Twilight - an experiment

I have just started to read the Twilight quadrilogy, from curiosity as much as anything; so far not bad, no worse than Harry Potter and they are ok. Only up to Chapter four so it is early days yet. E-books are a puzzle, you have to have an e-book reader, or I guess I-pods will take them, but without the reader they aren't that accessible. How many folk have an e-book? There is a woman who gets on the bus, she has one, and I've seen someone else with one, but they aren't exactly everywhere. It doesn't seem right, you pay at least a ton and a half (just found a webpage with money slang) then you have to pay for each book, and they aren't cheap, I mean, it isn't going to pay for itself or anything, is it? I suppose it is eco-friendly, as a tree didn't die to make it, but I just think you should get one free with your first e-book. Is that unreasonable? Is it? Maybe it is. Just had a book recommendation, The Book of Lost books, I will add that to my list to hunt down in Waterstones at lunchtime...

another world

Just back from Marco school, in sunny Northumberland, two days of bonsai and very little else. Great. It's much easier to concentrate on something interesting, the time flies by too fast. Things are starting to drop into place a bit more quickly, I really need to practice my wiring! The group is starting to gel too, we have a selection of characters, that is for sure. There is a lot to think about with each tree, small details that make all the difference. Watching Marco style a shohin juniper is fascinating, his fingers seem to work on their own. Once it is done it looks wonderful, it started out as a nice tree. I suppose the point of hobbies is to engage our attention, as a way of moving in another medium, to use different muscles, either external or internal, ie grey matter. Bonsai is beginning to feel like a strand of life, as my trees start to occupy brain space more often. Hopefully this is a good thing.

BIALL conference

Just back from the 2010 BIALL conference in Brighton. Our session (me, Lesley and Mike) went well, I think, although Mike caused some confusion - it's his way. Now I have to write it up for LIM, that will be fun. I wonder if I can include a flashdrive, or whatever they are called these days. Why isn't there an emoticon for old codger? I could really use one. I'll have to put some thought into that. This year's conference was good fun, we invented a new alphabet kind of based on last year's WEM theme. Hopefully we will be interpreting David's speech next year... hard to describe it, but it puts YMCA in the shaaaaade. Finally watched the Uni of Washington's ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-catalogue vid on Youtube, I plan to use it for the trainees' induction this year. Suggested this to HR, no reply. Ooops. The conference experience also included a very late night, old buses, the naked bike ride (from a distance, phew) and some really good meals out. Plus, I finally printed up that T shirt, I have to get a photo!

Froggy

It is foggy today. It started off just wet but the mist has been rolling in all day, so it is cold and damp. Luckily, as it is Spring, the trees (including the tiny ones) are either thinking about coming into leaf or are actually doing it, and they LOVE damp drippy weather. I'm glad something is enjoying it. Hard to believe that it's April next week, and Easter too. The chocolate easter bunnies have been gathered, so there will be something to indulge in. Just discovered that the Orkney archive has a blog, http://orkneyarchive.blogspot.com/ , a lot of it seems to centre around food....I can understand that. That reminds me I've promised to look up a recipe for a friend, I wish I could remember what it's called. I could try google, that might help. It's pearl barley, mushrooms and cheese, and it's very good. Found it, it's baked kasha with mushrooms. Very good with meatloaf, nut roast or sausages. All this talk of food is making me hungry....