Blimey! It's been a busy week.
Sunday night we continued rehearsing for Whose Life Is It Anyway? Eek! It's about time I updated that blog too...
Monday - Ottershaw Players committee meeting.
Tuesday - rehearsals again.
Wednesday - AGM of the Woking Drama Association, which I needed to attend as I have (for some mad reason) agreed to act as publicity officer for the group.
Thursday - back in Woking again to see The Woman In White presented by Horsell Amateur Drama Society in the Rhoda McGaw.
[Capsule review: Not a bad performance, though it was at least 30 mins too long at 2.5 hours! Though that's partly due to the script (Victorians must have had sturdier bums) the production also could have done with some pep and pace in places. Standout performance was the actress playing Marion (sorry, can't find her name online!) with an honourable mention to Tim Morley as Sir Percival Glyde. Richard Walton gave a good performance as Mr Fairlie, but the decision (his or the director's?) to play the role for laughs, rather than to show what a nasty man he really was, did not help us to believe in the character. Finally, the story seems to come to a precipitous halt with a rather ludicrous explanation, entirely dependent upon unlikely coincidence, and leaves plenty of gaping holes in the plot. I'm not familiar enough with the story to tell whether this was the fault of the original material, the play or the production, but it made for a very unsatisfying ending. All-in-all, a decent effort from HADS, but let-down by a poor text in the final act.
One surprise was seeing housekeeper Mrs Vesey credited as "Marion Fields". This was the name of my 5th form teacher who also taught me drama for 4 years. And the lady did indeed bear a remarkable resemblance to my teacher. The only reason I thought it might not be the same lady is the fact that last time I saw her (a school reunion a few years ago) I'm sure she said she now lived down in Devon... Now I wish I'd gone backstage to say "hello"!]
Friday - I'm doing front-of-house (tickets and seats!) for Teechers at Brook Hall tonight. There's still a few tickets available for the performance on Sat 28th April if you want to come along.
Saturday - along with watching the football (this week I shall be mostly cheering for Man Utd and Bolton) I also need to get some miles on my bike in readiness for my charity ride. And we're entertaining my out-laws in the evening, which is always fun.
So - it's been nothing short of hectic this week. I haven't had a chance to watch anything on the Sky+ box (so it's lucky we've got 20% free). We've got the whole series of Spiral (8 spisodes) to watch at some point. Who knows when we'll get the time...
Friday, 27 April 2007
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Bang Bang
There's a nice piece from Richard Herring talking about the lunatic NRA’s response to the recent shootings at Virginia Tech.
[It’s below the weird stuff about Natasha Beddingfield]
Yes, I’m sure the NRA are right, in this particular instance. If every student was armed, then the perp would have been shot by someone else after only killing one or two people.
SARCASM ALERT!
Of course, IF every student at a large university was armed, that’s the only reason they’d use their guns, isn’t it? We wouldn’t see people getting shot because someone had stolen someone’s girlfriend; or because they were failing their classes; or depressed; or mad.
SARCASM COMPLETE.
Those fuckwits at the NRA. Really. They are fuckwits. And if you really believe the first thing that they say it’s because you want to be a macho gun-slinging fool yourself.
Those are the only people we see whenever the NRA try to represent themselves. They put out well-meaning-sounding statements and talk about everyone’s right to have a single, appropriately-calibre'd weapon in the house “just in case”, but then you see the people who are actually IN the NRA and they all own hundreds of assault rifles and bazookas and flame-throwers.
Really - if anyone seriously thinks that the "right" to bear arms, just in case you MIGHT be the victim of a violent crime outweighs the tens of thousands of people killed with registered, legally owned guns each year, then they've got a screw loose.
The NRA card-holder would answer that by saying; "Look at Canada, or Finland, or Switzerland. They have very high gun-ownership rates, but they don't have huge problems with gun homicide rates".
Well, that's true. But then again, it's also true to say that macho, belligerent, posturing is not a national characteristic in those countries in the same way it is in the US. [And in the UK and many other countries.]
The difference is that in the countries where people tend to be a bit "gung-ho" about their civil rights and their property, gun control already exists.
The countries with high gun-ownership and low gun-crime are like the elder children. The ones you trust to baby-sit and cook dinner for the other kids while you're out.
Unfortunately, someone left the USA home-alone with a box of matches, some petrol and a few empty milk bottles...
[It’s below the weird stuff about Natasha Beddingfield]
Yes, I’m sure the NRA are right, in this particular instance. If every student was armed, then the perp would have been shot by someone else after only killing one or two people.
SARCASM ALERT!
Of course, IF every student at a large university was armed, that’s the only reason they’d use their guns, isn’t it? We wouldn’t see people getting shot because someone had stolen someone’s girlfriend; or because they were failing their classes; or depressed; or mad.
SARCASM COMPLETE.
Those fuckwits at the NRA. Really. They are fuckwits. And if you really believe the first thing that they say it’s because you want to be a macho gun-slinging fool yourself.
Those are the only people we see whenever the NRA try to represent themselves. They put out well-meaning-sounding statements and talk about everyone’s right to have a single, appropriately-calibre'd weapon in the house “just in case”, but then you see the people who are actually IN the NRA and they all own hundreds of assault rifles and bazookas and flame-throwers.
Really - if anyone seriously thinks that the "right" to bear arms, just in case you MIGHT be the victim of a violent crime outweighs the tens of thousands of people killed with registered, legally owned guns each year, then they've got a screw loose.
The NRA card-holder would answer that by saying; "Look at Canada, or Finland, or Switzerland. They have very high gun-ownership rates, but they don't have huge problems with gun homicide rates".
Well, that's true. But then again, it's also true to say that macho, belligerent, posturing is not a national characteristic in those countries in the same way it is in the US. [And in the UK and many other countries.]
The difference is that in the countries where people tend to be a bit "gung-ho" about their civil rights and their property, gun control already exists.
The countries with high gun-ownership and low gun-crime are like the elder children. The ones you trust to baby-sit and cook dinner for the other kids while you're out.
Unfortunately, someone left the USA home-alone with a box of matches, some petrol and a few empty milk bottles...
Monday, 16 April 2007
Ouch
To the dentist today to have a filling. It seems that one of my old ones had deteriorated and needed replacing.
I'm glad that I can now go to the dentist without too much terror and pain (although now the local anaesthetic has worn off, my gum/jaw is very sore where he stuck the needle in).
Until around 8 years ago, I'd avoided going to the dentist for a long time. Around 16 years, I reckon.
Our childhood dentist was a sadist. I know that some people think that they had bad dental experiences when they were kids, but unless they went to the Stepgates clinic in Chertsey in the late-70s/early-80s then I'm inclined not to believe them.
[Legal note: I should probably stress here that I'm sure the current dentist at Stepgates is very professional and pain-free. Thank you!]
Back then, the sadistic bitch used to drill out cavities and fill our teeth without any anaesthetic. It's the sort of thing they did in Victorian times, before petticoated ladies threw themselves under the King's horse during the Derby to give us the right to pain-free dentistry.
I remember that other kids at school didn't used to believe me: people still don't believe me. Most people of my generation don't like dentists because they didn't like the discomfort of the injection. Hah! That glorious, numbing balm is soothing compared with the option of having high-speed, diamond-tipped, steel drills buried deep into a molar nerve!
Madame Vlad Dracul (I think that was her name) took a revolutionary approach to pain-relief. When I complained of a slight twinge (as she jabbed an aluminium javelin into my caries) she would twist my arm, giving me a chinese burn, and tell me "if you would only relax, it won't hurt". The stupid, fetid witch.
I don't remember if we ever told our parents what a sadistic cow this dentist was. I'm sure my sister will vouch that I'm not imagining it.
All I know is that if I was to meet her now, I'd twist her ear and punch her in the face and if she yelled out in pain I'd tell her that she obviously wasn't relaxed enough.
I'm glad that I can now go to the dentist without too much terror and pain (although now the local anaesthetic has worn off, my gum/jaw is very sore where he stuck the needle in).
Until around 8 years ago, I'd avoided going to the dentist for a long time. Around 16 years, I reckon.
Our childhood dentist was a sadist. I know that some people think that they had bad dental experiences when they were kids, but unless they went to the Stepgates clinic in Chertsey in the late-70s/early-80s then I'm inclined not to believe them.
[Legal note: I should probably stress here that I'm sure the current dentist at Stepgates is very professional and pain-free. Thank you!]
Back then, the sadistic bitch used to drill out cavities and fill our teeth without any anaesthetic. It's the sort of thing they did in Victorian times, before petticoated ladies threw themselves under the King's horse during the Derby to give us the right to pain-free dentistry.
I remember that other kids at school didn't used to believe me: people still don't believe me. Most people of my generation don't like dentists because they didn't like the discomfort of the injection. Hah! That glorious, numbing balm is soothing compared with the option of having high-speed, diamond-tipped, steel drills buried deep into a molar nerve!
Madame Vlad Dracul (I think that was her name) took a revolutionary approach to pain-relief. When I complained of a slight twinge (as she jabbed an aluminium javelin into my caries) she would twist my arm, giving me a chinese burn, and tell me "if you would only relax, it won't hurt". The stupid, fetid witch.
