nanoyippee

I've passed the 50k mark in NaNoWriMo, which now allows me to resume other suspended normal-person activities. The worrying thing is that it is still going strong. I've finished 'le grand denouement' and am now clearing the wreckage from the cars burning in Knightsbridge. I think it will take me another couple of thousand words to finish sorting out the endings. And even more worrying, I can see how the MCs (Main Characters, I discover) could be led into a follow up, or who knows, a TV series.

Frankly, I really did start this on a whim and as an experiment. No plot, no real clue at the start, but lots of help and encouragement from other nanowriters and nanocritics (both are good). I am genuinely surprised how the characters start to almost write their own moves and thoughts. I am sure when I re-read what I have written, I will have extensive thoughts about hiding it somewhere, but it really is an interesting experience.

And well done to anyone else having a bash, however far they have reached. There's time through to the 30th to finish!

Tag: nanowrimo, writing

one world

I received this from Bob Geldof and have made my personal emails to Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair. Some of you who read this may wish to do something also. I include most of Bob's email below. This goes well beyond politics. There is a potential for millions today to get their view to Mandelson. Those three second finger clicks are still happening.

Here's the note from Bob:

120 days ago LIVE 8 rocked the world. Whilst the boys and girls with guitars made some noise, 3.8 billion of you turned up, tuned in, or logged on to show you wanted to change the world.

Well 5 days after the LIVE 8 concerts - the G8 leaders met... and they had heard us. It was an historic meeting which achieved more than any G8 in history. These are the commitments that YOU helped the 8 most powerful men in the world to make...

* $50 billion more aid per year by 2010
* AIDS drugs to all those who need them, and care for all AIDS orphans
* primary schools for ALL children by 2015
* a commitment to protect 85% of vulnerable Africans against malaria
* debt cancellation for 18 of the world's poorest countries

Oxfam reckons that if the G8 keep their promises, by 2010, these commitments will save 4.5million lives per year. You personally helped to make that happen. That's a hell of a result.

Now... the next part of this story is about to start - and there's another HUGE opportunity coming up. We HAVE to change the unfair trade laws so that people in extreme poverty have a chance to build themselves a future.

The crucial talks are happening right now, and the main man there is Peter Mandelson. The talks aren't going well - in fact they're in pretty desperate straits - and there's a real chance they're going to fail completely.

But we absolutely can't let that happen without one last push, and without letting them know that the people of the world still demand a result.

Mandelson needs to know that we want him to do everything he can, and more, in the interests of the poor. You can tell him this in literally 30 seconds by clicking here and emailing him. Please do it RIGHT NOW - JUST CLICK - it's INCREDIBLY SIMPLE and if you do it, WITHIN 20 MINUTES YOUR PERSONAL MESSAGE WILL BE IN HIS INBOX.

It's a real fight - but we need you once again to line up shoulder to shoulder with the poorest people in the world to stop them getting screwed.

We will NOT let our world leaders fail in their duty to stop the scandalous deaths we see on the news every night. Send the email. Do it.

Do it now. Click here.

Bob Geldof

Tag: live8, g8, Mandelson, geldof, africa, make poverty history

Purple prose

I dare not show a large picture. Special K purple berries are whisked furtively from supermarkets. Even the box has lipstick kisses on it. After my first packet was gone, I wondered if I had imagined them. Now sighted on TV but even there they are being eaten straight from the box.

American Holiday

Our friends in the United States have a long family and friends based weekend right now.

One aspect of Thanksgiving is the pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey by the President. This year's turkey was named "Marshmallow" and, after the presentation, was taken to Disneyland in California to be a part of the holiday display, serving as an honorary Grand Marshal for the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Tag: thanksgiving

Soccer hero George Best dies

I was driving out of Manchester today when I heard the news that George Best, a soccer legend, had died. As I passed the area of Old Trafford, there were a few fans with scarves and shirts walking towards the huge stadium. Sue had told me yesterday that a vigil had already started the previous evening.

