Zelda seems to have popped her clogs.
Hello
- John Conway
- To steal something from a better writer than myself, I'm a drunk homosexual with low moral fibre.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Sunday, 25 October 2009
X-Rated Disney.
Well, not quite, but a bit raunchy. And palpably not actually by Disney.
I don't mind admitting I had a couple of crushes on Disney guys when I was a kid, notably Prince's Philip (Sleeping Beauty) and Eric (The Little Mermaid) respectively. Filthy minded beast I was I still never pictured them quite like this...
I don't mind admitting I had a couple of crushes on Disney guys when I was a kid, notably Prince's Philip (Sleeping Beauty) and Eric (The Little Mermaid) respectively. Filthy minded beast I was I still never pictured them quite like this...
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Well... I'm done!
My dissertation is finished, handed it in last week, can be seen here if anybody's actually interested.
Bit of a mixed time otherwise though, the past weeks have included Ian's funerals, and finding out I'm likely to loose my job next month (and then more recently finding out I may not be). On the other hand I did climb a mountain.
I climbed Helvellyn as part of Jamie's stag do, which was a bit of a surprise since as far as I was concerned we were going for a high altitude walk before the drinking commenced. Lovely surprise to find myself climbing a mountain, two hours in to a six hour hike. A perfect time to find I have a problem with heights.
Still, I've been able to catch up on all the other stuff in the past few days, happily the new Terry Pratchett and Bernard Cornwell books both came out pretty much on the day I handed the accursed thing in. Read Unseen Academicals in a weekend, The Burning Land shall soon follow.
Had my proper celebration the weekend just gone, been in London to see Andy's new play and now I'm desperately in need of sleep. because tomorrow all those fun things like learning driving theory, applying for jobs, and finding out where I've left my bloody glasses can begin. Though, and I'm looking forward to this a bit more, I'm also going to start work on the second draft of my book.
Bit of a mixed time otherwise though, the past weeks have included Ian's funerals, and finding out I'm likely to loose my job next month (and then more recently finding out I may not be). On the other hand I did climb a mountain.
I climbed Helvellyn as part of Jamie's stag do, which was a bit of a surprise since as far as I was concerned we were going for a high altitude walk before the drinking commenced. Lovely surprise to find myself climbing a mountain, two hours in to a six hour hike. A perfect time to find I have a problem with heights.
Still, I've been able to catch up on all the other stuff in the past few days, happily the new Terry Pratchett and Bernard Cornwell books both came out pretty much on the day I handed the accursed thing in. Read Unseen Academicals in a weekend, The Burning Land shall soon follow.
Had my proper celebration the weekend just gone, been in London to see Andy's new play and now I'm desperately in need of sleep. because tomorrow all those fun things like learning driving theory, applying for jobs, and finding out where I've left my bloody glasses can begin. Though, and I'm looking forward to this a bit more, I'm also going to start work on the second draft of my book.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Went for a walk.
One of the benefit's of living out in Wylam has been the decent walks immediately on hand, a benefit which goes tits up the minute the evenings (and soon enough late afternoons) get dark. Moreso right now because all of the surrounding fields have been ploughed up. Went out briefly tonight, had a wonder through some woods, got the shit scared our of me several times by some birds, scratched my hand, got stung by nettles, muddied my shoes, nearly hung myself on a weird bundle of metal wire in thicket, and almost ripped my coat climbing a barbed wire fence. Marvellous really.
I then found myself in a field, right next to my house, and because I'd never actually been in it before (which is weird, now I'm thinking about it) I didn't realise it was my house at first. Got the crap scared out of me (again) by a couple of deer, who jumped out of the long grass and pelted away, little orange buggers. Then I turned around, realised it was suddenly quite dark and I had about quarter of an hour until it went all "don't go out on the moors".
Took the opportunity to listen to some of the Silmarillion whilst wondering, lets just say it works better as an audiobook. The levels of incomprehensibility are somewhat reduced by Martin Shaw's narration, and walking in woods similar to those I imagine Tolkien composed much of his mythology in does help. There was a very peculiar moon this evening as well, which was nice, it looked like one you get in the prettier anime films. I tried to take a picture but it didn't come out well.
Thought for the day: fuck, the Beatles did all that in eight year?
I then found myself in a field, right next to my house, and because I'd never actually been in it before (which is weird, now I'm thinking about it) I didn't realise it was my house at first. Got the crap scared out of me (again) by a couple of deer, who jumped out of the long grass and pelted away, little orange buggers. Then I turned around, realised it was suddenly quite dark and I had about quarter of an hour until it went all "don't go out on the moors".
