The Booker longlist was announced yesterday. And yes, the book list is already in spreadsheet form, with notations about which are available via the library, and which will have to be bought. I already have one book reserved, waiting for pick up at our new local library in Weston-Super-Mare (The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey), which I'll get before we pick up the keys to the new flat tomorrow (priorities!).
The last couple of years have been a bit rocky and after last year I really was hesitant about trying to read the longlist again (I didn't even blog about 2008), but this year's crop looks quite interesting (despite all the usual Booker cliches that are met, but I just overlook all that stuff that bloggers love to harp on about), so I think I'm going to give it the old college try yet again.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Movin' right along.
I don't know if everyone knows already, but as Dad mentioned in his comment on the previous post, we are moving. We really, really like our current flat and landlord and neighborhood, and we really love Clevedon, but we've been here over two years so we're up for a change, and we think it would be nice to have a bit more space.
We looked around Clevedon, Portishead and Weston-Super-Mare, since they are still good for our jobs and nice locations. We did think about moving a bit closer for work, but it's hard to find an area that we like that is closer for both of us, plus we've been so spoiled living near the sea, and we're not quite ready to give that up yet.
So after about a week or two of tracking places online we lined up a couple of viewings, and a few days later we made the decision to move into one of the first places we saw, in Weston-Super-Mare. The commute is a bit longer, but it's a sandy beach (though the water is only there half of the time) and Mark has fond memories of Weston. We do both like Weston - it has a real "British seaside" feel - and it's a bigger town so there are some things that we will be within walking distance of that we just don't have in Clevedon (like a train station) or that aren't so near (like a grocery store). We will be losing our proximity to a lovely Italian provisioner and bakery. But there will be a bigger selection of restaurants (including our all time favorite Thai restaurant, which Mom and Dad have visited). And more that do delivery. Woo hoo!
The flat itself is three bedrooms with two and a half bathrooms. We're on the first floor (which may be the second floor to you guys - I can't remember any more how we Americans talk about multistory buildings...) and the inside has been renovated not too long ago, so it's all in pretty good condition and the kitchen is bigger, which is nice. Still no huge "American style" fridge (as they call them here), but we will finally have a dishwasher. Oh, the luxury!
We pick up the keys on Thursday afternoon and then Mark and I are both taking Friday off so we'll do most of the moving then. We'll take pictures and I'll post them all up when we have internet again, which may take a week or two because we need to activate a new phone line in the new flat. But in the meantime, here is a picture of the outside (our flat is the one on the right hand side of of the picture):
We're pleased and looking forward to it. We've been packing for the last couple of weekends to get ready. A while ago Mark was driving and happened to hear a bit of a program that was talking about how moving is one of the most stressful things you can do. So of course we tried to think of ways to attempt to minimize conflict. We devised an idea to divvy up the rooms between us for "management" - we can both help pack up whichever room, but whoever "manages" the room gets all the final say about how the items in that room should be packed - no quibbling. I'll leave you to work out who this plan was most meant to "contain," but I will say that actually it's working out pretty well so far. So far!
We looked around Clevedon, Portishead and Weston-Super-Mare, since they are still good for our jobs and nice locations. We did think about moving a bit closer for work, but it's hard to find an area that we like that is closer for both of us, plus we've been so spoiled living near the sea, and we're not quite ready to give that up yet.
So after about a week or two of tracking places online we lined up a couple of viewings, and a few days later we made the decision to move into one of the first places we saw, in Weston-Super-Mare. The commute is a bit longer, but it's a sandy beach (though the water is only there half of the time) and Mark has fond memories of Weston. We do both like Weston - it has a real "British seaside" feel - and it's a bigger town so there are some things that we will be within walking distance of that we just don't have in Clevedon (like a train station) or that aren't so near (like a grocery store). We will be losing our proximity to a lovely Italian provisioner and bakery. But there will be a bigger selection of restaurants (including our all time favorite Thai restaurant, which Mom and Dad have visited). And more that do delivery. Woo hoo!
The flat itself is three bedrooms with two and a half bathrooms. We're on the first floor (which may be the second floor to you guys - I can't remember any more how we Americans talk about multistory buildings...) and the inside has been renovated not too long ago, so it's all in pretty good condition and the kitchen is bigger, which is nice. Still no huge "American style" fridge (as they call them here), but we will finally have a dishwasher. Oh, the luxury!
We pick up the keys on Thursday afternoon and then Mark and I are both taking Friday off so we'll do most of the moving then. We'll take pictures and I'll post them all up when we have internet again, which may take a week or two because we need to activate a new phone line in the new flat. But in the meantime, here is a picture of the outside (our flat is the one on the right hand side of of the picture):
We're pleased and looking forward to it. We've been packing for the last couple of weekends to get ready. A while ago Mark was driving and happened to hear a bit of a program that was talking about how moving is one of the most stressful things you can do. So of course we tried to think of ways to attempt to minimize conflict. We devised an idea to divvy up the rooms between us for "management" - we can both help pack up whichever room, but whoever "manages" the room gets all the final say about how the items in that room should be packed - no quibbling. I'll leave you to work out who this plan was most meant to "contain," but I will say that actually it's working out pretty well so far. So far!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Ok, Phil's got it right.
The other rider that Phil Liggett always prefixes with "big" is George Hincapie. You might have guessed from my earlier post that I think it's kind of funny and I've never really understood the name. I mean, they're all sitting down and have huge legs and tiny arms, so it's hard to see why Phil has to say it every single time - and he's even said it enough that Paul has to say it, every single time.
But then today, watching the team time trial, the motorcycle camera person had a shot where they were following Team Columbia HTC with the camera more on a straight-on level with the riders. And there, in the middle was number 74, with a bike twice the height of everyone else's, rider all hunched over. And I thought, "who's that?" and then looked it up and sure enough, it's Big George Hincapie. I totally get it - everyone else really is a lot smaller. Except Big Tom Boonen, of course.
But then today, watching the team time trial, the motorcycle camera person had a shot where they were following Team Columbia HTC with the camera more on a straight-on level with the riders. And there, in the middle was number 74, with a bike twice the height of everyone else's, rider all hunched over. And I thought, "who's that?" and then looked it up and sure enough, it's Big George Hincapie. I totally get it - everyone else really is a lot smaller. Except Big Tom Boonen, of course.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Le Tour est arrivee!
I just love that Phil Liggett can't refer to the Belgian rider as anything but "Big Tom Boonen." I don't think I've heard him say his name once with out "big" in front of it, last year or so far this year.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pity the poor Bond villains.
I finally just watched Obama's "A New Beginning Speech" in Cairo on YouTube. It's eloquent and amazing and I recommend it (you can read it on the white house web site if you don't want to watch). It's not really something to be joking about, but in the middle, when he says something along the lines of we look forward to a world in which nuclear power is used only for generating energy, I could help but have a little thought.
If the world is in fact rid of all nuclear weapons, what is really left for villains in movies to steal or obtain via the black market to threaten world destruction? Are they going to have to start stealing wind turbines and threaten to blow cities off the map?
If the world is in fact rid of all nuclear weapons, what is really left for villains in movies to steal or obtain via the black market to threaten world destruction? Are they going to have to start stealing wind turbines and threaten to blow cities off the map?
Monday, June 15, 2009
How long?
I have the "automatic suggestions" function turned on in google, and some times I'm surprised with what comes up...
...and the order it comes in!
(You will need to click on the image to see a full size version...)
...and the order it comes in!
(You will need to click on the image to see a full size version...)
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