h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

400 posts! Woohoo!

It's almost midnight, and I'm sleepy, which is good. Going to bed soon.

Saw another film...*finally*, 'There Will Be Blood'.

Superb!

It's almost entirely a vehicle for Daniel Day-Lewis's method acting (which doesn't normally impress me), but what makes it especially stunning is the charisma and sheer amorality of his character. One's led to believe that despite all a human heart still beats somewhere down there, but even this is later overthrown and shown to be a cynical pose.

The guy playing the preacher also has several tour-de-force moments...but best of all his understatement when the Daniel D-L character snubs him at the inauguration of his well.

All the critics have talked about the killer scene at the end. They're not wrong. (They were careful not to spoil it. I won't either.)



Getting to see it was a palaver, though. I went on my own on Sunday. Glasgow was surprisingly busy for a Sunday night, and it took me ages to park. The cinema's website had advertised three showings, one at 7.30. But when I got there, I found that a new schedule had kicked in on Friday, so I had an hour and forty minutes to kill, in a not particularly exciting part of town. I'm on a mega diet, so I couldn't do what I'd normally do and go to a pub (time spent in a pub is seldom time wasted). After traipsing round for twenty minutes, I hadn't found anywhere open for a decent coffee, so I went to the cinema's bar. Their coffee machine was broken! I ended up having to go to one of the popcorn concessions and got a flat espresso (no crema!) in a paper cup. The horror, O the horror!

I went out and got Gangs Of New York on Oscar day, in anticipation of that. Still look forward to it.

Barry Norman said it was 'up there with Citizen Kane'.

I didn't care at all for "Gangs of New York", but I've been waiting to hear what someone thinks of "There Will Be Blood". Into the Netflix queue that one goes...

I've not seen 'Gangs...' - although I should.

Yes, '...Blood' is highly recommended. Although I have recent cause to doubt your taste in movies.

There's a lot of spittle in it.

You've recommended stuff I've liked before- "Noi", for example- so I'll keep taking your advice even if I don't always share the same level of enthusiasm.

I'm not terribly averse to spittle- I know some phlegmy people. I'll make sure I'm not eating when we watch it.

Also, the best supporting Oscar should have gone to the vein in Daniel D-L's forehead.

The final credits for Gangs of New York; now *there's* some killer typography.

I really really want a cheese sandwich. This is the wrong place to post this, sorry; but it's all encompassing.

(and no, i can't have one, unless i abandon bread for two weeks!)...so what's best: go to bed hungry & dream of food; or eat before sleeping? I crave carbohydrates, but can't buy them, it is ludicrous!

The latest news of French TV is apparently that the meat used in hamburgers, suasages etc "moin cher" ie lowest cost, that the people on benefits have to buy, has been contaminated by "faecal matter" (ie: shite the cows are forced to eat) & eating it may be fatal. Brilliant. Such people do not have private Health insurance, but, arggh, look on the bright side: if the poor beggars die; it's less costly.

It is ridiculous.

zdt*rant over: i will survive; others may not*

Aww, hun. *wishes I could beam you a cheese sandwich Star Trek style*

Can't sleep. It's 3am. Getting really tired of this. Thought I would come post a bit, as opposed to tossing and turning for hours. I'm starting to think I may need something like Ambien to change my sleep cycle. I plan to discuss it with my shrink in a month or two. I tried Ambien once, but it worked so well it scared me, and I only took it that once. Maybe it's time I get over my apprehensions, and use it if it works.

Looking at W***pedia, it looks like a fairly benign medication - but it is only for short-term treatment. Maybe the reason it worked too well the first time was that you desperately needed sleep.

Yes - consult your psychiatrist. Meantime - I hope you manage to sleep. My top tips: a relaxing bath; lavender essential oil on your pillow. (the last ones really good!)

Could you be refered to a sleep clinic?

No money for a sleep clinic, even if there was one accessible.

I do have enough for an Ambien script, provided the doctor is on board with that. The intention would be to use it just for a week or two, taking it ideally at 11pm. If it made me sleep at night, presumably I could actually stay up the next day, and so on. Hopefully within two weeks the new pattern would be set.

Bummer! I kinda assumed that kind of thing would be covered, given how important sleep is to your mental health. Also scripts. (The Scottish govt. have just dropped the price below the English, as the first step to phasing out charges completely. £5.00 now - although I pay for a three-monthly season ticket and save a fortune.)

I don't see my shrink for another month or two. Maybe I need to move up that appointment.

One helpful thing to know is that I can sleep, it's just at the wrong time of day. So, I'm not just going manic and not sleeping at all. And I know from that one incident that Ambien will indeed put me out like a light. This will be an interesting experiment indeed, provided I can avoid any perils like sleepwalking -- Ambien has been known to cause that.

Nice sunrise. Pinks and purple and mauve and light blue and gold.

I guess you didn't manage to sleep, then.

I'll try again. Headed to bed very shortly. Thanks for keeping me company online.

good night, sleep well