Punch’s the back of the head

Trying to pick up the writing habit again, the first few drags are feeling good, insanely good; like a relief. A strong familiar rush punch’s the back of my head. I may sputter and choke a bit but not enough to stop the “why did I ever quit” forehead slapping.

I’m in a an achingly cool but friendly pub tucked away in one of Birmingham’s folds, the sort of place that gets overlooked because it’s printed on a crease of the map – you only really can find it if you’re looking. It’s always harder to resist the habit when you’ve got a pint in the other hand; it just feels right. I really like this place. But then again I’ve only ever been here in the daytime and seeing a pub in the day without checking it out at night is like only ever meeting someone who’s accompanied by their parents.

Stretched metaphors and facile observations aside, its lame excuse time. I suppose the chief reason for neglecting you guys (apart from the angsty “what does it all mean” post wobble) is my radio show. Which I absolutely adore doing. To start with the planning and run lists were a little hard work (and now with a shared version of Adobe Audition I plan to do a lot more) but I feel about the show the same as I felt when I started writing and knew that’s what I wanted to do. If you are missing me, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t be, I am an occasional contributor here.

Speaking of occasional contributor, I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate CrIB on winning the best UK blog 2008. And, because in some press my name has been mentioned with it, feel the need to state my part is, and was, only ever a small footnote in its progressively amazing history. To receive ANY congratulations myself would be to play down C-c-c units and Guru Pete’s hard work. In fact Jules’s contribution is oft overlooked and has the added bonus of not causing a massive shitstorm.

CrIB is a startlingly useful and accessible resource for anyone with even a mild, passing interest in Birmingham’s strong growing creative scene. And it is also  a positive, non-partisan force for good. Unlike bile spewing rags like the Daily Mail.

Fuck the Daily Mail and all who sail in her.

and I say that as myself, not as any representative in any way for CrIB. My producer, and good friend, copped a lot of flack for this post that suggested that voting for CrIB was a vote against the self described “Daily Mail columnist” – even to a point it was suggested he was an Islamic extremist because his blog title has the word “milkshake” in its title. I shit you not. This I am putting down to the right wing media’s tendency to blame everything on “foreigners” and/or “terrorists”.

Now, am I missing something here? Isn’t that how voting works? I personally have voted in General Elections strategically against parties I deem unsavoury. When faced with a decision of any kind isn’t it prudent to weigh up the Pros and Cons?

CrIB only deals in nonbiased community relevant information and is all the more lovely huggy and a force for good. But its supporters are real pragmatic humans, me included. It’s also worth noting that most of the other blogs that were up for the award have reported on the results and even congratulated CrIB except for here who, despite promoting it, has chosen not too.