My anger at the Tory government suddenly got even deeper. I just came across this Huffington post article revealing that George Osbourne was in talks with slimeball in chief Rupert Murdoch before he announced cuts to the BBC. If true using one’s position in government to favour on company over another is clearly corruption, and Osbourne should lose his job for it. I know the beeb isn’t perfect, but if you ask me, it’s one of the best broadcasters on earth. It’s certainly better than the commercial alternative. The tories wanted it cut because it does not fit in with their greed-based worldview; Murdoch wanted it cut because it supplied an alternative to his propaganda. It shouldn’t be surprising that the two slimeballs got together to wreck a great organisation. Like the NHS, the BBC supplies a brilliant service for all irrespective of one’s ability to pay, and that’s something greedy, selfish gits like Osbourne and Murdoch cannot abide.

Yesterday afternoon Lyn and I watched this quite interesting documentary about Multiverse Theory. I must say it appealed to me. I hadn’t heard much about it before, but to me, the idea of universes outside of our own seems to be quite logical. As the program itself admits, the theory isn’t without it’s detractors, but it is gaining traction. However, it left me with a small question I’d just like to pose on here: if there are billions more universes outside our own, would that not explain why the universe is expanding? Presumably each universe has gravity, so they would draw other universes towards each other. Would that not solve the problem of expansion currently bugging cosmologists, or am I missing something? Answers i comments please,

Mind you, if multverse theory is correct, an extra verse will have to be added to this song.

Everyone will be quite aware of what is going on down in dover and the human tragedy unfolding there. Thousands of people desparate to get to the UK are risking their lives, trying to get on to trains to come through the channel tunnel. Of course, we, as a modern, tolerant nation should be helping such people. What pisses me off is when the bbc give twits like Nigel farage airtime to speak on the subject. He was just on the Victoria Derbyshire show, and as usual had me shouting at the tv: blaming everyone else for this ‘problem’, trying to come across as reasonable while any intelligent person could detect the undercurrent of xenophobia in what he was saying. These people need our help, but our tv screens are polluted by bigots like farage, lying his head off about his car being surrounded by immigrants in calais, and trying to poke fun at ‘the human rights brigade’ – presumably people capable of thought. People like Farage are the problem, not migrants; I’m appalled that the bbc called on him to talk on this issue – such bigotry only makes thing worse.

I’m still quite interested in olympic news. It seems to me that being chosen to host the olympics is the greatest accolade a city can get, and acts as a status symbol for a city and a country. I also take an interest in travel, different places etc. as well as international relations. That’s why I’ve been following news of the olympic bidding process, and last night I was surprised to read that the USOC has pulled the plug on Boston’s bid for the 2024 olympics. Of course, when you look into it that entire bid was mired from the off: it never had public support above 50%, and there was all sorts of trouble about the use of public money. The campaign group, ‘No Boston Olympics’, is reportedly celebrating, but that strikes me as odd: yes public money can now be used on other things, but why celebrate your city remaining normal. Hosting the olympics marks a city’s entry onto the world stage – great cites, world cities, host the games. Gaining the worlds attention means you are noticed, and you join the ranks of Paris, London, Beijing and so on. World centres of art and culture: Places where films are made and set, where songs are written and where epic ceremonies are performed. If you have any sense of pride in your city, you would be eager for it to host such an event. (Of course, I only came to this view after 2012). Of course, a city can be a world city without hosting the games, New York being a good example; yet surely being chosen to host the worlds biggest sporting and cultural event marks a city as special. For Boston to withdraw, then, means it has chosen to remain normal – just a normal, unremarkable city. That’s why there’s a tone of regret in this Boston Globe article. Yes bostonians save their money, but the city Boston could have become had it hosted the games will never be, and part of me can’t help but brand them ‘losers’.

Now the USOC will likely put forward a bid for Los Angeles. LA is already a great World city; it’s residents certainly have the cajones to host the games. Mind you, all this is moot anyway as I’m pretty sure the IOC will choose Paris to host the 2024 games. After the upset of 2005, and given that 2024 will mark the centenary of the last Paris olympics, it seems to me that the IOC has little choice but to go with the french capital. I suspect the americans know this, and therefore put in a moreor-less token bid from Boston. The interesting thing is, if they now go with LA, could they be setting themselves up for another disappointment of the magnitude of the rejection of New York or Chicago? On the other hand, given that LA could indeed be an enticing prospect for the IOC, might the competition now be closer than it would have been? Could we now be on track for another upset a la 2005? Knowing the pride americans place in their cities, not to mention the pride the French place in their capital, I find the dynamics of this process quite fascinating.

