What are you interested in?

[Pruni]

Message withdrawn

Yes and we have that too. Unread by moi as it appears to have no sex or knitting patterns in it
My analytical fact-retaining brian is shot too. All I can remember about Enigma is that Jeremy is gorge and Dougray Scott is better than he is in Desperate Housewives...

yes, I enjoyed those books (have to be in the right mood for non-fiction) but it helps that I love maths I guess. Another great non-fiction writer is Richard Feynman (nobel prize winning in Physics).

If you like code breaking, GCHQ normally set an annual code breaking challenge (could have sworn they did one in 2006 but maybe not). Hopefully, they'll do another this year. I nearly went mad solving the December 2004 one - it virtually took over my life (and probably explains why I can't remember much about Xmas from that year)!

you see now I want to know more about code breaking

my sister used to work for someone who lived with Jeremy Northam (they're not together now). unfortunately what she told me put me right off him, but he is still very pretty

He wouldn't be a conceited egomaniac by any chance?

how could you possibly tell?!

there was something else as well but I can't remember properly what it was. something rather unsavoury I think, must ask her

Modern?

books
shopping
Social politics
American Politics

I was actually referring to how I was, but if the cap fits........... [wink}

Marina, why the interest in the French? Is it something you studied?

btw, we (both dh and I) are big J Coe fans. In fact, I think pruni had nominated you as chair of his fan group with pruni and I delegated as chief groupies

Ahem.

You can be his groupies. I will be his concubine.

Lovely word that, concubine.

Actually, you know, in RL I am far more boring than my list suggests.

My SISTER went out with Jeremey Northam. Briefly. Ages and ages and ages ago, before he was famous.

I'm not sure I can vouch for the not boring the arse off people bit but
law
philosophy - in a vague not naming any names kind of way
ethics - you know, catholic adoptions, stem cell research for example
morals and history - in a htf did that happen kind of way

DISH IT NOW WWW , and then I can get back to my catfight with pruni, MI and FIS (and dh) over who gets which delectable part of the really wonderful Jonathan Coe
Can you imagine what the poor man will think if he ever googles himself?
FIS - went to Paris as teenager, ka-boom, instant love. A-level, university degree, wonderful year poncing about in Normandy, numerous holidays since. Still have friends out there.
Like you I love Effing Darke and Blest Pair of Nylons - have you got that album Hail, Gladdening Light?
And...why football?

i missed my one of biggest interests off. war. war and people. war and men. war and women. war and law. war and politics. war and morals. I am awed by it, stunned by it, fascinated by it, shocked by it, saddened by it, horrified by it.

John Mayer - always top of my list. And music generally - all genres.

Horses and racing, but DH's obsession with work is rapidly turning me against them.

Food. And why its importance is so grossly underestimated in this country.

Travelling. I love to travel, even though my DDs have to go everywhere with me.

Home interiors. I devour magazines about ineriors and secretly harbour a desire to be an interior designer, but am afraid I wouldn't be good enough.

I used to read alot, but haven't found anything I want to finish recently. I start a book, but realise halfway through that it's shite. Any suggestions as to a good read. Any subject (except abuse of children) considered.

Have you read Tim Moore Grumpy?
Funniest (and cleverest) travel writer around.

I haven't. Might just give him a go. I do enjoy Bill Bryson, though (I buy them for my Dad so I can read them after him). Although BB is more the observations of an American living in the UK, and that of a former expat moving back to the US rather than global travelling. I think I would enjoy a broader perspective, and I always appreciate good humour.

I did like Bill (before he became so ubiquitous) but Tim Moore is on another plane (and quite fanciable too.)

I buy everything he has written as soon as it comes out.

He writes a lot for the Observer too.

Knicker wettingly funny.

marina, I haven't got Hail, Gladdening Light - would you recommend it? I remember studying that in ancient Greek. In fact, a great and overwhelming sadness for me is that, because I have moved around so much in my life, I have never been able to hold onto possessions (like books or music scores) as I've had to travel light and haven't had a base to store anything. So when I arrived here in '99, I had the clothes I had on and a small suitcase of stuff. I SO miss printed music (and of course, it's hideously expensive now), books of anthems, greek translations that sort of thing. Sigh.

Football - well my dad came over to the UK in the 60s and was very taken with football (Chelsea in particular as he didn't live far from the ground). Once he married my mum and they had all of us (all girls), he needed an excuse to carry on going to the football and watching Grandstand/Match of the Day, so from the minute I could walk, he had me out in the garden kicking a ball and used to drag me to games.

Hence I can watch any sport on TV and have probably seen more darts, snooker and wrestling courtesy of Frank Bough than most women do in a lifetime .

That's interesting about your love of France - was it in your gap year that you went? It's amazing what an impression a year off can have.

Italy
Books
Italian books

umm

Teaching/learning languages
Education generally

ummm (God, this is boring)

Horses/riding
Dogs
Food

decent pub and the lack thereof
singing
going to parties and the lack thereof
books - intimate history of humanity by theodore zeldin, steinbeck, kelman, gray
holistic stuff
food
politics
drink
life and my inability to get one now we have kids
not being able to afford a house
drugs
robert burns
camping
howl's moving castle
gin&tonic

I missed this thread (pity) when it was Fresh - just found it because I am re-reading Helen Simpson & wondered how often she gets mentioned on here (hellooo MI)

And, indulge me, I just want to quote, for the sublimity of its Ecclesiastes-like proverbial value, this, of a woman on a commuter train from Sydenham:

The main thing, thought Lois, looking out of the window at south London's back gardens, the important thing as middle age came and sat down on you with its enormous bum, the vital thing surely was, not to grow too careful of yourself.