Thursday, March 30, 2006
art
Every time I see this ad on the tube, I get confused. See, I have a friend called Dan Favin (NB, not he real name, power of google, blablahblah) and every time I see this poster I think to myself, "I didn't know Dan Favin was an American minimalist installation artist."
Must give him a call. The one I know, I mean.
NB: the real Dan Flavin.
Must give him a call. The one I know, I mean.
NB: the real Dan Flavin.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
You know it's nearly Pesach when people email you JibJab's "Matzah!".
In the olden days, it's was about the calendar, the clock changing, the post-Purim thang that meant you should start cleaning your cupboards with a vengeance. Nowadays, it's all digital.
In the olden days, it's was about the calendar, the clock changing, the post-Purim thang that meant you should start cleaning your cupboards with a vengeance. Nowadays, it's all digital.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
If you were at the Brighton Festival 2006 on Saturday May 6th, you could see Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh in debate. Say.
Monday, March 27, 2006
I don't always blog the details of my work, as lots of it is confidential/too technical for interest, but today's the Guardian Changing Media Summit, where I did the research and put together the programme. I am the Xeni Jardin of my own life. Watch this space.
The weekend - movies; Capote (fascinating, but ultimately depressing because he was so selfish), V for Vendetta (hard to believe it was based on a vision of Thatcherite fascism, but nowadays looks remarkably like New Labour), my local gastropub (North London Tavern) with some old friends - where I was delighted to see the "no smoking till after 10pm" sign, but when I queried the waitress about it, she told me the person smoking in the restaurant area was the owner, a great shabbat lunch that went on till six pm, and two sets of Sunday papers.
Friday, March 24, 2006
So I hate The Jewish Chronicle (JC as it's known) website with a passion. It's retro, not optimised for firefox, looks lousy and doesn't have any news on it, because you have to subscribe, in some remarkably 1996 way.
So you can't see the three stories I just read...
the Sunderland community, where my grandmother came from is finally dying, and they're having their last Shabbat services tomorrow morning. All that's left is a chevra kaddisha (burial society) - no more shuls, schools, ladies guilds, cheders... it's the story of regional UK Jewry, but I feel sad
the JC informs me there is antisemitism on the Guardian Comment Is Free blog.
Danny Finklestein, one of the stable of regular columnists, and also an editor of the Times, has written this week's column as an open letter to Tony Blair.
Putting aside the obvious issue that since the death of Chaim Bermant some eight years ago, that opposite-the-letters-page slot has not felt right, the JC's columnist strategy has been - largely - make sure they're famous elsewhere.
It works for some people, but I feel strangely frustrated that Danny's written a political column with no Jewish content, or context, or even sensibility. In the interests of transparency, I should state that Danny is somewhere on the friend-acquaintance spectrum, and I admire him as a writer and a wit. But this week's column? It's interesting, sure, in the Times maybe. Is it a JC column? I don't think so.
Here's what I think a JC column is about (bizarro-world stream of consciousness to follow)... anything ranging from...
- the Institute of Jewish Mother Studies at Manchester University
- Jews and the property gene (everything from why we live in cul de sacs to why we can all price property at twenty paces. We can't take it with us when the Nazis come).
- Is there really more antisemitism, or are we all Woody Allenly angsting about it?
- What do we think about outmarriage?
- Why are we obsessed with counting Jews?
- How does Anglo-Jewry function now that the strong link with Israel and zionism is problematic (less people going on year schemes/aliyah/Israel summer trips) - what is the diaspora potentially without the place we left?
- Tay sachs/genetic testing - do people take this seriously?
- The "shul with a pool" thing - with less and less people doing the religion thing, what does the culture thing mean?
- are Jews really hip? Is the Jewish hipster thing coming to the UK?
- is there a Jewish conspiracy
- can the community create an inclusive non-judgemental space for everyone who walks through the door, or will we always be judging people's hats and kippot and haircuts
- how does a community retain its independence - difference - while playing a part in the broader society
- interfaith stuff
- regional communities and how they survive as they shrink
- does the internet in some way remove the need for community?
- is there really a resurgence in Jewish learning?
... the list goes on and on. These are first thoughts, sure. But it seems to me there are people who live and breathe this stuff, and they're not all writing for the JC. Yet.
So you can't see the three stories I just read...
Putting aside the obvious issue that since the death of Chaim Bermant some eight years ago, that opposite-the-letters-page slot has not felt right, the JC's columnist strategy has been - largely - make sure they're famous elsewhere.
It works for some people, but I feel strangely frustrated that Danny's written a political column with no Jewish content, or context, or even sensibility. In the interests of transparency, I should state that Danny is somewhere on the friend-acquaintance spectrum, and I admire him as a writer and a wit. But this week's column? It's interesting, sure, in the Times maybe. Is it a JC column? I don't think so.
Here's what I think a JC column is about (bizarro-world stream of consciousness to follow)... anything ranging from...
- the Institute of Jewish Mother Studies at Manchester University
- Jews and the property gene (everything from why we live in cul de sacs to why we can all price property at twenty paces. We can't take it with us when the Nazis come).
- Is there really more antisemitism, or are we all Woody Allenly angsting about it?
- What do we think about outmarriage?
- Why are we obsessed with counting Jews?
- How does Anglo-Jewry function now that the strong link with Israel and zionism is problematic (less people going on year schemes/aliyah/Israel summer trips) - what is the diaspora potentially without the place we left?
- Tay sachs/genetic testing - do people take this seriously?
- The "shul with a pool" thing - with less and less people doing the religion thing, what does the culture thing mean?
- are Jews really hip? Is the Jewish hipster thing coming to the UK?
- is there a Jewish conspiracy
- can the community create an inclusive non-judgemental space for everyone who walks through the door, or will we always be judging people's hats and kippot and haircuts
- how does a community retain its independence - difference - while playing a part in the broader society
- interfaith stuff
- regional communities and how they survive as they shrink
- does the internet in some way remove the need for community?
- is there really a resurgence in Jewish learning?
... the list goes on and on. These are first thoughts, sure. But it seems to me there are people who live and breathe this stuff, and they're not all writing for the JC. Yet.
Paris is sounding scary this week. Hello N, how are you?
I had a quick coffee with a former work colleague during the week - it was really lovely to catch up, we both had reason to be in the British Library - and we hadn't seen each other for a few years.
We'd both been doing interesting stuff in the intervening time (her slightly more than me, I have to admit), but she told me something that I've not been able to stop thinking about.
I met a woman in my first job who had been promoted, and showed me the ropes for the first few days. We stayed vaguely in touch; we both worked for a variety of media companies and it's a small world blah blah blah. She was a nice person.
A few years back, maybe two, she's top brass at a media plc, and I did a piece of competitor analysis for her, it was nice to be in touch, and she told me she'd got married the previous year. I remember what she said in her email, "it was the most rewarding day of my life" and I remember feeling happy for her; not everyone finds love, especially if they work 20 hours a day, and she seemed happy and settled and I congratulated her.
