I'm Back Now

Gentlemen. Gentleladies.  I'm back now.

 Yeah, do you remember when I said I'd only be gone a few weeks? Well, I meant months. Yeah. Honest. Cough. Sorry, dear reader. And yes... Yes I am empty handed. The surprise is taking more time than originally anticipated. therefore, the surprise is delayed until it's finished. No, I'm not telling you what it is. It wouldn't be a surprise then.

So! What's new? Well, I... It's a little embarrassing. And shameful. I... I kinda don't have any work. By 'kinda', I mean 'I don't'. Therefore, I... gah... I've applied for Jobseeker's Allowance. That's the dole, in English. In plainer English, I'm now claiming benefit from the Government. My dear reader, I will never live this down. Ever. For those of you not in the UK, claiming benefit is one of the most shameful and stigmatised things in this country. Especially as I'll have to live off the fucking thing until I find work, which, with the new recession trolling towards us, could be a tragically long time indeed. Aaand since I've not got a degree and have very little in the way of past experience, I am up Shit Creek without a paddle. Or a boat. Or clothes. Unless something turns up very soon, I am, to quote myself on a number of occasions, "so utterly doomed. DOOMED." Jobseeker's Allowance is around £112 every two weeks. This is not a lot of money. It barely covers the essentials. This is not a good thing. This is a bad thing and I have been panicking very frequently recently. If there ever was something worth panicking about, this is it. Well, apart from the now very frequent pangs of worry that I'll die alone and unloved after I drink myself to death on the floor of a pub toilet anyway. Because, y'know, no girlfriend. Still.

But! It's not all bad! Just mostly bad. I have embarked upon the long and precarious world of games journalism. It's like film or car journalism, only you write about vidyagamez. Because, hey, there's just as much money in the game industry as there is in the film industry. It's just a new type of media that people don't yet take seriously, much like films when they first came about. No, no, I know it's not surprising. I was approached by the lovely Patrick Rose on Twitter and asked if I fancy writing for the site. I did. Do. Whatever. The site is How To Play, and you can click on my name to access all the articles I've written, of which there aren't yet that many. On the other hand, I've two reviews in the pipeline and a piece on the game industry almost completed.  Oh, I've also made an appearance in the latest HTP podcast. HTP isn't a paid gig, but I've articles in the pipeline (I love writing that. It makes me sound busy) to submit to other sites that do pay. So wish me luck, eh? Maybe one day I'll be able to count myself among the ranks of the big'uns, like John Walker.

In other news, the 365 Project is going well, and the end is sort of in sight. Three months left and I can finally give my poor camera a rest. My current crop is here. Instead of editing and uploading busy, I've now just gone batshit with it. That means no titles, no tags, and batch uploading. Because I'm a busy man, damn it. And I also forget to upload sometimes, even though I've successfully took a photograph every day up to now. I need to have another upload session soon. I've just noticed the thirteenth of August is missing. Great, I've got another one to re-upload.

Anyway, that's about it. DC's will hopefully resume this coming week, provided I can get the time. I've a busy week coming up, damn it.

Until next time!
Teddy