here's a hypothetical conversation:

him: do you want to come for a run with me?

me: I would love to but I've actually got a broken leg

him: come on, it'll be fun

me: no really, I've got a broken leg

him: oh please come running with me

me: seriously, my leg is broken. I can't go for a run

him: come on, what's the worst that can happen?

me: I don't think you're listening to me. I'll be in agony for a start and probably won't do me any good in the long term either

him: I think you're just afraid of letting go and relaxing, come on you'll be with friends

me: no that's not it and please don't try to psycho-analyse me. Don't you understand english?

him: okay you might be a bit sore tomorrow but it'll be worth it

me: no I'll be in a lot of pain for a quite a long time. I really can't go running with you.

him: oh come on, we'll jog slowly, you don't have to go fast

me: I've got a broken leg, jogging slowly won't make any difference at all

him: oh please please please! live a little!

me: FFS, what part of "I've got a broken leg don't you understand?!"

okay I don't have a broken leg, but I had a (much longer) conversation just like that with a friend who was trying to persuade me to go clubbing, having already spent several hours drinking and bobbing about to the music in the pub which was quite a marathon in itself. Trying to explain to someone the reality of chronic fatigue syndrome is impossible sometimes. In my experience there are some people who understand, and you remain friends with them. The rest, you eventually lose touch with...

I am glad there are videos like this which are always there to cheer you up (should you ever need them)

oh look, my home is on google streetview - which is surprising. I think the photo was taken last summer. Having a look around the street corner, I can see the little muscle man with the fondness for tight t-shirts is standing outside the school, waiting for his kids. If I've not seen him for a few days I can go on google maps now for a quick fix... is that a bit sad, or a bit sinister?

funnily enough I was just watching a report about the technology on Ch4+1 just half an hour ago...

I'm not sure I'd want to watch a film which seems to celebrate/trivialise extreme violence and psychopathy, especially as it's based on a true story, but despite that the guy that plays "Bronson" is supersexy. He's got muscles, a vest, a shaved head and a moustache, it's bound to be a big gay hit - I may just watch it and be completely distracted from the unpleasantness..

video review here

apparently a lot of private schools are giving up GCSEs in favour of something called the IGCSE which is a bit more challenging. I like this quote:

"The entire GCSE syllabus is rather like getting able students through a combination of dressage and a low hurdle race. You have to explain to them how they put their feet very carefully over low hurdles so they will not irritate the examiner. It's not challenging at all"

and this one:

"The new GCSEs are appalling for the most able students. They are simply pap, they are baby food, they are examination rusks in too many subjects, and they do not stretch and challenge the most able"

This doesn't surprise me at all. I did some subjects at 'O' Level which were pretty hard, having to memorise long formulae etc, and some others were 16+ or GCSE exams and those were so utterly childish and rudimentary it was almost laughable and I was annoyed at all the unnecessary preparation I'd made for them. Every year when the exam results come out the government tells us how well everyone has done and how standards are getting higher and higher, but it's clear to me that despite all their protestations to the contrary, they just lower the bar a little more every year. It's hard to imagine how GCSE students are going to manage 'A' levels and degrees - though they could be getting easier too, who knows. I suspect 'A' levels are considering how nearly everyone gets A grades these days and the universities can no longer tell the gifted students from the less gifted...

here's a joke about Bono:

What's the difference between Bono and God?

Answer: God doesn't walk down the street thinking he's Bono

I'm reminded of this joke because of the news story of Bono calling Chris Martin (of Coldplay) a w*nker on Radio 1 - that's a bit like Britney Spears calling Christina Aquilera slutty.... pot meet kettle etc... or more like "this town ain't big enough for the both of us (w*nkers)"

Apparently U2 played an "impromptu" gig on the roof of broadcasting house to promote their new album. They used to say "pop will eat itself" but now U2 is eating itself - i.e. they did a very similar thing years ago when it did actual cause quite a stir. Now like so many artists/personalities in the public eye, they've resorted to glibly parodying themselves due to a lack of original ideas...

so that's what it looks like behind the Gizmodo blog - nice!

I've been in a real mood for enjoying and aquiring (more) plants having read quite a lot lately about how good they are at removing toxins and pollutants from the air - as verified by NASA. I already have two of the best in my little room - a peace lily and an areca palm. Amongst all the other plants, I also have a pot of Riccia liverwort and Java moss to use in my fish tank at another time. Today I bought a Jasmine plant (half price!) which has about 200 little flowers all poised to open so the scent is going to be incredible - I'm wondering if it'll be too overpowering but we shall see (or smell) pretty soon I think. I don't know much about looking after Jasmine but according to Google it's actually quite particular and labour intensive so we'll see if I can keep it going till it flowers again next year...

if only I had the money and expertise I'd build me one of these...