Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About

infobox Book |
name = Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Mil Millington
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Flame
release_date = 3 October 2002
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 352 p. (hardback edition)
isbn = ISBN 0-340-82113-2 (hardback edition)
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About" is the name of a web site, a column in "The Guardian", and a novel written by English writer Mil Millington. The web site deals with arguments the author has had with his German girlfriend, Margret; the novel is fiction, though it revolves around arguments the English protagonist has had with his German girlfriend.

The website

The web site began in 2001 as a section of the author's home page, and quickly attracted a cult following for its humorous anecdotes, based on real arguments, chronicling arguments over such things as remote controls, the correct way to cut a kiwi fruit, and even arguments over arguments.

Within two weeks the author had received offers from two publishers, and set about writing the book; in the meantime, however, he became embroiled in a legal argument when "The Mail on Sunday" printed, without permission, segments from the web site.

Plagiarism

Mil received a phone call from an editor at the "Mail on Sunday", who offered to pay him £800 for permission to run excerpts from the website as an article in the newspaper. As Mil had recently accepted a book publishing deal, he declined the offer, and thought the matter had ended. However, the article ran in the February 11, 2001 edition of the newspaper, albeit with Mil and Margret's names changed, and no mention of the site.

Mil put this information on his website, and was shocked by the level of support he received from readers of the site. The story was picked up by several websites, in particular "The Register", who had themselves been plagiarised by "The Daily Mail", a sister newspaper of the "Mail on Sunday".

Eventually, however, the matter came to a close with a letter of apology from the "Mail on Sunday", and a payment of £1600.

Plot summary

Pel lives with his German girlfriend Ursula and their two children, and works in the IT department of a university library (or "Learning Centre"). The story begins with Pel receiving an odd call from his boss, TSR, who quizzes him about extradition treaties; within a week he has vanished without a trace, and Pel promoted to TSR's former position, "Computer Team Administration, Software Acquisition and Training Manager" (though, in addition to his own job).

The story follows both Pel's home and work lives; at home, there are the arguments with Ursula over the search for a new home, after the latest burglary of their current home; defrosting the fridge during the moving preparations; Ursula terrifying the builders working on the repairs of the new house; a skiing accident, leaving Ursula with a torn ligament in her shoulder.

At work, Pel finds that taking on TSR's job involves more than it seemed at first; he has to pay off student recruiters from the Pacific Ring, who happen to be members of The Triads; he has to take care of the details of the building of a new Learning Centre building, which involves hiding the fact that skeletons from an ancient burial ground have been illegally dumped from the site, and a dangerous neurotoxin to be buried under it.

These details lead him to become closely involved with the permanently hung over Vice Chancellor of the university, which leads to his receiving another promotion, to Learning Centre Manager; the previous holder of that position having left to pursue his fetish website.

References

*Millington, Mil "Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About" (British paperback) ISBN 0-340-82115-9

External links

* http://www.mil-millington.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/things.html (Website)
* http://www.mil-millington.com (Alternate address)
* [http://www.mil-millington.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/indexfaq.html FAQ]
* [http://www.mil-millington.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/saga.htm The Mail On Sunday saga]
* [http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/28/16979.html The Register's story]