This is not the Mathematical Institute*

A few weeks ago my camera's auto-focus started playing up. It was odd - it seemed to work OK on close things but was intermittent on distant things. I happened to be desperately tired at the time, and I'd sometimes need to rub my eyes to be able to read. It took longer than it should have done to realise that the common point was my eyes. Although I go for my annual eye tests (every 15 months or so), the prescription change hasn't been large enough for several years to justify the cost of new glasses. In the eye test I had three weeks ago, it became obvious that it was time to fork out. Today I collected my new glasses and they advised me to wait until tomorrow morning before wearing them. The moment I'd tried them on, I was absolutely not taking them off again. Things have sharp edges! I can read! And, most miraculously of all, my camera's auto-focus works again.

Anecdote: yesterday I sent a curt email to the joiner who I commissioned last December to make some furniture for me, due, after he'd dealt with his long waiting list, to be made in May. I got a curt reply back. We had a couple more exchanges, in which I did my best to be polite but my irritation showed through, but at least we agreed a completion date for the work. Today, I realised I couldn't have him working in my house with this level of bad feeling, so I emailed to apologise for being tetchy yesterday.
He replied: Please don't worry, to be honest I didn't think you were titchy at all.
Well, quite right, I've never been titchy, not even on the day I was born.

Emboldened by all the brain activity yesterday's talk generated, I went to another university public event this evening: a talk at the Mathematical Institute by the writer on maths and science, Simon Singh. I've heard him speak before and, as last time, he was a very entertaining speaker. I don't think the minimal level of maths involved would have disturbed any maths-phobe. 

*It's a cafe in the High Street