One week is a long time in politics, and an even longer time when it’s ridiculously hot. Thankfully, the temperatures have varied slightly over the last few days, so it hasn’t been quite as blisteringly unpleasent as it was for the two days when I got back. Plus, I’ve actually been able to sleep relatively well for a few nights, so the world is feeling a little more livable, and a little more human. I’ve had plenty of screenings to go to, a day of subbing, and my final tweaks to the book. I’m currently in the process of reformatting it, and am only five chapters away from being able to send the rough, shambling “workprint” version of the book out to a whole selection of people. Whether they like it or not is a different story…

The issue of leaving London has, at least, been clarified a little. We could, if we wanted to, leave London relatively soon, but we would have to find new tenants (or, at least, new tenants would need to be found, as we’d be responsible for the rent until they were). We would, conceivably, be able to advertise for new people, and maybe find them that way, but it does leave a big question mark over the whole procedure of not knowing exactly when we’d be able to stop paying rent on this place. One possible idea that we’re throwing around is possibly moving in with George’s parents for a little while, as an interim thing- it’s not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but it may be the only way that we’re going to be able to do this. Added to this, there’s a nice house coming up for rent just around the corner from where George’s sister lives, but it’s probably going to be available from about the middle of September- which is way too early for us. The one thing we are certain on is that we want to get out of London, and that getting out before the end of 2006 would be ideal (February next year is as far as I’d like to stretch it). It’s a scary, weird situation, and there’s a side of me that’s thinking “Oh my GAHHD! How am I going to live? How am I going to earn money?”, but it’s going to happen, and I guess I’d just like to do it in a way which doesn’t create a gigantic financial cloud of woe that’ll be following us for years, or end up putting strain on relationships by leaving us stuck in one situation or another for a little too long.

Preparations for Edinburgh are continuing- I have my press accreditation, and I’m managing to see some of the films already, so that I can concentrate on catching the weirder stuff once I’m up there.

I’ve also started to write for Hotdog again, which might make anyone who’s read this blog think “What?!? Aren’t they the guys who lost you £4,500 earlier this year?” Well, yes they are, but I did manage to receive a small amount of the money thanks to one of my articles being held over until after the magazine changed owners. It wasn’t much, but it did at least make me feel that I had received something, and I basically ended up feeling that as I really can’t stand the whole ‘finding new outlets’ side of this buisiness, that it would make more sense to connect up with the guys at Hotdog than make myself jump through hoops to write for places that I’m not even sure I want to write for. I get on with them, I know how to write for them, and with novel-writing becoming my main priority, I wanted to get to a place where I could worry a little less about the other side of things. And, as it turns out, I’ve already gotten a selection of small reviews- including Battlestar Galactica Season 2 on DVD, which I’ve been watching and thoroughly enjoying today. I’m regarding it as a positive step, and hopefully soon, I’ll be able to find out exactly where we’ll be heading next.