2007 — 22 December: it's a new (Satur)day
By my own (semi-rigid) philosophy, it's after midnight so it's a new day. But really this belongs yesterday. The Guardian reported a spat between a pair (Colin McGinn and Ted Honderich) of philosophers1 in yesterday's tabloid section:
The heart of their dispute, though, may not be over intellectual matters at all, but about something one of them said more than a quarter of a century ago about the other's ex-girlfriend...
Isn't that just too delicious? I am (I expect) reliably informed (at 02:30 this morning!) that Henry Kissinger remarked "academic politics is so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small". Mind you, I was also taken to task, in the same note, by my use of the obsolete word "dominatrix" yesterday when revealing my "newly disclosed longing"! My erudite critic had to resort to the complete OED (unlike me, tee-hee!) Thank you, Geoff.
Time to get going... department
Let's see. Cancel papers and milk. Top up on windscreen washer. Done. Clean windows and mirrors — my poor little Yaris is filthy! Done. Nip over to Brynja for a Pritt stick session. Nip over to Cathy for a meal and some nattering. Contemplate the list of things to do or prepare or obtain or pack before my next Grand Tour. Check the weather forecast, and the recommendations of what to carry in your vehicle. Get some money!
Is it any wonder I still haven't watched Stardust? Dammit, I haven't even finished today's crossword. Now (just about 13:00) Junior has just phoned me again from Thailand to reassure me they're doing well (in that enviable 27C). And, because I know he looks at this from time to time, thank you, Dennis, for both your patient driving tuition and your sympathetic patience yesterday during what was a pretty intense day for me. It was a real confidence booster.