He's not here. I'm FREE!
I can say what I want, read what I want, post what I want.
I'm not stuck in the wardrobe, locked in the dark.
He can't stop me...
Go read this and this.
And now I'm going to-
*slam, click*
Ali, I'm home!
Oh, bugger. HIDE!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Time and Books
Morning all
Couple of things. First, I've changed my flight, so you won't be seeing me till January, near the end of. So Christmas isn't canceled, just del-
Delalyed? You've still got presents from last year you've not giv-
*slam*
*crash*
Delayed. Save me some fruitcake...
And second, I've once again read The Colours of Choas - if you've not read it, and you read fanstasy, go read it.
Now.
No, I won't wait while you do...its 800 pages!
And please, ignore the wardrobe. It moves all on its own.
Couple of things. First, I've changed my flight, so you won't be seeing me till January, near the end of. So Christmas isn't canceled, just del-
Delalyed? You've still got presents from last year you've not giv-
*slam*
*crash*
Delayed. Save me some fruitcake...
And second, I've once again read The Colours of Choas - if you've not read it, and you read fanstasy, go read it.
Now.
No, I won't wait while you do...its 800 pages!
And please, ignore the wardrobe. It moves all on its own.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
30 Days of night? Right....
Today I strolled down to the local cinema to watch a film.
The horror film, 30 days of night.
First, a word about the plot. The concept is simple - a town in the far north of the US, which every year experiences 30 days of solid night. Vampires in the area get a little hungry.
The plot - and a lot of the basic ideas - are very solid. Interesting location, a good logical reason for isolation, even an implied reason for the existence for the town.
Most of the character work is good and the lack of CGI effects is excellent. So far, so good...
But there are two ways of building fear and terror in a horror film.
There's the easy way - cheap shocks, vast amounts of blood and guts, excessive on screen violence and the application of unremitting action, never allowing a moment for true fear.
Alternatively, there's another, better way. You build up tension. Slowly, carefully build up a sketch in the views mind. The terrible picture of fear drawn in stress, uncertainty and glimpses. Hints of the enemy, traces of evidence...
The second approach builds upon the uncertainty and fear in the views own mind - and no one can know what they fear more then the view themselves.
But alas, 30 days takes the first route - the easy one.
Ultimately the film is an acceptable horror film, but not a good one.
For a better vampire film, go watch underworld.
It is a better film.
The horror film, 30 days of night.
First, a word about the plot. The concept is simple - a town in the far north of the US, which every year experiences 30 days of solid night. Vampires in the area get a little hungry.
The plot - and a lot of the basic ideas - are very solid. Interesting location, a good logical reason for isolation, even an implied reason for the existence for the town.
Most of the character work is good and the lack of CGI effects is excellent. So far, so good...
But there are two ways of building fear and terror in a horror film.
There's the easy way - cheap shocks, vast amounts of blood and guts, excessive on screen violence and the application of unremitting action, never allowing a moment for true fear.
Alternatively, there's another, better way. You build up tension. Slowly, carefully build up a sketch in the views mind. The terrible picture of fear drawn in stress, uncertainty and glimpses. Hints of the enemy, traces of evidence...
The second approach builds upon the uncertainty and fear in the views own mind - and no one can know what they fear more then the view themselves.
But alas, 30 days takes the first route - the easy one.
Ultimately the film is an acceptable horror film, but not a good one.
For a better vampire film, go watch underworld.
It is a better film.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Drug madness
Yesterday I enjoyed "The Headache from Hell" - which was lovely on my last day off before work.
The whole works - even glare from the laptop was painful. And I was out of drugs.
So down to the mall I go, avoiding those deadly rays.
Now, my pain killer of choice is paracetamol - or acetaminophen as its known here.
Now, in the UK you're limited to buying 16 tablets at a throw - or 32 in a pharmacy. This is because of the drugs repeated use in suicide attempts - and they also long ago mandated that it had to be sold in blister packs rather then in handy bottle. This is supposed to make it slightly harder and take longer - more time to regret your decision....
Anyway, I strolled into the drug store and picked up a small pack. Of 100.
Yep, thats right - enough to overdose a small family.
And I didn't even pick up the biggest pack - I've seen packs in the HUNDREDS - there were packs of 120, 200...
But the maximum daily dose for an adult is 4000mg - or 8 tablets. So I've got 12 days worth of extreme PAIN, with a few left over. Where as in the UK you can buy...2 days worth.
So you feel like your dying. You feel as if your brains are slowly dribbling out though your nose, your eyes are slowly expanding into the iron splinters of the air...and you have to walk to the shops for a little relief.
Just...don't leave a mess on the pavement.
The whole works - even glare from the laptop was painful. And I was out of drugs.
So down to the mall I go, avoiding those deadly rays.
Now, my pain killer of choice is paracetamol - or acetaminophen as its known here.
Now, in the UK you're limited to buying 16 tablets at a throw - or 32 in a pharmacy. This is because of the drugs repeated use in suicide attempts - and they also long ago mandated that it had to be sold in blister packs rather then in handy bottle. This is supposed to make it slightly harder and take longer - more time to regret your decision....
Anyway, I strolled into the drug store and picked up a small pack. Of 100.
Yep, thats right - enough to overdose a small family.
And I didn't even pick up the biggest pack - I've seen packs in the HUNDREDS - there were packs of 120, 200...
