dead brains don't dance

I haven’t posted anything for weeks. This is largely because we’ve been going through hardware hell for most of that period, but that (please?) is pretty much over and dealt with now. I can’t be arsed to detail the many and varied things that have broken in quick succession (or, in some cases, simultaneously), but the computer-related aspects are in control even if the Thaab is still sitting outside with its alternator in the front passenger footwell and shared off bolts in the block, and we’re expecting the loss adjuster on Wednesday to look at the broken TV and totally wrecked amp and speakers.

Enough.

This morning, we dragged ourselves away from trying to make up time on work that, you know, can actually be billed for to go to Slimbridge. This was a Good Idea: perfect late autumn weather, and - blessed be! - time away. We started with a cup of tea and slice of carrot cake, wandered with cameras for an hour or two, found ramtops an excellent hat in their shop, and headed home. Home via Makro, for cat fud (for one end) and large refill bottles of surface cleaner (for the consequences of t’other), but even that wasn’t too vile an experience.


I’ll leave you with a quotation from China Miéville, taken from An End to Hunger - I was reminded of it by a post in bas_lag.

Dear Kind Generous Person, Thank you so much for your Generous gift of half a cup of wet rice. Our Children will treasure every grain. And do please thank your Kind Organisers at An End To Hunger for organising their rich friends to throw rice at us - that is the advantage of employing Sweatshop labour and trade union busting. That way they can afford rice for us poor people. Whatever you do, do keep sitting back and not asking any questions of them, keep them happy, don’t agitate for any corporate taxes or grassroots control or anything like that which would threaten the large profits that allow them to buy us Cups of Rice. With humble love and thanks, The Hungry.

ETA dead tree version available in Looking for Jake and Other Stories, along with much other fine writing.