Well, all things considered, the Olympics went very well for Britain – or “Team GB” as we inexplicably seem to be calling our collected athletes – and we managed to valiantly fend off the twin challenges of Germany and Australia (the latter, oddly, being the more satisfying win since the Aussies can’t quite believe it). We held out against the Russians until right near the end, too. I suppose being a monolitic superpower helps at the Olympics – China, USA, Russia. Hmm, what a startling top three. Still, 4th place is HUGE (and we were in THIRD for A REALLY LONG TIME which totally COUNTS), and better than we’ve done in decades.

There’s a thing outside Tate Modern – it’ll be gone soon – which is sponsored bumf from Adidas. We went down there a few weeks ago, before the Olympics, and there’s this map. Sort of, not a map really. The absence of a map. It has dots and then people’s names, and it’s Team GB and where they come from. The dots give you a pretty good idea of the shape of Britain. It’s quite cool, really. Anyway, we sort of looked at it and we went “Oh, look, right up at the top there’s… Chris Hoy on his own. Ha ha, poor old Chris Hoy. Wonder who he is?”

Went back there yesterday, and it was like “Oh, there’s Chris Hoy.. and Tom Daley down in the West Country (though where’s Pete Waterfield, eh?).. and Shanaze Reade* in Crewe, and Christine Ohuruogu and… hey, where’s Rebecca Adlington?” Suddenly these people are household names. And rightly so. I’m usually fairly ambivalent about national sporting success, and sport in general is not my thing at all, but I’ve really enjoyed the Olympics in Beijing and have felt quite excited and proud by our national achievements. Yes, they have my approval and I’m sure their lives are enriched by that.

*yeah, she didn’t win, but watching BMX because she was in it has shown me that BMX racing ROCKS.

Remind me, I need to post about the Olympics, when I’m able. I mean, woo! 4th place! In your face, everyone but China, the US and Russia! Your FACE!

I forgot to post from work! Nuts, now I’m posting from my phone. I’ll easily lose track. A sentence may start one way and end with a complete set of original 1930s footstools designed by… Wait, where was I?

I keep thinking "What’s the harm if I take a week off blogging?"  Well, nothing in the real world.  But I quite like doing this, it gives me something to try to think about, and I know if I let myself off one time… well, slippery slope to abandonment.

This email, writing it out, almost feels like work.  Yes, I blog by email.  That’s why I never format it, or put links in.  A picture, like the one a few weeks ago, is EFFORT and TIME.

This is my life: I lost my umbrella.  The next day it pisses with rain.

That makes me sound a bit pessimistic.  I’m not, actually.  I’m rather an optimist, and I just keep looking around on my bus into work, hoping that this will be the one that I left it on and it’ll still be there, wedged down the side of a seat.  Not seen it yet, but here’s hoping!

I’d like to mention that the exact circumstance which I anticipated when I said I wouldn’t comment on Big Brother when it was fresh has come to pass.  I reckon my early post would have said that Rex was great and I liked him.  Hooboy, imagine that!  I wouldn’t have used the words "Pointy-headed bellend" at any point!  Madness and folly.

Here endeth the lesson.