Best's great days were many years ago. From those days you can see him playing heroic football cutting through half a dozen players, squaring to the goalie and firing an unstoppable volley into the net. He could have mastery of the whole pitch. Later his lifestyle changed and he typified it with the quote, "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars; the rest I squandered." Manchester United's fame is built on the shoulders of players like George Best.

Tag: soccer, george best, Manchester United

only one spank

The crazies at massively abusive i talk too much responded to my request and gave my site a blasting. Much wreckage, but I don't care - in fact I was rather amused and will claim my single spank with suitable disdain.

Their helpful comments include:

a) don't use blogger templates
b) get rid of weather pixies and clocks
c) fix the annoying sidebar problemo with wacky windows explorer - I use a mac
d) de-buttonise the sidebar

On "don't do nanoblah", I disagree -its an interesting test and creates some self discovery. On "be interesting", I can but try; I prefer to use positives rather than negatives as my medium of expression, but still find the formula of sites like the above to be entertaining.

On blogs in general, I guess I realised we go through stages from:

a) Yay it works- complete with 'Edit-me' links (my first car)
b) Why doesnt anyone read it? I'll add some things to brighten it up. (Stickers, decals, stripes and flashing lights) (my first car a month later)
c) Some one actually linked to me! I'll start writing to my audience
d) Hmm. Someone commented? This could be fun
e) Oh dear, how did it get to look like this. I really must tidy it up (the car I kept too long)
f) White with black text on a custom server. Looks like a type-written letter. (something dechromed and de-badged, with a big engine)

And for someone like me the dial is a bit wobbly and fluctuates all the way between b) and e).

Tag: blog, spank, blogging

Manchester

I'm in Manchester at 01:26 in the morning. A few police sirens scream outside the hotel. For me, its time for bed.

