... still around & enjoying the post-being-ill lightness of Being ... to resume ...

The annual self-inflicted punishment begins - aka the Rugby Six Nations. I foolishly dedicate valuable hours in front of the television to come away feeling dispirited. As anticipated, Wales lost to Ireland yesterday despite a valiant (albeit too late) fight back in the second half. If someone could explain the tactical logic of kicking the ball straight down the pitch to receive it back by return of post seconds later ... well, it escapes me.

The England game I watched with divided loyalties - I've never cared for Scotland's type of rugby but I also loathe England as a team. The only consolation is to find a new cap for England called Billy Twelvetrees. That's something straight out of Boy's Own comics (or The Hobbit, come to think of it).

...

Awake bright & early despite what is - for us - a late night out (no doubt due to the New Year Resolution of More Discriminating Drinking). I make a cup of green tea and listen to Something Understood, BBC radio 4's weekly dose of worthiness and platitudes presented by the plummy toned Mark Tully. Actually, for all the dross there's always a nugget or two as today they pull in some extracts from Teilhard de Chardin. A name - like Billy Twelvetrees - that exerts a certain fascination. I've never read any & now am thinking I should.

...

Which leads me on to Emmanuel Levinas. His name has been cropping up in various places and - again - he's someone I feel I ought to know more about. A quick trawl on Amazon throws up some forbidding looking titles. As always, O where to begin?

So, if anyone out there has any suggestions for a good first volume by de Chardin and Levinas respectively, I'd be very grateful. And who knows, maybe Billy Twelvetrees has published something of interest, too.

... tomorrow I sail into my forty-ninth year ... how old that sounds & yet ...