The Nightwatchman

Random 2013 stuff, part whatever

Best reading, sport:

The Nightwatchman

I'd always considered Wisden a bit old and creaky. Part of the establishment. Not without a sense of humour. Cricket's impossible, often, even with a well developed sense of humour. The Nightwatchman is a Wisden quarterly, full of long articles. Varied, warm and sometimes off the wall articles.

BLISS got me the catch up set of four for Christmas and I've just put issue one down.

Because I've finished it.

The Blizzard

MM to thank for this one. To football what The Nightwatchman is to cricket.

I find a lot of so-called football journalism now comprises setting out the goals and the scorers, and writing down what the managers said in their post-match press interviews. That may sell newspapers, but it's cheap and it's not really worth reading.

The Blizzard's a breath of fresh air.

Worst newspaper:

The Mail

Full of spite and hate. Shouldn't good reporting challenge what you think as often as it reinforces your opinions? Shouldn't investigative journalists hunt the difficult targets rather than bully the easy ones?

Predictable too. It'll be full of the usual shite as soon as the borders open next year.

When I see someone with the Mail on their person, I think very uncharitable thoughts.

Funniest standup:

Sean Lock

I was laughing from the first minute:

“I got criticised for celebrating Thatcher's death. It was all exaggerated. I just had a couple of quiet drinks. It doesn't actually count as a party unless the police are called. More than once, anyway.”

To the last, backwards-facing pantomime horse, bow.

Best live music:

Vivaldi Chamber Orchestra, Venice

Music can be magical. Primal. Beautiful.

Music can be a transport.

Proof that gits like Simon Cowell and their manufactured garbage epitomise men that know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Best Christmas BLISS-ism:

(Trying on one of a set of false moustaches) “I think I quite suit a moustache”.