Mellow greetings, friends and associates,

I hope this finds you well. I'm in the middle of a busy week socially, which is kinda nice. Off to a fireworks party tonight with my writer friends then off to watch a rugby match (Wales v South Africa) with my mum and brother tomorrow afternoon. Still no news about a start-date for the job but we keep waiting. The title is a lyric from the song in the musical interlude- as has become customary- and isn't a statement about me feeling down or anything. I feel quite well, ironically enough.

There will be tellystuff in a mo, but first, I gotta get something off my chest (in a manner of speaking). I stayed up on Tuesday night to watch history being made one way or the other. Those of you who know me know that I would have voted for Obama. So I was overjoyed to see him being elected to the White House. His acceptance speech was moving and electrifying, even at 5.30am. John McCain's concession speech was amazingly gracious and dignified too. Shame the same can't be said for certain of his supporters who started to boo when McCain mentioned Obama's achievement. Yet when Obama praised McCain in his acceptance speech, there was applause. If that doesn't tell you what you need to know, nothing will. One thing people need to realise though- it's not gonna change overnight. Obama has one hell of a job on his hands, turning around the diverse catastrophes that have happened on Dubya's watch. It may take a year, or two, or maybe longer for things to happen. However, Obama's gonna be scrutinised more closely than any other president and certain media outlets are going to be ready to crucify him at the slightest provocation if it looks like he isn't bringing through the change he promised.

However, whilst I was elated at Obama's victory, I was less impressed with the result of the California Proposition 8 vote. Mere months after same-sex marriage was made legal in California, there has been a vote to make it illegal again. That the country can take such a huge step forward by electing the first black President and then strip away the right of lesbian and gay couples to marry on the same night disappoints me. Maybe it was too much to ask for both to happen? Perhaps it would have been seen as one of the signs of the Apocalypse if the same-sex marriage veto was defeated and Obama elected at the same time. Maybe the barriers need to be broken down one-by-one instead of all at once.

Anyway, off soapbox and onto tellystuff:

The Sarah Jane Adventures: the second part of Secrets Of The Stars was very good, with Russ Abbott continuing to impress as Trueman. The first part of The Mark Of The Berserker was OK- lacked a bit of the punch of the previous stories but a good performance by Jocelyn Jee Esien as Clyde's mum Carla.

Little Britain USA and Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor: Two sketch shows that have been quite hit-and-miss but have provided a few good laughs from time to time.

Strictly Come Dancing: It's about halfway through the competiton now and its really sorting the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. I thought the judges were a little harsh about Mark Foster's dancing but I wasn't surprised he'd gone. Same with Andrew Castle really. How John Sergeant has survived so long I've no idea but- as much as I like him- he needs to go soon otherwise a perfectly good dancer is going to be sacrificed for comedy value. Despite a few missteps in the last few dances, I still want Cherie Lunghi to win.

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Musical Interlude: Click here to hear the beautiful and mournful 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' by Green Day. I hadn't heard this in ages and it came on my iPod on random. It quite moved me.

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MINI-COUNTDOWN: SEVEN FAVOURITE GAY-THEMED FILMS

I was going to include this in my National Coming Out Day/Matthew Shepard memorial blog but I was conscious of space- and seven may seem like an odd number, but it's my countdown and I can have as many or as few as I wish There are plenty more that I like but these are my favourites. A word of warning: some of the clips aren't suitable for work- and be careful if your kids (or parents) are near.

1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien (based on his play) and directed by Jim Sharman

'Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh!'

Cheesy, campy, kitschy, addictive and downright fantastic, this wonderful cult movie has spawned a whole sect of devoted followers: me included. Who cannot help but love a film whose central ethos is 'don't dream it, be it?' That it is still going stronger than ever thirty-three years on is testament to the fundamental message and just how fun the whole thing is. Susan Sarandon went on to win an Oscar whilst Tim Curry is defined (rightly or wrongly) by his exceptional gender-bending turn as Frank N Furter. It's just brilliant. If you've never seen it, you don't know what you're missing.

