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Blog · May 7, 2005

Beware the bunny in the bowler hat

Beware the bunny in the bowler hat

... Believe me, there is nothing, and I mean nothing, more boring than people wanting to describe their dreams to you ... Trust me on this, it kills relationships stone dead. The day one partner wakes up and starts saying 'It was amazing, there was this rabbit in a bowler hat cooking an omelette...' that's when love dies. Scaramouche, We Will Rock You But, I'm going to anyway. Just in …

Blog · May 2, 2005

Finally, I made it to the zoo

Finally, I made it to the zoo

After months of bad weather, I actually managed to get a nice, sunny day and one where I didn't have to work. So, I hot-footed it to Marwell Zoo and spent a couple of hours there snapping pictures and looking at the cute animals. There were a million kids there, along with their mothers and the pushchairs. In fact, I'd go so far as to wager a bet that it …

Blog · April 30, 2005

DVD Day #9

DVD Day #9

Second attempt at The Whole Ten Yards. I didn't think it was as good as the first one, and was disappointed with the way it started, but I got into it about halfway through. With that achieved, I settled down to watch Strictly Dance Fever, which was brilliant, and has, of course, bumped my old favourite dance, to be replaced by the Charlston. And I've narrowed down my favourite couples …

Blog · April 28, 2005

Writer's Cafe

Writer's Cafe

I've been looking into some interesting software for helping people get the most out of their writing. Whilst mine has very much taken a back seat for the last year or so, it's still something I think about from time to time. I note down ideas, plan chapters, scribble out some dialogue, that sort of thing. I downloaded a nifty little piece of software called Writer's Cafe, and I really …

Blog · April 26, 2005

If you would just sit still for a second, you might learn something

If you would just sit still for a second, you might learn something

I'm often told that if I'm going to watch television so much, I should take the time to watch educational programmes instead of Emmerdale and ER and such. I'm all for learning about stuff. I thought Journey Of Life was excellent, although some might think that a TV vet should probably stick to what he knows best and not try to be a presenter. I also started to really enjoy …

Blog · April 14, 2005

Don't read this if you're planning on watching Vanilla Sky

Don't read this if you're planning on watching Vanilla Sky

I've been thinking about this a lot and I have a question. At the end, it turns out that he was frozen, awaiting the time when he could be unfrozen and medicine will have progressed far enough to fix his face, and in that time he was having the Lucid Dream treatment. This meant he thought he was living but really he was dreaming and he could choose how the …

Blog · April 3, 2005

Things that cheer me up #8

Things that cheer me up #8

Michael Schumacher breaking down for the first time in about three years. Mr C was over the moon and you could actually feel the happiness radiating from him for the rest of the day.

Blog · March 28, 2005

You build up the tension...

You build up the tension...

...and then ruin it with an annoying Irishman in a ridiculous suit. I'm probably not the only one who's going to comment on this but I just wanted to mention how funny it was that the BBC finally got their brand new Doctor Who series up and running, after much hype and speculation, and they managed to ruin the tension of the first five minutes by fading up and down …

Blog · March 28, 2005

I know my soap

I know my soap

Me: What's that smell? Dad: What? Me: It's really strong, fragrance, soap, something like that? Dad: Oh, yes, it's probably that candle shop. Me: No... it smells like Lush. Dad: Never heard of it. Me: It's a really cool soap shop. They make handmade soaps and shampoos and things in big blocks and you can go in and just grab a chunk. Like the cheese counter, only not edible. Dad: …

Blog · March 22, 2005

DVD Day #8

DVD Day #8

I was expecting Secret Window to be a slasher horror type, which is why I didn't watch it with Mr C, and I was mystified as to why Johnny Depp would star in such a film. But of course, this is no such film. It's actually a really intense, clever, psychological thriller with a huge twist at the end. I did not see it coming. Followed by The Incredibles which …

Blog · March 18, 2005

I'm going to be typically British and talk about the weather

I'm going to be typically British and talk about the weather

How unpredictable is the weather at the moment? This time last week it was pouring down with rain. Two days ago, it was so windy that I actually wanted to stay in the office rather than risk going outside. Today, it's sunny as hell. In fact, I've been watching for signs of spring, but forget that, summer looks like it's here. I would be happy about this if it weren't …

Blog · March 8, 2005

Flash, aaahh!

Flash, aaahh!

