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Category Archives: books
Outlook for 2010
Jilly over at jillysheep has prompted me to think about what I might want to achieve in 2010. This is not something I normally do, as I have always been content to drift with the tide and see what washes up.
But in 2010 I would like to:
- Win the lottery jackpot (minimum £2m)
- Lose 50 kilos (I keep telling you I’m hugely overweight)
- Do all the cooking (like I used to)
- Get the bathroom rebuilt (probably requires #1 as a prerequisite)
- Get the house rewired (also requires #1 as a prerequisite)
- Get the whole house tidy, uncluttered and clean – and keep it that way
- Get the two-thirds of the house which badly needs it redecorated (another that requires #1 as a prerequisite)
- Go on at least three 2-week holidays, one railway-based, one to Europe and one naturist in the sun
- Travel from Thurso to Penzance by train.
- Have a good sunny summer and be able to walk skyclad all summer around my garden
That list was a joke! Yes, I would like to do all those things but the chances of achieving them are at best 1 in 14 million (ie. the chance of winning the lottery at any one attempt. If I win the lottery (odds over the year probably 300 in 14 million) all except #2, #3 and #10 become relatively easy.
OK, so let’s be realistic. What do I stand some chance of achieving?
- Lose 15 kilos
- Get out to the shops (even the dreaded supermarket) at least once a week (ought to be easy now I’m retired)
- Cook 3 meals a week
- Go out to take photographs at least once a week (also should be easy)
- Write 2 weblog posts a week
- Get the heating fixed (like Jilly, we have an annoying intermittent and unsolved problem)
- Grow a year’s supply of chillies – on the study windowsill (given that we use a lot of chillies and said windowsill space is limited this will need a very prolific variety)
- Get my Anthony Powell Society work up to date, and keep it that way
- Get the sitting room and dining rooms properly tidy and inhabitable
- Rejuvenate my fish tanks
- Go away on holiday for 2 weeks
- Make some major progress on my family history (yes that’s vague; first I have to take stock of what I’ve got)
And if I actually manage to achieve half of that lot I should be satisfied.
I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions – that’s just setting oneself up to fail, because they are always so unrealistic – so I’m not going to start this year and I’m not even going to commit to trying to achieve any of the above. They are what I would like to achieve. It’s a “wants list”, not a “must achieve or else list”. One reason I took early retirement was to get away from the incessant round of unachievable “must achieve or else” objectives. That way come madness and depression. 2010 is about relaxing and finding a life again.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Please don’t go out celebrating and get frostbite. 🙂
Today's Quote
When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.
[Enrique Jardiel Poncela, Spanish playwright and novelist, 1901-1952]
By courtesy of quoteland.com.
2009 Meme
2009 Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s Flickr meme is: For this coming New Year how about 12 pictures, one for each month of the old year (ie. 2009) to represent something about what happened to you that month. Here is my year in 12 pictures.
January: A new project boss; there were no prisoners taken
February: Snow
March: Daffodils; there’s hope at last
April: Spring blossom
May: Anthony Powell Society Collage Event
June: Attended the Garter Service at Windsor, thanks to our friend Richmond Herald
July: The company pension crisis broke, which has led me to early retirement from 5 January 2010
August: Was taken up with preparations for the conference and writing my conference paper
September: While in Washington DC for the Anthony Powell Conference we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary — eeekkkkk!
October: Anthony Powell Society AGM at which Patric Dickinson (3rd from left in this old photo) spoke interestingly about Dorothy Varda
November: Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivée; an antidepressant is definitely required
December: More snow coincides with my last real working day
All in all an interesting year but a demanding and, at times, a stressful one.
As always the photographs are not mine (except for 3, 5, 10, 11 which are mine) so please click on individual links below to see each artist/photostream. This mosaic is for a group called My Meme, where each week there is a different theme and normally 12 questions to send you out on a hunt to discover photos to fit your meme. It gives you a chance to see and admire other great photographers’ work out there on Flickr.
1. Umm, Jack Hanna sure tastes good !, 2. Snow in the Chilterns, 3. Daffs, 4. Spring in Pink, 5. Power Collage, 6. Img0051768, 7. House of Cards, 8. Balloons just waiting to be blown up, 9. Flower Candy, 10. AP Soc Members at Wysall, 11. Anti-Depressant, 12. gloom, with more sheep
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys
The Zen of Taxonomy
These ambiguities, redundances, and deficiences recall those attributed by Dr Franz Kuhn to a certain Chinese encyclopedia entitled Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge. On those remote pages it is written that animals are divided into
(a) those that belong to the Emperor,
(b) embalmed ones,
(c) those that are trained,
(d) suckling pigs,
(e) mermaids,
(f) fabulous ones,
(g) stray dogs,
(h) those that are included in this classification,
(i) those that tremble as if they were mad,
(j) innumerable ones,
(k) those drawn with a very fine camel’s hair brush,
(l) et cetera,
(m) those that have just broken a flower vase,
(n) those that resemble flies from a distance.[Jorge Luis Borges in his essay “The Analytical Language of John Wilkins”. Quoted in Finding Moonshine by Marcus du Sautoy]
Apologia Americana
First of all apologies for the non-existence of postings for most of the last 3-4 weeks. Yes, you guessed we’ve been away and have struggled with the quantity of the work fore-log and post-log.
