I won, I won, I won!
Hanging around the Arts Picturehouse a few months ago I entered a noddy competition ("how many letters are there in the word 'Jar'?", that sort of thing) to win the books behind the film Jar City. Which was quite a decent film - certainly the best film I've seen featuring sheep's heads being eaten by people as fast food.
On Saturday, without fanfare, a large parcel arrived, much to my delight - all the whodunnits of Icelandic penman, Arnaldur Indridason. Hurrah. I am a true winner.
As a massive crime fiction fan in my earlier years I shall relish the chance to get back to that battle between tarnished good and grey or enigmatic evil, the social complexity, the compromised yet heroic cops, the various fascinating lives and milieus...
Monday 13 October 2008
Wednesday 8 October 2008
Doomsday
Watching this film left me feeling a bit funny.
On the plus side tension, decent performances, an intriguing concept, value-for-money special effects, critique of the overweening state, realism about the darkness in man's heart, Bob Hoskins and Alexander Siddig in minor roles...
On the minus side gratuitous nudity, gruesome violence, a silly ending and an even sillier cannibal feast sequence.
I also thought it was surprising that no other film has been called Doomsday, though, in the century of cinema that we've had.
On the plus side tension, decent performances, an intriguing concept, value-for-money special effects, critique of the overweening state, realism about the darkness in man's heart, Bob Hoskins and Alexander Siddig in minor roles...
On the minus side gratuitous nudity, gruesome violence, a silly ending and an even sillier cannibal feast sequence.
I also thought it was surprising that no other film has been called Doomsday, though, in the century of cinema that we've had.
the 'state' majority versus the 'ethnic' minority?
It doesn't bring me any pleasure to note this ongoing tragedy in Turkey, the suppression of Kurdishness, but Aykol's blog is always interesting, and he is a wonderfully honest writer.
It's amazing how conspiracy theories, ethnic politics, innuendo and the like continue to swirl around each other.
It's amazing how conspiracy theories, ethnic politics, innuendo and the like continue to swirl around each other.
The Economist
Thanks to Mrs L, the old folk and her old folk I am enjoying a year’s subscription to this august publication. There is a high volume of adverts (the average seems to be around 30% of page space per issue) but they are often classy adverts, and the news material and comment is fascinating and considerably more international than your average paper.
So, I now know everything. Which is nice.
I know, for example, that in America, expectations about transport are different to what they are here (among the class I belong to anyway), and that The Economist’s anonymous writers can be quite witty…
Speaking of the aftermath of the under-reported hurricane September that hit the South with a one-two, p.60 of Oct 4-10, 2008 reads [tricolon with bathetic climax?]
Most of the Gulf of Mexico’s crude oil production halted before Gustav, and after the hurricans hit the refineries were slow to recover. As of September 29th, according to the Department of Energy, more than half of production was still shut down. Two pipelines serve most of the south-east, and severe shortages resulted. [one…] People started to fill up whenever they could, sometimes queuing for hours. [two…] Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, said that in Atlanta and Charlotte and Chattanooga the situation was “like a third-world country.” [three!] People contemplated public transport and telecommuting.
Oh, the hardship, the hardship.
So, I now know everything. Which is nice.
I know, for example, that in America, expectations about transport are different to what they are here (among the class I belong to anyway), and that The Economist’s anonymous writers can be quite witty…
Speaking of the aftermath of the under-reported hurricane September that hit the South with a one-two, p.60 of Oct 4-10, 2008 reads [tricolon with bathetic climax?]
Most of the Gulf of Mexico’s crude oil production halted before Gustav, and after the hurricans hit the refineries were slow to recover. As of September 29th, according to the Department of Energy, more than half of production was still shut down. Two pipelines serve most of the south-east, and severe shortages resulted. [one…] People started to fill up whenever they could, sometimes queuing for hours. [two…] Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, said that in Atlanta and Charlotte and Chattanooga the situation was “like a third-world country.” [three!] People contemplated public transport and telecommuting.
Oh, the hardship, the hardship.
before a fall?
Had a bit of a shocker with the trusty steed on Monday… The left pedal came off as I was cycling along – fortunately passing the very bike shop on the High Street that had fitted them before the weekend. Turns out that the heat-gun-extraction of the old left pedal had ruined the thread and the whole bike might have to be junked as it is worth less than the cost of replacing its various ailing parts. I left it with them for a day, with the hope that an interim solution might be found.
:-(
Sentiment triumphed over economics, and they fitted me a new pedal block (to house the shiny new white pedals, about which I am still chuffed) at a heavily discounted price, which was nice of them.
