Cute Tech

As a complete contrast to the last post, with lovely old technology, here is some lovely new technology.

When I was young, a stereo was about the size of a coffee table, always black and covered in loads of unlabelled dials, sliders and illuminated graphs that went up and down.

This is my portable stereo. On the left, a speaker shaped like a bunny head. On the right, an ipod. This picture is lifesize. I am amazed that this is possible, truly The Future is Now.

Alistair very kindly got me a new ipod for Xmas as I had filled the other with upbeat music to run to. This one has easy listening to relax me on long train journeys and while doing my collections care work. Stuff like Henry Mancini, Xavier Cugat, BB King, Dave Brubeck and Herb Alpert.

Things you find when You're Tidying

Every Xmas break, I try to tidy the house, clear out stuff accumulating in cupboards, boxes, magazine racks etc.

My local Oxfam shop is often overwhelmed by the bags of stuff I (slightly shiftily) drop off with them. I'm painfully aware it is a side effect of my love of shopping.

One of the great things about tidying though is the things you find that you'd forgotten about. No, not a vintage phone sadly, but a set of Vintage Office style ink stamps.
I love old office stuff, when I worked as a Curator in Manchester I was always zooming out to see old tills, pre-computer counting machines and the like. Incidentally, does anyone else remember dial phones, or am I just being old. I loved the Brrrrrr noise as the dial swung back and you stuck your finger in for the next number. I can also use a slide-rule, which you don't see much anymore. I also love old office interiors. I remember going with my friend Sarah Rooftops and sneaking into an old building where they sold hoover supplies. The wood office partitions with the frosted glass! The worn linoleum! The enormous safe! I love places like that.

Learning Running

Learning Running? We all run, how hard can it be?

Well, there are still things to know, and most I learned the hard way. Here are my (completely unofficial) running tips based on my personal experience.

Follow a running programme so you can build up your strength and stamina gradually. It's more satisfying and keeps you motivated. Try aiming towards a race, not to be competitive but so you can achieve something brilliant.

Always stretch and walk for a bit before and after or you will hurt yourself. If you are sore, arnica gel is good rubbed on the legs. If you start to hurt, slow down or walk for a bit until it passes.

If you get stitch you may be overdoing it. Try slowing down and concentrate on your breathing until it passes. Also wait at least 1hr after eating before you run, but not until you are hungry or you will have no energy. Have a healthy snack after and drink plenty of water. I don't like to drink while running, but I know many people do.

Keep trying hard: you need to be sweaty and breathing hard or it won't be working. Breathing hard expands your lungs (good for asthmatics like me) and will improve your breathing. It's ok to breathe through your mouth. You should be sweaty and have a gentle ache in your legs when you finish. I found, initially, my upper body and core ached a lot too as this was also being exercised and strengthened.

Find nice places to run, a friendly gym for bad weather and local pedestrian routes in parks and scenery, it will lift your mood as well as helping your body.

More Street Style

For this picture I thought I'd try watercolour with pen and I quite like it. More graphicy.

I spotted this cool lady (as always) on the street between The Art Gallery and Boots. She had white hair, despite being young, and was wearing a pink fake fur coat and a long turquoise jersey skirt. It takes a lot of confidence to wear a great outfit like this.

Pink and turquoise are two of my favourite colours too. I also love green and red. I think I got too obsessed by 'Color me Beautiful' when I was younger.(I'm a Winter, apparently). But it kind of works for me. Test your colour season at the link above. It's not just frivolous, Alistair and his colleagues had this done in their office for workwear by an image consultant. It could be a good way to update your look for next year!

52 Books Project

In preparation for my Book a Week Project, today I went to the library. I felt very ancient as, since I was last there, they had re-equipped it with self scanning machines and all manner of gizmos. My plan is to borrow four books, which I can keep out for a month.
(I would also urge people to support their local library before the government closes them all down.)

Anyway, the books I got are:

Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich, the 19th (!) in a series of comedy romance crime novels I enjoy.

Jeanette Winterson's The Stone Gods. I like her books, I was actually hoping for The Powerbook, but it was out. It is a sci-fi romance.

The Streets of Babylon by Carina Burman ('Translated from the Swedish by Sarah Death(!)) Scandi-crime set in Victorian London. I'm far too addicted to Victorian London crime but this seemed a bit different.

And Sara Maitland's Gossip From The Forest, about the origins of fairy tales. I saw this recommended in Vogue but it wasn't in Waterstone's so I have ordered it online.

What Elinor Did (2012)

Following my plans for things to do in 2013, I am pondering what I did this year...

The biggy was, I became an Auntie! Little Ava (child genius, gorgeous, hilarious, brilliant and other devoted Aunt blatherings) is the kiddie of Alistair's brother Iain and his wife Lynsey. This is very exciting as she is the first new generation and the first genetic female Dunbar for many generations (all boys). Sadly she lives in Northern Ireland though so we don't see her much (sad face.)

My second excitement of this year was running a 5k. I've posted about this already, so I won't go on, but for me this is like the equivalent of the moon landing.

Some small ones: Hired a car and drove around somewhere completely new in it (Dorset). Next step, driving abroad...

And yesterday I cooked a lobster! Ok, it was dead, pre-cooked and frozen, but I did have to tear it apart with my bare hands (Alistair assisting with nutcrackers). It looked like something from Alien and was armoured like a tank. More scary culinary challenges appreciated...

What have you done this year, readers?

Pre-New Year Resolutions.

I do enjoy an architectural drawing, like when I was at art college.

Anyway, for many years I used to make a list of New Year Resolutions which were uselessly vague such as 'look fab'.

So this year they are specific, and following agreement at a girly pub gathering, they are before New Year to remove pressure and annoyance.

They are, so far:
Climb Bennachie and Dunnideer (spectacular and historic Aberdeenshire hills near my two places of work, one has a castle on, the other a prehistoric fort).
Climb the climbing wall (pictured) at my local gym.
Drive a tank (with Alistair).
Complete the Baker Hughes 10k.
Read a novel a week (I used to borrow 3 books a week from the library).
Go see a proper ballet and a big, classic musical (maybe in Edinburgh).
Eat out with Alistair once a month.
And, fittingly, do a big painting!