Conservation of Shadows

Yoon Ha Lee, 2013

(July 2013)

              The numbers marched higher. When they broke ten million, she plunged out of the command spindle and into the room she had claimed for her own. She pounded the wall until her fists bled. Triumph tasted like salt and venom. It wasn’t supposed to be so easy. In the worst dreams, a wolf roved the tapestries, eating shadows – eating souls. And the void with its tinsel of worlds was nothing but one vast shadow.

  

Like White on Rice

Let’s pretend that you care about your diet. Let’s also pretend that when I talk about ‘your diet’ you understand that I don’t mean that you’re on a diet – whatever Atkins, Seaweed, Columbian Duck Egg Every Thursday After A Full Moon With A Cup Of Horse Piss And A Stick In Your Ear fad is doing the rounds at the moment – but that I’m just using the word to mean whatever it is that you habitually choose to shovel into your mouth to provide energy. Well done, Pretend You, you’re now doing better than at least three-quarters of people who live in the First World.

Don't Say It...

OK, yes, maybe my patented 'dump it all in the middle and see what happens' icing technique could stand a little more refinement. It's not that's which is worrying, so much as just how shiny it all is...

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins, 2008

(July, 2013)

The 2^nd Year students all have to read a book for their summer homework. Usually it’s one of a selection of graded readers, but there are a couple of returnees whose English is pretty decent and they need something a little more challenging. My library doesn’t really have all that much aimed at their age group, but this is apparently quite big right now and I thought it might be suitable. I just had to read it first to make sure.

Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Jerk Chicken

To be honest, this was pretty much the only reason I ever went to Notting Hill Carnival. I don’t do well in crowds, and massive police presences always make me nervous. Still though, jerk chicken. Yum yum yum. Well worth a bit of time on overcrowded public transport.

1Q84

Haruki Murakami, 2009, 2011 [Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel 2012]

(June 2013)

Well now. That was a hell of a ride, wasn’t it?

Metaphors We Live By

George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, 2003 [1980]

(June 2013)

So this is clearly something I’m kinda into.

All Things Must Pass

I’m a straight, white, middle-class Englishman, and as such have absolutely no interest in fashion. I’ve nothing against it in principle; if it floats your boat then good luck to you, everybody needs a hobby, but it’s not something I can force myself to worry about all that much.

Fashion forward.

'Til the Bitter End

I'm not sure I have any thoughts I could usefully add regarding the whole Edward Snowden situation, apart from noting that a few people would now have every right to say "I told you so."

So I'm just going to link to this article, because it would seem to mark the exact moment it tipped over from tragedy into farce. Though I suspect it'll tip back again all too soon. Please read all the way to the end. If you can't manage that, just the last couple of paragraphs will do.

Look, just read the final sentence, will you? Then maybe find a quiet corner for a nice little weep.

Shhhh...

For extra credit, here's some reading on crustaceans.

1Q84 Book Two

              “Who switched the tracks?”

              “Who switched the tracks? That is another difficult question. The logic of cause and effect has little power here.”

Just in case you were in any doubt.