Conrad, Galloway & Somnolence

I'm midway through Joseph Conrad's 'The Secret Agent', my first foray into Conrad's works, and am in awe of the ingenuity and clarity of his prose. Furthermore, the sheer audacity and subversiveness of the book, considering it's early 20th century origins, is amazing. The depiction of late Victorian London as a hotbed of anarchist activity wherein ordinary citizens unwittingly share public transport, meals and glances with others who are hell-bent on bringing chaos to the city's streets is ominously resonant with the London of today. (Incidentally, the National Portrait Gallery has a small collection of what can only be described as understated yet statesmanlike portraits of Conrad on display in Room 29 marking the 150th anniversary of his birth that are worth seeking out).

Elsewhere, George Galloway continues to entertain. This time on Newsnight.

The Wellcome Collection's newest exhibition entitled 'Sleeping and Dreaming' is worth a visit too if only to find out just how damaging a week of night-shifts can potentially be!

The prodigal son returns...as a husband!

With rapidity equal only to the stealth with which I temporarily fled the blogosphere, permit me to bring you right up to scratch with events whilst on cyber-sabbatical.

• I got "married, married" (fortunately to the same person I got "married" to). Having once been the "leading intergalactic contender for the coveted title of happiest man in existence", I have now fought off all competition.
• Honeymooned in Malaysia - luxuriated in Langkawi, feasted in KL and trekked in Borneo
• I managed to prise off my Brum-magnet and have relocated to Das Kapital itself. Sometimes I still see the Rotunda in my dreams.
• My paediatric mantle has been placed in the wardrobe for now (not without successfully sitting my postgrad exams first) as I don the cloak of general practice.

With this humble offering I beg your pardon and resume service as normal.

Oh and for the doubters out there, I completed the 10k run (without the need for any major medical intervention).