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:: What is it about going out with Bezuhoff? ::

Last week, Bezuhoff was in town. Knowing that only one night was to be available for socialising, he decreed that all available souls should join him at 19.30 at Opium, a haunt he'd visited and approved the night before. I met Tigger some time before the appointed hour, allowing us time to potter in a Oxford Street's lingerie departments, but not, sadly, to enjoy a cocktail in a bar we actually like. Arriving at Opium at seven-thirty sharp, we were confronted with Bezuhoff's absence and the nagging feeling that we really ought to have gone for a bite to eat first. So, we went to nearby Nara and lured away first Bezuhoff and then a succession of others. Pleasantly sated, most of us later decided to have a post-prandial cocktail in Opium after all - a potted history, replete with silly links, ensues...

We went into Opium, sat down and ordered drinks.
Before our cocktails arrived, the fire alarm went off and an ominous smell of imminent combustion filled the room.
Everybody left post-haste and assembled on the street.
LouLou and K, who'd been served beer already, had it unceremoniously removed from them on our departure.
Somehow, La Palmer managed to keep hold of his beer.
Unsure as to what was happening, we made a beeline for the pub opposite,
ordered drinks and sat back to watch events unfold.
Two fire engines turned up and a group of firemen went down into Opium.
Meanwhile, two more appliances turned up and a crowd of customers, waiters and assorted onlookers assembled.
Amused, we continued to chat and watch until, eventually the firemen went away.
We never found out how serious the "fire" had been.
Five minutes later, the waiter who had served us rushed into the pub.
He apologised for the convenience and then asked if we'd like to go back in,
promising we'd only pay half price.
We said no - it was too late - we'd ordered a bottle.
Besides, as K pointed out, we really shouldn't go back and take our drinks
which had been left unattended.
The waiter then tried to claim that the manager would force him to pay for
our drinks if we didn't go back.
Uproar ensued - LouLou even offered to go and complain to the manager.
We left the pub at closing time - and didn't venture back into Opium.
The moral of the story - never go to the same bar two nights in a row!

And at the back of my mind the whole time, of course, was that we really ought to have gone to Polka in the first place...

:: Humph ::

Seems to be a slight delay with the whole wireless network at home thing. In fact, I'm very happy with the new machine and am connected to the interweb now.

...It's just that I happen to be piggybacking on my neighbour's unsecured wireless network rather than my own. The only question in my mind is: do I leave my own network unsecured (when it's finally set up) to begin a wireless community network? Or is the only safe thing to batten down the hatches to all passing would-be wireless connectees?

Anyhow, since I haven't asked the neighbour in question, I'd suppose I'd better finish it there before she notices.

:: Revival? ::

Since I'm about to regain a decent internet connection at home - and a new computer, it' seems likely that Devukha will be back on the road soon. There are lots of things to fix I see: comments to be restored, formatting rejuvenated, links to be updated/removed/replaced.

Eventually, a redesign seems in order. It's pretty timely, given the fact that I've been doing this (on and off!) for nearly three years...

So what's been going on in the world of Devukha since July?

I've directed a play...
Moved house - now sharing with Ruby Girl...
Discovered the gamstonomic joys of Cumbria air-dried ham...
Set a giant Christmas cryptic crossword for SLT with the help of Dr R, Wilverine, CharlieBeez and one of my colleagues...
celebrated New Year, chez Dr R, at which I managed to meet fellow bloggers DJ Waxy Fresh and Nixta...
Celebrated Russian Christmas at home with Tigger, Wilverine and the Zamok-Serdtses (first time cooking golubtsy!)...
Actually managed to enjoy a panto for the first time since annual childhood visits to the Theatre Royal, Windsor...

So, roll on the laptop and a newer era of blog-ness. Or something...

:: Sabbatical over - well, nearly ::

All of us go through our quiet patches, Taxloss seems to have given up the ghost on the personal blog front, while Hyp is managing to keep up a steady stream of incisive and amusing observations.

And even the most stellar of cyber performers go through the odd hiatus...

So, my proposition is this, over the next few weeks I'm planning to completely rework the site, remove some old links and start adding posts again on a more regular basis. It may take a while to get back to "normal service", but Devukha ain't dead yet.

:: Um... ::

I am still alive - just "resting" the blog for a little (not unlike Taxloss!) while I get on with other things, such as:

  • Compiling another SLT crossword...
  • Attempting to find a new flat mate who isn't a total nutter
  • Working rather hard.
  • Going to Wales and not engaging in a big gay orgy

More of that later...

:: Work It, Baby ::

For the second day in a row, I have arrived at my desk at 7.45. I say this not to brag, but as a comment on how busy I've been at work. Hence the post-drought since my return from NYC. I left the house at just before 7, cast my vote at the earliest opportunity and headed to work via a slightly different route. This proved a salutory reminder of why I no longer travel to work via London Bridge station: even at 7.15, the volume of commuters made my journey stuffy and unpleasant - and 15 minutes longer than if I had travelled by the normal means.

Never mind, settling into work now, I have only the prospect of this evening's activities to spur me on. First, I'll be attending a reading/rehearsal of a new play What You Will In Wonderland in which characters from Alice's Adventures In Wonderland attempt to perform Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. This promises to be a riotous production, performed outdoors over several weekends in the summer. No doubt a few reminders will be going out nearer the time, but I can confirm now that I shall be playing Humpty Dumpty, who in turn plays Sir Toby Belch. It's also bAsTaRd tonight, if I can drag my sorry arse along afterwards...

Oh well, At least it's Sushi Friday tomorrow, although it's unlikely I'll be indulging in uni (sea-urchin gonads) as I did at Blue Ribbon in SoHo.

PS Cartel Communique are back online - download their excellent mashed up videos before they disappear from cyberspace again!

:: Dear Me ::

Yes, I know, it has been rather a long time. Currently I'm in New York with Lava Lamp, tripping the light fantastic and splurging inappropriately. After the obligatory tourist hell yesterday, we did at least manage a bit of culture this afternoon.

Sadly, L Russe Bezuhoff has been called back to London(!) for his grandmother's funeral, so we've done a bit of a swap. Nevertheless, we should get to see him before we too head back over the pond next week.

It's all rather reminiscent of when I set up this blog over 2 years ago. One of my first ever posts reproduced some magnetic poetry from Bezuhoff's old apartment up in Morningside Heights.

Now as then, I'll leave you with the unkeepable promise of more regular updates. Perhaps a modest synopsis of the past week's events will follow in due course...