They are The Kurser, 47 High Street, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, should you be interested – and very friendly. I don’t normally do product placement on the blog, but I’m in a good mood what with the brilliant sunshine, a great morning studying Isaiah, chatting to a baker friend, teaching one of my best students, having 5 caffeinated drinks before midday, the shiny white pedals, and…
:-(
Sentiment triumphed over economics, and they fitted me a new pedal block (to house the shiny new white pedals, about which I am still chuffed) at a heavily discounted price, which was nice of them.
They are The Kurser, 47 High Street, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, should you be interested – and very friendly. I don’t normally do product placement on the blog, but I’m in a good mood what with the brilliant sunshine, a great morning studying Isaiah, chatting to a baker friend, teaching one of my best students, having 5 caffeinated drinks before midday, the shiny white pedals, and…
Saturday 4 October 2008
shiny white ones
I have some new pedals on my bike! They are quite chunky, and very white. For some reason, Essex is coming to mind... They actually match the bike itself, a quarter-century old Raleigh Marauder that seems to be made of cast iron and has retained its murky whiteness despite serious peeling, rust and grime.
The old pedals made a noise like putting cats through a mincer. Pedestrians twenty metres ahead would jump and look around in fear, unaware that it was just the gentle pressure of my right ankle that was causing the noise. The right pedal in particular was so jammed up (no bearings, and rusty metal was grinding on plastic, I guess) that sometimes it would stick, and eject my foot at the top of its circuit, leading me to practise my kicking moves rather against my will as I sauntered down the High Street, or, more worryingly, battled along a major road with little margin for error.
It took the bike repair man all afternoon to get the pedals off. Spanners, levers and the weight of two men couldn't do it. A mysterious "heat gun" was employed, though I never got to see it.
The old pedals made a noise like putting cats through a mincer. Pedestrians twenty metres ahead would jump and look around in fear, unaware that it was just the gentle pressure of my right ankle that was causing the noise. The right pedal in particular was so jammed up (no bearings, and rusty metal was grinding on plastic, I guess) that sometimes it would stick, and eject my foot at the top of its circuit, leading me to practise my kicking moves rather against my will as I sauntered down the High Street, or, more worryingly, battled along a major road with little margin for error.
It took the bike repair man all afternoon to get the pedals off. Spanners, levers and the weight of two men couldn't do it. A mysterious "heat gun" was employed, though I never got to see it.
Thursday 2 October 2008
even the greats
lose quickly on occasion. [here, Najdorf, one of the greatest chess players never to have become world champion goes down in under 20 moves...] Which gives me some hope, as I lose quickly rather often, particularly in drawish positions against Charles. Here's the latest loss...
Wouldn't it be nice if I was clever enough to put this in .pgn and have a little board on the blog?
Charles v. Me (corr. Aug-Sept 08)
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 c5
[I meant to play ...e5, so quite early we see the lack of grey matter taking its toll]
3. d5 b5
4. cxb5 e6
5. Nc3 Bb7
6. e4 Qa5
7. Bd2 Qc7
[Black's Queen dance makes it harder for White to hold onto the pawn, but it does cost time]
8. Be2 exd5
9. exd5 Nxd5
10. Nf3 Be7
11. 0-0 Nf6
[at this point I originally tried to play ...axb5, forgetting that the pawn was on a7 not a6. D'uh]
12. Re1 d5
13. Rc1 0-0
14. Bg5 Nbd7
15. b4 Rfe8
[White's pressure means that Black is unable to keep his passed pawn connected. More care might have averted that...]
16. bxc5 Qxc5
17. Nd4 Rac8
18. Na4 Qa3
19. Rxc8 Rxc8
20. Bg4 Bb4
21. Re3
[at this point I resigned until Charles pointed out that my rook could get to e1 after a few moves... Poor J, his brain is really not happy at the moment!]
21. ... Qc1
22. Re8+ Rxe8
23. Bxc1 Re1+
24. Qxe1 Bxe1
25. Bxd7 Nxd7
26. Be3 a6?!
[the endgame goes downhill from here with increasing speed...]
27. b6 Bb4
28. Nb3 Kf8??
29. Bc5+ 1-0
White ends up with a knight on c5 and thus wins a piece for the passed b-pawn. What a shambles!
Wouldn't it be nice if I was clever enough to put this in .pgn and have a little board on the blog?
Charles v. Me (corr. Aug-Sept 08)
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 c5
[I meant to play ...e5, so quite early we see the lack of grey matter taking its toll]
3. d5 b5
4. cxb5 e6
5. Nc3 Bb7
6. e4 Qa5
7. Bd2 Qc7
[Black's Queen dance makes it harder for White to hold onto the pawn, but it does cost time]
8. Be2 exd5
9. exd5 Nxd5
10. Nf3 Be7
11. 0-0 Nf6
[at this point I originally tried to play ...axb5, forgetting that the pawn was on a7 not a6. D'uh]
12. Re1 d5
13. Rc1 0-0
14. Bg5 Nbd7
15. b4 Rfe8
[White's pressure means that Black is unable to keep his passed pawn connected. More care might have averted that...]