I thinkI’ve mentioned on here before that Lyn is quite a big apple fan. This morning, before L got up, I came across a trailer for a new biopic of steve Jobs. Assuming she would be interested, I told er abut it when she rose; but rather than keen Lyn seemed totally uninterested. “”So?” she said ”It’s just a film.” Her reaction took me aback: to me, nothing is ever ”just a film”. Cinema is the archetypal art-form of our age; it cannot be ignored. I went into one on my arty-farty huffs and retreated to my sofa. A few minutes later, I realised lyn was right: after all, to a large extent this film is merely an attempt to make money from the late Jobs. It might have a few interesting things to say about him, but ultimately it has nothing to do with him or his computers, which is ultimately what interests Lyn. And besides, whether it’s directed by Danny Boyle or not, looking at the trailer, this film looks shit.

I saw my family yesterday – nearly all of it, on my mum’s side. It was my grandmother’s birthday, so Dom and I went up to north London for a family get together. Mum, Dad, my brothers and their wives were there, as were my aunts, uncles, and all but one of my cousins. It was a great afternoon, sat in the garden of our old family house. Yaiya seemed to really enjoy it, as did her great-grandchildren: Marianna, Christina’s daughter, is teething, and my nephew oliver is becoming quite a little explorer. It was great to watch him toddle around the very garden I remember toddling around thirty years ago. We spent most of the time chatting, eating, and catching up; and all too soon it was time to start heading back. There was cake, photos were taken, and suddenly we were saying goodbye. It was great to see everyone, especially the children, and I hope the next family gathering is not too far away. Looking over my shoulder as we headed back towards the tube station, my family disappearing into the distance, felt a bit sad, but oh well, it had been a great afternoon.

Happy birthday Yiaya!

It seems that I was right about the opening of the Spy Who Loved Me. Yesterday I came across this quite interesting fansite, Den Of Geek, and found an article ranking the best James Bond opening sequences. What was at the top? Why, my own favourite cinematic Bond moment. It just goes to show, I think, that there’s something special about that moment in film; about the image of a parachute emblazoned with the union flag. I used to think it was something personal to me, and in my Masters thesis I write about it in terms of why it could appeal to a guy with a disability, but it seems it is a moment which captivates almost everyone. After all, out of all the ways to transport the queen to the 2012 olympic opening ceremony, Danny Boyle chose to echo that parachute jump in his famous sequence. There is something in that image which thrills us all – not just it’s patriotism, but something about clutching victory from the jaws of defeat, about prevailing when all seems lost.

I think I’ll just flag this bbc 3 program up today, a fascinating insight into disability hate crime. While there’s not much I feel I can say about it, I agree with most of the conclusions it draws. Disability hate crime is a hugely neglected phenomenon: depending on how you define it, you’d be surprised how much discrimination I face every day. Most of it is low level, such as kids staring to inaccessible shops, so I just let it slide. Perhaps I should take more notice and try to do something about it. I’m glad, though, that this program a leat started to look at it and bring it to everyone’s attention.

How much longer do we have to put up with this group of tory scumbags ruling over us? Coming in from my daily stroll, I stumbled over this Mirror article laying bare the shocking arrogance of Iain Duncan-Smith and his deputy. They refuse to publish the figures on how many people have died due to DWP cuts. It has been established beyond doubt that these cuts have driven hundreds if not thousands to suicide, yet, instead of apologising, IDS accuses Labour of ‘scaremongering’. They refuse point blank to release the figures and maintain that they somehow have nothing to hide and are in the right. Knowing the suffering the tories are causing, and having to put up with their dismisive ”we know best” attitude, as if these scumbags have some innate right to impose their views on us, is getting too much for me to stomach.

Poor Lyn had something of a rude awakening this morning. As soon as I got to my computer, I started squealing like a little kid – the new Bond trailer had been released. I know I shouldn’t just advertise adverts on here, but this has me quite excited. If it is anything to go by – and, of course, one should always be cautious of judging a film by it’s trailer – this film will be a blinder. What interests me most is that it appears to pick up on a few past Bond conventions: the 007 franchise has now become so big it can now go back into it’s own history and revisit itself. In many respects it functions more like it’s own genre than an ordinary series or franchise, occupying a unique cultural niche. Thus I detect hints of Live and Let Die in this trailer, as well as intriguing echoes of the theme from On Her Majesty’s secret Service; and of course, the very name Spectre harks back to classic bond. All bodes well then, although we’ll have to wait until late October to find out whether these promising ingredients make for a good film. Going back into the franchise’s own history in this way could be a risky tactic; I hope Sam Mendes handles it as well as we know he can.

