A Bug's Life

I've stayed home to an unBugshavian extent for the last few days. There's always another box to open, to sort, to repack and put away. Tonight I've emptied out some odds and ends from the spice cupboard that have turned dusty and papery (and joined the Cambridge Freecycle group to find someone giving away fresh bay leaves - and a chipped fishtank suitable for keeping gerbils in). What a fascinating life, eh?

It was, this lunchtime. G had a spare ticket for a baroque guitar concert at Trinity College, and sold me on it with "It could be awful, or it could be interesting. Either way, I think you'd enjoy it." I'd not paid much attention to guitar playing before (unlike trumpets, where I stared in fascination as a kid and worked out that with three keys he should be able to get 8 notes but he was playing many more - where were they coming from?) and this was very intricate work, using lots of (what appeared to my untutored eye as) different techniques. It must have taken a lot of practice, and I couldn't see how he did everything. Sometimes it sounded like he was playing two instruments, or maybe a harpsichord. The guitar itself had five pairs of strings. The guitarist introduced the pieces with a bit of context about travelling musicians, playing for kings, and some tunes being banned for being too bawdy. He was an impressive player, and it was interesting to hear his interpretation of the music.

Tomorrow I might take the opportunity to see Dr Strangelove on the big screen. I don't think I'd noticed the General's name was Jack D. Ripper before... No, I shall pick up a hamster tank :-)