Yesterday's blog was actually the 750th blog I've posted - I'm now three quarters of the way to the four-digit milestone. After a slow start to the year and random dips, I've suddenly picked up activity once more. I am actually enjoying writing again, which is always something I want to enjoy more than I actually get around to doing!
This evening I headed to the airport to pick up Iggy, our friend from Croatia (yet another that we know through our long-dead game originally - and know better through more recent games that we have played together). After deciding to fly into London (in part to visit us, in part to sightsee, in part to attend a meetup for his WoW guild that I am also in), he has opted for Stansted because flights were cheaper. Of course, this is almost precisely the opposite side of London to where we live, so extremely awkward to meet and collect.
Travelling across London is complicated and presents other difficulties in multiple transport connections via just about every method possible, with the likelihood of all going smoothly being slim. Meeting at the end of this would also be challenging. So after much deliberation and review, I hit upon an inspired plan - he would take the airport link coach from Stansted to Heathrow, and either myself or Chrissi (me as it turned out) would meet him there. It's near to us, easy to meet there at central points and lacks confusing instructions to follow.
And so it came to pass. Yet another triumph for me and my organisation.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Conclusion to Season One
At the weekend Chrissi and I managed to watch episodes 7 & 8 of Game of Thrones, series one. This was accomplished on the Saturday (and was perhaps the main achievement of Saturday too!). However, because it was a Bank Holiday on Monday we didn't manage to post the DVD back until yesterday, meaning that the next DVD won't come until Thursday - a whole extra day!
Admittedly, it doesn't matter hugely. The aforementioned busy week or two means that we won't actually have an evening to ourselves to see it until Tuesday next week - we could do this while people are staying with us but it seems a little rude! Either we don't go out to see friends, or we stay inside and force others to watch it with us - neither of which make too much sense!
I'm sure it'll be worth the wait. Then we'll have only two series to go before we're up to date again!
Admittedly, it doesn't matter hugely. The aforementioned busy week or two means that we won't actually have an evening to ourselves to see it until Tuesday next week - we could do this while people are staying with us but it seems a little rude! Either we don't go out to see friends, or we stay inside and force others to watch it with us - neither of which make too much sense!
I'm sure it'll be worth the wait. Then we'll have only two series to go before we're up to date again!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Activity Means Silence
An extremely busy week means that I've had a weekend of utter silence on the blogging front - this was the result of considerably activity overall, and I still have a fair amount that I want to get organised this evening - with the time approaching midnight this looks like an optimistic approach!
So far this evening Chrissi and I have spent time with our Swedish friends who are visiting for a few days, and also helped to plan the upcoming visit of a Croatian friend this coming weekend. This is nothing if not complicated - but we are getting a lot of interesting things done.
For example, the weekend saw us busy on the Saturday, collecting friends in the evening, out on the Sunday - this time differently, as it was the long-awaited Muse gig which Chrissi and I (along with Chris and Ollie) had tickets ready and poised since December - and then again out on the Monday, this time sightseeing with our friends once more.
Next weekend we also have musical distractions - this has all come into a very hectic couple of weeks - as Chrissi and I are seeing Green Day in what I understand is my Christmas present (although also a present to her, so a joint present to ourselves?). I will have the ambition to come back and post more on these later and will hideously fail to actually do so.
So far this evening Chrissi and I have spent time with our Swedish friends who are visiting for a few days, and also helped to plan the upcoming visit of a Croatian friend this coming weekend. This is nothing if not complicated - but we are getting a lot of interesting things done.
For example, the weekend saw us busy on the Saturday, collecting friends in the evening, out on the Sunday - this time differently, as it was the long-awaited Muse gig which Chrissi and I (along with Chris and Ollie) had tickets ready and poised since December - and then again out on the Monday, this time sightseeing with our friends once more.
Next weekend we also have musical distractions - this has all come into a very hectic couple of weeks - as Chrissi and I are seeing Green Day in what I understand is my Christmas present (although also a present to her, so a joint present to ourselves?). I will have the ambition to come back and post more on these later and will hideously fail to actually do so.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Summary: Swords & Sex
Late to the game, Chrissi and I are starting to watch Game of Thrones, and have gotten a little way into the first series which we have at the top of our list with LoveFilm. So far we're six episodes in and have tonight crossed off 5 and 6 - not bad going considering they are an hour each and only arrived this morning. This in itself should be an indication as to how well they're going down.
While I will try to avoid spoilers, as I'm sure not all of my readers have seen the films or read the books - speaking of going down ... yes, it's all about the sex. And if not all about the sex, then there is at least a large amount of gratutitous nudity. The chief scene for a revelation or great moment of character development seems to be in a brothel / in an amorous lady whose affections can be bought.
