Sunday Summary

Happy Sunday!

Hope you've all had fabulous weeks.

This week, I have mostly been...

Reading

Taking in some art | at the Courtauld Gallery

On Friday afternoon my cultured workmate Katerina and I paid a visit to the gallery as she wanted to see the Egon Schiele exhibit (The Radical Nude) that closes today (Sunday). I knew absolutely nothing of Schiele before I went along but I think it's safe to say I've now been schooled. :-)

Self-Portrait, via here

The prodigious Schiele attended the Vienna's School of Arts and Crafts when he was sixteen, studied under Klimt, and went on to produce a prolific, if controversial, body of work before his death, age 28, in 1918. His portraits are an interesting dichotomy: to a modern-day viewer, it's perhaps of interest that the men are portrayed, primarily, as emaciated, and almost coy, while the women are more often muscular and curvaceous, and with limbs splayed.

Schiele's attention isn't always on capturing the whole body but the pertinent parts, and there is a frank appreciation of the human form in his work. Some works are of an explicit nature so for the various sensibilities of my readers I won't reproduce any here but do feel free to take a look via the links above.

I went on for a little wander around the Impressionists and early-twentieth century avant-garde artists, and found me some Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir and Degas which pleased my naive little soul. I also tripped a little over this painting:

Natalia Goncharova | The Little Station

Something about the fragmented composition (according to Wiki that's Cubo-Futurism...), and the inclusion of the station typography, caught my eye.

Walking | and hunting down...

...the perfect pair of earphones.

When it comes to choosing the perfect earphones for piping through my power tunes, I'm Goldilugs.

The earphones can't be too small, too hard, or make the music sound like it's being played through a station tannoy speaker covered in tin foil.

I've bought about four (exceptionally cheap) pairs in the last few weeks, in the vain hope that I might happen upon the one that makes Spandau Ballet sound like liquid Gold pouring into my ear'oles.

And finally, finally, I found The Ones.

Step up, TIGER's running earphones. WINNERS. These ones are just right.

Incidentally, if you ever find your energy flagging while walking, Gold will boost you. Gold will make you feel indestructible. Gold will make you believe in your soul. Yeah.

It may also make you want to punch the air in triumph at your own achievements, but I wouldn't advise that on a crowded road in Battersea. Just sayin'.

Which compels me also to share my...

Top Five Power-Walking Tunes of the Moment

Gold | Spandau Ballet
Children | Robert Miles
Titanium | David Guetta feat. Sia
Try (Cosmic Dawn Remix) | P!nk
Million Dollar Bill (Frankie Knuckles Radio Mix) | Whitney Houston

All of which make me feel a little bit like this dude:

except with ever so slightly less chest hair.

Now, my friends, kindly ready yourself for a substantial number of...

Weekly Weblinks

Literary Linkage

• 2014 was a record year for children's book sales
• Children's reading shows simultaneous rise and decline
• Celebrating 100 years of Ladybird books | Also here
• Wicked award launches fan fiction category
• Children's authors warned not to mention pork or pigs
• English PEN to hold vigil for Saudi blogger sentenced to flogging
• Book clubs with a difference: try slow reading
• The case against Kindle: why reading paper books is better for you
• Photographer captures New Yorkers reading on the subway

The man in the background (left) is judging you
for your tweeting-bird text alert and your
copy of Fifty Shades Freed

Non-literary Linkage

• Gillian Anderson narrates a very brief history of the universe 
• The revival of the hand-painted sign

• Cadbury is messing with Creme Eggs | and we're not happy about it. Especially not this woman: 

But it's OK because here's how to stage a chocolate revolution! And apparently Kraft don't produce Cadbury products now. The kings of plastic cheese are absolved.

• Susannah Conway writes eloquently on the myth of perfection
• Anti-feminist party to stand in next general election | Safe to say they're not about to score my vote
• The double standard: Women pressured to be sexy but punished for being sexual | Both men and women are guilty of perpetuating this standard
• On that note: It's time to stop blaming women for having breasts

And in case this was all getting just a little too serious and profound...

"IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!"

Stay warm, stay cool, my friends.

qb xx