So this week, my friend told me that this woman had lost her husband - I'm guessing he was in his late thirites - and I was just shocked. She didn't know any details, although my desire to know details, have an explanation, was as much for me to make sense of the world as anything else, but I've not been able to stop thinking about it.
I've not been in touch with her for a while, so I think it would be weird for me to write and say "hear your husband died" but I feel like I want to acknowledge it in some way. This morning, while I was brushing my teeth, the thought of her loss came into my mind and I was momentarily... breathless. Tearful, almost.
The world can sometimes seem terribly unfair.
Of course, it swings both ways. My former colleague also told me that my first boss, who must now be pushing fifty, and was a nice, incredibly green fingered woman, but slightly spinsterish, had met a bloke in a bar, found love and moved to Berlin.
This woman - who always had slightly unfortunate initials on internal documents, STD - I remember as being quite bitter about men, and filled her time growing spider plants in our office (the oxygen was good for us), doing charity work, renovating her house and holidaying in exotic places. Not that any of these things are bad things.
And now she's all loved up in Eur-ope (imagine Woody Allen voice, please), which can only be a good thing.
So, one good, one not so good. Do they balance each other out?
We'd both been doing interesting stuff in the intervening time (her slightly more than me, I have to admit), but she told me something that I've not been able to stop thinking about.
I met a woman in my first job who had been promoted, and showed me the ropes for the first few days. We stayed vaguely in touch; we both worked for a variety of media companies and it's a small world blah blah blah. She was a nice person.
A few years back, maybe two, she's top brass at a media plc, and I did a piece of competitor analysis for her, it was nice to be in touch, and she told me she'd got married the previous year. I remember what she said in her email, "it was the most rewarding day of my life" and I remember feeling happy for her; not everyone finds love, especially if they work 20 hours a day, and she seemed happy and settled and I congratulated her.
So this week, my friend told me that this woman had lost her husband - I'm guessing he was in his late thirites - and I was just shocked. She didn't know any details, although my desire to know details, have an explanation, was as much for me to make sense of the world as anything else, but I've not been able to stop thinking about it.
I've not been in touch with her for a while, so I think it would be weird for me to write and say "hear your husband died" but I feel like I want to acknowledge it in some way. This morning, while I was brushing my teeth, the thought of her loss came into my mind and I was momentarily... breathless. Tearful, almost.
The world can sometimes seem terribly unfair.
Of course, it swings both ways. My former colleague also told me that my first boss, who must now be pushing fifty, and was a nice, incredibly green fingered woman, but slightly spinsterish, had met a bloke in a bar, found love and moved to Berlin.
This woman - who always had slightly unfortunate initials on internal documents, STD - I remember as being quite bitter about men, and filled her time growing spider plants in our office (the oxygen was good for us), doing charity work, renovating her house and holidaying in exotic places. Not that any of these things are bad things.
And now she's all loved up in Eur-ope (imagine Woody Allen voice, please), which can only be a good thing.
So, one good, one not so good. Do they balance each other out?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
I wish it to be known that the wifi at the British Library sucks.
Badly.
So a month or so ago I signed up for £35/month pass, which was expensive but good. Except that after the first logon, it never worked again, and I wasted ages getting in touch with Building Zones trying to get it fixed. I paid a squillion pence to a stupid 0870 number who were unhelpful. But s-l-o-w-l-y.
In the end, I cancelled the £35/month thing, because I was paying for something I couldn't use. But now I'm back at the library this morning, and need to sign up to something else...
So I call the British Library switchboard - carefully avoiding their 0870 ruse) and talk to a woman who says she'll look on the internet for me. To tell me what wifi providers they support. Like I didn't already look. I tell I already looked and she says she might see something I didn't see. She sees an email address. Great. And do I want to give them feedback? No, I say, I just want something that works without wasting my time.
So now, I've signed up for SkypeZones on the vague recollection that they're also in the British Library, as I can't bear doing the whole other crappy thing again.
It seems like being a consumer is really hard work, nowadays. I just want somethng to work.
I am politer in real life. Honestly.
Badly.
So a month or so ago I signed up for £35/month pass, which was expensive but good. Except that after the first logon, it never worked again, and I wasted ages getting in touch with Building Zones trying to get it fixed. I paid a squillion pence to a stupid 0870 number who were unhelpful. But s-l-o-w-l-y.
In the end, I cancelled the £35/month thing, because I was paying for something I couldn't use. But now I'm back at the library this morning, and need to sign up to something else...
So I call the British Library switchboard - carefully avoiding their 0870 ruse) and talk to a woman who says she'll look on the internet for me. To tell me what wifi providers they support. Like I didn't already look. I tell I already looked and she says she might see something I didn't see. She sees an email address. Great. And do I want to give them feedback? No, I say, I just want something that works without wasting my time.
So now, I've signed up for SkypeZones on the vague recollection that they're also in the British Library, as I can't bear doing the whole other crappy thing again.
It seems like being a consumer is really hard work, nowadays. I just want somethng to work.
I am politer in real life. Honestly.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Image(1254)
A slef-portrait, including my favourite colour (purple). Taken somewhere in EC2 on the way to the most ridiculous meeting that I will write about one day. The guy kept me waiting for 45 minutes, didn't have a meeting room so we had to lean against his desk, he said "it's like a sweat shop in here" as we walked past the dozens of "worker bees" (which did not exactly endear him to me) and it turned out they wanted me to do the impossible in an outrageously short timeframe.
Also, there office was in a scary alleyway, so you'd hate to work there.
As I left he leaned down and said to me "is there any way we could persuade you to take on this project?" And I said no. Firmly.
Also, there office was in a scary alleyway, so you'd hate to work there.
As I left he leaned down and said to me "is there any way we could persuade you to take on this project?" And I said no. Firmly.
Oh, I hate it when people don't get things right.
So I'm doing a piece of research, and signing up for a bunch of websites to see how the sector works and get some data. I sign up for an information site, with the phone number 020 7000 9999 (or whatever) and it comes back and says it's not a valid phone number.
So I enter 0207 000 9999 and it accepts me. Which is wrong. All London numbers start 020 and then are some are 7XXX and some are 8XXX. They're just wrong.
Gah.
Also, of course, sometimes I make mistakes. Must be more forgiving.
So I'm doing a piece of research, and signing up for a bunch of websites to see how the sector works and get some data. I sign up for an information site, with the phone number 020 7000 9999 (or whatever) and it comes back and says it's not a valid phone number.
So I enter 0207 000 9999 and it accepts me. Which is wrong. All London numbers start 020 and then are some are 7XXX and some are 8XXX. They're just wrong.
Gah.
Also, of course, sometimes I make mistakes. Must be more forgiving.
I was gutted I couldn't make Saturday night's east end PunkPurim extravaganza - and here it is written up in the the Guardian - Jewish hipsters and sacred cows.
It was in my diary, and my peops were going and everything, but I had a sudden incidence of scary back pain, and I knew that standing in a heaving bar with three hundred of my closest unzerer (bad use of yiddish?) would not best please my delicate L4/L5 back issue. So I took some valium (as a muscle relaxant, you understand, which on top of the afternoon's B52s had me delirious as a bubble gum house) and ended up with something of a boudoir soiree with R and D. With chocolate.
