I'm ready to start, that's for sure.  I've got a second draft to write for a book that's not coming out for 18 months but is still on a tight deadline.  I could have started on Thursday, but you know how things go, you've got email to check, bills to pay, iTunes to download...

Over the holiday, I saw one good play of note, the wonderful National version of Much Ado About Nothing, which is a delight, genuinely funny (really, in that way that Shakespeare NEVER is onstage) with a light touch and great performances from Simon Russell Beale and Zoe Wanamaker.  Word's getting out, there were people standing at the back, so book now!

Also saw the ridiculous 3-D Imax homoerotica of Beowulf, with its ludicrous nude fighting scene.  The 3-d worked okay, but nothing much changes tonally until the big dragon fight at the end.  And it's WAY too violent to be a 12A, seriously, you should write to the Classfication board.

And in celebration of the New Year, the latest in a continuing series of iPod eps.  Today, God:  God Is A Real Estate Developer by Michelle Shocked (tart folk-pop), God is In the House by Nick Cave (see earlier for necessity of Nick Cave in all eps), God Loves Everyone by Ron Sexsmith (a sweet, relaxed song of tolerance) God Moving His Face Over The Waters by Moby (who is really irritating but it's a good instrumental), and the lovely spooky Erasure version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.   Enjoy.