I don't remember if we ever told our parents what a sadistic cow this dentist was. I'm sure my sister will vouch that I'm not imagining it.
All I know is that if I was to meet her now, I'd twist her ear and punch her in the face and if she yelled out in pain I'd tell her that she obviously wasn't relaxed enough.
Friday, 23 March 2007
Top Ten Films
Hello. I'm back. And to distract myself from the hundreds of boxes that we still have to unpack, here's a little diversion.
My Lovely Young Wife copied me in on an email going round her office. Everyone had to name their favourite top ten favourite films.
So, without too much thought, and more or less off the top of my head, here are my top ten, in no particular order:
Airplane! (1980)
What can you say, a gag every second and 30 years later you still have to concentrate to get them all.
Citizen Kane (1941)
The classic to beat all classics and the film which invented the language of modern movie-making.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
I'll start blubbing if I even think about the ending to this one.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
A chick-flick really, but I like it very much indeed because it's honest and true to itself.
Duck Soup (1933)
The Marx Brothers had to be here somewhere, so here's their most consistently funny film.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Fantastic. To be watched again and again and don't let anyone tell you that Stephen King can't write a decent story!
Alien (1979)
Will someone please tell Harry Dean Stanton not to go after Jones, the cat? I have to watch that bit between my fingers every time. Aliens nearly made the cut too ("They mostly come at night. Mostly").
Double Indemnity (1944)
Genius. Simply genius.
Donnie Darko (2001)
OK. I don't follow this one 100%, but it's so atmospheric. And Maggie Gyllenhall's in it.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
What the...? Makes Donnie Darko look like The Brady Bunch. David Lynch needs to make more films to confuse us and make our brains bleed.
Of course, as John Cusak says in High Fidelity (or possibly it was Nick Hornby) your top ten is never definitive and will change according to mood and as to what purpose the top ten is for. Personally, you could ask me for my top ten comedies, or films noir, or animated features and I'd have to mull it over for a week to do the question any justice.
Anyway - it's your turn now. Your top ten films please. Don't think too hard and just write them all down as quickly as possible.
Finished? Put them down in the 'comments' box then.
And now surf on over to the IMDB Top 250 films to see how many great ones you've missed. There will be at least another 10 or 20 for which you'll say "damn! I wish I'd included that one".
My Lovely Young Wife copied me in on an email going round her office. Everyone had to name their favourite top ten favourite films.
So, without too much thought, and more or less off the top of my head, here are my top ten, in no particular order:
Airplane! (1980)
What can you say, a gag every second and 30 years later you still have to concentrate to get them all.
Citizen Kane (1941)
The classic to beat all classics and the film which invented the language of modern movie-making.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
I'll start blubbing if I even think about the ending to this one.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
A chick-flick really, but I like it very much indeed because it's honest and true to itself.
Duck Soup (1933)
The Marx Brothers had to be here somewhere, so here's their most consistently funny film.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Fantastic. To be watched again and again and don't let anyone tell you that Stephen King can't write a decent story!
Alien (1979)
Will someone please tell Harry Dean Stanton not to go after Jones, the cat? I have to watch that bit between my fingers every time. Aliens nearly made the cut too ("They mostly come at night. Mostly").
Double Indemnity (1944)
Genius. Simply genius.
Donnie Darko (2001)
OK. I don't follow this one 100%, but it's so atmospheric. And Maggie Gyllenhall's in it.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
What the...? Makes Donnie Darko look like The Brady Bunch. David Lynch needs to make more films to confuse us and make our brains bleed.
Of course, as John Cusak says in High Fidelity (or possibly it was Nick Hornby) your top ten is never definitive and will change according to mood and as to what purpose the top ten is for. Personally, you could ask me for my top ten comedies, or films noir, or animated features and I'd have to mull it over for a week to do the question any justice.
Anyway - it's your turn now. Your top ten films please. Don't think too hard and just write them all down as quickly as possible.
Finished? Put them down in the 'comments' box then.
And now surf on over to the IMDB Top 250 films to see how many great ones you've missed. There will be at least another 10 or 20 for which you'll say "damn! I wish I'd included that one".
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
See You On The Other Side
We're moving tomorrow. So I'm about to shut-down the PC and box it up (if we've any boxes left!).
Apparently our new broadband connection won't be functional until 21st March, so it'll be even quieter than usual around here and unless I get around to re-connecting the old-fashioned dial-up modem (and you know I won't!) then I won't be reading all your exploits for a week or so, either.
So, have fun. I'm looking forward to 3 days of unpacking boxes, moving furniture around, unpacking boxes, repainting walls, unpacking boxes, moving boxes, re-packing, moving and unpacking boxes and (occasionally) looking in wonder at our spiffing new house.
Wish me luck!
Apparently our new broadband connection won't be functional until 21st March, so it'll be even quieter than usual around here and unless I get around to re-connecting the old-fashioned dial-up modem (and you know I won't!) then I won't be reading all your exploits for a week or so, either.
So, have fun. I'm looking forward to 3 days of unpacking boxes, moving furniture around, unpacking boxes, repainting walls, unpacking boxes, moving boxes, re-packing, moving and unpacking boxes and (occasionally) looking in wonder at our spiffing new house.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, 8 March 2007
On The Move
Just as Delmonti moves into Addlestone, I am moving out.
Sorry Mr D, it's nothing personal. In fact, it's evidence that the area is becoming more posh and it's making me uncomfortable!
In approximately 24 hours time, my lovely young wife and I will become homeowners again, after a few years on the grubby slopes of Mount Rental.
Off to sunny Aldershot in Hampshire.
From now on it's our problem if the gas boiler stops working or the windows fall out. On the other hand we're also free to redecorate, put up shelves and have pets if the mood takes us.
I know which I prefer.
The day we move will be easier than the last 3 or 4 weeks. I've gradually whittled my 40-item to-do list down to something manageable (while working my new job and starting rehearsals for our latest play!) and most of the remaining items can probably wait until we've moved.
Another chapter...
Sorry Mr D, it's nothing personal. In fact, it's evidence that the area is becoming more posh and it's making me uncomfortable!
In approximately 24 hours time, my lovely young wife and I will become homeowners again, after a few years on the grubby slopes of Mount Rental.
Off to sunny Aldershot in Hampshire.
From now on it's our problem if the gas boiler stops working or the windows fall out. On the other hand we're also free to redecorate, put up shelves and have pets if the mood takes us.
I know which I prefer.
The day we move will be easier than the last 3 or 4 weeks. I've gradually whittled my 40-item to-do list down to something manageable (while working my new job and starting rehearsals for our latest play!) and most of the remaining items can probably wait until we've moved.
Another chapter...
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Thames Bridges Ride 2007
After last year's fantastic ride, I've entered the Thames Bridges Bike Ride again.
In 2006 I managed to raise around £750 for The Stroke Association thanks to the very generous contribution of friends, colleagues and readers of this blog (bless!).
So, in the hope that you're not jaded by all this charitable giving, here's another chance to send some money off to a good cause.
My fund-raising page is at http://www.justgiving.com/PT_Thames_Bridges_2007.
Go on - you know you want to do it!
[Alternatively you may want to sponsor another fat lad on a bike, if he gets around to updating his web-site...]
In 2006 I managed to raise around £750 for The Stroke Association thanks to the very generous contribution of friends, colleagues and readers of this blog (bless!).
So, in the hope that you're not jaded by all this charitable giving, here's another chance to send some money off to a good cause.
My fund-raising page is at http://www.justgiving.com/PT_Thames_Bridges_2007.
Go on - you know you want to do it!
[Alternatively you may want to sponsor another fat lad on a bike, if he gets around to updating his web-site...]
Thursday, 22 February 2007
You Won't Get Rid Of Me That Easily...
HELLO!
I'm still here. I'm still reading YOUR blog. Thanks for posting away so diligently while I've been sat here quiet as a church moose.
[They stand in the vestibule and you hang your hats on their antlers...]
Sorry I haven't commented recently - my new job's too busy to while away as much time coming up with snide remarks to leave scattered around the blogosphere.
Sorry I haven't posted recently - see my excuse above. And we're caught in the whirlwind of moving house in (tick, tock, tick, tock: "Jack Bauer's having a bad day!") only 3 weeks time. Add the play I'm directing (rehearsals start on Sunday - "what happened to Merry Wives of Windsor?" Don't ask!) and it's all a bit mental.
Sorry we haven't spoken for so long - recently I seem to manage to catch up with a maximum of 7 friends per year. If I keep going with a strict rotation I'll be able to get around to you in, ooh, 2009?
Sorry I didn't send a birthday card - that's especially for Delmonti and Councillor Mac, whose special day it is today.
Sorry about the state of the world... Oh! That one's NOT my fault. Cool!
Tock follows tick follows tock. And the farmers wife chopped off their tails with a carving knife. Ah! Guinness!
I'm still here. I'm still reading YOUR blog. Thanks for posting away so diligently while I've been sat here quiet as a church moose.
[They stand in the vestibule and you hang your hats on their antlers...]
