Chips, Lectures and Hope

The night started out the best way it possibly could, with chips. Mmm, chips. Mathew's voice and the dialogue in When Harry Met Sally echoed in the back of my mind while I ordered: "can I have the bowl of chips with the chilli on the side?". Like Sally, on the side is a very big thing for me. Rhianne and I sat drinking our ale and eating our lovely winter warming food whilst graffitiing in Mathew's diary (what's more fun than opening a page in your diary and seeing lovely messages from your friends?! Especially ones ordering you to buy them presents. Classic!). After gobbling down our yummy food, we bravely set out in the ruddy freezing wind and rain and headed to the lecture organized by the Durham Quakers. The author of The Spirit Level was giving a lecture based on the principles in his book:

I love goldfish! I'm sold!

Given the serious carb-overload, I was doubting my capacity to concentrate. Luckily, Richard Wilkinson did not let me down and my thoughts didn't stray on to their usual path into magical lands full of sugar and colours and unicorns. When it comes to what the dude has to say, the evidence is compelling. I found myself turning to Rhianne and doing what all those annoying audience members do going "ooooooooh","we've always said this!" and "you're more likely to die of heart disease if you suffer from stress?!?!?! Shit!" (Ironic how that new piece of information may in fact make me worried about being stressed and therefore make me more stressed! Damn you, Cycle of Doom!).

This is more than a book for the liberal lefties; this is a work of frickin' art. Even if you never touch non-fiction with a barge pole, you need to read this bad boy. AND it's full of colours and charts and visuals! Mmm, visuals. This book ties in so well with the research into friendships and health. Do you know, the closer you feel to your friends and the less strife you have in your relationships the better your immune system and the faster you heal?!?!?! And friends can help you live longer! Wooooooow. Maybe if you become totally awesome at relationships you can turn into a superhero!!! Well, it's worth a try. Although Wonder Woman is already taken... and she's made up with Angle Man! Now there's a turnout for the books!

Hmmm, now what kind of superhero will I be...