Gargantuan Mistakes All Over the Place...

Everyone cringe-watching
Matt Hancock.

I don't usually watch I'm A Celebrity. I did the whole thing once, about six years ago, but since then I get the gist of each camp's comings and goings via other watchers' chat. This year, I've even less interest. Time will tell but it feels like a gargantuan mistake to put a disgraced sitting MP, still awaiting an inquiry into excess deaths during his time as Health Secretary, into a light entertainment show. The juxtaposition is simply too jarring and feels inappropriate. But that's not all in the Land of Bad Decisions. There's also the up and coming World Cup to contend with. That too feels like a gargantuan mistake - giving the hosting duties to a country where human rights cannot be guaranteed. Individual fans can choose not to go (although why should they?) but players, backroom staff, TV pundits, camera crew, hair and makeup artists, and technicians, can't. It's their job and there are rising bills to pay. Not everyone that has to attend will be on footballers' salaries and can afford to refuse to go. With that in mind, it feels wrong to watch. But then that's what some people said before the last World Cup in Russia It was all soon forgotten once England started doing well. I think, to keep sane as a TV consumer, I'll stick to my daily dose of Netflix Christmas films. They're terrible, with flimsy plots and hammy acting, but at no point do they pretend to be a disgraced MP having nightly televised japes, nor a country that criminalises LGBTQIA+ people. As far as I know.

Watch. Me. Go

Writing News

The first draft of Book 4 is done, the first read through of Book 4 is complete, so now comes the next stage. Editing. Some writers love this part. It's where they whittle the wood or chip away at the marble block, all the while their genius creation emerges bit by bit from the sawdust/marble shards. (Look, I never said I was an expert woodswoman/sculpter-extraordinaire! Just go with it.) So that's the next part. The whittling and chipping. I'm not as much of a fan. I know it's a necessary part of the process, but I find it unfathomable for far too long. The emergence of an actual tight plot, with convincing characters and clear intention, is ages away. But the whittling and chipping has to start somewhere. And that's where I'm up to now.

Watching The Offer made me want
to watch The Godfather all over again.

Culture

I've finally seen The Mousetrap! I'm in the loop and know who did it. Thanks to The Mousetrap tour that came to Liverpool and did a bang up job. After realising that every film Dexter Fletcher has directed, is an absolute dream, I watched his new TV show, The Offer. On Paramout TV, it tells the story of the creatives behind the making of The Godfather. If you want 1970s Hollywood business shenanigans that look amazing, give it a go. I had a second watch of Bros at the cinema, whilst my new padded winter coat was over my knees like a blanket (fit!) and then, like many others, I've calmed down my Twitter usage in favour of Mastodon. Watching the one social media platform I used daily, disintegrate under my very nose has been disconcerting. Hey, maybe the reports of boardroom chaos and coding glitches are overblown. Maybe that bloke didn't make a gargantuan mistake by taking over and changing everything. But all good things must come to an end and it seems Twitter as we know it, is nearing that day. Mastodon is set up differently, feels kinder, and is run by nice people. I hope the mass movement to the platform by ex-Tweeters, doesn't change that.

A Saturday morning
breakfast of champions.
But doesn't it look
MEATY!

Food and Drink

Because I had a couple of siblings over last weekend, I made a chilli. And because there was a healthy representation of vegetarians in the group, it was a Burnt Aubergine Chilli from BBC Food. And then, because it was so nice, I made it again on Tuesday and have eaten it most days since. All I'm going to add is, there's proper magic at work here. One look at the ingredient list and you think, 'Well that sounds shit'. It's all lentils, veg, and powdered spices. But follow the instructions and you end up with the tastiest, heartiest, warming bowl of meaty-esque chilli in the world. Try it. It's my gift to you.

Out and About

I had a mid-week tea in town, prior to The Mousetrap, got my microbladed eyebrows topped up, and then visited my aunt in Sheffield. Not too busy, not too boring. Just right.

My new sofa arrived in the week. As of now, it's spill and stain free, unburdened by backside imprints, and as plump and firm as the day it was born. It won't last. If you need me, you'll find me being extremely careful with my drinks, sitting comfortably in the lounge.

Have a lovely week, folks.