Various things that come to mind...

This blog entry proves to be more about various things that come to mind, than about one particular thing in, well, particular.

But before we start....just a point of note - this is my 100th blog entry - apparently....

And now, without further adieu:

So, firstly....

Who We Need To Say Goodbye To (a.k.a remembering those who have passed recently):

• Majel Barrett Rodenberry, who died December 18th, 2008.

Will Wheaton did a very nice blog entry about it here:

http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2008/12/a-moment-of-sil.html

She will be sorely missed, that's for sure.

• Philip Jose Farmer, who died February 25th, 2009

A very good Sci-Fi writer - one I am still reading through. He was 91 when he died, so not a bad innings, all told.

• Wendy Richard, who died February 26th, 2009

Good ol' Pauline Fowler, from "Eastenders". Also Miss Brahms from "Are You Being Served?" I for one enjoyed watching her on the telly, and will miss her, as she was always one of my favourite actors in both those shows.

So now, secondly,

Neil Gaiman, where did you go???? I was getting worried!

As you might well have noticed, I tend to follow a lot of writer's blogs, one of them being Neil Gaiman's. Thing is...he stopped blogging for a while there (about a fortnight), and even though I've not met him in person (though I would love to), I was starting to worry that something had happened to him, as he is a very regular blogger. Nice to see he's back now though...

Words of wisdom (yet again) from John Scalzi:

I like this man. I really do. I like the way he thinks, I like the way he writes. I like the way he "sensibly" dishes out commentary on what it's like to be a writer, and puts readers in their place, without (I think, anyway) stepping on too many toes. I just plain like him.

So, from his blog, I will point you to a few favourite reads, and mention (perhaps, or perhaps not), why I like them, and why I chose to include them:

PISSY FANS:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/02/23/pissy-fans/

Yep, he definitely has a point here. It can be a real pain in the arse when people want you to get stuff done NOW, just because they have the patience of a gnat. Yes, a G-N-A-T. It will get done, when it gets done. Humans have this thing called "a life", and it's not just a thing that normal, boring people do. It's something that everyone on the planet does - writers, actors, politicians, teachers, even the milk man. Live with it, and learn to chill.....

10 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT AUTHORS:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/02/26/10-things-to-remember-about-authors/

Oh I love this man! Read this, and understand me - finally. Why I take forever to get stuff done, why sometimes I just DON'T finish a story etc. Again, can I say I LOVE THIS MAN! :-)

10 THINGS TEENAGE WRITERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WRITING:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/

Been there, done that. All I can say is, thank God I'm not a teenage writer any more. Though what he says is also applicable to newbie writers. Everyone is bad at stuff when they first start out. It just takes time and PRACTICE.

And now, thirdly,

Ceramix has been on his soapbox, and very well spoken he is too. Go check out his blog NOW.

TOLERANCE:

http://ukceramix.blogspot.com/2009/02/tolerance.html

I sat and listened to the BBC2 radio broadcast about this woman. Having grown up with an injury to one of my arms that left me in a position where I regularly got called all manner of names from both students and teachers alike, I feel for her. And I don't at all like the narrowmindedness of certain people (who call themselves parents, no less!) in their total disregard for her feelings, let alone for the simple fact that there is nothing wrong with her as such. So she's missing a bit of an arm. So what? It hasn't stopped her living a normal life, why should it affect her ability to be a television presenter? Grrrr....

AM I MISSING SOMETHING OBVIOUS?:

http://ukceramix.blogspot.com/2009/02/am-i-missing-something-obvious.html

Umm....no....you aren't missing anything that I can see. It's your government that seems to be missing the plot. Add to this I read an article this week stating that your rail prices will go down next year, but that there is also the possibility that some of the privatised stations and lines and such will have to be handed back to the government as they aren't making a profit. Sorry, but what about basic services for the masses? Or doesn't Britain condone that anymore? You know, simple things like a public postal service, a public transport network (that actually works), even the right to be intelligent and bright and demure (see the results for the University Challenge last week where Oxford's Corpus Christie College wiped the board with the other team, and their leader was a women who single-handedly answered over 800 of the 1200+ questions BY HERSELF. And boy, is she wearing it now!).

Right...end of post.