...The Tent, the Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy. A tale about her 'family's disastrous attempts to go camping in the 70s'. Very funny, very enjoyable and very familiar! Although perhaps our camping trips were slightly more successful.

Labels: humour, literature

I just watched Blithe Spirit, wondering why that 'eccentric medium' looked so familiar. Margaret Rutherford. Miss Marple and a lot of great character in a string of Ealing comedies. Duh.

I've also watched Brubaker and Godzilla today. Had a backlog of films I had to watch, you see. Yesterday it was The Blues Brothers (yawn; third time still not very funny or interesting) and Ice Age 2.

Also went to the Comedy Store yesterday; the crowd wasn't very enthusiastic, it seemed, so we were giving the performers a difficult time, but they handled it well and the second part, as always, was very enjoyable indeed. Richard Vranch's Swedish was so horribly Russian we were quite annoyed, but Lee Simpson, Andy Smart and Greg Proops made up for it. Neil Mullarkey was incredibly funny as the slightly miffed (read: blood-thirstily vengeful) gardener in their gothic horror musical "The Smallest Fish on Earth", and Stephen Frost was very good at guessing his job as "the guy who cleans the inside of the Tardis using the rigging of ships inside bottles every Monday, at Ladbrokes in Egypt, wearing only pants". All in all a great night out. Even though we spent the first two and a half hours of waiting for the show to start, bitching about how annoying the queueing system at the Comedy Store is. It basically prevents us from bothering going to see other shows there. I actually have other things to do than standing in line.

Things change as soon as Greg's in town, though. ;-)

Well, I've been itching to play Crysis all weekend, but have been preoccupied with reading The Book Thief. Two-thirds through it I think I'll give it a miss today.

Break a leg for the New Boys in Town* tonight. Will be seeing them next week, fingers crossed!

*) Roger Allam and Philip Quast taking over in La Cage aux Folles.

Labels: comedy, film, greg proops, hank azaria, literature, musicals, philip quast, roger allam, theatre

First of all, wouldn't this pairing be like the ultimate experience for any theatre-stroke-X-men-fan? Swoon.

Fallout 3 arrived by post yesterday, one day ahead of its UK release, and so I installed it while hurrying through the vast mountain of dishes which had mysteriously gathered during the past two days only (note to self: buy dishwasher ASAP). The game itself was like the Fallout series being mixed with the wonderful Oblivion - not surprisingly, as Fallout 3 and Oblivion are both made by Bethesda Softworks. I've been in love with the Fallout universe since the first game, especially since it has been turn-based up till now, so I was both eager to play the new game and apprehensive because of the new combat system. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. It's both real-time and turn-based, whatever you prefer, really, and to be honest, I am pretty sure I will use both modes, all depending on the situation. I am also happy that LittleBigPlanet was postponed another two weeks after all, since it would have clashed miserably with the release of Fallout 3. This way I have a week to explore the Wasteland before going on my first adventure with Sackboy.

Fanboys and fangirls will know what I'm yapping about.

While waiting to get back home from work, though, I'm spending my time reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire again, which I believe I haven't done for about seven years or so. J.K. Rowling's imagination is quite extraordinary.

Labels: film, gaming, literature, theatre

I had been checking the list on the Comedy Store Players website for a while to see if my personal "dream team"* would be appearing anytime soon, so when they popped up I immediately...after a few weeks had passed...bought a ticket to see the show. It was definitely worth it. You see, we learned how to make vodka. It is quite brilliant. Like Andy Smart said in the middle of the explanation: "I really wish this was how they make vodka" (he was bursting with laughter at the time).

Apparently, Josie Lawrence knows how to make vodka. The first thing you need, is a vodka machine. The second is the firm knowledge that you must never, under any circumstance, distil vodka. This was news to me and really makes the Smirnoff ad look bad, as they claim Smirnoff is triple distilled. So, to make the vodka, you need a little cup in which you place two drops of fragmented water. No explanation as to how to fragment the water, but I suppose that's a secret. Then introduce the sugarcube machine. Its sole purpose is to put two sugarcubes into the fragmented water for about a second or so, and then take them out again. This, apparently, is where the vodka taste comes from. Then the fragmented, slightly sugared water is put into a subterfuge (which all of a sudden became a mechanical object) and soon the vodka comes out at the other end. You may add flavours as you like. Suggested flavours were caribou, crap and cheese & lime. They eventually discovered, however, that if you pee on a cat and it washes itself in a vat of vodka, this results in the best flavour ever. I feel enlightened.

By the way, it took about 90 seconds before someone suggested "BBC radio host" as an occupation--probably due to yesterday's news about silly Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross messing things up a little bit for themselves. And Josie was the first to say something rude. Woo-hoo, girl power!