However, despite my typical slant, I'm not going to subject Game of Thrones to too much mockery. It's actually really good - well cast, well acted, well contrived and well written. There aren't wasted scenes or obvious tangents, the plot is gritty and complex and the violence ... well, that's the other main feature.
The violence is not lacking in subtlety and is both brutal and explicit. This is actually something I'm not complaining about hugely - note my criticism of Merlin's "hit with the flat of the sword, kick over, win fight" combat style back in the autumn. In fact, anything less would probably seem ineffective and fake, considering the brutal reality that resounds around most of the plot.
We're moving quite fast through the series and there's a lot still to come before we hit season two - I'm sure more updates will be forthcoming.
While I will try to avoid spoilers, as I'm sure not all of my readers have seen the films or read the books - speaking of going down ... yes, it's all about the sex. And if not all about the sex, then there is at least a large amount of gratutitous nudity. The chief scene for a revelation or great moment of character development seems to be in a brothel / in an amorous lady whose affections can be bought.
However, despite my typical slant, I'm not going to subject Game of Thrones to too much mockery. It's actually really good - well cast, well acted, well contrived and well written. There aren't wasted scenes or obvious tangents, the plot is gritty and complex and the violence ... well, that's the other main feature.
The violence is not lacking in subtlety and is both brutal and explicit. This is actually something I'm not complaining about hugely - note my criticism of Merlin's "hit with the flat of the sword, kick over, win fight" combat style back in the autumn. In fact, anything less would probably seem ineffective and fake, considering the brutal reality that resounds around most of the plot.
We're moving quite fast through the series and there's a lot still to come before we hit season two - I'm sure more updates will be forthcoming.
Monday, May 20, 2013
So, Columbus, What's The Point of This Exactly?
I hadn't planned to blog this evening, but watching Newsnight - background noise while I was finishing the washing up and emptying the washing machine - forced me to by virtue of Paxman enraging me at his absurdly curmudgeonly attitude towards Major Tim Peake, the British astronaut who will be taking a trip to the International Space Station in 2015 and was a guest on the show.
Paxman, channelling his best Meldrew impersonation, managed to ask the fantastic question on going to space "So what's the point of this?" which seemed perhaps a tad dismissive. Had he been around 521 years ago he'd have certainly stood on a Spanish dock, haranguing Colombus as to just what the point of this westward voyage was when there was a perfectly sensible route already existing to the east. I will take the time tomorrow to watch it on iPlayer to pull out some of the better quotes, but there was a not insubstantial amount of chutzpah when Paxman (annual salary for presenting Newsnight: £800,000) asked whether it was worth £16m on going into space. Yes, Jeremy, it is.
Sadly the astronaut was better trained in the wiles of PR and instead of calling him a moron to his face, which would have been beautiful to watch, took the question seriously and unsurprisingly pointed out that there was a fair bit of use to this whole 'space, science, exploration, learning things' malarkey that goes on up there.
I'd still prefer he'd responded with a witheringly contemptuous putdown. "Well, £16m isn't a huge amount of money when it comes to public spending, Jeremy. For example, you could cover your presenting salary for 20 years. Now, if you asked the average man in the street about the better value for money - yourself fronting Newsnight for 50 minutes three nights a week for 20 years, Jeremy, or putting a man into space - I think most people would think the man in space gives slightly better value for money."
Paxman, channelling his best Meldrew impersonation, managed to ask the fantastic question on going to space "So what's the point of this?" which seemed perhaps a tad dismissive. Had he been around 521 years ago he'd have certainly stood on a Spanish dock, haranguing Colombus as to just what the point of this westward voyage was when there was a perfectly sensible route already existing to the east. I will take the time tomorrow to watch it on iPlayer to pull out some of the better quotes, but there was a not insubstantial amount of chutzpah when Paxman (annual salary for presenting Newsnight: £800,000) asked whether it was worth £16m on going into space. Yes, Jeremy, it is.
Sadly the astronaut was better trained in the wiles of PR and instead of calling him a moron to his face, which would have been beautiful to watch, took the question seriously and unsurprisingly pointed out that there was a fair bit of use to this whole 'space, science, exploration, learning things' malarkey that goes on up there.
I'd still prefer he'd responded with a witheringly contemptuous putdown. "Well, £16m isn't a huge amount of money when it comes to public spending, Jeremy. For example, you could cover your presenting salary for 20 years. Now, if you asked the average man in the street about the better value for money - yourself fronting Newsnight for 50 minutes three nights a week for 20 years, Jeremy, or putting a man into space - I think most people would think the man in space gives slightly better value for money."
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Corrections and Plans
As we were away this weekend, more of which I will elaborate in due course, on our return this evening my first task was to correct the blog that I had posted on Friday. I had not been as successful as I had hoped and despite the motivation of having already written the blog, still didn't wake up in time to head swimming.