Sorry I haven't commented recently - my new job's too busy to while away as much time coming up with snide remarks to leave scattered around the blogosphere.
Sorry I haven't posted recently - see my excuse above. And we're caught in the whirlwind of moving house in (tick, tock, tick, tock: "Jack Bauer's having a bad day!") only 3 weeks time. Add the play I'm directing (rehearsals start on Sunday - "what happened to Merry Wives of Windsor?" Don't ask!) and it's all a bit mental.
Sorry we haven't spoken for so long - recently I seem to manage to catch up with a maximum of 7 friends per year. If I keep going with a strict rotation I'll be able to get around to you in, ooh, 2009?
Sorry I didn't send a birthday card - that's especially for Delmonti and Councillor Mac, whose special day it is today.
Sorry about the state of the world... Oh! That one's NOT my fault. Cool!
Tock follows tick follows tock. And the farmers wife chopped off their tails with a carving knife. Ah! Guinness!
Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Slack
I know I don't post as often as I should, or as often as I used to, but it was only when looking at some numbers for the amount of posts I've made over the past 18 months that I realised how lax I'd been lately.
Below is a table which shows, for each month, the number of posts I made in that month, and a rolling 3-month average (i.e. the average for that month and the two previous months).
Month Entries 3 Month Ave
Jun-05 12 12.00
Jul-05 14 13.00
Aug-05 12 12.67
Sep-05 16 14.00
Oct-05 14 14.00
Nov-05 11 13.67
Dec-05 15 13.33
Jan-06 6 10.67
Feb-06 8 9.67
Mar-06 6 6.67
Apr-06 9 7.67
May-06 12 9.00
Jun-06 10 10.33
Jul-06 8 10.00
Aug-06 3 7.00
Sep-06 8 6.33
Oct-06 6 5.67
Nov-06 1 5.00
Dec-06 6 4.33
Jan-07 6 4.33
It's quite shocking!
For the first 6 months I managed to keep up around 13 or 14 posts a month. That's 3 per week. Recently, I've struggled to do 1 a week. And last November was a shocker, with only 1 post in the whole month.
So - I really need to do something about this. I've got the new blog for "Merry Wives" which I mentioned yesterday, but I also need to find other interesting things to write about.
Suggestions gratefully received!
Monday, 29 January 2007
New Blogs for Old
I've created a new blog to document the process of directing our latest play.
Ottershaw Players are doing The Merry Wives of Windsor in June. And my Merry Wives blog will give you all a behind-the-scenes commentary of what's been going on.
That's the theory anyway.
I should also point out that we're doing John Godber's marvellous play, Teechers, on 27th and 28th April. I'm not involved, but if it's as good as the version which was put on at last year's Woking Drama Festival, it will be cracking.
Ottershaw Players are doing The Merry Wives of Windsor in June. And my Merry Wives blog will give you all a behind-the-scenes commentary of what's been going on.
That's the theory anyway.
I should also point out that we're doing John Godber's marvellous play, Teechers, on 27th and 28th April. I'm not involved, but if it's as good as the version which was put on at last year's Woking Drama Festival, it will be cracking.
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Annnndddd... Relax
A week into the new job and I feel more relaxed than I have done in years.
Everyone at the office seems very nice. The first day was quite relaxed; a 9.30am start followed by some introductions and an HR induction and the usual sorting out of all the relevant system access requirements.
But the majority of it was all sorted out long before I arrived. Which makes a change from certain recent employers...
So far it's been a varied, interesting week with the chance to brush up some old skills and the prospect of learning something new on the horizon.
And the phone only rang once. It was a wrong number. Bliss!
Everyone at the office seems very nice. The first day was quite relaxed; a 9.30am start followed by some introductions and an HR induction and the usual sorting out of all the relevant system access requirements.
But the majority of it was all sorted out long before I arrived. Which makes a change from certain recent employers...
So far it's been a varied, interesting week with the chance to brush up some old skills and the prospect of learning something new on the horizon.
And the phone only rang once. It was a wrong number. Bliss!
Friday, 19 January 2007
Goodbyeeeee!
It's my last day in my current job today.
I feel like going to the pub right NOW! But I've got to do a presentation at 3pm for my erstwhile colleagues. They think it's going to be about Oracle database tuning.
Instead I think I'll do a slideshow about The Merry Wives of Windsor instead!
About this point in a blog would be the usual place to review the last 4.75 years of employment. Note down the good times and the bad. Trumpet my achievements.
But I don't really feel I've achieved anything, workwise, in all that time.
A lack of training; no support from management; risible pay reviews; staff morale through the floor; appalling staff appraisal system (what system?); permanently short-staffed teams with too much work (the good teams anyway) - the teams that do a piss-poor job seem to have plenty of time on their hands and loads of staff to while it away. Why is that?
Anyway, enough of my moaning. I've been telling my bosses all this for the past year or so and it doesn't seem to have made a farthing's difference.
So, I'm off.
To a job with better prospects; where I'm directly responsible to the customers I support; with far fewer databases to support; in a more stable environment; with decent training; and the chance to learn genuine new skills.
Oh, and the commute is a lot easier - even after we move house.
And they are going to pay me quite a bit more money too.
I'ts not the 'dream' job that I was wishing for here a while ago - it's still in the IT industry, so it couldn't possibly be - and that dream job really IS just a dream at present.
But I genuinely feel that it stands a chance of rekindling my enthusiasm. I'm looking forward to Monday morning...
I feel like going to the pub right NOW! But I've got to do a presentation at 3pm for my erstwhile colleagues. They think it's going to be about Oracle database tuning.
Instead I think I'll do a slideshow about The Merry Wives of Windsor instead!
About this point in a blog would be the usual place to review the last 4.75 years of employment. Note down the good times and the bad. Trumpet my achievements.
But I don't really feel I've achieved anything, workwise, in all that time.
A lack of training; no support from management; risible pay reviews; staff morale through the floor; appalling staff appraisal system (what system?); permanently short-staffed teams with too much work (the good teams anyway) - the teams that do a piss-poor job seem to have plenty of time on their hands and loads of staff to while it away. Why is that?
Anyway, enough of my moaning. I've been telling my bosses all this for the past year or so and it doesn't seem to have made a farthing's difference.
So, I'm off.
To a job with better prospects; where I'm directly responsible to the customers I support; with far fewer databases to support; in a more stable environment; with decent training; and the chance to learn genuine new skills.
Oh, and the commute is a lot easier - even after we move house.
And they are going to pay me quite a bit more money too.
I'ts not the 'dream' job that I was wishing for here a while ago - it's still in the IT industry, so it couldn't possibly be - and that dream job really IS just a dream at present.
But I genuinely feel that it stands a chance of rekindling my enthusiasm. I'm looking forward to Monday morning...
Sunday, 14 January 2007
I'm Cross Now
OK - so I haven't been around for a while and my Mum told me off for not blogging recently. I've been busy - I can't help it. I'm about to change jobs, so I've got to write down everything I know about my old one because they won't be able to cope without me.
[That's not arrogance - it's a plain fact: I'm going to steal the keys to all the filing cabinets and change all the database passwords without telling anyone!]
And we're sorting out our new house and I'm in pre-production on our new play.
So it's all been a bit hectic.
Anyway, tonight we get back from a lovely Chinese meal with Ma & Pa (a thank you for helping us with various household tasks today, plus another 40-odd years of parenting) and as we're walking home we notice the lovely clear skies so I decided to take some astro-photos with my shiny new camera.
All is going well and we keep noticing some lovely red stars. Are they stars? Or is it Mars? Let's look it up...
Only Mars is below the horizon at the moment. And when we look closer, the red 'star' is in exactly the same place on every single bloody picture! Which can only mean that my nice, shiny, new, expensive camera has a faulty pixel in the bloody sensor. Arse!
So along with all the other busy-ness, I now have to take it back to the shop and persuade them to swap it out for a new one...
Grrr...
Anyway - phantom star apart - I'm pretty happy with the pictures. Check out the one of Leo. I managed to catch a real planet on that one.
[That's not arrogance - it's a plain fact: I'm going to steal the keys to all the filing cabinets and change all the database passwords without telling anyone!]
And we're sorting out our new house and I'm in pre-production on our new play.
So it's all been a bit hectic.
Anyway, tonight we get back from a lovely Chinese meal with Ma & Pa (a thank you for helping us with various household tasks today, plus another 40-odd years of parenting) and as we're walking home we notice the lovely clear skies so I decided to take some astro-photos with my shiny new camera.
All is going well and we keep noticing some lovely red stars. Are they stars? Or is it Mars? Let's look it up...
Only Mars is below the horizon at the moment. And when we look closer, the red 'star' is in exactly the same place on every single bloody picture! Which can only mean that my nice, shiny, new, expensive camera has a faulty pixel in the bloody sensor. Arse!
So along with all the other busy-ness, I now have to take it back to the shop and persuade them to swap it out for a new one...
Grrr...
Anyway - phantom star apart - I'm pretty happy with the pictures. Check out the one of Leo. I managed to catch a real planet on that one.