don't use these common passwords

@#$% !@#$%^ !@#$%^& !@#$%^&* 000000 00000000 0007 007 007007 0246 0249 1022 10sne1 111111 121212 1225 123 123123 1234 12345 123456 1234567 12345678 1234qwer 123abc 123go 1313 131313 13579 14430 1701d 1928 1951 1a2b3c 1p2o3i 1q2w3e 1qw23e 1sanjose 2112 21122112 2222 2welcome 3 369 4 4444 4runner 5 5252 54321 5555 5683 654321 666666 6969 696969 777 7777 80486 8675309 888888 90210 911 92072 99999999 @#$%^& a a12345 a1b2c3 a1b2c3d4 aaa aaaaaa aaron abby abc abc123 abcd abcd1234 abcde abcdef abcdefg abigail about absolut academia access action active acura adam adams adg adidas admin adrian advil aeh aerobics after again aggies aikman airhead airplane alan alaska albany albatross albert alex alex1 alexande alexander alexandr alexis alfred algebra aliases alice alicia aliens alison all allen allison allo alpha alpha1 alphabet alpine always alyssa ama amanda amanda1 amber amelie america america7 amiga amorphous amour amy an analog anchor and anderson andre andrea andrew andromache andy angel angela angela1 angels angie angus animal animals ann anna anne annie answer anthony anthropogenic antonio anvils any anything apache apollo apollo13 apple apple1 apples april archie arctic are aria ariadne ariane ariel arizona around arrow arthur artist as asdf asdfg asdfgh asdfghjk asdfjkl asdfjkl; ashley ask aspen ass asshole asterix at ate ath athena atmosphere attila august austin author avalon avatar away awesome aylmer aztecs azure babies baby babylon5 bacchus bach badboy badger bailey baker balls bamboo banana bananas banane bandit banks barbara barber barbie baritone barnes barney barry basebal baseball basf basil basket basketb basketba bass bassoon bastard batman be beagle beaner beanie bear bears beater beatles beautifu beauty beaver beavis because been beer beethoven before bell belle beloved benjamin bennett benny benoit benson benz beowulf berkeley berliner bernard bernie bertha beryl best better betty beverly bfi bicameral big bigbird bigdog bigfoot bigmac bigman bigred bilbo bill billy bingo binky biology bird bird33 birdie bitch biteme black blackie blaster blazer blizzard blonde blondie blowfish blowme blue bluebird bluesky bmw bob bobby bobcat bond007 boner bonjour bonnie booboo booger boogie bookit boomer booster boots bootsie boris boss boston both bowling bozo bradley brandi brandon brandy brasil braves brazil brenda brewster brian bridge bridges bridget bright bring broadway broncos brooke brooks brown browns bruce brutus bryant bubba bubba1 bubbles buck buddha buddy buffalo buffy bull bulldog bullet bullshit bumbling bunny burgess business buster but butch butler butthead button buttons buy buzz by byteme cactus caesar caitlin californ call calvin camaro camera campanile campbell camping can canada canced cancer candy canela cannon cannonda canon cantor captain cardinal carl carlos carmen carol carole carolina caroline carolyn carrie carry carter cascade cascades casey casio casper cassie castle cat catalog catfish catherine cats cayuga cccccc cedic celica celine celtics center cerulean cesar cfi cfj cgj challeng champion champs chance chanel change changeme chaos chapman charity charles charlie charlie1 charlott charming charon cheese chelsea cherry cheryl chester chester1 chevy chevy1 chicago chicken chico chiefs china chip chipper chiquita chloe chocolat chris chris1 chrissy christ christia christin christina christine christop christopher christy chuck chucky church cigar cinder cindi cindy claire clancy clarence clark class classic classroo claude claudia cleaner cleat clipper cloclo clover clusters cobra cocacola coco coffee coke cold coleman colleen college collins colorado coltrane columbia come commrades compaq compton compute computer concept condo connect connie conrad control cook cookie cookies cool coolman cooper copper cornelius corona corrado corwin cosmos cougar cougars could country courtney couscous cowboy cowboys cox coyote cracker craig crapp crawford creation creative creosote cretin cricket crow cruise crystal cuddles curtis cut cutie cyclone cynthia cyrano daddy daemon daisy dakota dallas dan dance dancer daniel danielle danny darren darwin dasha database dave david david1 davis dawn day daytek dead deadhead dean death debbie deborah debra december deedee defense defoe deliver delta deluge demo denali denise dennis denver depeche derek design desperate detroit deutsch develop dexter dgj diablo diamond diana diane diaz dickhead did dieter digger digital digital1 dilbert direct1 director dirk discovery disney dixie do doc doctor dodger dodgers does dog dogbert doggie doggy dollars dolphin dolphins dominic domino don don't donald done donkey donna doobie doogie dookie doom doom2 doris dorothy doug dougie douglas down dragon dragon1 dragonfl draw dream dreamer dreams drink drizzt drought drums duck duckie dude duke duncan dundee dustin dusty dwight dylan e-mail each eager eagle eagle1 eagles earl easier easter eat eatme eclipse eddie edges edinburgh edward edwards edwin edwina eeyore egghead eiderdown eight eileen einstein elaine electric elephant elizabet elizabeth ellen elliot elsie elvis elwood emerald emily emmitt energy engine engineer enigma enter enterprise entropy enzyme eric ernest ersatz espanol establish estate etoile euclid eugene europe evans evelyn every excalibu except explorer export express extension fail fairway faith falcon family far farmer farming fast felicia felix fender fermat ferrari ferret fgh fiction fidelity find finite fiona fire fireball firebird fireman first fish fish1 fisher fishers fishing five flakes flamingo flash fletch fletcher flight flip flipper float