CoBruss

[Richard Brittain]

Hi. I'm organising a new Countdown event here in Brussels. I haven't got a definite date yet, but it will probably be some time in September or October. Here's a brief outline of what will happen:

There won't actually be any Countdown played. The evening will mostly be based around sampling Belgian beers and listening to classical music. Here's a rough schedule of the evening:

6.30 pm: Drink some mulchy cherry beer.
7 pm: Listen to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and discuss it.
7.30 pm: Drink some Charles Quint, a strong Belgian beer.
8 pm: Listen to Mendelssohn's Fingal's Cave, followed by his violin concerto.
9 pm: Drink some Kwak, another strong Belgian beer.
9.30 Listen to Beethoven's 9th symphony, and discuss it.
10.30 pm Head to the woodlands east of here and camp out there, and possibly try to kill each other.

Most of it will take place in the basement of my parents' house. The air quality is pretty poor down there, but I have a stereo system there. I can't put you up in this house because my dog has a tendancy to maul visitors. But there is a vast woodlands near here, I'm in the suburbs of Brussels, and hopefully if it's September it won't be too cold to camp.

I'll try and arrange it based on the dates people are available, but I'm not expecting many comers.

Entry is free.

[Charlie Reams]

No Leffe, no Reams.

[Richard Brittain]

Alright, I was thinking we were a bit heavy on the classical music, so I can replace Mendelssohn's violin concerto by a Leffe drinking session. It's not my favourite Belgian beer, but I can come to a compromise. Actually we could just go out to the Grand Place and drink beer there.

[Ben Hunter]

I'm not sure about the cherry beer, but I do like the idea of killing each other, so I'm in.

[Charlie Reams]

I will actually be passing through Belgium in a few weeks' time, could it perhaps be arranged for then?

[Richard Brittain]

Yes. Hopefully that will coincide with Jono's holidaying in Europe. I presume you are getting the Eurostar to Brussels. Where are you going?

Also, I just realised that this topic should be in the 'Countdown - Events' subforum. If you could kindly move it.

[Richard Brittain]

I'm not sure if CoBruss will be going ahead, because I'm going to be in Jerusalem for a while.

[Sue Sanders]

I'm not sure if CoBruss will be going ahead, because I'm going to be in Jerusalem for a while.

Damn - like Ben, I was going to come along, unannounced, for the killings.

[Jeff Clayton]

I like drinking beer. Strawberry beer is nice. It helps me to disengage.

[Derek Hazell]

I'm a little disappointed about the possible cancellation, as I have fished out my special Kwak glass in its own wooden holder especially in anticipation.

[Richard Brittain]

Wow, I'm quite impressed you have one of those. If you want, come out to Amman or Jerusalem a couple of weeks from now. Mikey Lear's going to be there.

[Derek Hazell]

Wow, thanks for the invite! I'll need to bring plenty of tissues as well as the special glass - only because if Mikey's there I'm sure to be weeping with laughter . . .

[Richard Brittain]

Derek, when I invited you, I wasn't seriously considering that you would actually want to book a flight out to the Middle East and come and meet up, so I hope you're not too offended that I never gave you any further details. I was out there for 2 weeks, and I'm back in Belgium now. Here's a picture of my time out there, from Mikey's blog.

[Matt Morrison]

Nice thumb stick RB. My mum's boyfriend makes those, I found holding one to be unexpectedly enjoyable.

[Phil Reynolds]

My mum's boyfriend

Hmmm. "Pyrographic art" - is that what used to be called pokerwork by any chance?

[Matt Morrison]

My mum's boyfriend

Hmmm. "Pyrographic art" - is that what used to be called pokerwork by any chance?

This suggests you're right. It's surprisingly hard. I had a go at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival last weekend.

[Richard Brittain]

Nice thumb stick RB. My mum's boyfriend makes those, I found holding one to be unexpectedly enjoyable.

Interesting site. And, it's actually Mikey Lear's stick. He's been walking from Brussels to Jerusalem, but he was rejected from Israel at the border, because jews don't like him. So I took up his pilgrim's staff and completed the walk for him. It was a good stave; I hadn't realised how useful thumb forks are either until then. Incidentally, I lost the stick somewhere in Jerusalem, but thankfully Mikey wasn't too upset about it.

[Phil Reynolds]

"Pyrographic art" - is that what used to be called pokerwork by any chance?

This suggests you're right. It's surprisingly hard. I had a go at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival last weekend.

That's a pretty ambitious subject for your first piece of artwork in any medium, so I'm not surprised you found it hard. Why not have a go at something a bit simpler to begin with, like a smiley face, and work up to the more complicated stuff gradually?

[Charlie Reams]

"Pyrographic art" - is that what used to be called pokerwork by any chance?

This suggests you're right. It's surprisingly hard. I had a go at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival last weekend.

That's a pretty ambitious subject for your first piece of artwork in any medium, so I'm not surprised you found it hard. Why not have a go at something a bit simpler to begin with, like a smiley face, and work up to the more complicated stuff gradually?

He's always preferred landscapes. One of those autistic types, you know.