Barely one day into the Virtual worlds forum and I'm writing about 'Time Until Penis' and 'Dildo In The Room'.

Good job I'm back at work on Saturday.

Normalcy.

No blogging for the next two days as I'm at the Virtual Worlds Forum pretending to be a journalist-blogger (don't ask...) Posts about this will be on Mental Kipple.

On Friday it's Mac Expo day, but I should have written something ambulance based before then. I'm thinking something based on a Levellers song...

VWF is rather interesting even though it is more directed towards business people, it's fun to look at what they consider important in a Virtual World as opposed to us mere consumer/creators.

The low level light in the main hall is massacring my eyes while I'm trying to take notes though.

On the subject of notes - I think that I've taken more notes in the first morning here than I did during my entire time in college.

Which may explain a lot.

Oh, and I've just done a bit for BBC radio's Pods and Blogs, Chris is a very nice chap and persuasive to boot.

Right - time for the afternoon session.

I wish they had beer here...

I've just come back home from Cheltenham. It was great fun, and I'll have a quick run down of some of the best points.

• The hotel I was put up in was so posh a tiny bag of KP nuts cost £1.75. This is not a complaint.
• I can find a Wetherspoons pub anywhere. It's a skill.
• One of the staff in the 'Writer's room' wrote her dissertation on my publisher The Friday Project, including my book in it.
• Another volunteer who looked after the panel did some work experience for The Friday Project.
• Both of the above are obviously intelligence people of taste and distinction. Also pretty.
• All the guests on the panel were lovely, as was the host.
• Jed Mercurio, as well as being lovely, has given me a lot to think about.
• Feedback from the audience was apparently good - I'm glad that they enjoyed it.
• I did my first ever signing - it was *superb*.
• I still feel like some sort of a fraud. I think that I need to get over myself.
• I managed to get my favourite book of all time signed by the author ('Microserfs' by Douglas Coupland) and I managed to blabber like a fame struck idiot at the same time.

This is the first time that I've done anything public around 'literature' as opposed to internet/blogging. If they are all as interesting, well thought out, and perfectly organised as this one I'd like to do some more.

I'd also like to thank all the people involved for inviting me - it was great.

Now - back to work at 6:30am tomorrow, and back to writing about ambulance things.

As part of my talk with the panel at the Cheltenham Literature Festival I mention that there are a fair number of UK based medical blogs. I'm linking to some of them below (in no particular order, just the order I clicked on them in my RSS Reader).

This is set to post just as the panel starts and will be the 'datashadow'. Here's hoping anyway...

The social worker blog is a bit too 'corporate' to be what I'd consider a 'proper' blog (whatever that means), but there seems to be an absence of personal social worker blogs. I also can't find a UK based radiographer blog.

Suggestions of additions to this list gratefully received.

A&E Nurse blog.

Ambulance controller.

Mental Health Nurse blog.

Patient blog.

Medical Student blog.

Hospital doctor blog.

Midwife Blog.

GP blog.

Physiotherapist Blog.

Pharmacy Blog.

The collection of Social Worker blogs (Not really what I'd call blogs, but there you go...).

I am still alive, although I've been very busy for these past two days.

Mostly sleeping.

I just thought that I'd mention that this coming Saturday and Sunday I'll be in Cheltenham for the Times Literature Festival.

Saturday will be spent mainly wandering around checking out some of the talks.

Then on Sunday I become one of the guests. For an hour I'll be on a panel with Jed Mercurio (who is a writer I greatly admire) and Dr. Thomas Stuttaford (who writes for The Times).

There are details online.

I'm listed as a 'performance'. This amuses me. It also amuses me that I'm considered Literature.

If you want to see me there is a payment involved and I'm getting paid for my appearance.

This amuses me no end.

I'll also be around for book signings and 'photocalls', it's part of the work contract I signed.

I doubt I'll be much bothered by constant calls for my picture to be taken.