scott.liddell.blog

Introducing... The GMail Ad Game

2008-08-02T09:24:00.003+01:00

One of the many great things about GMail is the single advert you get at the top of your inbox. As with everything Google-esque, it is context-sensitive to what is going on the page and, particular to GMail, in the email on the page.

So, here is the, I admit entirely pointless, GMail Ad Game. When you send an email to someone's GMail account, add some random phrases/words/whatever and try to get GMail to generate really bizarre ads.

I'll post and crazy ads that I see from any emails sent to me.

Kings of the Hill

2008-07-27T20:28:00.002+01:00

It would be remiss of me not to also post this here (it is already on the General Ignorance Blog). We spent today in the blazing sun starting the paint job on our car, The General, for the Sucata Run. I thought I'd try a little time lapse video. It worked pretty well, although my post production skills are slightly lacking. I'll have another go at it when I am less sunburnt.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the East...

2008-07-21T21:21:00.006+01:00

Had a play with TinEye today. It was really quite nice. Given that I have so many pictures littered over the internet, could be a very useful tool for finding out what people are using them for (aside from the kind souls that tell me).

I think the range of searching is still quite limited, but I was still able to find lots of my photos being used in places I hadn't seen before. Although I understand the idea behind how it might work, it is still pretty impressive.

Here's a good example. I didn't know that my robin photo had been made into one of those cool chimera things at Human Descent, here it is. I found this with TinEye (well, actually, mainly lots of reposts in Russia by people that stole it and put it on their site). It found it even though the image is quite a bit changed from the original.

And someone at HP seems to really like my fruit because it seems to be in quite a few places. So do Channel 4, in the guise of that odious jobbie woman. Star fruit, who knew. I think I might end up playing with TinEye for hours.

One last thing, I give you this example and ask you, dear reader, to try and work out what on earth this story could be about. Suggested translations of the headline please!

The Time Is Now...

2008-07-04T13:48:00.003+01:00

Well, 7 hours from now. At 9pm tonight, Season 2 of Bimbogami will go live. I think it could be a fun night/weekend. We have seen all the puzzlers gathering on the site since we announced the date/time and it looks like they might all jump on tonight to see who can complete first.

Based on last time, I think there is a good chance that one or more people will have completed all 40 puzzles by the end of the weekend. It's a bit like the Olympic 100m final. Months of preparation and it's over in a flash. Except that people will still be joining and playing for months to come. So, in that sense, it's nothing like the Olympics at all. Good. Glad I cleared that up.

So, come along, join in the fun, I promise you you will at least get the first puzzle...

Half Year Review

2008-06-30T11:56:00.003+01:00

At the end of last year I wrote a list herein of things I'd like to accomplish this year. As we are now half way through, thought it time to have an interim review.

1 Great Photograph
Well, still waiting for this one. Taken a few decent ones but even the arrival of the new lens hasn't produced anything great yet. Maybe during the Sucata Run.

100 Sales
Things have been unsurprisingly slow on the sales front. Many kind friends have bought a copy but the lack of availability on Amazon has stopped me pushing it too hard. Facebook ads aren't doing a lot either. Rethink required. 100 sales not impossible.

1 Draft
This is now looking REALLY unlikely. Mainly because of the the next point.

1 New Job
Well, I think I've kinda done this one. Although I'm still in my old job, there is a new job on the horizon. It's not entirely straightforward. Can't tell you. It's a secret.

No Alarms
Not entirely successful here. We lost Uncle Tony this year. A very funny and much loved man. Sadly missed.

Lethal Mizzle

2008-06-29T11:28:00.003+01:00

Friday night, wrote Mr Kipling, I stood in a field in the rain watching small figures the size of Hornby railway figures play some loud music I had heard before.

It would be very easy, at this point, to descend into a straight-forward review of Radiohead on Glasgow Green on Friday night, but I wouldn't be saying anything new. The highs were high, the lows were all those tracks that you generally skip over when the randomiser chooses them (so they're not going to be all that welcome while standing in the rain).

