1) I went to college with and was friends with Geri Halliwell - we would hang out together at lunch and drive into town together.

2) At a recent event at the Lithuanian embassy in London i was presented to the ambassador and also met a top rabbi - the same guy who was responsible for helping negotiate the freedom of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and was honoured by the Queen in the last honours list. Furthermore i managed to persuade both of them to accept an emailed manuscript copy of my book to read.

3) On January 2nd i am embarking on the longest trip i've ever taken in terms of visiting distant places in a short space of time. Flying London to Chicago, then the next day getting a train into Michigan for a wedding - back to Chicago on the 7th where i'll fly to Boston to visit relatives for a few days before taking a train to New York and finally a flight to Florida for some sun before flying back to the UK.