I was just out in the garden reading a bit of Go Set A Watchman, the sun feeling as hot as it is in Alabama. A thought occurred to me: with it’s publication, might now be a good time for another adaptation f To Kill a Mockingbird? With the first African Ameican president in office, it might be a good time for film to revisit that classic. It would have to be a period piece, of course- doing a version set in the contemporary wold wouldn’t work in my opinion. There’s also the question of who would play atticus: in the original 1963 adaptation, gregory Peck played him, and you’d need a damn good actor to fill those boots. I’m just speculating here, of course, but I really would like to see film revisit a classic.

I think both Lyn and I prefer to save up and go private for our equipment. I know it doesn’t do my left-wing credentials any good, but, when it comes to things like wheelchairs an communication aids, going through the state can be more trouble than it’s worth. Thus we recently bought our new manual chairs from the internet; and L got her new Ipad stand the same way. It would seem that our instincts were right about this: on the lunchtime news, we learned that wheelchair services are failing across england. It’s always been bad, of course, but now it is horrific. People wait years for a chair, and when they get one, it often isn’t suitable. Fortunately, we were told, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is trying to do something about it, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Mind you, dominik, who was watching the news with us, commented that we are lucky, and that in many other countries there is no wheelchair provision at all. True enough, I suppose.

By and large, my main writing output is my blog. Like an addiction, something compels me to write something on here every day – however short my entries are, at least I have some artistic output. However, I’m glad to report that I now have something else to work on: a script for a production company. Progress has been slow of late, but today, with a gentle kick in the pants from my parents, I got going again. The problem is, I procrastinate; but I know I must keep going lest the opportunity slips through my fingers. Thus today I trotted off four pages, and tomorrow plan to do more. I must tell myself to stop finding excuses and just get it written – which is, of course, why I’m writing this entry.

I think I’ll flag this pretty interesting podcast up. It’s a nice little discussion about language and disability, and the long history of that debate within disability studies. It is from america, so it’s interesting to hear how such debates have played out on the other side of the Atlantic.

Lyn has a new Ipad stand for her wheelchair. It came yesterday, and it’s quite cool. I think she lot it from the web, possibly Ebay. It’s a very nice piece of equipment, specifically designed to attach to a wheelchair. L got it to replace her old stand, which was originally for her Lightwriter. It is just about perfect for lyn, which made me wonder: could whoever designed this new stand have taken inspiration from seeing Lyn performing at the paralympics? Of course, on one level that’s rather farfetched; but if you look at it, and note how well it fits Lyn’s needs, I can’t help but speculate. It seems to be tailor-made for someone who uses an ipad with their nose. All it would take is for a canny designer somewhere to have been watching that ceremony and think ”aha!” I doubt we’ll ever know, but the thought amuses me.

We have a government who, in recent days:

Voted to change the rules on striking, making it much more difficult for workers to stand up for themselves.

Just launched a massive review of the BBC, the countries main source of news and a body unafraid to hold the government to account.

Scapegoats minorities such as people on benefits, branding them scroungers.

Blames external factors such as the economic crisis for pushing through massive, regressive yet ultimately ideologically-inspired cuts to the state.

Is it me, or doesn’t the government seem to be becoming more and more absolutist. This is getting serious. The tories are attacking the beeb, the nhs; soon we won’t be able to strike. They might pretend they aren’t exceeding their rights and are acting fairly, but the tories are becoming increasingly authoritarian, even fascist. It is no longer a joke: they must be stopped.

