This came highly recommended to me by my husband, an unusual occurrence as he’s not a huge fan of book reading. However, the inside scoop of a 90s Britpop band is exactly the kind of thing he likes and he reckoned I would enjoy it too. He’s not wrong!

I had forgotten what this book was about by the time I got round to reading it, so went in with no expectations. At first, I was totally hooked - what is this woman running away from and why? The concept of leaving one life behind and starting afresh fascinates me, it’s something I’ve tried writing myself although I usually get bored with the process and end up skipping to the reunion scene.

I’m always one for a series, and this seemed like an easy-going adventure to kick things off. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was horrifying! From start to finish, it just got worse and worse (although better and better, if horror is what you like). How anyone could survive those conditions is beyond me, let alone planning an escape.

I’m not a huge fan of fireworks, but even I can appreciate a close up view of some pretty lights in the sky. This video was taken in Florida with a quadrocopter helping the camera get close to the action. The legality of flying drones is in question at the moment, but until that’s decided, we can revel in the joy of videos like this.

It was all of that, but actually it wasn’t that silly. The storyline was far-fetched but held down really well by the cast of characters - the long-suffering family, the pregnant girlfriend, and the fantastic worn-down lawyer. They held it together and that allowed the laughs to be bigger and the growth of the character even better.

The concept of this one has intrigued me since I first heard about it - not just the odd idea of a man falling in love with his operating system, but what kind of a fulfilling story could come out of that. It turns out, not a very good one! I thought this film had everything it needed to have to be great - excellent cast, great acting, moody shots, brilliant arty feeling to it, and yet it just didn’t deliver. There was something missing.

We figured it would just be another version of Neeson and his skills taking down the bad guys. And it was, but it wasn’t just another rehashing of Taken. I actually thought it was really good. There was a moment midway through where I realised it wasn’t going to be Oscar material, and film snobs would hate it, but then I put that out of my mind and got into it.

I did wonder how a book was going to sustain an entire story over the course of one meal in a restaurant, and of course it didn’t. The dinner was just the place setting for the rest of the story to hang on, dipping back and forth in time to complete the narrative.

A quick and easy read in terms of literature, but as a concept, surprisingly tough and moving. If you can get over the ever-so-slightly rushed beginning and the fact that the whole thing is highly unlikely, then the story is pretty captivating and I had to see how it all turned out.

I quite enjoyed this, but I can’t exactly put my finger on why. The Good Doctor tells the story of a rundown, almost empty African hospital, staffed by a disparate bunch of doctors and nurses. Our protagonist tells of the arrival of a young, new doctor who wants to improve the situation, and we run through their various adventures and reflect on life up to that point.

We’ve had a bit of a hiatus when it comes to watching films, and I think this was the perfect title to break us back in gently. A stellar cast and a none-too-challenging concept, with several laughs along the way, and pantomime heroes and villains to cheer and boo respectively. I thought Nick Frost did a really good job with holding the film, when he’s more used to being part of a double act. (Give or take the odd cameo!) As mentioned above, I was disappointed that O’Dowd was the bad guy, but he played it very well.

When I stepped off the plane in Houston, I didn’t think Netflix was going to work. I have a UK account, obviously, and I figured that it just wouldn’t function across the pond. That was crazy thinking and when I opened the app I was overjoyed to see not only my current shows but also a selection of new and exciting things that we don’t get in the UK.

Continuing my space-mad theme at the moment, before I disappeared for two weeks, I was most excited to read this story about wifi on the moon! MIT have been experimenting with beaming things off multiple satellites in an attempt to reach the moon, and they reckon it’s possible, if a little tricky. Communicating at high data rates from Earth to the moon with laser beams is challenging because of the 400,000-kilometre distance spreading out the light beam. It’s doubly difficult going through the atmosphere, because turbulence can bend light-causing rapid fading or dropouts of the signal at the receiver.

Watching a bit of Vevo TV on the Nashville channel (it’s more entertaining than it sounds), I stumbled across this video from Brad Paisley. It’s a terrible song but a great video, have a peek! It’s a water-skiiing squirrel! At first I thought, jeez, some animals must have been harmed in the making of this video, but a little closer investigation revealed it’s an actual squirrel that has been trained to water ski. Meet Twiggy, the water-skiing squirrel.

I hadn’t realised this was a children/young adult book until I started reading, which wasn’t a problem but it took me a while to adapt to it. I found the story to be overwhelmingly sad, chronicling the difficulties a teen boy has trying to keep a household together after his single parent mother disappears.

My interest in science and space has grown exponentially over the last few years. Science was one of those subjects that was beaten out of me at school and it’s taken a long while for me to really give it the time of day. Since I have, though, I’ve been fascinated, particularly developing a fledgling obsession with the moon. Over on Sidepodcast, we live commented some of the launch and landings of the space shuttle and its successors, and who can argue with an astronaut making a Rocket Man video in actual space?

