A Random Post

For some reason I have my best ideas for posts at random times, usually when I am engaged in something else and can't get to a computer. Occasionally ideas will float into my head that are a mixture of thought-provoking, interesting, absurd or funny. Naturally when I eventually get time to put pen to paper (or the electronic equivalent) the thought is gone; usually only to re-surface at some suitably inconvenient time. Does anyone else have this? If so (and you're one of the bloggers I follow) it doesn't show.

Not too much has happened since my last couple of posts. The girlfriend has now been away for almost two weeks. The anger and bargaining has subsided to be replaced with a constant feeling of something being missing. Kind of like going out without a watch on only magnified many, many, many hundreds of times. It probably doesn't help that literally everything I see reminds me of her; from the coffee maker she gave me to celebrate a relationship landmark which I see soon after I wake up to the photo of her I see just before I go to sleep. Cue sloppy music and montage!

A challenge has been occupying my new-found plentiful free time - well apart from going to the pub. I have a stack of books I've been wanting to read and have been working my way through those. Once I get my brain in gear, I will hopefully posting more up here.

I like writing. I enjoy interacting with words and using them to convey what I'm trying to (well most of the time!). I like the idea of doing more of it in other ways although it is only vanity that makes me think that it's in any way worth reading.

The big question is what to write. My flatmates are trying to get me to make a compilation of their favourite dishes with added sections on flourishes and tricks to make the food a bit special. That appeals but I'm very aware of the sheer number of cook-books around and my relative lack of skill in the area.

I have one or two ideas relating to espionage but as a lifelong Flemming devotee I genuinely don't believe I or anyone else could create something comparable. He once stated his desire to write the best spy stories ever written and, for my money, that's what he did. I am also not a fan of the, "gritty" way most spy dramas are played out these days. In my mind, outrageous flamboyance is still the best.

There is always the law as a subject. As it is a fairly closed world, people are generally interested and it is ripe for turning into stories. However I have only been part of that world for around four years. I don't think I know it well enough to start creating anything concrete.

One idea that I really fancy is doing research on a subject and writing about it. I genuinely love the process of research; finding stuff in books, trawling the internet, making connections in my mind between the sources and generally achieving a deep understanding of the subject. Everything apart from trying to remember the source of the fact that just popped into my head. The trouble is what to research. Two obvious choices would be Bond or St. John Ambulance. I doubt I could write anything about Bond that hasn't been already written and any attempt seems futile. St. John could be a potential winner. The stumbling blocks there include the time to actually do the research, finding hard-copy sources and getting access to electronic ones. Many on-line databases charge quite a lot for access.

I will ponder the possibilities over the next wee while and see what, if any, ideas begin to develop.

In the mean time I am carrying a note book to record the good ideas I have for here for further development.

JR