2002-09-05 - 6:44 p.m.

Working on the property page of the publication that has the ill judgement to employ me, I�m privy to the latest developments in said �sector� (which is what we experts call the different bits of �industry�). On the one hand it�s depressing property price rises all round � nothing in London is affordable to anyone now, apart from minor royalty and heroin importers (on a coincidental note, most heroin importers ARE minor royalty!) � the rest of us can only aspire to part ownership of disused wells or joining a monastery and then sub-letting the cell for money, or food.

The apparent good news, though, is that the rental market is at the behest (note to self: check meaning of this word) of the renters, and apparently there are gleaming, gold-plated mansions available in central locations to be commanded for about tuppence ha�penny a month. Oooooh, just imagine�sexy central London, an idyllic urban utopia, where every third doorway doesn�t stink of piss.

I may look into seeing what I can get for my money, since the rent here is like being rammed monthly up the hoo-ha with a spike-encrusted direct debit form. That said, I am a financial weakling � bankers on the beach would kick gilt-edged bonds into my face.

Still, I haven�t moved in 7 years and it beats cleaning my room.

JennyJ was telling me this afternoon how much she likes Commes des Garcons scent, and I thought perhaps there was a niche for an alternative perfume called �Gomme des Carson�, which could be derived from the discarded erasers / gum of late talkshow host Johnny Carson. That would be a chick, as they say, magnet.

Just out: the Pablo Autumn 2002 autumn / winter tour:

12th -15th Sept: Tuscany, Italy

26th Sept � 3rd Oct: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

3rd Oct � 6th Oct: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Late Nov: Sydney, Australia (tbc)

Be there, or live somewhere else!