2. Beautiful Thing (1996)
Screenplay by Jonathan Harvey (based on his play) and directed by Hettie Macdonald

'I wish I was the one that was going away. Nothing ever happens around here. I gets up in the morning, bake my face in half a ton of slap, tong my hair with yesterday's lacquer, that's it. It's the same every bleeding day.'

Obligatory mention of Doctor Who. This wonderful little gem was indeed directed by the same lady who directed Blink. The touching and beautiful story of the burgeoning relationship between two lads on a London council estate transcends most of the usual coming-out cliches and presents a very honest view of things. Stellar performances by Scott Neal and Glenn Berry as the two boys, with excellent support by Linda Henry as Jamie's mum and Tameka Empson as the boys' Mama Cass-loving friend Leah. I can't watch this film without crying, especially at the finale. Whenever I hear 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me', I think of this.

3. The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (1994)
Written and directed by Stephan Elliott

'It's funny. We all sit around mindlessly slagging off that vile stink-hole of a city. But in its own strange way, it takes care of us. I don't know if that ugly wall of suburbia's been put there to stop them getting in, or us getting out.'

Two drag queens and a transsexual go on a road-trip across Australia, baring souls and sequins along the way. The central trio- Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and the superlative Terence Stamp- are just fantastic. Beneath the glitter, there's darkness too which is addressed very even-handedly. The musical interludes are high-energy and divine and it's no surprise that a stage musical has been made of it. I can't wait to see it when it hits London next year.

4. Love! Valor! Compassion! (1997)
Screenplay by Terrence McNally (based on his play) and directed by Joe Mantello

'A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum where the only thing that happens is nothing. And it's not funny. And they all go down waiting. Waiting for what? Waiting for nothing. Waiting for death like everyone I know and care about is, including me'

A group of gay friends meet at a beautiful house in the country over three successive holiday weekends. They argue, bicker, fall in love, fight, dance and learn the meaning of friendship. It might sound incredibly earnest but it's a wonderful piece of cinema with a truly brlliant ensemble cast (with John Glover a particular standout as playing twins James and John, and Jason Alexander as the camp musical-obsessed and HIV+ Buzz). The script swings from zingy one-liners to truly heart-felt dialogues- none more so than when Buzz's happy facade crumbles and he faces up to his feelings for James and the illness which will kill them both. Despite that, it's a very affirming film.

5. Shortbus (2006)
Written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell

'As my dear departed friend Lotus Weinstock used to say: "I used to wanna change the world. Now I just wanna leave the room with a little dignity."'

This film proved very controversial on its release for the depiction of actual sex. That's right. Sex. The actors have sex with one another. Men with men, men with women, women with women, women with men and women... but if you're looking to be titillated, look elsewhere because beneath that lies a film about the problems people have with connecting with one another. There's a wicked turn by Justin Bond as the mistress of Shortbus and after one particular scene, I can never hear The Star-Spangled Banner without smirking. The rousing climax to the film- in more ways than one- is particularly strong.

6. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana (from a short story by Annie Proulx) and directed by Ang Lee

'So what we got now is Brokeback Mountain! Everything's built on that! That's all we got, boy... So I hope you know that, even if you don't never know the rest!'

Of course it had to be on here. Absolutely robbed of Best Picture at the Oscars. this brave and beautiful film deserved every critical plaudit it received. Both Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal give career-best performances as the two cowboys whose burgeoning love one summer at Brokeback Mountain continues clandestinely for years later. Given the teen-friendly performances given by Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway, major kudos to the two of them for appearing in it. This movie affected me greatly and it's another one which makes me tear up. I've been in a relationship similar to the one portrayed here- with me as Jack, wanting more than the other could give- so it resonates deeply.

7. The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)
Written and directed by Greg Berlanti

'Everyone can't be straight. Everyone can't be beautiful. Everyone can't be the same, Patrick. Some people are just gay and average.'

