I'm due to go in for a hernia op. tomorrow and yes I'm worried. Hope I don't catch this PDSA virus. Does anyone out there who's had the same procedure know how long I'll be in?

I rather like this ghost story - not too spooky but rather wistful and cleverly done.

Underwritten and very moving:

http://www.abctales.com/nasar/a_man_who_was_donkey

Try it out!

Oh, a new successful Mars spacecraft launch.

Built right here in my back yard...cooooool.

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2005/08/08/daily68.html?from_r...

There I was, having a cigarette break outside the office. Minding my own business, a woman came up to me, smiled, said she hadn't seem me around the estate before. I said I didn't live there, but worked for the housing association. "Work for the Housing association" she said , "dressed like worzel gummage?"

Anyone know where the literary cliche of an "American friend" being implicit with adultery comes from?

I'm writing my creative writing dissertation at the moment (thanks to ABC for suddenly coming to life just when I didn't need any distractions!) and for a reasons that are too dull to explain I want my character to be reading a novel in his English class where there is an adulterous American friend. American friends - correct me if I'm wrong - are often associated with adultery. Yes? Any ideas of books that contain these elusive American friends?

So, I find myself in the situation of actually not having to be anywhere particular in the whole wide world and I'm trying to decide where to go/what to do.

(I have about 75p to my name, so Barbados isn't an option)

It's exciting, because I'm not going to let a bit of casual homelessness stop me, but it's a mighty task. Where shall I go? What shall I do?

Anybody ever found themselves in the situation before? I can see it has the potential to be very precarious, but also, if I work it out properly, life changing in a good way.

So Tone, am I right in thinking that you and your foot will be available for a drink from next wednesday onwards - the 17th August? If so, when are we getting together for a summer sesh?