Journal Entries
Oh dear, another death in the offing
Posted Jan 11, 2006
I've just found out that my father's second wife, my step-mother I suppose, is on her last legs after not responsing to treatment for bowel cancer. Apparently she is in hospital with liver failure, so that's pretty much that then.
I'd not had much contact with her in the last 5½ years since the death of my father. And slightly more of a concern if I'm looking at this from a family perspective; I'd not had any real contact with the kids she'd had with my father, my two half-brothers.
It certainly wasn't them that phoned me to tell me what was going on. It was my father's younger brother, my Uncle Chris (all 83 years old of him) that did the ringing. I don't have contact details for the two half-brothers, but I do for the two step-brothers that I've got - that's thanks to Uncle Chris again - so I guess I had better give them a ring. I'm not sure what kind of a reception I'm going to get after all these years though.
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Latest reply: Jan 11, 2006
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Posted Jan 1, 2006
This post has been removed.
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Latest reply: Jan 1, 2006
The American President and the West Wing
Posted Dec 28, 2005
For those of you who aren't aware of this: I consider The West Wing to be one of the finest pieces of television drama ever created. I absolutely adore the writing of show, I think the characterisation is fantastic and the casting inspired. There is not a single thing that I would change about it; except possibly the 22nd Amendment limiting a President to two terms of office, and hence limiting the number of seasons of The West Wing that can realistically be made.
Well anyway, I was scanning the TV listings for this evening and I saw that The American President was on tonight. I remember that as being an amusing bit of fluff from years ago with Michael Douglas and Annette Bening, so why not watch it again.
One minute in and the film is looking awfully familiar somehow.
Turn to IMDB and yes, the writer of the Aerican President was Aaron Sorkin, the creator of The West Wing.
Then things started to get really weird as Martin Sheen, Anna Deavere Smith and Joshua Malina are all in the movie, but are playing totally different characters to that which the play in the West Wing. (In fact I never quite get over the character shift for Martin Sheen for the whole length of the movie. I just can't get used to him calling someone else, "Mr.President".) Then all the way through the film I was spotting little references, and character names, and phrases and the like that get used in both places. It all made for a great evening's entertainment 
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Latest reply: Dec 28, 2005
So where's this snow then?
Posted Dec 27, 2005
The weather forecast has been banging on for a couple of days about snow in the south of England. Well there's not been a flake down here in Brighton. Just blue skies and a (mildly) chill wind, that's all.
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Latest reply: Dec 27, 2005
Lamb Tagine
Posted Dec 25, 2005
I suppose I ought to pull my finger out and get on and cook this, it's getting late in the day now. Also as it's Christmas Day I can't order out for pizza or whatever, so I've really got to get on and make something.
The scrambled eggs on toast I had for lunch was nice though.
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Latest reply: Dec 25, 2005
GreyDesk
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