Dennis is a photographer, living in West Hollywood, with a good circle of gay friends. The film follows the exploits of the group, falling in and out of love and finding out what matters to them. There's an interesting cast- which includes Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff, Dean Cain and John Mahoney- and a script with real heart. OK, it occasionally lapses into soap-opera territory (as rightly mentioned by one of the characters when getting his hair cut) but there are some real heart-rending moments to be found within.

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Next blog, new countdown: QB'S OFFICIAL AND DEFINITIVE TORCHWOOD COUNTDOWN!

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Much luv,

QB

Good afternoon,

I hope this finds you all well. I myself am fairly chipper, despite it being the beginning of November and cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. I went to a Halloween house party on Friday with my writer friends and we had a cracking time, listening to a radio adaptation of Sweeney Todd that two of my friends were in and also read spooky poetry to each other whilst enjoying a glass of wine and some good food. We were all dressed up as well. Luckily I don't have any photos of how I looked but all I'll say is you can always trust the gay boy to take it to the extreme Let me put it this way, my costume included a red wig, black rubber gloves, stockings and suspenders, a red velvet cape and ruby slippers. Make of that what you will.

A bit of good news though: I am one step away from re-entering the workforce. I have been offered a position with the Department of Work and Pensions! I'm just waiting for a starting date. I was over the moon when the letter arrived. I cannot wait to get back into the world of work, especially since I'm going to be doing a job that will actually help people: I'll be working for a department that facilitates people with disabilities or special requirements to get back into work. I will let y'all know when I hear some more.

I also feel I have to pass comment on David Tennant's little announcement at the National Television Awards. Whilst I am gutted that he's stepping down from the TARDIS at the end of 2009 (after the specials), I am not overly surprised. I've had a feeling for a while that- with the transition from Russell T Davies to Steven Moffat as showrunner and with Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson also leaving- there was going to be a complete seachange to take the show into the next phase, 'The Moffat Years' if you will. And that change would also include a new Doctor. Tennant's contribution to the show cannot be underestimated and he will be missed greatly by a lot of people- including me. But, be of good cheer, we still have him for another 5 episodes! Which is why I did feel it was a little disingenuous of the BBC to start talking about who was going to take over from him the day after the announcement. There'll be time enough to discuss who's going to take over. Let's just enjoy the Tenth Doctor for a little longer, shall we?

I'm also ascended to a new level here, I'm now Level 41: Sleestack. I don't like the emblem AT ALL, so I'm submitting left, right and centre and hoping to get off the level pretty soon. Good job I have active shows.

OK, a little bit of tellystuff:

Merlin: A Remedy To Cure All Ills was a fairly decent episode, with a great guest performance by Julian Rhind-Tutt as the sinister and scarred physician Edwin. Richard Wilson was also fab. This week's episode, The Gates Of Avalon, had a few decent moments- I particularly liked Katie McGrath in the episode, as Morgana finally had some stuff to do- and was a decent enough episode too.

Little Britain USA: This Friday's episode really did lay on the retread of past sketches- Bubbles meeting a rich man, the university secretary who is rude to the students, the politician admitting to an illicit affair- but some of them did raise a giggle or two from me. Tom Baker's narration is what is making it worthwhile though. (As a sidebar, I saw Tom as the Guest Host on Have I Got News For You (which is not a show I watch regularly) and he is on a different bloody planet- but it was very amusing indeed. There were a couple of nice swipes at his Doctor Who legacy- I especially liked his opening line 'I used to be Jon Pertwee'- as well as some pertinent comments on the whole Brand/Ross 'prank call' farrago).

Stephen Fry In America: I've been following this series with some interest. I like Stephen Fry and believe that, when I get older, I'm probably going to turn out to be quite like him in some ways. His trawl through the various states of America has been very interesting- the various characters he's met on the way have been fascinating, including a Jewish voodoo priestess in New Orleans, some real-life gangsters in New York and a young man with the state of Kentucky tattooed on his a$$. He's also followed the path of the Mississippi river from Louisiana to Minnesota, visited the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream factory in Vermont and worked as a dancing escort in Florida. It's all very interesting stuff and Fry makes for an erudite and affable presence. Makes me want to undertake the trip myself.

