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Happy birthday! I hope you managed to have a rare 5 minutes off, in which to dip your ginger nuts contemplatively? That came out sounding more double entendre than I'd imagined.

Are the t-shirts the same design as the poster?

May try and get to this, if i can find somewhee to stay in the vicinity. If not, hopefully going to the Manchester one.

Cheers for everyone who's got in touch so far! Been really nice to see some of the reactions to this round the web.

For a limited time only, here are a few more samples from the upcoming 'Life Begins at 40' book. If you like this, there's plenty more to whet your appetite on: //http://www.peteandjeff.blogspot.com

And those who are still looking to pre-order a copy (with foreword by Doctor Who's Sophie Aldred) can do so at: //http://bit.ly/awxdon


Saturday 7th August

I went for another coffee with Rachel, a little less nervous than last time. Although the perfume still got me.
"James loves Doctor Who!" She said. "He wants a sonic screwdriver for his birthday."
"I've got a-" I began, rather enthusiastically, but then remembered I was supposed to be playing it cool. "...An idea where you could get one of those. Amazon." I nodded.
"Uh-huh." She mumbled. I had the feeling that my information hadn't really helped that much. "He's always asking mad questions. Maybe you'll know this one: why does the TARDIS look like a phone box?"
"Well, it's a chameleon circuit. It can change its form to blend in perfectly with its surroundings!"
"So... That's why Doctor Who looks human?" She looked puzzled.
"What? No..."
"So what does he really look like? Is he a green blob or something?"
"Green blob? No, that's the Daleks!" I shrieked.
"I thought the Daleks were robots?" She asked. I buried my head in my hands.
"The Daleks are not robots! They're the mutated remains of the Kaled race in a Mark 3 travel machine of bonded polycarbide armour!" I felt the conversation was slipping away from us.
"So... how many days now? Until the wedding?"
She fixed her eyes on mine. "D'you want a proper drink?"



Pete: Saturday 7th August

Where was Jeff?! He said he was only going for coffee. Coffee! How long could that take to drink? And what was he doing drinking coffee anyway? He was a pint man. Everyone knew that! I sincerely hoped he wasn't trying to pass himself off as a regular, functioning person again? Cause it takes a lot more than just switching your lager for latte to achieve that. It was that Rachel! I'd have to give him a stern talking to when he got in... But I couldn't do that on an empty stomach. I looked in the fridge: one carton of milk which had separated into a cooking oil-like substance; some margarine that had gone black; a tub of 'Athlete's Foot Remedy' (?); Daisy's organic yeast gloop; and an open tin of dry Spam with an even dryer teabag perched on top. Maybe if we had any bread in the freezer, I could use the athlete's foot cream as spread? But we didn't. The freezer was equally devoid of edible content. Which only left the... But no! Surely I couldn't eat the Doctor Who spaghetti shapes. Jeff might come home to find me having a spasm of some kind. I scrutinized the ingredients, however, and saw that they only contained 0.07% anchovy extract. Why did they even bother? Surely that wouldn't kill me...
Unfortunately, the tin was without a ring-pull and I'd never been able to master can openers. But this was the future, so maybe it was one of those tins where the lid gradually peeled itself off the hotter it got. They existed, didn't they? Dom had mentioned it. Yeah, course they did. So I stuck the whole thing in the microwave and turned the dial. 3 minutes. Great! Time to go to the bathroom.
When I returned, 2 minutes later, the microwave looked like it was about to take off into space-time. The inside was rippling with blue sparks – little lightning forks of radioactive electricity – at its epicentre, the Doctor Who spaghetti shapes. I didn't know what to do. Was this a unique feature to compliment the nature of the product? It did seem like an awful lot of trouble for the good people at The Mill to go to, just for a cheap snack-food, complete with smoke and... FLAMES! Shit! I ran to press the eject button, but just then there was a small explosion, and all the power went out.
Thank god for my numerous supply of sonic screwdrivers, which double as great torches! I inspected the damage. The base of the microwave oven had melted. I'd have to hide it from Jeff. If he asked, I'd just say we'd never owned one, and that he'd imagined it. I put the whole thing in a box, and hid it under my bed. It'd be fine down there. It couldn't be that radioactive...
The power had just overloaded. I threw a trip switch and it was fine. But we didn't seem to have any hot water. What if I had to call a plumber? I'd be required to stand around and banter with them, pretend to be a real man: etiquette demanded it. I'd have to worry about it another time. Jeff had just shambled through the front door, clearly pissed. He moved towards me as though he couldn't bend his knees, steadying himself on the furniture, and then my shoulder.
"Have you met the French?!" His expression was gleeful.
I shot him a stern glare. "What time do you call this?" He seemed to be having some difficulty lifting his hand from my shoulder to check his watch, then remembered that we had a clock in the living room. In fact, we had eleven clocks in the living room: one for each Doctor.
"Ah yes, got a bit waylaid. But it's all going to be fine, 'cause me and Rachel are definitely getting back together."
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah, I know. Great, isn't it?" He threw both arms into the air and started singing "champions!" – football style – until he could no longer stay upright, and collided with the sofa in a roughly sit-down position. I perched on the arm, to one side, listening to Jeff twitter on about how fantastic he was, what a fantastic night he'd had, and how fantastic everything was going to be from here on in. All I could think was 'what about me?'.
"Obviously there'll be certain complications." My ears pricked up.
"Oh yeah. Like the fact that Rachel's getting married?"
"A-ha! But she's not! There's no way she'll go through with it. She wants to start a new life with me, for sure."
"Right... And she did definitely say that, didn't she?"
"Didn't need to." Oh dear.
"Well, what exactly happened then?"
"Ah, you wouldn't believe it! We went for that coffee, and as soon as she walked into the room, she couldn't take her eyes off me. I couldn't blame her, of course. It couldn't have helped that the Jeffmeister here was socking it to her in the charm department." So that was why his tie was loose. He seemed to be under the impression that undoing enough buttons to show a little chest hair in public was 'charming'. "Anyway, I was all like – you gonna go through with this sham wedding then, or do you reckon we should give things another crack?" He emphasized the word 'crack' as though it held huge comedic value. This was accompanied by an obscene mime. "And she was like – Oh Jeff, I want to get pissed with you and relive the glory days of your parents bedroom! To hell with the consequences!"
"She actually said that?"
"You bet your ass! So we went to the pub, and she was all over me. Her hand must have touched mine, like, four times or something. And you won't believe this, but when we were about to go, she leaned over, and it was obvious she was going to kiss me." I raised my eyebrows, somewhat sceptical. "She didn't. Made some excuse about reaching over to get her handbag, which was obviously a lie."
"Oh right. So her handbag wasn't actually behind you then?"
"Well, no... It was. But that just proves it, doesn't it?"
"Does it?"
"Of course! She deliberately left it in a position where she'd end up in an 'accidental' clinch with me."
"So, let me get this straight. She said she wanted more than coffee..." Jeff slicked back his hair. "So you went for a proper drink; you talked about old times, 'cause that's what old friends who haven't seen each other for a while do; she touched your hand a few times, and was careless enough to leave her handbag out of sight, behind your back. And, because of this, you think she wants to get back with you? Have I missed something?"
"Yes. No." Visible confusion set in. He had the look of a dog chasing his own tail. "Not just because of that. Because she said so."
"But did she actually say words like, or to the effect of, 'Jeff, I want to give things another go'?"
"She didn't need to. It was clearly implied."
"Okay. But what did she actually say?" He didn't answer me. I could see him going through his mental filing cabinet, racking his brains. Then his whole head tilted slowly downwards. I'd burst his optimism bubble... And I only felt a bit guilty. After a moment, he staggered up and, with some effort, made his way silently to the kitchen. Shortly afterwards, he called back "Didn't we used to have a microwave?"

