The Puppini Sisters “hits from the Blitz” is on on Wednesday the week at Cadogan Hall.

I know of two tickets going spare, and am trying to help shift them.

Anyone interested?

I let Miranda get at the new iPad. Behold the result of 10 minutes playing with the Brushes app. She is no longer allowed at the iPad.

Just a heads up – if like me, you habitually post a lot of links to LJ, or hell, even if you don’t, you might want to be aware that LJ are now tracking and otherwise interfering with outbound links. There is an easy way to opt out of it, and I have done so, so in theory, the links I post should be tracking-free, but you might want to go swithc this track off for yourselves as well. (Details in the link.) It’s not a vast evil in the grand scheme of things, and I am not about to throw my toys out of the LJ pram – it’s only tracking clicks on outbound links to some domains, but it’s still tedious user-profiling crap, but it should have been better announced, and ideally operated on an opt-in basis.

(Info via apiphile. Cheers for the heads up.)

Just because I know that leaving anonymous comments means you don’t get a notification if I reply – I have replied to all the anon comments left thus far on yesterday’s post, so if you’re curious about what I had to say in response to you (or anyone else) then you can go back and check now.

Bit of a longshot: I have misplaced my copy of Brookmyre’s book of this title. Did I lend it to anyone reading this?

More nonsense later in the year, but first the news:

I love this time of year, these few dead days between Christmas and New Year. The old year is definitely over – work is done, family commitments, pleasant though I find them, are out of the way, and I’ve got some space to catch up with friends, do a bit of thinking, clear some mental clutter out of the way, and plan for a new year that still seems like it’s got a bit of life and promise in it.

I’ve had a busy enough few days. The traditional-when-I’m-in-London Boxing Day film with Mark (WINOLJ), a long-overdue catch up with budgie_uk on the 27th, and similarly with cairmen today.

Yesterday though, deserves special mention, as I had a completely superb dinner with athena25, burge, stu_n and tyrell – at christmas, the butcher downstairs from me does a traditional Victorian stuffed goose – that’s a goose stuffed with a chicken stuffed with pheasant stuffed with a quail. It was every bit as good as I’d hoped – both the goose, which was rich and meaty and meltingly tender (and accompanied by a number of dishes, sauces and other condiments prepared by my guests, all of which were just as good), and more importantly the occasion, which was a truly splendid day engaging in my favourite pursuits of eating, drinking, and talking with a number of my favourite people. Cheers, all. Same again next year?

I’ve spent this evening clearing up after yesterday, the flat is now tidy again, and tomorrow I intend to do more or less fuck all. DVDs, Xbox games, eating leftovers, and at most a quick trip to the shops to get some supplies in. Exactly what this time of year is for, basically.

Hope you’re all having a similarly splendid time.

The heat has been off in my house for the last 4 days, because I have been away. I can see my own breath in my bedroom. I am going to bed, and not getting up until the thaw sets in.

A friend of mine has just launched his own jewellery website selling all sorts of pretty glass and crystal, just in time for you to give him a big pile of cash as you buy shiny objects for your loved ones for Christmas. I suggest you get on with doing this at once.

Tom Waits, Edinburgh, July 28th, 8pm. Let joy be unconfined! And er, my wallet be rather *more* confined for the next while. Still, it was 100% worth it last time, and this time I get a weekend away as well.