I’ve been wanting to read this for a while, the concept appealed to me greatly and I’ve enjoyed King’s writing in the past. A small American town finds itself trapped under a mysterious dome, keeping them locked up inside. Inevitably chaos unfolds as they try to keep themselves together and also try to get out.

When the chance to watch a baseball game in Houston came up, I jumped at it. Experiencing something so traditionally American, as well as enjoying an afternoon of entertainment made for an enticing invitation. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my seat, snapping pictures of the highly manicured green field that I realised it counted towards my Life List goals as well - watching sports live. The thing about baseball is, it’s long and there’s no way of predicting when it will finish. When you go to see a football match, you know exactly how long you’re going to be there. Two forty-five minute halves, an interval midway through, and a couple of minutes here or there for injury time. Job done. With baseball, you have no clue how long it’s going to take so you have to come at it with a different approach.

Although it’s a lengthy film, Meet Joe Black didn’t really feel all that long. I did start to lose the plot a bit towards the end, though. I found the emotional stuff to be with the family side rather than the potential relationship between Joe and Susan. I did shed a few tears though, so it must have worked its magic.

But the film itself? That was an odd one. It’s really not a very good film. Terrible story, the worst special effects, and not a particularly good script either, but somehow it works. You just get to know and love the characters, the three girls and Bosley, and they do interact well with each other. By the end, you are rooting for them to win the day.

When we signed up for BT Sport, I figured it would be one of those things that would be exciting for a week or so, and then eventually become a forgotten about channel – or in this case, set of channels. I couldn’t have been more wrong. We’ve watched endless hours of content from the telecommunications broadcaster, and although not all of it appeals (ultimate fighting is not my cup of tea, and the wrongly named Sportshub that only focuses on football just grates), I’d reckon we’re getting good value for money.

Google have finally taken the plunge and announced they will be building their own self-driving cars, rather than attempting to adapt existing machinery to be self-sufficient. It makes sense, after testing out the viability of the concept, to then start from the ground up and create a new vehicle. The design is a bit bubble car, but if it serves the purpose, there’s always room for improvement on that front.

Whilst pounding the streets of Dublin, we stumbled across a section of disused quay that was being redeveloped. An impressive theatre sits on the waterfront, whilst out on the waves, a rig has been set up to allow enthusiasts to wakeboard. I love these little spots where there would otherwise be no particular use for the water, and there’s not enough room to get up to speed with a boat. Rig up a pulley system, install a couple of ramps, and you’ve got some real potential.

Whilst avoiding the internet over the last week or so, I was very heartened to see this pop up in my Twitter mentions. I love Bibendum, with his endless smiling face and happy, happy wave. It really cheered me up, and thus it occurred to me that what the world is missing is an app that sends you a daily Bibendum greeting. Just a different picture delivered direct to your device of the bulbous character brightening up your day.

Robert Redford single-handedly holds the screen for the full hour and forty, it’s like Cast Away but even more extreme. It’s so quiet and so intense, even the calm moments have you gripped in case something goes wrong.

Where to begin with Indiana Jones? I have attempted to watch something of this franchise twice. The first time, I gave up because hello? There was a pit full of snakes. The second time, it was this film, with the shadows in the bar and I was taken aback by the bloody shoot-out. It wasn’t what I was expecting and I switched it off, probably putting on a Friends DVD instead.

It turns out that Mr C had watched this at some point, and when I was feeling run down and exhausted after a morning of studying, I said I was ready for a nap. He countered with a new-fangled theory that instead of napping, an afternoon non-taxing Film Watch would do the trick, and this was just the title to test it out.

I have to say, I think I’m getting a bit old for proper scary movies now. I used to love a bit of horror but I was sure this would give me nightmares. It didn’t, but it very well could have. It’s a brilliant film, very well done, and terrifying in its simplicity. It’s incredible to think the awful Prometheus came from this same world.

Another film I’ve seen before but not for a very long time. This was a late night choice, trying desperately to find something to fill the hours when I couldn’t get to sleep. So, it’s an odd one. It takes a while to adjust to the humour of the 80s, particularly as it’s a difficult but genius concept I don’t think you would get away with today!

This was another film that follows an autobiography, like Mandela, and sticks to it to the letter, showing the character up for all their faults. And it seemed like Mr Cash had a lot of faults.

I’ve seen this once before, and thought it was pretty good, but I couldn’t remember an awful lot about it. Mr C was keen to watch it because of the crying at the end of Pitch Perfect. The second viewing for me showed that it was good, and I love the concept - just five kids spending the day together and getting to know each other.

To celebrate finishing my latest batch of exams, Mr C and I took a dash across the water to Dublin - a place we both love. A spot of sight-seeing, with ominous rainclouds overhead. It is Ireland, after all. The Spire of Dublin. As well as the occasional sight, we tasted the local wares. Our waitress brought us the wrong food and the wrong drinks, but eventually we got what we came for.

