If you've enjoyed this blog, please consider making a donation using the PayPal button. All money received will be used to make short films, podcasts, documentaries, comedy sketches and more. In return for your donations everything will be available to enjoy for free. Thanks in advance.

Sunday, 15 February 2015


Once again I had no time during the week to record the podcast and yesterday was not only Valentine’s Day but Mandi’s birthday (yes, I have to buy two cards) so I couldn’t do it then. My only option was do it today before I sent it out which is something I was not looking forward to after last week’s debacle. My computer with the recording studio programme on is still running slowly but once everything has warmed up it seems to manage all right so all I could do was to hope for the best.

We had a late night last night and after Mandi went to bed I did some work in my office to try and get caught up. We’re both off work this week so it will give me a good opportunity to tick a few things off the list but I don’t want to be at my computer the whole time. This morning I didn’t have time to record the podcast so planned to do it when I returned from my dad’s house for lunch. Before we left the house I put all the tracks in the playlist maker thing (sorry, am I getting too technical?) and checked recording levels and all of the silly things like the microphone still worked, and left my office set up. To be honest, the thought of having to record it was something I was dreading all day and played on my mind. Last week was very stressful and the podcast suffered through poor recording quality and took two hours to record, which did nothing for my stress levels.

I stockpiled some crisps and sweets in my office (I crave sugar and salt when I get stressed) and set everything up before going downstairs to make two cups of tea. As I don’t smoke in the house and my office is on the top floor I had a cigarette while the kettle was boiling and prepared for the worst.

Given how I was let off the hook on Friday 13th and I wasn’t brutally murdered yesterday, (or maybe I was and I am not aware of it like Patrick Swayze in Ghost when he runs after his attackers and then returns to Demi Moore to see himself lying dead on the pavement), I was cautious that my curse guardian would be lurking and primed to ensure disaster struck at every turn. Part of me was hoping that I would fall in the River Lean on the way home and drown, sure everyone around me would be sad at first but once they realised that I had been released from both my curse and my podcast (maybe they’re the same thing) they would get over it. The River Lean is only about one foot deep but if I tried hard enough it would do the job, you can drown in a cup of tea after all and I drink a shit load during the day so I have been playing fast and loose with my own personal safety for too long.


My fears were totally unfounded though, the recording of the podcast was the smoothest one I have ever done; recorded entirely in one take with the music starting when it should and all going to plan. Maybe the curse was lifted on Friday 13th as a nice surprise, and the curse guardian chose that day so that I wouldn’t be expecting it? It is possible that because I confronted the unlucky day and went about my business it caused a reaction against my curse and the two cancelled each other out? I have no idea how this shit works, I am just throwing ideas out there. Could this be the beginning of a new chapter of my professional life where things go according to plan and I am allowed to climb another rung or two up the ladder instead of sliding down so many snakes? It’s about fucking time. It could just be that my curse guardian is away for the weekend and she’ll (it is a she, that’s not sexist) be back to make up for lost time tomorrow when I step out of the house and am hit by a bus. This will be typical really, as buses don’t even go past my house.


Listen to this week's edition of The Sunday Alternative here.

===
February housekeeping
I rely on donations via the PayPal button to enable me to provide free online content. This year there are plans afoot for more podcasts plus documentaries, comedy sketches, short films and other content that will be available free of charge.
My audio books can be downloaded from my Bandcamp page.
My books (including my latest, Bowie Day), are available to download to your Kindle.
This daily blog can be delivered to your Kindle for just 99p a month
If you want an audio book or e-book and would prefer me to get more money, cutting out the corporate middlemen (or women) then make a donation of one pound or more, and then email me with ‘I paid a pound or more’ in the subject line. In the email simply tell me what you want and I’ll email it to you.