I know I finished it over a year ago, but I love the fact that it’s possible for me to see echoes of my Masters thesis in my day to day life. A few days ago I noticed that I can see things which remind me of my greatest achievement. For example, at one point in my thesis I write about the ending of Jurrasic park; about how, when the characters are flying away from the park, they spot a bird. Obviously the point of this bit of film was to note that birds evolved from dinosaurs; but or me, now, every time I see a bird in flight in the sky it puts me in mind of my thesis, reminding me of what I’m capable of. I also get a great big kick from watching star Trek The Next generation: obviously I’ve seen all the episodes before, but every time I see Patrick Stewart come on screen, it feels wonderful to be able to cry out ”I’ve met him!” I also absolutely adore the fact that danny Boyle chose to echo the union jack parachute jump from the opening of The Spy Who Loved Me at the olympic opening ceremony in 2012. It is a link I find glorious. To see a moment of film I love and looked at in possibly the greatest thing I’ll ever write reused at such an enormous event – an event which will never come again, but at which Lyn performed at – is something I derive an inordinate amount of joy from. The fact that the opening of the Spy Who Loved Me was used as part of a type of textual play makes it highly relevant to my thesis, given that in a way it illustrates precisely the fusion of fandom and cinephilia I discuss; one of my cinephiliac moments used in a type of textual play – you couldn’t get a better fit with my thesis. To be able to see these echoes of my MA work in my day to day life, to have them remind me of what I’m capable of if I put my mind to it, is something I get find enormously satisfying.

I just read the first chapter of Go Set a Watchman, having whizzed down to our local WH Smiths to pick up a copy. I apparently contributed to a record, as the book sold 105,000 copies on it’s first day, and is on track to become one of the fastest selling books in history. Of course, I can’t give any verdicts yet, but it felt nice, just now on the sofa, to ease back into Harper Lee’s Alabama. As I wrote here a few entries ago, it reminds me of my school days, of Woodford Lodge and GCSE English – a time that now seems half a lifetime away.

It has been sixteen years since I studied Mockingbird. Thinking about that yesterday, I decided to look the old place up: who knew, Mr. Dale might still be teaching there, and it would be wonderful to hear his thoughts on this new book. I found a facebook group; and then, to my astonishment, I learned that Woodford Lodge High School had been knocked down. I do not yet know how or why, but the school where I did my GCSE English and then A-Level English no longer exists. Finding that out was quite strange: I still have very fond memories of walking along the path between my Special School and that place, as well as fond memorie of my lessons there. Knowing that once thriving, bustling place is now a pile of rubble is odd, and I feel rather lie Jean-Louise Finch returning to small town Alabama after being in new York for twenty years.

Have you ever come across something which you hope to zark is ironic but fear might not be? I just watched a program about Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen and I couldn’t work out whether it was a study of a deluded c-list celebrity who genuinely thought he had some kind of image and cache as a designer, or whether it was all a show and Llewelyn-Bowen was putting on an ironic act. I really hope it was the latter, as, if it as the former, Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen must be the most repugnant, arrogant, self-deluded prick ever who certainly did not deserve the airtime of a documentary about him. I cannot believe anyone could truly be as arrogant as he was in this bbc program; he had a phenomenally overinflated sense of his celebrity and significance, seeing himself as an important designer and doyenne and not just some flouncy bloke who was on a few crappy tv shows twenty years ago. Then again, the joke would be on him if that was the case, as that would make the point of the program be to laugh at him. Indeed, the cringeworthy self delusion was very reminiscent of Ricky Gervais’ David Brent. I thus find myself intrigued: was this a program about a man who deep down knows he’s a has-been, or a cruel mocking of a has-been who does not realise he is a nobody.

I don’t often watch ITV except for the occasional bond film or football match, but last night I tuned in to Trans-Siberian Railway with Joanna Lumley. Being a firm fan of Michael Palin Travelogues, I wanted to see how the two compared, and I must say I’m in two minds. The program itself was perfectly fine: Lumley makes an amicable travel presenter as you might expect, and some of the scenery she was passing through really was stunning. I find the idea of one railway track passing through the whole of Asia, from east to west, compelling. Yet I can’t help thinking this was just an ITV imitation of a BBC program, or Lumley trying to elbow herself in to Michael Palin’s territory. The shooting stye and shot selection were pretty much identical, for example. There’s room for both, of course, and I’ll watch virtually anything which shows you far flung places and beautiful scenery; but the concept of ‘well-loved comedian sent to exotic places to make travel show’ just reeks of ITV trying to nick a well-loved bbc idea for it’s sunday night schedule – it just seems crass and lazy. Nevertheless, I’ll continue to watch: imitation or not, the scenery is stunning and the subject fascinating,

After finding this bbc article on it, I’m now even more eager to get my hands on a copy of Go Set a Watchman. As I said a couple of days ago, I’ve love To Kill a Mockingbird since school, but according to this article, Lee’s new novel recasts Atticus as some kind of bigot. Like many, I’ve aways sen Atticus as an emblem of liberal tolerance and reason, so this news comes as a shock. Mind you, as the article stresses, Lee’s new book should be seen as an early version of TKAM, rather tan a prequel or sequel, in which case I’d be fascinated to see how the two compare. I just hope I’m not heartbroken to find Atticus is not who we thought he was.