Took the opportunity to listen to some of the Silmarillion whilst wondering, lets just say it works better as an audiobook. The levels of incomprehensibility are somewhat reduced by Martin Shaw's narration, and walking in woods similar to those I imagine Tolkien composed much of his mythology in does help. There was a very peculiar moon this evening as well, which was nice, it looked like one you get in the prettier anime films. I tried to take a picture but it didn't come out well.
Thought for the day: fuck, the Beatles did all that in eight year?
Things.
Good news: Stephen Fry, it seems, has finished a book, which is always something to look forward to. The Hippopotamus is still his best, but for how long?
Bad news: Keith Waterhouse, aka the man who gave us the Association for the Annihilation of the Aberrant Apostrophe (not to mention Billy Liar), has died.
Envious news: Neil Gaiman has let some internet types photograph his basement library, and quite unfeasibly huge it is too. Smaller but sexier is his second library (in the same house), where he keeps his reference books. Wow.
Bad news: Keith Waterhouse, aka the man who gave us the Association for the Annihilation of the Aberrant Apostrophe (not to mention Billy Liar), has died.
Envious news: Neil Gaiman has let some internet types photograph his basement library, and quite unfeasibly huge it is too. Smaller but sexier is his second library (in the same house), where he keeps his reference books. Wow.
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Petition for a posthumous apology to Alan Turing.
Worth a look, really. Seeing as the poor man, who should be a national hero, was chemically castrated as the only alternative to prison.
From the petition.
Alan Turing was the greatest computer scientist ever born in Britain. He laid the foundations of computing, helped break the Nazi Enigma code and told us how to tell whether a machine could think.
He was also gay. He was prosecuted for being gay, chemically castrated as a 'cure', and took his own life, aged 41.
The British Government should apologize to Alan Turing for his treatment and recognize that his work created much of the world we live in and saved us from Nazi Germany. And an apology would recognize the tragic consequences of prejudice that ended this man's life and career.
From the petition.
Alan Turing was the greatest computer scientist ever born in Britain. He laid the foundations of computing, helped break the Nazi Enigma code and told us how to tell whether a machine could think.
He was also gay. He was prosecuted for being gay, chemically castrated as a 'cure', and took his own life, aged 41.
The British Government should apologize to Alan Turing for his treatment and recognize that his work created much of the world we live in and saved us from Nazi Germany. And an apology would recognize the tragic consequences of prejudice that ended this man's life and career.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Shaw quote.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." George Bernard Shaw
One to memorise I think.
One to memorise I think.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
The Owl Service.
A chance discovery of the full series on DVD at Newcastle Central Library has got me hooked on The Owl Service, an adaption of Alan Garner's book of the same name.
I brought it home (as I often do with these series) in the hopes that it might turn out to be that bloody series I vaguely remember from being a kid with the golder masks and the waterfalls, but it hasn't.
Still, even taking the late sixties production into account (actually, that helps with the atmosphere if I'm honest, makes it look a little bit Wicker Man) it's very very good, which I should have expected considering it's by Garner. A mixed cast*, but interestingly filmed, and with some beautiful ideas. I think the book is definitely worth a look.
*Michael Holden, the Welsh boy who plays Rhys (on the left in the below picture), in particular impresses. I tried looking him up, expecting to have seen him do at least moderately well, only to find he died eight years after in rather unpleasant circumstances.
I brought it home (as I often do with these series) in the hopes that it might turn out to be that bloody series I vaguely remember from being a kid with the golder masks and the waterfalls, but it hasn't.
Still, even taking the late sixties production into account (actually, that helps with the atmosphere if I'm honest, makes it look a little bit Wicker Man) it's very very good, which I should have expected considering it's by Garner. A mixed cast*, but interestingly filmed, and with some beautiful ideas. I think the book is definitely worth a look.
*Michael Holden, the Welsh boy who plays Rhys (on the left in the below picture), in particular impresses. I tried looking him up, expecting to have seen him do at least moderately well, only to find he died eight years after in rather unpleasant circumstances.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Can you do...
...my little film quiz?
(Made during breaks in reading through horrid notes on horrid industrial documents.)
(Made during breaks in reading through horrid notes on horrid industrial documents.)
Monday, 24 August 2009
Facewhoops.
If you don't see enough of this sort of thing on your own PC, then lamebook.com should be on your favourites list.
And it's all real too.
And it's all real too.
Et In Arcadia Ego.
Have been in London this weekend, very much enjoyed myself too. Much drinking, consumption of caffeine, seeing of friends and of course, plays. Good birthday fun all the way.