The people I know who went have given it variously great and not-so-great reviews (but then that's the Jewish disease, to some degree) but frankly something that's (a) not in North London, (b) doesn't have a ticket price, (c) is a radical mishmash of weird stuff and (d) isn't organised by an existing Jewish body and (e) isn't obsessed with the numbers game is already making it, in my book.
So well done to Joseph (sorry I didn't reply to your email) and the crew, and I can't wait - back permitting - till the next one.
It was in my diary, and my peops were going and everything, but I had a sudden incidence of scary back pain, and I knew that standing in a heaving bar with three hundred of my closest unzerer (bad use of yiddish?) would not best please my delicate L4/L5 back issue. So I took some valium (as a muscle relaxant, you understand, which on top of the afternoon's B52s had me delirious as a bubble gum house) and ended up with something of a boudoir soiree with R and D. With chocolate.
The people I know who went have given it variously great and not-so-great reviews (but then that's the Jewish disease, to some degree) but frankly something that's (a) not in North London, (b) doesn't have a ticket price, (c) is a radical mishmash of weird stuff and (d) isn't organised by an existing Jewish body and (e) isn't obsessed with the numbers game is already making it, in my book.
So well done to Joseph (sorry I didn't reply to your email) and the crew, and I can't wait - back permitting - till the next one.
A mega cyclone batters the Australian Queensland coast and devestates 90% of the banana crop.
Is the world getting scarier? Are bananas about to get more expensive?
Is the world getting scarier? Are bananas about to get more expensive?
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Also, I recently learned a great little life hack to get good tickets at the National, but I'm sworn to secrecy. Sorry.
I had some fun and games in Debenhams recently. Particuarly taken with their Black 'half moon' long sleeve jersey dress by Betty Jackson.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Talk about a mashup - Gawker Stalker. Coming soon, to a town near you...
Have you heard of the Pink Ladies? It's a women only cab service.
Dave Gorman in this morning's Guardian on Flickr.
And Dave, it's flicker, not flick-are. Just so you know.
And Dave, it's flicker, not flick-are. Just so you know.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Extremely speedy note to say I've heard the megillah (loud), I've seen three Power Rangers and a Scooby Doo (it's kinda a fancy dress festival for kids), I've plaited my niece's hair and decorated with two bobbles and five clips, I have made mishloach manot with my nephew, including his discovery of my latent ability to do bubble writing (too much graffiti on my chemistry book in the eighties, methinks), and now I'm off to work.
Manchester is so much more fabulous than I remember it - a buzz, loadsa building... being called by my car service (sister).
Manchester is so much more fabulous than I remember it - a buzz, loadsa building... being called by my car service (sister).
Monday, March 13, 2006
Saturday night's (second) party was kinda like everyone I've ever met in my life all in a house in Cricklewood. Sorry, I mean Cricklehamsptead.
People I'd not seen for years, together with those I see every week, all dancing and eating and drinking and chilling out.
A and her terrible husband P - he made me say that, it's bizarrely the only way he'll meet me for coffee, if he gets mentioned on my blog, apparrently - I hadn't seen in years, and it was lovely to catch up, talk interior decor, property prices and failed friendships. Not that we have any, you understand.
There's something very wonderful about people you've known for a long time, even if you haven't seen them in a long time. Like some friendships are .. robust. Others, I guess not.
People I'd not seen for years, together with those I see every week, all dancing and eating and drinking and chilling out.
A and her terrible husband P - he made me say that, it's bizarrely the only way he'll meet me for coffee, if he gets mentioned on my blog, apparrently - I hadn't seen in years, and it was lovely to catch up, talk interior decor, property prices and failed friendships. Not that we have any, you understand.
There's something very wonderful about people you've known for a long time, even if you haven't seen them in a long time. Like some friendships are .. robust. Others, I guess not.
Tonight is Purim: The Festival of Lots - a minor but fun festival.
Some random thoughts:
Some random thoughts:
- It's basically a kids' festival - lots of dressing up and noise. When I knocked-on (how Manchester) at some friends yesterday afternoon, their three kids were going wild making their fancy dress costumes
- there are three basic mitzvot (good deeds/things you should do) - hear the megilla (the story), send mishlo'ach manot (shalach monuss in yiddish), which are small gifts of two kinds of prepared and unprepared food, and matanot l'evyonim, gifts to the poor, aka charity (there are more, and I'm sure someone will comment about Purim se-udot (festive meals) and the like, but I'm just giving you a taste)
- like all/most Jewish festivals, it's based on the premise "they tried to kill us (Haman), we won (Mordechai), let's eat (Hamantashen)
- traditional food is hamantashen, triangular shaped pastries in the shape of Haman's ears. I have not made any this year, although I used to make fabulous ones with my mum
- some people get a bit competitive about shalach manot - I made four small parcels in little baskets I bought in Golders Green with my sister. I'm not very good with large gifts, and I don't really like to be showy
- When I lived in Singapore, which has a large secular Israeli community who all seem to do something secret for the government they can't tell you, they all came out on Purim, Simchat Torah and Chanukah - they're kinda like the secular high holidays because they're fun (rather than Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, which are harder work and less fun)
What a weekend. Met many cool newmedia-ish and comix-style people, went to a houseparty that had an Israeli security guard and a chill-out room with Howard Jacobson hiding in the corner (OK, not hiding), a brief book-launch (stylish and vegetarian, quite a combination), a house-viewing (not my own, I offer this service, with valuation, for house-hunting friends, and it turned out I knew the next-door neighbours, so I did a possible-neighbour-shidduch), 3X starbuxim (though strictly camomile tea, I need to go easy on the coffee - it's the third space that does it for me, I realise, not the sugar hit).
Now, off to Manchester - work and Purim. Some combination.
Now, off to Manchester - work and Purim. Some combination.
Recent theatre:
- Resurrection Blues - the Robert Altman production of
Arnold Wesker'sArthur Miller's last play, at the Old Vic - basically, a Jewish guy not getting the whole Jesus thing, but Robert Altman's vision was a little disappointing, and the Ikea-stylee set a little amdram, frankly. - The Complicite production of Measure for Measure at the National, which was visually appealing, and truly brought the play to life. Kinda reminded me of a production of Merry Wives that I saw in Stratford when I was at school/college (can't remember) with my family, which was in 1950s dress, and I still remember. When someone brings Shakespeare to life, it's truly amazing.
Friday, March 10, 2006
There is something ironic yet fitting about me being the number one google search for ghastly upvc glazing - remember?
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Linky-linky love...
- Double tragedy of Stockwell shooting .. Panorama on Wednesday night on Jean Charles de Menezes and Operation Kratos. Fascinating insight into how our goverment decides things, and interesting parallels with how Israel deals with suicide bombers.
- I was sacked for being gay, banker tells tribunal .. Homophobia in the city to the tune of £5m - one to watch.
- Britain turns off - and logs on .. Do you spend 164 minutes a day online? That's the UK average, apparently. Who do you think they were interviewing?
