Music, This Time
I was feeling sorry for myself last night.  It has been a very busy, crazy couple of weeks.  I've been fighting a cold for most of it, plus I have somehow wrenched my shoulder out of place and am fitting physio appointments into everything else.  And there I was, on the tube, my violin over my back, on my way to a special orchestra rehearsal in preparation for our concert this Sunday evening.  And last night was Frida

"Too Many Magpies" Takes Flight
Tuesday night saw the launch of Elizabeth Baines' new novel, Too Many Magpies.  I can't wait to read it.  It looks like a small-gem-of-a book.  Elizabeth read from the beginning, then took questions, and then read some more from the end.  The audience was so enthral

In Awe of Translations and Translators
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away (or so it seems), I was a Classicist, studying and teaching ancient Greek, with a bit of Latin thrown in for good measure.   Even then many asked why I would be pursuing such a line of study, what it could ever possibly do for me.  Although I did not go on to make a career out of my classical studies, the difference those years of study have made to my life have been enormous.*

From the Depths Up to the Heavens
So many people are sick right now.  I know I've been battling my semi-annual sinus infection all week, too.  But it's been a very busy week and I've managed to do several things that I want to share with you.First, I went to a fundraiser for a very worthwhile charity, RAPt, the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust.  It was a very artsy, somewhat star-studded night in a v

So Tired of Worrying About Waterstones
I woke up this morning, looked at my diary, and it clearly said "write blog." I knew exactly what I was going to write about, but as I read my friends' blogs over my morning coffee, I saw this scare-mongering article alluded to over and over: How Waterstones Killed Publishing.  Okay.  Deep breaths everyone.Now, I have been call