Afer work today, feeling a bit under the weather with the start of a cold, I headed to Southampton. It had been my original plan to perform at an open mic night in the city, but I decided that my voice was rough enough, having performed 9 gigs over 8 days last week, and that I could just as easily watch the gig and enjoy it, as I could be a part of it.

So I picked up a friend of mine, due to play at the gig, and we went along. It was a lot of fun. It has to be said that you see the venue differently when you know you're not going to take to the stage. As it was, I got to see a range of music and other performance-type acts. My friend sang one song, which spoke to me on various levels.

I sat at a table of people I know, or was about to get to know better. It was a good night, though it ended in tears for some. I think that there was a moment when it could have ended in something other than tears, as I offered to take one person on a road trip to Guildford to satisfy the emotions evoked by a rather wonderful jazz combo. As it happened, though, this was not meant to be. So I got to go directly home instead.

Evenings can change direction in an instant.