flores florida flower flowers floyd fluffy fly flyers foobar fool foolproof footbal football for ford foresight forest format forsythe foster found fountain four fourier fox foxtrot fozzie france frances francis francois frank frankie franklin freak1 fred freddy frederic freedom french1 friday friend friends frighten frodo frog frog1 froggy frogs from front242 frosty fubar fucker fuckme fuckoff fuckyou fugazi full fun fungible funny future gabriel gabriell gaby galaxy galileo gambit gandalf garcia garden gardner garfield garlic garnet garrett gary gasman gateway gator gauss gave gemini general genesis genius george georgia gerald german gertrude get ghost giants gibson gilles ginger give gizmo glacier glenn global gloria gnu go goalie goat goblue gocougs godzilla goes gofish goforit going gold golden goldie golf golfer golfing gone gonzales gonzalez goober good goofy gopher gordon gorgeous gorges gosling got gouge grace graham grandma grant graphic grateful gray graymail green greenday greg gregory gretchen gretzky griffey griffin groovy grover grow grumpy gryphon guess guest guido guinness guitar gumption gunner guntis guru gymnast h2opolo hacker had hal9000 hall hamlet hammer hamster handily hanna hannah hansolo hanson happening happy happy1 happyday harley harmony harold harris harrison harry harvey has hatton have hawaii hawk hawkeye hayes hazel he health heart hearts heather hebrides hector heidi heinlein helen hell hello hello1 help helpme henderson hendrix henry her herbert here herman hermes hernandez hershey hiawatha hibernia hill him his history hobbit hockey hockey1 hola hold holly home homebrew homer honda honda1 honey hoops hootie horizon hornet hornets horse horses horus hot hotdog hotrod house houston how howard hughes hunter hunting hurt huskers hutchins i ib6ub9 icecream iceman idiot if iguana iloveyou image imagine imbroglio impala imperial in include indian indiana indigo info informix ingres inna innocuous insane inside intel intern internet into ireland irene irish irishman ironman is isaac isabelle isis island it italia italy its jack jackie jackson jacob jacqueline jaeger jaguar jake jamaica james james1 jan jane janet janice january japan jared jasmin jasmine jason jason1 jasper jazz jean jeanette jeanne jeff jeffrey jenifer jenkins jenni jennifer jenny jenny1 jensen jeremy jerry jesse jessica jessie jester jesus jesus1 jewels jim jimbo jimbob jimmy jixian jkm joan joanna joe joel joey john john316 johnny johnson jojo joker jonathan jones jordan jordan23 jose joseph josh joshua josie joyce jsbach juan judith judy juggle julia julian julie julie1 jump junebug junior jupiter justice justin justin1 karen katherin katherine kathleen kathryn kathy katie kayla keep keith kelly kelly1 kelsey kennedy kenneth kermit kernel kevin kevin1 khan kids killer killme kim kimberly kind kinder king kingdom kingfish kirkland kitten kitten12 kittens kitty kleenex knicks knight knights know koala koko kombat kramer kristen kristi kristin kristy krystal lacrosse laddie ladle lady ladybug lakers lakota lambda lamer lamination larkin larry larry1 larson laser last laugh laura lauren laurie law lawrence lazarus lebesgue ledzep lee legend leland lennon leon leonard leroy leslie lestat let letmein letter lewis library light like lillian lincoln linda lindsay lindsey lionking lisa list little live liverpoo lizard ljf lloyd logan logical lois london long look looney lopez lori lorraine loser louis louise love lovely loveme lover loveyou lucas lucky lucky1 lucy lulu lynn lynne mac macha macintos macintosh mack maddock maddog made madison maggie maggot magic magnum mailer mailman major majordom make malcolm malibu mantra many marc marcel marcus margaret maria mariah marie marilyn marina marine marino mario mariposa mark market markus marlboro marley mars marshal martha martin martin1 martinez marty marvin mary maryjane master master1 masters math matrix matt matthew maurice maveric maverick max maxime maxwell may mayday mazda1 me medical megan melanie melissa mellon memory memphis meow mercedes mercury merlin metal metallic mets mexico michael michael. michel michele michell michelle mickey micro midnight midori mikael mike mike1 mikey miki mildred miles miller millie million mimi mindy mine minimum minnie minou minsky mirage miranda mirror misha mishka mission missy misty mitch mitchell mittens modem moguls molly molly1 molson mom monday monet money money1 monica monique monkey monopoly monster montana montreal moocow mookie moomoo moon moore moose more morgan morley moroni morris mortimer mother mountain mouse mouse1 mozart much muffin murphy music mustang my myself nancy naomi napoleon nascar nat natasha nathan nautica ncc1701 ncc1701d ncc1701e ne1469 nebraska nellie nelson nemesis nepenthe nesbitt ness netware network never new newcourt newpass news newton newuser newyork next nguyen nicarao nicholas nick nicole niki nikita nimrod niners nirvana nirvana1 nissan nite no none norma norman not nothing notused now noxious nss nugget number number1 number9 nurse nutrition nyquist oatmeal obiwan oceanography ocelot october of off oil old olive oliver olivetti olivia olivier on once one online only open opus or oracle orange oranges orca orchid orion orlando orwell oscar osiris other ou812 our out outlaw over own oxford pacers pacific packard packer packers painless painter pakistan paladin pam pamela panda pandora pantera panther papa papers paris parker parrot part pascal pass passion passwd passwor password pat patches patricia patrick patterson paul paula peace peaches peanut pearl pearljam pebbles pedro peewee peggy penelope penguin penny pentium