Welcome to justthoughtsnstuff

I started posting to jtns on 20 February 2010 with just one word, 'Mosaic'. This seemed an appropriate introduction to a blog that would juxtapose fragments of memoir and life-writing. Since 1996, I'd been coming to terms with the consequences of emotional and economic abuse that had begun in childhood, and which, amongst other things, had sought to stifle self-expression. While I'd explored some aspects of my life through fiction and, to a lesser extent, journalism, it was only in 2010 that I felt confident enough to write openly about myself. I believed this was an important part of the healing process. Yet within weeks, the final scenes of my family's fifty-year nightmare started to play themselves out and the purpose of the blog became one of survival through writing. Although some posts are about my family's suffering - most explicitly, Life-Writing Talk, with Reference to Trust: A family story - the majority are about happier subjects (including, Bampton in rural west Oxfordshire, where I live, Oxford, where I work, the seasons and the countryside, walking and cycling) and I hope that these, together with their accompanying photos, are enjoyable and positive. Note: In February 2020, on jtns' tenth birthday, I stopped posting to this blog. It is now a contained work of life-writing about ten years of my life. Frank, 21 February 2020.

New blog: morethoughtsnstuff.com.

Saturday 8 December 2012

rare walk (sad), turkey n all, ace, east oxford art & book fair

























Beautiful morning but too icy to cycle first thing. Decided to go for a walk instead--only to realise that the last time I did that particular walk must have been Christmas 2011. Sad!

Was struck by the vividness of the dropped larch needles and tufts of grass in the morning sunlight on Mill Green as I was coming back into the village (above).

First work Christmas party earlier in the week (Latin American Centre). Turkey and all the trimmings--good to have because the other big work party is at an Indian restaurant this year and on Christmas Day we'll be having pheasant, as usual.

The review copies of A Conscious Englishman have been printed and are being put into envelopes this weekend for sending out. Have to say that Lightning Source have done a great job of printing the book and have made Marc Thompson's painting on the cover look terrific (thanks also to Marie O'Hara who photographed it and Andrew Chapman for designing the cover). It was lovely to see the author, Margaret Keeping, on Thursday and hand her a copy of the book.

Next weekend, pre-publication copies of the book will be on sale at the East Oxford Art & Book Fair at the  Cowley Road Methodist Church--Saturday 15th December, 11 am-4 pm.
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