Lordy Lord

A sucky day. Earthquake in Indonesia, possible coup in East Timor, the death of Desmond Dekker and my father is unwell (and now subjected to my v.limited nursing skills).

Went through all my books today for a dusting down and tidying up session. Realised that I am missing my copy of Granta Travel, as well as 'Catch-22', 'Soccer War' and 'Midnight in Sicily'. There are other books - with the iPod Perv and Em - but they can stay there. I have collected all the poetry magazines (Ambit, Rialto, etc), and will pass them onto Al.

I discovered several books by Paolo Coelho. They have to go. I can't stand him. It's like reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez, but with Gabo's imagination replaced with schmaltz disguised with saccharine. I also have a problem with any author whose bio (on the inside front cover of his books) reads, ' he is an author to inspire nations'. Sorry. Coelho isn't Thomas Paine, Hannah Arendt, Noam Chomsky or JK Galbraith.

Listening to: Sean Rowley on BBC London

Marvelling at: paper dust

Reading: 'A Small Place' by Jamaica Kincaid

Writing: a couple of pieces for use under a pseudonym

Thinking about: people of the crescent moon