Monday Linkage

• Bow down to the master: How to Read 462 Books in One Year. I feel like such an underachiever.
• The Book Cover Archive. Exactly what it says on the tin.
• Reason #1 why I'm happy being a crafter: "An evening gown that has champagne taste on a beer budget. Cheap champagne, but champagne nonetheless."
• Reason #2 why I'm happy being a crafter: Steal This Sweater - "stop making scarves; start making trouble."
• Reason #3 why I'm happy being a crafter. I only have the collar to go on my grey jumper and I'm taking the easy option.
• The Axis of Awesome: 4 Chords (youtube link). "The song that proves that all you need to be a pop star is four simple chords." Yes, The Crowdies' "Fall At Your Feet", A-ha's "Take On Me" and, er, Banjo Patterson's "Waltzing Matilda" are all the same song.
• Inauguration Day from Space. "The world’s highest-res Earth-imaging satellite zooms in on President Obama "
• "Cooking doesn't get TAFFA than this!" Yes, it's the Gregg Garbbler (also known as the MasterChef Automated Quote Generator). Will only make sense if you watch BBC's MasterChef (Other Half is a devotee). "God, you've got some big flavours, boy!"
• I recently got invited to Spotify and since I'm on the wrong side of thirty, I immediately began catching up with New Music That Kids Today Like (gosh!). Fleet Foxes are really lovely, Vampire Weekend don't do it for me and Lady Gaga leaves me absolutely cold. I'm so old. Spotify also has a vast collection of 80s Swedish boybands and Russian folk songs. Ask me how I know. Anyhow, I have seven Spotify invites for anybody in the UK, Estonia or Sweden wanting one. Leave a comment (your mail addy won't be published as per usual and I'll mail it to you).

Have a lovely Monday, everybody!

The Hidden Cameras - Boys of Melody

This is one of my favourite songs of this past decade and this live performance tugs at my heartstrings. Enjoy.

It Explains A Lot

Thanks, Palnatoke:

"Every June, Scotland is towed 1000 miles south so it can have a summer. Only 10% of people in Scotland know this."

And here's visual proof.

PS. I was reminded by Stuart that I haven't mentioned this piece by Andrew O'Hagan. I read it this weekend and I was disgusted by its smugness, sense of superiority and general air of condescension. Fie.

A Few Links

My nose is running, my head is stuffed and my throat is sore. So, let's cut this short. The identity of the new Doctor Who is going to be revealed today on BBC1.  I called Paterson Joseph in November after watching a potential slip-up during an interview. Behind The Sofa has an interesting discussion going with Stuart making a surprisingly good case for Hugh Grant(!) although the consensus seems to be either Paterson Joseph or Chiwetel Ejiofor. The Daily Dust points out that "if there’s a black doctor, it means that when the world gets round to doing all the press for Barack Obama and how black people are getting into positions never thought possible even just a few years ago, then Doctor Who is getting mentioned in those articles." We shall know very, very soon.

UPDATE: None of the above as it turns out..

BBC has one of those prediction things that they like doing: "we may be witnessing the death of the English indie scene that rose out of the embers of Britpop, and has now become tired and cliched." Which is utter nonsense, of course. We may see the end of identikit guitar bands pushed into the limelight by clueless record companies (The Pigeon Detectives, anyone? The Kooks?) but those bands have very little to do with indie music. Auntie Beeb also thinks that 2009 will be the year of electro-pop-rock which is a complete contrast to, say,   Klaxons who vowed British audiences and critics in 2007 with their, er, electro-pop-rock.

I didn't like this site when it first popped up, but it has improved. Which Book? gives you reading recommendations based upon parameters of your own choice. I plugged in a few "musts" and was recommended Patricia Duncker's Hallucinating Foucault (which I have already read and absolutely love).

Have a lovely Saturday.

It Was (Not) A Very Good Year

I'm sitting here being a touch introspective and thinking back upon the year that is almost over and done with. 2008 wasn't really the best year I've ever had. Yes, I met some lovely people this year. I found myself a new creative outlet. I had a very, very enjoyable summer holiday in Scandinavia. But all in all, this wasn't a very good year. Too many problems, too much hassle, too many worries and so forth.

So, here's hoping for a much better 2009. And since BBC4's doing another round of programming with me in mind (i.e. an entire weekend's worth of swing music!) here's Frank Sinatra singing "It Was a Very Good Year" (from Sinatra at the Sands (1966) - a classic album with Count Basie's Orchestra).

Find An Easier Way

Observation #1: I don't outright hate the Leona Lewis cover of "Run" (youtube link) although I still prefer the the Snow Patrol original (youtube link). I am mildly disturbed and am now going to listen to ironic hipster music. Observation #2: I recently decided that I was spreading myself thin in social networking and blogging ventures. In real terms, this meant I took a long, hard look at my networking efforts, where I was spending my energy and creativity and what sort of return I got on my investments. My conclusions were interesting, to say the least. I shut down profiles, merged accounts and am now limiting myself to very few outlets. It feels a lot more streamlined, easy to manage and has energised me. I am also surprised/entertained to see how I think of this new structure in corporate terms: efficiency, venture, restructure, investment, and management. Hmm.

Observation #2.1: While I have been pleasantly surprised by my new networking structure, others have apparently been mildly upset by my actions. What I find "better organised", some online friends think of as "shutting out". Is it a sign of how fragile online friendships are (I don't think so) or a sign of how online friendships dependent upon a given context (I don't think so either)? Whatever it signifies, I just want to clarify that I am just as accessible as ever. I have just limited the number of places where people can interact with me. Of course people can also email me, but I warn you: I'm notoriously bad at getting back to mails. Just ask my mother ..

Observation #3: I spent some quality time with my nephew (who's almost three now!) this weekend. I was amused to note that I'm the cool, slightly wacky aunt who dares her nephew to jump into mud pools and who tells stories about gnomes and elves. Oh, and who is really good at Pooh-sticks.

PS. Blur reunion?!.