Tuesday 9th December 2025, 10.55am (day 5,220)
A senior professorial colleague once said: “you’re a Reader. Do some fucking reading.” He was right. And there’s no reason why I need to prematurely leap out of bed to do it.
Still in bed (reading)
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: reading
Light reading
Wednesday 23rd April 2025, 2.50pm (day 4,990)
This ‘reading in the pub’ theme has been done before but after nearly 5,000 days some things just come round again. Anyway, taking in James V. Wertsch’s concept of ‘mediated action’ is better done with the accompaniment of alcohol, I feel.
Reading, with pen
Thursday 4th April 2024, 3.15pm (day 4,606)
My job title is Reader, and I agree with a senior Professor of my acquaintance who, a while back in my ‘annual review’, said — “You’re a Reader, do some fucking reading”. Yes, I do write in my books: call it ‘annotation’ and you can get away with it. Yes, this book does start with a discussion of Star Trek. But it’s all work, I promise.
Cancelled
Monday 7th August 2023, 1.50pm (day 4,365)
I am occasionally still known to consult that nowadays esoteric and slightly old-fashioned source of information, the ‘book from the library’. This whole date-stamping and cancelling thing seems quite archaic now, doesn’t it? But in 2006 it was still all the rage.
A spot to read
Tuesday 7th February 2023, 4.50pm (day 4,184)
The weather this week: long spells of heavy reading, becoming marking; some intervals of lighter reading. When this report was written, in 1985, it was commentary. Now, it’s history. Same words, different perspective.
In death, still reading
Friday 24th June 2022, 10.05am (day 3,956)
A working week in London, and this becomes the third time that city has been the setting for five pictures in a row. Friday morning was spent at the Victoria & Albert museum, where this collection of sarcophagi reside. Whomever was the subject for the one second from bottom, they clearly wanted to be portrayed as studious, even in death.
Outdoor reading companion
Monday 2nd August 2021, 3.40pm (day 3,630)
You wait ages for a small insect and then two turn up in consecutive days. This fly hung around for a while; clearly it has an interest in Ted Nelson’s Literary Machines this afternoon. As did I.
A good book
Wednesday 15th July 2020, 7.05pm (day 3,247)
Started my time off with as low key a day as could be managed, even by recent standards. Felt like picking up a good book, which this is, very much so: even if not a very long one. If you’ve never read this, you really should. Pictured also in the foreground, the reading glasses that I now need to make sense of it.
Reading in Russell Square
Thursday 31st January 2019, 12.40pm (day 2,716)
Up and about again today, though not very far nor very energetically. This is the kind of vibe I am trying to affect at the moment.
Joe in the school library
Wednesday 31st January 2018, 4.45pm (day 2,351)
When I started doing this blog on 26/8/2011 Joe was nine years, five months and twenty-two days old. His first appearance was a few days in, sat in the Railway and looking really very small. Not any more. I guess he hasn’t reached his complete adult form yet, he is not fifteen for a few weeks, but he cannot be far off. This is his ninety-ninth appearance on the blog. Doubtless I will find good reason to mark the next one.
Being 42 