Of sneezing and gaming

I have a cold.  An absolute stinker.  My head is filled with cotton wool, my eyes are bleary and tired, my nose runs like a neverending waterfall and the phlegm, oh the phlegm.
In short, bleh.  It is not unexpected though.  Every year, at about this time, I can generally be relied upon to be slumped on a sofa, coughing and feeling sorry for myself.
There has been one positive side-effect though - my horribly ravaged throat does mean that I sound like Rytlock Brimstone from the trailers for Guild Wars 2!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YEdr8HHJ-zU#t=65s

Compared to me, this morning, before I'd had my first Lemsip of the day

http://soundcloud.com/allen-donnelly/rytlock-take-2-at-grimsargh 

See, ArenaNet!  You don't need any fancy recording equipment or skilled voice actors, just a guy, lying in bed, with an iPhone and a knackered throat!

I'm still playing Star Wars: The Old Republic (known, somewhat clumsily, as SWTOR).  It remains a good, solid, if uninspiring and old-fashioned MMO.  I will enjoy my 30 free days with it but, when that expires, I can safely say that I will happily turn my back on it and not subscribe.
If you are thinking of getting it, it's worth a shot but don't expect to be blown away.  Play as a Bounty Hunter as well, by far the most engaging of the classes when it comes to the mechanics of actually playing - Death From Above is worth the price of admission alone! 

As for writing?  Well, between Christmas and this terrible malady, it has not been a productive few days.