simont | Calling and Calling but nobody answers

I think, after some weeks of thought and intermittent attendance, that I'm probably not going to go to the Calling any more.

For the past few years, my aim in going to the Calling has been to see a selection of lovely people who I don't have the opportunity to see often enough, or at all, in any other context. But I don't end up achieving this to any great extent any more: several of the people in question don't often go to the Calling themselves any more (or, in extreme cases, don't even live in Cambridge any more), and I seem to have failed to retain the interest of several of the others. And even the remaining people often don't really want to stand around talking to me at the Calling, because talking to people is not what the Calling's designed for. (And fair enough, I have to say; it certainly isn't the venue I'd pick for normal social interaction if I had an entirely free choice. I only used it for that myself because I didn't.)

I've been going to the Calling, on and off, for nearly ten years: my diary archives tell me that I first went there on 1998-01-29. It's generally been good to me: it's the only nightclub I've ever really felt at home in, it's often been fun, it's always been a useful change from any other environment I regularly spend time in, and the best relationship of my life so far was with someone I met there.

But the value of me continuing to go to it has been dwindling for months, and has now sunk below my activation threshold. So enough is enough; unless someone persuades me very convincingly, I'm calling it a day, and leaving it to younger and more energetic folk.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I seem to be either ill or tired when it's Calling day. That and the fact that the people I used to talk to/dance with tend not to go these days means I'm not really going much either. 'Tis a pity. :(

You could always come round to House! and I could play you Peter's collection of Lacuna Coil and Sisters instead... ;)

I am only intermittently going now; it's on a Tuesday, it's winter, sometimes I just can't be bothered, not when I have to be conscious to do the first supervision of the topic on Wednesdays. Weekday clubnights do not mesh well with being real people with jobs.

Yeah, I find it really difficult to get in to work at 9 on wednesday, after getting home at 2.30am.

I usually feel tired on a Wednesday after a Calling, leaving the Calling at 0200, getting a coach at 0240, getting another coach to work and getting to work around 0430.

This might be to be expected...

;p

I think they're all turning up at B-Movie. Even if they haven't moved to London.

This means you should do something else when you want to see people, like come to London!

There are one or two practical difficulties with that, like spending 3 hours driving backward and forward (or having a truncated evening because the last train isn't all that late...)

I do it the other way round, regularly.

I've recently restarted going (although not last night, because I had too much to do and was tired (and still overslept. Sigh)), and I know what you mean. It's been a little odd for me, because the vast majority of the people I knew who used to go have left Cambridge; having taken a year away after the smoke got unmanageable, there are two years' worth of students I don't know -- I felt as if I knew about half a dozen people there last time. Being quite shy, I find it difficult to break into groups that I don't know, without some kind of introduction.

I have to admit to finding it a bit difficult last time -- the music was good, but being on the dance floor when the next oldest person there is (if I'm lucky) 15 years younger than me makes me feel really rather ridiculous, and to be utterly paranoid that everyone's just laughing at the ugly old bat trying to be a teenager for Way Too Long. It was a little ironic to be feeling that while actually realising that I was dancing competently for the first time in ages...

I've actually taken to going to B-Movie more than the Calling this year, at least when it ties in with child-care arrangements. I think I'm a lot closer to average age there, and probably look rather less than average, which makes it a lot easier to relax and not be self-conscious about it. And it's a really friendly crowd, and a very relaxed atmosphere (not that it isn't at the Calling, but mostly for people in established groups there). Of course, it means going to London, but on the other hand it's on a Friday, which makes recovering afterwards much easier!

I didn't know anyone at the last calling, because lots of my friends were going to whitby the next day and hence didn't want to go. Everyone seemed really young to me - since there were so many freshers and few people that I knew! But I doubt it was like that last night and I doubt it will be like that next calling!

Sorry, I meant the calling before last. I wasn't at the one last night!

Most of the reason I don't go despite being gainlessly unemployed is (a) lack of people to go with to keep me dancing instead of sulking in a corner, and (b) the fact that M wakes up if I so much as turn over in the next room, let alone stagger in at 2am and trip over the phone cable in the dark. The poor sod has a fatigue problem to start with, and he's the one who has to get up to go to work and pay our mortgage the next day.

Yeah, also, can't afford the beer or indeed drink much of it either.

I am thinking of making MAS a regular fixture in our club life though - it's actually on a damn Friday for a change...

You are always more than welcome to visit Oxford. It's not a club night, but a change!

I used to feel at home there when it was in the Q. These days I feel at home at B-Movie.

Calling and Calling but nobody answers

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

London Calling, London Calling

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject