Night Bus

So. I'm on the night bus back from london. The trip down was a horribly uncomfortable experience, hopefully this time it will be different. but it doesn't look that way. The american guy in front of me with his expensice surf flip flops and expertly crafted shaggy hair absolutely reeks. He must be backpacking or something cos there is no way he has seen a shower of late. Bizarely this is not hampering his flirtation with the cute kiwi girls in front who seem to be warming to his screechy voiced advances. I am reminded of a recent stand up set I saw on utube by dylan moran. In reference to the pitch, tone and gross over confidence of our american cousins he says 'when was the last time you had to say to an american, 'sorry? What was that? I didn't quite hear you'.

Having said that the scottish guy next me is belching and farting in a fashion that would make his kinsmen proud. But with his head drunkenly tilted to one side it appears to the casual observer that these horrific bowl antics can only be attributed to me. In these cramped quarters the combined efforts of the american and the scot are producing a near lethal aroma. There is a reason the night coach is the cheapest method of travel.

I'm listening to the arcade fire's new album. Truly exceptional. I had very high expectations and was almost certain I would be disappointed. But to my delight the boys from canada have retained their magic. Thanks to scoggs for posting it my way. Apparently they are also one of the best live acts around at the moment. I haven't been lucky enough to find out first hand. Not yet.

So, a bit of catch up about my general situation: I have ditched the german. With sarkozy as bait and the promise of an easy resource in Cat I have taken up french. If I ever try to use it in france i will probably only be met with raised eyebrows and perfect english replies, or if I try in Quebec then ill probably be spat on, but hey ho. It is still the most pretentious of languages going. So accordingly I have signed up to evening classes.
I have a part time job now, three days a week working in a turkish foods store. It is not a kebab shop, but the owner does have one of those too. My friend Cemil recently became manager of a number of turkish shops in the city and has kindly offered me a job. So that gives me the income to pay rent with a bit left over. This should extend my edinburgh life for many more months, but its not a permanent solution. It gives me the breathing space to apply for really groovy jobs. The RNR is begining to take shape as seven others have joined me in my new entry class. Things are finally beginning to move and I have a tough fitness test at the weekend at faslane. My preperations have been hampered by a pulled calf muscle.

I have also joined the scottish green party and in a satisfying reflection on my 'neo-green' world view I have been receiving email invitations to attend the nuclear naval base at faslane from two sources. The greens who want me to protest outside and the RNR who want to offer me training inside. Neither party know about the other although from what I have seen it is the greens who would be most intolerant. Since when do you have to be a commie to care about the environment? Once again I find myself backing horses that are only very roughly going in the direction I wish to travel.

I was in london this weekend to see Kristina who I first met in arkansas. She is an exceptional person haunted by her own high standards. She is from Bulgaria and about to begin a masters course at UCL. Eastern european talent enriching a dynamic london. I couldn't have scripted a better scenario. My high hopes for our collective future rest on people like her. Not to add to her burdens or anything.

The american seems to have given up and the kiwi girls have lost any of the 'cute' they may have once held by descending into an endless chatter about past boyfriends. Why do so many girls do that? Why define yourself by your time spent with the other sex? Surely such talk only reinforces the biologically backed inbalance.

Ha! I'm such an ass. As an american might say.