Carole King
Carole King being interviewed on the 7:30 Report, as she’s in the country at the moment – wish I was going to see her, but oh well. She comes across as a lovely person; it’s bizarre to think that she was originally too shy to perform herself. She was performing in James Taylor’s band as a back-up singer, and he basically forced her up the front to perform at a concert. That’s cool.
Ooh, footage of her singing “You’ve got a friend” – shivers up the spine! She’s just great. “It’s too late” is still one of my favouritest songs ever. Which is a bit odd, and probably disturbing to J, but eh.
I didn’t know she was an environmentalist. That’s cool too.
Weather
It’s November, God! Hello!! Yes, I know we need the rain, but… hail? And snow?? That’s just a bit crazy.
Isn’t it?
Books up for grabs
We’re having a minor clean-out, and these are the books I’ve decided I can bear to part with!
Fantasy/scifi:
Till we have Faces, by CS Lewis
House Atreides, by Brian Herbert
Ash: A Secret History, by Mary Gentle
The Misplaced Legion, by Harry Turtledove
The Skystone, by Jack Whyte
Run to the Stars, by Michael Scott Rohan
The Galactic Milieu trilogy – Jack the Bodiless, Diamond Mask, and Magnificat – by Julian May
Hal Spacejock, by Simon Haynes
Time Storm, by Gordon R Dickson
The Deep Range, by Arthur C Clarke
The Deepest Sea, by Charles Barnitz
Titan, by Stephen Baxter
Seventh Son, by Orson Scott Card
ThiGMOO, by Eugene Byrne
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
Labyrinth, by Kate Mosse
“Literature”
Three Jacobean Tragedies
Unnatural Fire, by Fidelis Morgan
Le Morte D’Arthur, by Malory (translated)
Box, by Penelope Todd
The Lost German Slave Girl, by John Bailey
Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks
The Lost King of France, by Deborah Cadbury
Other (mostly action/adventure)
Wings of the Storm, by Susan Sizemore (!)
The Guns of Navarone, by Alistair MacLean
Ice Station, by Matthew Reilly
I, Claudia, by Marilyn Todd
The Little Lady Agency, by Hester Browne
Atlantis Found, by Clive Cussler
Warriors of the Dragon Gold, by Ray Bryant
True Polar Adventures, by Paul Downswell
The Summer of my Greek Taverna, by Tom Stone
Rule No5: No Sex on the Bus, by Brian Thacker
There’s also some old travel mags. Interested in any of them? Let me know! In the comments, or alex@ the url of the site.
Tibetan railways
I’ve been really digging having World Hum on RSS. Thanks to it comes this article on the railway that China has built into Tibet – the highest railway, I think, anywhere. It’s about the experiences of the author on the 48 hour trip. I’d love to visit Tibet some day… but probably not by this train.
BBC radio shows
I’ve been listening to “In our Time” today: my house has been invaded by musos, taping a demo of some new songs written by Esther. So I’m banished to the bedroom, with my puter and a couple of books.
So I’ve listened to the episode on the Diet of Worms, on the EncyclopeÌdie, and at the moment to Poincare and his conjecture… which I admit I’m not listening to very carefully, so I’m actually not really sure what the conjecture is. Nevertheless, I do enjoy these episodes, despite the fact that often I think Melvyn is a but of a knob, and seems to try and trip his guests up. Sometimes I guess his seeming-abrasiveness is to get the entire thing done in 40 minutes, which is always an effort.
Word Play
I saw this yesterday, at the Nova – and it was brilliant. Who would have thought that a documentary about people who make and do crytic crosswords could have been that interesting?? It really was just about the people, and their relationship to the NY Times cryptic: there is some tension around who will make it to the Championship stage of the American national competition, and then who will actually win, but it’s structured around the people themselves talking to the camera – the filmmaker is basically invisible, which is a style I’ve always liked. The people themselves were the sort of odd collection that frankly I expected. I liked that they included a few famous people – Bill Clinton, a comedian whose name I forget, the Indigo Girls – but basically the only things they talked about were the NY Time crossword. The people who actually went to the nationals were the main stars… and yes, they’re a bit nerdy (or a lot, in some cases), but they are potrayed in a sympathetic light and allowed to speak for themselves.
Definitely worth watching!
New fish!
Yesterday, we got 20 normal neons, who are very small, and 20 black neons, who are not so small. I got two little Flying Foxes too, although at the moment I can’t see them at the moment. I’m hoping that they will do something about the algae, although that might be helpful.
Meanwhile, the angel is sick… doesn’t look worse, but not good….
Nooooo fish
That’s noooo as in “new”, not “no”, by the way.
Went to Coburg. Bought 20 neons, which are little and cute, and 20 black neons, which are very exciting. We also bought two little Flying Foxes, which I hope will do the job of the Siamese Algae Eaters who died… that was very sad. I’m sure the exploding algae issue is due to that.
So… oh yes, a rasbora died, which was sad, and the remaining giant angel seems to have a serious issue… it has a wound on its underside – I think it may be around the anus. Anyway, if fish had suppurating wounds, I think this one would be. I’m very, very sad.
RandomAlex gets old
Well, I’ve just passed 600 posts – how remarkable! And it wasn’t a very interesting to mark such a landmark…. Anyway, for a blog that started as a way to record my adventures in fishkeeping, it has progressed some way. I don’t remember my last fishie post – although there will be one in a bit, yay! I started by writing a paper diary – I am an historian, I love hand writing stuff – which I then typed up. I then decided to add the rest of the stuff… and the rest is, naturally enough, history.
Just by the way, if anyone actually gets this by RSS or similar, could you let me know?? I’m fascinated to find out… although I’m guessing I’l be disappointed =]
Death of a Mango
I love mango. Absolutely love them.
Randomly Yours, Alex 