February 2012
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GOOGLE A ROOM FOR LONDON.
That is where I am. On Friday I will delivering a podcast around 5pm but you will have to check on the Room for London website to find out more about this as I don’t really know how it is to be done.
All I know is that I will be on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank in a boat that looks as if it has been borrowed from a Joseph Conrad novel.
Or perhaps it is a tiny ark on a concrete Ararat.
It is a very good idea – a piece of teamwork from ArtAngel and Living Architecture. In fact, if you are looking for an unusual place to stay for a short holiday in the UK, check out Living Architecture – they are offering some wonderful buildings to rent.
Living Architecture is part of Alain de Botton’s School of Life enterprise (have a Google at that too). I have just reviewed Alain’s new book Religion For Atheists. While I was doing that I spent some time roaming round the School of Life website. Interesting stuff, and there is a even a book doctor who will advise you what to take on holiday when you need a break that includes books.
Whether or not you enjoy the new book – and I did – Alain de Botton is on the side of the angels – even if he doesn’t believe in them
I am glad I am going to be locked away for a week. I am more tired than I can say – and not far off doing a huge USA tour – so I have to be all right for that. I don’t know why I am so tired – I am even taking extra vitamins and doing all the neurotic Virgo health things that Virgos do. I would like to take more holidays and not just more vitamins, but I don’t seem to know how to do that.
I think part of the reason is that Why Be Happy has done so well, and so I have been and will be on the promo drive for some time. I love coming out and seeing everyone but it makes it hard to settle and so a big project – which means no disturbance – and it makes it hard to go away. I am often away – but working.
Susie and I won’t even manage our anniversary number 3 much loved 4 days in Venice this May – because she will in the States for her daughter’s graduation and I will be in Australia for my book.
This is all good stuff no rubbish – but last weekend I slept for 17 hours which must be about something.
Meanwhile – to my surprise – I am enjoying my Twitter outings. I don’t do it everyday or back and forth – but it is fun – and I shall certainly be Tweeting from the States.
I keep remembering my Tweetie-pie dream from when I was going bonkers. There was the yellow canary – and it was definitely me and I had a nice gilded cage – but it was on wheels with an engine – and me (the bird) was speeding about in my motorised cage thinking I was free. Well, you don’t need to put a Tea Cosy on your head to work that one out.
ALL THE USA DATES ARE UP ON THE WEBSITE
Greece. No I am not going to Greece, but as there are only 9million of them do they need an 150billion bail-out? Before the Germans get too high-minded though – it should be remembered though it is usually forgotten – that Germany did not pay her Reparation to Greece after World War 2.
Just a thought.
And as there are only 9million of them – and as it won’t make a lot of difference to the global economy if they do default – why don’t we keep them like a splendid luxury item? There are worse things to spend money on.
And believe me, we have spent it on those worse things. I would rather have Greece than Trident. Or an Iranian nuclear programme. Or even the perfume industry. The USA alone spends $13billion a year on perfume. So 12years or so of soap and water and Greece is sorted.
Have you seen The Woman in Black ?
It isn’t as scary as the book or the stage play but it is a fun night out and won’t keep you up too late afterwards. I was very interested because it is part of the new Hammer Horror franchise – and if everything works out as it should, my own Pendle Witches should go in there too
I don’t get it with THE ARTIST. A nice watch, yes, but profound? No. Important? Why? I was entertained enough but for me it is an aeroplane movie not something I’d want to look at again – unlike HUGO – which I loved – or TINKER TAILOR.
Let’s see what the Oscar’s bring.
Thanks everyone for giving me all the Feedback on whether or not to run a video-blog on this site. The answer was a resounding NO. Rather a relief to me but my webmaster assured me that I was behind the times. I guess that is fine.
It is 20years this month since Angela Carter died – which seems impossible, when her books are so present and so important. I am looking forward to my eldest god-daughter Eleanor discovering Angela Carter. I think I will start her off with the BLOODY CHAMBER.
She re-opened the territory of fairytales for writers – and for women she set a mark of excellence – write whatever you want but be daring and be dangerous.
I only met her once and she was kind to me.
Note to everyone: Be kind.
That seems a good note to end on here. Please come and see me in the States if you are around.
Oh and I will be at The Guardian for their Open Weekend on March 25th – if I am still alive after the States .
And then – we are bringing forward the UK paperback of Why Be Happy to APRIL.
Thanks for ALL your support.
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