people peoria pepper pepsi percolate percy perez perry persimmon persona pete peter peterson petey petunia phantom phil philip phillip phillips phish phoenix phoenix1 photo phyllis piano picard picasso pick pickle picture pierce pierre piglet pinkfloy pirate pisces pizza planet plato play playboy player players please plover pluto plymouth pmc poiuyt polaris police politics polo polynomial pomme pondering poohbear pookie pookie1 popcorn popeye pork porsche porsche9 porter portland poster powell power ppp praise precious prelude preston pretty price prince princess princeton prof promethe property protect protel protozoa psalms psycho public puckett pull pumpkin puneet punkin puppet puppies puppy puppy123 purple put pyramid python q1w2e3 quality quebec quest qwaszx qwert qwerty qwerty12 rabbit racerx rachel rachmaninoff racing racoon radio raider raiders rain rainbow raindrop raistlin raleigh ralph rambo1 ramirez ran random randy ranger raptor raquel rascal rasta raven raymond read reader reading reality really rebecca rebels red reddog redrum redskin redwing reebok reed reefer reggie remember remote renee republic research retard reynolds reznor rhonda richard richardson rick ricky ride right ripper ripple river rivera robbie robert robert1 roberts robin robinhoo robinson robotech robotics rochester rock rocket rocky rodman rodriguez roger rogers rolex roman romano ronald rooster roping rose rosebud rosemary roses rosie ross round roxy roy royal royals ruben ruby rufus rugby rules run runner running russel russell rusty ruth rux ruy ryan sabrina sadie safety said sailing sailor sal sales sally salmon salut sam samantha sammie sammy sampler sampson samson samuel sanchez sanders sandra sandy sango sanjose1 santa sapphire sara sarah sarah1 sasha saskia sassy saturn savage saxon say sbdc scamper scarlet scarlett scheme school science scooby scooter scooter1 scorpio scorpion scotch scott scotty scout scruffy scuba1 sean seattle secret security see sendit senior sensor septembe serenity sergei service seven seven7 sexy shadow shadow1 shadows shall shalom shannon shanti shark sharks sharon shawn she sheba sheena sheffield sheila shelby sheldon shelley shelly sherry shirley shit shithead shiva shivers shoes shooter shorty shotgun show shuttle sidney sierra signature silver simba simmons simon simple sing singer single sit six skater skeeter skidoo skiing skinny skipper skippy slacker slayer sleep small smashing smile smiles smiley smith smiths smokey smooch smother snake snapple snatch snicker snickers sniper snoopdog snoopy snow snowbal snowball snowman snuffy so soap soccer soccer1 socrates softball soleil some sonics sonny soon sophie sossina space spain spanish spanky sparky sparrow sparrows special speech speedo speedy spencer spider spike spirit spit spitfire spooky sports spring springer sprite spunky squires squirt ssssss stacey stanley star star69 stargate start startrek starwars station stealth steele steelers stella steph stephani stephanie stephen steve steven stever stewart stimpy sting1 stingray stinky stop storm stormy strangle strat stratford strawber strider stuart student studly stupid stuttgart subway success sugar summer sun sunbird sundance sunday sunflowe sunny sunny1 sunrise sunset sunshin sunshine super superman superstage support supported supra surf surfer susan suzanne suzuki swearer sweetie sweetpea sweets sweety swimmer swimming sydney sylvia sylvie symbol symmetry system t-bone tacobell taffy take tamara tammy tandy tangerine tango tanker tanner tanya tape tara tardis target tarragon tarzan tasha tattoo taurus taylor tazman teacher teachers tech techno teddy teddy1 telecom telephone tell temp temporal temptation ten tennis tequila teresa terry test test1 test123 test2 tester testing testtest texas thailand than thank that the theatre theboss their theking them theman then there theresa these they think this thomas thompson those three thumper thunder thunderb thursday thx1138 tiffany tiger tigers tigger tigre tim timber time timothy tina tinker tinman tintin to toby today todd together toggle tom tomato tomcat tommy tony too tootsie topcat topgun topher topography toronto torres tortoise toyota tractor tracy trails training travel travis trebor trek trevor tricia trident tristan trivial trixie trombone trouble truck trucks trumpet try tubas tucker tuesday turbo turner turtle tuttle tweety twins two tyler umesh undead unhappy unicorn unknown up upon urchin us use user1 utility utopia vader valentin valerie valhalla vampire vanessa vanilla vasant velvet venus vermont veronica vertigo very vette vicky victor victoria victory video viking vikings village vincent violet viper viper1 virginia visa vision volley volleyb volvo voodoo voyager walk walker walleye wally walter wanda wanker want warcraft ward warez warm warner warren warrior warriors was wash washington water watson way wayne we weasel webmaste webster weenie weezer welcome welcome1 well wendy went were wesley western whales what whateve whatever whatnot wheeling wheels when where which whisky white whiting whitney who why wicked wilbur wildcat will william williams williamsburg willie willow willy wilson win win95 windows windsurf winner winnie winston winter wisconsin wisdom wish with wizard wolf wolf1 wolfgang wolfman wolverin wolves wombat wonder wood woodland woodwind woody word work wormwood would wqsb wrangler wrestle wright write xanadu xavier xcountry xfiles xxx xxxx yaco yamaha yang yankees yellow yellowstone yoda yomama yosemite you young your yvonne zachary zap zapata zaphod zebra zenith zephyr zeppelin zeus zhongguo ziggy zimmerman zombie zorro zxcvb zxcvbnm

