Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Wristcutters - A love story
Another film recommendation: "Wristcutters - A Love Story". Really surreal film... it's an afterlife roadtrip movie. It follows one guy, in an afterlife occupied only by the victims of suicide, on a trip to find his ex-girlfriend. His trip is punctuated by a visit with Tom Waits, whose character runs an afterlife commune. Well worth seeing!
Monday, 28 January 2008
I Don't Want To Sleep Alone
Raine and I went to see "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone" (Hei yan quan) at The Dukes last night. It's getting a blogspot headline because it's well worth seeing. It's a very surreal, and clever, Malaysian film, by the director Ming-liang Tsai. We'd never seen anything of his before, but I think we're going to try and get hold of some of his back catalogue. As a guide, if you like the films of the more popular Ki-duk Kim you may well like this. There is very little dialogue, it's an exercise in people watching, though the story is complex - it's kind of Ki-duk Kim if he did magical realism.
We went for an after film drink and chat in the converted Church around the corner from the cinema. It's one of our favourite watering holes. I tried new Guinness (yes, new Guinness, by the makers of Guinness): Red Guinness. Who'd have thought Guinness would ever come up with a new drink! It's very interesting - straight away I said it tasted like caramel, not overwhelmingly so, but just enough of a hint. Guinness describe it as smoother and sweeter, with a hint of caramel. For all you beer drinkers out there it's worth a go...in fact, even if you're not a beer drinker try a half pint - Raine liked it, and she hates beer. There are lots of gimicky ales about, with added synthetic flavours; Guinness has done well here because they've simply modified the original recipe by adding lightly roasted barley, which means a new flavour, but the retention of an organic taste.
We went for an after film drink and chat in the converted Church around the corner from the cinema. It's one of our favourite watering holes. I tried new Guinness (yes, new Guinness, by the makers of Guinness): Red Guinness. Who'd have thought Guinness would ever come up with a new drink! It's very interesting - straight away I said it tasted like caramel, not overwhelmingly so, but just enough of a hint. Guinness describe it as smoother and sweeter, with a hint of caramel. For all you beer drinkers out there it's worth a go...in fact, even if you're not a beer drinker try a half pint - Raine liked it, and she hates beer. There are lots of gimicky ales about, with added synthetic flavours; Guinness has done well here because they've simply modified the original recipe by adding lightly roasted barley, which means a new flavour, but the retention of an organic taste.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
The rain
When I finished work on Saturday we went to Blackpool. We decided to stay over on Sunday night, thinking we'd head back early on Monday. This was a bad idea - we ended up flooded in Blackpool. We spent two hours getting eight miles down the road. We were stuck in traffic jams, because no one could get on the motorway. We tried to go down back roads, but we were going through increasingly large puddles. Water was coming up, like fountains, out of the drains. Once the puddles started threatening to come through the doors we headed back to my parents' house. It turned out the River Wyre had burst its banks, and there'd been a crash on the motorway.
The flooding's been crazy. Literally and metophorically it feels like the whole country could just float away. The water went off at my parents house, along with 20 000 other homes, and the hospital. Electricity has been out in some places. The economy is dying. The banks are going crazy - they're telling people not to spend, or take out their money. There's this horrible bug going round the entire country, too...my Uncle's had it, which isn't good when you're in your 90s and in close proximity to other elderly, infirm people. The government's asking people to quarentine themselves if they catch it - stay away from work until 3 days after your symptoms have gone.
Personal and collective escapism is needed at the moment. On a personal level we're in need of a break - we're fed up of being taken for granted. We're locking ourselves in the bedroom tonight and trying creative escapism. We've gotten in some Ben and Jerry's (Bohemian Rasberry), and we're watching a film which came free with The Independent (Newspaper): "Familia Rodante" (Rolling Family). Apparently it's the brazilian version of 'Little Miss Sunshine'. I am, therefore, excited!
The flooding's been crazy. Literally and metophorically it feels like the whole country could just float away. The water went off at my parents house, along with 20 000 other homes, and the hospital. Electricity has been out in some places. The economy is dying. The banks are going crazy - they're telling people not to spend, or take out their money. There's this horrible bug going round the entire country, too...my Uncle's had it, which isn't good when you're in your 90s and in close proximity to other elderly, infirm people. The government's asking people to quarentine themselves if they catch it - stay away from work until 3 days after your symptoms have gone.
