Weeks 2 & 3, 2009

It's not that I've been lazy that I've missed a week of chronicle, it's just that it's been rather dull and uneventful. Most of the things of note happened outside of my life, including a sad trio of deaths (Patrick McGoohan, John Mortimer and Tony Hart), two great weeks of new "Come Dine With Me' and the historic inauguration of President Obama last Tuesday. Ulrika Jonsson has just won "Celebrity Big Brother" as Jonathan Ross returned to the BBC and "Doctor Who" has been filming for the first time in around 8 months (though not in Dubai). And we've had the Oscar and BAFTA film nominations as well as the actual Golden Globes ceremony, all delivering or promising Brit success (albeit via Mumbai). I'm actually thinking of going to see "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Milk" (both in the running for best film at the Oscars) if I can get the funds and logistics sorted.



Anything with me involved has been things NOT happening, like still not getting a haircut (my hair looks like something between a 70s housewife feathercut and a clumsy emo) or having to pospone my model shoot twice (fingers crossed for Sunday though). I am glad to report that it's got to that time of the year when deep midwinter appears to be loosening it's depressing grip, and I'm lately noticing a lengthening daylight in the afternoons. The next sign of the onset of spring will be the sight of snowdrops, but I've not been anywhere I might manage that. I shall be snapping them on camera when I do.

Then there's the recession, official for the UK as of yesterday morning at the end of a week which saw the towering incompetence of RBS exposed, a second bailout package (or blank cheque?) for the surviving banks, the pound then plumetting toward dollar parity after falling past the euro (can it only be six months since £1=$2?) and even mighty Microsoft announcing 5000 job losses worldwide (though Apple seem to be doing fine so far ;-)).

But I've been sheltered from the worst excesses of the situation. As someone with a public sector day job, these are the times you come to appreciate it. I can't say I was affected by the early 90s recession at all, though the employment prospects of the early 80s one ironically made me settle for the last resort of the boring civil service in 1983.

I guess we're the ones now who the government want to go out and spend money. Our own personal money that is! Lately it's been a competition between the haircut, a new pair of jeans or a new duvet.

I noted that the new Argos catalogue which turned up rather damp on my doorstep yesterday evening has a very 'value' type design.



Can you see what they did there?

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