So, my third time seeing Radiohead live was much like all the others. Half of the best gig ever. Nuff said.*

I would prefer, at this juncture, to discuss my descent into middle age.**

Now, I was lucky enough to have got the tickets as a present (Thanks sis) so I didn't pay the £40 to get 'in'. But I imagine most of other attendees did pay the money and, instead of standing, watching and listening they:

walked back and forward endlessly to get drinks
just walked about a lot, usually past me
took or smoked drugs (some to extreme excess)

I'm not taking any moral stance on any of this. Walking, drinking, drugging are all things that people can do if they want. But why pay £40 to do it on a wet grass field in the rain?

It's just plain stupid. My name is Victor Meldrew. Goodnight. (no encore).

* although I did really like the sing-a-long during the slow bit of Paranoid Android ("rain down" etc), the crowd singing along was quite apt, sad and laconic, it felt like the tribute song the Zulu's sang after the battle of Rorke's Drift, well, it did to me, maybe I'm just... yes, ok...
** there is a strong possibility that I've always been like this

The Amazon Desert Island Challenge

2008-06-23T13:40:00.005+01:00

I was wandering the aisles of a record store on Saturday looking at how cheap all the great albums I already own are. It occurred to me that you could get pretty much everything you really needed by way of entertainment for not very much these days.

So, I dreamt up this challenge. The rules are very simple, viz:

You are about to go to a desert island forever. You have £50 to spend on Amazon. You can only buy books, CD's or DVD's (assume that you can play such on this mystical isle). This will be all the entertainment you will have on the island for the rest of your life.
What would you spend it on? You can make use of any available offers at the time of purchase and assume free postage. You must provide links to the items and their prices.

So, Dear Reader, I look forward to your answer...

*** Edit *** Here are my choices ( 24/06/2008 ). It's not as easy as I thought, I would change this daily I think:

DVD's

The Big Lebowski 3.97
Aliens 3.97
Apollo 13 3.97
Goodfellas 4.97

CD's

Suede - Dog Man Star 5.97
Radiohead - OK Computer 4.97
Smiths - The World Won't Listen 4.98 ( a compromise based on the prices available )
Debussy - Best Of 4.97

Books

HG Wells - Time Machine/Invisible Man 2.50
Zola - Germinal 3.59
Umberto Eco - The Name of the Rose 5.59

Total: £49.45

Independence Day

2008-06-20T09:15:00.004+01:00

After many months of cogitation and musing, the launch date and time for the next incarnation of the online puzzle quest Bimbogami has been announced. Bimbogami Season 2 is almost upon us. So, get your puzzling head ready for Friday 4th July 2008 at 9:00pm BST and another rollercoaster ride through 40 devilish free online puzzles. Well, 39, the first one is really easy.

Don't forget that you don't need to have completed season 1 to play season 2, you can play both at once. So, if you've not tried season 1, register now and get some practice in.

Look forward to seeing the previous players back and. hopefully, a lot more noobs...

Until such time...

And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on!We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!

Meanwhile, down at the zoo...

2008-06-08T21:38:00.005+01:00

Edinburgh Zoo was looking fine in the sunshine. The new Budongo Chimp enclosure was very good (although not that great for getting photos). Still, did manage to catch some of the critters. As usual, click on the image to download a hi-res version.

Pygmy Marmoset

Great Grey Owl

Souslik

Stellar's Sea Eagle

Party All Over The World

2008-05-26T18:20:00.002+01:00

Well. Despite not being able to buy The Beatle Man on Amazon in the UK at the moment, the booksellers in other parts of the world have sprung into action.

So, the people of Japan, Denmark & Estonia, I say to you, buy the book, love the book and, if you're very talented, read the book!

One Step Forward...

2008-05-17T09:42:00.002+01:00

Two steps back. First the good news, the book cover art has turned up on the Amazon listing for the book. Which is nice.