The light above my head started flickering at work yesterday. It started with just the level of the light dipping. Then there was a rhythmic flickering, then it started flashing on and off. The guy in charge of repairs and other such things was in the middle of something important, and would be a while, so we were left working with a disco light atmosphere. I thought it would give …

Blog · March 6, 2005

Early starts

Early starts

We stayed up (well I was woken up in the wee hours of the morning) to watch the first Formula 1 race of the season, starting at 3am. It was worth every yawn though, Michael Schumacher started from the back of the grid. And just as I figured out his ridiculously clever strategy and thought we were doomed to face another Schumacher win, he went and crashed and had to …

Blog · March 3, 2005

Diary quotes 2005

Diary quotes 2005

I'm a bit late with these this year, but you know how it is. My diary has quotes on the bottom of each page and I like to share the best ones with you. "Going to church no more makes you a Christian than sleeping in your garage makes you a car." Garrison Keillor "Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood." Louise Beal "Politicians are the same everywhere. …

Blog · March 1, 2005

Technophobe

Technophobe

A conversation with my technophobe colleague. Him: "I really want to get the Jungle Book on DVD, isn't that a great film?" Me: "Yes... it's a great one." "I've been round all the shops, and I can't seem to find it anywhere." "Oh." "Did you know that Disney only release them in batches, every now and again?" "God, they're so awful. That means they can keep re-releasing it as a …

Blog · March 1, 2005

DVD Day #7

DVD Day #7

A disappointing week this week. Starting with Resident Evil 2 and The Talented Mr Ripley (which was recorded off the television, not rented), both of which left me feeling I'd missed something. Resident Evil suffered from the fatal "sequel disease", the symptoms of which include trying too hard to come up with a story that doesn't really work thus include much more shooting and monsters to try and make up …

Blog · March 1, 2005

Let me be your fantasy

Let me be your fantasy

Oh my god, just four days left to the first Grand Prix weekend!!! How excited?? To celebrate, I thought I would join in the fun (and make it extra exciting in case Schumacher decides to dominate again) by participating in a Fantasy F1 competition. You pick the elements, driver, tyres, etc, and score points depending on how well they do. But all the ones I looked at just weren't quite …

Blog · February 12, 2005

Did you know?

Did you know?

Some useless facts for you... Typewriter is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard. Walt Disney was afraid of mice. More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes. In Michigan, it is illegal to chain an alligator to a fire hydrant. If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would …

Blog · February 12, 2005

Sometimes a girl needs comfort food

Sometimes a girl needs comfort food

But this involves going outside. Although I am anti-outside almost all the time, today is worse than usual. It is windy. I hate the wind. I don't actually know why, except that it just makes me edgy. When I was walking out of work and bumped into a colleague a while back, he said, "Windy isn't it?" and I replied, "Yes, it makes my hair go everywhere." Not really the …

Blog · February 9, 2005

Things that wind me up #4

Things that wind me up #4

The guy that rattles his change in his pockets incessantly. I don't care how much money you have or haven't got on you so please find a less irritating nervous habit. The people in Holby City that use their mobile phones all the time - even the doctors! This is not a good message to send out to your viewers. In ER, the only time I've ever seen reference to …

Blog · February 9, 2005

You know you're a nerd when...

You know you're a nerd when...

You've spent so much time working on your website that during the day at work, you realise that you've been writing a letter at work and have escaped all the &'s.

Blog · February 8, 2005

This is scary

This is scary

Cost Of War - a website that is constantly telling you how stupid George Bush is. And the comparisons are pretty mind-blowing.

Blog · February 7, 2005

DVD Day #6

DVD Day #6

The Bourne Supremacy was a disappointment but only because my memory doesn't stretch as far back as the previous film. The Terminal was the complete opposite: a surprise hit. Funny and heart-warming, even if some people didn't recognise Catherine Zeta-Jones until we got to the end of the film and I said "It was good, but Catherine Z-J was a bit annoying." He was astonished. My main gripe about her …

Blog · February 5, 2005

Happy we will be beyond the sea

Happy we will be beyond the sea

I went to Bournemouth today. It was a dull day and not really one for paddling, so instead, I journeyed into the Oceanarium - a sort of Sea Life Centre. There will be plenty of photos to peruse in the Photo Blog soon enough, although it's hard work getting a fish that's still for long enough to take its photo. A little boy was having the time of his life …

Blog · February 4, 2005

Fire alarm

Fire alarm

The fire alarms went off at work today, but stopped after about five seconds. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at each other. An authoritative voice boomed, "Everybody out, please, that was the fire alarm." Nobody moved. We weren't questioning the authority, we just didn't know whether it truly was a fire drill or not. It didn't sound again and someone trotted downstairs to ask reception what was …

Blog · January 26, 2005

One rule for you and one for everyone else

One rule for you and one for everyone else

This article tells us that every single team lined up for this year of F1 is happy to limit their testing time throughout the season. All, that is, except Ferrari. Surprise, surprise, the boys in red have decided that they're above the rules that apply for everyone else and will test whenever and wherever they feel like it. Whilst they're not actually breaking any ruling, some may call this an …

Blog · January 24, 2005

Super Size Me

Super Size Me

Each day, 1 in 4 Americans visits a fast food restaurant. In 1972, we spent 3 billion a year on fast food - today we spend more than 110 billion. McDonald's feeds more than 46 million people a day - that's more than the entire population of Spain. French Fries are the most eaten vegetable in America. You would have to walk for seven hours straight to burn off a …