1.  I’d like to get back to reading more, and hopefully will get a bit more time to do so as the year progresses.  The target for the year is to read at least 20 books.

2.  Our visit to Paris showed up just how little French I have remembered - not surprising really as I’ve had little chance to use it since leaving school.  Target is to brush up on this and learn a little German too.

I make no secret of the fact that I have been a fan of David Coulthard since he entered F1 in 1994.

DC grew up in south-west Scotland like myself, so the fact that a local boy had made it to the very top of his chosen profession - coupled with the fact that this profession happened to be my favourite sport and was televised every other week made it all the easier for me to follow and support him through his career.

Engadget is quickly becoming my favourite website!

There’s not much better than a good gadget, something that looks the business and has loads of cool features - and so what if some of them are actually of no real use!

The gadget pictured here though, is a new Weather Station which I think is the best looking thing I’ve seen in ages which lets face it, is one of the most important feature of anything which is challenging for a spot in your home. Not only that but it does really have some real-world use.

It can be hard to review a book without giving away too much of the plot - especially in a murder-mystery like this book.

This is the second in Peter James’ series of books about Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, and to be honest I haven’t read the first - or any of James’s other books - but after this one I will definitely be searching them out.

Anyone who has read any of Christopher Brookmyre’s previous books will know what to expect here - brilliantly realistic characters, excellently written dialogue (if a little hard to read for the non-Scots among his fans!) and a well thought out story.

His latest offerings have all had the underlying feeling that they could easily be transformed onto the big screen as the pace of the story seems perfect for that medium.