Thursday, June 3rd, 2004 |
5:18 pm |
I wish I'd thought of that But just_becky did. Salute her. "Oh evil Satan! Oscillate my metallic sonatas live! ho!" A palindromic haiku. Now how cool is that? In other news, I'm tired and hungry and it's the Tun tonight. Be extra nice to me and buy me drinks and things if you see me there. Even cuddles will not be unwelcome if you think you know and like me well enough. Current Mood: determined |
Thursday, May 27th, 2004 |
1:42 pm |
Greta Pagwell? I knew her, Horatio An interesting curio for those like me who grew up with Norman Hunter... Current Mood: mellow |
Wednesday, May 26th, 2004 |
12:46 pm |
A departure for me Given how much writing I do it's surprising how little of it is fiction and how little of that I ever show anyone, far less think of submitting anywhere. But this caught my eye and for whatever reason, it got under my skin enough for me to have a shot at entering. I'm sending my version of this in today. I don't suppose for a minute that I shall get anywhere, but then again I've loved Ed McBain since I was about 13 and discovered a row of green-spined Penguin editions of his earlier 87th Precinct books in the library of my school boarding house, and let's face it, what else is this contest but an excuse to write Steve Carella fanfic and have a vanishingly slim chance of actually getting it broadcast on the radio to eight listeners? (No, not that kind of fanfic. I don't think Carella/Meyer slash would cut much ice with the judges. Though I couldn't resist squeezing in a tiny cameo by Dick Genero in the last scene). I won't be putting it online for obvious reasons but if anyone really wants to read it I'll email it on request. Current Mood: creative |
Wednesday, May 19th, 2004 |
6:40 pm |
From wordweaverlynn via stonebender A rather decent meme, methinks: 1. Does my username suit me? 2. Is my journal's title cryptic or descriptive? What do you think it means? 3. Does my journal expand your knowledge of me? 4. Do you think my bio describes me well? If there were no names given would you be able to guess who it was describing? 5. Which of my interests surprises you the least? 6. Which of my interests surprises you the most? 7. Which of my interests needs explaining? 8. How many of my friends' journals do you read on a regular basis? 9. How many of my friends are strangers to you? 10. Which of my userpics suits me best? In other news, I am off work with a raw throat and a hacking cough. This isn't meant to happen in a nice summery spell of weather... Current Mood: thirstyCurrent Music: 10cc, 'The Worst Band In The World' |
Tuesday, May 18th, 2004 |
2:16 pm |
|
11:06 am |
Secrets of the spammers revealed! Courtesy of badspam I've discovered the reason why recent spams have taken to starting out with a cheery greeting such as "Hello young lovers!" or "Greetings, white man!" Would you believe it's from an old Miles Kington column about 'One hundred ways to say hello' that's been stolen by a Russian humour site and that spammers are taking as gospel? Well, it is. Current Mood: weird |
Thursday, May 6th, 2004 |
12:25 pm |
Weird coincidences Somehow I seem to run into Les Barker references everywhere I turn these last few days. MUST get round to sending off for some of his CDs. Current Mood: lazy |
Wednesday, April 28th, 2004 |
12:33 pm |
Ebay nitwits Anyone remember The Drunken Sailor who caused such a rumpus on Ebay by selling some beanie babies which he claimed his ex-wife left behind when she left him? Now we have this. What is it about Ebay? Current Mood: amused |
Tuesday, April 27th, 2004 |
12:07 pm |
|
Wednesday, April 21st, 2004 |
11:56 pm |
Heart attack and vinyl Having a spare couple of hours between work and my Feminists Against Censorship meeting tonight, I popped down to Notting Hill and had a root around in the music and video exchange there. Originally I was after some more DVDs to add to the growing collection, but none took my fancy (not at those prices anyway) so I went a few doors down to the vinyl section. I now own the following vinyl LPs: Shel Silverstein, Freakin' at the Freakers BallSparks, Big BeatRichard Strange, The Phenomenal Rise of Richard StrangeAl Stewart, Russians and AmericansChris Spedding, I'm Not Like Everybody ElseHaving already blown twenty quid without even getting out of the S section, I retired at this point with my trophies... Damn, that shop is dangerous to go near. Current Mood: jubilantCurrent Music: Sparks, 'Amateur Hour' (Yes I know it's not on the above alb |
Friday, April 16th, 2004 |
12:39 pm |
Chris Priest on bureaucracy A great article which fully deserved to be put in a national newspaper, but I can't help but wish a fanzine had had it first. My fanzine, even. Current Mood: touched |
Thursday, April 15th, 2004 |
12:47 pm |
From yonmei Which Blake's 7 spaceship are you?