- NHS chief quits amid worsening cash crisis An £800m NHS deficit? That's so much money, I can't actually understand how much it is.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Is it me, or is Bad Lads Army in desperate need of an apostrophe?
Hope it's not overly Lynne Truss to point this out, but sometimes, you know, it just...
Hope it's not overly Lynne Truss to point this out, but sometimes, you know, it just...
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
My brain is just one big link farm. Here ya go...
- Stalkr is go... on Flickr .. Suspect this guy had a few friendly words from Yahoo; now rebranded as friendfinder. I kinda liked Stalkr.
- Blogs to Riches - The Haves and Have-Nots of the Blogging Boom .. Interesting piece about who's cool and who's not in the A-list blogosphere.
- Bloggers in Amsterdam: DISCLOSURE .. Apparently, blogads.com took a bunch of (largely US) bloggers to Amsterdam for the weekend for no reason. How nice.
- Suppliers, Gourmet Heritage Potatoes, Northumberland, UK .. The wonder of the internet means you can buy heritage (ie obscure types that hardly grown any more) potatoes.
- British Jews 350 .. This year is the 350th anniversary of vibrant Jewish life in the UK. Although what no-one's saying is that the sefardim (eastern/spanish/portugese) Jews got here first, and the ashkenazi (polish/lithuanian/russion etc) majority didn't arrive till the 1880.
- 50 things for winter 2006 .. Fifty things we should all do this winter.
Camden Council doorstep recycling now collect cardboard and plastic bottles. Yay. From next wednesday. It's taken me two years to get the Monday morning recycling into my head, but it's a small price to pay for saving the planet.
So I'm going out of town on a business trip, just booked the ticket on thetrainline, which I've used for years, despite its usability flaws.
And, get this? I book my ticket, check all the boxes, put in my credit card... and then, after the transaction has been sucessful, it informs me that I have paid (past tense) a £1.50 credit card fee.
So I go on saynoto0870, because I don't want to spend another £1.50 finding out why, but the 0207 landline number is just an answerphone, so because I'm a sucker I call the 0870 number, and spend six minutes (60p? the tarrif is well hidden on the telewest phone site) to find out that I can write and complain. No one can tell me why they've started doing this or why they didn't inform me. Then a supervisor in India gets on the line and says it is on the website, and I say it isn't, or if it is, it's really small, and then I think, bugger this, and hangup.
So now I'm £2.10 down and pissed off. Transparent, opensource, they're not.
And the trains don't even run on time.
And, get this? I book my ticket, check all the boxes, put in my credit card... and then, after the transaction has been sucessful, it informs me that I have paid (past tense) a £1.50 credit card fee.
So I go on saynoto0870, because I don't want to spend another £1.50 finding out why, but the 0207 landline number is just an answerphone, so because I'm a sucker I call the 0870 number, and spend six minutes (60p? the tarrif is well hidden on the telewest phone site) to find out that I can write and complain. No one can tell me why they've started doing this or why they didn't inform me. Then a supervisor in India gets on the line and says it is on the website, and I say it isn't, or if it is, it's really small, and then I think, bugger this, and hangup.
So now I'm £2.10 down and pissed off. Transparent, opensource, they're not.
And the trains don't even run on time.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
no5 floor
Did I mention that I went to lunch at No5 (Cavendish Square, behind John Lewis) recently, and was seated on a table between Simon le Bon and his wife(let?) and Nicola Horlick and a rather attractive man.
They, of course, recognised neither me nor my lunch companion, glamourous as we were.
They, of course, recognised neither me nor my lunch companion, glamourous as we were.
So the first water meters are to be forced on households due to a water scarcity status ruling.
About time. I've had a water meter for coming up to a year, and not only does it make me consider my usage, but my bills have gone down.
And there's a bunch of other water-saving things you can do.
About time. I've had a water meter for coming up to a year, and not only does it make me consider my usage, but my bills have gone down.
And there's a bunch of other water-saving things you can do.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Can you believe this? Half my mail is hosted at 34sp, where I pay serious money for the professional service with a phone number and everything. I moved all my mail there from my buddies colo, because they were just a colo, and couldn't do the kind of support I wanted.
But now, 34sp seem very down - everyone I know with blogs hosted by them is down, their phone didn't answer, and now it says their mailbox is full.
I have pinged them, and they have 100% packet loss.
I dunno. You pay for service, and then this.
But now, 34sp seem very down - everyone I know with blogs hosted by them is down, their phone didn't answer, and now it says their mailbox is full.
I have pinged them, and they have 100% packet loss.
I dunno. You pay for service, and then this.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Did you hear the Jewish Book Week slot on this morning's Today programme? Fabulous, ironic, entertaining. Although, I should tell Shalom that he's clearly not been to London for a while, because only goth teenagers hangout in Camden (although his Hampstead crepe reference was pretty accurate).
You can here it again here.
In other, relevant, news, I think you can still book for tomorrow's Jewish Book Week session on Dangerous Writing with Shalom Auslander and Naomi Alderman.
You can here it again here.
In other, relevant, news, I think you can still book for tomorrow's Jewish Book Week session on Dangerous Writing with Shalom Auslander and Naomi Alderman.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Talk about a mashup - it's only US data, but you can effectively get a map showing local blobs for people on the National Sex Offender Registry.
Scary stuff. Privacy, data errors, anyone?
Scary stuff. Privacy, data errors, anyone?
At last. Malcolm Gladwell has a blog.
Wow. Ken Livingstone has been suspended in the "nazi-jibe" scandal.
"The panel rejected Mr Livingstone's argument that there was a difference between the damage he might have caused to his own reputation and the effect of his actions on his office."
Maybe he'll be a little more humble, now. And thoughtful towards the Jewish community. Seems to me, he feels like there are more Muslims, so he better keep on their side.
I wonder if he's going on holiday? It would be kinda awkward to hang out it London, and run into your constituents when you're on your suspension. I must try and get down to that cafe in Willesden he frequents next week. Maybe I can talk some (more) sense into him.
"The panel rejected Mr Livingstone's argument that there was a difference between the damage he might have caused to his own reputation and the effect of his actions on his office."
Maybe he'll be a little more humble, now. And thoughtful towards the Jewish community. Seems to me, he feels like there are more Muslims, so he better keep on their side.
I wonder if he's going on holiday? It would be kinda awkward to hang out it London, and run into your constituents when you're on your suspension. I must try and get down to that cafe in Willesden he frequents next week. Maybe I can talk some (more) sense into him.
Interesting piece from the Economist, a couple of weeks back on tThe blog in the corporate machine (it's free to read, unlike most of their content - presume they judged the audience on this one.)
I still don't totally get blogs as a corporate PR tool - should companies blog? Sure, if they've got something to say and the right conversational tone. But I'm not sure this article gets it: "social media" is in quotes, and they think a mailing list is part of the social media revolution.
I still don't totally get blogs as a corporate PR tool - should companies blog? Sure, if they've got something to say and the right conversational tone. But I'm not sure this article gets it: "social media" is in quotes, and they think a mailing list is part of the social media revolution.
