MY BETTER HALF...

This woman is cleverer, funnier and stronger than I am. So she can certainly kick YOUR ass...

LEAST ACTION HERO...

So many deadlines and dinosaur incursions, so little time...

JOURNEYMAN...

Lay back and think of the air-miles I'm earning...

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Archive for May 2008

Having to deal with a lot of paperwork and delays this week. Seems the expenses problems from Feb-April from one distributor haven't moved on a single bit and all promises of help seem to have evaporated (The expenses apparently have to go to an address in Leeds, then an address in Barcelona, then onto Hungary or somewhere - honestly, it's that complicated). Hungary has asked me to send the invoices AGAIN. I wait with baited breath and empty wallet.

It's Cinema Days in just over a week, but having to decide if the line-up is worth it. A strange absence of any big films despite it being the summer event and with the credit card debacle at HK airport, my hands-on finances have been in flux. Waiting to hear about the costings of the Iowa trip to see if I can make June a survivable month on the fiscal front. Fingers crossed.

On that note, bestest wishes to Jilly who's in for her surgery. It's a pain in the ass, but soon the pain elsewhere will be cured.

Oh - but this cheered me up no end...

So, then: 'tis better to give than receive? Ebay, under some warped logic about the balance in the universe is now banning sellers from responding to any negative feedback left by buyers. It says this will lead to a better marketplace and more confidence from buyers. Which is nice. EXCEPT the last time I checked buyers AND sellers were needed to make a marketplace viable and while I do agree that sellers have responsibilities too, I've seen just as much bad-faith and time-wasting from buyers.

If a seller doesn't send money, places false bids or misrepresents their actions, I want them held just as accountable, which under this new system, it seems they aren't.

I mean, guys, c'mon, I'm all for streamlining a system and stopping hissy-fits, but using Ebay logic it suggests that we should abolish courtrooms simply because it irks the defendants and ties up judges' time.

That being said, hypocrite that I am, look to the far left for what I've currently got for sale...

So, let me see if I've got this right... as of today or soon, most major airline will now be charging you extra to take your luggage with you. Up until now, we brave international travellers have struggled with one free carry-on and one/two free 'checked-in' luggage. We've stood at home on scales with cases and done mental artithmetic on how much each bag weighs so that we aren't hammered for excess baggage (metaphorical story of my life) when we get to the terminal. We've put sharp objects favoured by terrorists (like nail clippers and tooth-picks) in safe places where we can't reach them during flights, left our half-finished drinks in waste-bins so that we don't blow up an aircraft with 10 floz of Fanta and we've allowed our shoes to be sniffed as we attempt to leave the country (How many GCSEs needed for that employment opportunity?).

Now, it appears, those days may be coming to an end. If reports are true, other airlines may follow the example of American Airlines and you will have to pay extra for your baggage to go with you - though it seems to be hitting US domestic travellers first. It's all down to the price of oil and the airlines companies fearing a huge fall in profits and sustainability. Which is ironic... because couple this factor with the ludicrous US security levels (and in other news, all our census information may soon have to be handed over America, reports the Daily Mail - and for once striking a possibly reasonable rallying cry of 'WHAT?!?') and it will put off families and budget-trippers from travelling altogether.

It won't hit me as hard yet - I'm lucky that I've been able to travel more widely and cheaply than some due to my work and colleagues, but there's a foreseeable point in the future when people will be start to think this whole 'foreign lands' things is over-rated and far too costly if you have to mortgage your cat and provide a foreign government with details of your inside leg measurement as part of their fight on the war on terror.

Sydney, Los Angeles... I love you dearly and forever. But mark my words...local seaside outings to Filey and Reighton Gap, the holidays of my youth, may yet get their time in the spotlight again.

Well, a week ago I was in the air. Or perhaps in Hong Kong airport sans credit card. Either way, time flies and I'm getting used to being back in the UK for a while. I'm assured I missed some of the hottest May days on record. I choose to believe that's a dirty rotten lie and everyone's just jealous of my bronzed adonis look. Maybe, not so much.
However there is the possibility of another imminent trip. IF budgets and schedules allow I may take a short trip to Iowa at the end of June to catch up with my longterm partner-in-crime Jill McDole. Jill was one of the first people I met through my work with Highlander and we go back over a decade. However, despite e-mails, threats, abuse, Field of Dreams taunts, flirtation and erswthwile blogging, it's been an age since we hung out together and I made a promise to rectify that this year by visting after she recuperates from some surgery. It'll be another shoestring sojourn, but I keep my promises and this is one I'm more than glad to.

