Monday 5 November 2012

3BT: Open road; a visitor; coffee & chat

It might be cold, but the sky was clear and blue and the road was even clearer for an enjoyable drive home.

Being greeted at home by a wagging tail attached to a happy, friendly Staffie. It's a shame it wasn't actually mine.

Finally meeting a friend for a coffee and a chat after our commitments finally took a break and left us an hour spare.

Saturday 22 September 2012

3BT: The Hobbit; writing; new job

The release of another trailer for The Hobbit this week coincided with the publication of The Hobbit 75 years ago. To celebrate, LOTR fans across the globe held The Hobbit's Second Breakfast at 11am yesterday. An hour's indulgent chat later and I'm gagging to see the film - loving the trailer and thankful I'll enjoy it for the adventure it is rather than constantly harking back to the book.

The local website I was writing for changed their editorial policy so I lost my job. So, because writing is what I do - and writing about my local community in particular - I was asked to populate the new website by James (Become Known), which it was my pleasure to do - see Going On In Medway for local stuff happening, with not a 'hard news' story in sight.

Apart from exciting freelance things in the offing, I'm starting work in an indoor bowls club, as barmaid. I can't wait - I panicked a bit on losing the other job and went mad applying for jobs I had no interest in doing:  data input and telephone centres, which I knew would do my head in. I wanted something where I'd be up on my feet and engaging with people who wanted to be there. I loved working in the leisure industry before and now it feels like I'm coming home - with enough time left over to pursue the writing projects.

Friday 24 August 2012

Flash Fiction Friday: Catwoman


She slinks across the bed and wraps herself around his legs, purring, not yet content.

He strokes her face, traces her lips; she nips him, playfully, and arches her back for him. She purrs in his ear; he feels warm breath, hears her soft growl turn to dangerous hisses. His hackles rise but he sees her fangs too late. With eyes blazing yellow, her caterwauling echoes through the night.

She blinks as the heat subsides.

Sunday 8 July 2012

When Nora met Rob ...

Sad news recently, with the passing of screenwriter Nora Ephron, aged just 71, from pneumonia brought on by acute myeloid leukemia.

Queen of the RomCom, Nora's writing was always fresh and elegant yet also poignant and tear inducing - and laugh out loud funny. She had the ability to write beautiful characters you could sympathise and empathise with, whose ups and downs you could share, especially curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a packet of chocolate digestives.

Sleepless in Seattle is one of my all time favourites; it has me blubbing and cheering at the same time. Meg Ryan's engaged-but-not-sure-it's-the-right-thing-for-her character agonises over chasing Tom Hanks's widower, with them finally brought together by the actions of the motherless Jonah.

But it's one particular scene in her award winning script, When Harry Met Sally, her collaboration with director Rob Reiner, and again starring Meg Ryan, which contains the line she'll be forever remembered for: "I'll have what she's having ... "


Monday 2 July 2012

3BT: The things they say ...

What I (Matt, age 12, now not-so-littlun) wanted for my birthday:

1. A puppy. It's a given, isn't it, they always want a puppy. They've no interest in scooping the poop or walking in the dark early mornings, but still they want one.

2. A baby *eek* His friend across the road became an uncle recently and we've been able to rib him mercilessly about the cooing and the sheer awe in which he holds baby Evie. When he's holding her; it's worn off a bit now.

3. An alien. He watched Paul. 'Nuff said.

(Thankfully, he settled for an iPod)

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Wordless Wednesday


I thought I'd missed this little fella, he flew past and stopped in the shade - I pointed and clicked in pure hope I'd catch him!

Friday 22 June 2012

Place Order Here




Orders were slow in coming.

One customer grunted: "Fast food?" pointing disdainfully at a skinny piece of rump. The Server grabbed it by the hair and swung the bloody axe; the human girl's scream joined others as she fell, dismembered, from the hook.

The fire flared impatiently, anticipating the flesh to make its being worthwhile.

Friday 1 June 2012

Waiting


He slams down the mobile phone; the table shudders.
He yells: "Taking the piss!"
He mutters: "Sort the car ..sort the route ...stay ...no thanks, never any thanks ..."
He stares at the cowering figures of the bank manager's wife and daughter.
He frowns at his gloved hands: musn't leave traces.
"Maybe I'll sort them too."

Wednesday 4 January 2012

3BT: Palladium memories are made of this ...

Having spent a thoroughly enjoyable two hours in front of the telly last night, watching The Story of Musicals and 100 Years of the Palladium on BBC4, I remembered ...

That the first full blown musical I ever saw was 42nd Street.

Seeing Clodagh Rodgers as the eponymous heroine, with Ronnie Corbett as Buttons, in Cinderella, the Palladium Panto in 1971. Ok, my mum helped me remember that one.

That the first time I visited the Palladium on my own was to buy tickets for my parents to see The Two Ronnies. No credit card back then, so I hopped on the Tube, living, as we did, in the East End. I'd emptied my piggy bank, dumped the assorted loose change into a bag and set off. For Argyll Place, King's Cross. The Palladium, as you may know, is in Argyll Street, off Oxford Circus. Anyhoo, so I get out at King's Cross and ask a nice policeman very nicely, where Argyll Place is "you know, where the Palladium is." He looked me all up and down and then said, in a very fatherly way: "I don't think that's the Argyll place you want, love, get back on the tube to Oxford Circus."

I thanked him, as you do. It wasn't till I got home that I found out what kind of show I might have seen in Argyll Place, King's Cross!