Postcards

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 | Uncategorized | No Comments

Dear Squashed Froggies,
Sending you this postcard from the Whitsunday Islands. That’s me - sailing in that yacht.
Love,
Jacjac.

Garth Nix - Lirael

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 | Reading | No Comments

Lirael continues the saga - I liked this book better than the first… but less than the third!

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Friday, February 23rd, 2007 | Reading | No Comments

This book is a great sequal to Eragon - although it tends to really dwell during the middle of the tale. I’m not normally a 2-book person, but I managed to read another book at the same time as this one. Awaiting the third.

Damn those addictions

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 | Uncategorized | No Comments

For those of you who dont know, I’ve been on a diet. In fact, it’s that pesky Tony Furguson one. I’ve had quite spectacular results (12kgs thankyouverymuch!). I’ve worked hard, got a good result, and behaved myself.

However, now that the invasion of the Welshmen has begun, I find myself totally disreguarding any type of dietry plans or guidelines. When international guests are staying with you, I consider it bad form to be so picky and choosy about your food plans. If the guests want to go out and eat steak - you go out and eat steak. If they choose to eat a bucket of icecream, all you can say is “PASS ME THE SPOON YOU BASTARD!”

In fact, I’ve fallen off the wagon so hard that I ate SIX chocolate biscuits in the space of about 15 minutes - while talking and breathing.

It was a bit of a massacre, really. I sat there in the meeting. The biscuits were delivered. Their fate was sealed. There were Tim Tams, Jaffa cakes, mint slices and shortbreads. Free chocolate? Helloooo paradise. It’s quite difficult to look intelligent and professional when you’re reaching across the table for yet another chocolate bomb - the remnants of the last bomb smeared across your face, crumbs scattered over the table.

I’m really doing a bit of a Britney, really. Except, instead of crack and alcohol, my poison of choice is that milky goodness of silky smooth chocolate. Book me in for rehab - starting on the 5th of March!

Fiction

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 | Uncategorized | 2 Comments

I dont write enough Fiction. There is not enough Fiction in the world.

I plan on writing some stuff when I go on holidays next week. I’ve told some of you about the plot bunny that’s been driving me insane - and it’s an itch that must be scratched. Scratched sharply with fingernails, accompanied by an expression of total satisfaction.

The problem now is that I have all the large plots and universal context all put together - what I dont have now are the minute details. The names, the afflictions, the personalities.

For instance, a blonde one-armed midget called Barbera is more interesting than a snot-nosed humpback with a limp. But only marginally.

Oh, this will be fun.

Frog Dog

Thursday, February 8th, 2007 | Uncategorized | No Comments

I am fortunate enough to live with a dog. Frog Dog is a “Blue Roan” Cocker Spaniel - complete with excess slobber, dopey ears and tail. I think a dog isn’t actually a dog unless they’ve got a tail to wag. A wagging stump looks a little odd. Kind of like a prosthetic nipple that points at people as they walk past - alarming and not quite right.

In any case, Frog Dog is a bit of a chicken - a ‘fraidy cat. In fact, if anything should happen to go bang, or crash, or even a mild rustle, Frog Dog will run as if the Devil himself has appeared before him. In fact, it’s quite fun to drop a shoe when Frog Dog enters the room. The clatter will cause Frog Dog to invert himself and try and run through a plaster wall.

One day, he’ll actually go through the wall and I’ll actually stop laughing at him.