Personal and collective escapism is needed at the moment. On a personal level we're in need of a break - we're fed up of being taken for granted. We're locking ourselves in the bedroom tonight and trying creative escapism. We've gotten in some Ben and Jerry's (Bohemian Rasberry), and we're watching a film which came free with The Independent (Newspaper): "Familia Rodante" (Rolling Family). Apparently it's the brazilian version of 'Little Miss Sunshine'. I am, therefore, excited!
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Kit Kats and Ninjas
We've had a busy couple of weeks, but our essays were handed in yesterday, so we're having a couple of days off. Raine also got an essay back, she got a 70: a first!:-D
We've got a new car, a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting. It was an absolute bargain from Ebay. Average price is £1000 or more, we got it for £380. It clearly belonged to a boy racer - it has red seatbelts, a big exhaust, and a sporty steering wheel and gearstick. We decided, after a mini, we had to go silly - so we're two hippies, the dreadlocked driver keeping to the speed limit, and banging out folk and alt rock tunes on the flashy stereo. Chris says it looks like a Kit Kat chunky, by virtue of it being red and boxy. I have emailed Nestle, I want them to sponsor me to get Kit Kat painted down the side! I realise they're probably going to say no, but hey, think of the amusement if they agree.
We took a break and went on a good old fashioned date last week. I planned a surprise, magical mystery night. I booked us a table at the local Tapanyaki restaurant (Japanese restaurant, where they cook on a hot plate in front of you). We had two wonderful meals: sea bass and chicken. Inspired by the scrummy sea bass I am determined to learn more fish dishes. I know a few, but nowhere near enough. After the meal we went to see the very disappointing 'I Am Legend'. We drowned our movie related sorrows in Revolution (Vodka bar). We shared 7 shots, all wild and wonderful - from palma violet and toffee apple to chilli and porridge.
Our roof's developed a leak. We were awoken to dripping last week. I've become re-addicted to Richard Shindell, because it made me hum 'Money for Floods'...if it grows into a hole I can sing 'Calling The Moon'. It should be fixed tomorrow, a surveyor is coming to check it out, hopefully they won't suggest that the whole roof needs replacing.
Yesterday I went to Borders and spent my Christmas vouchers on three books. Haruki Murakami's 'Underground'. I've wanted to read this for a while - I love Murakami (author of 'Norwegian Wood'), and this book's about Aum Shinrikyo's subway attacks, which I studied in detail last year. The other two were random choices, both by Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. One's about the return of a poet in exile to Istanbul, the other's about a University student who abandons their everyday life because of a book they've just read.
I received an Email from Manchester University's film society today. A film company is asking for people to read a script, and come to discuss it in a focus group. I've sent an email to the company asking to take part, I'm hoping I got in there in time.
We've got a new car, a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting. It was an absolute bargain from Ebay. Average price is £1000 or more, we got it for £380. It clearly belonged to a boy racer - it has red seatbelts, a big exhaust, and a sporty steering wheel and gearstick. We decided, after a mini, we had to go silly - so we're two hippies, the dreadlocked driver keeping to the speed limit, and banging out folk and alt rock tunes on the flashy stereo. Chris says it looks like a Kit Kat chunky, by virtue of it being red and boxy. I have emailed Nestle, I want them to sponsor me to get Kit Kat painted down the side! I realise they're probably going to say no, but hey, think of the amusement if they agree.
We took a break and went on a good old fashioned date last week. I planned a surprise, magical mystery night. I booked us a table at the local Tapanyaki restaurant (Japanese restaurant, where they cook on a hot plate in front of you). We had two wonderful meals: sea bass and chicken. Inspired by the scrummy sea bass I am determined to learn more fish dishes. I know a few, but nowhere near enough. After the meal we went to see the very disappointing 'I Am Legend'. We drowned our movie related sorrows in Revolution (Vodka bar). We shared 7 shots, all wild and wonderful - from palma violet and toffee apple to chilli and porridge.
Our roof's developed a leak. We were awoken to dripping last week. I've become re-addicted to Richard Shindell, because it made me hum 'Money for Floods'...if it grows into a hole I can sing 'Calling The Moon'. It should be fixed tomorrow, a surveyor is coming to check it out, hopefully they won't suggest that the whole roof needs replacing.
