Journal Entries
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I’m 1!
Posted Jul 2, 2006
Blimey, that was fast.
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Latest reply: Jul 2, 2006
Holiday and Randomness
Posted Jun 26, 2006
What’s that?
“ARRRRrrrGGGhhhhhhhhhh!”
Yes. I have a holiday slideshow.
This time last month I was on my way to Singapore, finishing a trip that had started a few weeks earlier in Bangkok. I won’t bore you with an endless journal entry going into all the details (although, do feel free to ask about it
), but here are the slideshows:
Bangkok: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bangkok_to_singapore/sets/72157594157931235/show/
koh pha ngan: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bangkok_to_singapore/sets/72157594157953492/show/
Cameron Highlands: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bangkok_to_singapore/sets/72157594158001987/show/
Kuala Lumpur http://www.flickr.com/photos/bangkok_to_singapore/sets/72157594158919868/show/
Melaka: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bangkok_to_singapore/sets/72157594158935219/show/
While I’m here, it appears that Cynthesis has tagged me, which means I must divulge eight random things about myself:
1. When I’m 
the song I’m most likely to sing is White Lines by Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel. This is one of the reasons I love Sean of the Dead so much.
2. I was born on Christmas Day, but I’ve never believed in Father Christmas. Related to this, but not interesting enough to stand on its own is that Another Brick In The Wall was at number one on my birthday. Figures.
3. I was photographed by a journalist on my first day, and on the front page of a newspaper the next.
4. Every job I’ve had has been completely unrelated to the last.
5. I can’t remember the last time I cried.
6. My favourite drum break is the ‘Think’ break. 
7. I decided to go vegetarian after eating the most disgusting curry I’ve ever tasted. I haven’t eaten meat (on purpose) since, but I do miss chicken curries.
8. My favourite piece of music ever is Stan Tracey’s Starless and Bible Black. By ever, I mean tonight.
The rules say I’ve got to tag someone else so If you’ve seen my slideshows and read my random list, consider yourself tagged. List me eight things and then tag someone else.
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Latest reply: Jun 26, 2006
It’s Official
Posted Dec 25, 2005
On arrival at work on Thursday, the reception staff greeted me with beaming smiles and a “Happy Birthday!” in unison.
“Erm, it’s not my birthday. You’re about three days out.”
“We know!”
After a few more happy birthdays, I reached my desk and opened up my emails to find my colleagues had sent out a global email informing everyone that it was my official birthday. Now given the choice, I would pick a summer date for my official birthday as it seems a bit pointless having it a few days earlier than the real one, but after being told I would be taken out for lunch and a few 
’s I stopped protesting.
This left me a little surprised. The office I’m currently working in is usually such a bitchy and two-faced environment, it’s rare that anything like this happens. So I was in for a shock when I got back from lunch.
I’d been sat at my computer for ten minutes, feeling a bit fuzzy after the ’s, when all the lights went out. My colleagues had snuck out of the room without my noticing, and now they came piling back in with people from neighbouring offices too.
”Happy birthday to you…”
They had a big chocolate cake with twenty-six candles in it, and presents too!
Then they put a cd in the office stereo and performed a dance they’d choreographed!
For the rest of the day we just sat there chatting. I realised that this was the first time since I moved there that everyone was getting along and actually being nice to each other. I just hope they can keep it up into the new year.
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Latest reply: Dec 25, 2005
Strip Club
Posted Nov 7, 2005
I’ve just returned from a trip to Lincoln, where I visited an old friend to relive my student years.
Left only slightly confuzzled by the vagaries of rail travel, I arrived back in Lincoln to find myself in an awkward position. We pulled into the city and as I was staring at the brightly lit Cathedral which dominates the skyline, I was interrupted by a prodding in the arm. When I turned, the old lady in the next seat informed me that my bag was vibrating. Wondering what the hell she was talking about, I picked up my bag to find that she was right. It was vibrating! Not only that, as I put my ear up against it I could hear a faint ticking.
