebus_ and _Terror_, bound on other conquests--and that never
returned. It had known the ships and the men. They had sailed from
Deptford, from Greenwich, from Erith--the adventurers and the settlers;
kings' ships and the ships of men on 'Change; captains, admirals, the
dark "interlopers" of the Eastern trade, and the commissioned "generals"
of East India fleets. Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all
had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch,
messengers of the might within the land, bearers of a spark from the
sacred fire. What greatness had not floated on the ebb of that river
into the mystery of an unknown earth! . . . The dreams of men, the seed
of commonwealths, the germs of empires.
- joseph conrad, heart of darkness

purrs.

I shopped all day and bought... a pair of tights. so to ease the pain I looked at some fashion shows. and oh! the colour and shapes and awesomeness of lanvin. ( lanvin is the shit )

whenever I am unhappy, I google image search the word, 'kitten'.

well, not so much of a question as a general seeking of tips, advice and opinions on renting privately in london, especially within zones 1 and 2. any good letting agents who won't rip you off to suggest? avenues of searches?

so far I am looking on gumtree, loot, the ULU housing database, findaproperty. nestoria has been suggested to me. I am looking in bloomsbury, king's cross, euston, camden town, caledonian road and pentonville road for 3-4 bedroom flats, probably with a reception converted into a bedroom, starting now and between 400-470/week, bills excluded.

sigh. such a pain! even hugs would be helpful! :D

as previously stated, I am going to india (mumbai, goa, etc.) today and back in singapore on the morning of 29 august. arriving in london on the morning of 5 sept.

in india I will be contactable in the case of emergency on my singapore mobile number (which remains the same as previously).

oh god. harry potter. I read my first when I was 12, I wrote fic when I was 14, I fell out of love and into angst when I was 16, and now I am nearly 20 and - it's done.

I feel like a very old and once cherished friend has returned for an afternoon, but just that. oh my.

I'm quite sad. this passage of time and growing up business is shite.

thoughts on the book to come at a later time, perhaps, when more people have had the time to read and reread it.