Unfortunately, Amazon cancelled the test order I did saying they couldn't get the book and you can no longer buy it. So much for the so-called 'distribution'.

It seems remarkable that (what must be?) an entirely electronic process is so incredibly slow, clunky and beset with problems. Unless it is simply some intransigence relating to BookSurge.

Yours grumpily,
The Typo King

This August I Will Be Mostly...

2008-05-08T21:38:00.003+01:00

The sharp eyed among my reader will notice a new widget on the left. "What's that all about?" you may ask. Well, let me explain.

In a weaker/intelligent/stupid/inspired* moment, I agreed to join a couple on intrepid explorers in doing this year's Sucata Run. I won't labour the details here. Check out the website and help us make (and hopefully exceed) our fundraising target of £1000.

You will be able to follow our progress up to (and hopefully during) the run at the Team General Ignorance website. There's not much there (well nothing) as I type, but I expect it to be full of mirth in the weeks to come, so please keep an eye out.

* delete as appropriate

And finally Esther...

2008-05-05T21:49:00.004+01:00

Well, well, well. After who knows how long, The Beatle Man is now listed on Amazon (albeit with a somewhat perplexing 'sourcing fee' which will hopefully go and no cover art).

Not entirely as energised by this news as I would have expected, but all things writing are likely to take a back seat for a while until I get the predicted job change out of the way.

Just back from a weekend on the Solway Coast. Very nice it was too. Although, it stayed very grey until the day to come back. As a result the photos were largely of the expected variety...

Finally, many thanks to Anna for sending me my first book review from the US. I'm very glad you liked it.

Bimbogami 2 - The excitement builds...

2008-04-28T15:03:00.003+01:00

Testing continues and the tension at Bimbogami Towers rises. It's nice to see that there are people out there trying to find out the launch date. Current answer is "not sure yet" but testing is going well so we don't expect it to be too long. MorFF and I are currently fighting over a couple of puzzles that might not make the cut. The insinuation is that I've tried to be too clever. He may well be right.

Much has been a surprise about the Bimbogami experience. Some random observations:

Puzzling 'teams' - who knew these existed. Rest assured that the launch of Bimbogami 2 will allow all the teams an equal crack at it.
It's amazing the number of people who don't realise they can use the internet for help ( even with a search box on the page ). For all of you (and there are a lot) stuck on puzzle 1.2 "What Is This?"; you can Google the first line of the puzzle and get the answer. It really is that easy. That's why it's only the 2nd puzzle! Don't over think it now.
At the time of writing, 147 people have said the answer to 1.1 "What cheese is made backwards?" is 'eseehc'. Really, how (e)dam stupid are some people? Lovely as they are... Thanks to all for making us smile. Maybe do a 'funniest answers' post sometime. There is one outstandingly funny answer that reduces MorFF to tears every time I mention it. Not sure why though...
I'd like to give a personal high five to cucar who is doing a great job battling through bimbogami from Argentina, translating into Spanish as he goes. Amazing stuff...

Back to the grindstone, MorFF is working me very hard...

Bimbogami - Season 2 is Coming

2008-04-13T10:59:00.006+01:00

Not long to go until Season 2 of Bimbogami is unleashed on the puzzle world. Testing has begun on the new set of puzzles and MorFF is busy scurrying about behind the scenes to get the site ready. Thankfully, there's not a huge amount to do due to the genius of the original data model.

If you've not seen or heard of Bimbogami before, it is an entirely free online puzzle challenge.

We'll be announcing the precise date/time of the launch of season 2 sometime soon. So, if you've not tried Bimbogami before, there is plenty of time to register and try the 40 puzzles of Season 1. We're hoping for a great battle between all the puzzle teams that took part last time as well as getting some more newbie puzzlers hooked.

Facebook users can now become a Bimbogami fan on Facebook.

Me? A Polish Tranvestite? With my reputation?

2008-04-11T19:06:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Tomo for sending me the poster.

