Legend in my own lunchtime...

Just spent a lovely day in the company of my local Bookcrossing pals and the Manchester Vegan Society; 2 meetings in one day - no wonder I'm knackered.

I haven't been to an MVS meeting for about 3 months so it was wonderful to see everyone again.

The famous Jay Dave graced us with his presence too - he hosts a cookery programme on Veggievision so he is a star of screen, if not stage. I've met him several times but was still ridiculously gratified when he pointed at me and shouted "veganknitter!"

The charming Caroline who works at the Art Gallery also revealed herself as a fellow vegan knitter - hoorah!!!!

I decided to get the bus to Manchester and back, thus laying myself open to aural bullying at the hands of the local feral youth.

What is this thing of playing music on your mobile REALLY LOUD so that everyone sitting near you has to listen to it? I wouldn't mind so much, but why is the music that people insist on playing through their mobile phones that rubbish tinny Kevin techno? Why can't they play something with a decent tune, like the Sex Pistols?

Having listened to this stuff all the way from Bolton to Manchester, the same thing happened again on the bus home. I finally cracked after 50 minutes of being forced to listen to it and asked the young woman in front of me if she wouldn't mind turning her mobile phone music down, adding "Don't you have any Ramones?" (I thought this was a witty touch).

(There were several other people on the bus and I think the music annoyed them too but being English, no-one said anything.)

Bless her, she was very polite back, commenting "I'm listening to me music on me mobile" but turned it down a tad. However, the over large chav on the backseat decided to stick his oar in, shouting at me that "Her music is class and we don't want to listen to old people's music that you like, no-one else has complained."

I reasonably commented "I love music of all kinds, but I don't impose my taste on everyone else, I use my headphones" which just encouraged him to say more of the same but at a louder volume.

Young people today eh.

Today was also Buy Nothing Day (the idea apparently originated in Manchester, factfans).

Well I didn't buy much, just my bus ticket, The Guardian (don't know why I bother and will give up completely when Posy Simmonds stops her cartoon Tamara Drew), some vegan cheese and stuff at the Basement.

This doesn't count, as when not buying essentials I was supporting anti-corporate organisations, so there.

And my new copies of Knit 1 (featuring DR RUTH!) and Knitting were waiting for me when I got home.

(Now aren't you glad that you read this far?)