Author Archives: James - Page 15
2019 Resolutions
A new year's resolution postcard from 1915 Posting my 2019 Resolutions has become a bit of a tradition. I first posted my New Year's Resolutions in 2015, and I've done it every year since. My 2019 Resolutions Here's the executive summary. I've unpacked my 2019 resolutions and made them measurable in the sections below. Look after myself physically (exercise more & eat well) Be aware of my mental well-being and take steps to improve it (re-charge time, and reflection) Finish building the barbecue by the end of April Keep writing (blogs, stories and other things) Keep reading (more…)
2018 Resolutions Revisited
As in previous years I've posted some New Year Resolutions on my blog. Given it's the end of the year I thought I ought to revisit them. 2018 Resolutions I have a few 2018 resolutions, they’re all a little lower key than the 2017 ones. Read 40 books over the course of the year (I managed 27 in 2017, but have read more in previous years) Design a megagame (finishing what I started) Write 50 blog posts, edit Perfects and publish it Get my weight under 13 stone and keep it there. Read 40 Books I haven't done this, my Goodreads profile shows that I've fallen short by 1 book, 135 pages to be exact. That's an improvement on last year, but still not the forty I set as a target. One thing I've realised is that progress depends on…
A Young Man’s Game by Paul Blake [Book Review]
A Young Man's game by Paul Blake My rating: 4 of 5 stars A Young Man's Game by Paul Blake is an excellent debut novel with loads of twists and turns. Alec Foster uncovers a plot to assassinate the British PM in Berlin. He then needs to avoid being picked up by the Berlin police, the Russian SVR and the would-be assassins. It's further complicated by suspicion a traitor inside MI6 in the Embassy. A Young Man's Game Alec is a relic of the cold war, a former field officer, promoted away from his passion to a desk job. He's an SIS section head in the British Embassy in Berlin. Personal tragedies have turned him into an alcoholic. So he's out of practice, and very much out of shape, when tipped into the maelstrom by the murder of an SVR…
Elf Mischief 2018 conclusion
This is part four of the Elf Mischief series. You might want to read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 first. Choreographing the Elf Mischief is one of the more creative things that I've done this year. It stretches the imagination, especially as there's a lot of pressure to keep it going every day from the night of the 30th November until Christmas morning. Elf Mischief Tooth Elf Lucy lost one of her front teeth while we were out at Longleat for the Festival of Light. So when we got home late we opted for the Tooth Elf. The elves intercepted the Tooth fairy and gave Lucy a pound each (normally the Tooth Fairy brings a £2 coin). Oddly although she found the money she had to go back to find Timmy and Alfie. Elf on Christmas Eve Seeing…
Elf Mischief 2018 part 3
Here's the third part of what the Elves have been up to in the third week of December 2018. See Elf Mischief Part 1 & Part 2. Last installment to follow on Boxing Day! Elf Mischief Lego Wrapping The elves wrapped up the contents of the Lego advent calendars and closed all the doors. They hid with the 'presents' on the dining room chairs so that there was a chance that they'd be found quite quickly. Checking the Chimney Timmy the elf wanted to make sure that the chimney was ready for Santa. So aided by Alfie and Barbie's dog he's climbed up the bookshelf and is making his way into the loft for an Christmas Tree Coup The elves have had their eye on the spot at the top of the tree since it went up. The Fairy has…