 |
Journal | Friends | Calendar | User Info | Memories |
'My Corduroyed Life' - Mark A's Journal
Oh no! Only 2 months ‘til I’m 27!
WORK
The arrival of the new administrator seems to have made my office a more pleasant place to work. She seems to be a really lovely person who cares deeply, and the atmosphere has benefited greatly from her. My job is still dull though…
JOB HUNTING
Moving swiftly on…
MONEY
With Glastonbury, a broken DVD player, the necessity that is new clothes, and my usual frivolity, this month has been EXPENSIVE!
LOVE LIFE
I just cannot put how I feel into words. So I’m not going to even try (and there probably aren’t enough sick bags in the world).
NINJA
Um… I’ve somehow managed to miss nearly every Ninja class this month due to various other things like work, Glastonbury, and illness. Bugger.
HEALTH
I feel unfit: see above. I have also got sunburnt, had hay fever, and some unidentified illness that made me weak as a kitten and miss work when I could really have done without missing work. Bugger.
BOOKS
I’ve actually progressed on the Bill Bryson that I’m reading, but not anywhere near as much as I might have. I have also bought the book on which Nationstates is based: Jennifer Government by Max Barry.
MUSICA
Obviously, I went to Glastonbury Festival this month and saw loads of bands and stuff. I am planning on a proper review of the whole event at some point in the near future.
FILM
I’ve only been to the cinema once, and have seen a fair few DVD films too, which is surprising, as I consider this month to have been rather hectic.
Sin City
I just can’t get over this film. I think it might be my favourite film ever! It was absolutely stunning. The trailer made it look like the coolest film in the world, and it lived up to its hype. Dark, stylised, brutal, intelligent, suave, sophisticated, magnificent…
*****
Saw
This was a dark, slow paced, interesting indie which chilled me to the bone. An interesting concept and boy was it dark!
****
Leprechaun 2
Another hilarious schlocky masterpiece: can’t go wrong with this as long as you’re shrewd enough to know what to expect.
*****
Without A Paddle
I mainly hired this to see Seth Green scantily clad. I am not ashamed of this as all men do that sort of thing. As it was, Seth got scanty, which was good, but it was actually a quite funny and enjoyable comedy of errors romp through the jungle. Well worth seeing even if scantily clad Seth Green doesn’t float your boat.
***
The Village
It’s always about the twist with M. Night Shyamalan films, and I expected just that and I got it. It was compelling, but just not that good.
***
Fat Slags
Based on the delightful Viz characters, I expected this to be awful, and hired it out of morbid curiosity. It was awful, but in a ‘so bad it’s good’ kind of way.
**
Alien V Predator
Limited plot and characterisation in a film where the human cast were essentially just there to get killed in elaborate ways. However, the special effects and fight scenes were admirable. Well worth a look for an hour and a half of blokey escapism.
***
TELLY
Who has finished, but what a run! Loved every minute of it, and can’t wait for the boxed set in November. I’ve watched some other cool stuff too…
Doctor Who - Boom Town
I didn’t like the previous Slitheen episodes because the rubber suits were a bit rubbish. However, this episode wasn’t about effects, it was about moral dilemmas and how people cope. Stern stuff for the kiddies, but riveting for someone like me. Sensitively done, with some lovely comic moments too.
*****
Doctor Who - Bad Wolf
The fact that Ann Robinson and Davina McCall played robot versions of themselves is priceless! A somewhat unoriginal concept (killer gameshows in the future), but so very well done that that doesn’t matter. And the all new mobile Daleks really are frightening!
*****
Doctor Who - The Parting Of The Ways
It seems that I was the only person disappointed by the finale of this wonderful, wonderful series. I just felt that there were gaping holes in the plot and background which made it weak. However, the regeneration scene was wonderfully written and shows David Tennant to be what could be a fun new Doctor.
***
Doctor Who Confidential - Series 1
Not having BBC3, I watched this over the net: it was certainly one way to have a nice lunch hour at work while it lasted. The series was actually really interesting and narrated wonderfully by the sublime Simon Pegg, but this is probably a series that would only appeal to the diehard fanboys.
****
Ally McBeal - Season 3
When did Ally get so dark? This season benefits from more serious subject matter whilst keeping the frivolity.
****
Frasier - Season 2
Another season of perfectly passable throwaway telly.
***
Monkey Dust - Series 1
I thought I’d seen dark, but this series of animated sketches made everything else look like a picnic. I laughed, I winced, I howled: superb! The one tiny little niggle was that it suffered ever so slightly from being a repetitive.
****
RPG AND GAMING
Santu in WoW is up to the dizzy heights of level 42! This, of course, means that he now has his raptor mount! Yay! Shame that I owe Pixie a whole hell of a lot of gold after he leant me the money for the raptor.
Meanwhile, my D&D campaign has started with some Yak Man killage for mcphee’s character Shaggy, and Oli’s character, Sorkvild. I’m enjoying the campaign, but am somewhat scared by the fact that I’m writing the adventures on a weekly basis instead of being prepared up front. I can kinda see it lasting maybe two months before it’s phee’s turn.
BLOGGING & T’INTERNET
Despite a flourish in the middle of the month, my blogging has been infrequent again. I do have the excuse of being on holiday I suppose, but realistically it all boils down to lack of time (or lack of finding time to blog). I have all these ideas, but never seen to get round to putting them into words.
I’ve not found anything amusing this month either, although the weebl website has had a makeover and has some new toons, and they’re always good.
BLOGROLL
I’ve added Microsatellite/ Huw to my blogroll – their blogging is nearly as good as their music [takes fiver backhand and slips into back pocket].
Alley Katt
Blurty Friends (a number of bloggers that are on blurty)
Bowch
fishmonger malarky
mcphee
Microsatellite
Pixie
Prince Gaz
Shooting Parrots
ANYTHING ELSE INTERESTING?
Um… The weather? I’m melting!
I also went to Cardiff to see the Speedway Grand Prix with my Dad earlier in the month and had a really great time. I don’t very often get to see my Dad or speedway, so it really was quite a treat. My voice was very gravely for a fair few days after shouting abuse at a certain rider that I don’t like (my dad was a bit hoarse too!).
THE WHOLE MONTH IN A FEW WORDS
Another ‘where’s it gone’ month – they’re becoming quite a habit!
Have fun,
M x
Current mood:
good.Current music: Riverflow by The Levellers.