A few of my colleagues and friends, including many of the lint team, are attending the Information Online conference in Sydney at the moment. The conference opened yesterday. I wish I was there - I guess I’ll just have to enjoy it vicariously. Michelle McLean has already written the first day’s events up on her blog - thank you Michelle!
Archive for January, 2007
It’s always good to reflect on reasons why I like my job. Here are another couple of reasons: two short book reviews I wrote and recorded as part of our summer podcast series. Remember I was dissing pondering book groups and pondering the Patrick White online reading group? I did actually end up reading the group’s chosen book, The Vivisector, and when the opportunity came to record a book review podcast, I thought I’d do one on that book. Not sure how wise a choice that was, as it proved to be very difficult to say anything meaningful about the book in five minutes or less.
Podcast review of The Vivisector by Patrick White.
I don’t think I did a very good job, as I’m still pondering the book - maybe I’ll write a longer review sometime.
The second review was far easier to write. Initially I thought I’d have problems writing a review about a book of photos (minimal text!), but because I enjoyed it, I didn’t have any trouble at all. I had to remind myself I couldn’t go on and on (that five minute limit is A Good Thing I’m sure).
Podcast review of The Shearers by Andrew Chapman. (You can see some of the book at the author’s gallery.)
And to think I always told myself I’d never do podcasting!
Long weekends are good. Friday was the Australia Day public holiday. I have mixed feelings about patriotic public holidays. Actually, I have mixed feelings about patriotism (agree, Tom!). Too often patriotism seems to degenerate into mindless jingoism. And we usually only choose to celebrate, selectively, and not acknowledge the wrongs of the past.
I had a computer break and did not read email or blogs over the long weekend. Instead I began reacquainting myself with the works of Ian Rankin. I don’t really know why I stopped reading Ian Rankin’s works (yonks ago I started, and stopped, reading Dead Souls), but all I can say is, some authors are justifiably popular. I’m glad I how have his entire series of Inspector Rebus novels to go through. And now, along with Ystad, I’d love to visit Edinburgh.
When I wasn’t reading, I lolled about on the couch with Baubles the Cat and M. We watched the entire series one of Prison Break. A show that is as full of cliffhangers and almost unbelievable storyline as Prison Break is, is most enjoyable when you can watch one episode after another, sans ads.
It was far too hot to do anything else, anyway. I hope today is a little cooler, but for the last three days we have had something of a heatwave. It got to 41.2ºC (106.16ºF) on Friday, 40.6ºC (105.8ºF) on Saturday, and 41.5ºC (106.7ºF) on Sunday.
Another birthday party tonight, for one of M’s aunts. She’s getting a couple of Peter Temple books, in the recently released Jack Irish Quinella version. (I love the fact that the women on M’s side of the family are crime fiction fans - we get to share good reads.)