Definitely one for the so-what prize - Bed Books. Right, yeah. Of course.
Did you see Question Time last night? I was very interested to hear Theresa Villiers on the rise of antisemitism - I always feel strangely moved when I hear non-Jews (I presume she isn't Jewish, just had a very Jewish constituency in Barnet) speaking on our behalf. Interesting to note the lukewarm audience response she got for her statment (check the comments online above).
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Obviously, with all the Irving news over in Austria, Deborah Lipstadt has a lot to say.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
So there've been three calls today on my landline, and when I got there, they hung up. So this time, I did 1471, which I don't really bother with most of the time, as life's too short to know all the information out there, so you have to make editorial decisions.
Imagine my surprise when the number, when googled, turns up Joy House London - Prayer for Brent.
I'm thinking, that I'm not going to call them back.
But I'm also thinking, what did they call for?
Do they have good news?
More importantly, where did they get my number?
Imagine my surprise when the number, when googled, turns up Joy House London - Prayer for Brent.
I'm thinking, that I'm not going to call them back.
But I'm also thinking, what did they call for?
Do they have good news?
More importantly, where did they get my number?
I've just caught a glimpse of Tyra Schwarz (variously Tyra Juliette Schwarz) on American Idol.
A glimpse, is all, so I can't comment on her singing, and I don't - technically - believe in all the celebrity/reality dufus TV stuff. But what I want to say is, that she is so Standard Jewish Girl Look Number 4. She looks like a hundred people I know; attractive in an unusual way, dark hair, chutzpah, certain shape nose and eyes.
Like, once I had a flatmate who said whenever she went to a party and looked round, everyone looked like Anne Frank (pale skin, dark hair, earnest eyes, larger than desired behind (little known fact about AF, I tell you). SJGL No3. Or, the year it was the Monica Lewinsky thing, on Yom Kippur I looked along the row I was sitting on in West Hampstead's finest shul, and it was full of chubby-but-attractive girls with dark hair, wearing a lot of black, and with that dirty-wide-eyes innocence. You know what I mean. SJGL No2.
You may ask about me: I'm SJGL No5 - kinda a little bit Jennifer Beale in Dirty Dancing, a little bit Tracey Anne Oberman. Broadly, cleavage and blondish curly/frizzy hair. I know I'm SJGL No5, because about once every six weeks someone comes up to me, starts a very ernest and intimate conversation, and then it transpires they think I'm someone else. Much as I think I'm an individual.
On an entirely not related note, apparently Monica Lewinsky is doing a masters in London. I know this because she had a press conference, like all masters students. I don't know where, because I have written this sentence the the power of my memory, rather than the power of google. Rare, I know.
Yep, I'm back. Just got busy. Lots to do, lots to do. Sorry. Or soz, as I would say, apparently if I was seventeen. Like I'd also use the word boyf, and not ironically. Thank god I'm older and wise.
A glimpse, is all, so I can't comment on her singing, and I don't - technically - believe in all the celebrity/reality dufus TV stuff. But what I want to say is, that she is so Standard Jewish Girl Look Number 4. She looks like a hundred people I know; attractive in an unusual way, dark hair, chutzpah, certain shape nose and eyes.
Like, once I had a flatmate who said whenever she went to a party and looked round, everyone looked like Anne Frank (pale skin, dark hair, earnest eyes, larger than desired behind (little known fact about AF, I tell you). SJGL No3. Or, the year it was the Monica Lewinsky thing, on Yom Kippur I looked along the row I was sitting on in West Hampstead's finest shul, and it was full of chubby-but-attractive girls with dark hair, wearing a lot of black, and with that dirty-wide-eyes innocence. You know what I mean. SJGL No2.
You may ask about me: I'm SJGL No5 - kinda a little bit Jennifer Beale in Dirty Dancing, a little bit Tracey Anne Oberman. Broadly, cleavage and blondish curly/frizzy hair. I know I'm SJGL No5, because about once every six weeks someone comes up to me, starts a very ernest and intimate conversation, and then it transpires they think I'm someone else. Much as I think I'm an individual.
On an entirely not related note, apparently Monica Lewinsky is doing a masters in London. I know this because she had a press conference, like all masters students. I don't know where, because I have written this sentence the the power of my memory, rather than the power of google. Rare, I know.
Yep, I'm back. Just got busy. Lots to do, lots to do. Sorry. Or soz, as I would say, apparently if I was seventeen. Like I'd also use the word boyf, and not ironically. Thank god I'm older and wise.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Today is Tubishvat, New Year for the Trees. No, really. THere's a lot to celebrate when you're Jewish, although the main thing about today is (a) going to a Tubishvat seder (last night, I didn't, long weekend), and (b) eating four kinds of fruit? Seven kinds? It's been a while, as I've just demonstrated.
Nowadays, it's kinda been hijacked, in a good way, by the environmental/green lobby, and it's all about the universe and the planet and not driving a car and using low-energy lightbulbs. All these things are, of course, traditional Jewish values.
Here's a random photo of the Romanian chief rabbi at their Tubishvat Seder. Nice, because I am about one eighth Romanian, although I take it very seriously and regularly make mamaliga
Tonight, of course, I will be eating Moroccan dried fruit salad in honour of this auspicious day. And because there's some in the fridge.
Nowadays, it's kinda been hijacked, in a good way, by the environmental/green lobby, and it's all about the universe and the planet and not driving a car and using low-energy lightbulbs. All these things are, of course, traditional Jewish values.
Here's a random photo of the Romanian chief rabbi at their Tubishvat Seder. Nice, because I am about one eighth Romanian, although I take it very seriously and regularly make mamaliga
Tonight, of course, I will be eating Moroccan dried fruit salad in honour of this auspicious day. And because there's some in the fridge.
Eleventh commandment?
B, my in-house photographer, spotted this outside a church in Washington, on our recent US trip.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
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This was the back of someone's jacket sitting in a coffee shop. Like you'd really want to walk round with "vision enabler" emblazoned on your back. What am I, the messiah?
Friday, February 10, 2006
Guess where I'm going for Shabbes?
100206screengrab1-1207
I have crossed followus.com's digital hand with virtual cash (even sucumbing to their special offer), and now I know I'm in Kilburn.
It's amazing what technology can do. Privacy, now that's another matter.
It's amazing what technology can do. Privacy, now that's another matter.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
I can't believe that Smash Hits is closing. Truly a part of my teenage years, my best-friend-at-school A based her entire writing style on the Smash Hits cynicism. Guess they can't compete with MySpace. The world's-a-changing.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
I'm posting this again because it got lost in the melee, and I kinda liked it (in response to ridiculous meme, that I don't generally do, honest, about jobs I've had).
Jobs I've had: writing a (bad) VBA front-end for a large series/family of linked spreadsheets that ran a huge media company. I was regarded by the board as some kind of wunderkind - 'that girl who could deliver geekery, speak tech, communicate like a regular person and understand the business.' I was regarded by my coworkers as 'that spreadsheet nazi, who demanded 100% compliance with her lousy front-end'. Not to be confused with front-bottom. In the end, I was replaced by an ERP. More expensive, and, I heard only last week, still doesn't work as well.