In Love With Barbara: I'm not a fan of Barbara Cartland in the slightest but I watched this drama because it has two very fine character actors in it- Anne Reid as the older Barbara and David Warner as Lord Mountbatten. The story was fairly standard (and I didnt think much of the girl who played the younger Barbara) but Reid gave a commanding performance and her interaction with Warner was particularly good.

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Musical Interlude: Pink is one of my favourite singers, and her fifth studio album Funhouse was released this week. It's full of cracking songs, but I think I've found my favourite. Click here to hear the beautiful 'Glitter In The Air'.

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QB'S OFFICIAL AND DEFINITIVE NEW WHO COUNTDOWN! (PART NINE)

OK, here goes. The Top 5. I was going to recap the rest of the episodes but I think that'd take too long. I may do a full recap next blog before my new countdown begins.

5. THE EMPTY CHILD
Written by Steven Moffat and directed by James Hawes

'1941. Right now, not very far from here the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it, nothing until one tiny, damp little island says "no". No, not here. A mouse in front of a lion. You're amazing.'

The episode which introduced the delectable Captain Jack Harkness to us is also a bloody creepy affair. I remember watching it in the early hours of the morning after coming back in from a night out and having to turn it off after a few minutes because I was freaked out. A very dignified performance by Richard Wilson, plus strong support by Florence Hoath as Nancy. Even now, after everything that's passed, my skin still creeps when I hear 'are you my mummy?'

4. THE STOLEN EARTH
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper

'The children of time are moving against but everything is falling into place'

Spectacular in scope and executed brilliantly, the various strands of the Whoniverse draw together when the Earth is taken from its place in the sky. There's a beautifully malevolent performance by Julian Bleach as the resurrected Davros and a lovely turn by Penelope Wilton as Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister ('yes, we know who you are'.

3. UTOPIA
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper

'The call came from across the stars, over and over again. 'Come to Utopia'.

Jack's back, baby! Yes, the delectable Captain Harkness hitches a lift on the TARDIS which spirals out of control and goes to the end of the universe where an aged Professor is trying to help people get to Utopia... Derek Jacobi gives one of the best guest performances of the series as Yana, plus the end is an absolute doozy. The Master reborn!

2. DALEK
Written by Robert Shearman and directed by Joe Ahearne

'You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground beneath tons of sand and dirt and label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get.'

Easily Christopher Eccleston's best performance in the show, the Doctor and Rose find their way into an underground alien museum where he comes face-to-face with the last footsoldier of his true nemesis... Strong support by Corey Johnson and Bruno Langley but ironically the best performance in the episode is from Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Dalek. It's a proper tour-de-force, tinging the metal screech with anger, sadness and confusion. Brilliant.

1. SCHOOL REUNION
Written by Toby Whithouse and directed by James Hawes

'Do you know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next. Or what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles and then you just dropped me back on Earth. How could anything compare to that?'

There really was very little to separate these five episodes but School Reunion stood out. Not only for the return of Sarah Jane and K9 (although for nostalgic reasons, that does rate highly) or for the outstanding guest turn by Anthony Head- the showdown between the Doctor and Finch across the swimming pool is nigh on genius- but it's the perfect example of what Who can do: monsters with a convincing motive, a fair smattering of humour, some creepy moments and the entire cast on top form. The scene between Sarah Jane and Rose with the oneupmanship of what they've seen is just brilliant and if you don't get a lump in your throat at what K9 does at the end, you're made of stone.

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OK, before I go, it's time to get serious again. On November 4, the USA goes to the polls to elect a new president. Please, please, please... if you are eligible and registered to vote, please use it. Who you vote for is between you and your conscience- I'm certainly not about to start preaching on who you should vote for (although if you know me, you'll probably have guessed where my affiliation would lie), but I have always believed it is vital to take part in the democratic process. Besides, if you don't vote, you can't complain if things don't go the way you wanted them to So please get out and use your vote this coming Tuesday. Make it count.

