The New Year from Our Balcony

[dotinthesky]

From my eleventh floor flat, I can see almost the whole of London. I can see Canary Wharf through my kitchen window, risen like the Land of Oz. I can see the Gherkin from our balcony, lit up like a spaceship ready for interstellar travel (though some people prefer to see it as a giant dildo.)  When midnight arrived, a cold drizzle was falling on the city; but that didn't stop us from stepping outside, many feet above ground, and watching the colourful mushrooms explode across the landscape.

Some fireworks were set up on the rooftops of buildings (surely illegal?).  Others used their backyards as launching pads.  They shot into the sky and exploded like those galaxy birth simulations you see on science shows.  Birds, flying in panic, dodged from left to right as if they were the targets.  People shouted Happy New Year at each other.  Beyond the Gherkin, it looked as if downtown London was getting bombed, such was the ferocity of its bright red explosions.  Afterwards, a white mist hung over the city, much like the aftermath of a Guy Fawkes night.

We (Kevin, woodsrule and I) drank our pink bubbly to the New Year.  We'd spent nearly the whole day together - first at the Rich Mix's coffee shop, where we watched a Q&A with David Lynch on her laptop; then at my place, where we watched David Lynch's The Straight Story.  woodsrule slept over and accompanied us this morning to the only cafe open on Roman Road for a giganormous fry up.  There were many groups of young men digging into their eggs, some still drunk.  Two girls arrived in their pyjamas, trousers tucked into their boots.

I feel like drinking many cartons of juice today.

Comments

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to live high up in a building for this very sort of reason. Wow, that sounds like an ace night. :)

The highest I've ever gotten before has been the third floor. Boo. Must try harder next time.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Come visit us! Bring some horror DVDs, and you can spend the night in our spare room. And Sarah can come too; the bed is big enough for two. :-)

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a great idea!

Anything in particular you've just been dying to see?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I dunno, can't think of anything! Why not bring something you want to watch (or re-watch?) We can make it a marathon too, if you want. :-)

What are your upcoming weekends looking like?

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

This coming weekend is free and then it's totally booked from then until February. Would next weekend be okay?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yup! Should we say Friday or Saturday?

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

Let's say Saturday if that's okay? You'll need to mail me the address. :)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Sounds good.

I've printed out your new book and I'm going through it with three coloured pens! Be afraid... :-)

[millionreasons.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a perfect NYE. You can see the Gherkin from our (3rd floor) balcony as well, and the London Eye, but Canary Wharf seems always to be hidden by a giant anti-terrorist cloud, or something.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I'd feel nervous to have the London Eye as a view; I'd always imagine it rolling away down the river, with screaming tourists trapped in it.

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Sounds lovely, what kind of juice?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Any that contains lots of fruits!

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

oh, you like multi-fruit juices? or do you just mean ones that are actual fruit juice, not a fruit cocktail? I love mango juice and peach juice and lychee juice and orange juice hehehe and pomegranate juice...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I prefer real juice drinks - actual fruit squished and squeezed for all its goodness. I'm not too fussy when it comes to taste; any fruit will do.

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

haha, you're cute. I know, you'd like papaya, but I didn't get used to it. it's meaty, like mango. can't hack it.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

You crazy girl. Papaya so yum.

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Ew, no, papaya so yuck!

[fisticuff-s.livejournal.com]

i'm really interested by david lynch's take on 'middle america', as they say. i'm also interested in his portrayal of women, queer or otherwise. a friend of mine wrote a pretty in-depth analysis on 'Mulholland Drive' through a queer/feminist lens. i haven't seen blue velvet yet but it's on my to-do list.
what of his do you love/recommend?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd recommend The Straight Story, which is his most atypical and emotional film. It's hard not to cry! It also has a beautiful soundtrack (I love how he uses the same composer for every single film of his.)

I'd also recommend the TV show Twin Peaks, the best thing that ever happened to American television. It still stands as something odd and beautiful.

I'd love to read your friend's analysis of Mulholland Drive. Is it available online?

An interesting thing about Lynch is that he's a strong supporter of Transcendental Meditation. He says all his films and art were created thanks to meditation. There's a video of him talking about it here: http://film.guardian.co.uk/video/page/0,,2009819,00.html

[meemeedarling.livejournal.com]

The Gherkin building is amazing! I am reading about it now, this was news to me.

Sounds like a lovely new years!
:-)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I hope yours was too! Happy New Year.

[misspogeybait.livejournal.com]

My new year was spent in bed with another man!!

No it wasn't Mr Swazey, it was my lovely little Paddy.

He woke me up at 3am clapping his hands!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Did the fireworks wake him up?

Yay for you remembering your password and returning to LJ! :-)