kimbofo

Spending time in an Australian library

So here I am tucked up in bed with a big box of tissues and a bottle of Sudafed for company -- thought it best to keep my yukky cold to myself and not spread it around the office.

The rain's been pattering against the window most of the day, the perfect kind of weather for snuggling up indoors. The only problem is a decided lack of supplies in the house, so I've been subsisting on endless cups of tea and the odd glass of tropical juice. Gotta keep those liquids up!

I've just watched six episodes of The Librarians back to back on my laptop, courtesy of a DVD my sister sent me for Christmas. What a brilliant comedy!

Frances O'Brien, the head librarian, is a great character in the same way that David Brent, from The Office, is a great character. They're both quite horrible people who make you cringe -- although Frances makes no attempt at being politically correct (she's racist and has no tolerance for disabled people, just two of her "special" qualities) while Brent at least pretends to be politically correct even if he keeps putting his foot in it.

The show reminded me very much of The Book Group, right down to the sexually repressed main character and the person stuck in a wheelchair. But the story arc -- from episode one stretching through until episode 6 -- is much stronger. And, of course, it was lovely to hear some Aussie accents and see some Melbourne streetscapes!

I wonder if it will ever be shown on British TV -- I think it'd go down well.

One book I can't afford to buy

One day I plan on reading Ulysses by James Joyce. However, I'm not quite sure I will be reading this particular edition (pictured left). Why? Because, according to the newsletter I received from Abe Books, it costs £27,500!

The book, published in 1936, is a specially bound first edition printed on handmade paper and signed by the author. It is being sold by Peter Harrington Antiquarian Bookseller.

You can find out more on the Abe Books website.

Sick note #2

Bugger. I have come down with my first ratty cold of the year, and my second in a month.

Once-upon-a-time I never got colds. Then I got pneumonia in November 2006 and ever since I seem to get the sniffles on a regular basis.

I eat well -- with an emphasis on fruit juice, vegetables, fish and free-range/organic  chicken -- so it's not like I don't know how to look after myself. But I am stressed (I have been acting news editor at work, as well as editor, since mid-November), so I'm sure that takes its toll.

I moaned about this to a nutritional therapist late last year, and he advised me to take twice-the-recommended dose of echinacea and garlic tablets to boost my immune system, and to do this one month on, one month off for at least 6 months. He also told me to cut out white bread and white sugar -- not difficult given I very rarely eat either.

I decided to forgo the garlic tablets, because I use a lot of garlic in my cooking.

But I did buy some Echinaboost only to find the recommended dose was 2-3 tablets three times a day -- that's 6-9 tablets a day. And if I'm to double the dosage, that's up to 18 tablets a day!! There's only 80 in the pack, which means they're not going to last long -- and at £6 a box, that's an expensive habit to take up.

Still, I'm beginning to think I've got nothing to lose (except -- and please excuse the crudity -- some snot), so I might have to follow his recommendation properly instead of just chewing the odd tablet when I remember to take them.

Anyone got any recommendations for keeping colds at bay?

Glorious sunset

I've just witnessed the most amazingly glorious sunset from the comfort of my bedroom window. After such a nondescript day it was totally unexpected to see the sky turn from a dull washed out blue to this canvas of stunning pinks and golds and purples. It played out for about 20 minutes until eventually everything turned the navy blue of a mild winter's night. Gorgeous.

Proof that people are stupid

In the good old days when the concept of email was new and exciting I used to receive (and send) loads of round robin-type emails.

I soon grew to detest these junk-like mutterings, especially the chain mail ones that promised something really bad would happen to me if I didn't forward it to seven of my closest friends within 24 hours of receipt. These ones always managed to find their way into my trash can pretty damn quickly. Ditto all the ones that wanted me to "sign" a petition of one form or another.

These days I very rarely receive these types of emails (thank goodness), but every now and then one of my staffers sends me something that brings a smile to my face. Earlier this week I tittered over my keyboard at a list of dumb answers given to quiz questions posed on British TV and radio. They're too good to keep to myself, so I present them here for your amusement...

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE (BBC2)
Jeremy Paxman: What is  another name for 'cherrypickers' and  'cheesemongers'?
Contestant:  Homosexuals.
Paxman: No. They're  regiments in the British Army who will be very upset with  you.

BEG, BORROW OR STEAL  (BBC2)
Jamie Theakston: Where do you think Cambridge University is?
Contestant: Geography isn't my strong point.
Theakston: There's a clue in the title.
Contestant: Leicester.

Death of a movie star, death of a magazine

Australian actor Heath Ledger is found dead in his Manhattan apartment and it means little to me. I've never seen him in any movies, never seen him interviewed and know very little about him.

Then I find out that The Bulletin has been closed after 128 years and I feel like howling. I can just imagine how devastating it must be for the staff to be gathered in a room and then told that their magazine has folded. It was one of my favourite reads whenever I went home; I will miss it.

My new favourite London statue, part II

Last summer I declared this was my new favourite London statue, but now I have changed my mind: Monument to the Unknown Artist is my new favourite. It makes me smile every time I walk past him!

A year in photographs, P to S

P is for: Park, Hyde; London
Date: April 14, 2007
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-W1

I confess to having a love/hate relationship with Hyde Park. I hate how busy it becomes in the summer months, but I love its acres of green grass and majestic trees, which are best appreciated when no-one's around. This photograph was taken early on a Saturday morning when nary a soul was to be seen. I scooted around the park on my bicycle -- a seven mile round-trip from my house -- and stopped to take the odd photograph or two. Apart from the occasional dog walker I practically had the entire park to myself. In a city as heavily populated as London you don't know what a rare and precious treat this was!

Sometimes I wish he would only use his mouth to sing

"Irish people are essentially Latin people who don't know how to dance"

-- Bono.

Read the full story here.

Mark Oliver Everett at St James's Church

On Thursday night I went to church.

And Pete Townshend, from The Who, was in the congregation. At one stage he even did a reading.

But before you think I've gone all religious on you, let me explain.