Bally's Journal
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
10:46PM - Regarde Moi
Earlier today I created a postulate.
DIGRESSION ALERT: I hope that's the right word. If not, please forgive my elephantine ignorance, dear well-read reader.
DIGRESSION ALERT +1: Originally typed as "elephantine ignorange". I like the sound of that but am left to wonder what it might mean.
I went to the supermarket with a female friend. We traipsed around for a bit for the few things that we needed until I remembered why I'd gone in in the first place: I needed some new shirts. She went "Oooh!" in that way that only she does and zipped around to the clothing section. To her credit, she picked out some nice stuff, but in the midst of the discussion about what would suit me best, she said, "I can tell you've not been shopping with a girl."
True enough, dat. That started me thinking about the differences between men and women shopping. My friend spent proper time looking through the clothes and thinking about what might suit me best - not to say that I don't, as such, but I would have spent much less time on the task than she did. Enter the postulate.
Women spend more time shopping because they want to be shopping. Men spend less time shopping because they do not want to be shopping.
This is, of course, a generalisation and will fall prey to counter-examples. It's also not particularly revolutionary, but it's the first time that it struck me.
The Curse Of The Black Kerjigger (oo-er missus) review when I'm not up to my eyeballs in work. Lovemaking* work.
*So as not to swear.
Current mood: 
busy
Current music: Lemon Jelly - '76 AKA The Slow Train
Thursday, May 5, 2011
12:02AM - Across The Universe
Sometimes I love being a geek. I've just read the following line in The Num8er My5teries, by learned mathematalogue Marcus du Sautoy, on La Grande Arche: "It's almost as if constructing a shadow of a hypercube in Paris has opened up a portal to another dimension."
For those of you on tenterhooks about Rucksack Day (which you can read about here, dear energetic reader), no-one asked me if I was going camping. I was distraught - all that gold the kind folk had fed me, and I was unable to use it. Still, as with real money, I can now put it away for a rainy day.
Current mood: 
tired
Current music: Lemon Jelly - His Majesty King Raam
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
9:22PM - Baby Got Back
...pack.
Tomorrow I'm going to work wearing a rucksack. As a non-driver-y person, I have to carry everything that I need to work with me. I took some folders home with me over the holiday to do some work. Now, of course, I need to carry them all back. Hence, pack à la back.
Now, the seemingly traditional response on seeing me wearing my rucksack is "Going camping?", which is always delivered with a grin. What I want is as many silly responses to that question as possible, to stop me going nuts. So far I've got "No, there's a body in there".
Make suggestions below. The best ones will be used on the day!
Film Reviews
Source Code: Thoughtful and sweet.
Current mood: 
curious
Current music: Florence + The Machine - Hurricane Drunk
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
11:32PM - Elephant Love Medley
Things I've Found Out Recently
o You're much more likely to get foreign languages (read: French) on Blu-Ray discs than on DVDs. There are six DVD regions, but there are only three Blu-Ray ones, which may be the reason. Anyway, it's worth noting a couple of things here: firstly, the jokes are occasionally better in French, and lastly, the French dub of The Dark Knight is hilarious. The poor chap who voiced Bruce Wayne and Batman copied Christian Bale's idea and put on a gravelly voice when doing the latter. So funny.
o Selecting Random on my entire iTunes library is not the horror show of awful music I thought it would be. In actual fact, it's given some songs I've dismissed in the past a second chance.
o There's a mechanical elephant in Nantes, footage of which you can see here.
o I need to go to Nantes.
o Self-perception is a tricky bastard.
o Random encounters don't just happen to Pokémon: I had a lovely one with Kate today. Hi Kate!
o Being a big-time video games reviewer is not as difficult as I thought it would be... just time-consuming.
Current mood: confused
Current music: Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
Saturday, April 16, 2011
2:56PM - Sharp Dressed Man
The link takes you to a T-shirt that was specifically designed to appeal to me.
