Monday Blogcrawl

Lord but it's cold in Sydney. I am wearing multiple layers around the house, and a man my size can anever really get away with the layered look. But necessity defeats style every time, and I have reached that dreaded age in which I begin to dress for comfort. I promised myself I would never do that! Here are some nice interesting pieces to keep you inside, away from the cold:

• I do like to stay positive, for any number of really quite practical reasons. This is a nice article reminding me to continue in my quest to dwell on the bright side.
  
• The Washington Post informs us that the first academic conference devoted to Jersey Shore studies is being organised. Where do I submit my paper?
• You may know that my next book is about Cambodia, and I enjoyed this nice and comprehensive piece in the Los Angeles Times about holidaying in Cambodia.
• I am still deep in mourning about Jedward losing Eurovision - an incredible miscarriage of popular justice. Apparently they're gutted, or so says the Belfast Telegraph (and they should know).
• Julian Barnes is one of my secret treasures, a clever and civilised writer who manages to still be incredibly readable, and wonderfully down-to-earth. Here is a review of his new collection of short stories, Pulse.