Category Archives: Smile

BOOKS: Missing Libraries?

Are you missing the opportunity to visit your library in the current virus lockdown? Try listening to this 7 minute article on what you’re missing, by Umberto Eco, writing somehow despite having his tongue firmly in his cheek.  The essay “How to Organize a Public Library” is selected and read by Booktube creator Shawn DContinue reading “BOOKS: Missing Libraries?”

BOOK REVIEW: “William’s Crowded Hours”

This Bank Holiday weekend, I have been reading “William’s Crowded Hours” – typical of the many good-humoured, laughter-generating books about the life of young rapscallion William Brown, penned by Richmal Crompton. Richmal’s tales of her young hero have been continuously in print for about 100 years (first book 1922) – because they’re genuinely amusing.  (TheContinue reading “BOOK REVIEW: “William’s Crowded Hours””

HUMOUR: Writing Exercise

This morning, I went around the house, seeking a writing perch for my pen, journal, pot of ink, coffee, and laptop.  I took the materials out of storage in one place, nearly settled in the living room – before finally choosing the kitchen table, trying to gather my accoutrements before realising another was missing, andContinue reading “HUMOUR: Writing Exercise”

1,000 posts!

This is our 1,000th post, & Counting! Thank you for being part of this by your visit – do stay a moment and have a look through what is now a generously sized magazine online on creativity and how to make more and enjoy more. There are hundreds of posts on many different arts andContinue reading “1,000 posts!”

Other People’s Phone Messages

I don’t normally listen in on other people’s phones – but we’re all invited to do so in the opening title sequence for the TV series “The Rockford Files”.  What a great idea for an opener – it immediately tells us so much about the main character of the downbeat Private Investigator – the humour,Continue reading “Other People’s Phone Messages”

Gerald Scarfe: Audio Cartoons

Gerald Scarfe, well known UK political cartoonist, whose artwork appeared for decades in the satirical magazine “Private Eye”, 40+ years at the Sunday Times, 20 years in the New Yorker, made a pop impression in Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” album, on British stamps of Comedians, on backdrops for major Ballet and drama productions – hasContinue reading “Gerald Scarfe: Audio Cartoons”

Terry Gilliam

Animator, Python (Monty Python’s Flying Circus) and film-maker, Terry Gilliam, was invited earlier in the year to select favourite films. Given the run of Criterion’s DVD Closet, he excitedly chose: Yojimbo RIFIFI The complete Jaques Tati A box-set of Ingmar Bergman 8 1/2 (which he says is a great truthful insight into being a Director)Continue reading “Terry Gilliam”

An afternoon with Nora Ephron

Have you read Nora Ephron?  You’ve probably seen her films: “Sleepless in Seattle”, “When Harry met Sally”, “You’ve got Mail” perhaps even her older film “Heartburn”.  However, she wrote witty short journalistic pieces on life as she experienced it, about her friends, full of her love of food, sociable dinners, her kids and her thoughtsContinue reading “An afternoon with Nora Ephron”