You know, I sometimes wonder why I bother writing plays when what I enjoy most - and a lot of people would say I'm best at - is music.

I've just had a great day playing with Sarah B and the band at school's Christmas Fair. May sound cheesy, but it was enormous fun. We did a load of standards, and then some stuff from the album. We made some CD sales, and have got a provisional booking from Steve McClaren's wife to play a party sometime. I'm really worried what we're going to do next year when Sab is drinking and shagging her way around Manchester or London. There are few decent singers in the lower sixth, and none of her calibre. Though I wouldn't like her to hear me say it too often, she's the best singer I've ever worked with. After a few drinks I'd be tempted to call her a genius. Good job she's so shallow when she's not behind a mic. (Only joking, Sab).

I suppose the reason I don't go into music professionally is twofold: first, there's bot-all money in it; second - and this is the more important - I'm not sure I'd get the same kick out of it. As a hobby it's great. As a job, I suspect, it can suck. That said, I am having a few thoughts about the music biz at the mo, albeit on the smallest of small scales. My old website, www.thorns-hilton.com, has expired, so my pianistic skills are no longer advertised on the web. I'm thinking of putting up a new one with a catchier name - www.billhiltonmusic.com, or some such - and seeing if I can get extra work out of it.

Hmmm. Better think about that. Anyway, I'm utterly shagged out. Leave me to my bottle of Merlot. Did I tell you I was worried I'm becoming an alcoholic? Better than being into glue-sniffing, I suppose. Solvent abuse killed a cousin of mine; better to begin the crash out of life with a nice red, I think, than a tube of Araldite.