Oooh, it's all go. In less than 24 hours, the United States of America will have a new president - either a man who will alienate the rest of the world even more than the previous blunderbuss of an incumbent - or a man who might not. I dearly hope Obama wins - not because I think anything much will change if he does - but because I fear how much things will deteriorate under McCain. Yet, despite my strongly-held opinions, I won't be staying up to watch the results trickle in overnight. In the UK, the first results won't come in until after 00:30, and the last state, Palin's own dear Alaska, is due to declare at 05:00. Maybe if it were a Friday night, I might consider it - but it's only a Tuesday, I have three more days of work ahead of me and I need all the beauty sleep I can lay my hands on.
In the flurry of excitement about being a terrifying female in my last post, I neglected to document my weekend's activities. As planned, on Friday night I went to Shepherd's Market for delicious tapas at the recommended El Pirata, where we compared recent TopShop purchases, discussed haircuts and spotted David Gest sitting at the bar. Then the four of us went to see the Bond film at the Curzon Mayfair, my new favourite cinema, along with a bizarre mix of other Hallowe'en moviegoers. Quantum of Solace was probably about as good as Casino Royale, but without the first film's surprise factor. I had such high expectations after CR knocked me sideways - it would never be possible for a sequel to pack the same punch. But it was good, and funny, and the chases and fights were brilliant, and the jokes worked, and the girls were gorgeous and Daniel's blue eyes were piercing and the gadgets made us gasp. That table computer! I need one urgently...
On Saturday I arose impressively early and trotted off to Kensington on my tod, to attend the first day of the Battle of Ideas. I saw debates about the nature of truth; capitalism; whether citizenship classes will affect youth engagement with politics; the hard facts about abortion; and a balloon debate between six people, each representing a different subject on the liberal education curriculum - and campaigning to stay in the balloon on the basis that their subject encapsulated best 'what it means to be educated'. I found myself voting for travel over philosophy in the first head-to-head, literature over languages in the second, and science over sport in the third. In the final showdown (travel vs. literature vs. science), I voted for science - as did the majority of people in the room. It surprised me but I think we chose correctly. A fascinating day, all in all. I returned home, switched on The X Factor and ate a tin of microwaveable hot dogs (yes mother, I took them out of the tin before I microwaved them). I don't think I said more than about ten words out loud all day - it was very Zen and very lovely.
On Sunday I had fully intended to head back to Kensington for the Battle's second day - but found myself to be completely incapacitated for most of the morning, unable to get out of bed. Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning my flat as only a true OCD victim can clean, wiping the dust off between the slats of my Venetian blinds, hoovering every available surface (including underneath my sofa cushions) and generally restoring order. I have been burning the candle over the past few weeks, and last weekend I realised my wick had extinguished. After a few days spent taking things easy, I now feel as though my batteries have recharged and I'm ready for the onslaught. Which is lucky, because my next free evening is Sunday 16th November. I don't quite know how I got this busy, but it's all good clean fun and I'm enjoying myself. Long may it continue.
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