Katy has asked me to write a short blog, as it's been too long since my last. It's an odd moment to record, as today we shall find out if our UK tour can start up finally, at London's 02 arena tomorrow. As you all know, so far, the UK tour dates have had to be postponed because of Simon's throat and voice problems. By the time you read this, time will have moved on, and we'll all know the outcome, but that's the thing with blogs, in fact putting anything down 'on paper' these days, is that everything changes all of the time, so one has to be careful. One thing I can say is Simon was in my last dream, before I awoke this morning, and when I asked him how he was doing, he said he was well, and was keen to move forward. I'm never sure what my dreams mean, but they always mean something, if I can only be bothered to analyze them. It is said that characters in dreams are always aspects of the self, so it wasn't Simon I was dreaming about, rather the aspect of my own personality that Simon represents. My take on that dream scene is that I am very clear in my mind that I would like the tour to get going again, as quickly as possible.

I was reading a letter of Van Gogh's this morning that definitely influenced me to 'pick up the pen', as it were ( I can't stop using old school writing terminology!) and say a little about what it feels like to be me today. I got a good night sleep, after getting back from Berlin yesterday, so I've energy on tap, and my internet is down, so I can't go online! I couldn't believe the depth of Van Gogh's thinking, in his writing, it was just so inspiring. Letter writing is something else, and his letters, of course, are famous. It feels like I'm always on the run, that doing one thing at any time is a waste of time, that unless I am multi-tasking I'm not really doing.. I know this is wrong. It's something I have to work on (and maybe cut down on the coffee too, that might help..) Maybe it's my DNA, but I think Nick has it too. It could be the time and place of my birth. Call it what you will, I guess it's got me this far.

Berlin was amazing, and getting to spend several days there this week was the silver lining to the cloud that was the cancelled tour dates. Seeing how the city has regenerated itself, in such a classy way, was inspiring also. And yet I felt for the old 'West Berlin', which has now been forgotten, left for a newer lover, the new 'old' mysterious 'East', where all the money is being spent and where all the action is. Once upon a time the old west was the only Berlin there was, in a way. When we first visited in 1981, one had no desire to spend any real time in the East- it was too terrifying, and ugly! But I found myself getting nostalgic for the Kurfurstendam and Checkpoint Charlie and felt a little sadness for the part of the city that had meant so much to so many for so many years, that has now been subsumed into the new greater Berlin whole. To ease the pain I watched the first half hour of 'Funeral in Berlin', with Michael Caine. That's a movie that conveys the romance of post-war Berlin, the wall, and spying, rather well. It's a fantasy of course, don't for a minute think I am suggesting we go back to that. It's a miracle what has taken place there, but it did cause me to consider aspects of the place that have been overlooked in the rush for re-unification. Anyway, all I can say is this, if you can, take a trip to Berlin. No other city I know represents the history of the 20th century, in all of it's possibilities, good and bad, as well as it does.

Well, my wi-fi is up and running again so I'll get onto other things. Perhaps you'd like to know what? I'm interested to read some work by Yasmina Reza. 'Art' and 'God of Carnage', which I may order from Amazon. And I have to look at Travis' website, which he called me about last night. Then I have some homework before this afternoon's rehearsal, to remind myself of the bass part to 'Other People's Lives', a song Nick and I would both like to see in the live set as soon as possible. Then breakfast, and a drive to London. By 5pm we'll know if the concerts can go ahead. I wish us all luck!