Mahinda’s Little World

Wow! I’m almost current with my ramblings!

Last Saturday, as it says on the tin, was our works Christmas party. I’d not been to one for quite a few years as they, without fail, clash with the MUGSS Christmas Ball. This year was no exception but, no longer being in MUGSS, I went with work.

‘Twas a meal at Tiger Tiger, free for you and a partner/guest. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone to go with, so I just went along as a singley. Story of my life these days.

Got to Tiger Tiger, found the 50-or-so people squished in (there really wasn’t much room!) and headed to the bar for a pre-dinner drink. Andy, one of the socials committee, handed me £20 cash - as they couldn’t put a free bar on, everyone got hard cash to go towards their drinks. Inspired, especially considering that your guest (if you had one) got the same. It was only really £15 cash, as everyone had paid a £5 deposit - a cunning ruse to get people to turn up. As anyone who’s ever organised a free event knows, the dropout rate can be scandalously high.

Anyway, the dinner was nice enough - I went for a decidedly unChristmassy steak, in the knowledge that I’d be having muchos turkey this week. To my left, I had Katie and Sue (Pressy’s wife) discussing babies and housework. To my right, I had Rich, Kat, Ian and Lindsey on the merits of real versus robotic dogs.

After dinner, we headed upstairs - the whole place was full of Christmas parties, and most of the bars were closed off as a result. Still, we had plenty of free wine - apart from that first beer, I didn’t buy a drink all evening! We drank and chatted, then chatted and drank, while people drifted home in drips and drabs. And probably taxis.

It was coming up to midnight, and there were just a handful of us left, including Stu and Amy and Jon and Mandy*. My plan at this point was to mosey on somewhere else pretty shortly, either TigerLounge (where a couple of workmates had gone) or the remnants of the MUGSS Ball. However, those plans were to go straight out of the window…

* Who really really reminds me of my friend Claire, up in Gateshead - in terms of individual features, there isn’t that strong a resemblance, but put it together and you get someone who really confuses me when I catch her face out of the corner of my eye. Mandy’s hair’s much darker than Claire’s, but the set of her brow, the corner of her smile…I don’t know, but the overall effect is there.

One of my workmates grabbed me for a dance, dragging me up to the small dancefloor in the corner, which was absolutely rammed. So as not to embarrass the lady in question, I shall call her ‘B’.

We danced for a little while, then two of the other girls came and joined us. B, at this point, just about hit The Wall - I guess the alcohol must have hit her. We got her back to the others, and put her strappy shoes back on. Those things are impossible - it took three of us! Amy and I then carried B downstairs and called her a cab, waiting with her outside.

The cab came, and I decided it’d be a good idea to accompany B home. Fortunately, I’d jotted down her address, and eventually got her back (she was asleep - bless!) with the aid of the cabbie’s A-to-Z. Helped her upstairs and into bed, then got back in the cab and went home.

Planned getting home budget: £1 on the bus.
Actual getting home budget: £30 on a 15-mile cab fare!

Ho hum. Some you win, some you lose.

Sat on the sofa watching the cricket highlights (Go Freddie Go!), txted a couple of people in an (unsuccessful) attempt to garner a progress report on the MUGSS after-ball party, and eventually headed to bed.

Quite a fun night, really, albeit nowhere near as late or as drunken as planned.

Last Saturday saw my work Christmas do. Before that, however, I had to negotiate a hockey match, for the seconds again, away at Llandudno.

It was a long way to travel to get beaten 3-1. On the plus side, we had a rather weakened team (the midfield, in particular was missing a few key players) and could easily have won had we taken a few more of our chances.

It was a very bad tempered game, violent even. Their players were clearly not averse to getting physical, particularly their centre-forwards, who were, well, a pair of arseholes really. Llandudno were one of the best sides in our league, and research had shown that they score most of their goals from the left wing. As a right back, I was going to have a very hard game.

Our “manager”, T, got us to play zonal marking at the back, which actually worked, and we tried to attack on the wings. The first 15 or so minutes was all us, and we went into a 1-0 lead, which got cancelled out just before half time. I thought I had a pretty mediocre half, to be honest.

The second half came, and they pretty much switched their gameplan to attacking through the middle or on the right - I consider this a personal victory! Unfortunately for us, it worked, and they banged in two goals. One of which, from a short corner, I reckon I should have blocked

I got to attack a fair bit, but it was just one of those days where nothing came off for me - I’d run up the pitch, get the ball…and then lose possession. Ho hum.

Still, I seem to have bedded into the second team. It’s hard work, but definitely fun, and they’re nowhere near as much of a step up from the thirds as I’d originally thought.

Last Friday, I returned to Hulme Hall for the first time in YEARS, to see their production of Disco Inferno*. I’d spent my 4th year of uni at Hulme, having failed to get in for my 1st year (but that’s another story entirely), and have some pretty fond memories of the place. I’d not been back in the Hulme Hall Bar since I left the place, back in 1999.

* That website’s an awful lot of (musical) Flash before you get to the “Coming Soon” notice. This one gives a bit more useful information.

They were putting on Disco Inferno, with Becky D II (one of the MUGSS freshers) in the chorus and, with little better to do that night, I went along in the company of Si, Jordan, Malcolm, Paul and Andrew.

It was always going to be a pretty entertaining show, just because of the fun soundtrack - set in the 70s, it was basically an excuse to string together a shedload of discotastic tunes. Unfortunately, some of the performances just weren’t up to much. The lead, in particular, was well out of his depth with some of his solo songs in Act II, hitting (or not, as the case may be) some notes that made us cringe.

In fact, it was only the gaggle of rather attractive (and very sultry, not to mention skimpily-clad) brunettes frolicking around on stage that saved it.

A pity, really - the songs and energy on stage kept the show going in Act I, and the audience were really getting into things, before it all fell down and started to drag, about a third of the way into Act II. The entire row behind me left about halfway through Act II, having spent the last 20 minutes or so making disparaging comments.

Eventually the show ended, and Si and I managed to sneak into the bar for a pint with Becky and one of the other players. It’s strange that I remember the place as being much larger than it actually is. It’s heartening to see that my year’s photo is still there - I eventually found myself standing at the back. Memories…

We were joined by Andrew and Becky S, and I went to grab a kebab with them before heading home and pretty much to bed. A rather low-key Friday night, really.