[Growltigger]

I am still around, hovering in the ether and planning untold cartoon violence to all and sundry.

What little time I have had for gaming has been spent bashing away on Rome Total War (damn that game is wonderful!)

On a serious note, real life has just caught up with me hugely since about August Last year.

Work has been horribly busy, unrewarding and just a misery really. I am getting to the stage (I am 35) of deciding that I fancy something different. Something where I take a paycut and hopefully have a fulfilled work life, but have the ability to balance my private life as well. At the rate things are going, I just think life is heading for heart disease (I drink too much, smoke and am now overweight) and an early death. There has got to be a way of striking the balance.

On another note, what has kept me really busy is becoming a father Last September. Alessandra Grace is the joy of my life and (although I admit to being biassed) is the most beautiful little girl in the world. Fatherhood is perfect and I just wander why I left it so late. Even the sleepless nights and nappies are a pleasure....

But to work now, but will try and log back in soon.