Walking through the snow on Friday afternoon I remembered the days when I would have used the weather as an excuse to go home and 'keep warm' with a bottle or two of wine.
I was sad to read about some homeless people who are using alcohol for the same mistaken reason. Although it numbs the senses, alcohol actually lowers your ability to cope with the cold weather and so is the worst thing you can drink.
I instead spent the time usefully employed playing in the local park and enjoying the winter majesty until it thankfully disappears again until another year. two of three days is enough thank-you.
I also braved the reduced trains service to attend a fantastic lecture at the Royal Institution last night. This was given by Prof. Nick Lane who discussed his latest work on trying to discover the origin of life. It was fascinating, thought provoking and mind stimulating and I am now reading his book 'The Vital Question' which I got him to sign for me. Although so many scientists these days are proud atheists it is nice that Nick left a window open for the unknown and therefore unknowable. In other words that little spark that started life off (as we know it) so many billions of years ago, and from which we and everything else on this planet is derived, could have come from anywhere or anything. Nice stuff to get your imagination whirring.
What a difference from the drunken and unthinking slob I recall being all those years ago.
I was sad to read about some homeless people who are using alcohol for the same mistaken reason. Although it numbs the senses, alcohol actually lowers your ability to cope with the cold weather and so is the worst thing you can drink.
I instead spent the time usefully employed playing in the local park and enjoying the winter majesty until it thankfully disappears again until another year. two of three days is enough thank-you.
I also braved the reduced trains service to attend a fantastic lecture at the Royal Institution last night. This was given by Prof. Nick Lane who discussed his latest work on trying to discover the origin of life. It was fascinating, thought provoking and mind stimulating and I am now reading his book 'The Vital Question' which I got him to sign for me. Although so many scientists these days are proud atheists it is nice that Nick left a window open for the unknown and therefore unknowable. In other words that little spark that started life off (as we know it) so many billions of years ago, and from which we and everything else on this planet is derived, could have come from anywhere or anything. Nice stuff to get your imagination whirring.
What a difference from the drunken and unthinking slob I recall being all those years ago.
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