No, no-one can have that title because I thought of it and I shall use it. And it's true. The beanstalk broke, Jack fell ten feet to the ground and the follow spot turned the pink fairy green. There were other little catastrophes - like me forgetting to introduce the Princess, the dog food in the bakery scene (?) refusing to open and the music for the spectacular Hoe-down skipping leaving the ensemble repeating the same moves over and over again like a surrealist dream.
Ah, well. Maybe we'll get it right by the end of the run. It's particularly appropriate for me, though, because my next but one book, Murder Imperfect, for which I have to write a blurb today (aargh) starts with a panto disaster. There. Now you really all want to read it, don't you?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Headmistress Effect - a rant against practically everything
I am SICK TO DEATH of being told what to do. By the government, the aspiring government, the health Nazis, the social reformers and practically everyone else who thinks, somehow, they have a right to tell everyone else The Way To Do It.
Take, for instance, this supremely daft idea of David Cameron's to give married couples a tax break in order to promote Marriage As A Way Of Life. We are no longer ruled by the Christian Church, it is no longer evil to live with a partner, of either sex, and the presence, lurking at the bottom of a dusty drawer, of a piece of paper stating that X and Y stood up in front of a person in a long white frock or a smart navy suit who did nothing more than say a few words at them, is not going to stop the breakdown of a relationship.
And today - exemptions from debt for students who get first class degrees??? I am so incensed I can barely type the words.
So far in the naughties and now the - what? teens? - we are no longer allowed to smoke anywhere but our own homes (and watch it! They'll try and stop that next) and the Milk Marketing Board, or whatever it likes to call itself these days, is telling us we are now ready to change from semi-skimmed to skimmed milk. Have they told the cows?
The attitude has slithered down to otherwise intelligent individuals, too. There have always been people who have no fear of telling you exactly what their opinion is on any given subject, and, again, telling you what to do. But now these people, and a good many more, show total disapproval if you deviate from their notion of How It Should Be Done.
I am fed up with it. (Had you guessed?) I really didn't think I would grow up to live in an Autocracy, but it appears to be the way we are going. Big Brother reigns, OK. And not on telly, either. Isn't there anybody out there in some sort of position of power who will tell the afore-mentioned organisations that they are being bl**dy daft? It's 2010 and most of us are grown up. As long as I don't kick the cats, and I'm nice to my children, I'll do what I like, thank you very much.
Take, for instance, this supremely daft idea of David Cameron's to give married couples a tax break in order to promote Marriage As A Way Of Life. We are no longer ruled by the Christian Church, it is no longer evil to live with a partner, of either sex, and the presence, lurking at the bottom of a dusty drawer, of a piece of paper stating that X and Y stood up in front of a person in a long white frock or a smart navy suit who did nothing more than say a few words at them, is not going to stop the breakdown of a relationship.
And today - exemptions from debt for students who get first class degrees??? I am so incensed I can barely type the words.
So far in the naughties and now the - what? teens? - we are no longer allowed to smoke anywhere but our own homes (and watch it! They'll try and stop that next) and the Milk Marketing Board, or whatever it likes to call itself these days, is telling us we are now ready to change from semi-skimmed to skimmed milk. Have they told the cows?
The attitude has slithered down to otherwise intelligent individuals, too. There have always been people who have no fear of telling you exactly what their opinion is on any given subject, and, again, telling you what to do. But now these people, and a good many more, show total disapproval if you deviate from their notion of How It Should Be Done.
I am fed up with it. (Had you guessed?) I really didn't think I would grow up to live in an Autocracy, but it appears to be the way we are going. Big Brother reigns, OK. And not on telly, either. Isn't there anybody out there in some sort of position of power who will tell the afore-mentioned organisations that they are being bl**dy daft? It's 2010 and most of us are grown up. As long as I don't kick the cats, and I'm nice to my children, I'll do what I like, thank you very much.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to everyone and anyone who reads or happens on my blog.
In December, I received copies of three of my re-jacketed books, which makes me feel like a real writer, with different editions. I am deep into final rehearsals for two weeks of panto coming up, from which I shall post pictures when I get them. Philly has recovered from her operation on December 7th, and will now undergo intensive vocal therapy to get the singing voice (tested to the limit at our Christmas party!) up to scratch.
Half an inch of snow which fell an hour ago is now melting, and lunch is cooking. Son Leo's girlfriend, however, who was meant to be eating it with us in a couple of hours, is unable to get through due to being reliant on buses and living in a village. Unfortunately, Leo doesn't drive, so he's no help! Ah, the problems of young love!
Leo is temporarily living with me again, so burglars take note. I am Not Alone. (Still haven't quite recovered from last Valentine Day's burglary.)
Thank you to all my readers in 2009, and I hope you will continue to buy/borrow in 2010.
Love from Libby and Me.
In December, I received copies of three of my re-jacketed books, which makes me feel like a real writer, with different editions. I am deep into final rehearsals for two weeks of panto coming up, from which I shall post pictures when I get them. Philly has recovered from her operation on December 7th, and will now undergo intensive vocal therapy to get the singing voice (tested to the limit at our Christmas party!) up to scratch.
Half an inch of snow which fell an hour ago is now melting, and lunch is cooking. Son Leo's girlfriend, however, who was meant to be eating it with us in a couple of hours, is unable to get through due to being reliant on buses and living in a village. Unfortunately, Leo doesn't drive, so he's no help! Ah, the problems of young love!
Leo is temporarily living with me again, so burglars take note. I am Not Alone. (Still haven't quite recovered from last Valentine Day's burglary.)
Thank you to all my readers in 2009, and I hope you will continue to buy/borrow in 2010.
Love from Libby and Me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)