Thank you and have a pleasant tomorrow

Much luv

QB

Greetings,

I didn't realise it had been so long since I blogged. No real reason behind it, although I have been kinda busy with one thing and another recently. I was away for the weekend last weekend again for another friend's birthday- this time was Manchester. It was much with the fun. Still nowhere near on the job front. I've applied for jobs with Zurich Insurance, ING Savings and- gulp- the Tax Office. One very good thing though: one VERY good thing indeed.

I'm going to London to see David Tennant and Patrick Stewart in Hamlet!

Thanks to eBay, I managed to get a ticket for the first Friday evening performance- December 5th. It's made even more special by finding out someone I went to college with- and was in the drama society with- is playing Laertes. So that's cool. I am SO psyched by this, it's unbelievable. I might even make a weekend of it, do a bit of Christmas shopping. We'll see.

Anyway, a bit of tellystuff:

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Part 2 of The Day Of The Clown was good. I barely recognised Bradley Walsh and he pitched it nicely, not too menacing but not too camp either. I don't like clowns tho. It was good to see a little bit of Sarah Jane's past. I think Part 1 of Secrets Of The Stars is the best so far. Again, Russ Abbott gave a nicely sinister turn. I'm interested in astrology so it's good to see that being addressed. Plus they used the New Theatre in Cardiff for Trueman's show!

Heroes: I'm slightly ahead of the curve with Season 3 (guess how?) and am loving it immensely. I think it's the strongest story arc so far. I'm loving Daphne- she's cool. I'm also loving what they're doing with Mohinder and Sylar. It's also good that they're doing something with Sandra Bennet as well- bringing her in. It's good to see Jessalyn Gilsig back in the show too. I do like Malcolm McDowell and the whole Tracey/Niki thing. Dying Of The Light ended on a doozy of an cliffhanger- it's gonna be great to see where it goes from there.

Merlin: Lancelot was a fairly solid and enjoyable romp, with Santiago Cabrera quite impressing as Lancelot. The CGI Griffin did look a bit cheap though. The press release for A Remedy To Cure All Ills sounded a bit meh, but the trailer looks very good. Can't remember if I mentioned it, but I got the editorship for the show, which is cool.

Little Britain USA: It's all a bit hit-and-miss really, but that's the risk with a sketch show isn't it? They seem to be recycling a lot of the sketches and changing them to a US setting. The Bubbles sketches have been very funny and Tom Baker's narration is always worth it.

Strictly Come Dancing: The boys and girls have now started competing against one another, but I really didn't think that Don Warrington was the worst last week. I want Cherie Lunghi to win- she's a great dancer, very elegant and graceful.

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Musical Interlude: Click here for the video to 'Unintended' by Muse. It's a song I recently rediscovered whilst going through some old CDs. I forgot how good this song- and their earlier stuff- was. Might not be to everyone's tastes but I like it.

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QB'S OFFICIAL AND DEFINITIVE NEW WHO COUNTDOWN! (PART EIGHT)

OK, we're in to the Top 10. Next blog, I'll give a rundown of all the other episodes then reveal my Top 5.

10.THE FIRES OF POMPEII
Written by James Moran and directed by Colin Teague

'That is how I see the universe. Every waking second, I can see what is, what was, what could be, what must not.'

A powerful wallop of an episode after the fun but lightweight season opener. Catherine Tate thoroughly impressed me throughout as Donna challenges The Doctor about abandoning the people of Pompeii to their terrible fate. Great guest performance by Peter Capaldi too. I especially liked the Latin sounding like Welsh running joke and the Spartacus bit.

9. THE SHAKESPEARE CODE
Written by Gareth Roberts and directed by Charles Palmer

'Upon this night the work is done, a muse to pen Love's Labours Won!'

Undeniably there are better episodes but I really enjoy this one, and it doesn't get old. For a Shakespeare geek like me, there are plenty of references to the Bard's works to spot and there's a real sense of fun throughout. Dean Lennox Kelly and Christina Cole shine and there's some of Murray Gold's best work in the score (especially 'The Carrionites Swarm').

8. THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE
Written by Steven Moffat and directed by Euros Lyn

'One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel.'

This is an episode that I horribly misjudged on its first broadcast but on repeated viewing, it's become one of my favourites. A beautifully radiant performance by Sophia Myles as Madame de Pompadour anchors the whole thing and the clockwork robots are quite freaky.

7. BLINK
Written by Steven Moffat and directed by Hettie Macdonald

'Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you could believe, don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink.'

Yep, another Moffat script makes my Top 10. This is one of the most highly regarded episodes of the series to date- quite ironic that David Tennant barely features. A wholly more successful Doctor-lite adventure than Love & Monsters, it's utterly creepy and very funny in equal measures and Carey Mulligan is just fantastic as Sally Sparrow.

6. DOOMSDAY
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper

'If you really want to know. That's the Doctor. Five million Cybermen. Easy. One Doctor? Now you're scared'

The best season finale of the show to date. The Daleks v Cybermen smackdown is something that fans had been waiting for for ages. However, even that plays second fiddle to the pure emotion of Rose's heartwrenching departure from the Doctor. I cannot watch this episode without crying like a child. Some of the best work either David Tennant or Billie Piper did on the show.

Just five episodes to go. I'm gonna have to think of something to replace it. Any ideas?

Anyway, I hope you all have a good weekend.

Much luv

QB

Greetings all,

Today's blog is going to be something a little different, to celebrate National Coming Out Day (for some reason, it's today (12th) in the UK, and the 11th everywhere else) but also to honour the ten year anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard. The Who countdown won't be present today- I'll pick that up (and possibly even finish it off) next time.

First, I got the editorship for Merlin which I'm v. pleased about. The Poisoned Chalice was a decent adventure romp (even if the spiders did freak me a little- well, a lot).

Secondly, I met Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook at the booksigning of Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale in Borders Cardiff on Friday. I queued for two hours but it was worth it. He was very friendly and effusive, chatting to everyone and making time to talk as well rather than just signing the book and onto the next. It was a great afternoon actually, as you can imagine there were loads of people waiting so we were all chatting and talking about various aspects of Who. We are a very friendly fandom (for the most part).

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Musical Interlude: Click here for a rather lovely and quite sensual collection of man-on-man kisses set to the quite lovely and rather sexy 'What Would Happen (If We Kissed)' by Meredith Brooks. Should go without saying, but this ain't exactly suitable for work and be careful if your folks (or your kids) are around.

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OK, now it's time to get a little serious. As it's National Coming Out Day, I thought I'd share with y'all one of my coming out stories. To be honest, I think coming out is an ongoing process. Every new situation you're in begs the question 'do these people need to know my sexuality?' I was not out at my last place of work, because I didn't think it was anyone's business and it didn't affect how I worked. Being a large company though, there were a lot of gay people around. Anyway, I digress. I first started having feelings for boys when I was 14. When they still persisted three years later, I thought I might be bisexual. So I started telling a few of my friends, who were mostly cool with it. Went off to college, had some experiences (with both men and women) and came to the conclusion that I was actually gay.

The biggest 'coming out', I think, has to be to your family. I come from a very close family and, growing up, I had it instilled into me that family is all and you don't do anything to damage or hurt them. That's part of the reason why it took so long for me to come out to them. I envisioned it causing a rift between my brother and the rest; I was convinced my brother would never speak to me again. Anyway, it got to summer 2004 and I decided enough was enough, they had to know. I went home four or five times with the express intention of 'this weekend I'm gonna do it'. Well, I didn't. Just couldn't find the right way or the right words. So many times I'd be on the train back to Cardiff virtually in tears and feeling like such a coward.

It was a performance night that nailed it.

I was doing a performance evening with the writers' group and had selected a very autobiographical piece about the start of a relationship between two guys. There is no way that anyone who even vaguely knew me couldn't spot it was about me and my ex. I knew my mum and my sister were coming to the performance and I didn't want to hijack the night and make it all about that. So they needed to know.

