Still feeling a little migrainey this morning, but that's okay because we don't have a lot to do apart from get ready for the party tonight. There's a party tonight at a posh resturant in Frome, which is surprising as I really didn't think we had one.

Slightly put a kink in my style but we had a last minute offer for a viewing on the house, and as selling the house is key to my future plans, I was keen to get them in. I hoovered and tidied and straightened the place up. It was fine. There's still some things I want to fix but by and large it's ready to view to the right customer.

We waited. The appointment came and went. I noticed a woman in her car opposite looking like she was casing the joint. That was her, I was sure of it. She got out of her car for a bit and I saw house details in her hand. Then she got back in the car and drove off. Dammit. Got a call from the estate agent about 5 minutes later saying the client looked at the house from the outside and was put off by the road. I think she's lying, I think the state of the lawn and the cracked lintel made her think twice. Estate agent Reem and I discussed this. It's a good house but we need to get people in through the door to see it. I'll have to get the lintel fixed and turf the front lawn before we can get anyone else in, I think. These are cosmetic issues and not really crucial to make the house usable, just to make it sellable. It makes me really angry but perception is everything I guess.

People are stupid. Greedy and stupid. And shallow. They think there's no parking here because you can't park right outside my house. I don't know anywhere with on-road parking around here where you can park anywhere near your house after 5.30 in the evening. Around here you can always park, any time of the day or night. But people are petty. They spend less time choosing a new house than they do choosing a shirt. And take fewer risks with low ticket items than they do with mortgages. I wouldn't mind if I wasn't so desperate to sell and move on. But hey, there is a person somewhere who would love to live in this house. Be as happy as I have been here. But I just have to fool them into coming inside the front door so they can discover it personally.

Ah well. If you are reading this and thinking about moving to the Frome/Bristol/Bath area, you could do a lot worse than this, especially for £245k. Any takers should contact my agent, Holden Heal +44 1373 454454. More Details...

The party was nice, I was sat next to people I didn't know and after a while of shuffling my cutlery and looking around, I finally woke up and started conversing with my fellow diners. I'm kind of socially inept with people I don't know. I don't know why I'm so outgoing most of the time but in social situations with strangers I'm totally quiet and withdrawn. Weird.

The meal was really nice. I had Sea Bass to start and Fillet Steak with Garlic Mash to follow. After I had Sorbet. Then we went to the Griffin, a fine little local brewery and pub in Milk Street, Frome, and drank a pint of Nick's. Met some of Stuart's friends, one of whom was cartoon drunk. It was also his birthday. Makes you wonder if it's just that it's summer time 9 months before March that makes the number of births higher? I dunno, little 1960s pictures of people cavorting in haystacks pop into my mind when I ponder that.

Got home around 2am to find Ted asleep on the sofa and Hattie playing Wallace and Grommit on the PS2. Went to bed ourselves and watched a new episode of "House" and "Medium" that downloaded during the day. Watched most of the "House" but fell asleep before "Medium" really kicked in.

Happy Birthday to me. Yes, I'm now 46 years old and can officially get out of doing heavy lifting by claiming to be old. Plus I can be all sage and knowall and people believe me even if I'm spouting total horse crap.

Had a good day today doing very little. I watched a few episodes of "House", ordered a few items of equipment, went out at lunchtime with Becca, my first AD, and a few of the guys who were at a loose end. Had a pint of Guinness (again, must be my drink at the moment) and a really nice burger at Roo Bar, an Aussie themed pub off the Whiteladies Road, and shot the breeze for an hour. Then braced by the food and booze I walked up the road and got a wad of cash out for Gary the garage man who serviced my car on Wednesday. It's been running real smooth since he did that. Forgot to take the DVDs back all week so took those back on the way home and the fine for all three was £15. Ouch. I could have bought a couple of them for that price. Well, my own fault - can't be helped.

Got home after picking Mia up and going to ASDA to pick up fajita ingredients, but started to feel a bit odd and queasy in the car... when I got home it became apparent I was going to have a small Migraine. While the kids and Mia prepared my birthday dinner, I went for a lie down and dropped a couple of migraleve pink. Waking up an hour later I felt weird but hungry at least. Enjoyed a couple of Fajitas and breaded mozzarella balls. Chased it with really heavy raspberry cheesecake.

