October 12 (Tuesday): What To Think. Another day generally of my "can't be arsed" attitude towards things. I leave my flat late (again!) and look set to arrive at work late (again!). Before I arrive however, I get Ivan on my mobile asking me if I am actually coming into work today, which isn't as cheeky as I make it sound (sorry).

This is the start of my working and here I am in the office when I really wasn't expecting to be today.

Early morning and Barry takes me over to South East Painting as another cover job for Alan I have been given. Barry tells me he had told me that he had arranged the meet up last week. Nope, he didn't tell me, he actually told Louise that she would be doing the job instead of me. Confusion rains but I don't care, I'm happy to be doing more jobs out of the office, something different, something to put me into a different perspective in their minds/impression. As he drives us over to Cadman House in Stanway we drive past a schoolgirl to whom Barry pervs over and makes comment. Jesus Christ! We then pass said school and it is his old school and he tells me how much he enjoyed going there, which might explain why he acts like a fucking school kid sometimes these days.

The job in hand at Acme Painting appears to be pretty simple, perhaps just time consuming. The woman (the client) is really nice and actually really fit for an older lady. I make arrangements to go over there Friday and do the job, it is another one with the VAT deadline looming.

At lunchtime I manage to blag a lunch off Stevo at Edwards. I am such a slag/ponce but really I have to count the pennies these days in ways Stevo is unlikely to understand until he gets a home/place of his own. As a result I placate him during lunch and act enthusiastic and keen. And it isn't overly difficult as sat around us are some really attractive young ladies, this is obviously where the fit girls lunch. I then look to the corner on my left hand side and there is Lindsey with her blonde friend looking as if she is having a right old moan about things (her posture and body language looking fucking terrible). And as a result, I put more effort into appear to have (be) fun and it turns out to be the best lunch I have had out in a long time.

In the afternoon, I arrange another appointment at Acme Harness for Wednesday (tomorrow).

At the end of the day, as I sign myself out in the staff diary, I find myself in the reception with Jack and Who. Jack asks me if I am "busy" and I reply "I'm going out a lot" and Jack retorts "that's not what I asked, with that answer you sound like a politician". He asks me how Acme Harness is going and I tell him "good". He then enquires about Acme Maintenance and I grimace, turning to Who and asking if Kaye need be involved while we are "playing catchup". I comment that yesterdays trip/appointment had been very "frustrating" to which Jack replies "now you know how we feel", whatever that is supposed to mean. It gets decreed that me and Who will go up there next week to do a tidy/clean up job without Kaye being there but as Jack says this I pull a face at him as if to say "just leave it to me". However, I don't think ESP is my forte. The impromptu meeting comes to an end and jokes get made about overcharging Acme Harness tomorrow. Ha ho, I'm left feeling like I'm banging my head against the wall.

I take the bubble mobile back to my house and then fly home to Holland to see my olds and watch the Sopranos. Upon arrival, once more they are full of news and they tell me proudly that they have sold their house already. I don't want them to sell up in Holland-on-Sea, this place is quiet and better suited to OAPs than the apparent hustle and bustle of a new flat bang in the centre of Colchester. Also, it will accumulate value quicker than any fucking flat ever will. Nightmare.

I settle down into the front room and begin watching some old Nirvana documentary on MTV2. Dad comes in and watches it with me and has never felt so cheesy watching Nirvana footage.

Dad remains around also watching most of The Sopranos with me, which is pretty cool. Tonight is the anger management episode of season five (episode ten) where Janice loses it at a kids soccer match and Tony, Tony B and Christopher retreat to the country to relax and dig up decaying bodies. Dad actually laughs at some of the episode but doesn’t stay the course and unfortunately misses the fantastic climax of Tony winding up Janice over her missing son and the priceless grin/smile of satisfaction Tony amounts in the process all to the soundtrack of the Kinks' I'm Not Like Everybody Else (a song Cocker spookily used to love back in the day). This and the next three episodes of season five really are the epoch of the series.

I drive home listening to Mark Radcliffe on Radio 2 with Travis in session in Liverpool I believe. Its not a normal show from Radcliffe and therefore not as good but it’s a comfort all the same. When I get out of my car, past midnight, Janice Long is on the station playing International Bright Young Thing by Jesus Jones, a song I have not heard in a million years.

My night ends.

np: Foo Fighters - Alone & Easy Target