Touching

It’s blowing a gale – literally: Storm Dennis – and I’m in a fairly seedy hotel (the cheapest I could find without actually sharing a dormitory). The windows are rattling. Above the howling of the wind there’s a whining coming from next door, in the room that shares what would be a beautiful grand curved window had it not been carved up. They must have a dog in there.

Procrastination and Barclays – a rant from August 2016

Got my weekly email from Natasha and there’s a link to some guy who is making money from people wanting to cure themselves of procrastination.

Oh, Vienna

Memories of a trip to Vienna 5 years ago. It’s like looking through a telescope.

Taken on Trust

Just started Talking to Strangers, by Malcolm Gladwell. I liked his other books, and I’m enjoying this one too. It does not – so far – appear to be about talking to strangers, however.

Other People’s Problems

My younger daughter was always taking things on. I was going to say that she was always championing the underdog, but that’s not it.

So, Have You Had the Surgery?

She’s always very frosty, this nurse. Hostile, no eye contact or small talk. Today I noticed her crucifix, dangling at her throat over the top of the rollneck of her fitted woolen dress. I tried not to stare at her skin.

Eat Well For Less

As you know, in the early hours of the morning I am scraping the barrel of iPlayer. It’s shocking how little is on there, when you consider what the marginal cost must be of having the entire archive.