Bowling, novels and attachments

January as I think I've already said in this blog is a time a for me of taking stock of life and thinking about things and how they fit into my life - and how I want them to.

Still, I've not exactly been a hermit and as well as the White Stripes and seeing Anna on Thursday, I went on Saturday out for Mary's birthday.

First we went bowling at the Trocadero Centre. This was an awful venue, made fun by the alcohol, but ultimately depressing. The point is, the location with its dodgems, arcardes, cinemas and so on is proper mass market entertainment, a million miles away in feeling from the bars in Soho that are just a short walk away, but the whole experience has been shoddily put together designed with only money involved . Mass market entertainment shouldn't be so cynical and people deserve better.


While there had an interesting chat with an Aussie feller who as well as being an ex-journalist like myself had also written a number of novels, set mainly in the alternative history genre. He gave me a few interesting pointers but also said that I should find getting published easier as I'm planning to write literary fiction. It was interesting that many of the assumptions I've made about the whole business he seemed to back up. He also seemed interested in my idea of approaching Granta, McSweeney's etc before attempting to get a fully fledged publishing deal.


Finally, last night I met Zoe again. Last time I met her I was still a little cut up about the whole thing. Now post-Kirsty, it's all old news, and although I had difficultly thinking of much to say to her I can see more than ever that it was wrong and that it's bad to sublimate your personality to try and get in someones pants! I have to see someone that I can be myself round, as ultimately had she kept up the level of interest in me she displayed at first, I would've ended up being cruel to her.

Still, I must admit, I still want to look out for her. There's definitely something unhappy to her below her fluffy surface, and I hope she finds whatever she's looking for. I'm not sure she knows and her fear of angst is holding her back from doing a bit of self - examination that would ultimately make her happier. Still, the fact that like all of us at, the minute, she's facing the big 3-0 may make the difference. Good luck to the little green eyed, black haired, pear shaped pixie.
posted by Neil at 6:12:00 PM