Jobs I've had: writing a (bad) VBA front-end for a large series/family of linked spreadsheets that ran a huge media company. I was regarded by the board as some kind of wunderkind - 'that girl who could deliver geekery, speak tech, communicate like a regular person and understand the business.' I was regarded by my coworkers as 'that spreadsheet nazi, who demanded 100% compliance with her lousy front-end'. Not to be confused with front-bottom. In the end, I was replaced by an ERP. More expensive, and, I heard only last week, still doesn't work as well.
For want of a better phrase, let's just say I don't have a good sense of direction.
Examples: once, I went to visit a friend who lived(s) in Wimbledon. It was hard enough getting there, reading the AtoZ while juggling the gear stick. After a lovely Sunday afternoon, I came out of her house, turned left, and was halfway to Portsmouth before I realised I wasn't going back to Central London. Another time, having been up to Watford for something, I found myself getting on the M1 northbound, and was six junctions before I realised I was going in the wrong direction. I always print out a map before I go anywhere. And I check it, often. I'm the tourist-alike you see in like Islington.
My biggest crapness is on the underground. Most/many people seem to have an innate sense, after years of commuting, of which end of the train to get onto to minimise walking at the other end. I never get it right. Even though I've lived in Kilburn for more than ten years, and commuted for six or seven of them.
I kid myself that I like getting off at the far end as it's good to keep mobile, keep walking, all good for the heart, but the truth is, I just get it wrong. So the train comes in, and I'm sure that this right/left end of the platform will bring me out by the stairs at the Kilburn, but then when we get to Finchley Road (same directional layout) it's immediately clear that I'm wrong. Again.
But. Oh. My. God. I've worked it out.
I had a revelation yesterday. Kilburn is at the back of the train. As long as I know my back from my front, I can always get it right. I checked it. Twice. It works. Kilburn - back of the train.
To you, this is a small thing. To me, mindblowing.
Some might say I should get out more. I do, but often at the wrong end of the train.
Examples: once, I went to visit a friend who lived(s) in Wimbledon. It was hard enough getting there, reading the AtoZ while juggling the gear stick. After a lovely Sunday afternoon, I came out of her house, turned left, and was halfway to Portsmouth before I realised I wasn't going back to Central London. Another time, having been up to Watford for something, I found myself getting on the M1 northbound, and was six junctions before I realised I was going in the wrong direction. I always print out a map before I go anywhere. And I check it, often. I'm the tourist-alike you see in like Islington.
My biggest crapness is on the underground. Most/many people seem to have an innate sense, after years of commuting, of which end of the train to get onto to minimise walking at the other end. I never get it right. Even though I've lived in Kilburn for more than ten years, and commuted for six or seven of them.
I kid myself that I like getting off at the far end as it's good to keep mobile, keep walking, all good for the heart, but the truth is, I just get it wrong. So the train comes in, and I'm sure that this right/left end of the platform will bring me out by the stairs at the Kilburn, but then when we get to Finchley Road (same directional layout) it's immediately clear that I'm wrong. Again.
But. Oh. My. God. I've worked it out.
I had a revelation yesterday. Kilburn is at the back of the train. As long as I know my back from my front, I can always get it right. I checked it. Twice. It works. Kilburn - back of the train.
To you, this is a small thing. To me, mindblowing.
Some might say I should get out more. I do, but often at the wrong end of the train.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
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A rather nice house in South Square - if I was a sucessful commercial QC, this would probably be my home. And my wife would be all into cats, and would be wetting herself at the cuteness of this pic.
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Went to dinner at R&J's last week, and R made the most fabulous poached pears - which we polished off pretty quick. They had a chilli thang going on. We were impressed, especially for a weeknight.
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Long story, but I ended up in a school last week. And they still have late books, can you believe?
Although, I'm really surprised that smart gals at a lovely north london school don't know the word chiropodist. And I don't think netball is an excuse.
Although, I'm really surprised that smart gals at a lovely north london school don't know the word chiropodist. And I don't think netball is an excuse.
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My bulb is still growing. I am still moderately overwhelmed by the beauty of nature. I think I may even get into gardening.
As my houseguests pointed out over the weekend, it does live in the bathroom. Just temporary.
As my houseguests pointed out over the weekend, it does live in the bathroom. Just temporary.
Stuart tagged me with a meme. Even though I think they're pretty much all like the old-skool Friday Five. But worse, in some memetically huge blogospherica jargon way.
Four jobs I've had:
typogographer in art department at manchester office of international ad agency
copywriter in newmedia agency I had to leave because it was like a party with the music and my trainers weren't hip enough. The "creatives" were in a different "pod" (kidney shaped table arrangement) from the "suits" and there were continuous arguments about music, like being at a party when you're fourteen
Writing a (bad) VBA front-end for a large series/family of linked spreadsheets that ran a huge media company. I was regarded by the board as some kind of wunderkind - "that girl who could deliver geekery, speak tech, communicate like a regular person and understand the business." I was regarded by my coworkers as "that spreadsheet nazi, who demanded 100% compliance with her lousy front-end". Not to be confused with front-bottom. In the end, I was replaced by an ERP. More expensive, and, I heard only last week, still doesn't work as well.
Running a media company. Old media: face-to-face events (how retro), newsletters, a little online-ness.
Four movies I can watch over and over:
American Beauty
Dirty Dancing
The Wizard of Oz
The Breakfast Club
Four places I've lived
Amsterdam
Singapore
Tel Aviv
Cheadle
Four TV shows I love
Desperate Housewives
ER
Monk
House of Elliot
Four places I've vacationed (we call this a holiday):
Derbyshire
Guatemala
Cuba
South of France
Four of my favorite dishes:
humous (you knew I would say that)
the ravioli on a bed of rocket and pine nuts at La Brocca
steamed brocolli, on a healthy day
cheesecake
Four sites I visit daily:
flickr
delicious
BBC
Guardian
Four places I would rather be right now:
The British Library
Swiss Cottage Library
New York Public Library
Central Reference Library, Peter's Square, Manchester
Four bloggers minxim and minxot I am tagging:
Fraser (not that he does memes, I'm sure)
Girl
Vaughn (you can do it in the comments, if you like)
Darren
Four jobs I've had:
Four movies I can watch over and over:
Four places I've lived
Four TV shows I love
Four places I've vacationed (we call this a holiday):
Four of my favorite dishes:
Four sites I visit daily:
Four places I would rather be right now:
Four bloggers minxim and minxot I am tagging:
Monday, January 30, 2006
Now I know I'm web2.0. A friend just IMd to say they're in Helsinki.
World's a village. A Finchley Warner Village. Or should that be world's a vue?
World's a village. A Finchley Warner Village. Or should that be world's a vue?
Call me a bit too Web2.0, but I just don't get the point of Wikipedia coming out as a book.
