Raven

Titanic Plum Porter, and it's jolly nice!

All over the shop, reading wise at the mo. I think I've started half a dozen books since Christmas. Still reading Guards! Guards! But have a sneaking suspicion I'm not reading as much because I need glasses. Also started reading a friend's book this week, however, and am finding to be much better than I expected!

That's the rub. When used for what it was designed for, or for similar applications, it does the job it was meant to do very well. When used in company to company work e-mails, not so much... (I don't get this as much as I used to 10/15 years ago, but the odd one still pops up on occasion. It's usually from someone who thinks it looks friendly, they just don't seem to realise how inappropriate it is!).

Interesting article about Comic Sans here: How we made the typeface Comic Sans.

iNtERneT pEoPLe aRe WeiRd...

I'll second @willoyd's anti-Rowling sentiment* by saying she is no Tolkien. I've read and enjoyed the Harry Potter novels, and although I can't say I've read any of her other books, her writing is good, but not great. Tolkien also had his flaws, but his books are better written than Rowlings. I can see Tolkien being in this top five list, but not Rowling. On an aside, I would hope Rowling's books will be remembered in years to come because they are very enjoyable, and - because of their setting - to a point timeless, so I would hope that future generations will continue to enjoy them as we have been able to. *I know that's not what you are saying!

^ Because representation is very important to the people for whom it matters. Yes, there have been gay characters in Doctor Who before, Captain Jack being the most obvious, but this is the first time a full time companion will be. Small steps and all that...

I’m looking forward to it, though I’ll admit not as much as I have some previous series. I liked the relationship between Nardole and the Doctor in the Christmas episode, so having that comedy element in it is a positive and at the moment I’m open-minded to what Bill will be like (at least this time it won’t be another companion lusting after the Doctor!). Moffat’s time has been a double-edged sword from my point of view. It has been one of the most inventive eras, storytelling wise. For a show about time travel, he has used it far more extensively as a plot device than any of his predecessors, and he has been very clever with some of the things he has done, but at the same time I’ve not generally enjoyed the stories as much as I did the ones in the Russell Davis era. And whilst Capaldi has been great at times, there is something about his Doctor I just can’t get to grips with. I really enjoyed Matt Smith’s turn and Tennant and Eccleston were both good before him, but something just doesn’t sit right with Capaldi for me and I can’t quite put my finger on what it is (I’m beginning to wonder if it is because he has tended to have a more combative relationship with his companion, still not sure though…). I have no idea what Chibnall will be like; the stories he has previously written for both Doctor Who and Torchwood haven’t generally been my favorites, but he might be completely different if he is allowed to set his own tone for the show.

A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan, which Michelle and others were talking about recently, is in Amazon's Kindle Spring Sale for 99p. Also in the same sale is The Rook, by Daniel O'Malley, also 99p.

Seal

I really don't know if this will get deleted or not, but this is the true story of my favourite ever "overhead" conversation... The company I work for manufacturers radio products, so occasionally we have to test their range to make sure they cover the distance we state in our product literature. The only free space near where I work, that has a good line of sight, is the grounds of the local collage. So there I was, one sunny summer afternoon, trying to workout if our latest product was a wolf or a dog, when I overheard some passing girl utter the following nugget to her friends: Girl: She said he did it through her tights, so it doesn't count... That is all I heard of the conversation, put on that what spin you will. [apologies to anyone who has just sprayed their monitor with coffee]

A thread for things you don't mean to overhear, but do... Guy in pub: He's been out with some real stunners, but also some complete ogres... Girl in same group: I don't like that; calling a woman a 'stunner' is objectification... ?

The first two Adrian Mole books are 99p today (combined in an anniversary edition). Not sure buying them was a good idea; read the first 10% in 20 minutes today, despite the critical acclaim at the time, it hasn't aged very well...

Yes.

April books of the month are up on Amazon, picked up two: The Vorrh, by Brian Catling and Nod, by Adrian Barnes There are also a couple of Kurt Vonnegut novels I might go back for later, and Animal Farm is in today's daily deal.

Try The Ninth Rain, by Jen Williams. Not read it myself, but I hear it has a strong female lead.

Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter has died. One of Britain's most iconic detectives, but very different as played by John Thaw from the character in Dexter's books (well, the early ones at least...). I read several of his books back in the nineties, I think I have a couple of signed copies somewhere. RIP.

Dinotopia are large format picture books by artist James Gurney. Good stories in the ones I have read, with beautiful illustrations.

Was a really nice, sunny walk into work this morning, but as the day has gone on it has got increasingly cloudy. Lights on now, the weekend must be coming...

I read the first book last year and enjoyed it for the most part, but I will probably only read further if they pop up as Kindle Deals of the Day. They reminded me a bit of Dinotopia. And, yes, the covers are excellent!

^ The best one yet!

The original opening for The Three Railway Engines was far darker than Reverend W. Awdry's later version: Once upon a time there was a little engine named Edward. aNd tHeN tHE MurDErs sTartEd...

It could equally have been chick-lit where the romance revolved around a couples liking of a chocolate covered coconut snack.

^ It's been officially announced by the BBC (although that is an on-set picture).

^ I really need to get a move on and read the Smiley books I haven't thus far!