Super Tyrsday

Dear Diary,

It's Super Tuesday and Maxy has won a landslide victory in our tutorial section, installing myself as a benevolent Stalinist, with the heart of a Trotskyist, instilled in his soul with the fable of Fontaine (an Anarchist).

It is something for me to look forward to, leading (or rather 'facilitating') the group of seven other student intellectuals. I neglected to mention during the election campaign that the empor- sorry 'facilitator' reserves the right to edit the final draft, in the interests of the greater good. The greater good.

I had to tap my old man up for a loan to finance getting to and from classes on time. Another gig on Sunday, then it's back up north to see him and my step-ma'. Should be good, might be alright. I'm just glad he is generously financing the trip, as I am brassic, besides what meagre monies I make from my resident gig, perhaps even busking in't rain tomorrow. Aye. I've a market stall to help pack up. There's dinner in it.

Today though, today, is the last draining of the final victual. The last cigarette, and of course, nothing else to smoke. The hazy clears, giving way to my general lack of motivation in finishing another (crucial) chapter to do with this group essay. I am to lead by example, so must set to, sober now, and slay this final chapter. Head down Maxy, time to concentrate.

The third book came through, Afterlives. It looks like the best bit of propaganda yet, I'm lapping it up.

I thought about starting early on a possible Phd thesis. It is certainly very early to be thinking about anything of that ilk, but I like doing independent research, and it's such a nearly insurmountable task, that I thought I'd dedicate a few hours (not many, as I must focus on the task in hand) each week researching, reading about, my chosen subject. I hear that one must write something never before written. Originally I was going to write a computer game that taught people history, but I am a very average programmer, and only barely understand the logic.

Then a friend of mine from 'the shire' (a Spaniard, half-Jewish, half-German, yet more English than most) suggested I write a paper on the link betwixt Taoism and Communism. I have been meditating on this for quite some time. Then, I was talking to aforementioned buddy of mine a few days ago, and told him of a book I am reading. It's a compilation of the hundred best (most effective) generals from 1400 BCE to 1600 CE. A book my mate would be into. (We play a lot of Mediæval Total-War together when we get the chance.) Anyway, I suddenly had the idea of writing a paper on the hundred worst generals! Surely no-one has written that yet. I'll check it out. I had in mind a certain General Sir Redvers Buller (you can see his statue in Exeter, on the roundabout) but my friend exlaimed "Hitler! Napoleon!" Ha ha ha! He is right, of course, I am going to do a study of efficacity for old generals snail and sausage-side alike. See if their's any other feckless commanders from the Italians, Portugese or Spanish, perhaps the Danes, Normans, or Dutch, who knows. Maybe further east.

I am getting distracted now, it must be the annoying sobriety. Here comes the pain, the wolves at the door, hell-hounds on my trail. Bring it!

Max.