Apologies for the lack of updates. My laptop is hunky-dory but I can't hook it up to Jill's main signal, so it requires a fair amount of to'ing and fro'ing between the two computers with files etc.As promised I'm adding some photos from my stay to the page. I've taken (as always) a fair amount of photos - there have been some lovely sunsets across the snowy hills and streets - and I've got at least one of the two main articles I have to do out of the way, so most of the neccesities are done.The...

Still a good few minutes before it's technically Christmas morning here in Iowa. But a quick Yueltide Newsflash to say that Tad, the brother of Jill - the friend I'm staying with here - has weaved his magic and apparently cured my laptop. Huzzah! So will probably be able to be back online properly in next 48hrs.Christmas present round-up so far includes: Dr Horrible's Singalongblog, Play-Doh, Chocolate Orange, sweat-shirt, afleece, US Writers' Guide, cash towards this break from parentals, poker...

I'm now safely in Iowa. The stay at Yotel, Heathrow on Sunday night was fine, though for some explicable reason I noticed on Monday morning that my blackberry was set an hour laster than it should be, so I was up at 4:45am, not nearly 6:00 as planned. However, I'd given myself plenty of time anyway, so it was an mild annoyance more than anything else.The queues at Terminal 4's Northwst desk would quite easily have rivalled some of those for Disney theme park rides and I was in line for a good ninety...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/You know when you discover something and it's just...yours? It's like that television show that only you are watching. (Well, of course, it's not JUST you - it's a you and a few million others and probably...

Four days before I leave for Iowa (today -14 degrees!) I think I have the vaguest sniffle of a cold. No, don't worry, I'm well aware of the classic irony.However plans are going to... plan. The main bag is almost all packed and though I'll go through it again on Saturday just to be anal-retentive completely sure, all the very essentials are accounted for and ready to roll. Just toiletries and some camera tech to go in there, nice and safely. I pack like a girl (which is good) but without the shoe...

So, all being well (and me being well) at this point in a week's time I should be safely ensconsed in Iowa for the Christmas holidays or at least have touched down in Sioux Falls, complete with baggage. One look at www.wunderground.com (the weather site as endorsed by Moz) shows that there's a good chance it will be cold. Very cold. Warmth: nil point. Possibly double figures below and fallling. I'm imagining icicles hanging off my nose. Not an attractive image. Yes, I've packed thermals, thanks...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/After a long time resisting, I actually have a Facebook account (blame David Fury) and though I've got quite a few old, new and very interesting friends on my list there and have rediscovered a fair amount...

Well, I was back at actual 'work' for the first time yesterday and it didn't prove too much of a strain. Being able to work form home has meant that my Impact duties at the office were merely looking over what had been done and making small corrections/changes as needed. Even managed to sort out the budget. Neal and the team have done a good job with #205. It'll look great. Please buy! :)In other news, I tried to describe my life-saving Jaffa Cakes to Jill and failed miserably until she looked them...

I went to my doctor on Friday for a check-up and he's given me the all-clear to fly off in two weeks' time. As he pointed out, I'm at that annoying stage of recovery where I'm largely all repaired but at the edge of still needing to be a bit careful/ being too careful. He's basically said that it can take weeks and months to actually FEEL 100% again and to simply act appropriately to how I feel. I'm still sleeping more than I did and sometimes grabbing an hour's sleep in the evening. However I should...

/************************************************ Snow Effect without images-by Kurt Grigg at http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript* Script featured & available at Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/* Please keep this notice intact***********************************************/Well, peh. Today was going to be my first proper day out doing stuff after November's brainfart and I was all set to go to London to do some press stuff with Samuel L Jackson and Frank Miller for The...

For the last week I've been having problems with my laptop. No, no... this isn't another PC World rant. But it did seem I picked up a computer virus that randomly redirected all Yahoo and Google searches to sites I'd never heard of or particularly want to. I sort advice at the http://www.computing.net/ forum they talked me through some step-by-step ways to find out exactly what was causing it and towards some downloadable solutions. It felt like jumping through hoops and sometimes frustratingly...