I finished reading the Black Magician trilogy yesterday, as I waited for the show to start. It did not end the way I wanted, but then again I didn't really have much choice. If I want the perfect story for my liking, I'd better write it myself. :-) All in all a good fantasy series, though.

Now I am looking forward to reading books 4-7 of the Harry Potter series again. See you in May!

*) My Comedy Store Players dream team would be Josie Lawrence, Andy Smart, Richard Vranch and Steve Steen. I am beginning to enjoy watching both Lee Simpson and Neil Mullarkey, as well, but they're not dream team candidates yet.

Labels: comedy, literature

I went to see Riflemind yesterday, at the Trafalgar Studios, after a nice meal at the local Garfunkel's. I liked it, but it wasn't too straight-forward a play. Lots of angst-ridden scenes between middle-aged has-beens desperately trying to get back together for one more tour with the band. Or desperately trying to dodge it, all depending on their current mood, state of mind and amount of drugs in their system. I thought it would be more fun, but by all means, it wasn't meant to be a comedy. There were a couple of monologues there that could have been shrunk in my opinion; people started getting restless and drifting their gaze around the auditorium. But hey, these things may be ironed out by the time you may end up going; after all, it was the third preview and both the writer and director were there (Philip "Only one of the Best Actors EVER" Seymour Hoffman, the director, actually spent the whole of the second act looking at the audience's reactions--or he has a perverted side we just don't know anything about). It has to be said, of course, that the actors themselves were terrific. I have a soft spot for Paul Hilton, but John Hannah and both of the Aussie actors (Jeremy Sims and OMG, I've forgotten the name of the other one, please forgive me) were a treat to watch as well. I wasn't too sure about one of the wives to begin with (played by Susan Prior), but I eventually realised that the character she portrayed simply was a neurotic wreck, hehe! Anyway, the ensemble work was very good; they seemed to have been putting a lot of focus on the timing, which was quite impressive after such a short time of rehearsals and performances.

Which reminds me I have to buy the absolutely hilarious Still Crazy on DVD. My VHS copy is almost worn out.

Completely unrelated, but still very important bit of news: I just discovered Sagaen om Isfolket (The Legend of the Ice People) is finally being translated into English! Read all about it here.

Labels: bill nighy, film, literature, Norway, theatre

I've had a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong (well, maybe not that long) holiday since the beginning of September, and have enjoyed myself immensely. During this time I hardly ventured online at all. I didn't even check my Facebook account! Wow!

'So what on earth did you do, Ingaroo?', I can hear you saying. Well, a couple of things.

Spore arrived one day early, so I was stuck in Spore-land for four consecutive days until I tired of it (as I by then had realised that the Spore universe is far from endless...twice). If anyone want a copy of Spore, let me know. The replayability is nothing near Will Wright's other successes; Sim City and The Sims. In fact, Spore is rather limited. But it did inspire me to get back to playing Galactic Civilizations II again, which in itself is a good thing.

Other than that, I have sorted my vast Whose Line collection properly, I have watched Braveheart and Gladiator and all of the James Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan (AKA "The Last Real James Bond"), I have started watching Michael Palin's Full Circle for the second time and Against the Wind for the third, I have finished reading just one book (Jack Railton's The A-Z of Cool Computer Games), and I have not left the flat for a whole week. Amazing.

OK, two things:

1. The new Lost in Austen series is fabulous. And, as per usual, Hugh Bonneville is stealing all the scenes (mostly the ones he's in, but a few where he's not present also). After three years of reading RadioTimes I have concluded that editor Alison Graham and I have very, very little in common. She just about hates everything I love, and vice versa.
2. Bonne chance to Sue Perkins for tonight's Last Night of the Proms (well, the Hyde Park bit) - I followed Maestro and am certain it was my votes that gave her the victory. Then again, could be that most people agreed with me that she was the best of the wannabe conductors. Nice concept, by the way. Plus interesting to see Clive Anderson's hair again, since I normally just listen to him on the radio these days (a million repeats of Whose Line from the nineties don't count). Anyway, Prom 76 it is, and it has both Bryn Terfel and Hélène Grimaud in it, yay!

Labels: comedy, film, gaming, holiday, literature, music, personal

Yeah, I went to see Iron Man yesterday, in a very drafty cinema (I think they call it "air-conditioned"). I want Tony Stark's technology. Now. The film itself was predictable, sentimental and ludicrous, but as a growing Marvel fan and an old Robert Downey, Jr. fan, I liked the film. It has some really cool effects and must be seen on the big screen, then bought on Blu-Ray (until the next-gen next-gen technology comes out, of course).

