Tuesday 29 April 2008

Ray of sarcastic sunshine

I was on the train into work this morning when I looked down and realised that instead of my planned black wool suit w/ black t-shirt that I thought I was wearing, I was, in fact, wearing the black trousers and t-shirt, with a navy blue texture-stripe-y sort of jacket. Wrong colour, wrong texture, just very wrong. Note to self - open eyes in morning BEFORE exiting. So I had to buy a new shirt at the station.

And the meeting for which I was dressing to impress (or at least not actively repel) went on for three and a half hours, making me late all day. Didn't get home till almost 9, and it's raining. Again.

But then the universe tipped my way when I read the Doonesbury cartoon of the day (I will find and attach :)- they've been repeats for the last while which has caused me to grumble but today's was a repeat of one I wished I had saved - I love it. And there it was!! YAY!

And my new shirt is quite swish, too.

Saturday 26 April 2008

Goodbye Humphrey Lyttelton - you will be missed



I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue is one of my favourite British things. It's silly, very funny, surprisingly clever and delightfully dirty in a sort of 40s seaside town way. Humphrey Lyttelton chaired the show and made it. He died yesterday.

He was 86, so I suppose, as one commenter on the BBC site wrote, he had a good innings, but still. I'm going to miss him. He taught me how to love this country, in a way. Or certainly some worthwhile things to love about it.

Good luck, Humph - say 'hi' to the lovely Samantha for me!

(I just read that Louis Armstrong referred to Humph as "that English cat who swings his ass off" ! :) )

(AND he turned down a knighthood. You don't get cooler than Humph)

(and yes, I did name my dog after him - and Humphrey Bogart too. I hope that's not insulting. It certainly isn't meant to be)

Thursday 24 April 2008

"We may hate ourselves for the buildings that we love...

but you can't do anything about it. They choose us - we do not choose them."
-Jonathan Meades
from Abroad Again in Britain: Salisbury Cathedral

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Rape Crisis Centre Funding Petition

There's a petition going on the oh-gosh-isn't-internet-technology-like-sooooo-cool online Downing Street E-petitions site to provide proper funding for rape crisis centres in the UK. Please sign it.

I'm a volunteer with my local rape crisis centre - twice a month I do a shift on the phone line. We can only open 5 evenings a week, and it's not always easy to have enough volunteers on the rota to cover everything. Our group has to spend a lot of time fighting for funding, and there's a lot of uncertainty over where it will come from and how long it could last. This makes it difficult to plan ahead and diverts alot of energy away from the whole point of being there - to offer support to women and girls who have been raped and/or sexually abused.

If you've ever thought about volunteering - I can highly recommend it! Not only do I feel good about being part of a support network in an area where there is very little support, but I have met many amazing women both in my fellow volunteers and on the helpline itself. Being part of the solution, no matter how small, is still better than ranting and hand wringing.

But I can't wait till we're not needed anymore.

Friday 11 April 2008

6 words

Geo has laid the challenge to describe yourself in 6 words, image optional. yup - complete lunacy. addictive lunacy.
first thought
"it's time to play the music" (for the muppet show tonight)
second thought
"pragmatic, yet optimistic despite all evidence"


well whatever

PDQ Bach has just come on the radio - i must divert my attention.....