NOT IN RUSSIA

Just in case there’s a terrorist attack on Moscow or I’m spotted in Heat buying fancy Marmite variations and you think I’ve been lying to you. The documentary was pulled at the very last minute. Thermals packed and everything. Still hoping it might happen at some point, as the school seems a fascinating place.

Have spent a couple of days writing more of the book – this had been put on the back burner a while ago – and am today back into working on ‘The Event’. Even managed to get to the cinema over the weekend, which I haven’t done for a very long time: saw Milk, which was quite extraordinary. Penn must be the greatest screen actor of our generation. You may also be interested to know that I have, as of yesterday, finally watched the classic Star Wars Trilogy: I only ever saw the first one, once, as a kid. Now I feel I understand a whole set of cultural references which had until now eluded me. Finally I get all those Jedi mind-trick jokes. Until now I was faking.

x


OFF TO RUSSIA

Liverpool was lovely, thank you for asking. I spent a week with a medium making a documentary which I can only imagine will be very lively and watchable. It was an exhausting few days, but I shall say no more for now.

Sunday I’m off to Moscow to make another one – this time looking into the Bronnikov school (see the footage above or go to their site – looks enticing, no?) and some other people claiming quite fascinating powers. As ever the idea is to go in as much as possible without prejudice, with a sincere delight in the possibility of it being real, and see whether anything extraordinary is really going on. I have spent a fascinating amount of money at Snow+Rock today on padding and thermals, but before long will probably post a picture of me here, freezing my twin peaches off by the banks of the Moskva.

Have a warm week the rest of you. x


DIY Taxidermy (not for the squeamish or delicate)


As some of you will know Derrens extensive taxidermy collection extends from the small and bizzare to the rather large and … well bizzare. The constant request of how to skin a badger can get overwhelming at times but finally someone came to our rescue and now you too can get involved with instructables own guide to creating a Duck Mouse, a Mouse Mouse and the essentual Bird Taxidermy (WARNING:Not for the easily offended, overly squeamish, holier that thou, fuss-bucket.)

If you do attempt any home taxidermy please remeber to take care, not to eat anything thats not really fresh and to send us the photos.


FERRYING ACROSS THE MERSEY

As you do. First day of filming, and I shall be meeting our Liverpool medium a little later. We’ll be spending the week together and I’ll be looking at to what extent his quite serious claims really stand up. He’s made a small name for himself, and is typical of many mediums working in the UK. I, as ever, would love it to be true and am hoping he’ll show me things I can’t explain. But his involving himself in murder cases makes me uneasy. I imagine there’ll be some sequences with bereaved parents that I’ll find excruciating. Yet clearly they take much comfort from him. Much to learn, observe and discuss.
XDerren Brown on the Mersey Ferry