Great Stuff

A non-alcoholic cheers :)

The link's not worn out just yet. You can still click it and give :) https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Martin-Palmer5

I've just found out that we've gone over the halfway point toward my £500 target. That really is great stuff, and I just want to say thanks again to those that have donated, and, perhaps rather cheekily, urge those of you who are willing and able to donate not to forget :) £250 was my original target. JustGiving automatically set it to some random number like £798 - don't ask me why it wasn't a round number - and at the time I thought, 'I'll never get near that. I'll go for something a little more realistic.'

As you will know if you've managed to keep up with my many updates, I nearly hit £250 early on, hence my decision to up the amount. I know the rate of donations can't keep going as it did, but it's a good feeling to get over the half way point so early on. I think my next stop will be family and friends that I know will be interested in what I'm doing, and hopefully able to spare some money themselves [so watch out]. It really is great stuff, though. For me, £250 is over a week's wage, so it's genuinely humbling that so much has been raised at all, let alone with such startling rapidity. For this, I say thanks again.

I suppose this is all I want to say about the amount raised until I get [with blessings] nearer to £500. Who knows, I may even have to make the threshold even higher. Great stuff, great stuff. I'm so happy that there's so much positive energy out there and that so many of you are with me, and by extension mum, my family, our friends. We're all here, together, doing well, and it's great.

Big News

Listen. I'm really sorry to tell you this, but I've got to come clean. I thought maybe I could sweep it under the rug and carry on as normal, but I can't. It's eating me up inside. I've got to tell tell you that I had a beer this evening. Don't worry, though, dear readers, it was only a ginger beer! HA HA HA! Don't say I didn't get you with that little hook, because I know I did!

Anyway, now we've had our little moment of hilarity, I'll get on with the normal stuff...

When I decided on a regular blogging schedule for my month off the booze, I thought I was mainly going to talk about the overall campaign, with a smattering of posts moaning about having clear heads, better sleep, more money left over and having less fun. So far, though (and yeah, I know it's only the third day...), I've focussed more on the experience of doing it. Since things are probably going to be the same in that respect until, I reckon, a couple of weeks in (where my thirst tends to get to me, based on previous times I've done this kind of thing), I want to move on from that. I hear there's only so much rubbish blog readers will put up with...

The actual big news today is that, thanks to donors' amazing generosity, my original target of £250 has been all but fulfilled already. Since I don't want anybody's feet being taken off any 'gases', I've doubled the aim. As I said in a recent update, to get near to £500 would probably make me speechless, so that's a good reason to give up some of your hard-earneds isn't it?

Anyway, that's it from me. I've just enjoyed a lovely reading at The Other Room, and, as soon as I can, I must go to bed before I fall over.
Want to donate? You can do so here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Martin-Palmer5

Not My Fault

Yesterday I was traveling to Manchester to meet a dear friend, but due to some bridge maintenance work had to stop in Preston. The rail replacement bus service was over half an hour away, so instead of hanging around idly, I decided to visit Fishergate Shopping Centre. I didn't have any choice; if I'd hung around outside I would've frozen to death, and if I'd waited inside I, er, risked... being hit by a train.

Lo and behold, the first shop that grabbed my attention was the Book Clearance Centre, because of their bright displays. Next thing I knew I was inside the shop. I have no memory of actually going inside, so they must've been using mind control (not my fault, honestly). A moment later I'm walking out with these new books:

• Less Than Zero - Bret Easton Ellis
• The Picador Book of Forty: Forty Writers Inspired by a Number - Charlotte Greig (ed.)
• Mersey Minis Volume Four: Loving - Deborah Mulhearn (ed.) [featuring Ginsberg!]

Now you know I'd never go out buying books when I'm not earning any money. That would be irresponsible. I'm telling you, they musta used witchcraft on me, or... or mind-altering substances diffused into the atmosphere in gaseous form. Maybe it was UFOs - crop circles or something. It wasn't my fault, though.

Why won't you believe me?