Going Well

Indeed, the new job is going brilliantly. So much to learn and great people to work with. It's great having a challenge and being able to rise to the occasion, with so many people willing to teach you and also to listen to what you have to say too.

My two poems "Android In The Sand" and "The Spider's Stance" were published by Kalkion earlier this week and it's great to see them in print. I've always wanted to be a fiction writer and never really thought about being a poet but, despite what some schools of thought are, these just seem to write themselves. So I guess that I am kinda lucky there. My train season ticket has now come through, which means that instead of spending over three hours a day driving a car back and forth to work (although I have to say that I really enjoy the journey through the countryside) I can now sit back and flash up my laptop and write! How cool is that? One of the areas that really appeals to me is screen writing and once things quieten down I intend looking to that field too. Well, one has to try!

Being out of touch with the other students one can't help but wonder how they are getting on. It's so good getting their input on your own work, to be able to critique theirs in turn and then to discuss the points that you have raised. I'm very lucky, as the guys on the course are not only great people but to be honest man some of them seem to be gifted writers (I'm jealous!) and I know that I will be seeing their names on book shelves in the not too distant future. I have to say to anyone who wants to seriously be a writer to consider doing this MA. Now to more writing!

Joy

That's as in happy, not as in person, as last night I received an email from the editor of Kalkion to say that he has has accepted and already published my short story "Faces In The Sky" and the two poems I sent him will be published online later this week. What brilliant news! Things are indeed starting to look up and I have the MA course, the other students and members of both the Orbiter groups to thank for it. These are published at:

http://www.kalkion.com/

I awoke to a hilarious but somewhat loud verbal exchange between children outside this morning. A boys was telling a girl what kind of person he thought she was, following her comment on his Facebook wall. He also said that she couldn't spell, as apparently he's a coke soaker... Her reply was that this was in response to his calling her a lemon licker. I think I must be getting old, as I had to think about that for a couple of seconds. Amused no end by this exchange we had a quick look at his Facebook page to learn that this lad who says the girl cannot spell was "very pist off". Kids are incredibly entertaining!

The new job started on Monday and I have to say that it is brilliant and I am enjoying it immensely. I do look forward to when I can start training it in rather than driving in however, as it takes me about an hour and a half to drive each way. The train journey will allow me to spend time writing on my laptop and catching up with my mail and other tasks, and the office is directly across the road from the train station. Luckily this situation is happening during the uni holidays and will be sorted out - hopefully - by the time we restart.

UK ChungDoKwan

Those that have known me for a while will know of my interest in the martial arts. Many moons ago I worked in Hong Kong for the Royal Navy, at the base HMS Tamar. Whilst there I also wrote as a Far Eastern Correspondent for Combat Magazine. One day they contacted me and asked me to interview a rising star who was just about to release a very much anticipated film. Unfortunately the RN patrol boats were out in the Philippines on disaster relief, due to a typhoon that had basically trashed the place. The result of this was that the communication centre in which I worked was 1 in 2, in other words we were working 12 hours on and then 12 off for the duration. Naturally I was unable to conduct the interview, much to the magazine's dismay (and mine!). The film company also contacted me several time and in the end sent me a load of information regarding the film and I wrote the article from that. Name of the film star? Jackie Chan. Gutted or what...

Last night Master Mike McGovern came to my class, which had limited numbers attending due to the school holidays. Mike is creating a national Taekwondo team for UK Chung Do Kwan, the WTF arm of the British Council for Korean Martial arts. This team will be competing both at home and abroad, which is excellent news indeed. Why? Because due to politics within the UK there hasn't been much in the way of competitions for our students to compete in. The sad result of this is that many of them have become disheartened and have moved on. With this new venture I foresee a great avenue for fighters within the UK to compete around the world and I'm delighted to say that I have been invited onto the National Selection Committee. I still consider it a great shame that internal politics prevent our best athletes from competing and representing our country, hopefully this venture will provide a way ahead and will break the chains trying to be imposed by those in positions of authority.

Today is my fiancee Becky's birthday and I am looking forward to her coming home tonight, so that we can celebrate. I won't say how old she is but she is much younger than I and recently became a grandmother to her daughter Alex's first child, Lillie-Anna. (This also meant that her sons Joe, George, Ben and Louis all became uncles at young ages from 17 years down to 8). So after various humorous comments about increases in age and grandmothers I've decided to bite my tongue before it suddenly becomes involuntarily thicker. However, I would like to wish Bex all the best on her birthday and thank her for having such a great sense of humour and to say I think that she is a great mother to her children, and grandmother...

Whilst researching propulsion systems for a project I was amused to learn that Project Orion (Nuclear Pulse Propulsion) was an idea to propel a spaceship, using atomic bombs going off underneath the ship. As each bomb went off the ship was forced higher, as it would be. Makes you really glad that they didn't actually try it! The theme was used by Stephen Baxter in his novel "Ark". I would bet high odds that if certain of our allies actually decided to explore this idea the chances are that it wouldn't be held on their own turf.

Life is out there!

Yay! after more job applications than I would care to remind myself about, and being off work since February, determination has finally paid off. I have accepted the offer of an excellent job, one that shows promise of a great career and one that will be an enjoyable challenge. Chuffed to bits and really looking forward to my new role as an Office Manager for a corporate section of Axa-Sunlife Insurances

Success, yay!

Yesterday I decided to send off a short story and a poem to an Ezine, thinking that a response would take quite some time, as they usually do. However, when I awoke this morning I checked my Blackberry and found an email from the Editor confirming acceptance of both, that they don't usually take poetry but he is looking for a slot for it. Great news indeed! This is the first short that I have sent off for quite some time and my first acceptance of a poem. To say that I'm chuffed is an understatement.

Many moons ago I used to write on a desk but in a rehash of furniture when my partner moved in it was relegated to the shed, due to space limitations. Consequently I then took to writing on my bed, as this is such a busy household and one needs quiet, as we know. One of the tutors on the course suggested that I rethink this and redefine my writing habits, as I wrote whenever I felt like it. Contemplating his suggestion I moved to the dining room and now stick to a specific timescale, with my books around me on the bookshelves. Indeed this seems to be working as I am getting more and more prolific.

Later on today I'm taking my somewhat daft dog - who managed to fall into the pond yesterday (well at least she was cool) - for a long walk, as is our want. I'm really looking forward to it. So is the dog I do believe, as it's a very hot day and she is eying up the pond again.

First Blog Ever

As per the Title this is my first blog ever. I probably would never have set one up had it not been for Falmouth University and their degree requirements. I just hope that they don't have a sense of humour failure...