However, the price was not. Boo.
Current mood: 
mischievous
Current music: Mint Royale - Don't Falter
Friday, April 15, 2011
12:45PM - My Delirium
I wonder if it ever pisses off the most eminent scientist of our age that he gets referred to as "Stephen Hawkins" on the telly about half the time.
Current mood: 
surprised
Current music: Röyksopp - Forsaken Cowboy
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
10:36PM - Perfect
True or False: it is more likely that you will flip heads 24 times in a row than you will win the UK's National Lottery.
True or False: the female equivalent of "fraternal" is "sororal".
Current mood: 
geeky
Current music: Goldfrapp - Ooh La La
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
9:57PM - Double Flash
Good news, everyone! Megamind has just been released! I bought the double play pack - more on that topic in the next paragraph - and it's got the French dub on it. Cue one happy geek, who will no doubt be exercising his option to view its ass on Saturday - the day of Saturn.
So, double play packs. Just in case, a double play pack is this: a blue box which contains the DVD and the Blu-Ray of a film. Who asked for this? Why am I forced to spend more money on this idea? I just want the Blu-Ray, friends... no offence to the DVD, which I'm sure carries its own level of awesomenity (Megamind was my second favourite film of last year, beaten to the punch by Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), but I've turned, well, Blu.
Film Reviews
Limitless: Shit and shit.
Current mood: tired
Current music: Divine Comedy - Theme From Casanova
Sunday, April 3, 2011
4:43PM - Push The Button
Can't escape the feeling that I've used that song title before. I'm at my parents' house, so there's no way to check the spreadsheet, and I feel like writin', so, feck it. THIS IS THE SOUND OF ME FECKING IT - *scloig*
( Click to enter The Domain Of Ball )
Current mood: crazy
Current music: Röyksopp - Eple (2009 Version)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
5:08PM - Looking Out My Window
There's a chap sat on the window ledge of my living room window outside. Does he know I'm sitting at the computer right behind him? I'd say not.
Current mood: cheeky
Current music: Pokémon caught monster theme
12:58PM - Gold Forever
Hey y'all. Just in case you missed them, the Doctor Who bits from Red Nose Day 2011 (hope this can be viewed outside the UK!).
Part One
Part Two
Surprisingly good, I thought. A neat premise. Finally, for further kicks, a trifecta of YouTube videos unrelated to the first couple.
I can't decide if this version of La Valse D'Amélie is better than this one. The second one loses points because the guy isn't wearing a shirt. *shudder*
Lastly, some eejit* plays Legend Of The Mystical Ninja here.
*Me.
Current mood: 
contemplative
Current music: Yann Tiersen - La Valse D'Amélie
Sunday, March 13, 2011
12:33PM - Can't Believe My Eyes
How am I supposed to do my reports when both 'focused' and 'focussed' look wrong?!
Current mood: 
aggravated
Current music: Yuksek - Tonight
Saturday, March 12, 2011
12:02AM - It's The Things You Do
UK readers: what colour is the English five pound note?
Current music: Trentemøller - Miss You
Friday, March 11, 2011
11:35PM - Bring On The Wonder
Last Thursday - not yesterday, the Thursday before that - saw a lot of firsts for yours truly. I saw a female comedian for the first time. Also on the top deck of the Victoria Hall for the first time (it was a little like being slightly high up at a football match). Finally (I think) I also had an Old Speckled Hen (curse those adverts on Dave!). It was poor.
The comedian in question was Sarah Millican. She's been on the telly a few times and I liked her style, so when I saw she was on tour I made sure I got in there. It was a lonely quest, as my normal buddy for such things pleaded poverty. She was pretty funny, though I suspect I would have appreciated it more if I'd been female.
