Hello friends and enemies. Well, I don't think any of you are enemies actually, but you never know. You can't be too careful these days. Just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean everybody isn't out to get you. Is that a quote from somebody? It's not an original thought of mine, that's for sure. The only original thoughts I have are centered around food and drink. Oh. A Belle and Sebastian story: (I am surprised I have never shared this before...unless I have and I'm being a complete gibbon) Many moons ago before I had taken up residence in the sinister village...if my memory serves me correctly sometime around February 1998, I was working for Marks and Spencers at their offices on Baker Street. One exceedingly dull day with around ½ hour left until the drudgery was over for the day and I decided to go downstairs to the smoking room for a final cigarette. So, there I am sitting with a cup of disgusting coffee and a cigarette mulling over the days events and feeling a little strange. I began singing Belle and Sebastian songs in my head, and what should pop into my head but "The state I am in". The room had around 10 people in it...it had a capacity of around 100, so it was quite empty. Feeling silly and I guess slightly sinister, I stood up and began to turn the tables around. Of course, nobody got it. They just looked at me and began to smoke very, very quickly....seemingly wanting to get out of my way as soon as possible. I got many funny looks walking around the office for months afterwards. Did anybody notice the subject of this post? Isn't it lovely? No, I am not being conceited, it's not mine. On Sunday I got home to London after having had a holiday in lovely Greece visiting our fellow sinisterine, velocity girl. Whilst she was Djing one evening (great DJ by the way...better music than anywhere I know of in London) one her friends turned to me...I think vel may have been playing "just a girl"....and said this to me. My heart rose and sank simultaneously. I just thought it was such a beautiful thing to say. My time in Greece was fantastic. Let me assure you all that velocity girl is even better in person than in print. Such a great girl with great friends who made me feel so welcome. And made me drink ouzo....urgh! So, I did miss the sinister picnic but that was ok as we had a little picnic of our own and how many at the London picnic had a swim? I was out there for a few days before I was joined by Mr. Richard Pushong (that lucky git is still there). So, there was 3 of us...does this constitute a picnic? I reckon it does. And spooky the dog, who should be made an honorary member of sinister. She is the craziest and coolest dog in the world. She dances to the television personalities, is terrified of the NME and rides a scooter. I tell no lies. And if you say "Steven Wells" to her she bites your ankles and makes them bleed. Now I tell lies. I think. I never actually tried it, maybe she does. Anyway, I could go on forever about Greece but I don't want to bore you all rigid so I will leave it there. Love and Feta cheese Paul. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the undead Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "peculiarly deranged fanbase" "frighteningly named +-+ +-+ Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+