Sunday, 7 January 2007
Thursday, 21 December 2006
It's All Happening
Time to expand on the brief note in my last post, which seems a long time ago now.
Yes, I've found a new job! I'll be working for one of the world's premier fruit and produce manufacturers and distributors. Not that I'll be doing anything fructous myself; I'll still be looking after databases.
But I'm sure that the chance to sample the odd peach segment may present itself.
So, it's more money for doing work that appears to be less arduous, but more interesting, and with the chance to expand my skillset into more report-writing. And it's only 5 miles from home, instead of 50. Fantastic!
So it's ironic that my other big piece of news is that it looks like we are buying a house in Aldershot. It's nowhere near as difficult to get to work from there as it is at present, but it won't be the "just around the corner" that I envisaged when I interviewed for the new job.
Fingers crossed that the mortgage application, surveys, conveyancing, etc, etc, all goes smoothly... Though the vendors have no chain and neither do we, so that bodes well.
Looks like January and Feburary are going to be pretty busy!
Yes, I've found a new job! I'll be working for one of the world's premier fruit and produce manufacturers and distributors. Not that I'll be doing anything fructous myself; I'll still be looking after databases.
But I'm sure that the chance to sample the odd peach segment may present itself.
So, it's more money for doing work that appears to be less arduous, but more interesting, and with the chance to expand my skillset into more report-writing. And it's only 5 miles from home, instead of 50. Fantastic!
So it's ironic that my other big piece of news is that it looks like we are buying a house in Aldershot. It's nowhere near as difficult to get to work from there as it is at present, but it won't be the "just around the corner" that I envisaged when I interviewed for the new job.
Fingers crossed that the mortgage application, surveys, conveyancing, etc, etc, all goes smoothly... Though the vendors have no chain and neither do we, so that bodes well.
Looks like January and Feburary are going to be pretty busy!
Tuesday, 12 December 2006
New Jobs for Old...
Alan Pardew was sacked from his job as West Ham manager yesterday morning.
Within hours I was offered a new job!
Coincidence?
Well, yes, it was a coincidence actually.
I have bitched and moaned about my job many times before. But, in 4-6 weeks I will be leaving to "pursue interests elsewhere" as they say.
I won't tell you who I'm going to work for. Let's just say they have an interest in fruit and Mr Dawson's online identity could be a big clue!
Within hours I was offered a new job!
Coincidence?
Well, yes, it was a coincidence actually.
I have bitched and moaned about my job many times before. But, in 4-6 weeks I will be leaving to "pursue interests elsewhere" as they say.
I won't tell you who I'm going to work for. Let's just say they have an interest in fruit and Mr Dawson's online identity could be a big clue!
Friday, 8 December 2006
"I Heard A Rumour"
News from earlier this week that I missed before. Apparently Bananarama have staged a coup d'etat in Fiji.
I know they haven't had a hit for quite some time, but this is not an unprecedented way to get back in the headlines.
The last lightweight 80's pop group to take-over a country was Hue & Cry. The Kane brothers' attempt to establish a unitary, presidential, directly-elected government in Burkina Faso in 1987 was ultimately successful, though their "inside man" and puppet leader, Blaise Compaore, took the credit for the coup, and indeed is still president, ruling from Ouagadougou today.
As such, Hue & Cry did not make news headlines and are now remembered more for their hit "Labour of Love", which chronicled their African excursion.
More recently, of course, Amazulu and Strawberry Switchblade joined forces to bring peace to the previously war-torn Isle of Mull. When Anne-Marie Ruddock was elected as chieftan of the island for the 5th time last year she became the longest serving female head-of-state in modern history.
I know they haven't had a hit for quite some time, but this is not an unprecedented way to get back in the headlines.
The last lightweight 80's pop group to take-over a country was Hue & Cry. The Kane brothers' attempt to establish a unitary, presidential, directly-elected government in Burkina Faso in 1987 was ultimately successful, though their "inside man" and puppet leader, Blaise Compaore, took the credit for the coup, and indeed is still president, ruling from Ouagadougou today.
As such, Hue & Cry did not make news headlines and are now remembered more for their hit "Labour of Love", which chronicled their African excursion.
More recently, of course, Amazulu and Strawberry Switchblade joined forces to bring peace to the previously war-torn Isle of Mull. When Anne-Marie Ruddock was elected as chieftan of the island for the 5th time last year she became the longest serving female head-of-state in modern history.
Wednesday, 6 December 2006
I Don't Know Much About Art...
...But I Know What I Like.
And it seems that in Norway they like their art so much that they are prepared to include strippers as 100% genuine artists (as opposed to artistes, I suppose).
I'm off out to the Doublemint Hippopotamus for an evening of art appreciation. Insert your own gags about Titian or brush strokes here.
And it seems that in Norway they like their art so much that they are prepared to include strippers as 100% genuine artists (as opposed to artistes, I suppose).
I'm off out to the Doublemint Hippopotamus for an evening of art appreciation. Insert your own gags about Titian or brush strokes here.
Tuesday, 5 December 2006
Will They Never Learn?
Sunday, 3 December 2006
Mark Owen Loses Temper in Dramatic Tram Breakdown
Good day to you!
In an exciting, suspenseful and dramatic ceremony, conducted this afternoon by Kathleen, Pele and Terry Wogan, we have finally decided the allocations in the Moore family's Not-So-Secret-Santa extravaganza 2006.
I know that you've all been waiting for this news for some weeks now, so with no further ado we'll get down to the announcement...
But first, here to entertain us with a song from their latest album - it's Take That!
Wow! Wasn't that great! Thanks to Howard, Jason and Gary for coming along this evening. We're sorry that Mark was unable to make it, but his tram broke down somewhere just outside Croydon.
So, now it's time for the announcement. Jordan - can I have the envelope please...?
Jo will be buying a present for Kathleen.
Dad will be buying a present for Mum.
Pete will be buying a present for Dad.
Mum will be buying a present for Pete.
Kathleen will be buying a present for Jo.
And that concludes this evening's entertainment. Join us again next time when you could have another chance to be lucky. Don't forget - it could be you!
From all of us at the Addlestone Studio... Goodnight!
In an exciting, suspenseful and dramatic ceremony, conducted this afternoon by Kathleen, Pele and Terry Wogan, we have finally decided the allocations in the Moore family's Not-So-Secret-Santa extravaganza 2006.
I know that you've all been waiting for this news for some weeks now, so with no further ado we'll get down to the announcement...
But first, here to entertain us with a song from their latest album - it's Take That!
Wow! Wasn't that great! Thanks to Howard, Jason and Gary for coming along this evening. We're sorry that Mark was unable to make it, but his tram broke down somewhere just outside Croydon.
So, now it's time for the announcement. Jordan - can I have the envelope please...?
Jo will be buying a present for Kathleen.
Dad will be buying a present for Mum.
Pete will be buying a present for Dad.
Mum will be buying a present for Pete.
Kathleen will be buying a present for Jo.
And that concludes this evening's entertainment. Join us again next time when you could have another chance to be lucky. Don't forget - it could be you!
From all of us at the Addlestone Studio... Goodnight!
Friday, 17 November 2006
Poop, Poop!
"Look at that. Over two weeks since he last posted and now, when he finally gets around to it, what does he do? He's only plugging the show he's appearing in, isn't he?"
"What? You're kidding?"
"I'm not. The Wind In The Willows, he says. At the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking, from 29th November to 2nd December at 7.45pm."
"Shameless!"
"I agree. He told me that tickets were £10 full-price and £8 for concessions. As if I'm going to tell anyone else. I'm not Jonathan Ross, I said."
"Disgraceful! Did he tell you where to buy them from as well?"
"Yes, he did. He said to phone the Ottershaw Players box-office on 01932 702091 or the theatre box-office on 01483 545900. He also gave me a bloody great poster to put up."
"I hope you told him where to stick it..."
The Wind In The Willows. Coming soon to a theatre near you. Suitable for boys and girls 5 years and over!!
"What? You're kidding?"
"I'm not. The Wind In The Willows, he says. At the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking, from 29th November to 2nd December at 7.45pm."
"Shameless!"
"I agree. He told me that tickets were £10 full-price and £8 for concessions. As if I'm going to tell anyone else. I'm not Jonathan Ross, I said."
"Disgraceful! Did he tell you where to buy them from as well?"
"Yes, he did. He said to phone the Ottershaw Players box-office on 01932 702091 or the theatre box-office on 01483 545900. He also gave me a bloody great poster to put up."
"I hope you told him where to stick it..."
The Wind In The Willows. Coming soon to a theatre near you. Suitable for boys and girls 5 years and over!!
Monday, 30 October 2006
Blogmeet
I don't think of myself as a blogger. Obviously, I do blog. Once in a while. Though recently it's become once in a week.
But I'm not one of those people who are driven to get something down at least once a day. Sometimes more often.
People like Diamond Geezer. For me, he's the king of bloggers. He has a subject that he (usually) confines himself to. He writes reams of witty, interesting prose, packed with so many links that to visit them all would mean that none of us would get any real work done, ever.
No, I'm not a real blogger.