Unfortunately I'm not sure I'll see her if she tours again. Her stuff was good and, for the first time in my experience, she didn't really get heckled... although there was someone who was clearly superdrunk and just kept laughing during the set-up parts of routines. And Sarah Millican ended up using heckle putdowns on her about five or six times. Now, once or twice is fine, but five times is too much for me. I stopped clapping after the second one. Mean.
Ed Byrne on May 6th. Must wait!
Current mood: tired
Current music: Divine Comedy - The Complete Banker
Thursday, March 10, 2011
8:27PM - Is It Any Wonder?
A couple of things from work, hopefully generic enough that I don't need to go into full lock-down mode.
1) About five years ago young people started to use the slang "CBA", which stands for "Can't Be Arsed". A few days ago I heard someone say "Ceeb". I love this - it can only be because CBA takes too much effort to say.
2) We distributed the results of our January exams today. I'm pretty pleased.
Current mood: 
happy
Current music: Mint Royale featuring Lauren Laverne - Don't Falter
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
9:48PM - Big Bang Theory Theme
Following on from Christine's recommendation of this show to me, I've been, well, watching The Big Bang Theory. I like it a great deal. I reckon my personal default setting is somewhere between Leonard and Sheldon. I don't know which one I want to veer closer to (I know - leave it, it's late).
Anyway, the point is that the second season DVDs have French language dubbing on them. I'm going to see it as a challenge. Which starts now.
Current mood: geeky
Current music: Barenaked Ladies - Big Bang Theory Theme
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
8:31PM - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Some aspects of recent service I've experienced, for your consideration.
1) Subway
In there on Saturday, askin' for my usual sandwich. There was one girl serving and she got my precious food to the pre-vegetation stage. Then she was relieved by a chap. The chap looked at my protosandwich. Then he looked at her. Then he looked at the sandwich again... and started to rearrange it. I frowned, thinking, "Mate, I'm going to be turning that into poo soon enough. I'm not too fussed how it looks." He was unable to pick up on my thoughts, which is odd - I was thinking them very loud.
2) CEX
I've decided to cash in on some of my DVDs, so I went to the only place I know how: CEX. It says "BUY" all around the window displays - or it did on Saturday, at least - but they weren't buying. I'm not liking that faeces. It flies right in the face of the Oxford English Dictionary.
3) Tesco A
Accidentally met a former student on (yes!) Saturday. He works in Tesco now and is a mate on Facebook. You know how they have those badges that state the year they started working for the terrifying all-conquering supermarket? I asked him if there were any 2011's (no), and then he said there's someone in the store who's worked there for forty years. That's a spicy meatball!
4) Tesco B
In little Tesco (TM) this morning, queueing up for carrots and a cajun chicken wrap. There was only one Tesco employee personning the tills (I think I made a verb - Momma, I hope you're proud o'me!) and the queue was getting longer and longer. Now, I'm a seasoned regular (pepper and a dash of vinegar) at little Tesco (TM), so I knew that the bell to signal for colleagues to help serve customers was broken. The six of us shuffled forward, becoming the five of us. A hella long minute passed and the seven of us shuffled forward to turn into the six of us again. Then the employee personning the till rang the bell to signal for colleagues to help her serve customers. A chap trundled up and I was served within twenty seconds. Farmer Field School!
Current mood: weird
Current music: Mylo - Valley Of The Dolls
Monday, February 28, 2011
8:38PM - The Conflict
Hey, remember this entry? Well, I built the chair. It was from IKEA, like I said, and it came from the Markus line. Yes, I now sit on Markus. I'm sitting on Markus as we speak, in fact.
Secondly and finally, I was talking to a colleague a few days ago about the Libya situation that you, dear clued-up reader, may have also read about in other places. I was saying that my first thought on the whole situation was "Hasn't Rory McGrath let himself go?"
My second thought, which I immediately vocalised to my colleague, was that the only reason I was thinking this is because of the abject terror of there being less stability in that whole Middle East region.
Current mood: 
scared
Current music: Lemon Jelly - Nice Weather For Ducks
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