With Our Thoughts We Make The World

Saturday, January 06, 2007

A kind of preamble

Well, I was going to set up a new blog so that I could write about my progress learning viola, as an adult beginner but then I remembered that I actually did have a blog, seldom updated, so why add to the enormous volume of blogs created and abandoned?

I took up viola last year, encouraged by my friend **must remind myself how to do links** Erin. I joined ELLSO (the East London Late Starters Orchestra) and a couple of months later I was playing my first *embarrassed cough at using inappropriate lingo* gig, which several friends were kind enough to attend (and not laugh at, at least not out loud, although some people thought that I might have been MIMING but I swear that every one of those open string-notes I was meant to play, I did play).

Since then, I've bought my own viola from eBay and I've been practising pretty much daily, but I do need to find a teacher somewhere in West London before too many bad habits are ingrained.

I've also dug out the piccolo I, um, borrowed from high school and never took back (it's been 16 years since I left high school, probably a bit late and bit far to take it back now). And I'm thinking of getting some kind of piano, which I can play a bit but would like to play much better.

Right now, I've just taken down all the Christmas decorations, I'm watching QPR fans walking up the road to their game, wondering why I so often don't take proximity to a football ground into account when I move flats in London. I'm also avoiding doing work, even though it's Saturday, but I work as a freelance journalist and my time management isn't always what it could be.

I might make a cake to avoid work even further. I guess I'm bound to end up mentioning cooking quite a bit, seeing as I do quite a bit of it. When you can bake, it's always amusing how people are astounded if you give them some cake that you've made. They sometimes act as if you've just performed a minor miracle. And while I sometimes like to view the fact of baking powder and warmth and liquid all reacing together to make cake as a kind of magic (no, I've never studied chemistry), I also don't really understand how people can't follow a recipe.

UPDATE - The cake is lemon syrup cake from Gary Rhodes and I should buy some skewers because I've wanted one several times since I moved here.

Labels: cake, piccolo, viola

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Indicate

London cab drivers have a completely different system when it comes to using the indicators handily installed on their vehicles, I have recently observed. They only use them when they are about to perform an illegal act, mainly a U-turn. Otherwise, cab drivers realise that turning on their indicators wastes energy and contributes to global warning, so they choose not to use them. Good old cab drivers.

Today one of my secret fears came true: another cyclist had locked my bicycle in their lock. I was livid, left an aggressive note and my phone number and about three-quarters of an hour later Gemma called and was very apologetic and I wasn't livid anymore, and I got my bike without too much drama. Maybe tomorrow I will get stuck in a lift and it won't be too bad.

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Pass the Duchy

The Motorcycle Diaries: good, but could have had more motorcycle.

So, what's a republican to do when it comes to the thorny issue of buying Duchy Originals products. Because it was set up by Prince Charles, so then you're supporting the monarchy. But then again, it's a profitable business, so it's like encouraging one of them to do something useful. But on the other hand (that's the third hand by now), the profits are donated to charity (wait, that's supposed to be a positive thing isn't it). Mmm, well, the other thing is, they're expensive. But they're good to eat and good (well, better) for you.

What a minefield.

Does anyone know if there is a word for the fear of being splashed by exploding yoghurt pots when opening them? Because it's starting to get to a slightly phobic stage for me.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Behind the News

In my dream last night I was talking to a cat who had read "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" but didn't know what a sheep was. I think I want my dreams to be more logical. I mean, how would a cat turn pages?

So, all this stuff about Lord Bragg and Tony Blair almost deciding to step down in the spring? The real reason is that his daughter attempted suicide in spring. The British media have all agreed not to report the story, although I'm betting that someone's going to blurt it out inadvertently today because it's one of those really widely known "secrets", and with all this analysis of what Melvyn Braggs comments are really getting at.

I agree that it's good that the Sun didn't run some "dramatic suicide bid" front page, and the Daily Mail do some awful feature on "middle-class girls who attempt suicide", but I think that it's good if people know. And it makes sense of what everyone is saying today in the papers and on the radio and whatnot.

Another trip to the movies planned this evening, this time for The Motorcycle Diaries, hurrah!

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Hackles have been raised

I thought that Foxtons had sunk to the lowest lows of all the lowly real estate agents with their hackle-raising branded Minis, until I read about how Siberian real estate agents do business. I wonder what is the Russian for "location, location, location"?

As predicted in my previous entry I did go and see Super Size Me last night, and it was very entertaining and interesting. I loved the guy who has eaten 19,000 Big Macs with seemingly no negative impact except a disastrous haircut.

The nappy aisle of the supermarket is an alien place to me, and somewhat nausea inducing on my visit just now (disposable maternity briefs anyone?) I couldn't get the nappy sacks I was after to take to my sister-in-law in Houston but I did get the ready-rolled white icing. Everyone who is someone travels with a roll. Don't they?

Monday, September 13, 2004

Popcorn: food of the gods

Things I didn't do today: bring my purse with me when I left the house; say yes to doing an interview on LBC radio about celebrities in advertising (a subject that surely needs no further probing).

Things I did do today: got a free ride on the bus to work when I realised I did not bring my purse with me. WINNER!

On Saturday I was going to go and see Stage Beauty, only to find that Chelsea Cinema was unexpectedly closed. But it wasn't so bad because we stumbled upon one of those Oxfams I always thought were just mythical -- one that stocked all designer-label stuff. Not that I want to buy designer-label stuff, but it's good to know where you can get a pair of Prada trousers for £19.99, and knock-down Manolo Blahnik shoes. Even if they were trousers that looked like they would fit no one on earth, and very horrid shoes.

I'm off to see Super Size Me this evening with JennyJ, who says that it will be OK for me to eat popcorn in the cinema because popcorn is healthy. But I remain unconvinced.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

What is with your hair, Lenny Kravitz?

The only reason I can think that Lenny Kravitz is wearing his hair like that is so that no one will realise that it's really him who has sunk to the depths of appearing in a Gap advertising campaign.

Wednesday I went to an exciting party, for the opening of the exhibition for the photographer Platon's book, 'Platon's Republic'. It was exciting because everyone there was really good looking, and looked like a somebody. Then on the Thursday I went back again for a private view with Platon and he was really interesting and it was fun, he took me through the pictures and told me stories about them and talked about what is going on in the world. It was sad seeing that Esquire picture, the last official portrait of Bill Clinton before the end of his presidency, it's such an upbeat photograph and then when you think about what has happened since then.

Further grimness on Friday evening, when I went to a double bill of Tim Robbins films in Hammersmith, where his new play Embedded is also on. Tim Robbins was there at the beginning being interviewed and answering questions, all the talk was about the forthcoming presidential elections and the war in Iraq, and there wasn't much of anything positive said (or to be said). Except that at least the internet is giving other voices a place to be heard.

I liked his argument about the myth of the liberal media in the US. I wasn't so keen when he descended into slagging off George W. Bush for not being a real cowboy and going to expensive schools. I mean, there's enough real stuff, there's far too much real stuff, to criticise him on without resorting to cheap insults. As if a real cowboy is what is wanted anyway!

He kept repeating "It's a surreal world", and I don't know. Now it feels as if it would be surreal if something normal and good happened in the world. Something sensible.

Plans for Sunday: swimming, reading the papers and maybe the six-hour Italian film?? We'll see.