Almost 3 weeks in Washington, DC – partly at the 5th Biennial Anthony Powell Conference – was certainly different. I liked Washington; I didn’t expect to. Apart from a couple of areas of high-rise office blocks it is a small and fairly human-scale city: most of the official buildings of the US government are 100+ years old, so usually only 4 or so (substantial) floors and built of light coloured stone. The public monuments are, as befits America, monumental. The streets are wide, often tree-lined, light and airy with an almost continental feel. The White House is a lot smaller than I expected and, err, white; you can stand at the railings in full view of, and not many yards from, the building and protest – unlike in paranoid London. Georgetown is full of very pretty late 18th century houses (a bit like the best parts of Chiswick, Kew or Richmond), but it is expensive!
The food was excellent, especially recommended are Papa Razzi and Mr Smith’s. The beer was cold. The weather was hot – we didn’t have a day under 75F – and humid but mostly dry. American service was not everything it is cracked up to be: the 50% of the time it was good it was excellent; when it wasn’t the customer care was equally as bad as anything you’ll find in Britain. And contrary to expectations, and warnings, the airport staff (immigration, security and customs) were polite and friendly – although immigration on the way in through Dulles Airport did take 90 minutes even at a quiet time, thanks to too few checkpoints open and a plane-load of Far Eastern tourists with large complex family structures in front of us in the queue. The taxis were friendly, efficient and much cheaper than in the UK; the metered cabs were 40% cheaper than I pay for a minicab in outer London, which makes them half the cost of London black cabs.
We even got taken to Colonial Williamsburg (thanks Alden!) which is rather delightful: interesting and a lot less Disney-esque than I expected; it isn’t cheap though, but then it is a theme park of sorts. It was a bit too hot and humid for comfort though – but a good excuse for some extra traditional cider! But why does an historic attraction like Colonial Williamsburg need not one, but two, 18-hole golf courses? It beats me!
All in all a good time was had. The flights were fun, out over the spectacular fjords of Labrador and back over night. Photos to follow on Flickr when I get some time to sort out the decent from the dross.
Wierd Books We Have (Not) Known
Abebooks is currently promoting some of the weirder books and literary oddities which are available. These include such delights as:
- Ductigami: The Art of the Tape by Joe Wilson
- The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories by Ailsa Surkis & Monica Nolan
- Monk Habits for Everyday People by Dennis Okholm
- The Great Pantyhose Crafts Book by Edward & Stevie Baldwin
- Do-It-Yourself Coffins by Dale Power
- and what is billed as the world’s weirdest book: Luigi Serafini’s Codex Seraphinianus
I think I’m glad I’ve managed to miss out on these, although I do have a copy of Bill Hartston’s The Drunken Goldfish. What are your favourites?
Dinner Party Meme
Dinner Party Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s Flickr meme is to imagine your ideal dinner party. Which 12 famous people / people from history would you invite? Here is my rather curious set of bedfellows:
1. Anthony Powell; English novelist and man of letters has to be my first choice!
2. William Byrd; Tudor composer and recusant
3. Samuel Pepys; Restoration diarist
4. Richard Feynman; hugely influential physicist
5. Galileo Galilei; another hugely influential and brave scientist
6. Dalai Lama; always calm, always measured and always laughing!
7. Terry Jones; formerly of Monty Python but also a first rate medieval historian
8. Mick Aston; archaeologist and eccentric
9. Alice Roberts; incredibly bright, multi-talented medic, and very sexy
10. Susanna Reid; another incredibly bright and attractive young lady who’s a BBC TV newscaster
11. Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll); Victorian mathematician and writer of Alice in Wonderland
12. Leonardo da Vinci; another hugely influential artist and scientist
Why so few girlies? I don’t know. I’m sure there must be more in my brain!
As always the photographs are not mine so please click on individual links below to see each artist/photostream. This mosaic is for a group called My Meme, where each week there is a different theme and normally 12 questions to send you out on a hunt to discover photos to fit your meme. It gives you a chance to see and admire other great photographers’ work out there on Flickr.
1. ANTHONY POWELL, NOVELIST, AT HOME IN SOMERSET, 28 DECEMBER 1983., 2. William Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623), 3. Samuel Pepys memorial, St Olave’s Church, London, 4. Richard_Feynman, 5. Galileo, 6. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, 7. terry jones, 8. Time Team in Salisbury, 9. alice roberts, 10. susanna 15, 11. lewis carroll was kind of cute, 12. vitruvian man leonardo da Vinci
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys
Rites of Passage Meme
Rites of Passage Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s Flickr meme is about rites of passage. As some might be near the bone for some people we were allowed to choose from 20 questions; of course I’ve had to do them all (well I did write them!). So here is my somewhat off-the-wall interpretation.
