Happy New Year!

She stood perfectly still under the harsh and unrelenting glare of a single spotlight. In the smoke-filled room, loosely gathered around her, sat a circle of men. All silent now, they watched her with looks of hungry expectation.

While she couldn't see their faces, she felt their eyes on her. And their need.

With a small smile she stepped forward. One slender arm, sheathed in a long silk glove the colour of midnight, reached out and took hold of the microphone in front of her, pulling it close to her lips.

She closed her eyes and began to sing...

That's how tonight should have been.

Maybe next time.

Happy New Year everyone.

This PI's New Year's Resolutions

Yes, Dear Reader, it's amost the end of yet another year. And, hopefully, the world as we know it - but I'm not holding  my breath.

Going by how things went this year, I can only imagine that I will further embrace the cliche that my life has become: Deadbeat PI. At your service.

Perhaps I should make an active effort to be the master of my destiny?

With that in mind, here are a few of my own personal goals for the coming year.

Novel Marketing Strategy for 2012

It's almost another year done and I've been giving next year some thought.

Quite a lot of thought, actually. (This was my thinking for 2011, but I got sidetracked).

In particular, I've been thinking about focussing on particular services towards a single sector: Corporate Investigations.

That's where the money is at. It certainly doesn't seem to be with the usual deadbeat clients I seem to attract, that's for sure.

Now, what's the best way of getting the attention of some of these key decision-makers...?

Adventures in Banjo Country

I always get the interesting jobs. And by 'interesting', I mean the difficult, tricky, inopportune, or generally just unpleasant ones.

Sometimes, if I'm really lucky, a combination of the above.

So, there I was the other evening, contemplating the free time I had ahead of me when the phone rings. It's one of my regular clients and they have an urgent job for me which needs to be done this evening...

It's not like I have a life, right?

Season's Greetings

I'd like to wish all my readers a heartfelt 'Merry Christmas' and joyous greetings for the Festive Season.

Yes, I'd like to.

But since my Christmas is turning out to be a non-event thanks to douchebag clients who close up shop for the year without paying their bills, I'm all out of Christmas cheer! I'm out of other things too, hopefully some kind souls will feed me over the coming days.

Bah fucking humbug!

If you're not cop, you're little people.

Sadly, this belief seems to be deeply ingrained within some of our law enforcement brothers (and sisters). Worse, it is all too evident in some whose position is in a 'customer service' role. They are the first contact a citizen has with the constabulary, when coming forth to make a complaint.

You'd think that perhaps that perhaps the police might give these staff some special training in regards to effectively dealing with the public in a manner that won't alienate or mariginalise them?

No.

Do not adjust your set...

It appears that I forgot to renew the domain for INSIYHAL and it expired about a week ago.

Oops!

In my defence, I have been a bit busy. You know, investigating and stuff.

Anyway, things are back to normal now and I'll have some more tales of woe to post shortly.