17.07.2003 - 10:35 a.m.

It must be nice living on an island archipelago, ( global warming notwithstanding ) provided there's been at least two generations before you everything you could need to remain alive and produce offspring will be there for the taking. A course I did in Permaculture a few years ago pointed out that in any established society such as you may find on a pacific island or topical rainforest, the average amount of actual work ( finding food, maintaining buildings etc ) totals to about 3 hours a day, the rest of the day is usually devoted to socialising and relaxing, those villagers you saw on the National Geographic documentary lying around, aren't lazy, they're just very well organised and if your life was as straightforward as theirs you'd be lying around too. This means that we as a western society ( well most of us anyway ) are expending a huge amount of energy just to keep us in VCR's and hairspray.

This has given me something to aim for, why work, sorry, turn up to a place of employment 40 hours a week, when I could be lying in a hammock on the beach licking hallucinogens off the back of a toad and fighting battles with Christian missionaries ? sounds like a much better idea than working until I'm too old to work and then trying to retire on a state pension of 2/3rds of what I couldn't live on when I was working. So that's what I'm hoping to be doing before I'm too old to enjoy it, if this diary is still going on then I'll be only too happy to tell you all.

The expedition to 414 went amazingly well, J and her mate V were incredibly tired by the time we arrived ( about 1am, I was too ) but we all perked up once we got in, J & V were staying normal while me and the Captain proceeded to munch through the toys we brought with us. The girls ( never having been anywhere even remotely like 414 ) were impressed on many levels with ( in no particular order ) - the energy in the music - how friendly everyone was - how normal me and the Captain were, this was biggest thing for J as already described here - the space on the dancefloor ( there was only about 50 people in that night ) - and how openly people were eating / passing contraband about - it's been a long time since I was there last and they've tidied up the upstairs bit, the floor's actually clean ! We only caught the last 3 Dj's, two were a bit strange / off their tits but the third was absolutely storming, we all had a good time, J & V stayed up until daybreak dancing and at kicking out time we walked back to the tube in brilliant sunshine, it's really nice being out in london before london actually wakes up, next time we'll walk around for a bit and enjoy it.

Once back at mine J & V went home while me an' the Captain threw a couple more down the hatch and fired up the turntables, rrrolled up a fat one and lay in the sun in the garden talking top quality shite ( elements of which may get it's own page sometime soonish ) until early afternoon at which time his girl and J turned up to take us away to their respective houses. This has confirmed a few things for me, 1) I'm far happier clubbing in brixton than camden 2) I no longer suffer from come-downs ~cheers~ 3) I can take J out with me so she doesn't feel left out anymore 4) it's always sunny at my house the morning after ( this has been pointed out before but now it's confirmed )

Fortunately for him the Captain and his girl are off round the world for a year or so starting next week, I'm not envious at all ( not fuckin much I'm not ) and by the time he's back I'll officially be in my thirties ~eek~ and far too old to go out munching, NOT, No.11 ( who is mid thirty-something ) joined us at 414 with a random girl in tow and munched as much as me an' the Captain put together, he usually hits double figures when he goes out and still manages to be a championship squash player, so I figure I don't need to start slowing down until I'm in my forties, ho ho ho.

Maybe I'll get in the news when I'm ninety odd for passing round spliffs an' berries in the nursing home ?