Um. Yeah. While I was doing the 'shopping' part of today's outing, there were three additional things I picked up which also were not watches.
First and foremost, Halo 22 - NIN Live: Beside You In Time. Hurrah! 24 ear-blistering songs from the 2006 With Teeth tour which, as always, is a fantastic mixture of old and new. Extras include music videos for The Hand That Feeds and Only, with rehearsal footage on a couple of other songs. It's formatted far better than the last live DVD, which somehow found itself spread unevenly between two discs, despite having much the same level of content. Strange... Different company handling it, I guess.
Next, two more DVDs: Over The Hedge, a surprisingly good computer animated comedy about a bunch of animals trying to get enough food to see them through the winter when the forest they lived in has become a suburb full of humans, their houses, and their enormous cars. Open Season is... a surprisingly good computer animated comedy about a tame bear being dragged back into the wild by a mule deer. It also features blatant abuse of bunny rabbits. Ashton Kutcher proves that he's way better as a voice actor than a 'pretty boy screen actor'... He really is good.
Project: Bunny Sketch is thoroughly roughed out, but I think I need to find a thicker, less accurate pen to ink the image, so it'll scan better. Also, this thing is for a colouring competition, so I think clean, bold lines are more appropriate than the very thin lines I tend to use when inking.
Conveniently, there is a stationary shop near the office.
That is all.
Sunday, 4 March 2007
Ghostly
So, Ghost Rider. Hardly the most impressively coherent of Marvel's many properties, is it?
Nic Cage starring, Eva Mendes as the love interest... so far, so blah. Peter Fonda playing Mephistopheles (aka the devil)? Oh, please no, just stick hot needles in my eyes right now.
Right?
Wrong.
Ghost Rider ain't Shakespeare. It was never going to be. It is a surprisingly entertaining, if utterly formulaic supernatural contemporary Western. Nic Cage plays Johnny Blaze somewhere between Castor Troy (Face/Off) and Elvis, with much posing and dramatic pointing at evildoers. He clearly enjoys the role (it's my understanding that he really wanted the part, being a great fan of the Ghost Rider comics), and goes some way to making it his own. The same can't really be said for Eva Mendes, but she's basically playing a part written for any actress - it's completely generic, and utterly secondary to the plot, so you can hardly blame her for playing on autopilot. Her one outstanding scene is thanks to a bit-part actor playing a waiter. Peter Fonda fares better, and looks bizarrely like Stan Lee... Intentional? I dunno... but all you'd have to do is add Stan's trademark 'tache and shades, and that's who the devil really is ;) Props also to Wes Bentley... Blackheart isn't a great part. It's Stereotypical Villain through and through. Reminded me a lot of Stephen Dorff in the original Blade (coincidentally, Donal Logue played Quinn, Deacon Frost's 'muscle' in Blade, and Mack, Johnny Blaze's friend and roadie in Ghost Rider!), particularly at the point where he becomes all-powerful thanks to the object he, his father, and the Ghost Rider are after. Sam Eliot was immediately predictably the previous Ghost Rider.
You wouldn't cast him as anything else, really, would you...
It's a good movie - reasonably exciting (more so if I wasn't still feeling very jaded about the whole Superhero Movie thing), occasionally quite funny (intentionally), and very, very watchable. The special effects are pretty decent, though even they seemed formulaic at times. All things considered, definitely worth seeing.
Before the movie, my mate Paul and I did the rounds of the shops - there aren't that many good ones in that area, to be honest, despite two shopping centres in very close proximity. They seem to cater to the Chav market more than anything else.
I was looking for a watch, because my old, faithful Casio Colour WatchCam just keeps on crashing. Just suddenly resetting itself for no obvious reason. Generally while I'm at lunch, so I have no idea what time it is, or when I need to think about getting back to the office.
Needless to say, the watches I saw were either silly, showy things (and I'm kinda thinking I need a sensible watch these days), or designer label watches, which I loathe on principle. Why pay an extra fifty to one hundred quid for a watch just because it carries a particular name? What kind of mug to they take me for?
