It’s been a frustrating day. I worked on a single review from the moment I arrived until the time I left. It’s not a particularly complicated piece of kit, and it doesn’t take too much testing, but there was a lot of back and forth with the people who made it, and hanging around waiting for answers.

It wouldn’t be so bad if next week wasn’t looking like it was going to be so hideously busy. I have to write a group test by Thursday, sort out the competitions for the next issue and write another review. Fortunately next week’s show is already panning out quite nicely so it’ll just be a case of ringing around to firm things up on Monday lunchtime.

Meanwhile, I have fallen in love with the most fantastic album I think I have ever bought. Every time I listen to it (and it’s three of four times right through from beginning to end since Wednesday lunchtime) it just gets better and better.

Goldfrapp, Felt Mountain. It was in the sale in HMV.

Gordon mentioned them ages ago. He’d been hunting them down online or something, but I’d never heard of them. So anyway, when I saw it on the shelf, mercilessly knocked down in price, I thought I’d give it a go.

I’m so glad I did.

It’s a bit weird the first time round, but it just gets better and better, and even now, as I sit here typing this while I listen for the fourth time I’m hearing new things in each of the tracks. I didn’t actually intend to play it again. I was going to rip it to my hard drive, but when I put it in the PC it just started, and now I’m already up to track seven, Oompa Radar, so it hardly seems worth pushing stop.

To the Red Lion after work, to sit in front of the fire and chat. The weather has turned cold.

My meeting-unexpected-friends saga continued this morning. I was walking along the platform at Highbury and Islington tube station, yawning and wondering where to stand so I could get a seat when a voice called out ‘Nik!’

It was Wendy, who left the magazine back in October and went home to Manchester. She’s doing freelance cover for Digit magazine this week. She was only going for one stop, so between there and Kings Cross we had to cram in six months of gossip and news, but we did a pretty good job of it.

We did the usual ‘keep in touch’ routine, and then she was gone.

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2. Planning ahead
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3. Why?
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