Plugger plugging a plug

"Who took my pen.....?"

I don't often publicise things on this blog in direct posts, but today is different.

One of the joys of being a freelance writer, editor, tutor, web page opinion-offerer and anything else I can get away with claiming to be is that I often get to work with and for some very talented and creative people.  People who are braver than I am; setting up their own businesses, inspiring others, making a dream happen on their terms.

Wolfram and I met a year ago to discuss doing some serious work - his day job and mine.  This all occurred without a hitch and he went on with life his life and I mine.

What I'm finding now is that clients come back, but not always for the same kind of work.  This time, Wolf had a personal project he needed some of my freelance tomfoolery for an album he wrote himself and partly recorded with the help of Frank Zappa band members Ike Willis, Arthur Barrow, Tommy Mars and Ed Mann.

After all, why not track down these legendary dudes to help add some extra oomph to your first album?  Wolf travelled from Geneva to California sparing no expense as he lived, drove and wrote in a rented camper van before, during and after their recording sessions.

He's made the first mix of the album which is a funky mixture of rock, jazz, spoken word, humour and very melodic riffs.  I was lucky enough to hear it a few weeks ago and contribute to some of the lyrics and help set up the project page.  Let's just say that the songs touch on issues such as overuse of corporate crapulence (buzzwords) and the story of a man and his family doing whatever they can to cope with today's world. Funny and touching and a damn good listen at the same time.

Wolf is now on Indiegogo seeking helping with final funding to return to the US for a second recording session that will complete the album and make it available via digital download and in CD form. From as little as $5 you can be part of a unique album that features brand new music and deservedly revered musicians.

Otherwise, if you know anyone who admires Frank Zappa's musicians or likes the idea of supporting a man with a dream that deserves to come true, please forward them this link - http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/my-new-cd-with-frank-zappa-s-band-members-be-part-of-it/x/2247128

I'm really thrilled to be involved!

Plugger by name, plugging by nature

Yep, it's time. When I married Love Chunks, my surname changed from READ ("Hey Chopper!") to Lockett ("Hey PLUGGER!") and now I actually have something to plug.

If you're vaguely interested in chocolate, then you might want to visit Gone Chocco, my brand new other site that discusses all things chocolate. If you sign up for a freebie newsletter via email you could also win a chocolate hamper that contains Lindt, Heritage, Baci, Baileys, M&Ms, Toblerone and a few other delicious bits and pieces.

I figured it was time to give running my own chocolate site a go after the Chocablog editor, Dom, who is based in the UK, said that I was submitting more chocolate reviews and articles than his UK, US and European contributors combined. As his site relies on UK advertising, it was becoming a bit too Aussie for their liking and my articles were getting held back and becoming older and older when they were posted. This was fine for me but not for chocolatiers who'd generously given me their goodies, had a chat or two about their seasonal line and found that my "Easter is going to be a real Bilby Brigade" story about their fine product wasn't going to appear until September.

Yes, I'm that committed: I hunt down and eat the naughty stuff so that you don't have to. Or you can do, especially if you're sitting there reading it at 11am and remembered that you didn't have breakfast and it's time for a coffee and wouldn't something sweet go down a treat with it. Or 3pm, when whatever horrendous wrap it was that you scoffed over your keyboard like a stressed out neanderthal has disappeared like the tissue paper it was wrapped in and you just KNOW that in the staff kitchen is a fundraiser box of large-sized caramello koalas and it's for a good cause after all; the kids need hockey uniforms.......

Cholesterol is still an issue, so my intake has reduced but the variety has greatly increased. Our poor fridge is becoming full of nude blocks of chocolate with one row snapped off, sliced up truffles and bars with one bite in them. Acceptable eating for Love Chunks and Sapphire yes; but not for sharing with friends or taking to dinner parties so eventually I'll have to work out just how I can smash and melt them all down into my version of Bertie Beetles - Kath's Cockroaches perhaps.

Never fear though, this blog will still get some love, just not this week because I'm taking Sapphire with me to surprise my Mum for her birthday. She's turning 69 tomorrow and isn't likely to expect a big hullabaloo. Next year yes, but this year all she'll be expecting is a bunch of interflora flowers and a phonecall, so hopefully her heart can handle the shock.

And I'm a chip off the old block, having learned from the best. Mum bought a block of Old Gold family-size because it was on special for $2. Dad found out and on his way home from golf he bought another five. Walking in brandishing his booty (and the chocolate, let's be clear here), he crowed, "Look Pauline, it's so cheap so why not have some more?"

Mum turned around and pointed to the pantry where she'd just been stacking another ten blocks. Need I say more?