PP Meet-Up LE DEUXIÈME!

So. I dressed up in the most offensive outfit I could muster (which is, curiously enough, a big, baggy hooded sweatshirt and a miniskirt!). Might I add that this is A TRIED-AND-TESTED disapproval garnerer (yes, I know that's a neologism) - I got hassled, each time differently, three times along the same road while wearing it in France.

Offensive but practical - the rain was pouring down and the sky miserably overcast as par for the course these days. I legged it to the National Theatre, feeling a bit nervous and shtoopid for having forgotten my book. This was to be a book-disseminating meet-up, and there I was contravening the whole point of it already. Great. I had visions of an outdoor table surrounded by barely-conversing people, a book or two languishing on top as the parasol fluttered dangerously in the 'breeze.'

However, it was then time to put away the imaginary violins because everyone turned out to be on the ground floor huddled cosily around a couple of tables. Saying the atmosphere was 'cheery' is shittily generic... but it kind of was, since there were lots of colourful chairs and stools, quizzical-eyebrowed white-haired men and women peering at things and eventually live music.

I encountered Nesrine Malik first off, and she remembered my name! Score (good God, I sound like a cross between an American frat-boy and your average Heat reader). She, like I, had turned up 'on time'-in-accordance-with-Sunny, which means an hour late. Hah.

Despite already feeling the odd mix of drowsiness and hunger that the NT seems to inculculate in me now, I spotted the PP table as we were about to walk past (yay!). Immediately we started chatting with Shariq, and I kept trying to find out who was actually in attendance since I only recognised a few people. Nobody seemed completely aware of the guest-list, so I gave up and decided I'd work it out for myself eventually...

As a fellow Wire fanatic, Shariq and I had a bit of a fan-moment over season 5 (which as I remember it, seemed to involve us going on about how much we liked it in a strangely camp way), and we preached its gospel to Nesrine. Despite fasting and really not enjoying it, she was a JOKER, as my brother might say. Or perhaps trooper is the right word. I spotted her getting a pasta salad down her at speed later on, haha. Respect! (She kept asking us to excuse her hunger and fatigue-induced dullness. There was no such dullness!)

There were, however, lots of books, and I cursed my Chagall for being at home on my desk, then consoled myself with the fact that probably, no-one would've wanted it anyway. (I didn't even want the damn thing when I bought it!). These were political bloggers! Reading political books! True to form, the table was already full of lofty-looking tomes...

... and then along came Sunny and his shopping bags, to much cheers and amusement. He effortlessly slotted himself in and began to work his way around the table, slowly but surely (*coughcoughHUNDALFORPRIMEMINISTERcough*). Taking inspiration from Our Great Leader, I started working my way around.

Now, so as not to harp on:

- The Westminster Wisdom folks were quite delightful. I got a whiff of hardcore political geekery from them, and might I say - GOOD ON YOU! Haha. I definitely hope to see them at the next meet-up, especially Gracchii who I shared a fun few minutes discussing Private Eye with.
- The wimminz rocked. I met Laurie Penny and Cath Elliott (might I just say - and I hope this doesn't sound weird although it invariably will - CE has quite possibly the friendliest face there has ever been). Laurie was lovely and exactly as I thought she would be, judging by her posts. I found her refreshingly open (as I did all the laydeez - maybe because there were less of us?) and we geeked out about comics (sorry Cath!). Laurie had to go early to feed her hungry lesbians (how did that go?) which gave me a very odd image of baby birds in a nest with human heads. Damn my overly-visual brain. Nesrine then came over and she, Cath and I chatted (although I listened a lot more this time). Despite having brought fruit-based provisions (i.e. an apple), I was starting to get catatonic with hunger (just like last time!).