My Top 10 Foreign Films

2008-04-03T18:46:00.017+01:00

Following on from my recent spate of clip posts, I'm going to go for a Top 10, thus propelling me nearer to the top of the "Blogs with an editorial style close to Channel 5" charts.*

So, inspired by a chat on the way home with Stu the other night, I decided to work out what my favourite foreign** films. I'm not claiming this to be the best ever, more my favourite. Which is why you won't see the habitual list faves like Kurosawa/Truffaut/Goddard. Just not my thing. Maybe one day.

There are a few films that are filed under "Nearly Made It". Betty Blue (37°2 le matin) might have made it for reasons of student nostalgia and nakedness but, having watched it again recently, think that it doesn'y quite hang together. Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) is (and looks) lovely but maybe a little too quirky. I had a very lovely birthday the day I saw Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long), it looks lovely but on repeated viewings all that flying about starts to look silly. A final word for The Host (Gwoemul), its just good fun. No harm in that.

There is also a pile of DVDs still to be watched like Oldboy, Festen, Hidden that might have made it. Maybe one day.

So, on with the big 10.

10. Germinal
OK, I'll be honest. This isn't a truly great film but it makes it into the list because of the book and the fact that it is a very good attempt at a very difficult book to film. As with any film like this, the natural abridging leaves anyone who read the book first a little at a loss. That's why I thought the Lord of the Rings films were fine. I didn't know what was missing. But with Germinal, it was the bits that were missing that stood out.

That said, the grimness, the poverty are all come across powerfully. Although I'm compelled to say Jeunet would have done it better (more of him later). And talking of later, this isn't Gérard Depardieu's first appearance in this list.

Trouble at ~~mill~~ mine

I don't know if its the film or the subject matter that are unappealling but this is still missing from DVD, which is a shame.

Everyone should experience at least part of Les Rougon-Macquart and this is a very good place to start. Although this post has led me to find the DVD of La Bête Humaine, which I've just stuck in my LoveFilm rental list. Nice. Best ending for a book ever.

9. La Reine Margot
Isabelle Adjani, amazing visuals/production design, what's not to like? It looks great, it pulls no punches it in brutality and makes it into my top 10 because these things make it very memorable. I suppose you have to like period pieces and perhaps 16th Century French history isn't for you. But I'll say it again, Isabelle Adjani is in it.

Best we don't discuss the moustaches

8. La Heine
La Heine is the kind of film I don't normally like. Bit modern, bit purposefully gritty but it all works well. Insightful, shocking and all shot is an ultra-vivid documentary style. Love the soundtrack too, something about French hip-hop I love in a film but which I can't really listen to otherwise (like the Taxi soundtrack gathering dust somewhere).

"See me, ahm no' happy"

It's shocking at times (but not in a crass way like the truly abysmal Baise-Moi) but it all works. Its the sort of film the British do very well, you could easily imagine Gary Oldman being in this film and going a bit nuts.

7. A Very Long Engagement ( Un long dimanche de fiançailles )
OK, so when I mentioned Jeunet earlier you were all expected Amelie, right? Well, more of that later. But this film is a worthy inclusion in this list for one very, very simple reason. It looks stunning. Every moment, every frame is a work of art. And me with me photos and that, I'm a sucker for that.

Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion

OK, so maybe its a bit of a sweet, poetic tale of love etc etc. Don't care. Did I say it looks amazing?

And yes, that is Jodie Foster acting in French. She does Latin too, quid quo pro, very talented.

6. Delicatessen
That man Jeunet again. So we'll forgive him for Alien: Resurrection. The reasons why this is film is great can be summed up by its plot keywords in IMDB, Surrealism / Metaphor / Dystopic Future / Black Comedy / Cannibalism. Come on? How cool is that? Imagine Black Books, if Dylan Moran killed Bill Bailey and fed him to Tamsin Greig, all directed by David Lynch. Oh yes, you betcha.

