Here's a shot of my birthday present:

I've wanted to go old school on a project for a long time now and want has turned into opportunity in the shape of this immaculately restored Olympia. No electricity - just man and an analogue machine.

It's an odd experience to work on a typewriter. It forces you to think differently - differently from writing with a pen too. It has a certain speed that allows you to think but not for too long... and the clatter it produces lets you know you're working on something. It's not unlike playing an acoustic. It will take us a while to get to know each others eccentricities but over time, we will learn to work together and maybe, just maybe, we can produce some magic. It needs a whole project to itself that's for sure. We'll worry about what happens to a typed manuscript later.

When was the last time you saw a photo-copying store? Like never... and I could care less. This is going to be fun.

That's enough for one day I think... time to unplug and get my teeth into this, which also made its way mysteriously into my possession:

...and take a look at the whole range here - there's a warhead full of them so if you're stuck for gifts right now, that should fix all manner of ills.

Tip: Sheridan Le Fanu is a genius, The Monk looks very worthy and The Drug by Crowley is a must. There's some stories in this collection I've never read.