Category Archives: Uncategorized

In September 2014 I visited Munich Oktoberfest. It is not universally known that Oktoberfest actually runs through more of September than October. Anyway, I had my one and, at present, only visit to Oktoberfest. It wasn’t a straightforwardly enjoyable experience, but that is a wider story. Visiting the festival site, which is essentially a makeshiftContinueContinue reading “Beer”

About a month ago, I went to watch WWE Smackdown in Washington DC. Having watched wrestling as a teenager, this was a little trip down memory lane. Since the live show – which was awesome – I’ve become addicted to ‘sports entertainment’ again. For all the oddities, outlandishness and oddballs, there is something compelling aboutContinueContinue reading “Wrestle-maniac”

One of the books I’ve started dipping into is Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act. The book doesn’t easily fit into a genre, but there have been some really interesting nuggets so far: ‘Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human’ ‘Creativity doesn’t exclusively relate to making art’ ‘To create is to bring something into existenceContinueContinue reading “Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act”

For to every one who has will be given more, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew 25:29, RSV While I may have come across it before, the first time I can recollect coming across the Matthew effect was in Alex Quigley’sContinueContinue reading “The Matthew effect”

I have a soft spot for those market research surveys you get invited to via e-mail. They seem like an acceptable form of procrastination. I find the questions interesting and I don’t mind the opportunity to share my opinion. One question which becomes more pertinent with each response though is the inevitable demographic box askingContinueContinue reading “No country for middle aged men”

I fell off the writing wagon. Initially I had a reasonably good excuse as I was busy on a trip home to the UK. I then had no real excuse for the lacklustre attempt to get back on the wagon at the beginning of March. I have now missed the better part of a month.ContinueContinue reading “Unexpected reader”

Like many teenagers, or at least many of the teenagers who I was friends with, I used to be something of a wrestling fan. By which I mean the sports entertainment wrestling best exemplified by what was then the WWF. I grew out of it but since moving to the USA I discovered an abundanceContinueContinue reading “Smackdown”

After a little hiatus around my trip back to the UK, where I didn’t feel I had a spare waking hour, I’m going to try and get back on the daily writing wagon as it was a habit which I was enjoying and, for the most part, keeping up with quite well. During my flightContinueContinue reading “Lafayette”

Manchester has grit, it has texture, it has life in abundance. Walking the city’s streets, you are channeled along corridors of magnificent architecture, erected from the proceeds of becoming the world’s first industrial city. While once again a thriving metropolis, there is still plenty of the past, with more than palimpsest of that manufacturing andContinueContinue reading “Manchester”

Having only missed one day of posting in January, I have managed to lose not one but two days this month. The reason I entirely justifiable though, as I was traveling back to the United Kingdom for the first time since I relocated to Washington DC last August. Honestly, I only thought I missed oneContinueContinue reading “Losing Days”