Bring me the head of Mark E. Smith

5. Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno)
Spotting the common threads yet? Bit sad, visual feast, creature with eyes in its hands? This has it all. At its heart, just a very sad story of a young girl living fascist oppression and a brutal stepfather. That would probably do it for me but this film is most remembered for the lavish creations of the girls fantasy world. Very lovely indeed, won Oscar for Art Direction, say no more.

Here I come, ready or not!

4. Life is Beautiful (La Vita è bella)
Very sad, visual feast, sadly no eye-handed creatures. It is unbelievably hard not to cry at this film. Not in a wrought Dancer In The Dark way, you don't feel manipulated. This film tries at all times to keep you uplifted. Despite the horrors unfolding, what this film does is teach you a solemn lesson in unflinching optimism. You find yourself thinking "well, if he can be cheery through all that, what am I moaning about?". Joyful. All together now "Buon giorno, Principessa!"

Ooooh, Betty!
(I know these keep getting funnier)

3. City of God (Cidade de Deus)
You knew this would be here somewhere. From its opening moments it grabs you and throws you about the cinema. Looks great, sounds great and with the dizzying claustrophobic scene in the club, really achieves a major assault on all the senses.

You can talk about the realism, the unknown actors, the trueness of the story and cry "oh the deprivation" but that will always serve to hide the facts about how well this film is directed and put together. Watch closely. Its a marvel.

All the nice boys want to be a photographer

What is most exciting is that Fernando Meirelles is directing the film adaption of Blindness (will probably feature in a future Top 10 books if Channel 5 commission it). To say I'm looking forward to it is an understatement. Hope there is a creature with eyes in its hands.

2. Tampopo
"Marjory, pass me the crayfish, I'm going in."
I love Tampopo as much as I love food. And that about sums it up. A film about a noodle shop shouldn't make it this high in the list but it does for several reasons. Its a feel good film, its fun, its quirky, amusing at times but very focused on its central point. The joy of food. There is doubtless an element of nostalgia for me. I first loved this film many years ago and it has stayed with me for 20 years or so now. It hasn't lost much in all that time and, as I type, I'm very keen on watching it now.

A lump of purest green

1. Jean de Florette/Manon Des Sources
OK, so you saw that coming. And now you are complaining that its two films and I'm cheating. Well, it isn't two films, its a long one chopped in half and if you've only seen the first watch and were either a) enchanted or b) saying "rabbits, eh?" you've entirely missed the point and you're an idiot. It's like never having seen The Return of the Jedi and wondering why Vader "seems a bit off on occasion".
To return to the point from the beginning, L'Eau Des Collines is a great, if simple, story and these films bring it to life perfectly.

Now that's a 'tache

OK, so Emmanuelle Beart gets a bit naked for a while, that is far from the central draw here. The visuals, the music, the story, it all sits at a perfectly lazy pace. Watch them back to back, its a marvellous way to spend an afternoon.

* come back later tonight, there might be boobies
** i.e. not in the English language or "bloody subtitles, no way!" as my Dad would say

Rag, Tag and Bobtail

2008-04-01T18:46:00.005+01:00

I was tempted to continue "Speed of Spam" experiment by calling this blog post "Britney Spears Naked" but it turns out I didn't have to.*

Once again, I have nothing particularly coherent to say so this will be another collection of stuff.

First of all, I have to say thanks to David Airey for nominating the logo for this blog in his Logo Design Awards. My logo won't (and shouldn't win), but hey, it's nice to take part.

Bit of an 'old news' item this, but I made it onto the BBC website again and, not just my daughter this time, the whole gang.

Many thanks to "The Big A" for spotting this from, of all places, India.

In addition to this, there has been lots and lots of other photo usage and I've been terribly remiss in reporting it here or elsewhere. Here are a few recent ones:

Pasta
I'm a German Academic
London (innit)
See what the did to my coconut

Lastly (and most important of all), I'd like to congratulate Albo & family for their latest arrival. Delighted just doesn't quite get there.

* see what I did there?

