A bunch of them right there
Indulging in a stunning bout of grumpiness yesterday, I came across a marvellous rendition of our world by Charlie Brooker in the Guardian's The Guide:"People ruin everything. Open the window: look, there's a bunch of them
right there, wrecking stuff. Bloody persons. Always pis*ing in your cornflakes.
On any given day, a person might give you a cold, burgle your home, or break
your heart. Who started the second world war? A person. Who invented
ringtones? A person. ... I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them."But it does get better:"Of course, I don't actually believe this: it's just that being a person myself, I'm prone to flights of irrational fancy. ... We've done some good things, us people. We made The Muppet Show, for instance. Beat that."There is hope, then!
India calling ... urgently
I had coffee with a friend on Thursday, and we stayed until the place closed, talking and reminiscing of Asia. The rickshaws, the bargaining, the colours, the aromas, the many good and kind hearts.I want to go back. I have been browsing AIESEC internships, and found some truly great hotel traineeships.I shared my findings with Cem, and she asked why I hadn't applied yet. I replied that a four+ month journey abroad was a big undertaking (that's the length of these ones). Again, she questioned me - "but you love India!".Yes, my dear friend speaks sense. I do love India.Watch this space.
Big idea
One transcendent, big idea:"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." - Vincent van GoghWow.
Redhead come blonde
I found a great chicken paella recipe.I headed off to the shops this morning, ingredient list written out. Onion, peppers ... garlic, stock, rice ... green beans, chopped tomatoes ... check, check, check. Local Sainsburys came up trumps and stocked everything but turmeric - a trek to the big Sainsburys soon solved that.This was about six hours ago. I shopped to my heart's content this afternoon, coming back just in time to start cooking. Very chuffed with the complexity of what I was about to attempt (remember this is me), I ran through the ingredients, trying to estimate preparation time.Something didn't quite seem right. I checked over my list and looked through my shelf - yes, I had got everything. But it seemed that something was missing.Ah.The chicken.It's funny, but chicken paella doesn't quite work without the chicken.Yes, I might officially be wonderwoman ... but I swear, I should have been blonde.
Parsimonious dictionaries
I'm perusing a critique of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics work. It puts forward the argument that Aristotle might, just possibly, be "parsimonious" in his discussion on voluntary actions.Right. I know I should know this word, but I don't. Thank goodness for online dictionaries.I type it out, checking my spelling: p-a-r-s-i-m-o-n-i-o-u-s. Ah! The virtual wonder recognises that which I do not.It dutifully informs me that parsimonious is pronounced [pahr-suh-moh-nee-uhs]. And, should I not understand this, I can even click on a speaker icon to hear it out loud. Even more thrilling: parsimonious is an adjective, its origin between 1590 and 1600.Not why I'm here though. Amongst these frivolities, I finally find the definition.parsimonious, -adj: characterized or showing parsimonyUhhhh huh. Thank you, online dictionary, for clearing up the matter. Your insightful definition does not require me to now look up parsimony, further deepening my profound feelings of stupidity. Of course not, because you're a generous online dictionary, with no limit to the amount of information you can hold. Not parsimonious at all.(Which, I finally find out, means stingy.)
If you dare
So, I've found a five star hotel management traineeship in Kolkata, India. (One of many considerations!)I was browsing through the AIESEC Kolkata welcome pack. I got to the section entitled "other things to bring", and at the end of the list, I saw this:- International student ID - if you have
- Credit card - if you please
- International driving licence - if you dare!!
I miss India ...
