I’m a reluctant cinema-goer nowadays. This is because broadly speaking and generalising wildly, I’m a grown-up. Please excuse me the following rant / soliloquy. (I like to vent occasionally: it makes me a better person the rest of the time, in theory). Right. I love a good story (and yes, I’m a scifi/fantasy geek, but not exclusively). I want my … Read More
Workin’ on the Chain: 16 Reasons We Need Bikes
It’s the British National Bike Week – and on Thursday, I’ll be attending the University of York Cycle Fair (PDF). Please excuse me while I enthuse wildly on this subject. A Matter Of Fact Remember those long summer holidays where you bronzed your limbs by cycling helter-skelter down country paths, enjoying the movement of the pit of your stomach when … Read More
Putting My Best Mug Forward…
Last month, I wrote an article about making a personal stand against throwaway cups. Since it got picked up by the Huffington Post, it’s about time I demonstrated that I’m a man whose words are equally balanced by his deeds. In short: meet my mug. Yes, it’s from Starbucks. Stake me to a tree and set wild leopards on me … Read More
Edinburgh, Back and Forth
Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags, from Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle, from Salisbury Crags. Salisbury Crags and Edinburgh Castle, from Arthur’s Seat Edinburgh Tourist Board website All photos copyright M. Sowden 2009.
York: Remembering I’m Always In The Middle
March 23rd 2006 The river Ouse was, for a long time, the bloodstream of mercantile York. In Roman times it provided the means to transport bulk goods for the military (grain, for example, as seen in the remnants of beetle-infested Roman grain cellars along Coney Street). It allowed cost-effective transportation of raw and worked materials in and out of the … Read More
There’s A Voice, Keeps On Calling Me
Last week, I finished working at my regular online writing gig.
The Appeal Of Fallen Buildings
There’s a place that haunts my mind – and it’s in Belgium. Now, the less charitable among you may suggest that Belgium generally haunts everyone’s mind. Some Belgians feel this way. But this is probably unfair, even if it’s quite funny. Belgium has had a long and glorious history of being everyone’s favourite Shortcut To Somewhere Important, and it’s not … Read More
Q10: Fitting A Door In My Brain
The problem with using a PC that’s connected to the Internet – well, there are plenty of problems. Oh, this will be a big list. Short break first. E-mail. Digg – WOAH that’s crazy. Stumbleupon. Twitter. Facebook (Friends – status updates OHMYGOD message message message). BBC News. Huffington Post. E-mail again. How’s my Space Pioneers empire going? E-mail. Check Stumbles … Read More