Cool. Just published the Golden Apples section of AnotherSun. There's a good selection of UK poets which pleases me. American writers have really colonised the web more than their UK counterparts. It's quite nice to have been sent good work by people over here too. Although the whole idea of nationality I suppose is a bit redundant on the Internet.

Went out this evening for a meal with Shaila -- an old school friend. We hooked up again through friends reuinited. She was looking great in sexy thigh boots. I wasn't sure what I expected her to look like after all these years. I felt a bit shoddy myself, as I'd just crept away from a somewhat uninspired day at the agency. We'd not had a proper chat for about twenty years -- so there was plenty to catch up on. We went to the Gate restaurant in Hammersmith and forked down some top vegetarian grub.

She now lives in Hong Kong and has retired (as she keeps saying) at 43. Learnt a lot about her that I never knew tonight -- about the difficult circumstances of her childhood. It's funny how you think you know people so well when you are in your teens, but there is usually a whole load of baggage people only feel comfortable enough to talk about when they're much older. Shaila's happily married, and has made lots of money as a successful accountant, and had two sons she is having privately educated and will send to posh English private schools. Which considering her parents were not well educated is a massively inspiring success story. She has a great spirit, and it was top to see her. And nowhere near as awkward as I thought it would be.