The news just come rolling in today - this time it seems I will have to pay Norway a visit during the beginning of next year. Good to know I have some holiday left for then.

Labels: dennis storhøi, musicals, theatre

Damn, damn and double damn! This means, as a bona fide Simon Shepherd fan, I need to actually go and see The Sound of Music anyway, and I was hoping not to.

Strange thing is, I was thinking about Simon just yesterday, for no apparent reason, how cool it would be to see him on stage. Yay.

Labels: Lloyd-Webber, musicals, simon shepherd, theatre

...returns from holiday.

Labels: art, humour

Spaghetti, fried onion, lightly fried cherry tomatoes, topped with basil and served with buttered bread. Yummy-yum-yum!

Labels: food

Yeah, that's sort of my usual walk to the closest shopping centre, if I ever feel like/must go there during my lunch hour. Yesterday, which was a reasonably quiet Sunday, I counted myself saying/thinking/mumbling the following phrases during the 20-minute-return-trip just because there were people in the way who didn't do exactly as I wanted them to:

Oh, for fuck's sake - twice
Fuck off - once
Fuck off, you bastard - once
Twat - twice
Piss off - twice
Yeah, don't fucking move or anything - once
Bollocky twat - once

I feel my vocabulary increase every day.

Labels: linguistics, personal

I got a new DVD player on Wednesday, so naturally I spent the next three days off from work watching films. Short reviews:

Slither (Horror Comedy) - Completely useless. Not even funny.
The Woods (Horror) - Slightly boring, not particularly exciting.
An American Haunting (Horror) - Had potential to be a proper horror film, but I soon started fast forwarding. I also understood the whole plot solution one fourth into the film, so not very surprising.
V for Vendetta (Thriller) - Actually quite good! I had some hopes for this, which were fulfilled, and then they added to the experience, so I was very pleased with this film.
Just My Luck (Comedy) - Wow. You should really stay away from this. It's just embarrassing, not even the least bit funny.
Hostel (Horror) - Not very horrific. Soft porn meets Saw, only with a boring plot (I'm saying Saw had a good plot, I'm not claiming porn does). And a crazy Icelandic.
The Hunt for Red October (Thriller) - Right, this one is well-known. Hadn't seen it for at least ten years. Stellan Skarsgård certainly has improved his English since then. Brilliant film, exciting, even.
Up Periscope (Thriller) - Another submarine film. And another James Garner film I hadn't seen (the number is decreasing, though). Surprisingly good and thrilling.
The DaVinci Code (Thriller/Drama) - I vowed I would not pay to see this, and I haven't. But it wasn't too bad, actually. Probably more exciting for those of us who haven't read the book, and especially for those who watch the film with the intention of disregarding the gaping plot holes and errors. I still think it's sad to see some of my favourite actors getting involved with this project, however, that very thing may have saved the film for me. Paradoxical, I know.

All in all, I have wasted a lot of hours this weekend.

Labels: film, james garner, peter firth

YES! I rediscovered the infamous Weight Watchers recipes from 1974! Click here if you want hernia! Nice.

Labels: humour

I found parts of my old website yesterday. The server has been down for a few years, but thanks to the Web Archives it could be found again. I also found my old guestbook! Yay! It had nine entries in it, of which Torill had written four. There was also an entry from my ex claiming I had not been in touch. Really? I didn't think either of us felt like staying friends. Oh, who cares.

In addition to that, I have rediscovered The Onion lately. It is absolutely hilarious and a must-visit for everyone. You can probably stay there for days and just keep reading, as the site has been active since...1997? I am positive I wrote their address down way back in the beginning of my tour of the Internet, around 1996/97 when I still collected web addresses (because the search engines weren't that sophisticated - I vaguely remember Alta Vista as being my university's choice of search engine; I haven't used it since the nineties, myself). Actually, when I got internet access at uni (1997), we had to do a compulsory four-hour-long introductory course to the Internet before even being given a username. Tee-hee!