So, one wet Sunday morning in November 2004, I told my mum I was gay She looked at me over the top of her glasses (she was sewing a pair of my dad's jeans at the time) and went 'Oh. OK.' I thought 'is that it?' She looked at me and said 'Are you OK with it?' 'Yes, I am' I replied. 'Well, that's all that matters' she said.

I started crying then. Mum asked if I wanted her to tell my dad but I said no, I thought I should do it. So I told my dad and he was OK with it too. I started crying again and the only thought that came into my head, and the only thought I could verbalise was 'you must be so disappointed'.

'Don't be stupid,' my mum said. 'Did you really think we didn't know?'

'Why couldn't you have told me?' I asked.

'It doesn't work that way' said my dad.

We've never really spoken about it since. They know, they're OK with it. That's all that matters.

Today is also the ten year anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard. In October 1998, Matthew was robbed, beaten and tied to a fence and left to die. Five days after the assault, he died- and two young men were charged with his murder. During the trial, they attempted to use the gay panic' defence- Matthew was gay he made advances towards them and they decided to beat him to a pulp and leave him in the cold Wyoming night to die. Thankfully, justice prevailed with one of the young men pleading guilty and the other found guilty. As a young man dealing with his own nascent sexuality, this event had a very deep effect on me. I know enough about STIs, HIV and all the rest to know to protect myself when it comes to sex. But you can't protect yourself against the narrow-minded thuggery of another human being who decides that just coz you sleep with men that your life is not worth anything. Matthew's senseless murder was the catalyst for hate crime legislation. It's just a shame that someone had to die for it to happen.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good week. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Much luv

QB

What ho me old boilers?

I trust this finds you well. As promised, normal QB blogging service resumes with all the usual junk. On a personal level I'm OK. Still heard naff all about the jobs I was interviewed for, but there we go. I've applied for a Christmas relief job with the Royal Mail so waiting to see what's coming of that. I went to Stafford on Saturday for a friend's 30th birthday. It was a surprise for him and we had a good time. I was exhausted though for most of Sunday and yesterday.

Anyway, TV-related stuff (and there's quite a bit!)

Merlin: I really did enjoy The Mark Of Nimueh (despite Michelle Ryan not having that much to do really). There's a lovely foreshadowing of events with Uther's remark toward the end. The final scene between Morgana and Merlin was funny and Gwen is so sweet (although were sandwiches actually around at that time?) Plus, a bit of a bonus in that it looked like the Afanc was prosthetic rather than CGI.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Yep, sad as it is, I'm watching them. The Last Sontaran was a fairly standard affair, although there was some attempt at creating an atmosphere of menace during the opening scenes. I also caught a re-run of Invasion Of The Bane (which I had never seen before). Thank God they got rid of Kelsey- how annoying was she? Nice turn by Samantha Bond as Mrs Wormwood. The first part of Day Of The Clown was on yesterday. I don't like clowns. They freak me out. However, a good start by Anjli Mohindra as Rani and I didn't recognise Bradley Walsh at all!

Heroes: Did a breakneck run through Season 2 (thankfully its only 11 episodes) in anticipation of Season 3 starting here last week. I have to be honest, by watching S2 in approximately 2 days, it did away with one of the major criticisms of the series- that things were happening too slowly. I liked Maya and Alejandro and their interactions with Sylar. It was great to see Nichelle Nichols as Micah's grandma. I was a bit confused by the Takezo Kensei/Adam thing, to be honest, but have just gone with it. Nice cameo by George Takei too. As for Season 3, I enjoyed The Second Coming greatly- even if the timeframe is a little twisted. The Sylar/Claire scenes reminded me a lot of Halloween. And why was that guy calling Niki Tracey? Unless it isn't Niki, of course. I particularly liked the chocolate tones of Sendhil Ramamurthy narrating W.B. Yeats' 'The Second Coming' at the end of the episode- it's one of my fave poems.