In other news, the cat is out of the bag (call the RSPCA) about the remake of Highlander (call the WGA). I've known about this possibility for a while but until the ink was dry and some of the details sorted it wasn't official. Now it's hitting all the entertainment sites and there seems to be genuine interest. let's hope that it's a brave new chapter in our troubled franchise.

In the next few weeks I may have another Cinema Days event to attend - if the film line-up lines-up a little better than is curently the case -and I'm hoping Mark (Millar) will be down in London for Wanted press in the enxt few weeks. Ye Gods, we all need to get drunk with a comics genius once in a while!

Speaking of which, best wishes to Paul Cornell and wife Caroline who were involved in a serious car accident last week. Thankfully they're both okay - with just bruises, scrapes and scratches - but as you can read at his blog ( http://paulcornell.blogspot.com/ ) it was a very close-call. Paul's work on Doctor Who, Primeval, Wisdom and Captain Britain is some of the best genre work around at the moment, so a speedy recovery is a neccesity for all our sakes. You can also read an interview with Paul in the current Impact (see left)

I seem to have answered those various surveys at various points in the past, so now they seem a good way to evaluate myself @ forty.

1) Do you consider yourself a cynic or a optimist?
I used to be very optimistic, nowadays I'm a bit jaded. But I still believe in hoping for the best as well as planning for the worst. You give someone or soemthing A chance to live up or down to your expectations. I'm less inclined for second chances nowadays.


2) How many real friends do you have?
Less than I had a few years ago. Whether that's my fault of other people's is open to debate. But I tend to think I now have better, balanced friendships. You have to be able to talk honestly and expect criticism and praise on a level playing field. In short, like any relationship, friendship needs effort and accountability from both sides. I'm very happy with the ones I have now.


3) Are you where you want to be professionally?
I'm doing what I love, I'm just not getting paid what I should be for doing it. Sometimes there's a lot of hard work involved for not much return. My rule of thumb is: 'credit where it's due...'


4) Are you where you want to be geographically?
I'm Leeds born and bred, but I think I'd rather be in Los Angeles or Sydney, Australia. I ahve more friends there than in Leeds! My visits to both those areas show more opportunities and a better way of life. England seems tired and frustrated. I just need a way 'in' as emigration isn't as easy as it once was.


5) Have you ever been in love?
Twice, I think, though it's one of those things you often only appreciate in hindsight. There are times when I wished I HAD been in love and times when I wish I HADN'T. But I've been very lucky with the people I've met, liked and respected over the years and I'm on good terms with most of them.

6) Last romantic thing you did?
I danced with someone at midnight in the middle of a forest with 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' playing in the background. Not a successful or happy realtionship in the longterm. but a very powerful moment in and of itself.

7) Are you happy?
If I'm being honest, no. Can't remember the last time I truly was. Content and hopeful on a good day - I guess there are worse fates. Not cynical enough to stop reaching for it, though.


8) What annoys you the most?
Lies: I hate people who deliberately mislead and the people who tell you what they think you WANT to hear or don't tell you what they should. I'd rather be/hurt because of the truth than a lie, though I expect people to be constructive not destructive just for the sake of it. I hate people who don't keep their word - if I commit to something, I don't do it lightly and I do everything in my power to keep my word. It's the very least a person can and should do.


9) What your recent resolutions are...
I've straightened out a lot of the financial issues that have tripped me up in the last couple of years and learned a few valuable lessons. Equally, I'm looking forward to being in a new place before the autumn/fall. I've done some more work on the novel - not enough, but determined to continue. I must also get a lot bit fitter. In some ways it feels like I've been treading water recently and I need to push off into the flow again.


10) Is there a God
If there is, she has a strange sense of humour, a full dose of irony and a flair for the dramatic. Wait, I think I know her. Is she a redhead?


11) What are your talents / best qualities?
I think I've proved myself in both writing, design, photography and general PR/marketing abilities. I'd like to think I'm known for being trust-worthy, being happy to 'muck-in' even when I don't have to, being reasonably quick in the humour department and I think I give a good massage.


12) Cats or Dogs?
I seem to get on well with just about every cat I've ever met. Dogs take more work.


13) Guilty pleasure?
Jaffa cakes.


14) It's better to give than to receive?
That totally depends on what's being received and who the recipient would be.


15) Currently on your TiVo, Sky+ or download list?
Regularly: BSG, Lost, House, Doctor Who, Bones, NCIS.