I would like to have you know that I intend to buy a Nintendo Wii. I have been wanting it for about a year now, but when I heard about the Wii Sports title where you will be physically active while playing, that was the clincher for me. Also, first-person shooters will be nice. Get out the violence in me. Mwahahahahaaah.

Yeah, whatever.

So, anyway, if anyone has any links to sites they would like to share with me, please leave a comment.

Labels: gaming, humour, nintendo, wii, wtfq

...the new Maria: Absolutely brilliant! The best choice won, by far. She was the only one who could sing in key and did so persistently. She is also already a trained musical artist and an all-round likeable person. Well, that is before all this commotion possibly inflates her ego. Here's to Connie!

...the most annoying things on the tube: At first, I thought it must be people who try to squeeze themselves into the carriage before letting people off, but that is just a momentary annoyance, isn't it? (Unless you're a person who broods ill-will for months) However, people who sit down next to you and SMELL, really badly, are the most annoying to me. Because you can bet they are going the exact same route as yourself, so you cannot get rid of them either. How about a wash? How about NOT eating a ton of garlic the night before you go to work? How about brushing you teeth and making sure you eat food you can actually digest properly?

...the new series of Spooks: I am very eagerly awaiting every new episode. I love this show and have been aware of the...uhm...tension between Harry and Ruth since series two, so my romantic self would like to see something happening there. Seems like the writers may finally be caving in to what the actors have been treating us to for a long time.

...online grocery shopping: Fabulous when it actually works! Must post pictures of my first attempt. A little bit afraid when the guy brought four boxes of groceries to my door and all the carrier bags filled our kitchen floor. Oops.

Labels: Lloyd-Webber, musicals, nicola walker, online shopping, peter firth, Spooks, theatre, tube, TV

I had been hoping to see Mark Heenehan as Peron, but unfortunately this would mean that Philip Quast would not be performing. Must stop wishing for these things to happen, because as long as they're on the negative side of the scale they usually come true. Luckily my ticket was cheap (and for a great seat, actually). And I realised I actually love the show in itself, and not just because I am so highly biased towards Quast. Which is a very good thing. I was very disappointed with Heenehan, though. Shh, don't tell anyone, but I would definitely have preferred hearing/seeing Tim Morgan as Peron's understudy. I mean, wow, I have a feeling his voice talents are wasted in this production.

On the other hand, we have been very busy lately watching all the episodes of series 3 and 4 of Spooks. After all, the fifth series begins soon, my flatmate had not seen the third and fourth series and I had only seen them once, which is below par.

Remembering "9/11" today. Mostly by steering away from any documentaries and observing one minute's silence in a few moments.

Labels: current affairs, evita, musicals, nicola walker, peter firth, philip quast, Spooks, theatre, tim morgan, TV

I'm spending the whole day at work, before going to see Evita again. My plan is to have a late lunch, because then I can have a cheeseburger with chips and that will keep me from feeling hungry as I experience the musical. Yes, I am not going to watch it, I am going to experience it. Ooh, that reminds me - I promised I would give a standing ovation on my next visit. Luckily I am further back this time, so it won't be too embarrassing if I am the only one, LOL!

Having been searching arbitrarily for blogs of interest this past hour, I have come across a lot of Japanese ones, a few Belgian, lots of Spanish and Portuguese and quite a few American ones. None of them were particularliy interesting, though. Probably the same thing they would have thought if they visited my blog. And why would they find it interesting? I mean, these are just ramblings about my own life and my own little world in which I am God (blasphemer!) (err...no, because if I'm God, I must be following a different religion to yours) (blasphemer nevertheless!) (yeah, whatever, speak to the hand or just go away; you tire me) and where you are merely here to be amused and/or enraged. Hopefully.

Must start writing that play.

