The On-Going Peeve

... I still can't access my blog! This isn't, for me, a major loss of life and limb because I'm not a working blogger and I'm grateful that I can (a) continue to post new items as well as edit old ones and (b) keep track of comments on account of comment moderation. But I CAN'T post new comments -- which must seem a bit rude to the few faithful commenters who leave messages here -- and I can't SEE my little patch of the internet! Most annoying.

My more energetic and web-savvy friends Zigzackly and the Babu (of Kitabkhanna) are out there and waging battles with the powers that be -- who may or may not be responsible for the blockage. No doubt, if you visit their blogs, you'll find more information.

Ah well. As far as driving updates go, today was the weekly holiday so, no class. I used the time I would normally spend browsing blogs to catch up on my museum visits ... yes, courtesy ALLAN SEALY, whose recently published book RED features a real world visit to the HERMITAGE, I was able to visit that wonderful museum in Leningrad, online. His book includes the web-address -- but lucky you! here it is for your delectation. I had to download the Java applet which allows the very cool panning and scrolling visit that the site is set up to provide, but if you've already got it installed, you won't even need to wait 10 minutes before you're in and jogging through the rooms.

Of course, being lazy, I only visited the MATISSE ROOM and that too, entirely on account of Sealy's book (ohhh -- okay! I visited the PICASSO ROOM too! But only because it was right next door). If you want to know what the connection is, you'll just have to buy the book and read it and love it. Well parts of it: I didn't love ALL of it, which saddens and distresses me, because this is one author whose writing I admire unreservedly ... really and truly. I think his FROM YUKON TO YUCATAN is one of the best travel books I have read. So perhaps, keeping in mind the Persian concept of the crooked line, a blemish-free book is to be avoided as it might mock the perfection of creation.

I've already bought and given away three copies of the book (besides keeping one for myself) so I guess it's clear I don't mind a blemish or two ...