16) Where will we find you online?
Other than here... Millarworld , Highlander Forums and surfing the news/entertainment sites.


17) Republican or Democrat?
I'm not American, though some of my best friends are. Bush's administration has done a great deal of damage. It's definitely time for a change and Obama seems the more convincing, but it's not about who's better, it's about whose campaign works best. The upcoming and almost draconian restrictions on travel to the US from the UK need to be addressed by whoever wins, or tourists will go elsewhere.


18) Chocolate or sex?
You say that like I have to choose.


19) When you win the lottery...?
Depends on how much. Look after my family. Travel a lot. Have a home in the US or Australia. Fund a convention. Definitely fly First Class :)


20) Best age to be?
God, I hope it's your Forties as I still FEEL young. My Twenties were only okay; my Thirties much better. You're only as old as the person you feel. Not felt many people lately.






Well, the return trip home has been... not exactly a nightmare but a night of obstacle-course annoyances that made me want to tear my hair out at some points.

As mentioned there was a two hour delay in setting off from Sydney - which was actually fine as there was no speedy turnaround needed. However it was far too late for Mike Leeder to meet up as it was after 1:00am when I collected my bags and shuffled into Hong Kong's main terminal. I'd heard lots of good things about the '24-hour airport' from several people, so I was disappointed to find that the only thing which seemed to be '24hrs' was a solitary noodle shop and the same guy hassling me to hire his taxi. The trains had ceased running into HK around midnight, so I was stuck at the airport for the night. I decided to get some money from an ATM, just in case I got a noodle craving at 3:00am and....the damn machine ate my credit card.

So I phoned parentals and got them to find the Yorkshire Bank number and put a block on it, then settled down for the night. I hit the sleep wall at about 5:00am and dozed for a few minutes. The Qantas desk opened at about 5:30 and they informed me the flight was probably full and I needed to pay extra anyway. There was some confusion with the language barrier as they kept pointing at my ticket and said I'd have to pay another $150. It turned out that they meant $150 HONG KONG dollars, though they were pointing at the Australian $ amount. So it was about £20 extra rather than £75 as I originally thought!) In the end I DID get on the flight and DID get First Class, so all good despite the stress.

Slept and eat well on the flight. Typical excellent service from Qantas plane staff. My bag was last off the carousel at Heathrow - so was worried for a while that I'd made it but it hadn't.

Now on train back to Leeds, but had to pay a whopping £99.50 for a SINGLE ticket to Leeds. Un -fucking-believable when I normally pay £79.00 return and the station was full of £10.00 return offers if booked in advance. Even the guy who sold the ticket agreed it was outlandish, but the only other alternative would have been to wait until after 7:00pm to travel. Not an option.

Now I just want to get home. Australia was superb - thanks, Carmel! - but looking forward to waking up tomorrow with all the travel bit behind me. For a while.

Waiting at Sydney for my flight. I was due to take off around 2:00ish but now won't be leaving until at least 5:45. Got some free food to pass the time here. Luckily there's no rush to get to Hong Kong as my onward flight to Heathrow doesn't leave until after 7:00am, so quite a few hours to kill there. I may meet up with Mike Leeder if there's time and Carmel has said I shouldn't wuss out or 'be 40' and shouldn't just cool my heels around the airport as the city is only 40 mins away and I can stow luggage. We'll see how the time works out.

I should be back into London around 13:35 Thursday. As always it'd down to the schedules and the gods. I'm sure all will be fine. Now I have to go and chat with a fellow passenger. He's bald-headed and in a wheel-chair. I think he said his name was Locke or something. Who knew this was a code-share flight with Oceanic?

Well, this could be my last evening in Sydney. I say could because of my 'standby' status on flights leaving the city tomorrow and the availability of seats on those. I will be trying to avoid economy status (nouveau euro-snob!) or very long/short change-overs if at all possible en route. Carmel will be checking during the morning tomorrow to gauge my chances and, luckily I always have the option of rescheduling and flying a few days later if it's particularly full or problematic. My budget won't like that, but I won't complain: seeing Sydney Harbour Bridge and the waterfront everyday will Never. Get. Old.

Unlike the UK (apparently) today wasn't that bright and sunny (not cold, but not scorching and thankfully threatened storms held off) so I decided not to risk the day off at Manly or head up to Leura, so I stuck to more nearby attractions including the photogenic Botanic Gardens and a stroll up George Street (where I got a large print of Carmel with her mum and daughter produced as a thank-you gift).

