Serendipitous Coincidences FTW...

My favourite DESTINY (mis)quote

You know me by now, right? Good. So you'll know I don't believe in fate, or predestination, or things that 'happen for a reason', yeah? Excellent. We're all up to speed. But still, despite that, I do love a serendipitous coincidence. Like last week. Ready? Cool. Let me tell you.

If you cast your mind back to last week's blog, I told you how I'd recently found the music of Noah Reid. I'd been looking for Canadian music to soundtrack my holiday photo montage (yeah, I know, I'm a wanker) and I'd found him. I spent the weekend listening to his stuff as I made my video, and then I mentioned him as I wrote my blog. It was at that point, I did a quick Google. I needed to provide a decent link to add to the words Noah + Reid in the blog. That's when I spotted it. Noah Reid had just embarked upon a tour. I scanned the dates, assuming they'd be anywhere but here, but then I saw. In four days time, the lovely Noah would be playing at the Academy 2 in Manchester. What were the odds?

Noah Reid, last Tuesday

Hang fire, Statisticians, I don't really care. But still, it's a mad coincidence right? And as much as I'd NOT planned to be out in Manchester on the following Tuesday night, I felt as if I had no choice. 

Of course on the night in question, I continued to dither. Did I really want a late night during a personally busy week, slap bang in the middle of Fresher's Week? You betcha I did! Live music is always brilliant. No opportunity should be passed up. Or something. So off I toddled, through all the Uni buildings, until I got to the Manchester Academy. As I walked down Oxford Road I was perturbed to find repeated adverts for a garden plant sale in the Students' Union. In my day it was Athena posters. (Just ask the more than life size Keanu Reeves who watched over me, day and night throughout my first year.) Anyway, I hit the Academy, spotted the average age of Noah's audience was closer to my vintage than not, had a hot flush (natch) and cracked on. Whether it was a serendipitous coincidence, fate, things happening for a reason, or none of the above, I had a marvellous night. 

 

Writing News

Feedback is coming in thick and fast. What is heartening, now I'm going through the process for a 4th time, is that it gets easier. It's easier to hear feedback, it's easier to second guess the sorts of issues people will point out, and it appears I have less typos and errors in the manuscript I sent out. Interesting times.

Chilling, innit?

Culture

As a long time Kenneth Branagh and Agatha Christie fan (individually or together, either works for me) I was always going to rush to watch A Haunting in Venice. The thing is, I enjoyed it, but... it's really scary! At least it was to me. Creepy and brooding and sinister. It felt quite un-Christie like, although the whole 'roomful of suspects and final denouement' was still front and centre of proceedings. In other news, I started Kiley Dunbar's latest book, The Gingerbread Christmas Village. It's EXACTLY what I need to unwind, and I love it. (I'm eking it out, a bit each night.)

Pimped up porridge, over
frozen cherries. 
Winter is here!

Food and Drink

As I declared on Threads last week, Porridge Season has started! I was a late convert to porridge, what with me assuming it was a sluggish, cream mush. Once I realised you could pimp it up and add all sorts of marvellousness to your cereal bowl, I got on board. About two years ago, I made a big jar of my - not yet patented nor copyrighted - porridge mix. It's still going strong in its kilner jar and warms me from the inside once the weather turns. And the secret recipe? I can't really remember, tbh. I think it's equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder, sugar/sweetener, with half parts mixed spice and salt. Something like that. Anyway, I made a massive batch, and now every time I make porridge I add a teaspoon of it to the oats. Either way, it's a long way from sluggish, cream mush.

Out and About

You mean apart from my musical evening in Manchester? Hmm, OK let's think. I spent a morning in Kwik Fit, then there was my writing group in town. And of course, I did my usual Costa writing sesh, had Wednesday brunch, and caught up with a writing mate at his house. Actually, when I think about it, I've barely been in. Good times.

For me, this is the sweet spot of the year. All my favourite weather and seasonal activities are still to come, anticipation is high, but the Christmas stress has yet to kick in. I'm going to enjoy this time. With a couple of chapters of my Christmas novel each night, and the promise of Netflix festive films to come, things are looking up. Hurrah.

Have a lovely week, folks.