And, as such, I would never expect to go to a Blog-Meet and swap blogging stories with like-minded bloggers.
So you could knock me down with a feather when I realised that that's exactly what I did yesterday.
OK, to be fair, it was really me and my Lovely Young Wife, plus my sis and her son, Thomas, who were meeting Shorty PJs' MaryB for lunch at the 'delightful' Italian restaurant in Weybridge.
Life stories were swapped, work tales were told and blogging was barely mentioned. It wasn't a blogmeet - only 60% of those present have ever blogged. So I think I've escaped without having to define myself as a blogger - yet... Phew!
But I'm not one of those people who are driven to get something down at least once a day. Sometimes more often.
People like Diamond Geezer. For me, he's the king of bloggers. He has a subject that he (usually) confines himself to. He writes reams of witty, interesting prose, packed with so many links that to visit them all would mean that none of us would get any real work done, ever.
No, I'm not a real blogger.
And, as such, I would never expect to go to a Blog-Meet and swap blogging stories with like-minded bloggers.
So you could knock me down with a feather when I realised that that's exactly what I did yesterday.
OK, to be fair, it was really me and my Lovely Young Wife, plus my sis and her son, Thomas, who were meeting Shorty PJs' MaryB for lunch at the 'delightful' Italian restaurant in Weybridge.
Life stories were swapped, work tales were told and blogging was barely mentioned. It wasn't a blogmeet - only 60% of those present have ever blogged. So I think I've escaped without having to define myself as a blogger - yet... Phew!
Here's MaryB and Jo (in that order) swapping fishing stories!
Wednesday, 18 October 2006
Arse Gratia Artis
Ooh! $90m knocked off the value of a painting, just like that.
I must say, I know how Steve Wynn must have felt - just not on such a large scale.
When I was about 6 or 7 I accidentally knocked over a vase. The vase was on our TV and the water went down the back of the set. The resulting BANG and plumes of smoke meant no TV for the family for a day or two. And, presumably, no TV for me for a couple of weeks!
Okay, so our TV wasn't a work of art.
So, assuming that Mr Wynn decided to have a career change from Las Vegas property developer to freelance art destroyer, what single work of art would you want him to annihilate?
I must say, I know how Steve Wynn must have felt - just not on such a large scale.
When I was about 6 or 7 I accidentally knocked over a vase. The vase was on our TV and the water went down the back of the set. The resulting BANG and plumes of smoke meant no TV for the family for a day or two. And, presumably, no TV for me for a couple of weeks!
Okay, so our TV wasn't a work of art.
So, assuming that Mr Wynn decided to have a career change from Las Vegas property developer to freelance art destroyer, what single work of art would you want him to annihilate?
Tuesday, 17 October 2006
A Pain In The Arm
I once met a phlebotomist who used to have to perform venipuncture on Mick Jagger.
He said it was like getting blood out of a stone.
He said it was like getting blood out of a stone.
Wednesday, 11 October 2006
Desert Island Dicks
Five people named Richard who I'd happily tolerate on my desert island:
- Richard Feynmann - genius. If he was still alive.
- Richard McKenzie - councillor and old chum. Guaranteed to keep order.
- Dick Barton - Special Agent.
- Rich Hall - funny guy.
- Moby Dick - we either hang on to his tail and he swims us to safety, or we could cook him and eat him.
Tuesday, 10 October 2006
Cracking Cheese, Gromit.
Things to do on a Summer Holiday in Wensleydale
1. Rent a lovely little cottage in the gorgeous viilage of Middleham. It's the home of lots of prestigious racing stables so you see many racehorses and those tiny, wee people who ride about on them.
2. Don't go when it's going to rain for a week. It's fantastic countryside, but it would be improved by being dry.
3. Do make sure you go in mid-August so you can see the Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival. We stumbled upon it by accident while driving around and wish we'd had time to stop and take a look at all the superb scarecrow scenes.
4. Don't run out of money only 2 days into your week. It makes it difficult to do anything and the plans for eating in all the posh local restaurants were somewhat scuppered. Not to mention the fear of running out of petrol and being stranded in North Yorkshire.
5. Take your camera. There's lots to see. Middleham Castle was fantastic, as was Bolton Castle. And Fountains Abbey. I'm sure there's more we could have seen but for the weather and the lack of cash.
6. Try the beer. Nearby Masham is home to the Theakstons and Black Sheep Breweries. Tasty!
7. Try the food. A trip to Betty's Tea Rooms in Harrogate is a must, especially for their Yorkshire curd tart. Luvverly. And there are some fantastic restaurants all over North Yorkshire. They're not as cheap as you'd expect though!
8. Walking boots. And a map. Take them and use them - you'll find some fantastic hidden places.
Monday, 2 October 2006
Separated After Birth...
Young scamp Chux recently pointed out the similarity between tap-dancing, skinny, grinning Lionel Blair and antique, perma-bronzed, grinning David Dickinson.
They do appear to be rather similar:
Blair
Dickinson
If only a TV executive could combine the two on their most popular shows. Give Us A Clue and Bargain Hunt rolled into one: C-list celebrities would have to mime a clue describing an antique object d'art and its estimated auction price within a strict time limit.
Imagine the scene as Lionel and David both struggle to pull-off Michaelangelo, with their hands alone, in under 2 minutes...
They do appear to be rather similar:
Blair
Dickinson
If only a TV executive could combine the two on their most popular shows. Give Us A Clue and Bargain Hunt rolled into one: C-list celebrities would have to mime a clue describing an antique object d'art and its estimated auction price within a strict time limit.
Imagine the scene as Lionel and David both struggle to pull-off Michaelangelo, with their hands alone, in under 2 minutes...
Friday, 29 September 2006
Teechers In The Middle Of The Road
One reason for my lack of recent Bloggage (have I coined a new word there? Nope!) is the fact that I've been so busy doing dramatic stuff.
For the past couple of months we've been rehearsing 3 separate plays.
I'm stage-managing Teechers, by John Godber. Our lovely friend Clare is directing a gang of 4 talented youngsters for our Youth entry to the Woking Drama Festival. There was a point a week or two ago when it looked a bit touch-and-go as to whether it would all come together in time, but now it looks like the performance this coming Thursday will be a cracker.
I'm also sound designer and operator for The Man In The Middle Of The Road. This is written and directed by Paul Foster who's been with us for a year or so. It's not as light-hearted as Teechers and it features a lead actor who has to perform stark naked for over half the 45-minute play! We'll see how the Surrey theatre-going public cope with that at the Woking Drama Festival on Thursday 12th October.
All this frantic activity means that I haven't been able to give my full attention to The Wind In The Willows, our 'big' show for November. I feel bad about this as I know what it's like, as a director, to have a less-than-complete turnout. Next year I will restrict my activities drastically!
Friday, 22 September 2006
Not Quite "It's A Wonderful Life"
So it appears that slightly camp dancer, Lionel Blair, and screamingly, irritatingly camp 'comedian' Alan Carr have saved a man who was trying to throw himself off Blackpool pier.
Is it only me wondering whether the poor bastard was just trying to get away from those two fools in the first place? He must have had a heart attack when they were the ones that saved him...
Is it only me wondering whether the poor bastard was just trying to get away from those two fools in the first place? He must have had a heart attack when they were the ones that saved him...
Thursday, 21 September 2006
Where Have You Been?
You can now add a map of the countries you've visited to your blog or website.
Click my map below to find out more.
Thanks to One Of Those Allans for the link.
create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands
Click my map below to find out more.
Thanks to One Of Those Allans for the link.
create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands
Wednesday, 20 September 2006
Hezbollah!
Every year, the 2nd week of August sees two or three hundred amateur drama types heading up to Loughborough University for the annual NODA Summer School.
This year was the 4th time I've been. In previous years I've studied Acting Skills and a directing course (Page To Stage with Ruth Bettesworth) that was enjoyable enough to repeat last year.
This year though I decided to do something different: Theatre Lighting. I'm not much of a "techie" and I certainly quail at having to climb up to the gantry. I usually get half-way up the ladder and then panic and have to be lowered down with ropes and pullies.
The course was most enjoyable. I managed to learn enough that next time I direct a play I'll hopefully be able to make suggestions about the lighting and will be able to understand why some things are impossible (or not!).
The pictures below show one of the 'cameos' that our group put together. We had to devise and light a short scene which used lighting to show a sense of place and the passing of time.
A window pattern on the floor is often achieved using a 'gobo'. This is a metal cutout or template which is placed near the lens of a focusable theatre lantern to achieve a special effect: a window, light dappled through trees, etc. However, in our cameos shown here we decided to use the window built into the scenery like a gobo and simply rigged lights to shine through using different angles and different colours to give the impression of a changing time of day.
Attending the NODA summer school is also a great chance to see old friends from previous years and catch up with what they've been doing since the previous August - usually over a very reasonably proced drink in the student union bar!
Roll-on next year - learning technical skills is all well and good, but I think I missed the performance-related stuff too much.
Why is the title of this piece "hezbollah!"? When you're hanging a light you shout "Heads Below!" to warn anyone standing on the stage. When 2 or 3 of the people on the course come from the north-east, it sounds like "Hezbollah!".
