TLC... please?

Click on the picture for a closer view.

Yesterday, our 7 year old gal, Darcy had a suspected mast cell growth removed from her side. I hate to see her like this, but hopefully it will come back as all good, meaning not malignant.

So here she is resting up with her pussy cat BFF, Eve, hogging the free half of Darcy's bed. Thank goodness Darcy is chilled enough not to warrant one of those damned light shades around her neck. So gentle walks and no chasing her ball, plus lots of tender loving care. Oh, to be a dog.

Re-Meet Me revised

Just a note to say that if you go back to the original post you will find my entry now complete. I was very remiss in the first instance, so hopefully this makes up for my cock-up :)

The Elder Scrolls Online

I must apologise in advance for the following - it's me getting enthused for the upcoming release of an online game entitled, 'The Elder Scrolls Online', which will be the massively multi-player online role playing game set in the world known to many for the likes of Skyrim and Oblivion.

So for your viewing pleasure, here is the teaser trailer introducing the Alliances, of which there are three - I so wish 'The Hobbit' had been done completely CGI *sigh*. Enjoy the trailer... and if you're into MMORPGs, sign up for the closed beta testing coming up soon :)

First Book Cover

Copyright © 2013 M.Kelly
All Rights Reserved.

Recently, some of you might recall I mentioned I was going to give designing book covers a go. Well, as an update, I'm showing you the first one completed. I know it doesn't look much, but trust me when I say this, trying to get all the elements right for the author to like and for it to reflect what the story is about is a bloody difficult thing to nail down.

Admittedly, I think some writers envision their dream book cover to look like a Hollywood film poster (and I've had one issuing instructions to that ilk), but the reality of it is, simplicity works best, especially for the fledgling book cover designer like myself.

Restricted access to images, equipment and yes, I'll admit to this too, full software know-how, i.e. Photoshop, Sketchbook Pro ( excellent program, btw - click HERE to go to their free trial page, scroll to the bottom, download and get sketching! ) and a bit of InDesign, has left me wondering why I even decided to tread this path in the first place? But like everything in life, if it is worth getting/doing, then it's going to be bloody hard doing so!

There is an old saying (I heard it from my days in the Territorial Army) that goes, 'keep it simple stupid', and that's what I fully intend to do, at least until I'm a master of the software at my finger tips... muh-wah-hahaha!

Re-Meet Me

My lovely blogof, Elise Fallson, has started up (along with some partners in crime) a 're-meet' blogfest, where we can all share our wonderfulness - and our woes - to friends old and hopefully friends new.

So this is me, Mark, and welcome to 'The Open Hearth'. If you wish to read through the fiction I've written, take a look in the left hand column, third pane down. I hope you find something that you enjoy :)

Apologies for the (initial) lack of content here. Real life can be so inconsiderate at times, and couple that with a senile brain and you've got a recipe for... well, crap, basically.

Now, I'm afraid I can't produce any musical (as I am not that way blessed) videos, nor am I going to deliver anything on video that would allow anyone to take me seriously ever again - not that some of you do as it stands... yes, you know who you are! :P

So, without further ado, allow me to re-introduce myself by means of a small life history...

Sad News

Alice and her best friend, Mabel.

Some time ago I read about a very brave young girl with terminal cancer. Her name was Alice. Knowing that every moment was precious, she decided to create a 'bucket list' of things she wanted to do and achieve before her time ran out and set up a blog entitled: Alice's Bucket List.

I, like many, many others, joined her blog and followed discretely, occasionally posting words of encouragement. Alice loved her family, and was an extremely brave and up-beat individual.

I'm so very saddened to hear that Alice passed away yesterday, Saturday, 12th January 2013, surrounded by her family. She was aged 17.

Progress into 2013

Copyright © 2011 M.Kelly

So, with 2013 still shuffling along on its hands and knees, I've had time to mull things over and reflect.
The one thing that has been paramount has been the declining financial flow through my work as a Sports Massage Therapist. I've turned to being mobile, so 'have car & bench, will travel' still doesn't seem to be improving things, and to make matters worse, I now have to sell the car - reasons for which, I won't go into.