You're the Space Princess, a luxury passenger liner for the wealthy and leisured. You're full of happy drugged passengers and mind-numbing muzak, but your real cargo is Zerok gold and a fat git of a purser I told Avon you couldn't trust but did he listen to me?
Take Vila's quiz (pictures by Avon) Current Mood: weird |
12:34 pm |
|
Wednesday, April 14th, 2004 |
1:37 pm |
Well well They've made a sequel to Ginger Snaps. Apparently the DVD came out Stateside yesterday. Could be good... could be awful... anyone seen it yet? Current Mood: okay |
Friday, April 2nd, 2004 |
2:51 pm |
Happy birthday to countess_sophia, who continues to rock in every regard. Have a great day, O fabulous one. Current Mood: working |
Thursday, April 1st, 2004 |
12:25 pm |
Yes I made it back Vegas was... interesting. Full report may follow. I was expecting quiet, suave green baize and men in tuxedos saying "Very interesting, Mr Bond" (not to me...) and suchlike. In fact it was more like Southsea sea front -- turn down the heat from the sun (which was obnoxiously hot; nobody told me Vegas was in a desert) and add some penny falls and it would be bang on. Your joke link for today is the IRC Bible version of Genesis ch.2. I roll in the aisles. Current Mood: tired (still!) |
Saturday, March 20th, 2004 |
1:18 am |
Viva Las Vegas, allegedly Am alive (though tired) in Vegas. wandra, sorry not to have been in touch before; the hotel phones defeated me when I tried to make an international call and net cafes are unknown in downtown Vegas it seems. Can you let Simon know too? Vegas is also hot. This is not fair. It's only March and I could be wearing a bikini if I dared show that much flesh -- yet back on the east coast one poor soul was snowed in to the extent that he's missed the con. What a big country the US is, to be sure. Corflu is good so far but boy, am I knackered! Bedtime for now, methinks. Current Mood: crazyCurrent Music: the birdlike tweeting of a thousand slot machines |
Wednesday, March 17th, 2004 |
12:42 pm |
Hi! Bye! My LJ reading has been woefully spotty and inadequate for the last two weeks due to my law exams (which I think I did pretty well in, and foo to my firm for not giving me a training contract this year). As I'm about to sod off to Corflu till Tuesday it's unlikely to improve. I still love you all, but time is like an eclair, long in shape but short in duration. If you've got anything you really really want to make sure I know about, email me, mmkay? Just time to applaud Metro for its last couple of days; yesterday was (grief!) its fifth anniversary which it celebrated by interviewing the evergreen and delightful Major James Buffy-Maun, while today the puzzle section gave credit for one of its brainteasers to our very own jiggery_pokery. Chris must be so jaded with seeing his name in print by now.... Current Mood: excited |
Friday, February 27th, 2004 |
4:17 pm |
You can tell I've run out of work From purplerabbits' journal comes this site, which is a good way to waste several hours. It's not by any means complete, but then by its nature it never can be. It's prone to misprints and double entries also by its nature, but I think the most unsatisfactory aspect is the "Albums by this artist from amazon.com" feature which is evidently search-engine-driven, and not very well at that; if you look at the page for the Saints (the creators of the punk anthem (I'm) Stranded) you are offered the chance to buy an album by the Utah Saints or one by All Saints, neither of which is likely to satisfy a punter searching for the Saints themselves... Current Mood: listless |
3:31 pm |
Advice from a proofreader From a public post by brisingamen which we should all take to heart. Yes indeed. Go read the whole thing: Assuming you do breathe while speaking (and given what you're writing about, I really hope you do), please try reading your own prose out aloud according to your own punctuation. Every time you turn red and start clutching your throat in the middle of a sentence, because you have run out of breath, consider why this might be. I'm not saying that a pause should be directly equated with a comma but on occasion a comma is the visual equivalent of taking a breath. Please bear this in mind. Current Mood: mischievous |