1. How old were you when you were born? (No it isn’t a stupid question as some people seem to be born aged 900 and get younger as the years go by) 9224 frightens in Vogon. 1 Vogon frighten = eπi√3 Earth days
2. Who was your first teacher? Me
3. Whose was the first wedding you attended? My handkerchief (see #10)
4. Whose was the first christening you attended? (Not your own!) Mine – and yes it does count as I was 22
5. Whose was the first funeral you attended? A student drinking buddy who fell over dead in the shower one morning
6. Who was your first boyfriend / girlfriend? Sandra, when I was 8; at 11 I was stalking her.
7. Who is/was your role model? Lewis Carroll; we have 3 shared interests: photography, logic and young girls (although I like them to be of legal age!)
8. When and how were you first aware of your puberty? “Razor, meet Face. Face, meet Razor.”
9. Who or what is your guiding spirit, or inner shaman? Zen Mischief
10. Who took your virginity? Mr Dexter Hand
11. At what age did you lose your virginity? I don’t lose things; I put them away somewhere safe!
12. What was your first permanent job? (I don’t count holiday/student jobs!) Being a frightened depressed child
13. How old were you when you married (or entered an equivalent relationship)? Old enough to know better; young enough to still do it
14. Who was (or would you like to be) your Best Man or Chief Bridesmaid? Why don’t men have bridesmaids?
15. What was/would you like to be your honeymoon destination? Garden of Edam
16. When did or do you hope to retire? About 11PM tonight
17. Have you had a “road to Damascus” event? If so, what was it? Nah, that Damascus place it’s foreign innit!
18. How old will you be when you die? (Comment as for age at birth!) Senile
19. Heaven or Hell? Hell – full of much more interesting people
20. Ashes or reincarnation? Both: ashes for the body; reincarnation for the mind/soul
As always the photographs are not mine so please click on individual links below to see each artist/photostream. This mosaic is for a group called My Meme, where each week there is a different theme and normally 12 questions to send you out on a hunt to discover photos to fit your meme. It gives you a chance to see and admire other great photographers’ work out there on Flickr.
1. Baby Vogon, 2. 185/365: I’ve learned not to look too closely, she said, 3. 150. Forget Me Not by Barbara A. Malek, 4. Font, Happisburgh Church, Norfolk, 5. A full moon on the Cam, 6. I can keep a secret if you can keep me guessing, 7. SWAPBOT – QUOTE POSTCARD 21 – #1, 8. Day 226/365 My first shaving brush, 9. Zen Kitty, 10. in the palm of my hand, 11. What? No Way!!, 12. Frightened Child Turning into Angry Teen mask, 13. Keepin’ Bee Z 🙂, 14. Procession, 15. Edam – a lot of cheese 3, 16. I’m so glad I never feel important, it does complicate life!, 17. Damascus, 18. Tiny life of the White Sea, 19. Stoking the fires of Hell, 20. digital reincarnation
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
12 Favourite Books Meme
12 Favourite Books Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s Flickr meme is to share 12 of your favourite books. This is hard; I love books and to have to choose just 12 is a real challenge. Anyway here’s a selection that would at least get in the frame.
1. Anthony Powell; The Military Philosophers. I figured I wouldn’t choose the 12 volumes of Dance as a single item for once!
2. Lewis Carroll; Alice in Wonderland
3. Anthony Powell; The Valley of Bones
4. Riehl & Baensch; Aquarium Atlas
5. Lewis Carroll; The Hunting of the Snark
6. Oxford English Dictionary
7. Florence Greenberg; Jewish Cookery. As good a cookery book as you’ll find.
8. John Guillim; A Display of Heraldry (4th edition; 1652)
9. Simon Barnes; How to be a Bad Birdwatcher
10. Latham & Matthews; Diaries of Samuel Pepys (yes all 11 volumes, please!)
11. Evelyn Waugh; Black Mischief or alternatively Waugh in Abyssinia
12. Gabriel Chevallier; Clochemerle
“Blimey mate, ‘s all a bit eye-brow, innit like!”
As always the photographs are not mine so please click on individual links below to see each artist/photostream. This mosaic is for a group called My Meme, where each week there is a different theme and normally 12 questions to send you out on a hunt to discover photos to fit your meme. It gives you a chance to see and admire other great photographers’ work out there on Flickr.
1. 100_7347c, 2. alice in wonderland cake, 3. Petrified Mangrove Trees in Whale Bone Valley, 4. 100 Litre Freshwater Aquarium, 5. indian princesses, 6. Lustre, 7. Jewish Cookery, 8. Jeffrey Hedgecock’s Coat of Arms – Lions Rampant, 9. Birdwatching, 10. The Olde Cock Tavern, 11. Afar girl Danakil, 12. Pissoir
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.