Then it was pressie time. Ted got me a plug'n'play Batman game and a pack of tokens for Teddy time. Hattie got me a pack of Beef Jerky and various peanut flavoured choc. Mia got me a purple towel, an "X-Files" PS2 game and Season 1 of "Hammer House of Horror". I'm impressed she remembered I like that. I'm even more impressed she managed to have it sent to my work and had me bring it home still in the wrapper without raising any suspicion.

We played Batman games and watched a few "HHOH" episodes. Hattie conked out and went to bed, then Mia. For a short while me and Ted played Batman a little bit, then Ted went and I watched a couple more episodes of "House" before nodding off.

Another day editing in Christchurch studios. We actually finished one of the films, the one about the guy who getshis towel trapped in the door. It's funny. Lots of comic timing. Technically it's a bit of a shambles, but it'sa training exercise so we shouldn't be too cut up about it. We had very little time to crash it together, like 6 sessions. But the result is kinda cool. We got comedy, slaptick, romance, and some genuine moments of real tenderness. I like it. Plus we got to get to do some really cool editing tricks.

Actually spent the evening in the pub with students, something I don't do very often because it makes me feel really old. But it was a wrap party for the second years video shoot, and lots of people I know were there, so I had to go. Plus it'smy birthday tomorrow and I was persuaded to go and drink a little.

One of those things though. I live in Frome, an hour and a half's drive away from Bristol. So if I go out in the evening there I have to drive back kind of early, especially if I have work the next day. I'd really like to work in Bristol just because I could have a social life. We'll see how we go once the house is sold.

Got back around 10, and watched some more "House" season 2 before falling asleep.

Another day editing in Christchurch studios. I really like the coffee shop, it's Coffee #1 a local chain. Lush latte.

We actually finished one of the films, the one about the guy who getshis towel trapped in the door. It's funny. Lots of comic timing. Technically it's a bit of a shambles, but it's a training exercise so we shouldn't be too cut up about it. We had very little time to crash it together, like 6 sessions. But the result is kinda cool. We got comedy, slaptick, romance, and some genuine moments of real tenderness. I like it. Plus we got to get to do some really cool editing tricks.

Actually spent the evening in the STARK pub up the top of Whiteladies with students, something I don't do very often because it makes me feel really really old. But it was a wrap party for the second years video shoot, and lots of people I know were there, so I had to go. Plus it's my birthday tomorrow and I was persuaded to go and drink a little before driving back.

One of those things though. I live in Frome, an hour and a half's drive away from Bristol. So if I go out in the evening there I have to drive back kind of early, especially if I have work the next day. Plus I can't drink more than a pint and still drive. I'd really like to work in Bristol just because I could have a social life. Get drunk once in a while. We'll see how we go once the house is sold.

Got back around 10, and watched some more "House" season 2 before falling asleep.

Okay so my boss didn't fire me, he simply said I was first point of call on matters concerning the phone system, and I should just calm the frayed nerves of the complainers and explain that either they have to be patient or if we are out of time that they can't have what they are demanding from me. It's all good.

Had a really uncomfortable hour session with the dental hygenist this afternoon. Felt like she was not so much removing years of plaque and bad brushing as digging my teeth out by the roots. She showed me lots of really icky diagrams of what I've been doing to my teeth by not taking care of them. I'm all about dental hygiene now. I'll be buying myself a Braun mechanical toothbrush tomorrow. I don't want to go through that again in a hurry. She was sliding the damn plaque removing tool about half a centimetre under my gum line and scratching at the base of my teeth... argh. Not an easy sensation to forget. But worth every minute. My teeth are the best they've been for years. Alls I have to do is keep them that way.

Got home and walking into Hattie's room I knew something was wrong right away. There was a smell coming from the hamster's cage which I knew instinctively could not be good. Sure enough when Hattie tried to wake him up he was dead and had been for a few days I think. I reassured Hattie that it wasn't her fault. They are hardy little creatures and it wasn't any of her fault in taking care of him that was responsible for his demise. He was about 2 years old and they are not long lived animals and sometimes they just die. He had enough food and water and sure he could have used cleaning out but I've had some mice and hamsters in my time and left them dirty for weeks and not killed them. I mean nobody cleans them out in the wild, do they? No, this was sudden and unexplained. Nothing anyone could have done different.