16. bxc5 Qxc5
17. Nd4 Rac8
18. Na4 Qa3
19. Rxc8 Rxc8
20. Bg4 Bb4
21. Re3
[at this point I resigned until Charles pointed out that my rook could get to e1 after a few moves... Poor J, his brain is really not happy at the moment!]
21. ... Qc1
22. Re8+ Rxe8
23. Bxc1 Re1+
24. Qxe1 Bxe1
25. Bxd7 Nxd7
26. Be3 a6?!
[the endgame goes downhill from here with increasing speed...]
27. b6 Bb4
28. Nb3 Kf8??
29. Bc5+ 1-0
White ends up with a knight on c5 and thus wins a piece for the passed b-pawn. What a shambles!
Lettershufflers
Sent via a maternal Scrabble network. Really rather good. I wonder which other languages can manage the same sorts of anagram fun...
> > DORMITORY:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > DIRTY ROOM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > PRESBYTERIAN:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > BEST IN PRAYER
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ASTRONOMER:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > MOON STARER
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > DESPERATION:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > A ROPE ENDS IT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE EYES: !
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > THEY SEE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > GEORGE BUSH:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > HE BUGS GORE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE MORSE CODE :
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > HERE COME DOTS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SLOT MACHINES:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > CASH LOST IN ME
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ANIMOSITY:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > IS NO AMITY
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ELECTION RESULTS:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SNOOZE ALARMS:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > ALAS! NO MORE ZS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > A DECIMAL POINT:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > I'M A DOT IN PLACE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE EARTHQUAKES:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > THAT QUEER SHAKE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > TWELVE PLUS ONE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:
> >
> > MOTHER-IN-LAW:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > WOMAN HITLER
> > DORMITORY:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > DIRTY ROOM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > PRESBYTERIAN:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > BEST IN PRAYER
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ASTRONOMER:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > MOON STARER
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > DESPERATION:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > A ROPE ENDS IT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE EYES: !
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > THEY SEE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > GEORGE BUSH:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > HE BUGS GORE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE MORSE CODE :
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > HERE COME DOTS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SLOT MACHINES:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > CASH LOST IN ME
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ANIMOSITY:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > IS NO AMITY
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ELECTION RESULTS:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SNOOZE ALARMS:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > ALAS! NO MORE ZS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > A DECIMAL POINT:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > I'M A DOT IN PLACE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > THE EARTHQUAKES:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > THAT QUEER SHAKE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > TWELVE PLUS ONE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:
> >
> > MOTHER-IN-LAW:
> > When you rearrange the letters:
> > WOMAN HITLER
Wordsmiths
The former inhabitants of I3, Downing College (1999-2001) and I are getting together in the north at the end of this month. After those heady student days we have now all grown up and got married. One of us even has children! Punctuated by clunky prose blocks from me, this is how the I3-ites have arranged things...
JPD
Good evening, gents, if gents you be!
Oh won't you come and dance with me?
By "dance" I mean to come; to stay;
A winter's night to while away.
Around the time of Yule, perhaps?
Before another year hath lapsed;
Before another year is seen
Since we three dined on mush so green;
Since we three played our silly games
That overwrought our feeble brains.
My folks can lend accommodation,
Or at our house you may be stationed,
So if agreed that meet we should,
Let us discuss when would be good,
And when your fem'nine selves you'll yield
To seasonal joys of Huddersfield!
NJB
This invitation is so kind
It wakens memories in my mind
Of games we played and mush we ate
And evenings when we stayed up late.
At Christmas we may surely gather,
Or earlier, if James, you would rather:
October offers up a chance
For me to join this so-called "dance".
A week's leave I have yet to take
And could go north, for old time's sake,
Provided that this suits us all
Especially our host, dear Paul.
Tell me, you gents, if gents you be
If you concur or disagree.
[will the sourthern wives be joining us?]
NJB
It will be I, and I alone,
To sojourn at the Dyson home,
When to that hallowed hall I wend:
Roll on October's last weekend!
JPD
Okay, gents -- the time is fast;
the date is set; the die is cast.
So when you're here, where wouldst thou stay?
Knowing that you're nearly gay
Perhaps you'd share a sofa bed?
(there is another couch instead
if either of you feel alarmed
at lying in each other's arms)
but if you want more privacy
my parents' is the place to be.