Free Porn - The Aftermath

2008-03-26T17:00:00.004Z

Well that didn't take long. It took about 18 hours between my last blog post titled 'Free Porn' and my first hit from someone searching for something similar. I imagine it was because they had something specific ( "7/24" matched the time of the post ) in their search that allowed them to get to my blog so quickly. But even so, that's still pretty quick. Can you imagine how disappointed they were when all they got was a picture of me looking like a saddo magician and two peppers kissing?

Watch out next week for my blog post called "Best Book In The World - Buy It Now".

Free Porn

2008-03-25T19:24:00.004Z

There is so little to report it is a little embarrassing to even consider a blog post but I feel I owe my reader some output.

So, you'll have to put up with a crappy clip show of a post (and a really spammy title, just as an experiment).

Book Stuff
Bit of a distribution delay; apparently the text on the title page was too near the edge. So much for buying a copy, seeing it was fine and approving it. I could scream 'racket' but I won't. I'll believe that this was a safe precaution to avoid issues at the distribution printer. But having to get another pointless proof? Well...

I've dipped my toe into some Google Ads in advance of distribution. Quite good fun, quite enlightening. I'll do more when things are ready to rock on Amazon.

Set up a Facebook page for the book. Go now, become a fan! I've got a design for a Facebook Ad ready to go too.

I've also integrated a PayPal cart into The Beatle Man website for buying signed copies. Two sales so far, thanks guys! **

Photo Stuff
A lovely weekend on Islay didn't yield too many photo ops due to some dodgy old weather, but was quite pleased with what I did get. You should all go to Islay, its fab. Many thanks to A&M.

click to download full size

I finally got round to trying my new black backcloth too. It went quite well for a first time. Here's a new portrait for you all to hurl abuse at (if you haven't already on Facebook).

For old times sake, I shot some veg.

The new lens is a real peach. But the f2.8 one would have been better for:

Had a rather fun (but challenging) shooting the dress rehearsal of a stage musical at the Kings in Edinburgh. Was very different and great fun roaming round an empty theatre. Discovered that auto-ISO would be a very useful feature in low light. Excuse no. 1 for a new body. Thanks to Scott for letting me have a go.

Puzzles

Not long now until season two of Bimbogami is nearly there. Most of the puzzles are in the can and MorFF is busily coding the new improved site. We'll be going for a full synchronised launch so the teams can have a good battle. Should be fun.

** Late breaking news, that's 3 signed copies now! One is off to the US...

Schrödinger's Documentary

2008-03-03T10:08:00.005Z

I generally don't do much in the way of TV review or commment but I've seen a couple of things recently that have given me a notion I feel compelled to share.

Last night I watched a 'documentary' called "Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory". I got pretty much what I expected. A posh guy (somewhat engaging, bit annoying) and his travails to grow and make chocolate. But on occasion it went a bit off-piste with sections of the show that were much more like a cookery show.

Overall it made sense. The guy was trying to punt his chocolate as an ingredient and was therefore using the show to advertise this. But it did very much seem like the inclusion of his 'cookery' slots were very much a condition of the show.

But because of this the show very quickly begun to lose credibility. We see him on the phone trying to get more money from the bank. We see a clip of him (from next week's show) trying to sell the chocolate to Selfridges and being asked "How do we get the message across that this can be used an ingredient?" Hello?

How can these supposed difficuilties be real when the intrusion of the 'reality' TV crew clearly has, in itself, a material impact on the outcome?

Now, I'm not saying that this family didn't have any difficulties but by allowing itself to be an advert for the product, the show can no longer be a true reflection of what (or what could have) happened. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if the story is interesting enough but this collusion between filmer and filmee must surely be done in an open and honest way.

Hopefully at some point in the shows to come, Willie will be up front with someone and just say "Look, all this is on TV, what better advertising do you want?"

Next week, Channel 4 come and talk to me about my book and how interesting it would be if everyone bought it. While I drone on about the difficulities of the creative process and how hard it is for new authors to get noticed.

Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick, Slow

2008-03-02T09:08:00.003Z

Slow
Progress on Terra Exitus is very slow. Got off to a flyer but then things got quite busy workwise and I have ground to a halt. I hope to pick it up again this week. Even if I get something down I'l feel a bit better.

Slow
The Beatle Man should be available on Amazon in a couple of weeks or so. It seems to be taking an age so time, in this sense, is moving very slowly.

Quick
As mentioned above, things have got quite busy of late work-wise. Despite the impact on writing this is generally a positive thing as, in truth, I'd been betting a little bored. Now I'm getting picked up by the scruff on Monday morning and flung to Friday night. Coupled with some travelling and weeks are flying by. Which doesn't stack up against point #1, but hey, things don't always have to make sense.

Quick
It's the 2nd March. How did that happen?

Slow
Not being doing much photography either. Not had the time or the weather so output has slowed to a drip. That said, photo usage is on the up, last week saw quite a few magazine covers, book covers, posters etc. Must do another photo usage post. Hoping to get some good photos next weekend when I go to Islay.

Butterfly Boy Strikes Back

2008-02-06T22:39:00.000Z

Well, I just wasn't in the mood tonight. So I watched some football and then did this.

I know this is the cart about 14 miles in front of the horse, but it was a fun diversion for 10 minutes. Many thanks to Elisa Stopponi for letting me use her great image. She is a great talent. I hope that I can get the book finished so this makes it out into the world!

Sadly, I'm pretty much out of "interesting people I have met" stories...

Very Odd Sensation

2008-02-05T22:43:00.000Z

Hey! Two nights in a row. Not predigous output but definite signs that the butterfly has landed for a while. Just called me Forrest Gumption.
A weird thing happened tonight. The stuff I was trying to right was so bleak (at least that was the intention) that I actually depressed myself writing it. It was very odd. I'm not entirely sure that I can keep this up for a whole book. Which makes me think why the hell anyone would want to read it. I think that until I remember that that is exactly the kind of book I like to read. So, I'll buy a copy.

Ok, so, the Mr. Sulu story (such as it is, I can hear Stu groaning already). I was working in a bookshop on Princes St. It was summer and the festival was in full swing. Who should walk in but George Takei. He was doing a play in the festival about a Japanese guy that thought the war was still on. We held our breath (am I over-egging the tension here?). He did a few laps of the postcard stand and approached the till with 3 postcards. 15p each, "45p please". And he replied with these immortal words:

"Is that a fifty, I'm not familiar with your currency?"*

The rest is all a blur. Suffice to say I didn't utter any embarassments and didn't get an autograph. All I got was my cheapies.

* Yes, I do the voice normally.

Saddle Up and Ride Your Pony

2008-02-05T09:18:00.000Z

Oooh that was tough. Seems jumping back on the writing pony after so long isn't going to be easy. Still, I soldiered my way to something that resembled output. I'll settle for that. I'm sure it'll get easier.

Wasn't helped by the marvellous David Attenborough staring his new series last night. I was recording it but I was drawn to watch it nonetheless. It's just great to see the joy that all these creatures still give him.

Seems apropos to fess up to the time I met David Attenborough. He was doing a book signed in Glasgow for the Private Life of Plants and I nipped away from work to meet the great man and get a book. All the way along St. Vincent St I was desperately trying to think of what I would say. I don't have many hero-types, so meeting one was a big deal.

I made it to the head of the queue and got my book. And, having thought of nothing else told him what a great pleasure it was to meet him and "it isn't often you got to meet a man who has seen a live coelacanth". He wasn't phased by this idiocy, he looked up and simply said "Yes, yes it's true."

I found out many years later when reading an excellent book on the coelacanth that perhaps he had arrived a while after the coelacanth was caught. But it wasn't clear so I'll give the great man the benefit of the doubt.

Tune in next week folks for "When Scotty met Mr. Sulu."