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February 2018
Mar. 12th, 2018 11:59 amMy little sister H, was visiting my parents in the first week, so I visited them and got to see her. (She lives in Somerset near Glastonbury), we got to chat, and hang out.
The second Monday was Brighton SF Book Club and this month was Random Asimov, we each needed to discuss any SF work by the author. I found a novelette called “It’s a Beautiful Day” and discussed this.
First weekend in February is the UK Filkcon, and this year was the 30th anniversary - and I've been to 27 of them. Guests were Betsy Tinney, The Crookletts & Omega (not a musician).
Ate my meals at the bungalow diner, except for breakfast, which was included in the room rate.
The following week I was a Picocon 35 at Imperial College – The guests were Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell (illustrator), Emma Newman (of Tea & Jeopardy podcast), with a late appearance by Ben Aaronovich.
Due to school schedules the social dance was on the same day so had to take my dance shoes to London and get back to Crawley for 7:00. J still unable to dance, so I only danced a few ballroom dances. I did get to dance all the sequence dances with different partners though.
Had to go to the dentist to get a filling repaired. It was fairly painless and quick. (i did have to leave work early though).
I finally found a new Line Dance Class (nearer work than home) and went for my first class, even though it was touted as Beginner / Improver it was hard work, if I hadn't done this before I would have given up. I will however continue.
Toward the end of the month we hit a cold spell, with a little snow, despite the forecast for blizzard condition and piles of snow. I only got about 2cm locally, other parts of the country were less lucky.
The worst of the weather was due on Wed 28th, the day I'd booked to go to London to see ABBA: Super Trooper - The Exhibition! Despite blizzard predictions I got to London without too much trouble, and first went to Forbidden Planet to get a few books. (The latest Seanan McGuie inCrypted novel).
Then caught the tube to Festival Hall at the South Bank Centre, (got covered in snow while walking from the tube) arrived very early so ate lunch, had a hot chocolate, before making my way to the exhibit.
This was not an exhibit of items behind glass with nicely printed labels providing background (though there were a few of these). But it was more of an interactive immersive experience.
It was made up of eight "rooms" which attempted to evoke a particulate location, which was important to the evolution of ABBA. Unfortunately photography was not allowed & and no souvenir booklet was available (and I forgot to make notes - phones all off - until afterwards) so I'm not 100% of the order of the rooms.
So the first room we entered was dark and when the door slid closed it was pitched black. Then the lights came on to show a Super Trouper spot light, we then played name that tune with ABBA tracks (the same lady got all of them correct!)
We then went into a 70's style living room, it felt like my Great Aunts' lounge. We saw TV clips on an old style TV (including questioning if we should enter the EU!)
From there we entered a Brighton hotel bedroom, used by Benny & Agnetha after their Eurovision win, there was a replica of Benny's guitar and Agnetha's original skull cap.
The exit, through the wardrobe was to a Swedish forest where they sang together for the first time (at a folk festival).
From this point on I'm not certain of the order in which we passed from room to room. So in no particular order we visited the Polar recording studio with the original mixing desk and multitrack recorders. I was able to mix together the various parts into a recognisable tune. All of the group then did a singalong in the recording booth.
We entered the toilet of a club from the early 80s, with graffiti and posters peppering the walls.
Then to Australia in the pouring rain and the caravans used for changing rooms
the penultimate room was Lasse Hallström's apartment, which was used as a stand in for Agnetha's apartment in "One of Us", I was asked to open the door to the final room, a first class section of an 80s airplane, with video windows showing take off and some videos, we also did a sing along!
And then we exited the experience and left in the snow, with only our tickets and external photos as aid to our memories.
Next stop was the Science Museum as there were two illuminating India exhibits, exploring 5000 years of Indian science & technology, and a photographic record of Indian history.
I was intending to stay on for the Lates opening in the evening, but the weather and my exhaustion from being on me feet all day meant I left earlier than originally planned.
The second Monday was Brighton SF Book Club and this month was Random Asimov, we each needed to discuss any SF work by the author. I found a novelette called “It’s a Beautiful Day” and discussed this.
First weekend in February is the UK Filkcon, and this year was the 30th anniversary - and I've been to 27 of them. Guests were Betsy Tinney, The Crookletts & Omega (not a musician).
Ate my meals at the bungalow diner, except for breakfast, which was included in the room rate.
The following week I was a Picocon 35 at Imperial College – The guests were Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell (illustrator), Emma Newman (of Tea & Jeopardy podcast), with a late appearance by Ben Aaronovich.
Due to school schedules the social dance was on the same day so had to take my dance shoes to London and get back to Crawley for 7:00. J still unable to dance, so I only danced a few ballroom dances. I did get to dance all the sequence dances with different partners though.
Had to go to the dentist to get a filling repaired. It was fairly painless and quick. (i did have to leave work early though).
I finally found a new Line Dance Class (nearer work than home) and went for my first class, even though it was touted as Beginner / Improver it was hard work, if I hadn't done this before I would have given up. I will however continue.
Toward the end of the month we hit a cold spell, with a little snow, despite the forecast for blizzard condition and piles of snow. I only got about 2cm locally, other parts of the country were less lucky.
The worst of the weather was due on Wed 28th, the day I'd booked to go to London to see ABBA: Super Trooper - The Exhibition! Despite blizzard predictions I got to London without too much trouble, and first went to Forbidden Planet to get a few books. (The latest Seanan McGuie inCrypted novel).
Then caught the tube to Festival Hall at the South Bank Centre, (got covered in snow while walking from the tube) arrived very early so ate lunch, had a hot chocolate, before making my way to the exhibit.
This was not an exhibit of items behind glass with nicely printed labels providing background (though there were a few of these). But it was more of an interactive immersive experience.
It was made up of eight "rooms" which attempted to evoke a particulate location, which was important to the evolution of ABBA. Unfortunately photography was not allowed & and no souvenir booklet was available (and I forgot to make notes - phones all off - until afterwards) so I'm not 100% of the order of the rooms.
So the first room we entered was dark and when the door slid closed it was pitched black. Then the lights came on to show a Super Trouper spot light, we then played name that tune with ABBA tracks (the same lady got all of them correct!)
We then went into a 70's style living room, it felt like my Great Aunts' lounge. We saw TV clips on an old style TV (including questioning if we should enter the EU!)
From there we entered a Brighton hotel bedroom, used by Benny & Agnetha after their Eurovision win, there was a replica of Benny's guitar and Agnetha's original skull cap.
The exit, through the wardrobe was to a Swedish forest where they sang together for the first time (at a folk festival).
From this point on I'm not certain of the order in which we passed from room to room. So in no particular order we visited the Polar recording studio with the original mixing desk and multitrack recorders. I was able to mix together the various parts into a recognisable tune. All of the group then did a singalong in the recording booth.
We entered the toilet of a club from the early 80s, with graffiti and posters peppering the walls.
Then to Australia in the pouring rain and the caravans used for changing rooms
the penultimate room was Lasse Hallström's apartment, which was used as a stand in for Agnetha's apartment in "One of Us", I was asked to open the door to the final room, a first class section of an 80s airplane, with video windows showing take off and some videos, we also did a sing along!
And then we exited the experience and left in the snow, with only our tickets and external photos as aid to our memories.
Next stop was the Science Museum as there were two illuminating India exhibits, exploring 5000 years of Indian science & technology, and a photographic record of Indian history.
I was intending to stay on for the Lates opening in the evening, but the weather and my exhaustion from being on me feet all day meant I left earlier than originally planned.