This year was the 4th time I've been. In previous years I've studied Acting Skills and a directing course (Page To Stage with Ruth Bettesworth) that was enjoyable enough to repeat last year.
This year though I decided to do something different: Theatre Lighting. I'm not much of a "techie" and I certainly quail at having to climb up to the gantry. I usually get half-way up the ladder and then panic and have to be lowered down with ropes and pullies.
The course was most enjoyable. I managed to learn enough that next time I direct a play I'll hopefully be able to make suggestions about the lighting and will be able to understand why some things are impossible (or not!).
The pictures below show one of the 'cameos' that our group put together. We had to devise and light a short scene which used lighting to show a sense of place and the passing of time.
A window pattern on the floor is often achieved using a 'gobo'. This is a metal cutout or template which is placed near the lens of a focusable theatre lantern to achieve a special effect: a window, light dappled through trees, etc. However, in our cameos shown here we decided to use the window built into the scenery like a gobo and simply rigged lights to shine through using different angles and different colours to give the impression of a changing time of day.
Attending the NODA summer school is also a great chance to see old friends from previous years and catch up with what they've been doing since the previous August - usually over a very reasonably proced drink in the student union bar!
Roll-on next year - learning technical skills is all well and good, but I think I missed the performance-related stuff too much.
Why is the title of this piece "hezbollah!"? When you're hanging a light you shout "Heads Below!" to warn anyone standing on the stage. When 2 or 3 of the people on the course come from the north-east, it sounds like "Hezbollah!".
Tuesday, 19 September 2006
You've Got To Be Crazy...
We spent the weekend entertaining Al from Seattle.
Al is an old friend of my Lovely Young Wife. They met in Moscow. The circumstances aren't fully known to me, but I believe that lots of vodka, a bad covers band and some very scary Russian mafiosi may have been involved.
He runs his own company, GreenBuddy, selling a cool little golf tool. He says he's doing "okay", but I reckon he's a multi-millionaire and just likes slumming it with us regular folks!
We spent part of Sunday in Windsor Great Park. It's pretty and you can see the castle, but my real reason for reproducing the picture above is for Delmonti's comment. Click above to be amused.
On Monday we went looking for a vintage drum shop on Lavendar Hill in London. We ended up parking pretty close to Battersea Power Station. This is one of my favourite London landmarks, and as both Al and I are huge Pink Floyd fans so we explored the area for a while.
When I got home I decided that I had to pay my own tribute to Animals. It's a much under-rated album.
Have I done the album cover justice? I hope to hear from Storm Thorgerson pretty soon, offering me a job...
Al is an old friend of my Lovely Young Wife. They met in Moscow. The circumstances aren't fully known to me, but I believe that lots of vodka, a bad covers band and some very scary Russian mafiosi may have been involved.
He runs his own company, GreenBuddy, selling a cool little golf tool. He says he's doing "okay", but I reckon he's a multi-millionaire and just likes slumming it with us regular folks!
We spent part of Sunday in Windsor Great Park. It's pretty and you can see the castle, but my real reason for reproducing the picture above is for Delmonti's comment. Click above to be amused.
On Monday we went looking for a vintage drum shop on Lavendar Hill in London. We ended up parking pretty close to Battersea Power Station. This is one of my favourite London landmarks, and as both Al and I are huge Pink Floyd fans so we explored the area for a while.
When I got home I decided that I had to pay my own tribute to Animals. It's a much under-rated album.
Have I done the album cover justice? I hope to hear from Storm Thorgerson pretty soon, offering me a job...
Monday, 11 September 2006
Will They Have Kids?
Hmmm... A Sudanese man has been forced to marry a goat.
This is an interesting story as it closely mirrors the reasons for my own first marriage.
This is an interesting story as it closely mirrors the reasons for my own first marriage.
Wednesday, 6 September 2006
A Tale of Two Gigs
Half-Moon Unplugged
Off we went to the Half Moon in Putney on Monday night. We were there to see Mike Halliwell and his band - friends of my lovely young wife. Overall an excellent night. It was an acoustic/unplugged night, so there were about 9 bands/artistes of varying styles and calibres.
The room at the Half-Moon is a decent size, probably holds 150 standing and the crowd of about 50 or so were all quiet and respectful to the acts.
Mike Halliwell (along with Matt on bass, Adam on drums and roadie Nick) was very good indeed. They guys try to gig once or twice a month, at least, and they're well worth catching. If you're going to Cameron and Kirsty's wedding next Sunday (and why wouldn't you be?) then you'll hear them.
Another standout act included The Ballinsky Project. A guitar/cello duo. Nathan Ball, the guitarist and singer has a voice reminiscent of Cat Stephens' (that's a good thing, by the way) and their songs were beautiful, yet complex. Thoroughly recommended. I've ordered their CD.
Also worth hearing was Rami. This Bob Dylan/Art Garfunkel lookalike sings with a deep American drawl (think Leon Redbone - I think) but is actually English. Which made me think he was a trifle pretentious for a moment - but after listening to his songs I was converted. An excellent guitarist and an adventurous and amusing lyricist. His last song mixed Dylan with Beck and was a marvellous concoction.
Nizlopi
The next night we went to see Nizlopi at Koko (formerly the Palace Ballroom) in Camden. This was a different kettle of fish and reminded me why I generally don't like going to 'bigger' gigs.
Let's start with the band as that's the most positive. You'll probably have heard of Nizlopi from The JCB Song which was a number 1 single just before Christmas 2005 and also did the rounds via viral emails for a while previously. Their album Half These Songs Are About You is excellent. Agood mixture of folk, rock and gentle hip-hop styles. Of course, a multi-instrumental album is difficult to reproduce when you are a duo (guitar and double-bass), but they opened the show with a real bang. John (bass) is a superb human-beatbox and so the fast, inventive, excellent bass-playing on the first couple of songs was backed by a really good rhythm. And so were the next two tracks, and the next, and the next.
In fact (and this is my main grumble about the music) ALL the tracks they played, bar one, were re-invented as banging hip-hop tunes. Nothing wrong with ringing the changes and rearranging a few tracks - and the new twist worked really well on, say, six or seven of them, at the most. But applying this template to everything was a mistake. A far better choice would have been to employ a drummer who could take a seat for alternate tracks, or for the 2nd half of the set.
[And, while we're moaning about the hip-hop theme... Let me just say that I do really like hip-hop and I don't believe that there's any shame in middle-class white boys playing and writing it. But... When you're a middle-class lad from Leamington Spa (as Luke from Nizlopi is) there's no real excuse to be talking like you're from the 'Hood in Compton or something. Perhaps this was some sort of Ali G style spoof. But if it was, it didn't work. The well-dressed, nicely-spoken black guy standing in front of me told his friend, "blimey! That bloke talks just like my nephew".]
So... The music. Enjoyable-ish. But the whole night was spoiled by:
1. The appalling acoustics in the venue - come on guys, you've just spent a fortune on new decor, a new bar, new marketing, a relaunch. Couldn't you have spent some money on making sure the sound wasn't so muddy and dirty that it was impossible to hear the lyrics or the between-song banter?
2. The fatuous behaviour of the punters - I'm still at a loss to understand why someone would spend decent money to go to see a band and then spend all their time talking and larking about with their mates instead. That would be OK if they did it somewhere at the back of the hall near the bar, but no, they feel the need to disturb the rest of us. And it's not just a few isolated groups. At times it felt like 1/3 of the audience were more interested in their conversations than in the band they'd paid to see. Twats!
Off we went to the Half Moon in Putney on Monday night. We were there to see Mike Halliwell and his band - friends of my lovely young wife. Overall an excellent night. It was an acoustic/unplugged night, so there were about 9 bands/artistes of varying styles and calibres.
The room at the Half-Moon is a decent size, probably holds 150 standing and the crowd of about 50 or so were all quiet and respectful to the acts.
Mike Halliwell (along with Matt on bass, Adam on drums and roadie Nick) was very good indeed. They guys try to gig once or twice a month, at least, and they're well worth catching. If you're going to Cameron and Kirsty's wedding next Sunday (and why wouldn't you be?) then you'll hear them.
Another standout act included The Ballinsky Project. A guitar/cello duo. Nathan Ball, the guitarist and singer has a voice reminiscent of Cat Stephens' (that's a good thing, by the way) and their songs were beautiful, yet complex. Thoroughly recommended. I've ordered their CD.
Also worth hearing was Rami. This Bob Dylan/Art Garfunkel lookalike sings with a deep American drawl (think Leon Redbone - I think) but is actually English. Which made me think he was a trifle pretentious for a moment - but after listening to his songs I was converted. An excellent guitarist and an adventurous and amusing lyricist. His last song mixed Dylan with Beck and was a marvellous concoction.
Nizlopi
The next night we went to see Nizlopi at Koko (formerly the Palace Ballroom) in Camden. This was a different kettle of fish and reminded me why I generally don't like going to 'bigger' gigs.