Um... How about the kind of mug who goes shopping for a watch, and returns home with a second-hand Sega Saturn?
Hey, give me a break, OK? My old one went horribly wrong having been packed up in the loft over winter while I was in Auckland several years ago. I came home and, while it worked as far as it was concerned, what it put up on screen was hopelessly garbled.
Now, at least, I can play the official UK games, even if I can't play the imports...
The annoying thing is that I already have a spare somewhere. The first one I bought - brand new, box and all - is knocking around at home, I just have no idea where I've put it. It came out of the box to accommodate the 'switched' one I picked up in Computer Exchange, but that's the last I remember of it.
Depending on how I feel (not to mention whether it's still possible) I may get this one 'switched', or I may try to find the original before I do anything drastic. Who knows...
One thing I forgot to mention about my haircut: It's really short. So short, in fact, that the barber was rather surprised I wanted so much chopped off. When he asked what I was after, I showed him how short the fringe should be, asked for number two at the back and side, and that I wanted to be rid of the parting.
He stood there for a couple of seconds, slack-jawed, then said "OK, that was unexpected."
But ain't that just me all round?
Now I must be off, to think of bunny rabbits...
Nic Cage starring, Eva Mendes as the love interest... so far, so blah. Peter Fonda playing Mephistopheles (aka the devil)? Oh, please no, just stick hot needles in my eyes right now.
Right?
Wrong.
Ghost Rider ain't Shakespeare. It was never going to be. It is a surprisingly entertaining, if utterly formulaic supernatural contemporary Western. Nic Cage plays Johnny Blaze somewhere between Castor Troy (Face/Off) and Elvis, with much posing and dramatic pointing at evildoers. He clearly enjoys the role (it's my understanding that he really wanted the part, being a great fan of the Ghost Rider comics), and goes some way to making it his own. The same can't really be said for Eva Mendes, but she's basically playing a part written for any actress - it's completely generic, and utterly secondary to the plot, so you can hardly blame her for playing on autopilot. Her one outstanding scene is thanks to a bit-part actor playing a waiter. Peter Fonda fares better, and looks bizarrely like Stan Lee... Intentional? I dunno... but all you'd have to do is add Stan's trademark 'tache and shades, and that's who the devil really is ;) Props also to Wes Bentley... Blackheart isn't a great part. It's Stereotypical Villain through and through. Reminded me a lot of Stephen Dorff in the original Blade (coincidentally, Donal Logue played Quinn, Deacon Frost's 'muscle' in Blade, and Mack, Johnny Blaze's friend and roadie in Ghost Rider!), particularly at the point where he becomes all-powerful thanks to the object he, his father, and the Ghost Rider are after. Sam Eliot was immediately predictably the previous Ghost Rider.
You wouldn't cast him as anything else, really, would you...
It's a good movie - reasonably exciting (more so if I wasn't still feeling very jaded about the whole Superhero Movie thing), occasionally quite funny (intentionally), and very, very watchable. The special effects are pretty decent, though even they seemed formulaic at times. All things considered, definitely worth seeing.
Before the movie, my mate Paul and I did the rounds of the shops - there aren't that many good ones in that area, to be honest, despite two shopping centres in very close proximity. They seem to cater to the Chav market more than anything else.
I was looking for a watch, because my old, faithful Casio Colour WatchCam just keeps on crashing. Just suddenly resetting itself for no obvious reason. Generally while I'm at lunch, so I have no idea what time it is, or when I need to think about getting back to the office.
Needless to say, the watches I saw were either silly, showy things (and I'm kinda thinking I need a sensible watch these days), or designer label watches, which I loathe on principle. Why pay an extra fifty to one hundred quid for a watch just because it carries a particular name? What kind of mug to they take me for?
Um... How about the kind of mug who goes shopping for a watch, and returns home with a second-hand Sega Saturn?
Hey, give me a break, OK? My old one went horribly wrong having been packed up in the loft over winter while I was in Auckland several years ago. I came home and, while it worked as far as it was concerned, what it put up on screen was hopelessly garbled.