I'm told the 10% sale's continued into today, over at //http://www.hirstbooks.com. Just enter the not-intentionally-misleading discount code 'friday' at checkout...

Thanks very much, Mooncat!  

If we run into one another at a gig or convention I'll refund you the quid... Or convert it to beer form!

Hope you like the book. Until it comes out, we should be adding bits and pieces to the blog, and Facebook group: //http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113027208742579

Happy Birthday TBG! 2 years old already... Wonder if he's picked up any musical skills off his dad yet?!

A quick update, for anyone who likes what they've read: there's a 10% sale on all Hirst Books products today only, so now's your best chance to pick up a good bargain if you're interested in pre-ordering: //http://bit.ly/awxdon

All the best guys!

It's cheeky self-promotion time again, but you guys have always been especially supportive of my writing, so I thought you might be interested that I've done a new book. But this time it's all change. In about as radical a departure from the dark and moody poetry imaginable, we've written a black comedy: the 'we' in question being myself and co-author Chris Newton. It's loosely inspired by Doctor Who, which I know a few people on here are into, and has already been getting some great feedback. Some people have even cautiously ventured the word 'hilarious', although I hasten to add that it's also got risque moments, sheer poignant emotion, some truly geeky ranting and the odd utterly bizarre, surreal bit. Look out for a hallucination straight from Quantum Leap!

It all started out as a blog, where the early edits (which essentially make up the first part of the book) can still be read, so if anyone wants to take a look, they're over at: //http://www.peteandjeff.blogspot.com

And if anyone's interested in pre-ordering, here's a shortenned link: //http://bit.ly/awxdon. The pre-order helps fund the printing costs, and, as a thank you, anyone who orders in advance gets their name in the credits and a signed copy before it hits the shelves... Essentially, we've 'done a marillion'!

The cover (on both those sites) should be a real treat for hardcore Doctor Who fans. Anyone who can spot all the references gets a complementary packet of rich teas (the thinking man's biscuit). Plus, the book's going to feature a foreword from Sophie Aldred!

