Airing the Boredom, Relatable Comedy, and TXT SPK...

 I know how you feel, Britney.

Everyone I know is on holiday right now. So it seems. I see photos on WhatsApp and social media, of outdoor restaurants and airport pints, and get a pang of jealousy. Even though I've got my own jaunt planned for the end of August, I'm so ready to escape. I think it's the weather. I'm bored of it. It's been the same for weeks. Or maybe it's because I've been editing my current manuscript forever (cough *seven months*) and I'm bored of that too. Either way, I'm ready for something different. 

So I have two choices. I can moan, or I can mix things up. I'm going with the latter. I mean, I'll probably moan too. I'm not above that. But for the rest of the time, I'll be looking for new things to do. These don't have to be life-changing and dramatic. I've not got the energy. No, it'll be the small stuff. A new route for a walk. A different Costa to work in. A change of supermarket for a big shop. I'm not trying to upturn my life; just blow a bit of fresh air around the gaff. Hopefully a few tweaks will tide me over until I escape with my own airport pint. It's a plan, folks.

This is MY era of teenager.

Writing News

What's the latest editing focus for the new Leeza McAuliffe book? Well let me tell you. I've found a couple of real life teenagers. Yep, actual people the same age as the characters I'm writing. Whilst I don't want to change the entire vibe of Leeza and Jake's voices, I do need to check a few things. For eg, Would a teenager in modern day UK, type GR8 instead of GREAT? Would they use MSG instead of MESSAGE. If a real life teenager wants to say thank you via text, would they write THNX or is there an even briefer way of conveying gratitude? These are the burning questions I have. Basically - and even though it sounds silly, it's important - I need to know if my attempts at youthful message chat sound plausible today. Or do they, as I fear they may, sound like a forty-five year old peri-menopausal woman trying to be down with the kids? That's where we are this week. 

Bridget Christie
rocks The Change.

Culture

It might be my age, but I absolutely devoured The Change on Ch4. Bridget Christie's sitcom is about a woman who hits the menopause, looks at her life, and thinks sod this. Actually, it's not that dramatic. She looks at her life, thinks, I'm going to take some time for myself, and goes on holiday for a few weeks. It's laugh out loud funny, with engaging characters and massively relatable exchanges. I loved it. In movie news, I stumbled over A Love Song the other night. Continuing the trend of films I adore where nothing ever happens and no one says much, it's an absolute delight.

Cucumber salad (with dill and pickle
 juice) along with salmon, prawns,
peppers mushrooms, and
halloumi. 

Food and Drink

I had a late-night Maccies last weekend. Lordy, it'd been a while. Possibly decades. Despite my usual pescatarian lifestyle choice, I hoovered a cheese burger and fries once the pub had kicked out. A subversive delight. In other food news, there's been a lot of BBQed fish and salad on the go. (Much more photogenic than the Maccies.)

Out and About

After a weekend of staying in with no plans (boooo) I rectified it by a last minute jaunt to The Wine Club. See, mixing it up already! Who doesn't love a cheeky bottle of wine to beat the Sunday night blues?!

If you're on holiday, woohoo! If you're counting down to one, more woohoo! If you're bored to tears and life's become mundane and ennui-filled, enjoy choosing ways to inject excitement. I imagine there are even better things to do than swap supermarkets or coffee shops. If you can fight through the boredom to think of them, that is. Best of luck!

Have a lovely week, folks