Tag: blog
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111: AUTHOR
It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m on the train to Oxford, to go and see an interview with the author Frances Hardinge. The event is part of the Oxford Literary Festival – the first time I’ve ever been. Hardinge writes fantastical, very gothic novels for the ‘YA’ (‘Young Adult’) market. YA is just a fancy way…
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110: DEAD POP
Wow. Is it really just over thirty years (spring 1993*) since I appeared as an extra in the Radiohead video ‘Pop Is Dead’? Yup, I’m that shaggy-haired guy (I had hair in those days) on the right, below. My friend Jenny and I heard about the shoot, through our friend Hugh, and went along to…
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109: ROSIE
Our beloved cat Rosie (the friendliest, most easy-going cat in the world) hasn’t been herself recently. She’s lost a lot of weight (admittedly, she was massively overweight before… but now, worryingly, she’s beginning to look like a normal-sized cat). Also, her fur is looking straggly and has lost its lustre. In the last few days,…
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108: WOMEN’S DAY
It’s International Women’s Day 2023. Lizzie and I are sitting at the kitchen table, eating soup (provided by Lizzie – as usual – I’m ashamed to say) and discussing this yearly event. ‘They’ve asked me at work to send in a photo of myself,’ says Lizzie, frowning. ‘But not any photo. I have to be…
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107: CHOCOLATES
It’s Valentine’s Day. The first Valentine’s Day since Lizzie got the all-clear from her cancer. And… … unfortunately… … it’s crap. I can tell things are getting off to a bad start, when I present Lizzie with her card and box of chocolates. The card goes down OK. After all, it’s a Valentine’s card. As…
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106: LONG ENCOUNTER
I’m on the train from London Paddington to Honeybourne station – fifteen minutes drive from home. I had to catch the 20.50 from Paddington, as my usual train – the 19.50 – no longer appears to be scheduled. I guess that trains which take people away from London – as opposed to into it –…
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105: PORTRAIT
It’s the night before my fiftieth birthday… and Lizzie’s painting my portrait in the living room. I’m slumped down on the sofa with my laptop, scouring social media as Lizzie dabs away across the room – where she’s set up her easel. Occasionally, when I’m trying to think about something, I cup my hand around…
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104: COMEDIAN
I’m in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher… whilst hungrily eyeing the delicious supper Lizzie’s left out on the hob (which she and the kids have already tucked into). I figure, if I look industrious – doing the dishwasher – Lizzie won’t mind me also tucking into the delicious supper… even though it’s yet another meal…
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103: MILK
It’s a weekday morning and I’m rushing to get the 7.58 train from nearby Honeybourne Station, in Worcestershire, to London Paddington. This morning – disaster – we’ve run out of milk. I realise it when I’m in the kitchen, halfway through preparing a flask-full of coffee to take on the train. I panic. This is…
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102: WHY CAN’T YOU BE MORE LIKE HIM?
I’m watching Ant-Man and the Wasp with Annie, in our living room. It’s terrific! Exciting and action-packed but also fun and with tongue-firmly-in-cheek. I mean, it’s about insect-sized superheroes… how seriously can it take itself? I’m enjoying it at least as much as the first Ant-Man and Annie appears to be loving the movie too.…
P. D. Clifton 