BLAKE'S BIRTHDAY BONANZA

Had a great time for Blake's 10th birthday last week. Took he, Aiden, and 5 friends to the Zone 3 laser game parlour for a birthday pizza bash, and in the evening, took both boys (hopped up on pizza, sweeties, and cool drink) to see My Neighbour Totoro at FTI's Miyazaki festival, a wonderful film that we all fell in love with and have made a pact to track down and buy on DVD. Finished the evening with Hungry Jacks on the way home, and arrived back three tired, happy boys.

Blake was thrilled with the giant electronics set we gave him, and with the money and presents he received from his friends. But more on the dosh below, as we take him...

SHOPPING FOR ALIENS

So the B-boy gets his 50 bucks birthday money and we take him to Empire Toys in the city, whereupon he is confronted by 4 walls crammed with everything the young fanboy could want. Will he fuel his Invader Zim obsession with a DVD or plushy, or will the 2 disc Hellboy limited edition set be the prize? But there's a million manga movies... and the My Neighbour Totoro soundtrack... and are they Living Dead Dolls dolls in that corner?... and Futurama stuff... and Lord of The Rings...

So after an HOUR in which he touches absolutely everything in the place, what does our excited junior fanboy come away with?

3 Aliens figurines. Not bad at all, considering I don't think he's seen any of the movies outside of the Aliens Vs Predator preview. And damn cool little things they are too.

We're such proud fanparents :)

ONTO WASTELAND

I've picked up some casual scriptwriting for a video production company (what, and leave showbusiness?) on the side, so Luscious and I will be getting our butts to Wasteland after all. Happy happy happy.

OH GOD. SO VERY VERY BAD.

Last weekend's bad movie night effort was spectacular. Lair Of The White Worm is not only worse than you imagine, it's worse than you can imagine. Not even large quantities of Amanda Donohoe nuddiness saves it. Watch it, and marvel at Hugh Grant having a career afterwards.

What we're going to watch tomorrow night in an effort to top it is beyond me. There may have to be a concerted effort to capture a Steve Reeves movie...

SCHMOOOOOOOOZE

Off to Stephen Dedman's workshop on creating believable alien environments today. I'm at a crossroads in regards to my thinking when it comes to workshops. I do enjoy the chance to get out and schmooze, and knowing pals like Satima Flavell Neist, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, and Stephen himself of course, are going to be there is a big attraction. But it's impossible not to believe that I'm at a point in my career where I should be giving the workshops rather than just attending them.

Today's will be the telling point, I think. If I come away with a bucketload of new information I'll have a rethink, but otherwise it might be time to start working up a heap of proposals and seeing who bites.

COMPETITION

Two entries in to the Katharine Susannah Prichard Short Story Awards this week. The Awards are a more mainstream affair than the SF/F Awards earlier in the year, but I'm a firm believer in not being tied down to genre, so it's worth a go. (As is the 300 bucks first prize :) ) The winners are announced on December 5th, Katharine's birthday, and coincidentally, Erin's as well.

30 WEEKS

I know I've said this a lot before, but we never thought we'd get this far. Luscious reaches the 30th week of her pregnancy this Wednesday. The end is in sight: we're planning to be induced a couple of weeks pre-term due to Lyn's size and some really horrible due dates- depending on which date you look at, Connor is due either on Erin's birthday or the anniversary of Sharons' death. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmno. So we've picked a date just before that and the countdown is definitely on.

I'll be glad when it's over, and we have our baby boy safe and healthy with his safe and healthy mother back from the hospital. I doubt anybody who knows me (with the exception of Luscious, who lives with it every day) understands just how deeply this pregnancy has affected me. For those who came in late, my wife Sharon died 4 days after giving birth to Erin due to criminal negligence on the part of the consulting doctor and hospital (Although I'm probably not supposed to say anything like that until after the compensation case is concluded. Ah well, sue me you fuckers) , and well, stuff like that stays with you.

I've been nowhere near the support Lyn's needed throughout this pregnancy. Everything has been difficult for me, and I know she's felt the withdrawal in me as we get closer to the due date. I can't help it: I want to be a part of this, as it will be our last pregnancy, but sometimes it's more difficult to engage than I can manage.

I just want them both to come home from the hospital safe and healthy and for us to start the life that awaits us on the other side of the birth. That's all.