But the maximum daily dose for an adult is 4000mg - or 8 tablets. So I've got 12 days worth of extreme PAIN, with a few left over. Where as in the UK you can buy...2 days worth.
So you feel like your dying. You feel as if your brains are slowly dribbling out though your nose, your eyes are slowly expanding into the iron splinters of the air...and you have to walk to the shops for a little relief.
Just...don't leave a mess on the pavement.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Blogs I read
By request, here are the blogs I tend to read...be warned, the last is NOT safe for work. EVER.
http://burningourmoney.blogspot.com/ - A blog concerning government waste, excessive tax and the insanity of modern politics. Be warned, he is conservative - with a small c.
This isn't a bad thing, believing in smaller government, efficent public services and honesty from politicians - but I'm giving the warning.
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/ - A police blog that (until recently) told of the thoughts and experiences of an unknown police officer somewhere in the UK. He's now been revealed and is moving to Canada, to a new police job. But go read the achieves.
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/ - The NHS Doc blog, written about health matters in the uk is a very unflattering view of the NHS, government targets and management madness.
http://more-to-life-than-shoes.blogspot.com/ - A often amusing blog written by a show obsessed madwomen with Distinct Views on a number of things - heels, Europe and Independence...
And finaly, http://devilskitchen.me.uk/ - WARNING - this is a swear blog, with distinct anti-labour, pro-UKIP leanings. It often has descriptions of politicians that...well, there's a post involving Allistar Darling, ky jelly, Gorden Brown and Sooty. And that's all I'm saying :)
http://burningourmoney.blogspot.com/ - A blog concerning government waste, excessive tax and the insanity of modern politics. Be warned, he is conservative - with a small c.
This isn't a bad thing, believing in smaller government, efficent public services and honesty from politicians - but I'm giving the warning.
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/ - A police blog that (until recently) told of the thoughts and experiences of an unknown police officer somewhere in the UK. He's now been revealed and is moving to Canada, to a new police job. But go read the achieves.
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/ - The NHS Doc blog, written about health matters in the uk is a very unflattering view of the NHS, government targets and management madness.
http://more-to-life-than-shoes.blogspot.com/ - A often amusing blog written by a show obsessed madwomen with Distinct Views on a number of things - heels, Europe and Independence...
And finaly, http://devilskitchen.me.uk/ - WARNING - this is a swear blog, with distinct anti-labour, pro-UKIP leanings. It often has descriptions of politicians that...well, there's a post involving Allistar Darling, ky jelly, Gorden Brown and Sooty. And that's all I'm saying :)
The barbar- parents are here!
Much could be said about the parent's visit.
Washing mugs, frightening the poor, little....ok...slightly over sized cat...
But that's not the topic of the day. The topic is sin - last nights sin. And I didn't sin alone - Ali, myself and five others sinned together.
No, NOT like that Helen.
We took a friend to a pub on his 21 birthday, and bought him a drink.
Each.
Water wasn't on the menu.
After drinking we took him back to his mother, where he made a small mess.
After letting someone else (who was sober) clear up, we dragged him off to John's place for cake, music and slaughter.
The sin?
Oh yes - mine was a tequila slammer.
For someone who never drinks.
Washing mugs, frightening the poor, little....ok...slightly over sized cat...
But that's not the topic of the day. The topic is sin - last nights sin. And I didn't sin alone - Ali, myself and five others sinned together.
No, NOT like that Helen.
We took a friend to a pub on his 21 birthday, and bought him a drink.
Each.
Water wasn't on the menu.
After drinking we took him back to his mother, where he made a small mess.
After letting someone else (who was sober) clear up, we dragged him off to John's place for cake, music and slaughter.
The sin?
Oh yes - mine was a tequila slammer.
For someone who never drinks.
Friday, October 5, 2007
How the mighty have fallen
Last year, in the delightful company of Helen and Rob, usual over dinner, we watched "Eureka", also known as "A town called Eureka".
It was a quirky program, with odd turns and strange occurrences.
A house that spirals into depression when you try and leave it.
A funeral is held for someone. Who shortly turns up, puzzled as to why they received flowers and commiserations.
The puncturing of childhood dreams - no, those arn't real moon rocks...
If you believe that I've got a sheet of mint penny black-
Stop it....
Anyway, it was good. However...
The first season was good. But the second, 13 episodes in has had...well...maybe a dozen good moments. It's clear that the writers have been trying to drag the show in the direction of a great big, over arching plot - which doesn't work for the show.
Some shows are canceled before they're ever given a chance. Firefly, Crusade, Threshold...and others that would have been better not going to a second season.
They're killing the show by inches.
It was a quirky program, with odd turns and strange occurrences.
A house that spirals into depression when you try and leave it.
A funeral is held for someone. Who shortly turns up, puzzled as to why they received flowers and commiserations.
The puncturing of childhood dreams - no, those arn't real moon rocks...
If you believe that I've got a sheet of mint penny black-
Stop it....
Anyway, it was good. However...
The first season was good. But the second, 13 episodes in has had...well...maybe a dozen good moments. It's clear that the writers have been trying to drag the show in the direction of a great big, over arching plot - which doesn't work for the show.
Some shows are canceled before they're ever given a chance. Firefly, Crusade, Threshold...and others that would have been better not going to a second season.
They're killing the show by inches.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)