Also, I won't be able to see the Maria programme live tonight, so I will have to vote from the theatre. Before the thingie starts, of course, I am not completely bereft of any decency. The fact that I will vote without having seen or heard tonight's performance, of course, is going to be considered fair just this once.

Meanwhile, I am gambling my way to another ticket to see that musical. Have to grab the opportunity while Mr. Quast is still performing. He may soon go off to Australia again, who knows!

Labels: evita, musicals, personal, philip quast, theatre, TV, writing

Why do they change their blog addresses without telling me, just because I haven't visited their webspace these last...six months? I have been busy, ok?

That's just it, though. I am the selfish one. But hey, at least I can watch Norwegian telly while at work.

I bought another ticket for Evita yesterday. Crappy seat, but it's cheap, and it's Evita. I swear to you, I have woken up every morning for the past week with some song off the cast recording in my head. Of course, these last two days I have also woken up to a very cold and very quick shower. Our blasted Economy 7 system has gone haywire again. It probably turns itself on during the day, which is totally opposite of what it's supposed to do. Bastard.

Hmm, another unknown person popping up on my screen. I use one of those instant messaging programs (I am deliberately avoiding its name, I haven't turned into a 75-year-old technophobe all of a sudden) while at work (for work purposes, honest!), and even though my contact list is very small, I have still accumulated a few of those "who the hell is that?" on there during the six months I have been working here. Oh God, has it been that long already? Anyway, that contact list reminds me of my mobile phone's address book. I transferred the SIM card between phones every time I got a new one since I bought my first mobile in '97, and the address book was integrated into the SIM card, so naturally all my contacts were transferred too. I decided when I got my UK SIM card that I would only add those people whom I had actually been in touch with during the last year or so, because there are quite a lot of names on there which I don't recognise. People I have met and swapped numbers with while being drunk together (common mistake), even though I knew I wouldn't contact them. Some of my tutors at uni, even though I never needed to ring them. I even have the number for my ex's local pizza takeaway. WHY??? I certainly didn't pick up the phone to order anything from them! And why is that? Because I am terrified of phoning people. It is highly irrational, and particularly strange since I have worked within telesales, telemarketing and in call centres in three of my four last "real" jobs. For f's sake.

I will take up Heather's vow to stop censoring herself and make it mine as well. Will start swearing more. And stop worrying about those 2 out of 400 who visit my blog and pretend to be proper Christians. Worrying about offending them, I mean, I usually worry about people who make it a point to tell everyone they're proper Christians.

And "2 out of 400" is indeed the same as "1 out of 200", or 0.5%. See? My studying Mathematics paid off after all. I am so happy.

Labels: evita, musicals, personal, technology, theatre

Is the Internet too big? Yes No Is the Pope Polish? Is the Pope German? Results

Labels: tests

Did some research on the laws surrounding Norwegian names. It seems my middle name (which is a second last name) is protected, which means no one may take the name without a complete consensus from the people already bearing that name. However, my last name is a very common one in comparison. I would have loved to use my middle name as a last name, but since I got my current last name from my father, I think he'd be a bit miffed.

Also, no one in this country would be able to promounce it correctly. Heck, even Norwegians usually say it incorrectly until I let them know how to say it, LOL!

Labels: linguistics, personal

How brilliant it must be to hear, several times, from the show's producer, that you have to promise him to audition for Evita. Lucky, lucky girl.

Labels: evita, Lloyd-Webber, musicals, theatre, TV

I have these TV programmes I look forward to every week. At the moment one of the most anticipated ones is How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, the previously mentioned Pop Idol-y show where The Phantom (Lord Lloyd-Webber) and his Minions (Zoë "The Vocal Coach" Whatsherface, David "The Co-Producer" WhatshisfaceitsoundslikeIan and of course John "I still cannot believe he was voted out of Dancing on Ice" Barrowman) (yes, I know, I should know their names, but I'm not too embarrassed to admit I don't) try to find the next West End Diva, AKA who will play Maria in The Sound of Music at least six days a week starting...uhmm...when the rehearsals are finished, I suppose!

