Summer here?

I feel like I've had more of a cultured weekend than of late. We'll discount Friday night, which consisted of getting plastered and then walking an even more plastered, weepy Australian back to her flat at 2 am, though. That wasn't culture. That was drinking in the trenches.

On Saturday, I went out for a run. A while back, one of the guys on my team at work spammed us all with an invitation to run the Water of Leith 10k race in September. It's an alternative to the Capital Challenge 10K, done for charity instead of being a 'real' race, and this year it's on the same day.

I made a conscious effort to go running a couple of times a week last autumn and winter, mainly in an effort to get a bit of exercise beyond just cycling to work. Unfortunately, Christmas and the associated mountain of food and booze finished off my will to do so and I've let it slide since then. The 10K looked like a good target to aim for, so I printed out a training schedule and got to work. Saturday's supposed half-hour run went tits up when I got lost in Leith. And trust me, Leith is not somewhere you want to get lost while wearing 50% camp running shorts (they're nowhere near as '70s paedophile as Neil's, thankfully) and a 100% camp, clingy t-shirt.

On Saturday night, I went to see Before Sunset at the Cameo with Kate. (Yeah, yeah. We've been compared to bickering siblings and an old married couple by now.

"So how long have you guys known each other?"
"Oh, not long."
"Oh, too long."

No wonder I'm single - I'm already married.)

The film was great. It's incredible to watch a film that feels so authentic; once the scene was set up (two people meet up after a chance encounter nine years ago), it progressed more or less in real time. The acting was almost invisible, and the script - which was so good as to feel completely spontaneous - contained a ridiculous number of truisms from both sides of the conversation. It really is worth watching.

On Sunday I tried, rather more successfully, another run. I stuck to the cycle paths and managed a respectably timed 5K. The thought of doubling this in six weeks is a little daunting.

That evening, I went to see some random blues gig in the Queen's Hall with Kate (yeah, yeah x 2) and a couple of her mates. She'd gotten hold of some complimentary tickets through her job and so I gamely trooped along, having no idea what to expect. Turned out the gig was by Buddy Guy, apparently a bit of a blues legend. It was absolutely fantastic! I sat with a grin on my face the whole time: the playing and music were excellent and he worked the crowd - all clearly in love with him anyway - like a pro.

Seeing such an enjoyable show has given me a bit more of an impetus to 'do' the festival this year. Normally in August we just 'do' the Pleasance bar three or four times a week.