I know I’m probably being stupid, and that there’s some good, practical reason why this is not possible, but what’s stopping the world from just forgetting about all these economic issues? As far as I can see, they have no basis in any physical reality but are essentially fiction. Stock exchanges, exchange rates – aren’t they all just extremely complex games people play? If that is so, what’s to stop us from all deciding to start again, to say ”hey, this is getting silly” and wiping the slate clean? Why not forget about who owes what to whom? at the end of the day, everyone owes everyone else something: Germany says greece owes it billions, but Germany owes Greece billions from the war. Given that so many people are suffering due to these financial constructs, why can’t we just cut the crap, se it as the bullshit it is and wipe the slate clean. It seems absurd to me that people are dying due to what are essentially fictional constructs. When I go to the shop, for example, I give people money in exchange for goods; but what is money? It’s just pieces of paper and chunks of metal; it only has value because we collectively say it as value. When the guy in the shop gives me my goods, he only expects me to give him money in return due to a shared social convention. Given that convention has no physical basis – ie, no external cause – why can’t we, in certain circumstances, agree to suspend it? while one should usually pay debts, if so many people are suffering due to this crisis, why can’t we just forget about it.

It is with the greatest pleasure that I direct you here this afternoon. The Guardian has put an extract from Go Set A Watchman on it’s website, Harper Lee’s sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. I intend, of course, to buy the novel as soon as I can; yet listening to this extract, beautifully read by Reece Witherspoon, I am reacquainted with a voice I first heard almost twenty years ago. To hear the voice of Scout Finch again, now grown up yet still full of the rich Southern wisdom I fell in love with in Mockingbird, makes me happy beyond words. It takes me both to Alabama, where the story is set, and to the path between the special school I attended and the comprehensive where I did my GCSE english – where Mr Dale, one of the best teachers I ever had, first introduced me to a novel I fell in love with and to the voice it’s so good to hear once more.

When he punched the air so euphorically in parliament yesterday, did Iain Duncan-Smith have any idea of how inflammatory his gesture was? I doubt any such act has ever stirred up so much contempt. IDS is responsible for so much hardship and suffering, yet yesterday he welcomed the onslaught of more like a footballer celebrating a goal. Does the man have no tact? does he not realise the suffering he is causing? or does he realise, but have such a warped sense of reality that he thinks he is doing the right thing? whatever the case, it sickens me that such disgusting little men now run the country.

Conservatism is a blight on humanity which needs to be eradicated. It is not, as it’s moronic proponents would like to believe, a valid political philosophy, but a set of childish greed-motivated impulses to be outgrown. We just sat through George Osbourne spewing a complete pack of lies, refocussing the economy so that it benefits only the rich. He and that shit CaMoron dictate to us as if they are superior, when in fact the shits belong in jail for the suffering they have caused. This subhuman criminal wants to cut tax for the rich while the poorest in society suffer. I want a culture which cares for itself, where people look after each other through paying tax and getting help; tories want a society based on greed, where people horde their money and care only abut their selves. Such a mindset needs to be outgrown – it is a blight, holding us back. For all their pretences, tories – party members and voters – are no more than scum. They are worthy only of utter contempt, and their puerile, abhorrent worldview has to be stamped out.

Today of course marks another anniversary of something which happened to london a decade ago, but the contrast with yesterday could barely be more stark. It’s odd to note that, whereas yesterday marked ten years since something truly momentous, today marks ten years since something truly abhorrent. I doubt anyone could make up a greater juxtaposition. As with yesterday, we can all remember where we were when we heard the news; and as with yesterday, I remember posting a blog entry in reaction to it. But unlike yesterday, there’s not much I feel I can write about it today, except that my thoughts are with all the victims of that tragic event.

It has been ten years to the day since I wrote this entry; ten years since, sitting in my old room at uni, I learned that London had won the right to host the 2012 olympics. I remember being elated, but of course, I could never have guessed back then that I would eventually be living in London at the time of the games, or that I’d have a partner who would play at the closing ceremony. It is truly astounding how things turned out. And, needless to say, I still look back on that event with great fondness, especially the ceremonies – hell, you know how obsessed I am with happy and glorious.

