Update 1

As I write this it's been well over a year since Jackie and I arrived in the US. What a year it's been! We've moved house (again) thanks to our previous landlords deciding to come back from Europe unexpectedly, and managed to get a smaller and much nicer house. Around the same time we had a minor deluge of visitors from home. So far Zayphy, my brother Andrew, our friends Debbie and Robert, and Jackie's dad have all been to stay. If they can do it, so can the rest of you (this being directed at my mates and family. The rest of you can stay put :D ).

I've been to two conventions (Vision'98 and Visions'99) in Chicago, and made more friends than I thought possible. Among these are my good friends Adric and Diana, the effervescent Emily (warrior princess), Worth Godwin, the entire Drooling Wierdos clan (the less said about them the better...) and the irrepressible Hailey Gabriel (winner of the TOC Files 1998 "Coolest Name" Award and all around nice person).

So far I've had nothing published, but since I've submitted nothing, perhaps that's hardly suprising. The writing is coming along well, but I need to develop greater discipline. Like most writers I prefer the speculating and coming up with wild ideas part to the nitty gritty hitting the keyboard part and I have a tendancy to get distracted. I'm getting there though.

So far our stay in the US has been fun, if eventful. We've learned a lot about life, ourselves and each other. I think the experience has been good for Jackie and me, drawing us closer together (if such a thing is possible) and giving us an awareness of the strength we each have.

I've only been home once, when the pangs of distance from my homeland simply became too much to bear. It's certainly true that you really can only appreciate properly something when it's gone, so here's a small list of the things I miss most (apart from my family); pubs and pub culture, decent music, chip shops, proper accents, being able to read the credits on a TV show without having them squooshed to one side, sane drivers, Branston Pickle, Galaxy chocolate, Salad Cream, proper baked beans (they have them over here, but you don't want to try them), the BBC, cops without guns and steak and kidney pie.

Well, that's all for this long needed update. To all that know Jackie and me, hugs, and to those that don't - why are you stil reading this?! :D

Update 2

Wow. I'm looking back at what I've written and thinking "time for an update". It's the autumn of 2000, and we've been in the USA for three years. In the two years since I last updated we've had more visitors, done a lot of growing, and made some new friends. On the writing side I've made a lot of progress with my Time War project, so much so that I've decided to make the push and try and get it published professionally. Jackie is now a director of her company, and is enjoying her work, as well as following up on her interest in alternative healing techniques. I attended DunDraCon, a gaming convention in California, and thanks to the inestimable Michael Siverling, had the honour of attending (and playing) in a con game set in my Time War background. what a rush that was!

I've had some cool experiences. Not very long ago, I visited a medium for the first time. I'd recommend this for anyone, even if you don't believe in an afterlife, simply because it's a deeply eerie experience. Based on the remarkable accuracy of what I was told, if the medium wasn't in communication with my maternal grandmother then something very strange was taking place.

There's been some sadness too. Recently I discovered that Richard Aldis, school friend, gamer and one of the founder members of the League of Gentlemen, had passed away due to a brain tumour. He'd spent most of the year fighting the disease, and after surgery and chemotherapy had seemed very positive about beating it. I understand his end was as peaceful as it was quick. I won't pretend we were particularly close; after school I lost touch with a lot of people, Richard included, and whenever we did make contact the gulf of years frequently made things awkward. But I miss him all the same. He had an infectious laugh and was a powerhouse of energy when he got going. He could always make me smile, even in my darkest moods. I remember sitting at the foot of his bed once, mourning my latest romantic disaster, and him patiently sitting next to me, just letting me cry, content simply to be there and let me know I wasn't alone. He was pretty good at picking up the pieces, and I don't think I ever thanked him properly. Somehow, the thought of anything being able to sneak up and take him away seems incredible. I'll miss you, Dickie. Catch you on the flipside.