So it's a been a good week

My laptop arrived this week, which is great. The last few months have been the first in about 6 years that I haven't had a personal computer to use. It's been a lesson to say the least, only made more bearable by Chris' charity in giving me his password along with unhindered access to his machine. But still, it's so good to be able to check all those 'remember password' boxes again.

I've also upped my contact with the pink-side, although bad phone lines are enough to make me want to scream. E-mail is great, but a bit limiting really. However, the new notebook means that Instant Messenger chats are available again, and I've decided to make a concerted effort to invest in more international phone cards. I don't think I'll make it though the year otherwise.

But the cherry right now is that I've recieved my first call back for the new job. Technically that means 33% of the goal has been achieved. Now all I need to do is ensure that I don't flunk out in this first meeting, or bosh the psychometric test that it will involve. Then all that remains is to impress in my final interview. Walk in the park really. Hold thumbs.

Last night was pretty good too. Bit of pub crawl really, but I was celebrating the good news so I had an excuse. We started at the Brewers Inn in Wandsworth, with a pint over a meal. Then headed to the pub next door, the Royal Oak, to catch the end of happy hour, which involved another three pints of Carlesberg Export (lovely beer that!). After that I dashed home for a clothes change before heading out to Putney. From there we just started at the top of the hill and worked our way down, stopping at the Slug and Lettuce and the Whistle and Flute, before coming to a standstill at Bar M. The only mishap of the evening was me throwing up on the bar, which was inexcusable really... but I'll try anyway. You see, it wasn't actually because I'd consumed too much by that stage. Is 8 pints too much? Instead Alex insisted on buying two Aftershock shooters for me, which was a mistake from the get-go. After the school-days Aftershock parties I used to throw with Andre it's one of those drinks I just can't do anymore. We were personal friends with someone that worked for the company that was importing the stuff into South Africa when it was still a new product and were paying R40 (about £3.50) for a bottle. So Aftershock parties involved LOADS of Aftershock (and only Aftershock) that was consumed in large glasses... in much the same fashion as you would drink a Coke. The obvious conclusion to that is much chundering action in my teens thanks to the red drink that's hot and cold, and these days the mere smell of cinanmon and menthol together is enough to induce a mock charge. However, as much as I know all this, and I know that I can't drink the stuff, I've also got this university and club hockey drinking mentality which states that if it's in front of you and someone has paid for it then you must drink it. Not to would be rude, don't you think? So anyways, I looked at the two glasses, thought about it, and then chucked one down my throat. Hello flashback central! I remember thinking, "Well that went better than I thought it would," before I threw the second down my throat. Big mistake that. The second glass was far more like I remember Aftershock to be, and induced what I refer to as the 'bounce effect'. That's the one where the drink goes down your throat without a problem, but on reaching the stomach induces a brief, involuntary peristaltic reversal. Just enough to eject the contents of the offending drink. Which is exactly what happened last night... right on the bar. Thank God no one besides one friend noticed... it was an easy escape.

But still. All I can think about right now is that I'm through to the next stage in the job process. Go me.