Hope

The pelican that got a shower in time, and the pelican that didn't

   

Credits: »Jim Wilson, Gerald Herbert | New York Times

The BP oil spill. Appalling, the amount of damage we are doing to this earth.



Postscript: A painter at the brunch table a couple of days ago remarked that the media has been so focused on the ecological damage that we seem to forget that 11 men who also died in the explosion.   They are remembered here, this minute, this Bank holiday.

Fear mongering

Such as »this is not just analysis. It is irresponsible.

So what's the point of doomsday predictions with no solutions? To tell everyone to short Greece? So that the prophecy will fulfil itself and you can become famous?

Clever tube ads

Suffolk Festival of Music, Dance and Speech -
"Come to your senses."

Sperm bank seeking donors (apparently demand always outstrips supply) -
"This is the real banking crisis."

This is after all the city where you see book ads on tube station billboards.

ETAs for London-bound postcards

From Guatemala: 22 days
From New Orleans: 5 days
From Hong Kong: 17 days (volcanic ash period)
From Pittsburgh: 6 days (Christmas period, first-class mail)
From Taipei: 6 days

From Tibet?  Based on a previous journey to Singapore, 6 months by mule express.

Yoshimaninov

I laughed. That's a name fit for an aficionado.

It seems like he's a Japanese concert pianist who also »hosts a impressive collection of classical music videos on youtube.

Better days

Currently: May 11, 5ºC, heater on, socks on.

Why bother jumping out of the way of a speeding car?

Because it is interesting to set yourself a challenge in an age of abundance.

(In addition to far more urgent and obvious reasons of course.)

I »pledge to:

1. Continue doing laundry at the lowest temperatures because it is also good for my clothes.
2. Continue relying on natural light in the day because I also have the most gorgeous view.
3. Continue separating out my trash because they have already made it so easy.
4. Chuck a folded plastic bag in every of my bags, because conference pears and fresh milk keep badgering me to bring them home. 
5. Spend only on good quality and design, picking up mundane items like holepunchers from thriftshops. (There're a ton of mundane stuff in our lives that don't need to be new at all.)
6. Never throw another battery into the trash out of laziness unless »the country doesn't have battery recycling bins.
7. Plug my phone charger in a conspicuous socket so that I will turn it off when not in use.
8. Use the stairs on the way up, instead of just on the way down.
9. Reduce the amount of trash I generate to one bag per week.  (Currently 1.5)
10. Switch off common area lights in the day even though I don't pay the utility bills.

Finally, I pledge not be affected by sniggering folks who are too cool to do anything, or too blasé to have hope.


P.S. I'm still reeling from the revelation that flying is the worst thing an individual can do to her carbon footprint.  I'd have to think of how I can adjust my penchant for travel to this unfortunate fact of life.

Not Queen's English

US Internal Revenue Code (1986), §954(c)(6).

I checked: thru is not picked up by Microsoft spell-check.

总有一扇门走得过

Salomé

Salomé and the beheaded St John the Baptist in »Saura's rendition of the biblical story.

The bewitching Dance of the Seven Veils scene is »here.  His other films look so delicious too, especially Fados.

End of my indulgent diversion from work.  Must get back now. 

Goodenough Colours

Both Beer on Piano and Snowy Prints had the good fortune to be shortlisted and blown up into A3. I was flattered and happy.

Then Magic Hour took home the cake. Super many thanks to Ms K for the über surprise by keeping things so secretive!

For those who haven't, you can see them »here.

Your world is 360

Hence, no need to be too fixated.