Please, feel free, to quick-confer,
then tell me which you would prefer.
[I could get to Halifax for 7pm...]
JPD
Halifax station could be done,
but Huddersfield's the closer one.
As regards suggested time
the hour of seven will be fine.
May I assume that on arrival
you'll need be fed for your survival?
In the presence of such wit, I am practically mute. I expect I'll have something to say at the end of October, though.
JPD
Good evening, gents, if gents you be!
Oh won't you come and dance with me?
By "dance" I mean to come; to stay;
A winter's night to while away.
Around the time of Yule, perhaps?
Before another year hath lapsed;
Before another year is seen
Since we three dined on mush so green;
Since we three played our silly games
That overwrought our feeble brains.
My folks can lend accommodation,
Or at our house you may be stationed,
So if agreed that meet we should,
Let us discuss when would be good,
And when your fem'nine selves you'll yield
To seasonal joys of Huddersfield!
NJB
This invitation is so kind
It wakens memories in my mind
Of games we played and mush we ate
And evenings when we stayed up late.
At Christmas we may surely gather,
Or earlier, if James, you would rather:
October offers up a chance
For me to join this so-called "dance".
A week's leave I have yet to take
And could go north, for old time's sake,
Provided that this suits us all
Especially our host, dear Paul.
Tell me, you gents, if gents you be
If you concur or disagree.
[will the sourthern wives be joining us?]
NJB
It will be I, and I alone,
To sojourn at the Dyson home,
When to that hallowed hall I wend:
Roll on October's last weekend!
JPD
Okay, gents -- the time is fast;
the date is set; the die is cast.
So when you're here, where wouldst thou stay?
Knowing that you're nearly gay
Perhaps you'd share a sofa bed?
(there is another couch instead
if either of you feel alarmed
at lying in each other's arms)
but if you want more privacy
my parents' is the place to be.
Please, feel free, to quick-confer,
then tell me which you would prefer.
[I could get to Halifax for 7pm...]
JPD
Halifax station could be done,
but Huddersfield's the closer one.
As regards suggested time
the hour of seven will be fine.
May I assume that on arrival
you'll need be fed for your survival?
In the presence of such wit, I am practically mute. I expect I'll have something to say at the end of October, though.
and again
Teaching music can bring so much quality intellectual and emotional effort and reward. Even though I have a few students who mysteriously refuse to do any practice I enjoy teaching almost all of them, most of the time! But why have I not blogged about it before? Considering that most of my income comes from teaching the piano, that is rather odd. It's not as if there is no mental challenge, and anything that involves other people so closely is worth thinking and writing about... Anyway, here it is, a few random thoughts.
Sometimes my students inspire me to learn new pieces. That's a particularly good feeling.
The best student should surpass his teacher. I have yet to nurture somone past me, but perhaps that will come when I have been teaching a bit longer. The whole range of abilities from complete beginner to post-Grade 8 present their own challenges.
Occasionally I get asked to help people prepare for the aural tests, to sharpen their listening and singing and music-discussing skills. That's quite fun - though it often involves helping people do things that I can barely do myself. Yesterday I played through some Bach-Riemenschneider chorales with a couple from chuch who are auditioning for a high quality choir in Cambridge. Incredible music - incredibly challenging! The last time I really thought about Bach chorales was when I had to harmonise them for A-level. I would never attempt to teach anyone how to do that properly, i.e. idiomatically (though the principles of 4-part harmony I can pass on). Bach never does what you expect - he was too great a genius for that.
Wit and banter form a serious part of my lessons (on a good day). I'm more of a carrot teacher than a stick teacher, though looking at me one might be tempted to say I was both ;-)
Sometimes my students inspire me to learn new pieces. That's a particularly good feeling.
The best student should surpass his teacher. I have yet to nurture somone past me, but perhaps that will come when I have been teaching a bit longer. The whole range of abilities from complete beginner to post-Grade 8 present their own challenges.
Occasionally I get asked to help people prepare for the aural tests, to sharpen their listening and singing and music-discussing skills. That's quite fun - though it often involves helping people do things that I can barely do myself. Yesterday I played through some Bach-Riemenschneider chorales with a couple from chuch who are auditioning for a high quality choir in Cambridge. Incredible music - incredibly challenging! The last time I really thought about Bach chorales was when I had to harmonise them for A-level. I would never attempt to teach anyone how to do that properly, i.e. idiomatically (though the principles of 4-part harmony I can pass on). Bach never does what you expect - he was too great a genius for that.
Wit and banter form a serious part of my lessons (on a good day). I'm more of a carrot teacher than a stick teacher, though looking at me one might be tempted to say I was both ;-)
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