Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Slow And Slower
Today dragged like the arse of a three-legged donkey along a cobbled street with a 1 in 5 gradient. I actually contemplated leaving the office at lunchtime and going home, safe in the knowledge that nobody would probably notice. Seriously - it is that bad in here.
For some reason I felt the stifling crush of commerce and office politics more than usual today. I couldn't sum up any will power to do anything over lunch except read the newspaper and surf some websites. The inanity of some of the people that work for this company never ceases to amaze me. Their whole lives determined by the assholes around and above them, working towards a goal so that when they die they can say they have achieved something. Achieved what, exactly? The achievement of lining the pockets of the Director's and policy/shareholders is not a dream I aspire to. Who cares? Who cares about procedures and parameters, protocol and passwords? What about a life worth living?
I say "hello" to some of these people as I pass them in corridors or on the stairs. Occasionally I get a response, the others are too brain dead to know how to greet someone who might want to talk to them. The rest are just too smarmy and ignorant, wrapped in their own self-important worlds because they hold a higher grade. Well done, chaps - way to go - what an example of how not to do it.
Somebody new has joined the ranks of Hunting Jack Subscribers. The past couple of months have seen me have a steady core of six subscribers, three of which had their subscriptions end by virtue of reaching the end of the serial. This means I now have 4, so with me signing a contract in June to keep me with KIC until March 2006, the new subscriber would take me to May if they went all the way.
It's good to know people are still interested. I'm hoping for resurgence in interest in the next few weeks after I distribute all my leaflets - of which there are loads.
A few weeks ago I put a download counter on my blog to count how many people were downloading my e-book, Brick by Brick. When it went live on the Poetry Super Highway website for the 2005 Giveaway project, 74 people downloaded it in 24 hours. With no additional publicity several months later, in the past few days a dozen people have downloaded it from this site. Given there have been several months between the PSH project and me putting up the counter, I estimate there has been well over 100 downloads. This is most pleasing.
I emailed a professional photographer pal of mine to see if he will be in Edinburgh over the next few weeks. I want to get a good front and back cover for my book and I have some ideas of what to do. Because it's about the Edinburgh Festival, I fancy doing a front picture of me standing with my arms aloft at the top of Calton Hill looking over Princes Street, as if I am embracing the city. Another idea I had was to be standing in the middle of the Royal Mile while all the festivities are on and for only me to be in focus.
One of the downfalls of my rather excellent new spectacles is that playing snooker is not as easy as it was before. This is bad because it is making my father-in-law look decidedly better than he actually is. The 7-2 drubbing I received this evening can only be put down to the fact that I am still adjusting to my new specs. The only other option is to resort back to my contact lenses or get special glasses when playing, but I don't want to end up looking like this bloke:
I'd like to highlight some important news from some writing buddies of mine:
Michelle Miles has release a PR for the completion of her e-serial, Scars of Yesterday. Read it here.
BK Birch has completed her historical e-serial, Blood on an Appalachian Sunset for KIC. Congratulations, Brenda!
Brenda has also had a second extract of her novel, Strange Fruit, published on WCP. Click here to read this fantastic extract.
Devon Ellington's latest e-book, Elusive Prayers, is now available to purchase and download. This e-book is an offshoot of her popular e-serial, The Widows Chamber.
And Marlys Pearson's latest novel has just gone to press. Go here for more information and to order: The Price of Temptation
For some reason I felt the stifling crush of commerce and office politics more than usual today. I couldn't sum up any will power to do anything over lunch except read the newspaper and surf some websites. The inanity of some of the people that work for this company never ceases to amaze me. Their whole lives determined by the assholes around and above them, working towards a goal so that when they die they can say they have achieved something. Achieved what, exactly? The achievement of lining the pockets of the Director's and policy/shareholders is not a dream I aspire to. Who cares? Who cares about procedures and parameters, protocol and passwords? What about a life worth living?
I say "hello" to some of these people as I pass them in corridors or on the stairs. Occasionally I get a response, the others are too brain dead to know how to greet someone who might want to talk to them. The rest are just too smarmy and ignorant, wrapped in their own self-important worlds because they hold a higher grade. Well done, chaps - way to go - what an example of how not to do it.
Somebody new has joined the ranks of Hunting Jack Subscribers. The past couple of months have seen me have a steady core of six subscribers, three of which had their subscriptions end by virtue of reaching the end of the serial. This means I now have 4, so with me signing a contract in June to keep me with KIC until March 2006, the new subscriber would take me to May if they went all the way.
It's good to know people are still interested. I'm hoping for resurgence in interest in the next few weeks after I distribute all my leaflets - of which there are loads.
A few weeks ago I put a download counter on my blog to count how many people were downloading my e-book, Brick by Brick. When it went live on the Poetry Super Highway website for the 2005 Giveaway project, 74 people downloaded it in 24 hours. With no additional publicity several months later, in the past few days a dozen people have downloaded it from this site. Given there have been several months between the PSH project and me putting up the counter, I estimate there has been well over 100 downloads. This is most pleasing.
I emailed a professional photographer pal of mine to see if he will be in Edinburgh over the next few weeks. I want to get a good front and back cover for my book and I have some ideas of what to do. Because it's about the Edinburgh Festival, I fancy doing a front picture of me standing with my arms aloft at the top of Calton Hill looking over Princes Street, as if I am embracing the city. Another idea I had was to be standing in the middle of the Royal Mile while all the festivities are on and for only me to be in focus.
One of the downfalls of my rather excellent new spectacles is that playing snooker is not as easy as it was before. This is bad because it is making my father-in-law look decidedly better than he actually is. The 7-2 drubbing I received this evening can only be put down to the fact that I am still adjusting to my new specs. The only other option is to resort back to my contact lenses or get special glasses when playing, but I don't want to end up looking like this bloke:
I'd like to highlight some important news from some writing buddies of mine:
Michelle Miles has release a PR for the completion of her e-serial, Scars of Yesterday. Read it here.
BK Birch has completed her historical e-serial, Blood on an Appalachian Sunset for KIC. Congratulations, Brenda!
Brenda has also had a second extract of her novel, Strange Fruit, published on WCP. Click here to read this fantastic extract.
Devon Ellington's latest e-book, Elusive Prayers, is now available to purchase and download. This e-book is an offshoot of her popular e-serial, The Widows Chamber.
And Marlys Pearson's latest novel has just gone to press. Go here for more information and to order: The Price of Temptation
Colin 12:14 pm
5 Comments:
I'm feeling the corporate crunch too as whispers of lay-offs can be heard in the hallways of the office.
Thanks for the shout out!
Thanks for the shout out!
You feeling a "wee" bit disgruntled at work, Col? ;-)
I hope things get better for you. I hated office politics. My hubby has to play them too. But at least it's clearly not your life. That is what's important!
I hope things get better for you. I hated office politics. My hubby has to play them too. But at least it's clearly not your life. That is what's important!
found you via turning 30 and a half....great list of links
Thanks for the plug, Colin! :)
I tried contact lens and now believe they are tiny elves that love to play hide-n-seek up under my eyelids. So many trips to the eye doc so he could find them and remove them for me. Will have to stick with glasses, :-(