Little Britain USA: Not as good as it could have been. A couple of funny sketches- I did like the Grandma and grandson sketch where she admits to all the drugs she's done, the Bubbles sketch at the end was good and I thought Rosie O'Donnell's cameo at FatFighters was probably the best of the lot. I wasn't surprised to see it was done by HBO- I doubt they'd have got away with half of it on a regular network. I'll keep watching tho.

Strictly Come Dancing: No surprise to see Gary Rhodes foxtrot off this week. Of the guys, it does seem like Austin Healey and Tom Chambers are the men to beat, although I have to say both John Sergeant and Don Warrington surprised me. I did like the ladies' group dance too.

Tess Of The D'Urbervilles: A resolutely downbeat ending to the four-part story, but beautiful performances by Gemma Arterton and Eddie Redmayne as the doomed Tess and Angel (who proves to not be so angelic). Hans Matheson was also strong as the repugnant Alec d'Urberville who- in my opinion- gets exactly what he deserves. Having only ever read the story, it was interesting to see how it would translate on-screen. Very well, it turns out.

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Musical Interlude: Not one, not two, but THREE songs from the Angel soundtrack Live Fast, Die Never. First up is Christian Kane doing the beautiful 'LA Song' (taken from the Season 2 episode Dead End). The second song is Andy Hallett vamping it up with LaBelle's 'Lady Marmalade', before taking it down a notch for the sweet 'It Ain't Easy Being Green' (both taken from the Season 4 episode The House Always Wins). Click here to listen.

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QB'S OFFICIAL AND DEFINITIVE NEW WHO COUNTDOWN! (PART SEVEN)

15. HUMAN NATURE
Written by Paul Cornell and directed by Charles Palmer

'Sometimes when you look in his eyes, you know, you just know that there's something else in there. Something hidden, right behind the eyes, something hidden away, hidden in the dark.'

An outstanding episode and brilliant start to a touching and creepy two-part epic. In a boys' boarding school in 1913, teacher John Smith dreams of a strange blue box and of living the life of an adventurer called The Doctor. However, when an alien threat finds them, Martha must restore the Doctor. Strong guest performances throughout.

14. THE DOCTOR DANCES
Written by Steven Moffat and directed by James Hawes

'Everybody lives, Rose. Just this once! EVERYBODY LIVES!'

Not as successful as its opening part, but there's an undeniable sense of glee in Christopher Eccleston when he wildly proclaims 'EVERYBODY LIVES!'. Plus Captain Jack redeems himself and is therefore saved too. Has some creepy bits- especially in the Child's room- but some wild streaks of comedy too (Jack trying to shoot the Child with a banana).

13. THE UNICORN AND THE WASP
Written by Gareth Roberts and directed by Graeme Harper

'There's a murder, a mystery and Agatha Christie'

There are undeniably better episodes but this- like The Shakespeare Code- combines two of my passions and does it excellently. There's a lovely playful tone to the episode and a true sci-fi twist with the killer not being the butler but an giant alien wasp. A very dignified performance by Fenella Woolgar as Agatha, ably supported by a great ensemble cast,

12. ARMY OF GHOSTS
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper

'In forty years time, fifty, there'll be this woman, this strange woman, walking through the marketplace on some planet a billion miles from Earth. She's not Rose Tyler. Not any more.'

The beginning of the end for the Doctor and Rose... The sighting of ghosts all around the world leads the Doctor to Torchwood- and to face the Cybermen. However, if things couldn't get any worse, a sphere kept in the vaults begins to stir... A truly exceptional cliffhanger and a strong episode throughout.

11. TURN LEFT
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Graeme Harper

'Turn right and never meet that man. Turn right and change the world!'

Whilst it will go down in Who lore as 'The One Where Rose Comes Back', there's so much more to the episode- starting with a pivotal performance by Catherine Tate. As Donna changes history and never meets the Doctor that Christmas, the whole world dissolves into chaos... and a blonde traveller from across the stars must help Donna make a dreadful choice. Truly exceptional and with a doozy of a cliffhanger!

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Well, that's all he wrote. Have a good week, everyone, and remember: take care of yourself and each other.

QB