I got Shallow Hal in the post yesterday and started watching it before going to the cinema (so all in all a day full of Gwyneth Paltrow). It was the fourth time I have seen that film and I think it's really funny. Silly, but funny. Especially funny is VERY Italian-American Joe Viterelli (R.I.P.) as Gwyneth's Irish dad. Interesting casting.

Lately I have also read through a few books. Eats, Shoots & Leaves was particularly educational, and just proves that I may calm down; I have to follow my instincts when it comes to punctuation and not let the grammatically challenged emails I get at work every day fool me. The quality is decreasing every day, and as a foreigner I keep telling myself "these people should know better than I do; it's their language, after all". But then I realise they haven't actually learnt much grammar in school for decades now. In fact, I have probably been taught more English grammar than most of these people ever will. Sad, but true.

Other books I've been reading lately, include The World According to Humphrey, which I actually got as an audio book, so technically I haven't read it. So much better listening to Greg Proops reading it, though. Cool use of voices. And now I want a hamster again.

Anyway, I'm going to watch Gamespot's On the Spot live now.

Labels: film, gaming, greg proops, literature

Today:

*Olympic flame shuffled around London. Much glee and gnashing of teeth.
*Lots to do at work. Missed the live online coverage of the flame in Stratford because someone needed my help. Bloody customers. They're just so selfish.
*New Michael Ball show on Radio 2, great fun. Dame Judi Dench his first guest. Good chums.
*New comedy show on ITV1: Headcases. Part very funny, part meh. Dame Judi Dench featured as a chav (this was to be considered a highlight of the programme.)
*Snow.
*Paid some bills, little money left in the account. All is normal.
*Rang my mum for about two minutes while waiting for the tube train to arrive. Happy birthday.
*Lovely tigers on BBC1. Fabulous nature programmes on that channel (as if we didn't know already.)
*I think I may have found a few favourites on I'd Do Anything. We'll see.
*Looking forward to a little bit of time to sit down and write a couple of long overdue emails. Has to be done properly.
*Really hooked on Melanie C's newest album these past few weeks. Can't find a dull song on the entire album. Also reignited my love for Briskeby's album Jeans for Onassis (Hey, Harvey.)

Tomorrow:

*Long day at work.
*No snow.
*Seymour the Fractal Cat on BBC Radio 7.
*The Gadget Show on Five (I am such a geek I'm actually looking forward to that show a week in advance.)
*Hopefully reading a bit more of Charlie Brooker's Screen Burn (it is hilarious.)
*Watching yesterday's episode of Doctor Who on the iPlayer.
*Buying soap.

My life is so glamourous.

Labels: comedy, greg proops, lists, literature, music, personal, radio, technology, TV

This week has been quite extraordinary, with Anthony Minghella, Arthur C. Clarke and Paul Scofield passing away.

I'll try and brighten things up a bit by wishing my special favourite William Hurt (once pictured as "the great white hope" on the front of Rolling Stone Magazine) a very happy birthday. 16 years of being a fan and counting.

Labels: film, literature, TV, william hurt

Went to the Lauren Kennedy concert yesterday, at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Didn't know I was going to a stand-up show! She was very good, though. As I only know her from South Pacific at the NT in 2002--or rather the recording thereof--I didn't really know what to expect, but I was definitely highly pleased with the evening (and I would have been, even if Philip Quast hadn't been there to perform, that's how good it was.) We did stay a bit longer than necessary (read: an hour after the show), but hey, I wasn't going to work today anyway.

I think I need to buy Lauren's new CD now.

Earlier this weekend I got a new lamp (hooray, I can finally read in bed), a fabulous Shakespeare reading companion, a foot spa (badly needed) and a mobile phone, but shh, don't tell anyone. Unfortunately I did not receive my pillow within the time limit, so that means it will probably go back, as there's no one here to sign for it for the next week or so, and then there's Easter. Bastids for not keeping their promise.

Today I've spent most of the day watching through programmes we taped months ago, plus a couple of old episodes of the brilliant Boston Legal. A very lazy and relaxing day indeed!

Ooh, by the way. They were hinting at it in the new Free Time expansion pack, though, so no revolutionary news.

Labels: concert, gaming, literature, music, online shopping, personal, philip quast, TV

I got both the brand new expansion pack (Free Time) for The Sims 2 and last month's The Sims Castaway Stories in the post yesterday (serves me right for not wanting to pay extra to have them delivered separately) and immediately forgot all about watching the previous day's lovely item in the post, Whose Line is it Anyway, just so that I could finally proceed with my über-talented Sim family from a few expansion packs ago and get them some hobbies and stuff. The game is now starting to look like a proper life simulation (it only took three and a half years and seven expansion packs, haha) with almost too many choices, which is great. I have a tendency to try out everything with my first sim in any expansion pack, so I get bored easily and ditch the sim (family) for a new one...which I usually end up playing quite similarly, even though I was planning something else. But now it's just too huge. I wish this had been the initial release back in September 2004.