This is a really charming story about a determined girl who wants to make a name for herself in the theatre, and put on her own production of a play she’s written, as well as keep her family together and save the family farm. It’s a big ask for a little girl, but it never seems totally out of the question. I really enjoyed reading this, following the story through its twists and turns, and the misunderstandings that occur along the way.

Quite a simple tale, this, the moral of the story being that just because you win the Lottery, doesn’t mean all your dreams will come true. The story revolves around three friends who are struggling for money, until one of them wins the Lottery, becomes a multi-millionaire, and generously shares the wealth.

This is a really tricky one because from the outset I have to admit that I don’t know as much about Nelson Mandela as I should. That admission is then the basis for my reaction to the film. I was nervous about watching it, because history and important topics scare me, I’m constantly convinced I’m not going to understand them and thus approach with caution.

After being unable to finish the last film we attempted, we opted to watch something we knew we’d like. Mr C knew he’d seen it before, I was convinced I had - although as the film played out, I realised I hadn’t but knew it all from having read the book multiple times.

We’ve had a mind to work our way through the Jack Ryan films, having previously watched The Hunt for Red October, and enjoyed it enormously. There’s a new one coming out soon, and although the films aren’t really part of a series that must be watched in order, it felt like the right thing to do.

This wouldn’t be my first choice in film watching but our reasons for indulging are threefold. 1) It’s short. 2) It’s easygoing for frazzled brains. 3) It has Emma Stone! I’m always keen to see Emma, even if it is a film that she probably would rather forget.

I didn’t particularly want to watch this film. A fantastic cast and what looked like a good concept, but my god, have you seen those seventies looks? I wasn’t keen on seeing my Bradley all dolled up with a perm, but in the end, the strong lineup of acting supremacy convinced me.

I’m not sure when or why I picked this book up, I think it might have been in a Kindle sale, and as a young adult dystopian fiction novel, it caught my eye. Reading it was an interesting experience because the reason behind the descent into dystopia was scarily believable and the follow-up situations completely understandable.

I picked this up on the back of a recommendation from a podcast, and it’s the first time in a long while I’ve been interested enough to buy straight away - rather than add to a wish list and peruse at a later date. I started reading and was instantly hooked.

Interesting story this one, told from the perspective of an introverted schoolboy who gradually comes out of his shell. I thought it moved along with a great pace and structure, sometimes frantic things happening, other times wallowing in the loneliness of being ostracised. I wasn’t 100% on board with just how many tears occurred during the story, but this is a world I’ve not really lived in.

This was an interesting one. An artist / support worker finds himself caught up in family drama, surrounded by death and searching for the truth. The story winds its way along, with a mix of fast-paced drama and then slow tick-tock waiting. It keeps you interested but I’m not sure I’m totally convinced.

The prologue to this Indian Ocean adventure had me intrigued, but then the idolisation of Moby Dick in the early chapters had the opposite effect. I wasn’t a huge fan of the book, having only read it recently, but I do like these endurance/adventure stories and this seemed like a good one. Ben and James set out to row the Indian Ocean, a huge task, and along the way face nature head on in a battle to survive.

I didn’t expect much from this film. The trailer looked interesting, but I thought it was kinda arty and probably without a gripping story. I wasn’t sure it was going to by my kind of film at all. Boy, I was wrong.

It’s a while ago that I read the first book in the 87th Precinct series, and I liked it so much that I snapped up quite a few of the rest of the series. It’s taken me this long to get round to reading the second, but I liked it just as much as the first. There’s a way McBain has of describing things that really make them take on a life of their own - I remember that from the first, it felt as though the city was just as much a character as the main protagonists.

I’ve heard Kurt Vonnegut’s name mentioned occasionally but didn’t really know what his books were about, or his style of writing. I quite enjoyed the book, I liked the back and forth nature, and obviously time travel appeals to me a lot. I liked the science fiction element played against the war scenes, although it was hard to reconcile both worlds.

I was curious to read this to see what David Walliams’ writing was like, and really, any excuse for an easy-to-digest kids book is fine by me. I was suitably impressed. There are some great characters, really vivd and brought-to-life right off the page - Winnie and her respective reactions to chocolate and coffee, Gabz and her tomboy grace, even Mr Grey is absolutely as you think he should be.

As it turns out, this was a terrible film. The premise didn’t make any sense, the story was full of holes and really just there as a tenuous thread to string far too many car chase scenes together. At one point, I didn’t know which car had the good guys and which had the bad guys, and at that point, it all became meaningless.

You could tell it was a labour of love for JGL, written and directed by him, and starring him too. It wasn’t the best film ever, but I did quite like the composition. The use of Mac noises against real life activities, the rather marvellous accents, the juxtaposition of church against the rest of his life.