The brutal maths of the 40-something midlist author, part #73918167345

October 23, 2010

2

Now that we all have the word ‘recession’ firmly branded in our brains, is there any more to say about the difficult situation faced by authors these days? Does anyone really need another writer’s opinion on the world of book publishing today? Well, stuff it – here’s mine anyway. To those interested, it may serve… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

Getting personal again on my eighth anniversary

September 12, 2010

0

All the talk of 9/11 takes me self-centredly back to my life in 2001, and how unhelpfully mad it was, how much worse it got, and the fact that a year and a day later, on September 12th 2002, I went out for the evening sober and stayed sober, and have remained that way until… [Read more…]

Posted in: Cleaning Up, Life

My first photography exhibition! Until 15th September…

September 10, 2010

0

Okay, just one of my pictures is in it, but even so, it’s exciting. The PrintSpace has been running a monthly photography competition on Facebook. I won the autumn competition in 2009. SoShowMe is the resulting exhibition. Monday to Friday, 9-7pm until September 15th. 74 Kingsland Road E2 8DL. If you can’t make it, here’s… [Read more…]

Posted in: Art, Event

Serious Question: Blogging-How sexually explicit can you be under your real name?

September 9, 2010

2

Now then, no laughing or fnarring. This is a serious matter. I’ve been putting together a sequel to The Prostitution Conversation – Part One, but I keep finding myself hitting a wall. As I wandered down the alleys of sexuality, male and female, paid and unpaid, I scribbled a few things down (I tend to… [Read more…]

Tagged: ,
Posted in: Life, Politics

Modern Dilemmas: How to avoid the person you can’t have

August 29, 2010

0

This one has come up a lot in conversation recently. There must be something in the air. Basically, there are some aspects of the human-digital interface that are not as wonderful as the rest. So. There’s someone you can’t have. They don’t love you. This might be for several reasons: because a relationship ended, because… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life

Alcoholics Anonymous – new Pod Delusion podcast #43

July 23, 2010

0

This week’s Pod Delusion has a fine range of topics. This time I’m talking about Alcoholics Anonymous, as it’s their 75th anniversary this year. Among other things, I discuss the Higher Power and woo, some of the pros and cons, and why it works really well for some people, but not as many as everyone… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, Politics

‘RIP Raoul Moat’ Facebook groups and the sound of Guardian readers’ heads exploding

July 16, 2010

3

There seem to be quite a few of these RIP Raoul Moat Facebook groups remaining, despite David Cameron’s mini-blitzkrieg. There’s a whole range of opinions expressed on them, some even approaching debate: donna at the end off the day his gf fooked his ed up she the one to bleam if sge hadent off tould… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

The Prostitution Conversation – Part One

July 11, 2010

12

There comes a time in most women’s lives when you suddenly don’t have enough money. Whatever level you’re at, high-powered or unemployed, and whatever your outgoings are, you realise that there isn’t enough coming in. The situation may also be frog-in-a-pot gradual, and you’ve just been in denial about it. And then you run into… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

Pod Delusion 41 Podcast – Women and Invisibility

July 9, 2010

0

Check out this week’s Pod Delusion podcast. I’m talking about women and invisibility. This was partly sparked by going to a discussion at the Cottesloe Theatre, with Joan Bakewell, Harriet Walter and Jill Kennington, hosted by Stephanie Merritt. The event was held to celebrate the photography exhibition Infinite Variety, which celebrates older women. It was… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, Politics

RIP Sebastian Horsley – a rather telling incident remembered

June 22, 2010

4

I replaced ‘very’ with ‘rather’, up there in the title. It seemed more fitting. I was very sad to hear of the death of Sebastian Horsley last week. I knew him only slightly, having met him a couple of years ago, but I went to the launch of Tim Fountain‘s lively and very entertaining stage… [Read more…]

Posted in: Art, Life