Snow on the road...

Hello everyone,

I know I promised you Emma but I will have to do the blog entry this week. The Emster is indeed working on something for all you cats but it is still in development. It will be worth the wait though, you can be sure of that! The sad thing is that I haven’t got much to write about. It’s been one of those crazy times where our jobs have taken over our lives.

The same can’t be said for you slackers back in London Town. A bit of snow and you are all off work faster than you can say “Oh look, is that another facebook photo album of some pictures of the snow?”. I read that everyone bunking off work (which I know is also down to the great public transport we have) is going to cost the UK economy about two billion pounds or something. Crazy!

Emma and I had differing feelings on the snow. Emma loves it and she felt a bit homesick to be missing out on making a snowman. I was cock-a-hoop to avoid it and instead I just enjoyed the glorious sunshine on my face. I actually don’t mind snow itself but I hate it when it turns to ice. I always fall over and hurt my bottom.

It has been dead sunny here but we had rain today, and showers are forecast until Saturday. All the Los Angelinos are up in arms at this crazy turn of events.

On a cultural note I finished ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy this week. He is the fellow that wrote “No Country For Old Men” fact fans. Anyways, I think “The Road” is one of the best books I have ever read. It’s one of those novels that I just can’t stop thinking about now I’ve finished it. I would recommend it to everyone. While it touches on some disturbing themes, it is a beautifully written story of a father’s relationship with his son. It is told very simply (and is very easy to read) though the descriptions McCarthy uses are just stunning. Not only is it a quite amazing story, but its use of language is a total joy. I read a lot of books (as I’m dead intellectual and things) but this is the first one in a while that has really effected me.

I also saw that film with Mickey Rourke called ‘The Wrestler’. It was brilliant too, and it was better than ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘The Reader’ (that were both dead good). I’m not sure if it has been nominated for an Oscar but I think it’s my film of the year. It’s basically about a washed up wrestler whose life is rubbish. That is it! It’s great all the same and I say go and see this if you can. Have some popcorn for me while you are at it.

I am now a bonafide lightweight when it comes to alcohol dear reader. Emma and I went out for a Mexican meal on Saturday night. It was very delicious indeed. I had a couple of Magheritas and an Irish coffee over three hours or so. The next morning I had a hangover! And the other night Emma and I went out for dinner and drinks with some chums in Santa Monica (we went to a lovely place called ‘Rustic Canyon’ that was dead near us. All our guests would have loved it but we never knew about it! Typical.) All I had to drink was a champagne cocktail and two glasses of red wine. I felt awful again the following day.

How am I going to cope with coming back to the UK? Everyone drinks by the bucketload in England and I am no longer up to it. I am going to Eric Von Doymi’s leaving drinks tonight. We are all indulging in a Saki session. I reckon two shots for me then I will be ready for home and bed.

We have a rather quiet weekend planned. Emma has to be in work on both Saturday snd Sunday. I have to give a presentation on Monday so I’ll be working from home finishing that off, and there is an article to write for top Arsenal fanzine ‘The Gooner’ too. It’s madness I tell you. Working weekends is quite commonplace over here though and you just have to go with the vibe. People in the states also work a lot longer hours and have less than half the holiday time of all British types. It’s a crazy state of affairs and no mistaking readers. I may though try and buck the work trend for a hour and sneak in a cheeky haircut.

It’s only a week to go now until I join the panel at the Gallifrey Doctor Who convention. I am dead excited if a little nervous. There will be a thousand Whovians (as the media call them) in attendance. I hope I will be proclaimed as the new King of the Geeks. I could be rubbish though and people may throw things. If so I may just sing a song as I have been told I have a delightful voice.

I will leave it there for this week. Hopefully the Emster will be here to entertain you very soon.

Marc x

p.s. Happy Birthday Pa. I hope you have a fantastic day – and enjoy your X-Box.