Now, at least, I can play the official UK games, even if I can't play the imports...
The annoying thing is that I already have a spare somewhere. The first one I bought - brand new, box and all - is knocking around at home, I just have no idea where I've put it. It came out of the box to accommodate the 'switched' one I picked up in Computer Exchange, but that's the last I remember of it.
Depending on how I feel (not to mention whether it's still possible) I may get this one 'switched', or I may try to find the original before I do anything drastic. Who knows...
One thing I forgot to mention about my haircut: It's really short. So short, in fact, that the barber was rather surprised I wanted so much chopped off. When he asked what I was after, I showed him how short the fringe should be, asked for number two at the back and side, and that I wanted to be rid of the parting.
He stood there for a couple of seconds, slack-jawed, then said "OK, that was unexpected."
But ain't that just me all round?
Now I must be off, to think of bunny rabbits...
Positivism
Feeling better about life in general at the moment... but then, it's quite rare for me to be truly 'down' for very long. I can be depressed for ages, but it rarely infringes on my inherent optimism for long.
So, what's brought about this change? Not work, certainly. That's as stupid as ever, what with the crazy new structure that's about to come in. Proposed to Publishing Director by silly, selfish Senior Designer, sold to both Group Production Manager and MD as A Rather Good Idea, but now no-one is quite so sure of that as they were. The new structure has even been described as 'controversial' by one of its greatest proponents. Hah.
It's not that I've finally got round to getting my hair cut, either. Shedding my winter coat - as it were - might signify grand change in terms of outward appearance but, facing facts, the only real change is that (a) it now takes 30 seconds to wash my hair, and 30 seconds to dry it and (b) it's no longer stabbing me in the eyes.
Don't get me wrong, that's all good and such... but it's hardly going to make me look at the world differently.
Really, this is just the natural ebb and flow of what is essentially me. Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm down... and the right people with the right words at the right time (not to mention the occasional game of air-hockey) can do wonders for switching my mood. Hearing from someone by phone or email after a long quiet is good, too.
This is set to be a busy month for me. I've got my hospital appointment to get my ears checked out, I'm seeing Nine Inch Nails live (with earplugs, just to be safe), and the Spring Memorabilia show at the Birmingham NEC. OK, three 'big' events in one month may not sound like much, but that's fairly busy by my standards.
The NIN gig I'm looking forward to because they always put on a good show, and they have a new album out soon - a concept album, no less, with lots of political stuff going on. Does this mean... that... Trent Reznor has... got over himself... and seen that the outside world is just as bonkers as his whiny introspection?
Seriously, we're talking lyrics about American foreign policy here. Distrust of the Administration, and everything. The Hand That Feeds was just the first step in a road towards something more than Reznor's own self-hatred. Golly, but I'm proud of him ;)
Memorabilia should be fun for many reasons. Firstly, it always is, just because it's a great big geeky event full of collectables. It's as if a hall at the NEC is transformed into a department store, but almost all the departments are toys. And with the TransFormers live action movie coming up in the summer, rumour has it that Hasbro are looking to turn Memorabilia and its ilk into TransFormers events... whether that means this one or the summer one, I'm not sure... But I am sure I'll enjoy finding out.
These events are also an excuse to be out of the house for a good part of the weekend, staying in a nice hotel and having lots of fun. Oh yes.
The ear thing is still a worry. I'm sure my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. Occasionally, it still seems muffled, and my tinnitus is definitely far worse in my left ear, if not the right as well. Hopefully the ENT Specialist can shed light on that, and the reasons for my almost-constant congestion, and my susceptibility to throat problems.
Now I've literally just had one of those "Oh, shit" moments of remembrance... I'm supposed to draw an Easter Bunny for a colouring competition for one of the magazines at work... I was thinking about it during the week, but it got completely blanked this weekend. Nuts... and I'm off to the cinema soon...
