I was thrilled yesterday afternoon to collect my Film Journalism package from the BFI offices in Stephen Street. I was on my way to the British Library and had half an hour or so before the Chinese Poetry Evening so I took the plastic folder from the envelope and had a look at the course materials. I'd already taken out the introductory letter on the bus.

There seem to be many more small seating areas than I remember from before, dotted all around the BL first floor, outside the reading rooms per se. Most seem to be equipped with lamps and plug-n facilities for laptops, which lots of people were making use of. I noticed a stand-up area of what look like tilted-back coffin lids grouped around a high table. I wonder if this is one of the hot-spots for accessing an Internet connection. I'll have to find out.

I discovered from my BFI package I am in a group of ten assigned to one of four tutors. There was also a website user name and password as it's a distance learning course, apart from a two-day seminar in London.

I'll really have my work cut out now to juggle my writing commitments. First priority must be to my book about China 'Silkworms & Snow', but what with my Saturday morning Journalism course at Goldsmiths to write for and my twice-weekly Chinese classes in Frith Street it will be a bit pressured at times.

I go to Chinese class today but can fit in a couple of hours on the book. Then another hour before I meet Roy at Beckenham for swimming, in which I'll proably work on my restaurant reviews for the Goldsmiths class . As soon as I get back from swimming, with a stop off at Waitrose on the way, it will be time to go to play bridge at Gisela's house.