It is quiet here

Today I am covering reception at work (Arts Council) and when I arrived I found a tiny calling card on my keyboard, a sleeping boy under a blanket and a dream of trees. On the back of him was typed ‘Clare Owen Illustration’. So I visited http://www.clareowen.co.uk/ and her drawings are lovely things. Bon Iver and Laura Marling, The Moldy Peaches and ukuleles also a good call.

From reception I can see the four gold tips of the cathedral tower over the office buildings. And although today seemed mostly to involve stapling and unruly fax machines, I spoke to people with kind voices in Edinburgh and Ely and here in Exeter, even if it was only about office supplies.

Later today my lovely friend Clare is coming to stay (although she is not a Clare that draws) so I am excited. She is a very sunny person and we will drink lots of tea together.

I am grateful for the beautiful things I encounter in life but perhaps more grateful for the simple things; a cup of tea made for me, small kindnesses from strangers and a patch of sunlight to eat my lunch in.

A Softer World

Today is International Hug Day, although I'm never sure if these days are real. I suppose it doesn't matter.

I met some friends in the middle of town and we held up signs offering hugs and I hugged many strangers and hopefully made the day a bit softer.


"I spend my lunch hours surrounded by people who apolgise for every touch, so today I hugged a stranger and a thousand lonely people rioted"

The resolution is all fuzzy but got here: http://www.asofterworld.com/index.php?id=225

I love 'A Softer World'.

(image via http://www.asofterworld.com)

Tissø Lake

In my final year of University I lived with my friend Janoh who plays music as Tissø Lake with a rotation of musicians. We visited him in Cambridge in the snow a few months ago and last week he came to stay and played the first show of his summertime tour at the Hourglass in Exeter (a fine establishment, full of cats, boardgames and good food) on Sunday. The show was as beautiful as expected, the music is cold and clear and lonely like Dartmoor on a wet day.

Although he is my friend I am not so biased as to pretend the music is good for politeness sake, just that I am lucky enough to like those kind of songs already and then I was lucky enough to live with him and go to lots of shows. Robin plays violin and drums and they have set off for Bristol-London-Brighton-Cambridge-Sheffield-Edinburgh to play for friends and strangers.



(image via banazan.com)

http://www.myspace.com/tissolake

http://www.mathilderecs.com/

And here is my old house by candlelight, and Janoh playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkoZDks1kFw

Bikes!

Two of my favourite things are bikes and sewing, specifically making (simple) clothes. At the moment this is my sewing machine:


It is 15o years old and can't do anything too complicated but it is easy to make skirts with elasticated waistbands using only straight lines. Today I found some amazing material:

Lots of it! And, by good fortune, tomorrow is critical mass. This is an event for bike lovers of all shapes and sizes - if you are in Exeter and like bikes meet at the Cathedral Green at 12 and we will proceed to cycle proudly round the streets, holding up car drivers and celebrating eco friendly wheels. So I will be there, hopefully wearing the above as some sort of garment.

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass

I love wikipedia.

Thieves and Tea

I haven't blogged since April 2008 but I think I remember how to do it. I seem to remember it involves talking about yourself in a public forum, which would not usually be considered polite but is acceptable through the medium of the internet.

Album of the day: The Organ - Thieves

Thank you James. We went to see them in Cardiff around Christmas in the first year of Uni and they blew my mind. Unfortunately they split up relatively soon after but released an EP of unreleased songs which gives a final taste of their genius for succinctly heartbreaking songs.

Page of the day: http://www.booksatoz.com/witsend/tea/orwell.htm

George Orwell knew how to make a good cuppa.