This evening Carmel took me out for a departure meal and I managed to scoff a steak by the quayside near the Bridge - a pretty impressive structure at night (the bridge, not me). The city is somewhat magical after the sun's gone down, the shadows and neon hiding a multitude of proable sins that just aren't obvious in the bright light of day. Managed to take some long exposure that came out pretty well.

Currently finishing the last bits of packing. As always, finding lonely socks here and there that I was convinced I'd already sorted. Will give the room a once-over when I DO leave just to make sure nothing is left behind (tempted to leave the video camera that I got from eBay a few weeks ago as it's failed in ever annoying/expanding degrees miserably. A wasted £60).

When I get home there's a ton of stuff to kick-start: design-work, updating the portfolio, looking for a new house, starting a serious get fit regime and also the possibility of another trip, this time to help Jill recover in Iowa. Fingers everso crossed.

In short this year is turning out to not only be speeding through, but also up-to-the-brim with travel and opportunities. I hope to waste neither.

And yes, the insightful '40' thoughts is on its way soon.

I got back from Cairns on Thursday afternoon and took Friday to do some more wandering in Sydney. The weekend saw us off to Toukley, where Nancye Elliott and her husband have a second house which they've done up (they're working on a third). It was a prime chance to sort out some upcoming Highlander WorldWide stuff, so Aine joined us too for what amounts to an HLWW retreat. (But no surrender!). We got a lot of details sorted about the forthcoming Vancouver DVD releases, the sleeves of which I've been asked to design. Also, two words for the future: 'Game' and 'On'. More on that/those later.

The newest Elliott venture is a lake-front property and has quite stunning views out over Tuggerah Lake. We all headed up to Norah Head lighthouse while the tide was out, but still very active and returned in time to see the sun setting in spectacular fashion across the water. There were even ducks!

Sunday was Mothers' Day in Australia, so while the original plan was to drop me off en route back from Toukley, so that Carmel could go visit relatives, I actually ended up tagging along with Carmel to where she was meeting her brother and mother for tea. Then it was back to Zetland for an even bigger meet with four generations of the same family and a hearty meal with good wine and good company. Carmel's Clan are a wonderful lot, not matter what the vinatge. Please note: I even ate something green. It may have been a leaf.

The weather here today is changeable, but bright. Won't be as hot as it has been, but still the equivalent of a British late-spring day at worst. Carmel's been excellent in helping sort my return journey and possible future travel. Current plan is to leave Sydney on Wednesday to avoid some of the hustle-and-bustle expected on the Thursday routes, but will know more of my exact movements by tomorrow. Half-packed anyway, so won't have to rush too much as and when.


Just got back into Sydney after three days up in Cairns (pronounced like Cannes is spelt). The weather was pretty off throughout my whole stay, with only a little rain as I arrived back at port on Tuesday evening - and then only a sprinkle, though it was clear that just a few miles inland must have had a mini deluge from the clouds we saw.

Tuesday itself was mostly spent on Green Island. I'd decided that if I couldn't have a big international get-together for my 40th then I'd enjoy my own company and just spend some rare time in relax mode. I'd been to Green Island before, but this time I took a whole day trip rather than a 1/2 day and spent some major time on the beach just reading and sun-bathing. The island itself is quite small and I actually walked compeltely around its coastline in about 45 minutes, taking some shots of the wonderfully twisted trees and landscape. Also took a ride out in a glass-bottom boat and watched the fishes and the seagulls fight over the food thrown to them. A little like Leeds on a Friday night...


Back in Cairns itself it was interesting to find myself remembering things I hadn't even realised I'd forgotten. The town's grid-like set-up can easily get you turnaround on yourself, but my innate inner geek remembered exactly where the old book and comic store was and the classic The Woolshed pub, which I'd been told to frequent on my last visit there. I'd also forgotten about the Kamikaze Parrots and the Bats of Doom (which, let's face it, would've made a much better Indiana Jones title). The parrots - or member of the parakeet family - use the fading moments of twilight to barrel along the main Cairns boulevard like bomber pilots through Pearl Harbor. In small groups they speed through the square, sometimes mere feet above the ground and how they actually avoid impaling pedestrians I'll never know. I physically felt one skim by me. It's only fun until someone loses an eye, dammit! Equally only a few moments later, the bats come out. These ain't your grandaddy's variety - these are literally bigger than the seagulls. I think they could pick off a few pedestrians as well.

