strange_complex | Ah, I love the 21st century!

Last night, I went out to Intrusion wearing chunky boots and clothes decorated with unnecessary pieces of metalwork, and danced like a fiend amidst flashing lights and smoke machines to loud and rebellious electronically-amplified music.

Tonight, I'm going out to see The Messiah in a theatre designed by Sir Christopher Wren, wearing a Chinese top and an Indian skirt, in the company of several of the same people who were out at Intrusion last night. And still with the chipped black varnish on my finger-nails.

Though I am sufficiently culturally aware to see that these are two very different events, there is no sense of contradiction or even abnormality here. Both are equally valid and rewarding activities in my eyes, both draw on strongly-felt interests and both are relatively common occurrences for me. I'm so glad I have such a wealth of human expression and achievement available for me to play with.

Intrusion was a good 'un. Started a little slowly, but built into a really enjoyable night. I spent a lot of time talking to people I knew only fairly vaguely, which was good, as it meant a broadening and consolidating of social circles. I watched people downing shot after shot of some kind of Schapps-based drink which smelt for all the world like apple Hubba-Bubba, listened to Loki trying to tell me he'd felt the Hemel Hempstead explosion in Slimelight and gave myself a sore throat by singing loudly to A-Ha on the dancefloor. I also rescued a vagrant

spidrak, who was planning to sleep the night on bean-bags in Wadham College Library, insisting (successfully) that he came to mine and slept on my warm, comfy sofa-bed instead.

The day was spent fixing up new glasses and trialling some contact lenses which I actually managed to wear for six hours solid on the day after an Intrusion. I've done endless contact lens trials before and they've all been miserable failures even in the best conditions, but it's just possible these ones might actually end up being wearable. I also broke the back of my Christmas shopping - just fine details to go now.

And now I am busy getting all excited at the prospect of seeing Iestyn Davies performing tonight in the Messiah. He is hot property in the countertenor world - he sprang to fame in the 2004 London Handel Singing Competition and is now getting rave reviews all over the place. I've not heard him sing live before, so this could be the start of something pretty exciting if he's as good as people say. Full review doubtless to follow tomorrow!

Oh, and I have now bought my ticket for B-Movie, so that's my definite plan for New Year's Eve now. Looking forward to seeing those of you who are going!