Hello everyone. Lately I've been thinking about how out of all the things people try and be, like funny and interesting and stuff, one of the best things a person can be is nice, which is probably pretty obvious. But anyway I'm going to give you all a little example of how to be nice. Okay. Let's say you're a boy and you meet a girl that you like. Or you could be a girl who meets a boy you like, in which case reverse the sexes in this story. Right, so let's say you meet a girl you like, and she doesn't want to go out with you. But you go and talk to her whenever you see her and you get to be friends. Oh, and also let's say there's this other girl who's in a drama group with you, who fancies you and who is extremely snooty towards the girl you like. And you complain to the girl you like that it's awkward because although you're friends with the other girl, you don't like her "in that way". And also let's imagine that this other girl can't act for toffee. Okay, so anyway, let's say this goes on for about a year, and you and the first girl become pretty good friends. And then let's imagine that one day somehow you end up kissing, and you ask her out on, well, a date really, and this time she says okay, and so finally you're seeing each other for a few weeks. But then let's imagine that you decide you don't want to see the girl anymore, which is fair enough, you know, these things happen. So you act funny the next time you see her, in the hope that she'll get the message, and then you go round to explain, except that you can't manage to say anything except "I think we should - er - well we should..." exactly like Hugh Grant, until she asks "You think we should just be friends?" and you go "Yeah". And let's imagine that the girl tells you not to worry and says that's fine, and doesn't do anything awkward like ask why because she knows there's usually no "why" or if there is it'll be something she doesn't want to hear. And suppose you then tell her that you really hope you do stay friends, and that you'll phone her. Well, just supposing this all this happens, but that you don't actually get round to phoning the girl at all and the next time you see her is six weeks later at a gig you knew she'd be going to....well, if all this happens, then don't just ignore the girl all night - say hello and ask how she is. Oh, and if snooty bad actress girl turns up with a new haircut that looks like a triangle, and if you must snog her, then that's okay and everything, but try not to do it right in front of the original girl. That would be the nice thing to do, anyway. It's not that the first girl will be all that upset, you understand, as she probably wasn't so bothered about the whole thing anyway and she's probably far too sensible to let a silly boy get her down. It's just that she'll be slightly saddened by the self-centredness of human nature. Oh, and she'll think you're a wanker. Of course any characters in this little example are purely fictional. It's okay anyway, the girl really isn't bothered, in fact she's feeling quite smug about rising above the whole thing. I actually am completely fine, I just felt like telling the story. I did say once before that it wasn't nice to be bitchy, and this is true, but then all is equal in love and war as they say, not that either of these come into this post. Anyway what I'm more excited by is that I've just made a really good compilation tape of Pavement, who are my other favourite band alongside Belle & Sebastian. I apologise if a Pavement mix tape sounds like sacrilege to some people, but if there's anyone who hasn't heard this wonderful band and would like to then just ask me for a copy. I think it's healthy to put music above personal relationships. katy c x +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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 +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+