Going to see Ghost Rider, another Marvel Comics adaptation, and kind of the template for anti-Superheroes like Spawn. Could be good... More later ;)
Had a long, rambling chat with my sister yesterday, following her holiday to Egypt and Jordon. Sounds like it was fab, and some holiday snaps have made it up onto her own blog (she went LJ, the fool!). She sounds well and positive, and had just been in touch with an old friend who's now living in New Zealand. They'd been out of touch for a while, not least because the friend had been in hospital following the birth of her child (9lbs! It's a monster!). Later, they were off to visit another friend for his birthday, and then stay the weekend with another friend.
Anyway, I have to fix some lunch and get ready to go out...
So, what's brought about this change? Not work, certainly. That's as stupid as ever, what with the crazy new structure that's about to come in. Proposed to Publishing Director by silly, selfish Senior Designer, sold to both Group Production Manager and MD as A Rather Good Idea, but now no-one is quite so sure of that as they were. The new structure has even been described as 'controversial' by one of its greatest proponents. Hah.
It's not that I've finally got round to getting my hair cut, either. Shedding my winter coat - as it were - might signify grand change in terms of outward appearance but, facing facts, the only real change is that (a) it now takes 30 seconds to wash my hair, and 30 seconds to dry it and (b) it's no longer stabbing me in the eyes.
Don't get me wrong, that's all good and such... but it's hardly going to make me look at the world differently.
Really, this is just the natural ebb and flow of what is essentially me. Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm down... and the right people with the right words at the right time (not to mention the occasional game of air-hockey) can do wonders for switching my mood. Hearing from someone by phone or email after a long quiet is good, too.
This is set to be a busy month for me. I've got my hospital appointment to get my ears checked out, I'm seeing Nine Inch Nails live (with earplugs, just to be safe), and the Spring Memorabilia show at the Birmingham NEC. OK, three 'big' events in one month may not sound like much, but that's fairly busy by my standards.
The NIN gig I'm looking forward to because they always put on a good show, and they have a new album out soon - a concept album, no less, with lots of political stuff going on. Does this mean... that... Trent Reznor has... got over himself... and seen that the outside world is just as bonkers as his whiny introspection?
Seriously, we're talking lyrics about American foreign policy here. Distrust of the Administration, and everything. The Hand That Feeds was just the first step in a road towards something more than Reznor's own self-hatred. Golly, but I'm proud of him ;)
Memorabilia should be fun for many reasons. Firstly, it always is, just because it's a great big geeky event full of collectables. It's as if a hall at the NEC is transformed into a department store, but almost all the departments are toys. And with the TransFormers live action movie coming up in the summer, rumour has it that Hasbro are looking to turn Memorabilia and its ilk into TransFormers events... whether that means this one or the summer one, I'm not sure... But I am sure I'll enjoy finding out.
These events are also an excuse to be out of the house for a good part of the weekend, staying in a nice hotel and having lots of fun. Oh yes.
The ear thing is still a worry. I'm sure my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. Occasionally, it still seems muffled, and my tinnitus is definitely far worse in my left ear, if not the right as well. Hopefully the ENT Specialist can shed light on that, and the reasons for my almost-constant congestion, and my susceptibility to throat problems.
Now I've literally just had one of those "Oh, shit" moments of remembrance... I'm supposed to draw an Easter Bunny for a colouring competition for one of the magazines at work... I was thinking about it during the week, but it got completely blanked this weekend. Nuts... and I'm off to the cinema soon...
Going to see Ghost Rider, another Marvel Comics adaptation, and kind of the template for anti-Superheroes like Spawn. Could be good... More later ;)
Had a long, rambling chat with my sister yesterday, following her holiday to Egypt and Jordon. Sounds like it was fab, and some holiday snaps have made it up onto her own blog (she went LJ, the fool!). She sounds well and positive, and had just been in touch with an old friend who's now living in New Zealand. They'd been out of touch for a while, not least because the friend had been in hospital following the birth of her child (9lbs! It's a monster!). Later, they were off to visit another friend for his birthday, and then stay the weekend with another friend.
Anyway, I have to fix some lunch and get ready to go out...
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