Graphic Novel Review- Sandman Vol.4 Season of Mists

Sticking with Vertigo this week, to give the Marvel and DC powerhouses a rest, and again because Stevenage Library has a shockingly poor selection in its graphic novel section shelf. Not to say the odd gem isn't there- it just means that dipping in and out of series, normally habit of mine, is now enforced, and I have to start in the middle with most things. As I have here, with Volume 4 of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series, Season of Mists. I picked it up with a little trepidation and annoyed that I couldn't start with the other three, but it is a great largely self-contained volume so I needn't have worried.

My sole exposure to The Sandman has been people continuously pointing out ho much some rather half-formed ideas and short stories I worked on at university held similarity to it, something I resented at the time, firstly as I had never read the series and despite or because of saying as much people didn't seem to believe I wasn't plagiarising and secondly because I knew enough people were saying it for it to be true and to have completely ruined any chance of what I was writing standing up to comparison. I wasn't wrong, and neither were they.

Back with a vengeance

This post's title refers to two things- the first is the activity of this blog, which as Gandalf Greyhame might say on entering unto it, "is somewhat lessened of late"; the second is the all-consuming, omniscient latching-on capabilities of Hell's Eyeballs, formally known as Facebook. Recent developments, changes and releases have changed the site. As users for many years, the vast majority of us shouldn't be and probably aren't alarmed or even surprised that these changes have taken effect. And why should we be? The site has been undergoing unannounced changes since it's popularity made it what it is, and it's not as if the Timeline feature wasn't announced. But should we worry? It's now possible, for the first time ever, to stalk people more effectively than ever before.

If you want to know anything about that girl you've watched from behind your cubicle partition in the office, that man who's always been cooler than you to the point where you've not plucked up the courage to be his mate or your current/ex- girlfriend/boss depending on where your intimacy boundaries lie in the workplace, you can.

Introducing new Timeline, the all-new system from Facebook!

Failure to lunch

Basically, November has been an unmitigated disaster. In the sense that nothing spectacular has happened, and the huge goals set for the month (complete a draft of a 50,000 word novel for NaNoWriMo, grow an exemplary moustache raising loads of Moula for charity, get closer to a solid plan set for the 'top secret I've told everyone I'd love to do it' Route 66 bike dream) have all passed me by in an unnassuming and mediocre fashion. I've fallen into the middle ground of unexciting but bearable and pretty easy life, being mediocre and happy to let that happen. I've raised £26 for Movember. Reached just over 35,000 words for NaNoWriMo. And put together lists, sorted budgets and planned dates by which certain things have to have happened for the trip next year. But they're all just 'alright' things. There's been no huge leap forward or giant, spectacular event to really get them going. Why? Life.

My Movember Diary (Or 'It's not just dirt above my lip honest')- Day 7

Day 7

The "Is-that-even-hair?" face

Okay, so the idea of a day to day photo diary of my Mo journey was well and truly shot down when, on days two through to five there was very little change in the smooth surface of my face. So it'll be coming a week at a time.

I haven't put a photo on my actual MoBro page yet- so unworthy a 'tache it is. And I've raised a grand total of £0 so far, as many people at work have mentioned ( and I agree with this idea) that money will come my way when a)they get paid and b) there is something mighty enough on my face to be seen. So stay tuned for next week, when it'll be properly visible.

Donate here- http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1901064/

Our engineers are working hard to resolve this problem...

Hello again, all. Due to a recent increase in my daytime activities thanks to gainful communicative effort in a society of business and the commencement of involvement in a national social event there will be no Sunday Evening Read review on this day.

Basically, I've been buggered for time trying to up my wordcount for NaNoWriMo this weekend after work. So I haven't managed a book review. Don't worry, I've already got the book in mind, read and re-read it recently and have plenty to say, so it will be up next Sunday. Here's a hint- it's horror, written by a modern author, and involves the Moon somewhere in its title.

In the next seven days I promise I'll have it written up and scheduled. In the meantime, happy November! If we all wish it enough, it might finally start getting frosty and cold 'dahn sahf' like this time of year should be.

We apologise for this interruption...

There will be no Graphic Novel Review today. In between the determined concentration behind trying to force hair out of my face so I don't look like a fraud for Movember, the flurry of words, keys and pen against paper that is NaNoWriMo, and a few other things, I haven't had time to finish reading Neil Gaiman's The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists.

So, I'll get to reading it in the few moments I have free now, and normal service will be resumed next week with a review of it. It might be worth a wait, I couldn't say just yet

In a messed-up wo-o-orld...

Hi everyone, cheers for popping by- this is a second quick update between the pub, NaNoWriMo and sleep, but I feel it's important to post because it's pretty disgusting yet phenomenal that people would go as far as to do such a thing.

I direct you to this link here, featuring real life Barbie Feet.

I don't want to go into the why's and wherefores, the contexts and containing features, the reality and the "what if?"s and the wonderings. I'll just spread word, via io9, via this link, of the horrifyingly real pedicural, perambulatory problems being pushed on owners of feet everywhere. They might not exist yet, but when they do...

Support this as & when you can- http://mobro.co/ChrisHousden

Tolkien didn't just write- he drew, too

Hi everyone, cheers for popping by- this is a quick update between the pub, NaNoWriMo and sleep, but I feel it's important to post because it's pretty cool. Like Tolkien, and the histories he wrote? Take a looksie...

Never seen original concepts of the Lonely Mountain before?

It includes loads of great artwork you'd never see anywhere else, unless you paid phenomenal amount for books with artwork. Surely worth a look?

My Movember Diary (Or 'It's not just dirt above my lip honest')- Day 1

Day 1- Bare-faced

Shaved it all off and I'm now clean shaven, a blank canvas upon which to grow a masterpiece.

Donate here- http://mobro.co/ChrisHousden

The November Experiment- see you on the other side

So I graduated a few months ago, I've got around to the pay-off of weeks of soul destroying job hunting and a naff unpaid placement in the form of a pretty sweet job, and I'm starting to plan properly a trip somewhere abroad which I've had in mind for ages to take place next year.

Things are looking up and up. And tonight sees the end of October. It heralds the beginning of November. A month in which two organised, month-long events are held which I have, in the past, ignored or shied away from as taking up too much time or being "not for me". Well, no more. As of tomorrow I'm correcting the imbalance of writing I've been doing by embarking on NaNoWriMo.

I'm also shaving my beard and 'tache off, for the reason of getting a clean slate for Movember. From that blank canvas a mighty handlebar shall grow. I may end up looking like Rufus Hound. Or being beaten up.

If I'm not dead from trying to write a novel in a month or from attackers objecting to the facial hair I shall cultivate, I'll see you on the other side.

Also, you can check up on the writing here- http://www.nanowrimo.org/, searching for CJMK2

and can donate to the cause for prostate and testicular cancer research here- http://mobro.co/ChrisHousden. Please give, even a little.