Open the box...

The box from the Philippines arrived yesterday (roughly the size and weight of a box you'd get a smallish fridge in). So much cool stuff -- art, letters, weird gifty things. I've already hung up the lightshade and put the bracelets on Maddy and eaten a bag of dried mangoes and read about twenty letters (out of a few hundred) and admired art and hung a mask on a wall... I think it will probably take several more days to go through it all. Meanwhile Jaime, Erwin and I are plotting a cool thing for the Philippines, and trying to figure out exactly what sort of shape it'll take.

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People have written since March complaining that they missed the audio version of Mr Punch when the BBC broadcast it. This came in this morning:

I just want to remind you to remind your blog readers that "The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr Punch" will be repeated on Sunday 14 August on either BBC radio's "The Wire" or more likely on BBC radio's "Drama on 3". The reason I can't say for sure whether it will be "The Wire" or "Drama on 3" is because the BBC seems to have announced future "Drama on 3" broadcasts on the web page of "The Wire".It will be available for people to hear it online for the following week at either:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/dramaon3/?focuswin- or -http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/thewire/index.shtml--Ross Nelson

Good to know, and it'll be up for a week afterwards. I'll try and put something up here as soon as I have a link -- meanwhile, keep an eye on http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/listen/index.shtml which may list it.

Edit: Well, the listing is http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/thewire/pip/zhji7/)

(There's some nice footage of Punch and Judy at the BBC site, btw -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/family_friendly/punch_and_judy.shtml)

Neil,TicketWeb has tickets on sale for an event called "Neil Gaiman" at CB's 313 Gallery in NYC on August 17. (http://www.ticketweb.com/user/?region=nyc&query=detail&event=622351) I don't remember you mentioning anything about this in your journal; I've done a search and haven't found anything. It seems suspicious since 1) you usually tell us when/where you'll be appearing, 2) you're going to be in NYC in September, and 3) this is a 21-and-older event and I can't remember you ever doing something like that. I'm hesitant to buy tickets for this mysterious "Neil Gaiman" show. I'd rather not spend 10 dollars and an evening to hear a bunch of people reading from your books or something.--Tsippa

I will be doing a reading at CBGBs, but it will be on Sept 17th, not August 17th. I hadn't posted anything about it as I don't have details yet, other than a date. It's a Save CBGBs benefit gig. According to the CBGBs website it's actually "16 with valid ID to enter, 21+ to drink", and it stresses that while tickets will be available via ticketweb, there will be a limited number onsale on the door. So I'll put more info up when things get nearer and I can tell you more.

(Update - while CBGBs has won its first found, it still needs the benefits to keep going.)

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Go check out art lad's blog at http://artlad.blogspot.com/. And not just because he links to me...

And I've been asked to mention that the QUILLS award voting process starts on Monday the 15th. Voting is here. http://www.quillsliteracy.org/nominatingvoting.html (I don't mind if you vote for me or not.)