There’s nothing like being bed-ridden for a couple of days with a nasty cold to really make you think about everything that’s going on in your life. When the very idea of watching TV, surfing the net, or even reading a book makes you go green, you know you’re in for some serious critical self-reflection.
Here’s a small selection of those thoughts:
All I can say is thank god for TV so we can all tune in and switch off – the best cure for existential man flu ever.
Damn right. I haven’t had one of these for about 20 years and look what I got. Whatever happened to the DIY aeroplanes that used to take you half an hour to put together????!!!?
Disappointed.
So I’ve just got around to watching West Wing on DVD. On about series 2 now which is absolutely brilliant, as most things are on HBO. At least I think it’s HBO. Have to say I don’t understand most of it, I sort of drift in and out as the characters discuss US politics in depth, making me feel really insecure like I should be checking out Wikipedia more often to find out what Congress or the Senate actually do. All those long continuous camera shots following the characters as they converse through corridors of power. Relentless and unending. Makes you feel like an eavesdropper. Unnecessary. Then they smack you with a massive patriotic episode, which to a cynical Brit sort of catches you off guard. You want to join the collective sense of patriotism, but you feel almost guilty doing so. Reminds me of Battlestar Galactica. The long camera shots that is. Was that HBO? I never thought I’d be able to sustain such a long, narrative ramble like West Wing. I thought you could only have that kind of dialogue in books. Not sure if I’ll be able to hang out until the final series. These TV programs have the habit of diluting themselves until there’s only one decent episode in every three. 24 got that way. Not sure I can stand seeing Jack Bauer again. Nice music on West Wing. Makes me feel all…there’s that word again.
How depressing. There I was, sat at my desk thinking thoughts thoughtfully when ‘ping!’ I get an update on my messenger. My brother is currently in Thailand on a two month holiday with his girlfriend, taking a break until they can both find jobs here in the UK (she’s been trying to get a job in the legal profession for over a year after completing a postgrad in law).
However, now that Labour have announced that the recession is officially over, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of jobs to choose from when they come back.
Until then I am officially jealous.
Just got my cheque from Microsoft to support my London Marathon 2009 fundraising for Age Concern. I’m well chuffed with this – the marathon was bloody hard work and I’m glad it’s all over. Well, almost, I’ve got a half-marathon to do in October at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Glutton for punishment I guess!
P.S: I need a serious haircut. And perhaps a new face.
This week I ordered a copy of Eliot’s ‘The Collected Poems & Plays’ to remind myself just how brilliant this poet was. As part of their recent poetry season the BBC ran two features on Eliot, the first being an Arena special on his life & works, the second a piece by Robert Webb on why The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock is his favourite poem – needless to say, both were fantastic and made me want to pick up his poetry immediately.
Here follows a list of why I would *High Five* Eliot if I ever had the good fortune of travelling back in time to meet him:
![image[3] 60836127 Why T.S Eliot Rocks](https://epimba.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mORj-ko0SM5iWPjZNhLCo2Nvg7QRd9EutoPUgDNabg6eQB8VNxPAB0eGcMa65j1b3DNVRrYfkG7QFxwDXm_WTcoxvnCdOoDtzM9An07CsC9_CVuGYxXDiQUtJLHp7ml7zsTxdAipB1Vnh2evw45axQg/image[3] 60836127.png "image")
I guess what I’m really trying to saw is that I owe an awful lot to Eliot, and the teachers that introduced me to him. From trying to crack ‘The Wasteland’ at A-Level, through to reading his philosophical thoughts on Tradition (BA) and then his subsequent influence on postmodernism (MA), he’s someone that I’ve always gone back to. No doubt I’ll be sharing more of my thoughts on this poet as I plough through this small tome that I’m reading.
*High Five*
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