Party at Pete's

Days left to go at the BBC for DG Thommo, and we learn he plans a series of three major lectures in November. They're under the banner "The Cloud of Unknowing".  This may or may not refer to an anonymous 14th century Middle English book on the power of contemplative prayer, advising a young student seeking God "to pierce that darkness above you; and beat on that thick cloud of unknowing with a sharp dart of longing love, and do not give up, whatever happens".

Or it maybe Thommo picked up the phrase from Leonard Cohen, who refers to it in the 1979 song, "The Window". (Mark joined the BBC as a production trainee in 1979). Or maybe Todd Rundgren in the 1989 offering, "The Waiting Game" from Nearly Human (when Mark was editor of the 9 O'Clock News). More recently Plastic Beach, the 2010 album by Gorillaz, includes a track entitled "Cloud of Unknowing" with vocals from Bobby Womack. Perhaps that's on Mark's iPod as he writes.

Meanwhile lecture week looks like party time at St Peter's College for our connected hero...click if you can't make it all out.