Well, Chapter 11 (version 1) of the sci-fi novel is done. Yesterday I started on a small painting. Should be finished in a few days, then I'll try and figure out how to sell it, post it to the customer if any :-) and start thinking of what the next painting might be.

I was reading "Consciousness" by Rita Carter yesterday, and discovered that scientists think that our brains can actually do some of the amazing things that so far only autistic savants and the occasional genius seem able to do, such as multiplying large numbers, recording scenes in detail, remembering and calculating timetables and so on. The difference with normal folk is that our brains have built-in filters to prevent the results of those computations reaching consciousness! So, when you look at some dodgy maths on the page, your brain will have computed the answer in a flash, but you're not allowed to become aware of the answer!! It is thought that the filters are in place because your consciousness would quickly become overwhelmed by needless info: a person can only hold around 5 items in awareness simultaneously, and how many apes need to know the technical details when being chased down by a lion anyway? Consciousness seems to be needed for broader judgements. Still, ever since the invention of writing, and perhaps a bit before then, such abilities would have been pretty useful (if they could be switched on and off at will). However, that period of time is a tiny fraction of the time that our lineage has been in existence, so natural selection hasn't had long enough to do anything much about it anyway. So for now, all that capability is being edited out of our awareness. Sigh.

OK, I've just gone out and bought a whole load of painting kit. It set me back £150, and no doubt I've forgotten something, so we'll see how it goes. Mind you, I'll still be unhappy to sell a painting outright: I'm such a hoarder. On the other hand, it will make it interesting to see my stuff spreading around the world and getting lost. I'll keep a digital record with my trusty digital camera anyway.

Ringamoby.com earned me a gross £180 for last month. That may be a small net profit: I won't know until I go through my bank statements and check how much the advertising has cost... could be months before I know: usually I only go through my bank statements when my tax return needs to be done ;-)

So, how's the old sci-fi novel coming along Martin? Well, not bad. I've just finished chapter 10 (first draft). I guess I'm averaging about a chapter a year so far :-) but I'm writing much more lately since I'm off work at the moment.

Actually, I'm trying to retire from regular JOB (Just Over Broke) type work and am hoping to become a property tycoon instead. Anybody want to buy a nice 4-bed 2/3 reception 2 bathroom end-terrace Victorian house suitable for letting or conversion in Leyton E10? £250k to you (offers considered). You can check out the spec on http://www.rightmove.co.uk

I'm also considering taking up the old painting again, this time to supplement my living and not just for the archives. I just balk at the expense of buying all that paint and stuff... It could set me back several quid!

Hmm... well, this blogger thing is working, but I've had a few hiccups with it so far - like what's happened to the other stuff I typed? Anyway, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon enough.

Now. I can't help wondering if I'm just a sucker for whatever the powers that be want me to believe. But then again, we'll never know, will we? All the news you and I hear is second hand, that is, hearsay. Colin Powell's "evidence" at the UN was no better. He could have been showing pictures of anywhere, at any time, or cartoons drawn by schoolchildren. Who would know the difference? I think that one just has to make a judgement as to which is more likely to be true: which people are lying the most.