The other day I caught the Panther dithering at the bottom of the stairs a look of anguish on his face. “What’s up?”“Oooh, it’s something I vowed I’d never do.”“What is?”“Yelling up the stairs at the kids: ‘turn that music down, it’s too loud!’.”Sure Boy One’s appreciation of McFly was a bit enthusiastic. But it […]
Holding out for a hero
I’m pleased for Kenny Richey. No, really. I hope he’s enjoying sitting at his mother’s table again, deciding to go for a walk if he wants, watching the telly, basically suiting himself. 20 years on death row is too long for anyone, especially someone who didn’t deliberately commit murder. It’s the square end of the […]
They don’t call it PE any more
It’s more than two weeks since the kids tumbled off the school bus full of Santa-fueled excitement. Since then they have consumed their body weights several times over in nutritionally impoverished but tasty junk, created a mountain of empty present wrappers as high as the now-very-bald Christmas tree and nearly finished the Simpsons X-box game.Why, […]
Dear Reader
What happened in that French tunnel 10 years ago? Who knows?But as the plot thins at every turn, has anyone else noticed just how perfect Princess Diana’s letters were? It’s almost as if she knew they’d be reproduced in a newspaper at some point.On the other hand, that might be what it takes to get […]
Merry Christmas and all that
Tis the season of goodwill to all men and don’t-mind-if-we-bring-the-deadline-forward-do-you to all freelancers. Consequently, it’ll be a bit quiet on the blog for a week or so.I just can’t be expected to think up funny things to write while filing copy early, making shepherd costumes, keeping the house clean and forgetting what I’ve ordered for […]
girls talk shop
Tuesday night was the Women in Journalism Scotland Christmas party.It was the group’s first outing for a good long while and its return at Glasgow’s Scotia Bar was given a hearty welcome – not least for the punch fountain and tasty feast.Sure it’s great to have an excuse for a blether about who’s doing what […]
Island hoping
I spent this weekend on a metaphorical island listening to the imaginary surf lapping along the fantastical shore, watching the sun rise and planning my made-up future. No I haven’t gone bonkers I was on a course run by the irrepressible Jack Black. I think they call him a motivational guru. Essentially it was all […]
Bare-faced cheek
Shoes v tasty looking men – the dilemma’s as old as that hoary chestnut sex v chocolate. Isn’t it?Hats off to Gilette’s advertising people who sent me an email urging me to visit www.giftforthegirls.com yesterday. I laughed so much I nearly bought a razor. I’m trying really hard to muster some sort of feminist outrage […]