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If you were knocking about in the ‘early days’ of pop music blogging, you’ll probably remember brilliant site Poptext crashing onto the scene back in 2004 fondly transfixed by the failure of La Lohan to create the perfect pop song yet Ashlee Simpson’s ability to do so.

It’s writer was Abby McDonald. We were both at university (different ones), frustrated by our trappings, addicted to American TV shows and finding blogs like Popjustice and Fluxblog our perfect bedtime reading. After lots of commenting on each other’s stuff, Abby and I finally met a couple of years, hanging out at Cargo interviewing one of our favourite pop stars – Robyn.

Today Abby’s debut novel gets published in America. It’s called Sophomore Switch and it’s amazing to see her dream turn into a reality. It tells the story of American party girl Tasha, and serious Oxford scholar Emily swapping studies and lives for three months and discovering new sides to themselves. You can read the first chapter here but I’m dying to get my hands on a proper copy to find out what happens next. Although you can order the American version from amazon, it will also be coming out in the UK under the title ‘Life Swap’ (cruelly denying the alliteration) later in the year.

Following that comes her debut ‘adult’ novel ‘The Popularity Rules’ (Sophomore Switch is youth) and then the amazingly titled ‘Boys, Bears & A Serious Pair of Hiking Boots’. I’ve got my fingers crossed that’s going to turn out to be a tale of a surprise climbing wall being installed in deepest, darkest Vauxhall.

My swoonable buddy Ed has just started his own blog. As he says himself, he’s a radio producer and in a band so you’ll no doubt get tales from both side of the coin. He buys shoes off ebay and adapts them, and also has the best hair on a boy I’d ever seen (until this week).

Show him your love.

Councillor Darren Parker of Hackney.

Lovely to see an article on Simon in the Observer magazine today.

The third most inspirational person to die this year after Mo Mowlam and Ronnie Barker…
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/0,11911,687174,00.html

Oh and major congratulations go to one of my very best friends Natalie and her fiancee Ash.  She’ll one day be becoming a Mrs Gupta!

Phonecall earlier

Nat: I’ve got big news, tell you tomorrow
Me: You’re engaged.
Nat: Oh for gods sake why did you guess it.
Me: Well erm can I DJ your wedding.
Nat: Well er can you be my bridesmaid.
Me: WHATEVER.  DJ is the main concern

I’m obviously a bit warped.

And she’s visiting London for the weekend tomorrow which is ace.

Heh drunken blogging = bad

Drunken blogging when you’re hysterically upset = even worse.

I think I’m just so terrified of being alone. I had my friends here, they were here at the drop of a button if I needed them. Now I’m going to be alone in London, at first with no where to live. When I find somewhere and Louise & I settle it will be fine, but I’m just so afraid of having no one there for me.

Oh lord I’m going to cry again.

The trouble with making friends through societies/union execs is that your friends are spread across the years. Each year best best friends have left uni and its been hard.

Now in 2 days time I go… and there are some people I really don’t want to leave behind :’(

from seldo via Matt

10 Bands You’ve Seen Live?

1. Oasis
2. Ash
3. The Killers
4. Scissor Sisters
5. All Saints
6. Robbie Williams
7. Moby
8. Madonna
9. Stereophonics
10. The Darkness

9 Things You’re Looking Forward To?

1. My job
2. Moving to London in the next couple of weeks
3. The Benacassim festival in Spain (people I’m going to email you about this we must all go
4. The Final Fling
5. Seeing the Scissor Sisters live again
6. Holiday in Edinburgh in August with all my mates.
7. Sleep
8. The potential of romance
9. The Shazney Lewis album

8 Things You Wear Daily?

erm this is a bit random

1. My contact lenses
2. Knickers
3. A Bra
4. A top
5. Socks
6. Shoes
7. My ipod
8. erm my hair?

7 Things That Annoy You?

1. Shit radio stations
2. Shit Top B DJS
3. My iPod Battery
4. Being too hot in bed over summer
5. Escalators on the tube being broken
6. People who refuse to be ‘educated’ musically
7. My phone deciding to delete all my saved text messages in my bag.

6 Things You Touch Every Day?

1. My computer
2. My phone
3. My beloved Oystercard
4. My iPod
5. My duvet
6. Myself

5 Things You Do Every Day?

1. Sleep (gee I’m interesting)
2. Hunt out & listen to new music
3. hope
4. Listen to Radio 1
5. Talk to my friends

4 Of Your Favorite Musicians or Bands?

1. Robbie Williams
2. Easyworld
3. The Killers
4. George Michael

3 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over?

1. Shaun of the Dead
2. Evita
3. Moulin Rouge!

2 Of Your Favorite Songs At This Moment?

1. Shaznay Lewis – Never felt like this before
2. Scissor Sisters – Laura

1 Person You Could Spend the Rest of Your Life With?

1. Hmm i’m not sure I’m quite there yet…

Londoners,

I can’t stay at my cousin’s this week as they are otherwise engaged, but I need to stay somewhere in or vaguely near London from Wed night till Sunday morn.

If you can help for a night please let me know! I think I can probably sort Thursday night but Im a bit buggered for the rest….

Thank ya.

Found : >1 funky radio jobs (hence major mind fcuk going on)

Wanted : A room to live in.

A 22 year old girl seeks a nice spacious room in a house full of cool people of the similar age. Must be non psychos. Need broadband, somewhere to park (unless its city centre) and an easy route to Oxford Circus. Will reiterate, housemates must not be psychos. Enjoy watching films with a glass of wine, listening to new music, going out dancing to rubbish music, and playing with computers in a non geeky way. Big buffy & angel fan. Not a big fan of the Stereophonics recent work.

So if you have a room, or you know of anyone who does, then please let me know!

Alternatively let me know about your bit of London, whats fab about it and whats not.