St Paddy's Day

Okay so I'm a few days early but my story on a Paddy's Day I had in Dublin is published in the Flight Centre blog today (click here to read). 

I can't remember who I'm interviewing below but I do recall it was just before the parade started. At least it proves that there is some work involved in media famils!

Happy St Paddy's Day

While the rest of the world gets its green on, we are too caught up at work to celebrate the Irish blood that runs through both our veins (the Animator's more than mine, obvs).

Instead, here are a couple of pics from our Irish friends/neighbours who thought their woofer Peggy might like to join in the celebrations. It would appear from Peg's unimpressed expression that she would, on balance, prefer not to.

    
Lunch today was with my lovely friend Jack; in almost every contract I've ever done, there are a few folk I manage to fold into my life when I move onto the next gig. Jack is one of them and today we sat in the sun, ate felafel and reflected on the past nine months. He is truly one of life's sweet peeps.  

  

Today

Was an intoxicating mix of canines, laundry and research on Dublin pubs (for a travel piece I'm doing to coincide with Paddy's Day. And yes, I realise that's three months away but most magazines have stupidly long lead-in times and it's one of the many stories I need to write on my two-week "holiday").  

On the good side of the ledger:

• a long overdue freelance payment plopped into my bank account  
• two new commissions (okay this happened yesterday)
• an invitation to contribute book reviews to a major national magazine. Given the time it takes to digest four books each month, and the fact I've decided to focus more on corporate writing next year (it pays more and editors aren't such arses), I'm going to do it on a trial basis. But it was flattering to be asked and free books are never a bad thing.
• my friend Donna came along to our Saturday morning doggie meet-up group; great to catch up on the gos. It's just a shame that Bristol took such a homo-erotic shine to her dog Billie.  

The not so good:

• notification of my first provisional tax payment for 2014. Ta for the Xmas present, IRD.
• too many mince pies
• a half-arsed work-out
• general exhaustion. One day I am going to wake up, look in the mirror and realise I have no need for concealer. I predict that day will come sometime in 2030.     

Today visuals are c/o this morning's meet-up group: