and another thing....!
read 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' last week... an absorbing read indeed... a bit of escapism in some ways as it wasn't deep... nor actually enjoyable... but it was absorbing.... the footnotes were excellent... a whole other world/other book lay tucked within the bottom of the pages.. but it lacked a fuller exploration of relationships between the characters and the female characters were sadly lacking being rather cardboard cutouts... it barely touched the surface ... although it was 'a good read' in many ways... the historical aspect was fully explored.... in fact the Wellington/Napolean/Georgian perspective and the world of magic were completely intertwined in a very satisfying way but I can see why it didn't make the Booker short list.... regardless of it's massive length it just had no depth
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
so much to say and just not enough time!!
have now taken my brother's bike to have it's brakes fixed and am experiencing urban cycling Cambridge style .. don't think I have ever needed to cycle regularly through the centre at rush hour before now and I find I look back at cycling in London with fond memories!! There is a cameraderie about cycling in London, even, dare I suggest it a certain friendliness between cyclists that is entirely absent here! Cambridge cyclists have no sense of 'us and them'... it is a manic free for all! with nobody actually considering the possibility of other road users... cyclists of all ages, shapes and speeds ride in a manner so blinkered it is positively dangerous... the use of brakes or bells is entirely absent unless it is the inexplicable breaking that occurs at random in a straight stretch of road where one should be able to zoom along... veering out from a side street is undertaken without a care in the world ... I have taken to wearing a helmet!!
have now taken my brother's bike to have it's brakes fixed and am experiencing urban cycling Cambridge style .. don't think I have ever needed to cycle regularly through the centre at rush hour before now and I find I look back at cycling in London with fond memories!! There is a cameraderie about cycling in London, even, dare I suggest it a certain friendliness between cyclists that is entirely absent here! Cambridge cyclists have no sense of 'us and them'... it is a manic free for all! with nobody actually considering the possibility of other road users... cyclists of all ages, shapes and speeds ride in a manner so blinkered it is positively dangerous... the use of brakes or bells is entirely absent unless it is the inexplicable breaking that occurs at random in a straight stretch of road where one should be able to zoom along... veering out from a side street is undertaken without a care in the world ... I have taken to wearing a helmet!!
Monday, October 11, 2004
still no computer at home and a very busy time in the new job so posts have become infrequent to say the least.. I apologise! Will try to do better!
flat is looking a bit nicer... cleaner clearer and generally getting there!
new job is ok for the moment... I know I will hit boredom levels at some point but hopefully not just yet.. and the setting is pleasant plus I get to see all new posts before they are advertised... it might help!
Last thursday I wandered along to The Cow, well it is just round the corner, to have a drink with Jake... sadly the G& T doubles are cheaper than singles...and they go down so quickly! then we tried a couple of cocktails.... then sensibly decided to go in search of food... happened upon Chez Gerard along Bridge Street... have been in there for meals with the women's group.... it is pleasant enough and as they are a bit of a steak and chips place thought Jake would like it too....The waiter was utterly attentive, we wondered if it was because Steven Hawkin was having a meal there and all the staff were on best behaviour!! I had the salmon which was pleasant enough but now I was on the wine and perhaps being a little loud??? Found it fascinating to watch the antics of SH's nurse who was trying to eat, feed her charge and have a conversation with fellow guest... I, meantime, was explaining to Jake why I thought 'A brief history in Time' was particularly crap... as all its conclusions were based on the premise that all acts and events happen in a way that is explained by reason, that there is no place for the irrational... anyway... we enjoyed ourselves and the waiter seemed very happy.... SH left before us and as he was going past our table he stopped his wheelchair and stared... a very odd sensation being eyeballed (can only describe it as being eyeballed as he really couldn't move much else!!) by such a globally famous person.. I just sort of giggled a hello and he just dribbled.....
after he left the waiter, who had become quite excited by this point, came over.. we thought it was the excitement of having SH in his restaurant but... he bounced over and said... 'I just have to ask... you are Darren from Hollyoaks aren't you?' to Jake... turns out he was more excited by the prospect of serving a soap star than an internationally reknown physicist... I tried to tell him that no, Jake was not Darren, but was in fact Noah from Home and Away but I was laughing too much!
A very pleasant evening!
flat is looking a bit nicer... cleaner clearer and generally getting there!
new job is ok for the moment... I know I will hit boredom levels at some point but hopefully not just yet.. and the setting is pleasant plus I get to see all new posts before they are advertised... it might help!
Last thursday I wandered along to The Cow, well it is just round the corner, to have a drink with Jake... sadly the G& T doubles are cheaper than singles...and they go down so quickly! then we tried a couple of cocktails.... then sensibly decided to go in search of food... happened upon Chez Gerard along Bridge Street... have been in there for meals with the women's group.... it is pleasant enough and as they are a bit of a steak and chips place thought Jake would like it too....The waiter was utterly attentive, we wondered if it was because Steven Hawkin was having a meal there and all the staff were on best behaviour!! I had the salmon which was pleasant enough but now I was on the wine and perhaps being a little loud??? Found it fascinating to watch the antics of SH's nurse who was trying to eat, feed her charge and have a conversation with fellow guest... I, meantime, was explaining to Jake why I thought 'A brief history in Time' was particularly crap... as all its conclusions were based on the premise that all acts and events happen in a way that is explained by reason, that there is no place for the irrational... anyway... we enjoyed ourselves and the waiter seemed very happy.... SH left before us and as he was going past our table he stopped his wheelchair and stared... a very odd sensation being eyeballed (can only describe it as being eyeballed as he really couldn't move much else!!) by such a globally famous person.. I just sort of giggled a hello and he just dribbled.....
after he left the waiter, who had become quite excited by this point, came over.. we thought it was the excitement of having SH in his restaurant but... he bounced over and said... 'I just have to ask... you are Darren from Hollyoaks aren't you?' to Jake... turns out he was more excited by the prospect of serving a soap star than an internationally reknown physicist... I tried to tell him that no, Jake was not Darren, but was in fact Noah from Home and Away but I was laughing too much!
A very pleasant evening!
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