Me, the TV star

I'm going to be in TV!

Only local, Canarian TV, mind you, and after 11 pm, but still TV.

The have a programme about foreigners who've made their home in the Canaries, and they were looking for someone connected with the observatory. Luckily, someone suggested me.

The TV crew are going to follow me around filming for hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, of which about 15 minutes will be broadcast.

I'm a bit nervous, but it'll be great practice for when I have books to promote. In fact I'm going to try to get a bit of publicity for my upcoming e-book on the observatory.

Muddy Holes

People's Friend are buying my story "Muddy Holes". I don't know when it'll be published, but obviously I'm chuffed.

A Dotty Ditty

To the tune of "Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud" by Flanders and Swan.

Life, life, glorious life!
It would be boring without all the strife.
So laugh at your trouble,
Fight through the muddle,
And you'll enjoy double
Your glorious life.

The end of a rather ugly "Friendship"

Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I've unfriended someone on Facebook.

Disagreeing with me is fine. Using phrases like, "Arrogance and superiority in attitude and LOCKSTEP DOGMATISM AND CLOSEMINDEDNESS" is not fine, and I told her so.

And she replied, "Too bad you find things that disagree with you to be 'rude'. I'm sorry you're also so closeminded."

Which I think rather confirms my point of view. Her disagreeing with me = the essence of sweet reason. Me disagreeing with her = closeminded arrogance.

I really have to learn not to let people like this get under my skin. Ironically, I think I find them stressful precisely because I do consider the other point of view. I copied the original exchange into an email and asked a couple of friends whether they thought I was being arrogant. My own opinion would obviously be biased, right?

One said, "No." The other said, "Would an arrogant person ask that question?"

Good point.

So I resisted the urge to message my unfriend back. I explained my reasons as clearly as I could the first time. Since she can't or won't understand that, she's not going to understand, whatever I say.

I slept a lot better after that.

Baloney Detection Kit

This is the best YouTube video I've seen for a long time. Unfortunately I can't see the embed link, so you'll just have to click through. But please - I honestly think it will improve your life to spend a few minutes on this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUB4j0n2UDU&feature=player_embedded

"Frying Cabbage"

Mu story "Frying Cabbage" is up at Untied Shoelaces of the Mind Definitely a "U" certificate, suitable for anyone with a quirky sense of humour.

"The Dodo Dragon"

My story "The Dodo Dragon" has been accepted by The Way of The Buffalo. I don't know when the podcast will be available yet. Watch this space!