Let's start with the band as that's the most positive. You'll probably have heard of Nizlopi from The JCB Song which was a number 1 single just before Christmas 2005 and also did the rounds via viral emails for a while previously. Their album Half These Songs Are About You is excellent. Agood mixture of folk, rock and gentle hip-hop styles. Of course, a multi-instrumental album is difficult to reproduce when you are a duo (guitar and double-bass), but they opened the show with a real bang. John (bass) is a superb human-beatbox and so the fast, inventive, excellent bass-playing on the first couple of songs was backed by a really good rhythm. And so were the next two tracks, and the next, and the next.
In fact (and this is my main grumble about the music) ALL the tracks they played, bar one, were re-invented as banging hip-hop tunes. Nothing wrong with ringing the changes and rearranging a few tracks - and the new twist worked really well on, say, six or seven of them, at the most. But applying this template to everything was a mistake. A far better choice would have been to employ a drummer who could take a seat for alternate tracks, or for the 2nd half of the set.
[And, while we're moaning about the hip-hop theme... Let me just say that I do really like hip-hop and I don't believe that there's any shame in middle-class white boys playing and writing it. But... When you're a middle-class lad from Leamington Spa (as Luke from Nizlopi is) there's no real excuse to be talking like you're from the 'Hood in Compton or something. Perhaps this was some sort of Ali G style spoof. But if it was, it didn't work. The well-dressed, nicely-spoken black guy standing in front of me told his friend, "blimey! That bloke talks just like my nephew".]
So... The music. Enjoyable-ish. But the whole night was spoiled by:
1. The appalling acoustics in the venue - come on guys, you've just spent a fortune on new decor, a new bar, new marketing, a relaunch. Couldn't you have spent some money on making sure the sound wasn't so muddy and dirty that it was impossible to hear the lyrics or the between-song banter?
2. The fatuous behaviour of the punters - I'm still at a loss to understand why someone would spend decent money to go to see a band and then spend all their time talking and larking about with their mates instead. That would be OK if they did it somewhere at the back of the hall near the bar, but no, they feel the need to disturb the rest of us. And it's not just a few isolated groups. At times it felt like 1/3 of the audience were more interested in their conversations than in the band they'd paid to see. Twats!
Tuesday, 5 September 2006
Ah, Those Long Summer Days...
What long summer days? August was abysmal. Don't argue, you know it was!
Hello.
Yes, I'm sorry Chuckie, I've been away from here for far too long. Lots to write about, but little time to write in. August saw lots of activity which I will post about over the next week or so. I promise.
So look forward to meanderings about NODA summer school, Wensleydale, my recent birthday and various theatre bits and bobs.
Today's topic of conversation is The Goodwood Revival.
The Revival is a race meeting, held at Goodwood motor racing circuit, near Chichester in Sussex. The circuit is built on the estate of the Earl of March who lives in Goodwood House and also owns Goodwood horse racing course. Lord March owns lots of property. Lots. Vast acres of English countryside.
But he's a good chap because every year he holds two meetings at the motor racing circuit. The Festival of Speed happens early in the summer. I've been a couple of times, but I don't find it that enthralling. Various racing cars charge up a hill course a mile or two long. It's not a circuit, so you see each car once. For about 10 seconds.
No. For me the Revival meeting is much more fun. The Friday is given over to practice laps, each driver trying to set a competitive time; then the races themselves happen on Saturday and Sunday. Each day you'll see around 9 races, plus some parades of cars notable for some reason (this year was a collection of cars raced by US driver Phil Hill in his long, distinguished career).
One of the best parts of the Revival is the fact that everything is done in a vintage style. The circuit closed for 'real' racing in 1966, so all the cars (and the planes and motorbikes - even the course rescue vehicles, fire engines and ambulances) pre-date that year.
The number of people who dress up in period costume is amazing. This year I didn't have time to find something appropriate and I felt out of place even wearing chinos and a shirt and tie.
And although I wasn't dressed in period we certainly arrived in style. I managed to cadge a lift with my friend Alan in his 1953 MG TD roadster (pictured).
But the highlight of any day at the Revival is definitely the racing. The saloon car race is exceptionally good fun. You wouldn't believe that a Mark I Jaguar and an Austin A35 would be neck-and-neck with each other after 12 laps (25 or 26 miles). In previous years I've seen a Morris Minor vying for the lead.
And this year's racing was even better. The Saturday was very overcast and rain fell in showers all day. Which meant the track was damp, but not soaked, all the time. Which, in turn, made the racing even closer and more exciting. And as we had ticket for the Lavant Turn grandstand we stayed dry and saw many cars taking both apexes sideways.
Can't wait until next year!
Hello.
Yes, I'm sorry Chuckie, I've been away from here for far too long. Lots to write about, but little time to write in. August saw lots of activity which I will post about over the next week or so. I promise.
So look forward to meanderings about NODA summer school, Wensleydale, my recent birthday and various theatre bits and bobs.
Today's topic of conversation is The Goodwood Revival.
The Revival is a race meeting, held at Goodwood motor racing circuit, near Chichester in Sussex. The circuit is built on the estate of the Earl of March who lives in Goodwood House and also owns Goodwood horse racing course. Lord March owns lots of property. Lots. Vast acres of English countryside.
But he's a good chap because every year he holds two meetings at the motor racing circuit. The Festival of Speed happens early in the summer. I've been a couple of times, but I don't find it that enthralling. Various racing cars charge up a hill course a mile or two long. It's not a circuit, so you see each car once. For about 10 seconds.
No. For me the Revival meeting is much more fun. The Friday is given over to practice laps, each driver trying to set a competitive time; then the races themselves happen on Saturday and Sunday. Each day you'll see around 9 races, plus some parades of cars notable for some reason (this year was a collection of cars raced by US driver Phil Hill in his long, distinguished career).
One of the best parts of the Revival is the fact that everything is done in a vintage style. The circuit closed for 'real' racing in 1966, so all the cars (and the planes and motorbikes - even the course rescue vehicles, fire engines and ambulances) pre-date that year.
The number of people who dress up in period costume is amazing. This year I didn't have time to find something appropriate and I felt out of place even wearing chinos and a shirt and tie.And although I wasn't dressed in period we certainly arrived in style. I managed to cadge a lift with my friend Alan in his 1953 MG TD roadster (pictured).
But the highlight of any day at the Revival is definitely the racing. The saloon car race is exceptionally good fun. You wouldn't believe that a Mark I Jaguar and an Austin A35 would be neck-and-neck with each other after 12 laps (25 or 26 miles). In previous years I've seen a Morris Minor vying for the lead.
And this year's racing was even better. The Saturday was very overcast and rain fell in showers all day. Which meant the track was damp, but not soaked, all the time. Which, in turn, made the racing even closer and more exciting. And as we had ticket for the Lavant Turn grandstand we stayed dry and saw many cars taking both apexes sideways.
Can't wait until next year!
Thursday, 24 August 2006
On This Day In History...
Some things that happened on this day. Most information courtesy of Wikipedia.
Events
Events
- 79 - Mount Vesuvius erupts. The cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae are buried in volcanic ash.
- 1215 - Pope Innocent III declares the Magna Carta invalid.
- 1349 - Six thousand Jews are killed in Mainz because they are blamed for the bubonic plague.
- 1456 - The printing of the Gutenberg Bible is completed.
- 1459 - Vlad Tepes (aka Dracula) had 30,000 of the merchants and officials of the Transylvanian city of Bra?ov impaled.
- 1572 - Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre: On the orders of king Charles IX of France, a massacre of Huguenots (French Protestants) begins.
- 1662 - Act of Uniformity requires England to accept the Book of Common Prayer.
- 1690 - Calcutta, India is founded.
- 1814 - British troops invade Washington, D.C. and burn down the White House and several other buildings.
- 1831 - Charles Darwin is asked to travel on HMS Beagle.
- 1847 - Charlotte Brontë finishes Jane Eyre.
- 1853 - Potato chips are first prepared.
- 1891 - Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera.
- 1909 - Workers start pouring concrete for the Panama Canal.
- 1912 - Alaska becomes a United States territory.
- 1932 - Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly across the United States non-stop (from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey).
- 1949 - The treaty creating NATO goes into effect.
- 1967 - Led by Abbie Hoffman, a group of hippies temporarily disrupt trading at the NYSE by throwing dollar bills from the viewing gallery, causing a cease in trading as the brokers scramble to grab them up.
- 1968 - France explodes its first hydrogen bomb, thus becoming the world's fifth nuclear power.
- 1971 - Pink Floyd performs their most famous concert, in an abandoned Pompeii amphitheatre on the 1892nd anniversary of the infamous disappearance of Pompeii.
- 1981 - Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for murdering John Lennon.
- 1989 - Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
- 1990 - A judge rules that Judas Priest are not responsible for the deaths of two youths who committed suicide after listening to the band's music.
- 1991 - Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
- 1991 - Ukraine declares itself independent from the Soviet Union.
- 1995 - Windows 95, a computer operating system by Microsoft, is released with much fanfare.
- 2004 - Two airliners in Russia, carrying a total of 89 passengers, explode within minutes of each other after flying out of Domodedovo International Airport, near Moscow, leaving no survivors. The explosions were caused by suicide bombers (reportedly female) from the Russian Republic of Chechnya.
