http://chocolateandvodka.com bubbling enthusiasm for $arbitrary_topic Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:29:51 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Years ago, possibly during the late 90s or early 2000s, there was a project to identify craters on the Moon. There was a website that displayed a fairly good photo and you drew a red circle around each crater you could see. When you saved the image, you were served ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/17/craters-on-the-moon-driving-me-quietly-mad/ Last week, Kev and I went to a quiet little event at One Alfred Place with publisher Alan Samson and author Mark Billingham, which was timely in more ways than one. Both Alan and Mark were interesting speakers and I could have quite happily sat down with them and grilled ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/17/how-to-get-published/ I've just installed reCAPTCHA and disabled comment approval on CnV to see firstly if this is a more effective way to ensure that spam comments don't get through to the site, and also to see what you think of reCAPTCHA. I'm really interested to know your opinions. Have you not commented here ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/11/recaptcha-on-cnv/ My physio warned me that the steroid injections would come with side effects, and he wasn't wrong. To start with, a strange sense of tension in my wrists (that'll be the extra fluid within the carpal tunnel, then) and then very faint pins and needles in my hands (that'll be ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/08/side-effects-come-as-standard/ I had my injections this afternoon. Let's hope this is the end of things! http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/04/steroid-injections/ Since I met Kev, Hallowe'en has become much more important than it ever used to be. Out in the wild depths of Dorset we didn't make Jack o' Lanterns. In fact, I'd never made one until 2005, when we killed Kenny. This year I did the pumpkin carving on my ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/02/the-graveyard-pumpkin/ First, the wrists After nine days of no serious pins and needles overnight at all, which I thought was terrific progress, the last three nights have been very disappointing. I've had very bad bouts of pins and needles, and last night's just seemed to go on forever. I'm trying to figure ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/02/two-types-of-progress-wrists-and-writing/ Mae'r holl stori ar y BBC. http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/11/01/wps/ Remember all those Renaissance-inspired necklaces I made over the summer? The ones that caused my carpal tunnel syndrome? (Which, btw, annoyingly flared up again last night. Meh.) Finally, I have them all up and for sale via PayPal, over on Lost Yod. Yay! There are 37 available right now, and I'm ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/30/necklaces-all-up-for-sale-now/ Last Friday, Mr Neil, Patron of the Open Rights Group, gave a talk to 200 fans and ORG supporters entitled Piracy vs. Obscurity (a reference to Tim O'Reilly's quote, "Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy"). You're probably wondering why it has taken me ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/29/mr-neil-on-piracy-obscurity-and-slash/ Richard Dawkins is a bit of a divisive figure, in my opinion. As an atheist, I sometimes get frustrated with the rabid way he attacks religion. But he's now losing all credibility as he becomes a parody of himself. This, from The Telegraph: The prominent atheist [Dawkins] is stepping down from ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/29/richard-dawkins-the-self-parodying-scientist/ Sage and useful advice from young Mr Holland-Keen here, about the art of the rewrite. I especially like the bit where he takes his clothes off, and then the bit where he shows off his knees. Do try to keep calm, ladies. http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/28/writing-is-rewriting/ Things are, at last, improving! http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/27/wrist-progress/ Whether you are taking part in NaNoWriMo or not, Mr Neil has some valuable words of advice. I blog this not just because there may be people out there who need it, but because in a few weeks time, I'm going to need it myself. I'm not doing NaNoWriMo, but ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/27/valuable-advice-for-writers/ I had a conversation on Twitter this morning that segued nicely from my video last night about daydreaming. I hope those that took part won't mind me replicating some of their Tweets here: dominiccampbell: Trying to remember what life was like before being online 24/7. I think it was nice. Suw: @dominiccampbell ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/25/more-thoughts-on-daydreaming/ I had a chat to Mr Neil tonight about daydreaming, and it reminded me how very important it is to have interstitial time where I can just let my thoughts freewheel. (Still not entirely comfortable with video instead of text as my medium, but I guess I'll get used to it. ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/24/the-importance-of-daydreaming/ Mae'r Guardian yn edrych am "Temporary Welsh Speaking Online Content Editor - To £21k - London". Mae'n edrych yn ddiddorol, yn enwedig y bit 'ma (fy emphasis fi): The Role In this exciting brand new project, as the Online Content Editor you will be uploading new and updated content, checking quality and accuracy, ... http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/16/eisiau-gweithio-yn-yr-hen-iaith-yn-llundain/ There are clues, if you can find them. And there are things to be found, if you can puzzle through the clues. And there are three Nokia phones to be won if you do well. Are you a seeker? http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/14/are-you-a-seeker/ This is a fascinating video, one very pertinent to the current economic situation. It's the sort of video that makes you wonder why you never asked the question "Where does all the money come from?" The answer is not what you think. (Via Euan.) http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/13/money-as-debt/ Mae gen i rywbeth pwysig i ddweud, ond bydda i'n dweud y peth unwaith yn unig: negatif dim pwynt un tri dim tri dau tri. Pob lwc efo'ch ymchwil! http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/10/12/rhwybeth-pwysig/