Round and round, mash mash

Spin. A friend at work sent around a link to a website to a few of us who sit near each other – she said ‘read this and despair, I wondered what I’ve been doing for the last 30-odd years’. I clicked on it and read short bios of mid twenty year old committee members of an environment group, they all grant for this, scholarship there, started own business here, worked with big name organisations there. Together they made a montage of earnest give a shit, with the glitter of right place right time, the varnish of effort. I agreed that it was a bit humbling. But then I also wondered that this woman should feel like this when she read it. She who studied at one of the biggest name sandstone universities of the world, who traveled in developing (underdeveloped/ majority world, you pick the ideology and terminology) countries helping audit environmental organisations, worked for big name exciting European sustainability organisation, who currently works only part time at the job we both do so she can work one day a week for another environment group, who is a volunteer lifesaver at her local beach – I mean really. I reassured her that spin was a powerful force and that although ‘you can’t polish a turd’ (I really am fond of that phrase) you can do quite a good job of styling it nicely. It’s easy to be daunted by the bios of strangers.

Pulp. Also in the parcel from mum was a mystery novel, reviewed by the author of one of the mystery series that she and I both love. This one is a first novel and is a bit awkward, bit obviously of the genre, but so far so good. I know I’ll read it this weekend, despite having a report to write, people to catch up with, housework to do and a visit to the studio to squeeze in. Sometimes I read more when I’m busy because it helps create a bit of balance. Bath reading is especially lovely. Café reading comes a close second. I rarely read in bed, almost never, because my arms get tired, and to be quite honest, once I’m finally in bed sleeping seems like a much more attractive proposition than reading.