The first thing I saw was a broken heart

Notes from my Christmas break:

--29 12 2003
I get the idea that getting drunk with my ex is not such a good idea. It has taken me a while but the resurgence of the old arguments should be proof enough, should have been proof enough a long time ago. Sober we're fine. Sober we're still close. Drunk I'm an arsehole, and she's careless.
Red Kev stays away tonight, but Mean and Sarcastic Kev meets me at the end of the night. Mostly it's a good day, but this cripples it.

--29 12 2003
Ocean Colour Scene stick to an old set list and it serves them well. Feeder rock, but their set is far too short. Stereophonics also rock and my ex, who it transpires is one step away from being Kelly Jones' stalker, assures me that they are the best she's ever seen.
During Ocean Colour Scene I learn that Welsh people can't dance. It's like someone got together 50000 Dads and Nans for the world's biggest wedding reception.
I also learn that the Welsh wear their national flag as clothing too much. Hundreds of them all wearing the dragon as a cape or a skirt.
There is one snafu towards the end, when we get lost trying to find the place the park and ride buses pick up. Some genius at the Millenium Stadium decided to have the park and ride pick people up fifteen minutes walk from the stadium. Red Kev makes a brief appearance, then disappears when his ex gets distressed. We do eventually make it home, cursing the lack of signs in Cardiff.
The Mean Fiddler in London is made entirely from chipboard. It looks like a youth club in black.
Akercocke are good, but again they're on for far too short a time. Arch Enemy kick, and even though I'm alone, I mosh my little heart out.

--29 12 2003
Return of the King kicks. I love this film. I love this trilogy.

--29 12 2003
Christmas Eve never really gets off the ground. Elydian is sober, whilst Student With No Razor and I are drunk. Big Ron stays with his other buddies. Coops has family stuff. I remember telling various people that we must get in touch, but not who.

--29 12 2003
Christmas Day: Fried breakfast, guests, visitors, presents, beer, dinner, walk, dessert, telly, game, supper, telly, bed.

--29 12 2003
Salcs lose the rugby on Boxing Day. Damn.

--29 12 2003
I've been back a week and I finally found some time (and some privacy) to get some writing done. It's going to be the December challenge piece or, if I can't get that started, some more plotting for Eclipse

--31 12 2003, New Year's Eve
Actually spent some time writing over the last couple of days; working on the seriously late December challenge piece. No word count yet, but it amounts to about two and a half pages of A4.

--31 12 2003
Despite my resolve not to spend NYE in Kings, it looks like that's where I'm going to be when midnight strikes. I remain confident.

--31 12 2003
Resolutions:
1. Improve my craft, and become a better writer. Continue to learn and to help others to grow as writers.
2. Get published again.
3. Work hard towards getting chartered.
4. Stop being so damn single.

--02 01 2004
NYE exceeds expectations, despite a return to last year's scene of the crime, Fusion Squared. Thanks to Coops I develop a taste for Corona (with the little slice of lime they stuff down the neck of the bottle). Coops and his girlfriend are dressed as Big Ears and Noddy. The last of my childhood memories has been sullied.
Crying Girl cries every time I speak to her. I'm assured by Noddy that it's nothing I've said. Attractive as Crying Girl is, this proves to be quite the turn off.
DJ fucks the countdown up, so as 12 strikes I'm on the steps overlooking the dancefloor.

--02 01 2004
Fully intended working on my December challenge piece, but ended up working on one of the December stories, December the 31st. I'm quite pleased with the results, although it needs some trimming to make it flash. Following on from the success of He Missed the Sea, I'm going to see if I can convince soemone to publish it before I put it up at infinitewhite.net.