Freedom From The Mundane

Image: A Humuhumunukunukuapua’a fish

At one point on Wednesday I sent out a tweet that read “I’m having a great day!” And it was: I was rocketing through my project work at the day job, solved two complicated high priority system problems, and was on a general high from all the progress I’d made with my [...]

February 20th, 2010 | Tags: anti-racism, Chinese meal, computers, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, glasses, Guinness, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, I.T., Mercat Bar, Peter Sellers, Pink Panther, police, Politics, protest rally, SDL, spectacles, Tropical Fish | Category: Animals, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Film & TV, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, I.T., Politics, Writing | Comments (1)

Image: The Hay Wain, John Constable (1821)

Lately I’ve been re-ordering albums I used to listen to when I was younger but only ever had on cassette tape. Vinyl is covered since I got my USB Turntable, which I use to convert singles and LPs into MP3 so I can listen on the iPod, but cassette [...]

February 17th, 2010 | Tags: 3 Feet High and Rising, Art, artist, beans on toast, chapbook, Day Job, De La Soul, dinner, Family, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, GDR's, I.T., John Constable, landscape painting, marriage, Music, Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.2, Writing | Category: Art, Day Job, Family, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, I.T., Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (3)

Image: Seattle Municipal Archives

It’s definitely getting milder. The wearing of my bunnet is now becoming an unnecessary addition to my daily attire, although we’re not quite at the stage I can safely leave the house with it and risk freezing my napper to the bone. Still, it’s a sign that despite the snow two days [...]

February 5th, 2010 | Tags: Arizona, article re-write, Clark's, Day Job, Editor, Fiction, Freelance, Guinness, I.T., mild, nature, phone call, pint, Scottish accent, Short Stories, spring, Submissions, telephone, USA, Weather, writing competitions | Category: Day Job, Freelance, I.T., Publishing and Marketing, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (1)

Image: thescruffydogreview.com

I missed Groundhog Day on Tuesday. I only know about it because of the Bill Murray film of the same title. I love that film—think I’ll have to get a copy and watch it soon. As it turns out in real life, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. I could have seen [...]

February 4th, 2010 | Tags: article, chapbook, Day Job, e-zine, Freelance, Groundhog Day, I.T., lit-zine, Luke Wright, Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, re-writes, Reading, Scruffy Dog Review | Category: Books, Day Job, Freelance, I.T., Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, Reading, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (1)

Image: Super Woman

I’ve been right under the cosh this week at work. Boring stuff so I won’t go on about it, needless to say it involved some late night shifts, one which saw me start at 8am and not get to my bed until 4am the following morning. Oh, what fun and japes.
As I type [...]

January 28th, 2010 | Tags: bevvying, Day Job, exhuasted, I.T., Travel, weekend trip, York | Category: Day Job, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, I.T., Travel | Comments (1)

Image: Ian Colston

One would have hoped after a weekend of creative indulgence and some quality me time, that the start of the week would have been an easier slide back into my day job in I.T. But no, it was as though the weekend never happened. From 8am I was back into it 100% [...]

January 19th, 2010 | Tags: computers, data backup, Day Job, e-zines, Homeys, I.T., PC backup, Publishing and Marketing, Ranfurly Review, slippers, Tania Hershman | Category: Day Job, I.T., Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (1)

Image: Stephen Depolo

Oh, yes and it was a quite fruitful day. Lots achieved on all fronts and this morning, despite the rain and wind, I’m about to head out for some “me time”. Lovely.
Yesterday I caught up on all my mail and updated my website to bring it up to date for 2010. Mostly minor [...]

January 16th, 2010 | Tags: Annoying Orange, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, fruitful day, GDR's, I.T., Me Time, satisfaction, Saturday, Shopping, soul and system, Video, Walking, weekend, Writing, YouTube | Category: Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, I.T., Video, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (5)

Image: Metal Minnie

I felt much better yesterday morning. I‘d got a great sleep the night before and was into work bright and early. Working early means I seem to get more done; less distractions and people sapping my time.
My week is turning into an obsessive nightmare with all the technical problems at work pushing me [...]

January 15th, 2010 | Tags: creativity, CWA, Day Job, Fiction, GDR's, I.T., ideas, Poetry, Sleep, Val McDermid, Writing | Category: Day Job, Fiction, Freelance, I.T., Music, Poetry, Publishing and Marketing, Writing, Writing Process | Comments (1)

Image: BGIS

I never got a chance to post yesterday. Shit happens. By the time I got back in from work time was ticking on and I could still have made it to my writer’s group. Other things transpired, however, and it ended up being a late night pour moi. Tired beyond belief, I slept in [...]

January 14th, 2010 | Tags: bands, Day Job, Fiction, gig listing, I.T., motivation, music gigs, music in Edinburgh, Scruffy Dog Review, Travel, writing competitions, York | Category: Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, Freelance, I.T., Music, Travel, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a comment

Image: Homeys.co.uk

I’ve ordered some new slippers. I came across some fabulous foot offerings called Homeys and was swept away, not only with the comfort they look like they have (like walking on shag pile) but also their designs—take a look for yourself! I ordered a pair of Crazy Feet; purple weave with innards like lambs [...]

January 12th, 2010 | Tags: baffies, computers, creativity, Day Job, Electronic Voice Phenomena, Enchiladas, EVP, Fiction, Freelance, gig review, Homeys, I.T., Mexican food, movies, office, slippers, Writer's Group, Writing | Category: Day Job, Editorial Comment, Fiction, Film & TV, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, Freelance, I.T., Writing, Writing Process | Comments (4)

Image: hammerhouse

Not a particularly long blog post today as yesterday was swamped. As Monday’s in the day job go, it was a mad one, though I was expecting it as the rota has been packed out for a few days now. Typical it would have to be my week on the “day shift” when it [...]

October 6th, 2009 | Tags: articles, Billy Connolly, Blogging, Day Job, Freelance, I.T., Reading, review, Scruffy Dog Review, SDR, Website | Category: Day Job, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, Freelance, Internet, Reading, Writing | Comments (1)

Image: Heresy

I knew yesterday was going to be a long day, I just didn’t bank on it being quite so bad.
At 4am my phone rang (I’m on standby for my day job this week) and I had to respond to an urgent call. I was logged on within ten minutes and for the next hour [...]

September 5th, 2009 | Tags: Day Job, Fiction, I.T., Writing | Category: Day Job, Fiction, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, I.T., Writing | Comments (1)

Image: BorisWatch.com

Yesterday’s blog tour stop over at Cate Master’s was a great success. Cate gave me a special interview plus the spot came with a free giveaway of a copy of STELLA. It’s open until Sunday so you can still be in with a chance of winning, you only have to point your browser to [...]

June 19th, 2009 | Tags: 2-Tone, 30th anniversary, blog tour, Blogging, Boris Johnson, Cate Masters, computers, Day Job, debate, discussion, drinks, Edinburgh Book Festival, Family, friends, I.T., in the groove, Interview, macaroni and cheese, marriage, Open University, psyched, Publishing and Marketing, ska, skanking, The Beat, writers, Writing | Category: Books, Day Job, Edinburgh: the City & the Festivals, Fiction, Food, Drink, and Bevvy, I.T., Interviews, Publishing and Marketing, Writing | Comments (2)