We are Maundy Thursday, which for the religious among you (although I doubt many if any read this blog), means an important celebration in the time right before Easter. For the Godless heathen that I am, it is... well, it is the last working day before the Easter holidays and the moment when I start panicking before I haven't prepared enough for Easter. No, just kidding, I think we will be all right, albeit I do find that Easter comes a tad too early for my liking this year. Anyway, I will take it easy this evening after work and maybe even tomorrow, but I will also make time to get things ready with Wolfie. When you are a parent, Easter is all about the children.
Thursday 28 March 2024
Preparing for Easter
Canard de Pâques
Wednesday 27 March 2024
Writing in the train?
I have been wanting to blog about this for a while. A few weeks ago, I read this article on the Guardian, from author Benjamin Dean: My unlikely cure for writer's block: I catch a train to Cambridge. I don't know Dean, never read any of his books, but he seems to be a nice guy. Writer's block or not, I never read in the train. I do however read more and a lot when I travel by train. Call it my cure for reader's block, which has somewhat increased in recent years, maybe because I don't commute or travel by train anymore. I do think also that my mind wanders more in a train, I mean even more than it usually does. So I can easily believe that train travels are more inductive to creativity. Maybe we should have a writing workshop in a train. That would be nice, if nothing else.
Encore Joe Bine
Goldfinger for Spy Wednesday
Today is Holy Wednesday, also called, more dramatically... Spy Wednesday. I prefer to call it the latter. It has nothing to do with real spies or spy fiction, however I take this opportunity to mention that a few days ago, last Saturday, was the 65th anniversary of the publication of Goldfinger. I learned about it on the official Facebook page of Ian Fleming. To celebrate its publication, they are selling a couple of cool fancy stuff, go check it out. I just thought the novel is a fitting read for Spy Wednesday. The film would make a great watch too, come to think of it, especially if you are not into Biblical things or fluffy bunny stuff. Butgive the novel a try.
Un autre lapin de Pâques
Tuesday 26 March 2024
Greek Mythology for Easter
Un gâteau de Pâques cette année?
Monday 25 March 2024
Easter (chocolate) Bunny
Joe Bine
Sunday 24 March 2024
Psalm Sunday
It is Palm Sunday today, which for the ex-Catholic turned Godless heathen that I am means diddly squat, except that Easter is coming. Like very soon: in a week. This year, Easter comes far too early, as it is always the case when it comes in March. I prefer in April, but I digress. The date on the religious calendar reminds me that I have to prepare for Easter, ans get on with it, as I have barely done anything. It will be a blitz this week. I say this, and it is easier to prepare for Easter than maybe any other holiday in the year. Anyway, what does Psalm Sunday mean to you? If it means anything.
La tasse du chevreuil
Saturday 23 March 2024
NIMH (a childhood classic)
Un thé l'après-midi
Friday 22 March 2024
ATJ as James Bond?
I am late commenting on it and, as I am typing this the night before this post will be published, I am also share some views that will be proven innaccurate when you will read it. But anyway, as you probably heard, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been rumoured to be the next James Bond. According to some sources, it is a done deal, or almost. I, like many Bond fans, am skeptical about the news. For a number of reasons: as far as we know, there is, as far as we know, no script and no director. The casting of the main actor would start once this has been sorted, not before. So I think it is a rumour that has been blown out of proportions, although it is very likely that ATJ is among the potential candidates for the role, should there be auditions in the near future. As for the actor himself, I don't know him much to give a full appreciation of his skills. I think if nothing else, he has the right look and age. However, I find his voice too high. But a proper audition would determine that. And of course, whatever happens and whoever is cast, I will be watching the next Bond movie. And you, what do you think of this rumour?
Du thé chez Couche-Tard
Excellente nouvelle: j'apprends, via la page Facebook de David's Tea, que Couche-Tard offre maintenant leurs produits. C'est une très bonne chose: faut bien servir autre chose que du café comme breuvage chaud, taboire. Et puis on a beau dire ce qu'on veut de David's Tea, c'est quand même cool d'avoir une sélection de thés à servir dans un dépanneur. Même ici en Angleterre, je n'ai jamais vu ça. Et puis je vais ajouter une chose: j'ai toujours aimé Couche-Tard. Je l'aime encore plus depuis que j'ai appris la nouvelle. Et ça me donnera donc une autre raison de faire un arrêt obligé lors de notre prochain séjour au Québec.
Thursday 21 March 2024
Battleship
Des infos sur IXE-13
Wednesday 20 March 2024
Four years later
I know, today is the equinox, but it is to me a very special anniversary. A similar one to many people living in the UK, but slightly different in my case. So four years ago, it was leaving the office of my old job for the last time, as the government had ordered total lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was going to work from home for a while. I naively thought it might only be two weeks. Unlike others, I was really looking for it: I hated my job and I hated spending time in the office. Until I found something better, working from home, with no boss breathing down my neck, no petty colleagues, close to my family, it felt like a borderline extended holiday. And it did, until I got furloughed in May 2020, then lost my job in June... To find another one soon after. Four years later, I am happy in my job, I still work (mostly) from home and well, things are much better. So the 20th of March 2020 marks the day I started feeling good again, work-wise.