Week One: Completed
I have survived the first week back at work. I was pleased to find it was exactly as stressful and full of nonsense as I had anticipated. It’s sort of nice to be right. Getting up in the morning hasn’t been too rough and I successfully stared at my writing book each day last week. So that’s partway to victory. I did succeed in publishing something every day last week which definitely counts as a win, though it might prove a tough target to hit each week.
This weekend has certainly helped crush the New Year – we went to watch Labyrinth (the one that features David Bowie’s penis so prominently) in Broadway Cinema‘s Lounge theatre. It’s a great place for a birthday party as it’s just like a big seventies lounge with sofas and bean bags. Lots of people, huge laughter and much drinking. We played the likely well-known Labyrinth Drinking Game: you have to drink whenever someone says “It’s not fair”, and whenever David Bowie changes costume or presents his package to the camera. You can drink quite a lot while playing it…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_xpFZe20A&w=420&h=315]
With the Goblin King’s crown in mind, here’s what’s coming up this week:
This week’s scribbles
Tuesday
Lego Creations: Woodland Whimsy – pictures and jabber about my first reacquaintance with Lego.
Wednesday
Pulp Pirate 14 – The Selachian Damsel Adventure was included in last week’s Flash Pulp podcast.
Thursday
The War Alone: The Beta-Haris, part Two – continuing one man’s story of survival in The War Alone.
Friday
Book Review: Subspace Encounters by E.E. Doc Smith – a dinky short review of a Doc Smith’s last book.
Updates on my thrilling life
Writing
Last week was a good week. I’ve got several short stories that now need to be edited and tidied up. Most will be multi-part tales on the website as I’ve come to the conclusion that 500-800 words at a time is probably a reasonable episode for most folks to read. It also gives me a chance to do some extra editing once the story is live. There’s a new Alex Trepan / Galaxy Team story in the works and a pirate story that needs to be kicked into shape. If I can just nail that morning discipline…
Galley
We are even nearer to completion now. We have doors and tiles and everything. Painting is yet to be done, though I’m sure we’ll manage to prevaricate over that for a good while yet. Ultimately it shall be blue and have even more shelves in it, and a hat stand. My hats currently live on a glass head, and dwarf it with their higgledy-piggledy height. It is lovely to have a neat, pretty kitchen for possibly the first time in our adult lives.
Lego
I am continuing to enjoy scattering Lego about. So too is our delightful cat, who likes that I will sit still for hours cross-leggedly crippling my knees. She seems to consider the noise of the Lego an acceptable cost. Work is in progress on my castle diorama, which features a waterfall and a queer temple. I’m pleased with it and have been happily embellishing the crenellations and adding pretty bits and mini figures. You’ll get to see the woodland diorama tomorrow. Wonderfully a dear friend has offered me her box of Lego bits and bobs including a whole bunch of vine/creeper pieces. I am terribly excited about it and even now planning where to put them.
Improv
I’m finding this year incredibly hard to get into. Even though we only had one week off over Christmas, our enforced seclusion and unsociability has I think left me a bit behind in dealing with others. There are a bunch of shows coming up, and I’ll be going to Fisticuffs to prepare for Martin‘s Unspeakable Acts in early February. That’s going to be wonderful fun. I just need to learn to be with people again…
Last week’s scribbles
Tuesday
The Sacrilegious Adventure – a short pirate tale featuring Captain Pigheart, a mean judge and a saint’s head.
Wednesday
Audio Tales for Ye Ears – a freshly recorded version of The Polar Adventure and a live and rather noisy retelling of The Mermaid’s Tale.
Thursday
The War Alone: The Beta-Haris, part One– the first of a three-part retelling of how The War Alone began, by a survivor (obviously).
Friday
Film Review: The Hobbit – I loved it, and this is why.
Events and Excitement
Improv shows
Thursday 17/01/13 Gorilla Burger: Improv Comedy Carnage – The City Gallery, Nottingham. An open show – available for anyone to take part in. It will be lots of fun.
Friday 25/01/13 MissImp in Action: Improvised Comedy Show – The Glee Club, Nottingham.
Friday 08/02/13 Mission Improbable – Create Theatre, Mansfield.
Pirate stuff
Yet to be confirmed but I think I’m compering at The Bookcafe in Derby again on 16th February, and so shall be reading pirate stories too.