January - The Monday of the Year.

Welcome back all. Hope you had a good break.

I don't know about you, but on January 3rd the phone and email went mad and it felt like everything needed doing by yesterday.

Which is why I feel that January is like the annual Monday.

You can face it in one of two ways.

1. Leap out of bed shouting a Delia Smith-like 'Let's be 'avin' yer.' Or,
2. Press snooze, crawl under the duvet and hope you get away with it.

My book writing means that I have been more in the Number 1 adrenaline fuelled camp.

In fact I kept up a habit over the entire break which was actually very enjoyable.

Every morning I got up (good start), made tea and promised that I would write a minimum of 500 words or 30 minutes -which ever came first.

It actually turned into a very good mental stretch to focus the day.

Do you have any morning routines that set you up?

And no I'm not talking about 4.30am alarms, 150kg deadlifts, and 60 minutes of silence while being whipped into mindfulness by an angry monk.

Though I won't judge.

Anyway, enough chit chat.

On with the Viewsletter.

Current Word Count: 12,052 (some of them usable). I make this a word:mince pie ratio of 123:1. Believe me, it's more than a mind stretch that I need.

Current Emoji Mood: ?????? (A heady combination of inspired, exhausted and excited. The thing about me is that when I get the bit between my teeth with a project my sleep tends to take second place).

Writing Location Of the Month

BRISTOL!

It was lovely to spend 48 hours in a city that was very good to me when I was an actor. Bristol Old Vic is a beautiful theatre, with an amazing history. It has also been restored and developed into an amazing community hub.

If you find yourself in Bristol I also heartily recommend a swim, spa, lunch at the extraordinary lido in Clifton . My dear friend Erika Hoffman took me there for lunch after we lost our original booking elsewhere because of my delayed train.

Every problem is an opportunity eh?

This Month's Top Model - The Other DNA of Life

Which brings me to the other DNA of Life.

Erika and I experienced exactly this.

Dream: Tapas lunch at 12.30

Nightmare: Delayed train and arrival in Temple Meads at 1.25

Action: Quick dash to Clifton to get what turned out to be a very special alternative lunch

You can see a video all about your other DNA here . It's yet another piece of eyeball scorching genius from Abhay Chettri

The other DNA is central to my book and I'm hoping to spill the beans next month.

Our logo is with the lawyers at the moment for trademark purposes.

Hello. Is It Me You're Looking For?

One of the joys of 2023 was the many friends I made when I appeared on their podcasts. This clip from one I did with Catherine Lang-Cline was a total treat. She is such a warm personality and really dives into the unexpected threads that go into making the tapestry we all become. Here's to keeping weird!

Book of the Month

Dave Trott is someone you should all read. Creative, incisive, iconoclastic.

And the guy knows how to tell a bloody good story.

'One + One = Three' is the first of his I read and I go back to it nearly every week for inspiration.

Here's a quick inside look I recorded at Battersea Power Station before Christmas.

Oh. You're Still Here

And here's your bonus thanks to my friend Joeri ?? Schilders

Writing a first draft involves a lot of FAFO.

May your January be FAFO Full as you figure out what 2024 is all about.

But don't forget that even when you do you'll need your DNA.

See you next month.

David x