Friday 25th May 2012, 7.40am (day 274)
This is rather boring and abstract. Then again, so was my day.
It’s definitely a dull one to mark the 9-month anniversary of this blog. Three-quarters of a year done: one quarter to go.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: photography
Myu on the Stepping Stones
Thursday 24th May 2012, 1.15pm (day 273)
Every year I invite my students to come to Hebden Bridge for a day out in the countryside. The end of May usually does see good weather but – especially considering what it was like a week ago – this year we were spectacularly lucky.
I like this photo because although Myu is at the back of this line of people (and I cropped a couple more off the right end) she is also quite clearly its focus, with that happy smile. Incidentally she is also the striker for the University of Manchester women’s football 2nd team, who have just finished second in their league: so she’s probably better at football than you are, as well.
The new King’s Cross
Wednesday 23rd May 2012, 12.15pm (day 272)
This is the new entrance at King’s Cross station in London, opened in March. I’m very impressed with it. Apart from looking damn good, it also has some nice cafes on the balcony which do not charge ludicrous prices for cups of tea (£1.50 for a cup, which is quite reasonable these days), and a good pub, which seems as if it has been there for decades. And there’s a Platform 9¾ sign (complete with a luggage trolley half-sticking out of a wall) to keep the Harry Potter fans happy.
Most of all though I’m impressed there are still people around who give enough of a toss about creating beautiful things in public life that things like this can still get built. May it continue to be the case.
Student in sunny suburbia
Tuesday 22nd May 2012, 1.55pm (day 271)
Worked today at Rose Bruford college, a partner of the University of Manchester, located in Sidcup, near London – the epitome of suburbia. No hardship to be down there today, however: a glorious, sunny late spring day.
I should also point out that about 10 seconds after I had taken this picture, another student came and tipped a bottle of water over this girl’s back. Sweet.
Jack, outside the pub
Monday 21st May 2012, 5.50pm (day 270)
Yesterday was good, and today continued very fine: best weather since the end of March. Here we are sat out in front of the Railway; yes, it’s by a main road, but it’s a great little suntrap. This is Jack: you will recognise him better with the hat and glasses on than without them. There’s me, too, if you look carefully.
Wild garlic
Sunday 20th May 2012, 2.15pm (day 269)
I’ve totally discovered this plant (also known as ramsons) this year, thanks to Joe, as it happens. I sort of always knew it was there but he was shown it on a school trip and the fact that you can just pick it up and eat the leaves from the ground – and they taste delicious – appealed to him; and to me, too. And it’s lovely in salads. Or the stems gently fried. And free. And it grows everywhere.
Just imagine if you could actually subsist on this stuff. They’d find someway to privatise it, for sure. I always think the same about blackberries, another lovely free food.
On the approach to Scafell Pike summit
Saturday 19th May 2012, 2.15pm (day 268)
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England, at 3210 feet (978 metres). It is also, as this photograph makes clear, probably the busiest. And the stoniest. A stream of people are here hauling themselves up the final slope from Lingmell col, each with their own specific reasons for being there – though in the end, it’s all the same general reason – “because it’s there”, because it’s the highest point in England. Scafell Pike isn’t the most attractive mountain – nor the most interesting – nor the one with the best view, or the best crags – it’s not, in my opinion, even the hardest one (Pillar and Scafell were harder). But it is the highest: and that’s why all these people were there.
The British Library
Friday 18th May 2012, 3.25pm (day 267)
Went to London on a day trip today, for a meeting, which we held here mainly because it’s easy to get to and a nice space. What you see here is the ‘King’s Library’, the King in question being George III: his library now sits as a kind of monumental pedestal n the centre of the building. The new concourse at King’s Cross station is also pretty cool, by the way. With St Pancras between the two this is becoming a decent part of the city.
Queueing for ‘Brief Encounter’
Thursday 17th May 2012, 7.35pm (day 266)
This is officially Clare’s favourite movie and when the cinema ran a poll a while back to vote for which films the community would like to be shown at our excellent local movie house, she engaged in some serious lobbying on its behalf. Whether it made the final difference, who knows, but sure enough, we had the chance tonight to see Brief Encounter as all films are meant to be seen – at the cinema. So me, her, and what seemed like the entire middle-aged female population of Hebden Bridge were there tonight.
Gymnastic display, Exchange Square
Wednesday 16th May 2012, 3.30pm (day 265)
Where, a month ago, the Wheel of Manchester still stood, there was today this gymnastic display by a group of energetic ten year-olds. This’ll all be some Olympic games run-up thing. I snapped this one as I went past on my way to the station: luck more than judgment, I can assure you.
Being 42 