Networking

Published on Sat 19 May 2012

We've been in New York for a week or so. Its weird - I've not been here for 6 months but it feels like yesterday. The touristy stuff is pretty much used up now so we've mostly been wandering round, eating overpriced food and shopping. Thank God Urban Outfitters has free wifi or I would've gone mad by now. If only every optician in the city did too.

The films on the plane were: Moneyball, which was very enjoyable but doesnt really hold up to much looking back at, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which was great, but not as complicated as people made out (unless I missed something) and What's Your Number? Which I didn't (and won't) see all of, though it had one really funny moment involving a screensaver. Just call me Barry.

I tried out a couple more contenders in the great mandolin hunt, assuming they'd be better value here, but none of them (including a white one from 1922!) were as nice as the one from Hobgoblin the other week, which is beginning to look reasonably priced.

We went up to Albany for a few days which was very nice, except for getting woken up at 5am the first morning by this.

It turns out that robins are both much bigger here, and territorial to the point of attacking their own reflection. For hours. You can imagine him thinking 'I don't understand, he anticipates my every move. And is very hard' he looks pretty crazed.

I've been getting a little obsessed with what people call their wifi. Here is the hall of fame. Spot the reason I recorded it in each case.

This was the best of all. Simple and elegant.

I went for a walk the other night which ended up with an expensive trip to Barnes and Noble - I got The Book of Drugs by Mike Doughty ( Chris made me listen to him a few months ago - I didn't fall for the music, but something made me pick up the book) and Brights Passage by Josh Ritter. The Doughty one is nearly as addictive as the drugs he's on during the course of it. I've spent the last two days trying to sneak a page or two while nobody's looking. I like it when im reading books that are set in the place I am. I brought "We are all made of glue" or something by Marina something for the plane, which is one of those books that convince me that being able to write is not a prerequisite for getting a book published. The plot is pretty heavy handed too, but I do at least want to know what happens. After I've finished the Mike Doughty one.

Here is another series of my you know I love it really aren't the foreigners funny photos.

The last one is a bar in a pharmacy. Nice.