Also, sorry for lack of updates. I know, I don't call, I don't write. I've been struck down - like almost everyone else I know - with the norovirus, although it took me till Saturday morning to work out why I was feeling so ropey. And the advice of my in-house physician.
Also, sorry for lack of updates. I know, I don't call, I don't write. I've been struck down - like almost everyone else I know - with the norovirus, although it took me till Saturday morning to work out why I was feeling so ropey. And the advice of my in-house physician.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Just to say that if you've emailed me in the last week and I haven't replied, I'm not being rude, it's just that my email seemed to randomly stop arriving and I don't know why. I have emailed my email hostim, but they have not replied (athough I am sure they will say if people aren't getting bounce backs, they have nothing to go on).
So this week I have missed: hearing that a friend's dad died; a meeting cancellation, two clients who called me and said "why didn't you reply to my mail?"
It seems to be randomly back, so do email again.
I am in the Regent Street Apple store, in honour of the Brent Cross Apple store opening tomorrow, which I clearly can't go to because it's shabbes.
So this week I have missed: hearing that a friend's dad died; a meeting cancellation, two clients who called me and said "why didn't you reply to my mail?"
It seems to be randomly back, so do email again.
I am in the Regent Street Apple store, in honour of the Brent Cross Apple store opening tomorrow, which I clearly can't go to because it's shabbes.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
I used to travel light, in all meanings of the word.
I worked abroad for a couple of years(ish) and got the packing art down to carryon. I backpacked a lot, and liked to be able to carry what I needed.
But I lost it. To NY, I took more than I needed, even though my erstwhile travelling companion B, who was staying for longer, got everything in a wheelie-handluggage contraption. He, however, doesn't need to take hair care goods.
Now, airlines are going to penalise you if you check luggage in. Incentive, or what?
I worked abroad for a couple of years(ish) and got the packing art down to carryon. I backpacked a lot, and liked to be able to carry what I needed.
But I lost it. To NY, I took more than I needed, even though my erstwhile travelling companion B, who was staying for longer, got everything in a wheelie-handluggage contraption. He, however, doesn't need to take hair care goods.
Now, airlines are going to penalise you if you check luggage in. Incentive, or what?
British Divers Marine Life Rescue spent £100,000 trying to rescue the whale last weekend. Like, I didn't even know they existed.
Looks like they're trying to recoup their costs with this eBay auction, then.
Looks like they're trying to recoup their costs with this eBay auction, then.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
So I'm trying to be efficient, and my British Gas Three Star contract is up for renewal and I thought I'd look into the burgeoning "homecare" market.
I have the internet, it's easy.
So I look around, and I come across Home emergency cover by Norwich Union UK. Sounds good. I can get a quote now, via the callback system. So I click, and type in my name and number, and choose "now" as the preferred callback time, as I am an immediacy chick.
A few minutes later, my phone rings. I pick it up. An electronic voice, the kind that turns your text messages into voicemail, says in variegated monotone "I am calling from [some outsourced company] on behalf of [some other outsourced company] who is not available at this time. Thank you for your call."
No, really.
Guess that's one supplier off my list.
I have the internet, it's easy.
So I look around, and I come across Home emergency cover by Norwich Union UK. Sounds good. I can get a quote now, via the callback system. So I click, and type in my name and number, and choose "now" as the preferred callback time, as I am an immediacy chick.
A few minutes later, my phone rings. I pick it up. An electronic voice, the kind that turns your text messages into voicemail, says in variegated monotone "I am calling from [some outsourced company] on behalf of [some other outsourced company] who is not available at this time. Thank you for your call."
No, really.
Guess that's one supplier off my list.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
house
This is my house on google maps (they just got better satelite photos - it's actually the third from the top (left).
I mean - you can practically see into my bedroom.
Can you see the two rooves that look similar? With extra extensions on the roof, and and a large extension at the back with three velux windows? The people next door bought the plans from the developer from my house when they did it about fifteen years ago. If you look at the extension, on the far side where there are two windows? The one nearest the house is my bedroom window.
Other interesting things - I was clearly out the day they took this photo, although my neighbour's car is there. And, sadly, no sign of my bus shelter, so it must be a little old.
I mean - you can practically see into my bedroom.
Can you see the two rooves that look similar? With extra extensions on the roof, and and a large extension at the back with three velux windows? The people next door bought the plans from the developer from my house when they did it about fifteen years ago. If you look at the extension, on the far side where there are two windows? The one nearest the house is my bedroom window.
Other interesting things - I was clearly out the day they took this photo, although my neighbour's car is there. And, sadly, no sign of my bus shelter, so it must be a little old.
And my road tax fund licence from the DVLA arrived this morning.
How efficent. And also, when the birdflu comes, we'll all be able to transact our lives online. As long as the people at the other end ate their Tamiflu.
How efficent. And also, when the birdflu comes, we'll all be able to transact our lives online. As long as the people at the other end ate their Tamiflu.
I joined the LOVEFiLM two-month free trial at the weekend, and two DVDs arrived today.
All great, except they were so far down my rental queue, I didn't even remember that I had a slight inkling I might want to watch them.
Oh well. HHG2TG (TV version) here I come...
All great, except they were so far down my rental queue, I didn't even remember that I had a slight inkling I might want to watch them.
Oh well. HHG2TG (TV version) here I come...
Deborah Lipstadt's blog, History on Trial (also the name of her most recent book), is celebrating its first anniversary. Mazaltov.
Monday, January 23, 2006
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Although I had a really great trip, I missed one thing.
I mean, I love restaurants, and great food, eating out, fab ambience, all those things... but the truth is, I quite enjoy steamed vegetables.
There's nothing quite so satisfying (and good-making-feeling) as the bright, sharp green of freshly steamed, not quite cooked broccoli. The colour's amazing, for one thing.
So I kinda like home-cooked food. And when I go on holiday-holiday (relaxation type, rather than run-round-see-friends-and-shop type) I like some of it to be self-catering. I'm getting a bit back-to-the-earth, I know. But I do.
I mean, I love restaurants, and great food, eating out, fab ambience, all those things... but the truth is, I quite enjoy steamed vegetables.
There's nothing quite so satisfying (and good-making-feeling) as the bright, sharp green of freshly steamed, not quite cooked broccoli. The colour's amazing, for one thing.
So I kinda like home-cooked food. And when I go on holiday-holiday (relaxation type, rather than run-round-see-friends-and-shop type) I like some of it to be self-catering. I'm getting a bit back-to-the-earth, I know. But I do.
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Love Eat Live
Words to live by. I guess. Met up with F for humous and juice at the Muswell Hill Giraffe. Bumped into a cheadlite. Went home for an early night (too much socialising, not recovered from jetlag, entirely).
Words to live by. I guess. Met up with F for humous and juice at the Muswell Hill Giraffe. Bumped into a cheadlite. Went home for an early night (too much socialising, not recovered from jetlag, entirely).
Martin Rowson on the state of Britain in this morning's Guardian. We were all whale watching (TV/online, not in person) all weekend.