In addition to blogging this evening, I've also set up enough so that I am ready and primed to head swimming tomorrow morning. I have no hint of excuse. Well, there'll be the morning difficulties of leaving my bed but without that, I have no excuse!
But we'll see how that goes ...
In addition to blogging this evening, I've also set up enough so that I am ready and primed to head swimming tomorrow morning. I have no hint of excuse. Well, there'll be the morning difficulties of leaving my bed but without that, I have no excuse!
But we'll see how that goes ...
Friday, May 17, 2013
If This Hasn't Been Written About, I Claim The Idea As Mine
This morning I didn't manage to leave home early to head for a swim despite the best of intentions. This would have marked the second time this week I would have gone swimming, as I went on Monday - while in theory this happens two-three times per week, it's happened barely once or twice a month. This week therefore gets marked as an unrivalled success just for one trip!
Part of my inspiration for my sudden burst of activity is derived from an event at work which I'm sure is taken straight from a book targetted at teenage girls. If not, it should be, and I claim copyright over any such work derived from this tale.
While I am well known for my fondness for the odd biscuit at work, or similar, I have never been especially concerned at this because I was not alone in making regular visits to the biscuit tin. In the same notion, while I've always held vaguely targetted goals of 'losing weight' or 'getting into somewhat better shape', I've never quite had the motivation to actually do anything about it. However, I recently thought that I may have been too self-concious, as a [female] colleague also had a hint of a stomach showing without any seeming concern, I considered I may be overthinking it.
So last week said colleague announces that she's three months pregnant. Suddenly I have a new issue that I'm comparing a reasonable body shape with someone who's own stomach size is being foetally assisted. As a result I've managed to push myself a little more firmly this week into actually doing something about it!
Part of my inspiration for my sudden burst of activity is derived from an event at work which I'm sure is taken straight from a book targetted at teenage girls. If not, it should be, and I claim copyright over any such work derived from this tale.
While I am well known for my fondness for the odd biscuit at work, or similar, I have never been especially concerned at this because I was not alone in making regular visits to the biscuit tin. In the same notion, while I've always held vaguely targetted goals of 'losing weight' or 'getting into somewhat better shape', I've never quite had the motivation to actually do anything about it. However, I recently thought that I may have been too self-concious, as a [female] colleague also had a hint of a stomach showing without any seeming concern, I considered I may be overthinking it.
So last week said colleague announces that she's three months pregnant. Suddenly I have a new issue that I'm comparing a reasonable body shape with someone who's own stomach size is being foetally assisted. As a result I've managed to push myself a little more firmly this week into actually doing something about it!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Hasty Rewrite
As anyone who caught yesterday's blog will have accurately predicted, after a busy day yesterday and a late finish I wasn't really prepared to get up early this morning - let alone to get up earlier and go for a swim, and so I was forced into a redraft of this evening's planned blog.
Instead of the swim I opted to remain in bed, cocooned in the warmth of the covers until I reluctantly emerged around 30 minutes when I should usually arise (and an entire 90 minutes after my theoretical swim-motivated bed departure). I had opted to go in a little later as soon as I realised quite how lethargic I was feeling this morning. That is one plus point - I can decide to go in a little later and noone at work will bat an eyelid, wag a finger, shake their head, cock an eyebrow or make any other cliched gesture indicating disapproval. Having worked an extra 4-5 hours the previous day you would expect so too!
As it happened I ended up in the middle of things and as opposed to finishing earlier as planned to snatch back some time of my own, I managed to still leave an hour later.
Tomorrow, however, I will leave early as I am only working for half a day. I have the afternoon off as Chrissi and I are headed up to Leeds, and we will leave a few hours earlier as a result (particularly as Chrissi is released from her work much earlier on a Friday).
Instead of the swim I opted to remain in bed, cocooned in the warmth of the covers until I reluctantly emerged around 30 minutes when I should usually arise (and an entire 90 minutes after my theoretical swim-motivated bed departure). I had opted to go in a little later as soon as I realised quite how lethargic I was feeling this morning. That is one plus point - I can decide to go in a little later and noone at work will bat an eyelid, wag a finger, shake their head, cock an eyebrow or make any other cliched gesture indicating disapproval. Having worked an extra 4-5 hours the previous day you would expect so too!
As it happened I ended up in the middle of things and as opposed to finishing earlier as planned to snatch back some time of my own, I managed to still leave an hour later.
Tomorrow, however, I will leave early as I am only working for half a day. I have the afternoon off as Chrissi and I are headed up to Leeds, and we will leave a few hours earlier as a result (particularly as Chrissi is released from her work much earlier on a Friday).
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