The programme is great fun and also shows the bitchiness in the participants (not just Graham Norton) and also in myself. I keep slagging a few of the contestants and come up with rather rude remarks if they're off-key. Let me tell you I played Singstar for hours last weekend and I'm not that good myself.

But then, I never thought I were, and I am definitely not aiming for a career on a West End stage. Not physically, anyway.

Another favourite at the moment is Prison Break. OK, so it's been a favourite pretty much from the start of the first season (at first much thanks to the bloody marvelous Peter Stormare), but I'm very happy it's back. I have also grown quite fond of Eureka, so I expect they will cancel that one soon. They usually do. Take Arrested Development, for instance. Finally some intelligent comedy, so of course they have to cancel it. And the Americans wonder why we think they're so thick.

I'm considering winning some money and go see Evita again. As you can probably see (*points at the list of most played artists in the right-hand menu*) it took me just about two minutes from posting "I cannot listen to Evita anymore, because it makes me sad" until it was once again top of my Zen's playlist.

It sort of annoys me that my Zen only has a 20GB hard drive, as I will now have to delete tracks if I want to add more. For instance, most of my cast recordings are left on my computer, whereas I at one point decided on moving ALL of my several gigs of Erasure and Beatles tracks to the Zen. Hence, no space for three of my favourite musical recordings; The Fix (there's John Barrowman again), Martin Guerre and South Pacific - which I discovered to my horror the other day as I embarked on yet another dreary ride on the tube.

The good thing about spending one and a half hours one way to and from work every day, is that I get to listen to a lot of music. Too bad I cannot read while on a moving train, otherwise I would be able to finally read all those books I have bought over the years and which are now merely collecting dust as I tend to choose "quick fixes" like telly and video games over books.

Unless we're talking Harry Potter. Funny it should grab my attention to such a degree.

It's very sad that I hardly read books anymore. I used to read loads upon loads of them. And an aspiring writer probably should read a lot. There's something called a "vocabulary" which has to be expanded in order to write professionally.

I sometimes wish I was Stephen Fry. But then I remember I'd have to host the BAFTAs, and that would probably not be such a good idea. However, I would be in his shoes, so perhaps I wouldn't mind after all.

Try not to think on an empty stomach. Speaking of which, it's about time I went to the closest corner shop and spent some money on lunch. Then I'll saunter back to the office and try to stay awake until I can finally go home and watch the Maria programme. I hope you are well.

Labels: comedy, evita, gaming, literature, Lloyd-Webber, music, musicals, peter stormare, theatre, TV

Let me assure you that I am not sponsored in any way, I am not affiliated with any of the sites and/or companies whose links and ads pop up while you're reading this. You are, in fact, probably one of the very few people who actually read this exact sentence. And therefore no one wants to hand me any of their money in order to advertise their products on this blog. Not that I blame them.

Not that I would want them to.

My pet peeve, though, is that blogger.com has quietly introduced forced advertising on their customer's pages. This probably pays a lot better than the customers paying a certain amount each year to have their page ad-free, so they haven't even given us that option. This annoys me quite a lot, as I truly hate pop-ups and unsolicited advertisements. I would like to apologise. I will not move the blog, though, because despite the ads I really like working with blogger.com.

That's what you get for teaming up with such a huge company as Google, I suppose.

Labels: technology

Well, they were found by the police. Phew, anyway! They have been gone for two years and the men convicted for the crime of actually stealing the paintings were originally sentenced to prison and a fine of NOK 750 million (about EUR 100 million). They no longer have to pay the fine. Personally, I think they should pay a hefty fine for wasting the police's time and giving a lot of people traumas, but at least the paintings have come back with only minor damage compared to what we thought had happened to them. People were enraged when they learnt that these uncultured morons may very well have destroyed the paintings.

Labels: art, current affairs, Norway