Latest on the News of the World redundo package that promised they would try and get everyone a job in the company. A mate of mine who lost his subbing job after decades with the firm has been referred to a vacancy within the company. It's as an oil reporter for the Dow Jones, based in Barcelona at £14,000 a year.
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It's always nice to do something for the first time, particularly when you get to a certain age. This week I have had three whole new experiences.
First. I watched a Harry Potter film for the first time. Appropriately it was the very first one. I've never read the books either. I've nothing against the concept. The film was fairly entertaining. But it's like Dr Who. It's. For. Kids. That whole notion of putting the books in adult-style covers was, for me, pathetic. If you want to read a children's book, read a children's book. But don't pretend it's an adult one.
My second, I read a book on Kindle. It was a novel experience. Oh ha, bloody ha.
I quite enjoyed the weight and the accessibility. And I liked the little bar at the bottom that tells you how much you've read in percentage terms. I miss the physical feel of a book and the knowledge of how far there is to go by the number of pages left. It's a rough science but one that works. I also like reading the dust cover and other details.
However, you can have both. You can use the Kindle to download books you're not sure you're going to like - they're cheaper that way. And it will work well for taking half a dozen books on holiday without Ryanair charging you an extra £45 or whatever it is.
But you'd never download anything with pictures for instance. And other books look good on the shelf - mind you we used to say that about vinyl and then CDs and now these are gradually being consigned to the garages, lofts and car boot sales of Britain.
My third new experience was a bit of an eye opener. I went to a reception on the roof of Cannon Street station. It's a hidden gem up there. A massive garden right over the Thames with some of the best outdoor views I've ever seen in London. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner but watching the sun go down over St Paul's is one of the most uplifting sights in the world to me. It's a fantastic skyline. And one of the things I love about London, out of many, is that you have never seen it all, no matter how long you live there. Try and get yourself invited up to the roof of Cannon Street station if you can.
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Strange experience outside my office. One of my colleagues was having a cigarette when the usual sort comes along, shirtless, carrying a can of Strongbow, a few cuts on his face, and asked for a fag. Given one, the topless guy took out a £10 note pushed it into my mate's palm and said 'I'm not drunk, I've got money, ta.' Completely the wrong way round of course but that's Bermondsey for you.
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What are the three words that most make you squirm. For me it's thinking of seeing a film only to hear the words 'starring Jennifer Aniston'.
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I know we should all hate Rupert Murdoch even more than we used to but, honestly, do we really still need to take morality lessons from whoring posh boy Hugh Grant? Yet again he's popping up on TV to tell the nation how awful News International is and make out he's the man to save us. And if that wasn't enough, other talking heads to tut tut at the amoral nature of the media include David Mellor and Max Mosley.
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My dog's got something wrong with his ear. Either it's a bit of an infection which will go with ear drops or he's got a wheat grain in there and we'll need to go back to the vets. Each visit costs £85. I've decided, it's an infection.
Life's ruff...Solly
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