Births
- 1552 - Lavinia Fontana, Italian painter (d. 1614)
- 1580 - John Taylor, English poet (d. 1654)
- 1591 - Robert Herrick, English poet (d. 1674)
- 1759 - William Wilberforce, English campaigner against slavery (d. 1833)
- 1787 - James Weddell, Antarctica explorer (d. 1834)
- 1817 - Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy, Russian writer (d. 1875)
- 1872 - Max Beerbohm, British parodist and caricaturist (d. 1956)
- 1897 - Fred Rose, American songwriter and publishing executive (d. 1954)
- 1899 - Jorge Luis Borges, Argentine writer (d. 1986)
- 1934 - Kenny Baker, English actor
- 1936 - A. S. Byatt, English novelist
- 1944 - Jim Capaldi, British drummer, singer, and songwriter (Traffic) (d. 2005)
- 1948 - Kim Sung-Il, Chief of Staff of Republic of Korea Air Force
- 1948 - Jean-Michel Jarre, French musician
- 1957 - Stephen Fry, English comedian, author, and actor
- 1958 - Steve Guttenberg, American actor
- 1966 - Peter Moore, English actor, director and database administrator.
- 1988 - Rupert Grint, English actor
Deaths
- 79 - Pliny the Elder, Roman writer and naturalist (b. 23)
- 1680 - Thomas Blood, Irish-born thief of the British crown jewels (b. 1618)
- 1841 - Theodore Edward Hook, English author (b. 1788)
- 1958 - Paul Henry, Northern Irish artist (b. 1876)
- 1967 - Henry J. Kaiser, American industrialist (b. 1882)
- 1978 - Louis Prima, American band leader (b. 1910)
- 1980 - Yootha Joyce, British actress (b. 1927)
- 1990 - Sergei Dovlatov, Russian writer (b. 1941)
- 1991 - Bernard Castro, Italian inventor (b. 1904)
- 1995 - Alfred Eisenstaedt, German-born photographer (b. 1898)
- 1998 - E.G. Marshall, American actor (b. 1910)
- 2003 - Sir Wilfred Thesiger, British explorer (b. 1910)
- 2004 - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Swiss-born psychiatrist (b. 1926)
Sunday, 20 August 2006
How Much?
I've been away for two weeks. Obsessively dull details will follow in a day or two.
Just so you know why I haven't been reading/replying/blogging/commenting for a while.
Ciao!
Just so you know why I haven't been reading/replying/blogging/commenting for a while.
Ciao!
Friday, 4 August 2006
Better Late Than Never
Good Lord, I'm useless. A whole week since I last posted. Trouble is, I have fantastic ideas for a post, but they usually occur to me when I'm driving home from work. I have no way of noting them down while I'm on the move, so 45 minutes later, when I'm back home, I've forgotten what the brilliant idea was!
Yesterday I bought a digital voice recorder. You know - a "Dictaphone"-type thing, though presumably "Dictaphone" is a registered trademark, so I should make it very clear that it was definitely not one of those that I bought.
Anyway, I bought it so that I can record the read-through for our next play. I can then copy the recording to my PC and isolate the sections I'm in and burn the recording to CD; all the better for learning my lines.
So maybe I should carry it around at all times, murmuring into it when an idea occurs to me. But then I have a mental image of Alan Partridge in a Rover and wearing driving gloves ("Idea for a programme entitled 'Yachting Mishaps'. Some funny, some tragic. Presented by that man who was trapped upside-down in his hull eating chocolate.") and it seems very foolish all of a sudden.
Yesterday I bought a digital voice recorder. You know - a "Dictaphone"-type thing, though presumably "Dictaphone" is a registered trademark, so I should make it very clear that it was definitely not one of those that I bought.
Anyway, I bought it so that I can record the read-through for our next play. I can then copy the recording to my PC and isolate the sections I'm in and burn the recording to CD; all the better for learning my lines.
So maybe I should carry it around at all times, murmuring into it when an idea occurs to me. But then I have a mental image of Alan Partridge in a Rover and wearing driving gloves ("Idea for a programme entitled 'Yachting Mishaps'. Some funny, some tragic. Presented by that man who was trapped upside-down in his hull eating chocolate.") and it seems very foolish all of a sudden.
Friday, 28 July 2006
Wednesday, 26 July 2006
Too Darn Hot
That's my excuse for not having posted for 10 days anyway.
What have I been up to in that time?
Working. That hasn't been fun. Our company moved us into 'new' offices in April. So 'new' that they don't have air-conditioning. The interior of the office is usually as hot as it is outside (32 Celsius today, according to a colleagues desk clock/thermometer). Sometimes it's hotter, due to the lack of a breeze and the sun heating up the air behind the windows (most of which don't open). The company bought us fans and spent £8,000 on "air-conditioners" that don't. All of which is a good excuse for wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals to the office, or for working from home.
Playing. I'm involved with both of Ottershaw Players' entries to this year's Woking Drama Festival. I'm doing sound for The Man In The Middle of the Road and stage managing Teechers. We've also had auditions for November's production of The Wind In The Willows - great fun! I think I'd like to play Ratty. But that's also got most lines, so I'm hoping for something smaller. On Monday I had a day at the British All-Winners Drama Festival. I was mentoring one of the competing groups Cytringan Players, so I spent the day helping them get unloaded and directing them to the right shops to buy props and set materials that they needed.
What have I been up to in that time?
Working. That hasn't been fun. Our company moved us into 'new' offices in April. So 'new' that they don't have air-conditioning. The interior of the office is usually as hot as it is outside (32 Celsius today, according to a colleagues desk clock/thermometer). Sometimes it's hotter, due to the lack of a breeze and the sun heating up the air behind the windows (most of which don't open). The company bought us fans and spent £8,000 on "air-conditioners" that don't. All of which is a good excuse for wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals to the office, or for working from home.
Playing. I'm involved with both of Ottershaw Players' entries to this year's Woking Drama Festival. I'm doing sound for The Man In The Middle of the Road and stage managing Teechers. We've also had auditions for November's production of The Wind In The Willows - great fun! I think I'd like to play Ratty. But that's also got most lines, so I'm hoping for something smaller. On Monday I had a day at the British All-Winners Drama Festival. I was mentoring one of the competing groups Cytringan Players, so I spent the day helping them get unloaded and directing them to the right shops to buy props and set materials that they needed.
Sunday, 16 July 2006
Dredged Up
A trivial conversation at a barbecue yesterday had me recalling a snippet of a singalong-type song from my youth.
I hadn't heard it for, oh, at least 30 years, but the lyrics (to the last verse) came back to me with no problem at all:
I recall that the song was on a Rolf Harris album. I'll have to search it out to see how wide of the mark I am...
Update:
Well, I was close. Apparently the ladies are from the Harem of the Court of King Caractacus. And the Witches were "fascinating" rather than "nauseating". If you're at all bothered, you can read the lyrics here.
No sign of a free MP3 link to the song. Which is a shame 'cos it was a corker!
I hadn't heard it for, oh, at least 30 years, but the lyrics (to the last verse) came back to me with no problem at all:
Oh, the nauseating witches who put scinitllating stitches in the breechesHow does that happen? I'm sure Marcel Proust had something to say on the subject.
Of the boys who put the powder on the noses of the ladies
Of the court of King Caractacus,
Are just passing by.
I recall that the song was on a Rolf Harris album. I'll have to search it out to see how wide of the mark I am...
Update:
Well, I was close. Apparently the ladies are from the Harem of the Court of King Caractacus. And the Witches were "fascinating" rather than "nauseating". If you're at all bothered, you can read the lyrics here.
No sign of a free MP3 link to the song. Which is a shame 'cos it was a corker!
Thursday, 13 July 2006
Why Wikipedia Is Great
Wikipedia. If you never visited before, why not?
It made the news last year because various academics dismissed it as being biased and inaccurate, only for their research to show that the same accusations could be levelled at such august bodies of knowledge as Encyclopedia Britannica too.
But, let's face it, the reason Wikipedia is so good is for the sheer depth and range of its articles.
Here are my 3 favourite Wikipedia entries - in traditional reverse order:
It made the news last year because various academics dismissed it as being biased and inaccurate, only for their research to show that the same accusations could be levelled at such august bodies of knowledge as Encyclopedia Britannica too.
But, let's face it, the reason Wikipedia is so good is for the sheer depth and range of its articles.
Here are my 3 favourite Wikipedia entries - in traditional reverse order:
- Surrey (because I like reading about my locality)
- BBC TV Drama (because it was great and could be again)
- Mike The Headless Chicken (because it's a bit odd)
Wednesday, 12 July 2006
Oddities
I see that the French, those wacky irony-free funsters, have opened a swimming pool that floats on the River Seine.
Whatever next? Dry-slope skiing in the Antarctic?
Whatever next? Dry-slope skiing in the Antarctic?
Friday, 7 July 2006
All Change! Again!
Somehow Blogger managed to mangle my template. Luckily I'd saved all my buttons and stuff when I last changed, so I switched to a simpler template. Sorry for the confusion.
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