Spiral staircase syndrome

It's been so cold here the past two days, I've had to wear gloves while hanging washing on the line and collecting it again. When I was in junior high, there was a lad who sported skiing gloves in the playground in winter because he was prone to chilblains. Poor bastard, I thought. Now, I am that bastard.

"University Challenge" is backeroonie. If "Chef & My Fridge" is what I *tell* people is my favourite active program, "U/C" is my favourite-favourite. The questions are always easier at the beginning of the season. I got 17 correct today before the students could answer. Imperial look like genuine contenders.

Finally read all of the novel "Railsea". I bought my signed hardcover from Books Kino in 2012. At the time, I was working on an MMA mag and I recall discussing it with a bloke from the auto mag across the room. Not sure why I never finished it then. Anyway, I deshelved it recently and righted that wrong.

Think: "Moby Dick" meets "Snowpiercer", only weirder and bolder than that, with an old-fashioned principled young hero, linguistic/narrative quirks and a surreal development that threatens to derail the enterprise but doesn't. The conclusion left me feeling I was in Robert Silverberg territory (compliment).