You are allowed to enjoy this…

Well that’s my tax return filed and sent off via the good old Internet. I feel exhausted now. Time for a lie down… 🙂
In the post: tickets to the Tortoise gig at the RFH.

Today, getting in tune with my accounts. A letter from Mr Taxman reminds me that he wants to know what I am up to, so I begin the yearly slog of figuring out all the numbers. I do it all myself and use the online self-assessment doo-hickey. It’s all rather clever. My problem is that I am a number dyslexic, so I have to double, triple, quadruple, quintuple, sextuple, septuble, quadruple check… 🙂
Luckily, being a freelance writer and not having any outgoings or materials or staff means that I have a relatively easy time of submitting my tax return. I just tell them how much I’ve earnt and how much I want deducted as spendables (this doesn’t come to much: envelopes, sundries, etc)
Loaf of the Day:

It’s a standard white loaf…slightly blurred because my hands were shaking in delight at the wonder of this vision of bread-based loveliness.
My current commission is all about Internet privacy and just how easy it is to find people on the Internet. As part of my research, I managed to find the address of my father (though he might have already moved on). So I got to thinking that if he is so easy to find, then I must be doubly, triply, quadriply easy to find. So I got to thinking that if my half-sister knows where I am, maybe she doesn’t get in touch because she doesn’t want to? Or maybe I am just thinking aloud too much, eh? Basically, in this day and age, if you have an internet connection, you are pretty easy to find…it’s just whether or not anyone wants to find you…
For example, my house looks like this from the air:

The Washington Post is reporting that Father Dougal Maguire of Craggy Island is the outside runner to be the next Pope:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26353-2005Apr4.html
It could be just what the Vatican needs! 😉

Yesterday, we travelled to see the new baby. I was a bit apprehensive, but my fears were for nothing. My new strategy is to actively seek out those events that I would naturally avoid. I am trying not to have fear. It’s a tough one.
But anyway, we saw the new baby and it was a big baby weighing in at 9lb. A big bonnie baby. 🙂 The Missus held her for a while and played the doting auntie. I declined. I am too macho and tough to be seen holding babies! (No – I was just scared – whoops, fell at the first hurdle there, Darren).
But the afternoon went very well and gifts were exchanged and stories were told of breaking waters, dilations and umbilical cords. It was good to commune with the family. Being someone from a very small family (and been denied contact with my errant father’s side of the family), I am always awkward in this situations. I never know what to do or say and I usually say something that comes out wrong. But luckily, I kept my cool and was cool and everything went well. It was a life-affirming experience.
Today, sunshine and work. In the interest in the new stategy, I am thinking of cutting the grass again. 🙂
With regards to the Grand National, my horse finished sixth. Nil Desperandum. Seemed apt and had the form. Luckily, I did a lucky 15 accumulator and two of my other horses romped in (one of them was 100-1 and came third, giving me a decent return) so I didn’t lose too much money. The horses backed by The Missus went out at 10-1 and came back at half-past six (old horse joke). She did badly this year, which is strange because normally her idiot savant gambling abilities enables her to pick the Grand National winner. Oh well, better luck next year, eh?
In the post: Sketches of Satie by John & Steve Hackett CD

Noticed that Tortoise were playing the RFH as part of an African music season (go figure) and nabbed some decent tickets last night.
Today, heading out with the Missus to go to Mothercare. Don’t fear, gentle reader, the Missus does not have a bun in the oven. We are going to buy a gift for her brother’s new baby daughter. That’s right, The Missus has become an auntie and I am an uncle. I don’t think this is going to have much impact on my life as we don’t get along with that side of the family (mainly because they don’t like me for being a poor freelance writer – not that I’m bad at my job, that I don’t earn enough moolah and do an “honest” days work for them). 🙁
This afternoon, gambling on the Grand National. The horses are ready, the potential winners have been picked and my virtual betting slip is filled. Me and The Missus will be hollering for our respective nags. She’s won it before, but I am feeling lucky today.

Brrr…it seems that the icy grip of Winter has returned. It’s cold and miserable, and so am I. 😀
Steve Hackett is playing down the road at the Broadway Theatre in Barking next Saturday so we both decided to see the concert again. It’s a night out and the tickets were a lot cheaper. I just hope it doesn’t get cancelled.
In the post today:
Anna Gabriel – Growing Up On Tour DVD

Got my polling cards yesterday. Oh yeah, I’m going to exercise my constitutional rights on 5 May. Who will I vote for? That’s between me and the ballot paper, I am afraid, but it is safe to say that I won’t be voting for my local BNP candidate.

Caught the third episode of “The Office – An American Workplace”. I am still enjoying it on the same level as the UK version. The characters are well realised and it was very similar to the UK episode where Gareth was put in charge of finding someone who made a pornographic image. In the US episode, the porn was replaced by a health plan.

As more TV shows swap across the pond, the UK is currently broadcasting its version of the successful US-show, “The Apprentice”. Gone is Donald Trump, replaced by Alan Sugar. I am enjoying this show too, but it lacks the scope and complete dumbassness (OK – that’s not a word) of its US counterpart. If you watched the US version of “The Apprentice” you would see how the US “Office” has got it right because they use the same kind of speak.

Anyway, “The Apprentice” UK is still good fun. But I have a problem…Alan Sugar looks too much like Nookie the Bear for me.

Nookie the Bear

Alan Sugar