The list seems ever so quiet, so for you all, a question. I've been flicking through publishing catalogues, and I've noticed that many publishing houses produce a genre known as belles-lettres. And it occurred to me that I don't know what it means. Go on then, enlighten me, why dontcha? Apart from that, I thought that the partly welcome, partly saddening sparseness of the list could be alleviated just a touch by a witty, funny and profound letter. So I asked Rory to write one. Well, I didn't, actually, but he does write such gorgeous words - exactly the kind of thing a rather subdued and wistful Sinister list needs at the mo. It also occurred to me that I finally got to go to Glasgow, and didn't go on and on abut it here like I have done with to all my friends! I had a wonderful time, largely to do with the loveliness of my laydee and her chums, some of whom actively dislike Belle and Sebastian but it doesn't matter cos they're great., and also because of the fantastic things I saw and did in the European City of Architecture and Design (or something?) 1999, as well as some of its finest inhabitants (albeit part-time in certain cases). Several tipsy hours were spent with the ever affable and winsome Keith, his lovely girlfriend Ros (sp?), the radiant Julia and the evidently criminally insane Chris, not to mention Calumn "the gyroscope" Shearer, whose rejected fried rice gave me the strength to, erm, almost fall asleep on new year's eve. I also got to see a pinch of the renowned Scottish scenery, visiting Loch Ard in the freezing rain and spending most of it either in the safety of the car or on my arse, teetering over the edge of a jetty, after foolishly trying to run on the slipperiest surface known to man, namely a wooden pier in the rain in winter. In Scotland. Oops. Nasty bruise, too. But yes, it is even more beautiful than it looks - must be fantastic when the sun shines...I also managed to have the squits for most of my holiday, which lent things an extra sense of urgency, but you have to take the rough with the smooth, if you'll pardon the expression... I have piles of resolutions that I haven't even broken yet, but I won't bore you with the obvious. Though if anyone knows any decent and cheap badminton courts in south London, feel free to let me know... I would like to point out that I did not resolve for 1999 to write to the sinister list about myself in an extremely dull fashion. It just happens. Big love to my homie Kristen, kisses and curdles, Mark xxx +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+