First we saw The Libertine (at Clapham's Landor Theatre, which is really a pub with a spare attic), a play I've never been awfully keen on (though that's largely thanks to my memories of the particularly shoddy film) but found myself very much enjoying for more reasons than my friend was in it (Graeme Thompson). Had to repress a fit of the giggles at the start when Graeme (playing the lead) came onto stage, his wig and costume making him look a little like Annie Lennox circa 1992, but otherwise very much enjoyed it. A decent cast and (thankfully, considering the budget) minimalist set put a lot of energy into a play which really needs it.
Most excitement was reserved for the much recommended production of Arcadia, at the Duke of York Theatre. Now Arcadia is my favourite play, ever. It has a combination of intelligence, humour and drama I've never seen matched. And Septimus Hodge is the foremost of my literary (I say literary, because I've only had the opportunity to read it up to now) boy crushes.
So a fair bit to live up to then. But it does, spectacularly (and tragically). I've no real desire to go into review mode about it but it's good. I already knew Samantha Bond and Neil Pearson would be good, but they weren't alone, Dan Stevens and Ed Stoppard in particular deserve to have spectacular careers. Believe me, Stoppard's casting has to be more than nepotism, he was the best thing in it for my money, he practically made Valentine the star of the show.
First we saw The Libertine (at Clapham's Landor Theatre, which is really a pub with a spare attic), a play I've never been awfully keen on (though that's largely thanks to my memories of the particularly shoddy film) but found myself very much enjoying for more reasons than my friend was in it (Graeme Thompson). Had to repress a fit of the giggles at the start when Graeme (playing the lead) came onto stage, his wig and costume making him look a little like Annie Lennox circa 1992, but otherwise very much enjoyed it. A decent cast and (thankfully, considering the budget) minimalist set put a lot of energy into a play which really needs it.
Most excitement was reserved for the much recommended production of Arcadia, at the Duke of York Theatre. Now Arcadia is my favourite play, ever. It has a combination of intelligence, humour and drama I've never seen matched. And Septimus Hodge is the foremost of my literary (I say literary, because I've only had the opportunity to read it up to now) boy crushes.
So a fair bit to live up to then. But it does, spectacularly (and tragically). I've no real desire to go into review mode about it but it's good. I already knew Samantha Bond and Neil Pearson would be good, but they weren't alone, Dan Stevens and Ed Stoppard in particular deserve to have spectacular careers. Believe me, Stoppard's casting has to be more than nepotism, he was the best thing in it for my money, he practically made Valentine the star of the show.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Monday, 17 August 2009
Michael's Africa photos.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
A new favourite website, maybe.
Possibly it’s appeal won’t last but how brilliant is bestoldgames.net? With some lovely freeware downloading and a link to the equally ace DOSbox it’s allowing access to some gems, for free, that you may otherwise not have the opportunity to experience.
Another World is the current 32-bit classic of choice, but a quick browse of the site also proffers such delights as Lemmings, Dune, Gods, The Chaos Engine, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Titus the Fox, Alone in the Dark*, Duck Tails and Discworld. Truly a Pandora’s box of wicked temptation
This is one of those developments, alongside the ever glorious ScummVM (allowing us access to the older works of Lucasarts and Revolution among others) that make the internet (and the world) a little bit of a better place. Speaking of which, can I make a miniature plea right now that Revolution’s update of Beneath A Steel Sky might be Nintendo bound. Be a nice little addition for the DS this...
And for a final touch of very exciting news, Studio Ghibli is working on a DS game called, Ninokuni: The Another World...
*Seriously, Infogrammes were ace, am still pissed off that they changed their name to Atari.
Another World is the current 32-bit classic of choice, but a quick browse of the site also proffers such delights as Lemmings, Dune, Gods, The Chaos Engine, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Titus the Fox, Alone in the Dark*, Duck Tails and Discworld. Truly a Pandora’s box of wicked temptation
This is one of those developments, alongside the ever glorious ScummVM (allowing us access to the older works of Lucasarts and Revolution among others) that make the internet (and the world) a little bit of a better place. Speaking of which, can I make a miniature plea right now that Revolution’s update of Beneath A Steel Sky might be Nintendo bound. Be a nice little addition for the DS this...
And for a final touch of very exciting news, Studio Ghibli is working on a DS game called, Ninokuni: The Another World...
*Seriously, Infogrammes were ace, am still pissed off that they changed their name to Atari.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Fairy tale chainsaw action.
My finishing the dissertation reward was going to be the Broken Sword Director's Cut, but then I saw this...
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