@simdell.bsky.social
It’s always been Before the Flood for me.
January 16, 2026 at 7:22 AM
It’s always been Before the Flood for me.
Too long ago to remember, but likely to have been in the Kursaal in Southend.
January 11, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Too long ago to remember, but likely to have been in the Kursaal in Southend.
« Utterly put-downable… », I have read the book and I’m fairly sure there’s an ‘un’ missing from that phrase…
December 21, 2025 at 7:34 AM
« Utterly put-downable… », I have read the book and I’m fairly sure there’s an ‘un’ missing from that phrase…
Apologies. I withdraw my snarky comment. And I share your pain, I’ve been a vegetarian since 1976 - I had dinner at a friends house, his mother said she’d given me an egg instead of meat (which was thoughtful), then poured gravy all over my potatoes… it sometimes seems we haven’t really progressed.
November 16, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Apologies. I withdraw my snarky comment. And I share your pain, I’ve been a vegetarian since 1976 - I had dinner at a friends house, his mother said she’d given me an egg instead of meat (which was thoughtful), then poured gravy all over my potatoes… it sometimes seems we haven’t really progressed.
As a vegetarian I have a standard question about parmesan and about pesto as I want to be sure of what I’m eating. I’m not sure why a non vegetarian would have a ‘standard question’, or is it just in hope of some cheap point scoring? Surely not.
November 16, 2025 at 6:58 PM
As a vegetarian I have a standard question about parmesan and about pesto as I want to be sure of what I’m eating. I’m not sure why a non vegetarian would have a ‘standard question’, or is it just in hope of some cheap point scoring? Surely not.
Always liked this compilation despite its inexplicable omission of Light My Fire.
November 8, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Always liked this compilation despite its inexplicable omission of Light My Fire.
Not only was he prolific, but I think he prefigured Marvel in the creation of crossover episodes. I’d buy one four book series, but it would crossover with another series, so I’d have to buy a second series, and a third…
November 4, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Not only was he prolific, but I think he prefigured Marvel in the creation of crossover episodes. I’d buy one four book series, but it would crossover with another series, so I’d have to buy a second series, and a third…
That looks simultaneously impossibly glamorous and absolutely exhausting. Enjoy.
September 19, 2025 at 5:18 PM
That looks simultaneously impossibly glamorous and absolutely exhausting. Enjoy.
Saw them in the late 70s on the Rock in Opposition tour along with some equally challenging European bands, Étron Fou, Salma Mannas Manna and others.
August 8, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Saw them in the late 70s on the Rock in Opposition tour along with some equally challenging European bands, Étron Fou, Salma Mannas Manna and others.
Just finished it. Much more fun than The Magus…
July 31, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Just finished it. Much more fun than The Magus…
Russell Hoban himself seems a little forgotten today. A quirky and brilliant writer. Ridley Walker is the standout, but I always had a soft spot for Kleinzeit.
April 24, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Russell Hoban himself seems a little forgotten today. A quirky and brilliant writer. Ridley Walker is the standout, but I always had a soft spot for Kleinzeit.
Also, people dismiss what didn’t happen. Y2K was just a scare story, no planes fell out of the sky, no computer systems failed. They ignore the thousands of people and millions of hours that went in to ensuring nothing happened.
April 7, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Also, people dismiss what didn’t happen. Y2K was just a scare story, no planes fell out of the sky, no computer systems failed. They ignore the thousands of people and millions of hours that went in to ensuring nothing happened.
I do sometimes wonder whether the producers ever listen to the whole book. Halfway through The Count of Monte Christo the reader stopped and said “wait a minute, have I already read the bit?” an then continued with the book.
March 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I do sometimes wonder whether the producers ever listen to the whole book. Halfway through The Count of Monte Christo the reader stopped and said “wait a minute, have I already read the bit?” an then continued with the book.
My favourite was the reader who used ‘minute’ - unit of time, instead of ‘minute’ - very small.
Apparently neither she, nor the audiobook producer, picked up on the fact that the sentence as read made no sense.
Apparently neither she, nor the audiobook producer, picked up on the fact that the sentence as read made no sense.
March 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My favourite was the reader who used ‘minute’ - unit of time, instead of ‘minute’ - very small.
Apparently neither she, nor the audiobook producer, picked up on the fact that the sentence as read made no sense.
Apparently neither she, nor the audiobook producer, picked up on the fact that the sentence as read made no sense.
Freefall’s the one that gets stuck in my head.
March 1, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Freefall’s the one that gets stuck in my head.
I love Cabaret, but that’s about it. The worst aspect of musicals is that moment of stillness, that beat, which gives you just enough time to think ‘oh my god, they’re going to sing’. Awful.
February 16, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I love Cabaret, but that’s about it. The worst aspect of musicals is that moment of stillness, that beat, which gives you just enough time to think ‘oh my god, they’re going to sing’. Awful.
Can definitely hear you and visit in person whenever we’re in Abergavenny or Crickhowell.
January 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Can definitely hear you and visit in person whenever we’re in Abergavenny or Crickhowell.
Here’s my contribution to the bookshelf collection
January 25, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Here’s my contribution to the bookshelf collection
You haven’t watched it for 20 years, so how do you know this? Just curious.
December 28, 2024 at 11:49 AM
You haven’t watched it for 20 years, so how do you know this? Just curious.
Ah. There was me thinking photo prog was a sub-genre I’d never encountered before.
December 20, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Ah. There was me thinking photo prog was a sub-genre I’d never encountered before.
Good news, but why the knee jerk American exceptionalism? Only in America…? Ed Milliband, UK Labour Party leader was the son of a refugee, Lord Alf Dubbs was a refugee, Michaëlle Jean, Governor-General of Canada was a refugee. Many other examples in many other countries.
November 26, 2024 at 8:00 AM
Good news, but why the knee jerk American exceptionalism? Only in America…? Ed Milliband, UK Labour Party leader was the son of a refugee, Lord Alf Dubbs was a refugee, Michaëlle Jean, Governor-General of Canada was a refugee. Many other examples in many other countries.