I can’t help thinking how different it could have been. If Jaques Rogge had exclaimed ‘paris’ instead of ‘london’, none of that would have happened. Of course, I’d probably still be living in London with Lyn, but Stratford would still be an unregenerated urban wasteland; we’d not have all those memories of Olympic glory; the pararchestra would never come about; and Happy and Glorious, quite possibly the greatest television moment ever, would never have been created. No doubt we’d be debating whether to bid again, and I’d be protesting vociferously on here that we could not afford it amid all the cuts.

No doubt a lot will be said today about ‘Legacy’, or the lack of it: already the beeb is reporting that tessa Jowell has branded the legacy a failure because there are still too few people involved sport. But I think today should be about reflecting on how different it might have all been, perhaps going over a few happy memories; and sparing a thought for paris, who came so close and now have the bidding process to go through all over again.

A couple of days ago, I came across talk of the creation of a musical based on James Bond. As a Bond fan, my initial reaction was to balk at the idea. 007 is a coldblooded government assassin – he does not sing. To make him do so would completely change his image, turning him into a family-oriented bit of fluff with nothing to do with the character Fleming created. It would ruin the whole Bond phenomenon.

Yet, while that is true, you could say that for the franchise to survive it must evolve. Indeed, it has always evolved: every few films, a new actor is cast, bringing something new to the franchise. That is how it has survived for over fifty years, and how it built such an extraordinary cultural niche for itself that bond escorted the queen to the olympics. There is something special about this character, and part of his success stems from his ability to change with the times; would not this musical idea just be another phase in that evolution?

Mulling this idea over yesterday afternoon, I answered that with a firm ‘no’: James Bond does not, and should never be forced to, sing. However, this morning, cuddling up to Lyn just before I got up, I realised something: a major aspect of the franchise is it’s music. Every time a new bond film comes out, there is always debate over who would do the theme song. I laughed at myself for not realising it before: the obvious plan would be to create a stage show from the existing bond themes. In that moment, my attitude to the whole idea changed. I love most bond theme songs, especially Nobody Does it Better and live and let die. If creating this show from the bond themes is indeed what they are planning – and, let’s face it, that would be the logical thing to do – then I would certainly be up for it. It might deviate from the phenomenon Fleming created, but, handled correctly and written wel, it could be awesome.

Let me get this straight: I just turned on the news to hear that, at a time when tens of thousands are suffering due to benefit cuts, Osbourne now wants to cut inheritance tax on homes up to a million quid. At a time when people are starving due to lack of money in the state sector, he tories want to take even more out of it in order to give wealthy families a tax break. How greedy do you have to be to think that that is in any way moral? Yet that piece of shit CaMoron has called wanting to pass on your home a human right in today’s Times. How dare he speak of human rights?! What about the right of people to not starve? what about the right to independence? He can’t afford to renew the ILF, but he can afford to give his rich pals a tax break. He can’t even use his usual (flawed) justification that cutting tax encourages investment. How dare he preach to us and try to justify his greed-based politics as something noble? The arrogance of this subhuman p’tahk astounds me.

I’m now quite serious in calling for something to be done to remove this group of scumbags from power.

Waiting for a taxi, showered and shirted

Ready for a big day, a big meeting, a day with the potential to be great.

Feeling like a proper writer, going to meet his producers

Then, one last email check: ”sorry matt, change of plan”. A postponement, not a cancellation. Not a major set-back, really

But still a deflation.

And all you can do is take your shirt back off.

It has been a long, busy day. As well as volunteering at school and helping out at the Rix centre, I recently applied to become an equalities champion. These are voluntary positions where one advocaes for the rights of a given minority, in my case disabled people. I will be working closely with GAD. I went to a training session on it today, and, voluntary though it may be, it’s quite involved; it will certainly keep me active. Sitting at the training session in woolwich town hall, I felt like I was back at school: the concepts we had to cover were not that neglegable, and being in a more or less classroom setting made me quite nostalgic. A good day then, marking the start of something which promises to be very interesting indeed.

Only the british can spend most of the year longing for summer to arrive, then as soon as we get anything resembling hot weather, we start moaning that it is too hot and longing for the cool. The news was full of it this evening; any temperature over 35 is apparently a major news story. Mind you, I was very amused to find that the word ‘scorchio’ was in wide use: it seems everyone remembers the old fast show sketch to the extent that we now use it as a common reference point. There’s quite a bit I could say about that, and ordinarily I’d analyse it…but it’s way too hot.