someone who's doing some things
This is a really contrived title I know, but I wanted to write something about getting close to the end of Alexei Sayle’s ‘Stalin Ate my Homework’.
I am so enjoying this book, which is much more coherent than ‘Great Bus Journeys of the World’, which I read a look time ago.
it is so good to hear him reading about his own life, and it is sad, funny and amazing all at once.
I walked home tonight just at dusk hoping that the light would hold for long enough for me to get through the woods before it got dark and I started to walk into things or get lost.
I was ok thankfully and just made it.
I continued listening to Alexei Sayle’s “Stalin Ate My Homework” on the way back which is an excellent read, or in my case listen as I’ve got the audio book version. I would recommend it to anyone. Unless of course you don’t like Alexei Sayle in which case you probably shouldn’t bother with it.
I must be over half way through now and I’ve really enjoyed it. It is funny and poignant at the same time, and a deeply personal reflection on his quite unusual childhood.
I’ve especially enjoyed the way the book doesn’t so much tell the story of his childhood but more meanders through it in a seemingly haphazard manner. I guess in many ways that childhood is like that. Today it made a good backdrop to my journey.
Some snow pictures for the 1st of December.
I’m quite pleased with this picture. The LED display on the train had failed in a really interesting way, so I took a picture of it.
4 weeks to Christmas. That’s all, and after that, new year and then 2011. Where has this year gone?
People start asking you ‘Are you ready for Christmas?’ around now (and before), like it is some kind of thing you have to brace yourself against. Some kind of attack that’s on the way.
In some ways I can understand that kind of thinking. I already feel under pressure from constant Christmas advertising. I wish there was a little more joy in Christmas. A little more peace on earth and good will to all men.
The next 4 weeks will be busy no doubt, but I’m hoping to keep the ‘peace on earth, goodwill to all men’ in mind as far as I can.
My latest audiobook listen is Alexei Sayle’s “Stalin Ate My Homework
When I bought it I didn’t know what to expect except that I’ve always enjoyed his sense of humour. So far it is a great listen. He’s reading it himself and as it is about his life it is full of feeling. It is funny and sad and very unusual. I’m only about 3 hours into it and it is 8 hours long, but I’m enjoying every minute of it,
If my Grandfather were alive today he would be 100 years old today. I miss him. He was an amazing man. A tinkerer and maker. A wizard with electronics and always creating amazing little gadgets.
When I was little he made me a toy police car made out of old tin cans and bits of tape machines. It was amazing and I played with it for years.
So today I remember my wonderful Grandpa and think of all the good time we had together. Oh, and you might wonder what the picture is? Well, it was his pencil tin, where he kept technical drawing pencils and a set of compasses and the like. It reminds me of him.
Moving around and not moving around.
A thought, an impression.
I was listening to the Danse Society today. Their greatest hits or something like that. I only bought the CD for 1 track which I really liked and was unable to find anywhere as a single track download.
This got me thinking about other obscure music I’ve been hunting of late. I recently got back into Kissing the Pink, who’s later albums are very hard to get hold of except on vinyl, and whilst I do like vinyl I don’t find it practical on a day to day basis.
Every time I hunt down something obscure that I’ve remembered and decide that I really must get again I think that this will be the last bit of obscurity I need to locate, but in fact it turns out that it reminds me of another 2 or 3 tracks or albums that I’d love to hear again that don’t seem to be available anywhere on this planet.
I’m sure I’m not the only one though, and I guess it keeps things interesting.
Sorry if this doesn’t make sense, it is late and I think I’m rambling. I’ll stop now.
I am Ashley Elsdon 