In the meantime, here's what I call a synopsis, Chris calls a splurge, and our publisher calls a blurb. I'm not sure which one sounds the most silly, but if anyone wants to throw any other names into the hat, I'd love to hear them!

'Life Begins at 40' (Hirst Books), by Chris Newton and Mark Charlesworth, is the story of two thirty-something Doctor Who fanatics sharing a flat in Blackpool, out of pocket, out of luck and clinging to the hope that Life Begins at 40...

Jeff is a barman, constantly forestalling marriage to his neurotic new-age girlfriend, preferring the company of Pete, an agoraphobic misfit with some serious baggage. United by their social detachment and love of Doctor Who, their world view is tainted by too much cult TV, and the walls between reality and fantasy begin to blur, with hilariously disastrous consequences.

With middle-age fast approaching, can they really spend the rest of their lives hiding behind the sofa?

'Life Begins at 40' deals with the big questions. Should we get married? Are children a good idea? And, in the future, will we all be walking around with one eye and no arms from too much teleporting?

Thanks very much! Had a great weekend, thanks. Lots of beer, some nice Thai food and a new set of Doctor Who toys... Erm, well I suppose I should call them Collectable Models now I'm in my mid-20s...

Hello everyone. I used to get on here quite a lot, particularly on the old (or even older than that?) forum, but don't get so much time to visit these days - even though I'm still avidly following Frost* and the blog. So I thought I'd sign in today and find out what everyone's up to. It turns out, however, that there have been MANY threads and lots of news whilst I've had my head stuck in the world of Doctor Who!

So short of employing a secretary to sift through it all and make me a sensible and organised bullet-pointed list, I thought I'd start a thread and invite people to update it with any projects they're working on / personal news etc. It doesn't even need to be music-related, although I know there are a lot of musicians on here. It could be about tea and biscuits...

Speaking of Doctor Who, I saw the coolest thing yesterday! //http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdrqdW4Miao&feature This is a video of a guy using two Tesla Coils to play the Doctor Who theme. When I first saw it, the video appealed to every level of nerd that I am.

Thanks. Will have to check that out.

Looking forward to tonight's episode...

Possibly an odd question, but any plans to sell off the 'rogue' copies of TPE?

Know there are a fair few Doctor Who fans on here, and some of you may appreciate this(//http://www.peteandjeff.blogspot.com): the fictional blog of Pete and Jeff (or, as they prefer, Omega and Rassilon), two thirty-somethings sharing a flat, united by their social detachment and love of Doctor Who. Out of pocket, out of luck, and clinging to the hope that life begins at forty...

This is a bit of a departure for those that know my dark, moody poetry, but in the words of Monty Python 'and now for something completely different...

'Life Begins at Forty' (www.peteandjeff.blogspot.com) is the fictional blog of Pete and Jeff (or, as they prefer, Omega and Rassilon), two thirty-somethings sharing a flat, united by their social detachment and love of Doctor Who. Out of pocket, out of luck, and clinging to the hope that life begins at forty...

Pete: Monday January 11th

A very emotional day. Jeff read out David Tennant's Foreword from the Doctor Who Specials' box set, and we both went through an entire box of Kleenex Man-size before putting on the actual DVD.

Even 'Planet of the Dead' had taken on dark new implications because of the prophetic message at the end (although I can't deny that we were both in stitches at Lee Evans' heart-warming performance! Good one, Lee!) By the end of the episode, we'd gone through another box of tissues. Jeff couldn't understand where all the toilet roll had got to, and I was too embarrassed to confess to my 'genital renaissance', so I opted to go to Omar's on the other side of the street, and get some more tissue! Jeff couldn't quite believe I was prepared to leave the house. He looked at me with an expression I hadn't seen in years. I think it was respect. I felt like The Doctor! I got dressed for the first time since Boxing Day, pulling on all my finest clothes: a sleeveless He-Man shirt, some ripped jeans, a balaclava and a pair of 1980s sunglasses. Suddenly, however, as I got to the door, I began to feel nauseous and had to take a seat.

By the time my head stopped spinning, Jeff had somehow already been to the shop, returning with two carrier bags full of toilet paper, a family-pack of Doritos, and some reduced noodles. The packaging said they were now made to a 'Healthier New Recipe' as though that were actually a good thing! From the evidence, this seemed to include the addition of peas and a flashy new label. The bright colours make me slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps I'll send a 'round robin' to the local supermarkets asking if they have any surplus stock of the old version? I wouldn't mind paying: Jeff has a credit card, after all.

Had an emotional Who-a-thon...

FOR MORE, CHECK OUT: www.peteandjeff.blogspot.com

I'm a bit gutted about losing David Tennant (although I can't argue that we've had our fill of him on British TV)!  

Gone are the days when the retired Doctor would live out the rest of his acting days doing RSC, adverts, kids shows, cheap soap opera appearances or pantomime (in the case of Colin Baker.)

Ex-showrunner Russell T Davies has gone over to LA now too.