An entertaining feature of the WordPress stats for authors shows me the figures for viewers of this arcane blog by location—rather like a map of empire.

 The list of countries also evokes the Olympic medals table—with USA, China, and even the UK ranking high, pursued by France, Germany, Australia, Japan, and so on. Further down, Romania, Thailand, and Brazil put in plucky performances. I like some of the fortuitous juxtapositions that it produces daily (left).

More intriguing are countries near the foot of the table, such as Estonia, Morocco, PNG. and Bolivia (as well as some I’ve barely heard of…). I like to think that my arcane ruminations have a certain niche following among the indigenous* populations in such places, but I also entertain the charming notion that it’s just one single deranged British viewer (Mrs Ivy Trellis, perhaps) with a taste for exotic holidays and an unlikely obsession…

You might think all this would encourage me to tone down some of my more obscure allusions and usage of language, but no.

* You can read that in the New Age sense if you like.