Weight Gain Update, mmmm….

Ok this is just a quick post really but I have to write it just to shake me up and shame me, I suppose……

I have been somewhat slacking in my weight loss regime.  I have not been to the gym for about 7 weeks and my diet has been getting progressively non healthy.  So I knew today was coming and I know it would in some way upset me.

I have gained weight, 4.5lb to be exact.  So now I am going to go to the gym and sort my head out.  I need to lose weight, I need to get back on the wagon.

So a target for me is that by January 1st 2009 I will be below 17.5 stone.  Lets see what happens….

G (slightly annoyed)

thinking of writing small

really small, so small in fact its like font size 8……..

Actually what i am thinking about is the whole novel writing thing.  Maybe a better approach is to write some short stories (3,000 – 7,000 words), try to get used to the idea of just writing consistently, sticking to tight themes.  So for now I think maybe I would do best to put my collaborated attempt to one side (just for the moment) while I improve my story telling skills with smaller projects.

One concept I am tempted to work with is a group of short stories that are all interconnected through some common theme.  Maybe all the characters are friends, or maybe they all go to the same pub (or maybe they all watch Emmerdale farm).  If I can find a good connecting theme then my time will not be wasted on the exercise, but rather it will help me solidify ideas in my creative universe.

I love reading two types of books, science fiction and fantasy.  I would love to be able to incorporate both genres into my writing style if possible, a universe where magic and science are common place.  A place where mental powers and space ships sit comfortably with an elf with a spellbook.  However I am also tempted to work within the present day, mixing elements of fantasy into real life and perhaps draw heavily on my own real world experiences.

I will figure it out in time I suppose.  For now though they are all thoughts running around in my empty head, lol

G (The author?)

Pipe Fitters United

Just nosing around a website and found out that one of the jobs held by one of the authors that I am presently reading (Mark Chadbourn) used to work as a Fitter’s Mate, which had me reminising.

About 20 years ago I used to work in a factory on power presses and kick presses, hard work, boring work, repetative work and low pay (£2.00 an hour as I recall).  I came home knackered every day after walking to work and walking home (5 miles round trip).

Then my father came onto the scene and after a while got me a job with him as a fitter’s mate.  I worked a total of 3 contracts, two in Texaco in Pembroke and one in Llandarcy in Swansea.  It was a different world by far.  Lots of money, hardly any work.  I was pushing a brush arouund and bringing home £500 a month on a good week.  I could not understand how people could get away with it either.  then I figured it out – Nobody cared

Some big guy wants a job done and hires a firm to do the job, they then hire another firm to do part of the job.  they then hire a site manager, who hires foremen, who then phone around for their teams.  End result, nobody really cares or has passion for it.  And the guy on the ground works as slow as possible so that they get paid for longer.

But the tales that they would tell you……..

4th Ed D&D tonight

Oh my……I am refereeing tonight for the first time in a while…….And its 4th Ed which makes it scarey, and my son is playing too, hopefully he will be mature enough (Age 10) to not cry when I kill his character (lol)

a brief walk

Yesterday I needed to be at my brothers house for when he showed up with my car (supposedly fixed).  Of course it rained.  So I headed towards the bus stop thinking about whether to get on the bus or walk straight passed.  The bus made the decision for me as it drove passed before I even got there, and me thinking ‘15 minutes to the next one’, so I carried on with my trusty feet, walking between the drips of rain.

End result – 20 minutes of exilarating exercise, 20 minutes of silence, 20 minutes of being a little closer to nature, oh and I saved £2 on the bus fare too.

As the American Express advert says ‘Priceless’

Pagan G signing off for now

‘nanoo nanoo’

The more you write the more of an opinion you have….

A long time ago I read voraciously everything written by or about Robert A Heinlien.  In the end I developed a very clear impression of what his opinions and attitudes where.  I have even had arguments with people defending him.  Some people regarded him as a ‘Nazi’ because of some of the things he wrote about in his books, whereas I  managed to separate what he wrote from what he thought (nice line that).  Then I found Wil Wheaton on his blog and after reading him there and in Dragon Magazine and buying one of his books I found that he too had a very strong opinion about things.  I also found David Hewlett on the internet (although I have not read any books by him – has he written any?) and found that he is actually very funny and still has an opinion.   Now I am reading a blog by Mark Chadbourn and have already read a few of his books and am going to be reading some more soon, and guess what, he has an opinion too…….oddly enough it was about American politics (on his twitter)

So here is my theory (and I only mean this in a fun way Mark)…..

The more a person writes the more they get used to exploring their thoughts and opinions, sometimes by using their characters to help explore these attitudes.  However, a good author writes about people and their interactions with each other (unless its a book on fishing or some such) and this then leads down that perilous road to politics.   Now when an author writes a book they have an audience that is essentially gagged (well at least until they finish the book) so they get used to expressing their opinions in a safe environment and then they  start expressing their opinions in public, on blogs, newspapers, websites, etc.

One of Robert A Heinlien’s quote, slightly paraphrased;

‘Writing is a dirty habit and should be done behind closed doors’

The daft thing is their opinions tend to make a lot more sense that the actual politicians out there….hence why I love reading.

Personally I think authors that blog should never do it behind closed doors as it gives people a wonderful opportunity to see exactly how human we all are.