We packed him in a little box, and Hat Ted and I went out into the garden and buried him under the tree. I asked Hattie if there was anything special she wanted to do. Hattie responded to this, and following her Wiccan beliefs made a little round wreath out of thyme and rosemary and tied a little sign on the tree, containing some words about remembrance. We observed a little moment of silence and respect, said our goodbyes, shed a few little tears and took a deep breath then came inside. Hattie was still a bit broken up, I think she still blames herself, but there was nothing she could have done. She took well enough care of the little fella. It was just his time to go. Seems odd to be so emaotional about such a small animal but humans are odd. We get attached to things, animals and people. We miss em when they go. Simple fact of life. People are strange and beautiful creatures. Hatties tears of loss are terrible to see but I love that she feels enough to shed them.

So, anyway - here's to you, Chessie the hamster. Little bear. Dainty pawed friend of children. Good night and good rest. Sleep well.

Back at my desk again. I feel like a frickin yo-yo.

Not much doing today so spent a bit of time clearing up admin problems, fixing odd problems people came to my door with, and watching a few DVDs at the same time.

I went off on a bit of a tear because twice in quick succession I was told off about a job not being done, which in both cases really wasn't my problem and this was the first I heard about it. Now I know I have the memory span of a goldfish, but that only applies to forgetting to do things, not forgetting I was asked to do them. I remember, usually just as someone is calling me to ask why it hasn't been done. But this wasn't the case this time. One job was a silly thing with the phone system, which is not a technical problem but admin. The other was a video job which was given to someone else but I've kind of inherited. I went off on a tear to my boss, telling him every which way that this wasn't my fault, not my job, blah blah blah, aggghhh!!! Froth. Grr. SEND. Regretted it immmediately. Wished not for the first time there was also an UNSEND button. Hope he doesn't take it the wrong way.

When I'd finished Hulking out I thought, what the hell. I stand by everything I said. It's not like he's going to fire me or anything for getting angry.

Later at home we finished downloading more "Lost" and "Medium" season 2 episodes, so we watched those while falling asleep.

Back up to Christchurch for the second lot of edits. We did some good work and the piece is coming together, edits a lot tighter and sound really coming together, but we are going to need that contingency time.

Had a lush lunch from the delicatessen in Clifton Village. They do pies to die for. I had a Lamb and Mint and Steak and Stilton, and a really odd wiry pastry from the Middle East. Can't remember what it was called but it was really lush. I always eat well in Clifton. They do good Baklava in there too. Hey I wonder if they do Stollen? Hmmmmm. You know when I binge,it's always pastries, never sweets. Sometimes chocolate, but mostly it's pastries. I'll sometimes buy a whole cake or a pie and eat it all in one go, just for the wicked sugar and carb rush. Aw mommy.

Anyway, I for the first time in living memory am at my target weight, 83 kilos or 12.5 stone. I'm trying to feed myself up a bit because people are saying I look thin. Dunno what they mean, I feel fat as ever but they say it so it must be true I guess. Feel fine though. Obviously no longer having a desk job and running up and down stairs with TV sets agrees with me.

GRR - had to cancel a dentists appointment today. It cost me £40 just to cancel it. Plus I have to pay £80 to attend the next one on Wednesday. Having bad teeth sucks.

More projects today, but I figure I convered that yesterday.

Some things I also bought yesterday: A World Poker Tour magazine (I'm into Texas Hold Em ever since Hattie bought me a set over Christmas), a copy of "Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence" on DVD, a copy of the book "Moondust" by Andrew Smith about the 9 remaining astronauts who walked on the moon, and how they are a dying breed, a Don Letts movie called "Punk:Attitude", and while I looked for a Haggis to eat ASDA didn't seem to have one, so I made do with buying some Porridge to eat for breakfast. For some reason had to have something Scottish. Go figure. The noo.

Bit peeved (putting it mildly) about missing the Oscars tonight for the second year running. It's been something of a tradition for me for years and years that Oscar night I watch it live and either chat on the phone to John Molloy or latterly Mia (previously of course on the webcam) about the highs and lows. This year I just got pissed off because I can't watch it on any terrestrial channel. You can only watch it on E! Those greedy bastards.

I've been working on my Oscar speech since I was 12 years old. I love the bit they do about people who died this year. I love the funny bit they do at the beginning. I love the red carpet bit with all the clothes and stuff. I have very gay taste for a straight guy.

This year though Johnnie has the best seat in the house. He's living in Florida these days and so he saw it live but at a reasonable time of day. He says he's going to disc it and send it to me. I'll love it if he does but I'm not holding my breath. I can't count the amount of things I'vesaid I'm going to do for him and I haven't delivered. I'm a really crap friend in that respect. Sorry, and this is a general comment to everyone I care about. I'm a crap friend, but don't take it personally. I'm a crap friend to everyone. :(