Category: Recaps

Egotism, Recaps

IWSG: Writer’s Contract for 2014

David Stringer

Today, rather than last week, is the return of the Insecure Writers’ Support Group, intended to help aspiring writers give each other support. After not taking part for a few months, I missed the fact that this month’s edition had been pushed back – I’m reblogging just to make it easier to find.

SciFiFootball

Welcome one and all to the blog, for my first post of 2014. With it being the first Wednesday of the month, this is also my entry for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

InsecureWritersSupportGroup

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Egotism, Recaps

Welcome to my blog!

David Stringer

When I started this blog back in November, I wanted to do so in a low-key way, just in case everything fell apart and I ended up making a total fool of myself. (The key to success is negative thinking – it keeps you hungry.)
I’ve not been promoting the blog properly in ‘real life’, so if you just know me casually, there’s a good chance you won’t know I’ve been writing, both on this blog and other websites.
I’ve also picked up a few new followers over recent weeks, so it’s as good a time as any to go through the different things I write here.

For a short breakdown of the different Categories I’ve used, see the Navigation bar above.
There. That’s pretty much it, end of post. How about we discuss the topical issues of the day – errm, politics?

Those swords definitely aren’t compensating for anything.

Okay, a bit more detail.
I’ve taken a look at a few TV programmes from a slightly technical point of view, (looking at what works and what doesn’t) including a 2000+ word look at the first four minutes of Friends’ pilot. The more I think about the fact I did that, the more I start to worry about what drove me to write at such length.

I’ve written a series of reviews – I’ve fallen behind on my aim of reading a book a week on average and reviewing them all, and I’ve reviewed other things, mainly sitcoms.

I’ve written a few posts that can be classed as either rants or opinion pieces, spoof news for parody website The Leaky Wiki, and other things that are intended to be funny.
I’ve been writing for football website Bornoffside.net, including a mostly weekly column on England’s lower leagues – Leagues One, Two, and the Conference.

So that’s basically what I do here, with more to come in the future. Feel free to click around, and, as always, comments are appreciated.

FootballOpinion, Recaps

My Neglected Blog

David Stringer

Looking back at the dates of recent posts, I’ve been neglecting the blog in the past few weeks, and, like the alcoholic father I am in this metaphor*, I intend to overcompensate dramatically in a way that embarasses everyone.
So, in the next few days I intend to polish off a few things I’ve been working on, and get them up either here on the blog or elsewhere (and remember to link to them this time).

So in the next few days there should be a follow up to my earlier Life’s Too Short article in a shameless attempt to cash in on the show’s American debut. I intend to write reviews of the books I’ve read since my last review was posted, and more.
That is, if my day job of rocket scientist/rockstar doesn’t get in the way.

Hard at work

Since my last post here at the blog, I’ve written two entries for Born Offside. The first of the two, filed on the 15th, went into depth on the lovely cuddly Steve Evans, while covering Torquay’s remarkable winning streak, Kettering not being able to afford to pay police for their matches, and more.

Despite his crimes, this is the closest he gets to a prison these days

Then, last week, I covered the reasons for Stevenage’s rise and congratulated them on holding Tottenham to a draw, the reasons why Lee Clark’s sacking at Huddersfield was reasonable, and once again giving Darlington sympathetic press.
Really, as a Hartlepool fan, I hope they sort their finances out so that I don’t have to be sympathetic to them so often.

Once again, in case those links were hard to find in the text: February 15th’s ‘P All Draw Edition’
February 22nd’s ‘You Wait Ages for a Full Fixture List and then Two Come Along at Once Edition’

* Not literally of course. I’m really more of a junkie than an alcoholic.

Comedy, FootballOpinion, Recaps

Hey – I forgot I had this blog!

David Stringer

Nine days without posting – if I don’t write more often, I’ll never clog up people’s inboxes.

Right. After spending a few days away, I missed a week of lower league column for Born Offside, and compensated with Born Offside’s first ever Lower League Fortnight.

Knowing my issues with reliability and consistency, I’m sure it won’t be the last time that happens.
This issue covered transfer movements, changes in management, Bournemouth paying a huge £800,000 transfer fee…it’s crazy, a tell thee.

I’m so happy to have signed for Bournemouth. Yayyyyyyy.

This past week, Fabio Capello, the Italian manager of the England national football team, walked out. It was the culmination of a long series of irritating events – the media attacked Capello for not walking on water, Wayne Rooney did something stupid and Capello didn’t stop him from doing it so is therefore dangerously incompetent, John Terry may or may not have said something potentially hugely offensive and faces a trial for it, Capello wanted to stick by him, his bosses didn’t, Capello told Italian television he wanted Terry to remain as captain.

Continue reading “Hey – I forgot I had this blog!” →

Recaps

A Very Late Monday Recap

David Stringer

I’ve said that I intend to recap everything I’ve written, and the best of the sites I’m associated with, once a week on Monday. I’ve been away over the weekend, on an extravegant holiday full of sunshine and beaches, so I have a limited excuse for missing my self-set deadline this time.
On the assumption that it’s better late than never, I’m going to recap the previous week’s writing now.

Before leaving for my glamorous getaway I’d witten the latest edition of the Lower League Week, as well as a review of Robert Harris’ novel The Ghost. The latter is here on the blog, the former is linked from a previous post.

Born Offside has extended the series of weekly recaps. As well as the continuing English round-up, there’s a new Scottish weekly column, and one following the Dutch league.

Over at The Leaky Wiki, David-Troi Sweatt reported on the reason Facebook didn’t join the SOPA strike, and Matthew Kahn reported that a new Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme gives kids bad trips, which generated debate over journalistic accuracy in the comments.

Recaps

Monday Recap 23/1

David Stringer

I’ve promised to start recapping the week on Monday morning, and I am sort of true to my word, when I finally get around to it.
I’ve reviewed The Afrika Reich and The Valley of Fear here on the blog, and linked to my previous Lower League Week over at Born Offside.

If you’re  a regular reader of this blog, you may have noticed I’ve not linked to any articles posted over at The Leaky Wiki for a while.
There’s a reason for this, and it’s not that I’ve been lazy and not thought of anything to write, oh no.
The fact is, I have been suspended for a serious breach of journalistic ethics – I took more than my share of biscuits from the communal tin.
I have apologised deeply to my colleagues and employer, and, having spent my month of suspension on full pay getting blind drunk  reflecting on my errors. I will soon be returning to action.

While I’ve been suspended (on full pay! Can you  believe that?) my colleague Chris Switzer broke the story that a new study (a very controversial new study) which hints that the creation of babies may be linked to sex.
Matt Upchuck covered the launch of The UK Space Agency’s probe to Mars, or possibly France.
And there was news of a revolutionary new political debating technique to be introduced in forthcoming American debates. The next Republican debate will be settled not with words – which have failed the political process for so long – but with hammers.

I’d also like to draw your attention towards an interview on Born Offside with Mark McAllister, the ‘video coach’ for Gillingham FC. Personally, I found it an interesting look at a part of professional football most fans wouldn’t think about. Okay, technically it went up longer than a week ago, but for a football fan, it’s definitely worth reading.

Also at Born Offside, the African Cup of Nations has just begun over the weekend, and my colleagues at Born Offside have previewed every team, and covered the matches so far.

That’s pretty much all I’ve written on the internet this past week, and what I consider the best of what my colleagues have wrote. Watch this space, as there should be a bit more later today…