Problems with rowing:

1)  The pain, the unspeakable pain.  There's killing yourself on an erg, there's having to carry on just because the other 7 bastards in the boat are also rocking backwards and forwards, there's the blisters, there's back pain, torn muscles, the constant feeling that you can never a) have enough oxygen and b) stretch enough, ( Read more... )

Fortuitously for you all, very possibly the most descriptive phrase imaginable in the English language has made itself known to me.

It comes to me courtesy of one Paul Dijstleberge, a resident of the Netherlands,* and it describes the "server" of a cafe in the south of France... No, I can't tell you where I got it.

'a waitress, full of the usual ( Read more... )

I'd forgotten, you see, how mental some of them were.  Well, forgotten is too strong.  Become desensitised.  Today I have been reading A Boring Book.  But it did remind me of some facts I had forgotten, and yes, don't flinch, I'm going to share:

1) Septimus Severus married Julia Domna because of her astrological profile.

2) Elagabalus (I really ( Read more... )

I am concerned that y'all may not be aware of this.  Therefore I share:

www.overheardinnewyork.com

Oh, the sheer unremitting brilliance of it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/31_10_07_traffickingreport.pdf

 http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/travel/04bourbon.html?pagewanted=1&8dpc

Watch the audio slide show, watch the audio slide show!

I heart bluegrass, I really do.  Still, I feel the need to bring to your attention the hilarious country song 'Save a horse, ride a cowboy'.

Hear hear ;)

 I'm sorry, but this is why I don't like Britain:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=491117&in_page_id=1770

I love Bonfire night, I do, but why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY does everything in British society have to be this vindictive and bitchy?  I don't think Cherie Blair should have ( Read more... )

Marvellous, this, marvellous:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/2007/10/29/man_eats_record_103_burgers/4340/

Don't miss the high hell drag race in DC now ;)

I missed the chance to go tailgating at Wembley!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/sports/football/29giants.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

I think we can all appreciate the comedy perplexedness of the New Yorker confronted with drizzle; to say nothing of the phrase 'a typically British touch' pertaining to a streaker.

I read articles on Italy and Russia yesterday, honest.  It's just that they weren't that interesting.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article2741225.ece

on Iran, and below....on Bill's gift giving habits.  But we knew that, didn't we?  Cigar, anyone? ;)

http://timesonline.typepad.com/comment/2007/10/honey-you-shoul. ( Read more... )