other things I have learned

Proposing a Bechdel Test for journalism.

February 12, 2017 By Ellen

I still get cross thinking about it. The story in The Times about spectacularly successful and influential Helena Morrissey and how she copes with her nine children and the fact that her husband is of the ‘house’ persuasion. A successful person with quite a few children is happy to leave them in the care of […]

What’s on my mind this week (the really not very exciting version)

February 11, 2017 By Ellen

Have you ever had so much to write about that you didn’t know where to start? And as a result didn’t start at all? That’s me this week. Not, of course, that any of it is very exciting. Nothing in the realm of ‘you’ll never believe this’ or even ‘wow’, just ordinary stuff, only lots […]

This New Year I resolve to stop procrastinating

December 31, 2016 By Ellen

Obviously, I’ve got a deadline. Two actually. It’s the only time I ever crave housework. And if you saw the state of my house you’d be itching to get at it with the Dyson and the black bags. The Panther gave me a fire thing for Christmas to help with the clearing up, but, […]

A slacker’s guide to Middlemarch

December 20, 2016 By Ellen

The first of the list and I’m nearly there – only 25 of 95 chapters remaining. I’m enjoying having it read to me by Juliet Stevenson. There is no doubt that the skills of an actor make the potentially confusing dialogue easier to digest. This more than makes up for the difficulty in looking up […]

Christmas: the most merciless time of the year

December 6, 2016 By Ellen

The lights have started twinkling, little children are getting excited, and up and down the land we are being urged to “feed the world” and that “Santa Clause is coming to town”. Can you feel it yet? That sneaky snaky feeling of dread and inadequacy. Yup, that’s the one. It’s the idea that the decorations […]

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