I have twelve sacks of recycling waiting to be collected. I have conceded I will never read those newspapers. Good job the bags are full, or they might blow away. Neighbours' bags are jaywalking. I'm hoping the bunting blows away - it sounds like rain on the windows rather than the flappy noise of the breeze. I have disturbed much dust and am still ( Read more... )

There was a photography exhibition at Whitechapel I wanted to catch, and a possibility that the NPG would be selling a catalogue cheap for the last week of their exhibition, so I thought I'd head into London on Sunday. 8am train, but it's going to Charing Cross rather than Victoria, but that's perfect for the NPG... Only the East End is always cut ( Read more... )

A day trip to London - a painless trip to the Whitechapel Art Gallery; train to Victoria then District to Aldgate East rather than the five changes suggested on Travel Direct. (Why did I not remember that Aldgate East is adjacent to the gallery? I wonder if I've always used the wrong exit despite explicit signage ( Read more... )

1. I have spent all day with three books and a back issue at my side, to write 400 words on Anne McCaffrey. I have yet to write any of them, but the rest of the chapter is drafted and I've rewatched Lord of the Rings which, my 14 year old self to the contrary, is actually reasonably good.
   
   
2. I have followed the first rule of skips and chucked the dead ( Read more... )

So I close down the computer about midnight, perform my ablutions, finally finish Cirque, one last check of a couple of communication sites - notice Sherlock Holmes has a profile on one of them ( Read more... )

I stand at a cusp. One direction, things could be very good indeed. The other, not so good. Well, not necessarily worse than now, although there will be self doubts and hurt feelings. Mainly my own ( Read more... )

I was out for a walk eighteen months ago when my knee it went boing. This was the climax of the Chartham to Canterbury walk, and most likely achieved when climbing over a gate and putting feet in opposing directions. I've been careful about exercise since, wary about boing again, not wanting more pain ( Read more... )

I seem to be in close down mode - a low level cold for about ten days now, not only necessitating early nights but pretty well sleeping through. Saturday was mostly spent in bed, with the added joy that my knee has again gone boing ( Read more... )

And so a long term comes to an end, a term dominated by marking and more arguments over marks and extensions than I can remember, with many of those arising from students I have been generous to. I don't think I've been any harsher than normal, but entitlement is all over the place. I feel micromanaged, second guessed and undermined ( Read more... )

I spent the bulk of the weekend in Leicester, having decided to go to the second day of a two day horror conference, in part to feed into my horror module. However, a crisis blew up that I was in borderline contact with so I was waiting for gaps so I could check my laptop ( Read more... )