In the current security sensitive climate, this is not a good position to find yourself in on a train. Luckily for me, I look like a harmless hippie, so she didn’t appear to be too alarmed as I opened the bag to investigate. She gave me a stern look though, god knows what she thought was in the bag! On further inspection, it turned out to be my electric toothbrush rattling around in a toiletry bag. Phew!
I’ve visited Lincoln a few times since I left in 2002, and this was the first time I’d noticed any big changes. I wasn’t really expecting any as it’s only been a few years, so I was caught off-guard.
The biggest changes where to my friend, myself and to my favourite bar.
A sad indication of where my priorities lie, is that the closure of the bar upset me the most. Badgers, how I’ll miss it! It was a truly awful place, utterly reviled by most people who passed through its doors, but it’ll always have a place in my heart. I’ll miss the series of backstreets and alleys that led to its door. The stuffed badger head on the wall that gave it that awful name. The flaking, badly painted heavy-metal murals on the walls and ceiling. The huge jukebox with Frank Zappa and the Spice Girls in its cavernous depths. Its utter disregard for licensing laws. The worse toilet in England. The aged bikers and teenage Goths. The wonky pool table with missing balls that no one had tried to play on in years. The elderly couple who owned it. I’ll miss you Badgers.
Now it’s a strip club. I suppose I’m glad something as seedy as a strip club has replaced it. That’s more in keeping with the place than just another bar. I considered going in, but didn’t feel drunk and desperate enough. Later, when I was drunk and desperate enough, I’d completely forgotten about it. Maybe next time.
I almost walked straight past my friend at the station. I hadn’t seen him for eighteen months, and he’s changed so much. He’d lost six stone, which had completely changed his build, but he looked so much older.
Later, he showed my some photos from our first year at uni, back in ’99. He wasn’t the only one who’s changed – I looked so young! It really hammered home that that phase of my life is behind me.
There’s one photo that brought back a forgotten memory that I’ll record here as I don’t have a copy. It was taken at an airstrip in Lincolnshire, where I did a charity parachute jump. My memories of that day are dominated by the terrifying and exhilarating jump.
Earlier on, there was a low level fly-by by a Spitfire. This must have been a regular occurrence, as after the first fly-by several of the skydivers climbed up onto a building rooftop and motioned for me to follow them. The spitfire looped around the airstrip and then came back at us. Right at us! The photo is of me and two others jumping up and down with outstretched arms, trying to touch something just out of shot. In reality, the spitfire was probably at a safe distance, but it really felt as if we could of touched it if we jumped a little higher. I can’t believe I forgot that!
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Latest reply: Nov 7, 2005
Movie
Posted Oct 30, 2005
The nice people at amazon sent me H2G2 the movie today!
As a fan, I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to watch it, but then after seeing the reaction here, my expectations weren’t particularly high.
Which is why I’m feeling pleasantly surprised now I’ve watched it. Hitchhikers has been through so many incarnations, each one different in its own way, and each one true to DNA’s vision. The only one I have a problem with is the game, but that’s only because I’m rubbish – I can’t get Arthur past the pub!
As a film, I think it had to reach out to non-fans in a way that the new radio series didn’t have to, and that meant tinkering with the plot to make it play how you’d expect a film to, and updating the characters. If I wasn’t so familiar with the old actors, I think I’d prefer the new ones. Arthur, Ford and Trillian just seem more real in the film and have more warmth. Having said that, it’s too late for me – they’ll never be as iconic as the originals.
So basically, I think the film struck a good balance and managed to stay true the spirit of h2g2. It entertained me, and when it finished I felt less cynical than usual. The effects wore off after forty-five minutes.
Anyway, I couldn’t write this without listing a few gripes:
Really annoying incidental music. Kind of Disney – nearly ruined the film for me. I liked the So Long and Thanks For All the Fish song, but I can understand why it infuriated a lot of people here.
Alan Rickman’s voice just wasn’t up to the abject depression of the original Marvin.
Despite all I’ve said about making it work as a movie, emphasising the love story aspect to Arthur and Trillian’s relationship just made me cringe.
Bill Nighy was rubbish.
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Latest reply: Oct 30, 2005
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Wile E Quixote
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