- This led to me bugging Sunny about what to do, until I just decided to go the hell on with my original suggestion of 'whoever's starving, come get a sandwich and bring it back to the NT!!!' (Three exclamation marks - I get She-Hulk when hungry). Like some sort of political 'dream team', Sunny suggested the place - and I led the charge. I was so hungry that I almost flew towards the sandwiches and snatched up my prize, having decided what to have already. Leon laughed at me, approving of my decisiveness, but in my head my brain was screaming 'IF SHIT DON'T GO DOWN FAST, SOMEONE GON' DIE!'. I waited with Shariq for the others to get their food, and we compared our impersonations of Clay Davis (yes, I know... The Wire again...)' trademark 'Sheeeeeeeeeeeeit.' Hahaha. Rumbold showed typical libertarian indecision in taking what seemed like aeons to decide upon a yoghurt with 'Grape Nuts' in *snickers*. He didn't take too much to them, in the end.

We got back to the NT (I forgot to mention that Sonia had joined us, with a couple of her colleagues, who were very nice too). My sandwich was speedily consumed with an indecent haste and marked lack of ladylike-ness. I almost wanted to swear loudly in order to complete my conversion to Renegade Pirate Revolutionary, but was sidetracked by Bircher muesli.

After that, hands began to be rubbed anew over the future of PP since Sunny will be heading off to India... Sonia and I barraged Leon (despite there being a whole group of people 'involved' in the conversation) with suggestions, and in my case, ideas as to why some people (including myself) have withdrawn from it a little. I had to put my hand up at times to speak, and got laughed at again by Rumbold (but I would have the last laugh, because practically no-one knew who he was! Hur hur hur). After that, Sonia, her female colleague, Leon and I fell into a lengthy discussion about female misogyny in Asian cultures, especially the 'cult of the auntie-jis' which is making lives miserable left, right and centre. I managed to get the last word by suggesting that SOMEBODY make a reality TV show - 'Behind The Scenes of an Indian Shaadi.' THAT'D blast away a lot of delusions, and not just for non-Indians either!


Things I appreciated (for whatever reason): Leon remarking, upon my pointing out of Rumbold to him, 'I thought he was in his forties!' Hahaha. Haven't we all?

The food (of course).

Arriving, high off a wave of criminality because I managed to get from home to Waterloo for free, purely by accident.

Email swapping with some of the other ladies. I really would like to meet up with people again, in the (pinched) words of Nesrine, without Sunny as our 'Jewish grandmother.' She then did the accompanying accent! CLASS.

Cath Elliott's story about the big scary man with the crucifix who tracked her down one day over her abortion views (nothing happened to her, which is why she lived to tell the tale - thankfully!).

Fangirling over Charlie Brooker with Nesrine and Cath. Hahaha. Also, the Oxbridge and Ruth Fowler chat!

Being told 'You're lovely! I like you!' by Laurie. Why, thank you ma'am.

Making off with a trashy novel ('Ring' by Koji Suzuki - I bet it'll be so close to the Japanese adaptation that it'll leave little impression on me), an autobiography (If You Don't Know Me By Now, by Sathnam Sanghera) and a book on bhangra which Sunny received 5 copies on. The cover is made to look like floorboards and bears a little blue sticker reading 'CHAKK DE PHATTEY!' then in smaller type underneath 'Lift the floorboards.' Sadly my brother then left it in his friend's gym bag the next day (wtf?).


Things I didn't appreciate that much:

Ben being unable to give me a better reason for preferring The Sopranos to The Wire other than 'it's more entertaining'. We'll have to agree to disagree, my man. At least until you have the BASIC KNOWLEDGE (i.e. watching at least half of the first season) to argue your point! I remain not-particularly-inclined to watch The Sopranos, though I'm sure it is good.

The Anti-Boris coalition. They didn't mingle like the rest of us were. Look dudes, I know taking down Boris is a full-time job, but y'know, the books were kind of an opportunity for everyone to meet each other and talk unpolitical for once. Have a break. Have a hardback.

Being drowsy while experiencing a kind of faux keen-alertness as a result of hunger. I felt like a guard-dog that someone was waving a steak at from a safe distance.

Breaking a chopstick while on my way to the NT, thus making it not really possible to put my mad just-washed hair up. I ended up having to use my spare socks.


Thoughts, anyone?


Necessary Music Video - you don't even have to watch it, just listen to the song!