Yesterday I went to Borders and spent my Christmas vouchers on three books. Haruki Murakami's 'Underground'. I've wanted to read this for a while - I love Murakami (author of 'Norwegian Wood'), and this book's about Aum Shinrikyo's subway attacks, which I studied in detail last year. The other two were random choices, both by Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. One's about the return of a poet in exile to Istanbul, the other's about a University student who abandons their everyday life because of a book they've just read.
I received an Email from Manchester University's film society today. A film company is asking for people to read a script, and come to discuss it in a focus group. I've sent an email to the company asking to take part, I'm hoping I got in there in time.
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year friends. Hope 2008 is one of personal growth and happiness for you all.
Resolutions? Mine include: write at least one masterpiece dissertation; drink more tea and less alcohol; get a good job; and work towards being in a position to buy a house in 2009.
We went sale shopping today. It's worth doing. You think it's a cliché, but there really are tons of bargains out there. You have to see the bigger picture, be mother like and think about the whole year - I got two pairs of shorts for £6. These are not just any shorts, they're outrageous shorts - they need not be shy when sitting next to my bright orange board shorts. I also got a yellow hoody, which I fell in love with straight away - it's so comfy. Raine says it makes me look really little (by virtue of it being available only in a large, I think), and a banana...but I don't care, I'm a young, comfortable banana.
It's market day on Saturday in Lancaster. We got lots of veggies. We're making roasted vegetable pasta tonight. Then, possibly tomorrow, soup. I had a good soup today: spicy parsnip, from one of the nicest eateries in Lancaster: Soup-a-nova.
For all of you with a university email address: Microsoft have a student website, where you can buy discounted Office (Word, Powerpoint etc). The website is theultimatesteal.co.uk. It's available for £38.95 here in the UK, and $60 in the US (use com instead of co.uk). Cheeky really - $60=£30, but it's still a hell of a lot cheaper than anywhere else! One simple, but effective, improvement in the latest version of Word (I use it at work): anything you paste into a document is automatically in the format you're writing in.
Our electricity company is ripping us off - charging us over 100% more than one of their competitors. We're going to move companies, of course. The fact that they can get away with it is shocking, though. It's so cold at the moment, and we're trying to save electricity by keeping the heating down. I walked home from work yesterday in pouring, icy rain - I was soaked to the bone when I got home. Raine was waiting at the door with my pyjamas and dressing gown, I would have loved to sit in front of the fire, instead I huddled under a duvet.
Resolutions? Mine include: write at least one masterpiece dissertation; drink more tea and less alcohol; get a good job; and work towards being in a position to buy a house in 2009.
We went sale shopping today. It's worth doing. You think it's a cliché, but there really are tons of bargains out there. You have to see the bigger picture, be mother like and think about the whole year - I got two pairs of shorts for £6. These are not just any shorts, they're outrageous shorts - they need not be shy when sitting next to my bright orange board shorts. I also got a yellow hoody, which I fell in love with straight away - it's so comfy. Raine says it makes me look really little (by virtue of it being available only in a large, I think), and a banana...but I don't care, I'm a young, comfortable banana.
It's market day on Saturday in Lancaster. We got lots of veggies. We're making roasted vegetable pasta tonight. Then, possibly tomorrow, soup. I had a good soup today: spicy parsnip, from one of the nicest eateries in Lancaster: Soup-a-nova.
For all of you with a university email address: Microsoft have a student website, where you can buy discounted Office (Word, Powerpoint etc). The website is theultimatesteal.co.uk. It's available for £38.95 here in the UK, and $60 in the US (use com instead of co.uk). Cheeky really - $60=£30, but it's still a hell of a lot cheaper than anywhere else! One simple, but effective, improvement in the latest version of Word (I use it at work): anything you paste into a document is automatically in the format you're writing in.
Our electricity company is ripping us off - charging us over 100% more than one of their competitors. We're going to move companies, of course. The fact that they can get away with it is shocking, though. It's so cold at the moment, and we're trying to save electricity by keeping the heating down. I walked home from work yesterday in pouring, icy rain - I was soaked to the bone when I got home. Raine was waiting at the door with my pyjamas and dressing gown, I would have loved to sit in front of the fire, instead I huddled under a duvet.
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