Castaway Stories I only tried for about 20 minutes before heading for my bed. Don't really see the point in my trying to sleep last night, really, because it was so windy I spent most of the night lying there picturing our sitting room windows to come smashing against my bedroom wall. I have a feeling I'll sleep very easily tonight (unless the wind increases in force, of course.)

So, rhetorical question: How much of a boozer am I for wanting to try this?

By the way, they should really release Drew Carey's Green Screen Show on DVD. And commission a few more series. Or make a UK version. I volunteer to be a regular (no idea why, since I'm not an actor.)

I bought a couple of tickets for events at the South Bank Centre earlier today, so I have a couple of things lined up every month until July, which is nice. Not too expensive, I found out, so I thought I could treat myself. Nice mixture of plays, concerts and musicals.

Anyway, I haven't been reading any Charlie Brooker today, so I have to do that now. Have a wonderful Saturday evening! I am, believe it or not, going to ditch tonight's UK Eurovision Finals for Ant & Dec's Saturday Takeaway! I know, first the Oscars, now Eurosong...what is going on here?!

Labels: comedy, gaming, greg proops, literature, music, TV

Now, as I am eagerly awaiting the release of Grand Theft Auto IV in late April (touch wood), I am keeping up-to-date with the progress on a daily basis over on Gamespot and I have to say this movie was the best. I would HIGHLY recommend it for everyone, even those not even remotely interested in gaming, as it actually is a tale of Irish-themed pubs. Laughing out loud when I watched it.

Finished reading The King of Torts by John Grisham today. Must admit I was starting to get a bit bored about 2/3 into the book, and during the last few chapters I actually more or less just skimmed. Looking forward to starting a completely new book now.

Finally got episode 510 of Whose Line (US) today. It's been deleted no less than three times from my PVR because I always thought I had it already. I sort of did, but it was on my flatmate's PVR, so that didn't really count. I even managed to delete it again yesterday (DUH!), but tonight I got a firm grip on the remote and steered my fingers away from the delete button. Phew. So now I can see the wonderful Biker Gang sketch over and over and over again. Not that I would want to, but at least now I have the opportunity to do so, should I go temporarily insane in the middle of the night. And insane I would have to be, if I wanted to keep looking at that funky looking pompadour of Greg Proops's. Man! (Loosely connected with the Bergenese "gå, mann!")

Labels: comedy, gaming, greg proops, humour, linguistics, literature, time wasting, TV

All hail the almighty DCI Gene Hunt. Or whatever. Ashes to Ashes looks set to be as good as Life on Mars. We'll see.

So Tuesday was both Pancake Day and Super Tuesday and I must admit I ended up spending more time with the pancakes than the politics. That was sort of because the whole Super Tuesday thing peaked just around my deepest sleep, and the next day I was kind of busy at work. I have caught up later, though, and hear Mitt Romney has pulled out of the race. Seriously, guys, if McCain is the only candidate left come summer, and you're not sure about his politics, at least consider this: Can you really stand listening to that voice for four years?

Watched No Country for Old Men, which was good, although slightly tedious towards the end. Perhaps I had drunk too much sugared coffee. The actors were good, though.

Then yesterday I read John Grisham's The Summons, which unfortunately wasn't as exciting as other Grisham books. I hope they won't waste their time making a film out of it (uhmm, they haven't, have they?) I'm still disappointed about the film version of The Runaway Jury. Even having favourite Dustin Hoffman and semi-favourite John Cusack in it didn't save that film, I think.

Guess I'm going to tag along to the theatre tonight; third time I'm going to see La cage aux folles. It's been six weeks since last time, and I am looking forward to finally seeing Douglas Hodge in the lead, opposite Philip Quast.

First, though, I'm going to read a bit more of The King of Torts (also Grisham.)

By the way, by Monday Greg Proops will have become my most listened to artist on Last.fm, beating even Erasure. I'm not sure if I should be proud or embarrassed or really, really scared.

Labels: current affairs, dustin hoffman, film, greg proops, literature, music, musicals, philip quast, TV

Since I'm having difficulties concentrating on anything these days, it's quite a miracle that I've been able to enjoy three days of listening to lots of music and even watching a couple of films.

