one of the many reasons I love the beeb...

I just turned on my TV and before I switched my freeview box on, ITV came up. On was "Women in Fear: Tonight" - I only heard about 30 seconds of it, but it was basically the Daily Mail on TV. In horror, I turned freeview on and there, in all its wonderful glory, was the end of University Challenge on BBC2. I went from angry and rilled to soothed and interested in a split second!

Also - I've failed in my 'blog at least every other day' challenge (or new year's resolution - whatever you want to call it...) so far - my reason - work! Finally after a complete age of not being able to work properly, I'm now rushed off my feet. I've just started a really exciting (albeit very big and scary) project which is for the next 3 months or so, and I've had to turn down 2 clients already this week! At least one of them has now been referred to Dunc, so hopefully it will still work out well for all.

Have also done lots of lovely things recently, including seeing Sweeney Todd twice (once in preview and once opening night). I can't recommend it enough - a fantastic combination of Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton, as dark and wonderful as it is possible to be!

Anyway, going to eat now and then to bed before continuing to learn and live in the weird and wonderful world of the NHS!

an evening of politics - some more bloody than the rest...

went to see the RSC production of King Lear this eve which was amazing. Ian McKellen was phenomenal as Lear, as were Frances Barber (Goneril) and Jonathan Hyde (Kent), among others. Edumnd could have been stronger, but hey, I've fancied him since I first read the play so it's difficult for anyone to live up to that!

now at home watching News24 for the less bloody section of the evening - the New Hampshire primary. I'm trying not to get too excited, but 2 polls giving a 10 point lead is fantastic! More good news is that this week, Obama drew level with Clinton in a national poll - the first time that's happened...

fingers crossed and I'm now going to carry on reading the 37-odd political blogs that I've become addicted to in the past few days - no idea how I'm going to last until November!

damn - it's tomorrow already - that wasn't the plan....

... urgth - have the horrid head cold that's going around at the moment. The plan was that I would have a very early night, take some NightNurse and be all sparkely again tomorrow.

oh well, will do that now and just write-off tomorrow, m'thinks!

also - very happy about the Iowa result yesterday eve - bring on New Hampshire!

winter veg soup...

... is the most wonderful thing to eat on a cold January evening. I've just made some and it was delicious (if I do say so myself). Butternut Squash, Parsnips, Leeks, Onions and Garlic - simple and lovely!

the domesticity continues now as I've got to defrost my freezer (I know, I'm really starting the year off in a completely rock 'n' roll way...) as I'm getting a new one tomorrow, which will be fab!

I think the rest of this week is going to be quite chilled, and then I'm doing some lovely things next week - seeing Ian McKellen in King Lear and going to a preview of Sweeney Todd.

Also - finally got around to starting The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia and it is as wonderful as I was hoping!

Happy New Year!

what a nice start to the new year (well, the party last night, rather than the hang-over today)!

will do a proper post tomorrow, when I have a semblance of a brain - today has been spent tidying Charlie's flat (where the party was), buying and eat crap food from the garage, and watching rubbish telly.

need to go now - Charlie can't get her new phone to open and I am going to try and help!