All the things I do instead of writing…
Another night in the giant multiplex at Westfield, watching Sherlock Holmes. In the first few frames of the movie, I see that familiar gothic typeface, known in Germany as Frakturschrift, and my heart sinks. The scene is Strasbourg in 1891, and the German inscription says something like "1. Jubiläum Elsaß-Lothringen" - which means "first anniversary... Continue Reading →
I don't suppose I'm that close to American politics - not living there and all. An American boyfriend of mine got really irritated with me for expressing my views on the absolute greatness of Clinton, even in 2001. "You don't know anything about it", he said, but was pretty vague about what exactly I didn't... Continue Reading →
Friday night came around again, and once again I was busy trying to clear out my inbox, in an effort to attain the elusive "strategic" Monday morning. This is the as yet unfulfilled vision of having time to think about process structures, and figure out a cohesive plan, rather than the headless rush I'm in... Continue Reading →
It's not been a great week for my sole new year's resolution. I had resolved to spend more time with my friends, whom I increasingly miss in the melee of my 12 hour working days, but of course a "quick" 6 pm meeting with a senior manager ran on until 6.50, and I was supposed... Continue Reading →
Image via WikipediaI was waiting for the tube at Finchley Road after another late evening at work, and was wandering slightly dejectedly along the platfom to reach the front of the train. I'm forever trying to make sure I always get on in the right place to reach the exit at the next station most efficiently.... Continue Reading →
It probably helped that I was expecting to like this movie, but I absolutely loved it. We're the kind of geeky film people who spend the whole of the trailers gossiping about studios, and discussed the new Weinstein venture apparently risen out of the ashes of Miramax. I don't even think it's particularly geeky to know that... Continue Reading →
I've not quite got around to all the usual lists I write at New Year; I started off a list of the top 10 songs of 2011 - and mainly came up with old music that I rediscovered in new contexts. More car trips with Beethoven's 9th concerto, more time on the sofa with St.... Continue Reading →
It's Christmas Day, and I have eaten too much. I should really be reading the book my sister gave me, but I can't quite get past the preface of Frank Dikötter's "Mao's Great Famine". I'm a bit too full (ooh the irony) for such a stunningly well researched and well-written account of the tragedy of ideology.... Continue Reading →
I am currently watching - well, while I'm not laughing - a French film called "A l'aventure". I can't even begin to describe how unoriginal it is, which would be fine if every frame didn't resonate with misplaced gravitas, as if the story is somehow so artistically significant that the first scene must feature a... Continue Reading →
There has been a lot of conversation in the press recently about sperm donors. First, there was the story about the designer sperm clinic that allows women to select from a list of donor's personal characteristics. I have to say I found the idea of this quite entertaining. There was another article (also in The... Continue Reading →
The resting writer 