What's the HTML markup for a scream of existential despair?

Today I turned 40.

This was rather unexpected, as my birthday isn't 'til the 8th November.

But it wasn't age. Well, not directly.

No, I decided to buy some new clothes for Infest, and it seems that I now take a forty inch waist in trousers.

Last year at Infest, I wore a pair of uon's cast-offs, because I could, and I was delighted, because Jon is so appallingly skinny he must step carefully over drain grilles in the gutter. (Why, no, I'm not jealous at all, good heavens no, why do you ask?)

Now, I am officially a Fat B*st*rd, and I am Not Happy about it.

Supper was a salad and I may eat nothing else for a few months.

I spent £100 on clothes and £264 getting the trike serviced, £115 of which was a new front tyre. That's my weekend allowance gone, then, and I've not even set off yet. This is also causing considerable dismay.

Anyway. I have 2 new pairs of combat trousers, a new pair of bike gloves, a new pair of combat boots, and some - gods help me - glowsticks. I am as prepared as I will ever be. Now all I have to do is pack them and leave for Birmingham at great speed, for I am Late.

[Did you notice the stealthy hint about upcoming Big Anniversary? Subtle, huh? Sorry to flickgc that I could not make her do tonight, and congrats to andrewducker for today!]

Laters!

Girliness

I seem to have two German rock chicks playing dress-up in my house. They're trying on every outfit they can assemble, loads of makeup, sunglasses, etc. etc., posing on the stairs and taking hundreds of photos of one another.

They've gone through more combinations in an evening than I do in a month. Or an entire season, come to that. Not that I have ever committed those jeans with all the cutouts down the sides of the legs, for example. I don't think I've ever had the legs for those.

Apparently they did this all Saturday night as well, until going out at 1.30am. Just time for one drink in the Crobar before it was shut. Goooood. When she arrived back at 5-umpty a.m., Bianca (oops) couldn't open the door and phoned me and rang the doorbell and shouted up at my window until I let her in.

Tonight, I asked "why didn't you go to Decadence and Disorder?" (I went there for the opening night - it was rather fun.)

"I don't know where the new location is," protested Bianca.

"Well, you could have put it into Google..."

"Oh. Yeah. That would have been an idea."