Friday, January 20, 2006
I realise this is slightly dull, but I have just done my Vehicle Licensing online for my new tax disc. It's amazing: I used to have to have to dig out all my documents, park in West Hampstead, pay to park, queue in the post office, and then get my disc. It took about an hour. Now, in five minutes flat, it's all done (including checking the insurance database so I don't have to show them any paper). I'm impressed. Paperless government. Seamlessness. Really.
Now, what should I do with that extra 55 minutes?
Now, what should I do with that extra 55 minutes?
Thursday, January 19, 2006
The Joy of Yiddish in this week's Independent. Maddona zaftig? I think not.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
I'm back. Something about being away, however fabulous, makes you appreciate home. I have a mother of a jetlag, trying to stay awake for Corinne Bailey Rae tonight.
Also, I forgot to mention that the 16th was my blogiversary. Four years: nearly a million words (I think, rough estimate). Can you believe it?
Also, I forgot to mention that the 16th was my blogiversary. Four years: nearly a million words (I think, rough estimate). Can you believe it?
I just finished reading Kathleen Tessaro's Innocence - airport read, really - and was bowled over by a very crap piece of mis-editing. She talks about Thai Chi, not Tai Chi (it's only in passing). It looked wrong, but because I was 2% unsure I did the only thing you can, nowadays: I googled on both, and tai chi won.
You know how it is when there's a mistake in a book? Suddenly, the fiction world cracks, and you realise it's a cobweb of someone's imagination.
You know how it is when there's a mistake in a book? Suddenly, the fiction world cracks, and you realise it's a cobweb of someone's imagination.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I was all set to go to the TeaNY cafe on the lower east side, but they're only open weekends.
Just had the most fabulous Vosges chocolate truffle - I went for the absinthe. Of course. I'm an art deco kinda gal. And I had quite a lot of vodka at the weekend.
hair
Bus shelter advert - for Ouidad. New York's a town with two curly-hair salons. As you know, I'm a Devachan girl.
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This isn't a totally fair image - LimmudNY was not so different from Limmud UK. It's just that they had Starbucks coffee. No, really. But then New Yorkers are coffee purists. I even met one guy who brought his own grains.
Hanging out in tribeca, just watched the Golden Globes - hope Transamerica comes to the UK soon (best actress for Felicity Huffman). And really oughta see Brokeback Mountain now it's officially best movie.
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It was way cold in the Catskills... ice on the inside of the windows and snow outside. Meanwhile, on the inside the heat was turned up to scary grandma in St John's Wood block of flats. Maybe when you get older you get colder?
Monday, January 16, 2006
carpet
The Kutsher's Online Carpet Museum
We were wifi-free for like 20 hours. It was stressful, although I got over it.
More on sessions later - including a fascinating debate about the history of the Catskills resorts in books and movies - but here's a thing.
Kutschers is a faded borsht belt hotel that's past it's best. There's a kitschy-old-school feel that's part Jewish renaissance interior decor, and part whatever was on sale when they recarpeted that particular room. And the carpets are to die for.
As they say in NY - enjoy.
We were wifi-free for like 20 hours. It was stressful, although I got over it.
More on sessions later - including a fascinating debate about the history of the Catskills resorts in books and movies - but here's a thing.
Kutschers is a faded borsht belt hotel that's past it's best. There's a kitschy-old-school feel that's part Jewish renaissance interior decor, and part whatever was on sale when they recarpeted that particular room. And the carpets are to die for.
As they say in NY - enjoy.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Wednesday, I hung out downtown and F invited me to his weekly marketing meeting. It's kinda fun going to someone else's work.
New York - or NY media-ish types - are very laid back. I liked it. I was introduced as "my good friend Sasha from London, who's in marketing, (which I am as much as I do anything else), and there were about a dozen people, from sales, design, project management.
I shared a cab with the sales woman, and she told me the ABC of New York real estate (Always Be Closing), and when it got to looking at the logo, a dozen or so of us were looking at various logotypes, and she takes a look at one of them, and says, "y'know, for me, it's just a little ongepotchket".
What was great was - unlike in London - even the Irish and other-non-Jews, looked at the design and were all "y'know, it is a little ongepotchket."
Only in New York, as they say.
New York - or NY media-ish types - are very laid back. I liked it. I was introduced as "my good friend Sasha from London, who's in marketing, (which I am as much as I do anything else), and there were about a dozen people, from sales, design, project management.
I shared a cab with the sales woman, and she told me the ABC of New York real estate (Always Be Closing), and when it got to looking at the logo, a dozen or so of us were looking at various logotypes, and she takes a look at one of them, and says, "y'know, for me, it's just a little ongepotchket".
What was great was - unlike in London - even the Irish and other-non-Jews, looked at the design and were all "y'know, it is a little ongepotchket."
Only in New York, as they say.
How do you say Tikkun Olam in Hebrew?*
Friday lunchtime, I was at the Can "Jewish Culture" Sustain the Jewish People? Is "Hip" Enough? panel. Panelists Robbie Gringras, Leon Morris and Jennifer Traig, ably moderated by Gary Rosenblatt, chewed the fat.
Leon had some incisive thinking: that the "hip" fringe/disempowered expressions of Jewish identity has an adolescent edge to it tinged with a degree of self loathing - I'm still thinking about that. Robbie played devil's advocate ("we are a people divided by a common religion", "I don't think all this Jewish learning is the answer"), and Jennifer really got it: she talked about doing the hip stuff with an ironic detachment - although Robbie countered with critical attachment.
Interesting - unanswered - question from the floor about whether the cannibalisation of African American culture, and the thousands of MCs of eastern european descent had an inherent racism to it.
Seems to me that the whole debate missed the debate about bothness/duality - it's not an either/or, you can be a sabbath-observant Heeb reader, and religious/spiritual identity and cultural secular identity can play off and inform each other.
Jewschool may or may not (yet) have an MP3 posted, so you can hear the whole thing verbatim.
* tikkun olam - repair of the world (lit) or social justice, is seen by some as the New Jew mantra
Friday lunchtime, I was at the Can "Jewish Culture" Sustain the Jewish People? Is "Hip" Enough? panel. Panelists Robbie Gringras, Leon Morris and Jennifer Traig, ably moderated by Gary Rosenblatt, chewed the fat.
Leon had some incisive thinking: that the "hip" fringe/disempowered expressions of Jewish identity has an adolescent edge to it tinged with a degree of self loathing - I'm still thinking about that. Robbie played devil's advocate ("we are a people divided by a common religion", "I don't think all this Jewish learning is the answer"), and Jennifer really got it: she talked about doing the hip stuff with an ironic detachment - although Robbie countered with critical attachment.
Interesting - unanswered - question from the floor about whether the cannibalisation of African American culture, and the thousands of MCs of eastern european descent had an inherent racism to it.
Seems to me that the whole debate missed the debate about bothness/duality - it's not an either/or, you can be a sabbath-observant Heeb reader, and religious/spiritual identity and cultural secular identity can play off and inform each other.
Jewschool may or may not (yet) have an MP3 posted, so you can hear the whole thing verbatim.
* tikkun olam - repair of the world (lit) or social justice, is seen by some as the New Jew mantra
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