So Excited!

Ahhh I was so excited just then. You know when you go to publish a comment online sometimes, and you're given a series of letters to type in before you can post it? The whole 'prove you're not a robot' thing, do you know the one? You get them on blogs mainly... Do you know what I'm on about? They're to stop computer-generated spam and whatnot. A blog I used to get paid for writing had a few spam comments, usually about knock-off handbags and stuff. No penis-enlargement techniques, strangely. I guess they're more of an email phenomenon. Oh yeah, and those damn casinos too! I checked my junk the other day and found that I'd won £500. Normally I'd be like, 'yeah right' but since I'd entered a competition recently I checked it out. It was £500 free when you set-up an account and gamble with 'CasinoPlus' or 'MoneyX' or whateverthehell... But yeah I'm getting off track. This wasn't spam on another blog, or email junk, it's just a way of stopping the website you're on getting unwanted computer-generated messages when you comment. For all they know you could be deviant computer or something, so they have to make sure by testing you. Have you seen these things? Sometimes they have a sort-of picture of numbers, then these awkwardly printed letters. If they were put on screen in regular font, I guess a computer could interpret them, but they abstract the symbols a little, meaning only 'humans' can decipher them and type them in. Do you know the ones I mean? Often the word part of it is a kind of amalgamation of two existing words, have you seen them? They have a company that runs it, Captcha I think. See that right there is an abstraction of the word 'capture' so you get the idea. If you've not already come across them, you get the idea that they are weirding things up so humans can understand but computers can't. Do you understand? Have you seen these things, the ones I'm on about?

I had to prove I wasn't a computer today. The number picture was easy enough, but then, to my surprise, the letters had the word 'wank' in them! I was so excited. Well, it wasn't actually the word 'wank', but it looked like it because of the abstraction of it all, if you see what I mean.

A Big Thank You

Yes, that's right, a big thank you to everyone who has ever read my blog. I'm not quite the cold and heartless nincompoop that I always appear to be... Whether you've accidentally clicked on a link and curiosity got the better of you, or you regularly come here to check on a real-time mental breakdown, I appreciate it.

There is a bit of a serious side to this blog. I do, in amongst the 'random' stuff, like to share good books I've read, films I've watched. I've not been very successful in stimulating online discussion, but if I've made you think about something in a new way then that's good enough for me. I'd also like to think some of my posts have achieved their aim of giving ideas, advice (other people's!) and even reassurance to other writers out there. Maybe I've raised a laugh now and then. There's nothing much sweeter than making someone laugh in my book.

You may be wondering why I'm saying this now, but in January alone (which hasn't finished yet, unless I slept in a little more than usual this morning) I have just got over a thousand page views. I've been working pretty hard to get more material on here and circulate it more, so it feels good to have some stats to back up the graft (and, if I'm being egocentric, it proves that people like it ha).

All that's left is to say thanks again folks! I'm not going to promise anything, but one day there may be something worth reading on here...

Interesting...

"A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.

Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.

In simple terms, a blog is a website, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what's new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not.

Since Blogger was launched in 1999, blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others.

And we are pretty sure the whole deal is just getting started." 'Blogger Tour' from Blogger.com

Follow Up (And Not In Any Other Direction)

So here are a few peeps who have done the whole new year blog thing pretty darn well.

First up is Lisa Holdsworth from Deadlines and Diamonds. Though predominantly about screenwriting, it is useful for any writers and, to an extent, civilians too. The humour is brilliant, but so is the insight into the industry and its people-satellites. Enjoy! http://deadlinesanddiamonds.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/10-new-years-resolutions-that-every.html?showComment=1357657929516

Next is a very lovely man-friend of mine Jordan. Ever the self-depricatist, his post is a very honest and yet ultimately uplifting one. It certainly gave me a lot to think about (especially the notion of writing stamina), and I hope it does for you too. Oh and don't worry about the title by the way, it has nothing to do with Fifty Shades of Grey. http://heathenutterances.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/discipline-and-whips.html

This is a bit of a departure, but at least it mentions new year so don't shoot the blogger... http://volcanicensemble.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/years-later-she-still-wondered-why-she.html

On a side note, really excited for a new North Western poetry anthology coming out called Sculpted. It'll be important and no doubt challenging too, no link to it and no picture because that's not working on blogger at the mo...

Also something you might want to check out is Stream Universe, a selection of free and legal films, documentaries etc all selected to inspire and enthuse artists and art lovers.

Peace out.