The days and nights were hot and so were the women (though this was a prime incentive to get decide to get myself in shape - it's all well and good ogling the numerous attractive ladies, but when you're stood next to surfer guys a good ten years younger than you are...peh... no chance). Didn't help when the guy in the bunk ABOVE, smuggled in a girl to our single-sex dormitory (four beds in total) and attempted to have *quiet* sex with them about 2 ft above my head.

I'd have commented, but I'm British, the guy was French and I think the girl was deaf and drunk. There's a TV show or a metaphor in there somewhere.

A round-up of 40s thoughts coming soon.

I had a big think about what my fortieth birthday blog would say. I have plans for a thought-provoking and deeper insight when I'm back on my own laptop in Sydney, but as I'm on the clock in a net cafe in Cairns, I'm going to quote Indiana Jones again:

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage..."

In Cairns. Failed to get 'Business Class' as I was wearing jeans. Very nice jeans, but blue denim jeans none the less. The man at the counter, hmmmm'd, came around and looked at what I was wearing and said 'Oh, definitely not!'

I hate people who judge people by what they wear.

And hate sitting abck with the Economy people who, frankly, looked scruffy.

Peh.

Cairns as nice as I remember it. Wish there was a group of us up here, we'd have a ball. Off on a day cruise tomorrow. May wear jeans.

The last few days have been that curious (but not unpleasant) dilemma of working out what to do and when to do it. Kerry - who was here for just a few days a couple of months ago - crammed a lot of things into a short time. On the other hand, my trip will last about two and a half weeks and is largely in and around this area. So part of me feels guilty for taking a few days to not do a lot and the other half of me feels guilty for not taking time to relax when I do go off and cram a lot in. Either way, the last week has trotted by at a decent pace and, depsite those expenses annoyances, definitely less stressful than being back in the UK.

Saw Iron Man again and everyone I know is loving it. Stayed to see the Samuel L Jackson cameo after the credits - bizarre that they didn't show that bit to us at the press junket.

Took another stroll around Sydney's shops yesterday. It was Free Comic Day (Comic Day is innocent, I tell you!) so I found myself dropping in at Kings Comics in the heart of the city as well as a quick lookaround for some shorts (I noted I'd only brought one pair, so not finding any I wanted, I've bought some nice, but cheap jeans that I may just cut off at the knee as a back-up pair).

Carmel drove us down to Coogee Beach (about 15mins away) for some Chish and Fips (that's the name of the cafe) and as the day faded into night I got some nice shots. I've also managed to get some nice ones of the sunset from just outside Carmel's apartment - how come we never get sunsets like this back home?

With Carmel's netwok fixed, I just managed to download Doctor Who (I can't miss my regular fix) and thought it was so-so.

The current plan is to fly up to Cairns tomorrow morning(Monday) and stay until Thursday. That means I can spend my full birthday up there and I hope to head off to Green Island for a day trip. (I'd planned Fitzroy island but it appears to be 'closed'). Either way, lots of photographic opportunities.

Won't be taking my laptop, but may have access at one of the plentiful Internet cafes.

Steps taken: not a bloody clue, but more than Leeds and better views.

Another day of not doing too much, yesterday. I decided to get some work across to Impact during the morning and then took the train down to Circular Quay to get a ferry to Manly. It's about a 30minute ride, out into the harbour and along the coast to a community that's a bit like Filey in the UK or Hermosa Beach in the US. It was a nice sunny day and I headed to the edge of the beach to sit down for a while reading Steve's book.

Watched the seagulls harrass the food-eaters and the surfers ride the not-too-big waves. Tons of gorgeous women around, from surfers to yummy-mummys, but I still decided to walk up around the bay and take some shots back across the beach and coastline.

I waited to get the ferry back until it timed with sunset and positioned myself near the front to get some nice shots as we returned to the main Sydney Harbour area. It was a bit breezy, so threw on my duckhead fleece which did the trick.

Only downpoints so far is that I apparently missed a one-off concert by Leona Lewis here on Tuesday. For US readers she's our homegrown version of Mariah Carey (For UK readers she's the non-diva diva) I'm also having to deal with an expense claim back in the UK which should have been resolved AGES ago and yet is resulting in snarky e-mails. Peh. Also apparently there's been a fatal crash in Sydney Harbour overnight with some joyriders in a boat. Tragic.

No firm plans for next few days, but planning to keep up to date with Impact work and just take this week easy. May head up to Cairns during the latter part of my stay if $ and time permit.