I'm heading into London later for some laser removal treatment which will co-incide nicely with today being 'giving some books away day'. That sounds more serious than it really is but I need to start chipping away at this stack of non-essentials, so today's gift to the world is to leave a trilogy of Doctor Who books on the train and hope they find their way to a loving home. It's as good a plan as trying to find somebody that might want them.
Things like this are best left to the hands of fate.
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A few days ago, I ordered myself one of these:
I'm not a big badge fan but this is one message that needs endorsing. If you're feeling the same, you can order one for yourself from The Guardian here where a minimum of £1.32 of each badge sold will be donated to the Reporters Sans Frontières Charlie Hebdo appeal. If you're feeling a little more Parisienne, there's also this alternative:
Some things are worth making a stand over - and this is one of them.
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While I was in Milan, writing was good. Writing came easy. I wrote five (maybe six) new poems which is something I've not done for quite a few years, so I've started thinking about publishing a themed collection sometime later in the year. I'm toying with calling it Fear Makes The Wolf Look Bigger. Let's see if it sticks and still sounds like a good idea in a few weeks. Playing with the design of a book cover with that name also sounds fun. I might get started later and see what gives.
Milan also brought the Milan chapter of Cities Of The Dead to life. Three chapters down. Seven to go. Did I ever announce what Cities was about here? I don't think I did so it will be a surprise. To both of us.
So by way of explanation, I had intended many extended Milan posts while away - hence Milan:1 post - but it turned into valuable and long material so sorry about your damn luck with that.
•••
Laser session now complete. If you're interested in whether it hurts, yes it does but it's not so totally unbearable that you want to run away and cry about it. Plus, it doesn't last that long either - a few minutes at most. Totally worth the time and money spent - if you're in the market for some tattoo removal, drop my buddy Wayne an email here and tell him I sent you. He knows his shit inside out and he has the best laser this side of Panama.
•••
Finally, two things that caused me to frown about the state of the human race today:
1. Woman on the underground would not keep her phone still while I was trying to read her ebook over her shoulder. She kept tipping it, flipping pages and then switching to her email and looking at pictures of false nails. Result? Whoever wrote that book made a sale but not a long term fan. Shit like that is important.
2. I'm no man hater (being one and everything) but there's a new thing virus spreading its way around the London Underground in which I see men have taken to sitting with their legs wide open - presumably this is an attempt to show the women of London how virile and sexy they are. Sadly, all I see is a bunch of small boys who don't even have a cat at home to stroke during the ten minute freeview. Come on guys... Mr Tobin taught us better than that.
Next thing you know, you'll be manscaping and thinking that making your dick look like it did when you were four years old is sexy too.
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THE LAST WORD
I think I should really check this out at the weekend.