Categories: uncategorized
Date: 29 August 2005 13:36:00
Well as people will no doubt have gathered from various other blogs, Greenbelt is rather fabulous again. I have gone to more talks this year than last year (not difficult as last year I went to the grand total of 0), which have mostly been rather good. Steve Tomkins' Speed Christianity (should have been Christianity on Speed I think, the pace he was going) was hilarious and entertaining, and I enjoyed catching panellist Dave's eye during the panel debate on blogging (someone made a comment about making links being really easy, you just have to click a button and type in the URL. So I gave Dave a look, and if I had more regular computer access I may have considered starting a petition. Mind you, if I had more regular computer access (and my computer) I would have the word file that I copy and paste my code from so probably would be a bit more indifferent about it really). The blogging panel was amusing I thought - I realised I have read all of the panellists' blogs at least once (mostly thanks to links from Dave and Tractor Girl), and also realised that that very morning I had been standing in the shower queue right behind (and in fact showered right next to) blogging legend Jonny Baker. I was also amused to spot the guy sitting right in front of me blogging from the debate on his palmtop thingy - his blog entry (as far as I could tell, reading over his shoulder) started off "I'm in a debate on blogging" and continued "someone has just said all bloggers are inherently arrogant". There was a refreshingly small number (though not total lack) of geeks and I enjoyed the insights into improving writing, getting to know people, that sort of thing. The girl next to me from church (who doesn't blog herself) and who works as a librarian did make me laugh during the point where people were talking about tags and ways of organising information when she whispered to me "It's true, librarians really are taking over the world!" Not entirely sure of that, but anyway I also enjoyed (and agreed with) Mary's comment to the panel about not getting too angst-ridden and not taking it all too seriously.
Today I went to a talk by Dave Tomlinson, plugging his new book "Running into God". I am getting a bit tired of the "we hate church, it's evil and oppressive" brigade which do seem to rather like Dave T, but this talk was fantastic and so I now have another book to buy. Oh well :)
Other highlights - last night the Proclaimers were fabulous (although I couldn't understand a word they were saying between songs!), the organic beer tent is a fabulous addition to the festival, and I've just bought a lovely floaty hippyish dress. Actually I bought a lovely floaty hippyish dress at the festival 2 years ago which I've never worn, but as I hear Madrid (where I'm going on Thursday, hooray!) is very very VERY hot at the moment I think they will be just the thing. And I've had a shower a day which has been a very good thing indeed - possibly a bit extravagant seeing as nobody here would really notice if I was a bit crusty (everyone else seems to be), but I'd have been miserable if I hadn't. And Prue's cafe's chocolate brownies are heavenly.
I have just seen Neil and Dave on their way to a seminar thingy here in the net cafe on "The Spirituality of Blogging". But I'm not going because I think I'm spiritual enough already (unlike them).