black out

We didn't really leave the silver factory until very late. The drive back meant I didn't get indoors until around 4am. The car had also changed from its normal colour to Sin City black, on account of the foggy night air.

Note to self: watch the movie.

Tag: fog, cars, Sin City

silver factory

The best way to describe the evening is via the accompanying video, which gives a small segment of the Sugar House experience. The evening was split between Warhol, Edie Sedgwick, the exploding plastic inevitable and a poetry corner. There was quite a lot of velvet underground too.

Click the picture to experience a small piece of the event.

Tag: music, theatre, warhol

light lunch

Sunday arrived with a judder and at around midday we were wandering the streets looking for a place to eat breakfast when we ran into Val and Ray, so we all decided to convert from breakfast to lunch and became the first visitors of the day to Sante, which served a great lunch menu. By around 4pm it was time to move on, and we noticed outside that the Christmas lights had been switched on accompanied by a raucous band and an even noisier Radio station live broadcast.

Tag: sunday, dining

kitchen chaos

By the middle of the evening, the kitchen was becoming cluttered, so I had to brave the icey Northern air to nearby Ask!, where I ordered us some takeaway pizzas. Just after they took my money, the fire bell rang, and a few moments later a fire engine arrived. The pizzas were fine, except that walking back, some of the toppings slid off.