I was up till one working last night, and then there was a power cut so I went to bed. And again back on the job this morning. This has really been a sustained period of working and I am starting to feel a dash of burnout. No end in sight, though I might be […]
High quality nose-tapping
Some high-quality nose-tapping by China hawks in the US. …the suggestion by the Republican senator Tom Cotton, a hawk regarding the Chinese threat, that Beijing could opt to attack Taiwan as early as next year. Cotton noted that Russia invaded and occupied Crimea in 2014 just days after it hosted the Winter Olympics. China, he […]
Ground down
I am feeling rather ground down today. Oppressed particularly by work, as I have taken on too much, but also by the grimness of the world so that I can’t bear to listen or read the news, or anything to do with politics and society. Even the magazine is making me feel raw – not […]
Shopping experiences
This morning, the GF and I went to Levent to meet the young Pakistani worker who promised us a warehouse of excellent quality lights and other housewares. He met us at the metro stop and we stopped for a glass of tea, at which I pressed him a little about his background. I did not […]
Unwanted help
The Pakistani labourer who works for our contractor is very eager indeed to show me his friend’s warehouse of second-hand housewares, especially the lights. I must say, I’m sceptical, both that the lights will be any good and that the GF will approve, but I might go take a look. Not sure if there is […]
Good news story
This delightful, though probably hopelessly misrepresentative item: Taiwan official urges people to stop changing their name to ‘salmon’. The motivation is a promotion at a sushi restaurant. “I just changed my name this morning to add the characters ‘Bao Cheng Gui Yu’ and we already ate more than Tw$7,000 (£176),” a college student surnamed Ma […]
Wistful thoughts of poison
There is a cat in our neighbourhood which has the most godawful yowl. Every late morning, from around 10 to 1. It is absolutely nervewracking, and has been going on for weeks. Today I even heard a neighbour shout at it, which is rare in Istanbul.
Wrong kind of fury
Tyson Fury does not count.
Long walk home
This afternoon we went to visit the carpenter who is making our doors. It was a very long journey there as our contractor and architect decided to drive and there was a great deal of traffic on the first sunny weekend afternoon after the lifting of lockdown. The carpenter seemed good – he showed us […]
Satisfying
A satisfying trip to the flat today, as the electrician, plumber, contractor and architect were all there and we came to some solid decisions. Our accidental interpreter, the labourer from Gujranwala was there as well, and in a cheerful mood, including a secret offer, made in Punjabi, to hook me up with a seller of […]