Went to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street yesterday, and it was very well made. Unfortunately I felt it was slightly too long, but I have a feeling this was because I saw the stage version three times in July and have heard three different (but not that different) recordings quite a few times since then. Loved the gloom; very fitting and very Tim Burton. I think they made a very good choice when picking him to be the director. Timothy Spall was excellent, as per usual, and so was Alan Rickman. Really liked all the actors in this one, to be honest. Johnny Depp has grown on me (very slowly) over the past few years, and although Helena Bonham-Carter seems to be rather weird in real life, she was spot on for the part of Mrs. Lovett.

Today I finally watched Spun, after it's been sitting on my shelf, still in its shrink-wrapped form, for at least three quarters of a year. Mickey Rourke was really cool in this film, and Brittany Murphy was as brilliant as ever. Liked the filming as much as I enjoyed the cinematography in Requiem for a Dream.

Got a few CD's this week; The Best Country Album Ever (which apparently I had won in a survey I took many moons ago), Rock Against Bush Vol. 2 (with lots of Californian punk rock), some comedy album with lots of old and newish gems, and In Sorte Diaboli by Dimmu Borgir. Needed to know what the fuss about their latest album was. Think I need to hear it a few more times, because I didn't think it was better than my favourite album of theirs, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, but some albums have a tendency to grow on me (like Superfamily's Back in Paris, which I remember telling Cato was very uneven the first few times I heard it, but has now become a dear favourite.)

So, anyway, I've been very good these past few days and have actually sat down just to listen to a lot of music. Thanks to Last.fm, that most diabolical site, one band or singer has taken me to another, then to yet another and so forth, so I have listened through a lot of songs I had even forgotten I had. I have listened to some comedy as well, mostly Grrreg, but that's just because I am getting fed up of the seemingly endless repeats of the UK version of Whose Line on Dave, and I am sort of saving the episodes available on 4oD.

Ooh, by the way, I remember seeing the poster at my local cinema last week, but I forgot to mention the fact that I am hopeful regarding the film version of the excellent, comedic teenage angst book Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging. I have deliberately not read anything about the film, so I just wish I am not being lured into a false sense of security here.

Well, time to go to bed, I feel. Bit too early, but I am planning on watching the news (and possibly Newsnight) in bed, so that will take at least 30 minutes.

Have fun, everyoink!

Labels: Alan Rickman, comedy, film, greg proops, literature, music, musicals, TV

Having a blog search gadget on my Google homepage which constantly updates with any blogs mentioning certain people or events can lead to some very "interesting" revelations. Now, I've always found the world of fan fiction (or fanfic or FF, all depending on how deeply into the whole thing you are) to be somewhat...alien to me. And, quite frankly, rather creepy. I've also never understood the blatant hypocrisy of homophobes revelling in slash FF (boy on boy action).

I am going to be mentally scarred for life because of the visit I made earlier today via a seemingly innocent link to something Whose Line related. Seriously, people, those stories are embarrassing to read. I mean, some are very well-written, but for crying out loud, WHY would you want to experiment with...oh, never mind. I just wouldn't like to share my imaginary world in that way, but for a lot of people that seems to be a release of some sort (don't go there.)

If you're a celebrity of some sort, don't ever...and I cannot stress this enough...don't you EVER visit any fanfic site searching for your own name. You will immediately feel the urge to hire a horde of bodyguards. Oh, and some good lawyers.

In other news, I got my copy of Hairspray yesterday and straight away tricked my flatmate into watching it with me. Well, I asked her, she said yes. It IS better on the big screen and even better on stage, but it was still very funny and the music is still catchy, so I am happy overall.

I also received a tip from a friend about adding their (as in her and a few other friends) LJ's to my Google homepage, which was great! Now I can finally keep up to date on their comings and goings as I haven't been very active doing so for a couple of years. I also remembered I actually have a LiveJournal of my own, only I haven't posted anything there and I think I only opened it so that I could access a few restricted LJ's back in the day.

We seem to be going to some improv event kinda thing tonight, and have been told to have a few drinks first. I am sloshing my way into alcoholism here. But hey, I have the next three days off to recuperate.

Labels: comedy, film, greg proops, literature, musicals, personal, technology

The postal strike is finally over, after three weeks of no deliveries (ok, there was one rogue delivery), so I have finally got my long-awaited (we're talking four years here) Hamlet (Branagh) DVD and the brand new Football Manager 2008 by post. Of course, I am at work, so will have to wait till I get back home, but still good news.

And then, to top it off, my favourite headmaster, Albus Dumbledore of Harry Potter fame, turns out to be gay. Didn't we all (especially the guys over at FanFic.net who will now probably die and go to slash heaven) just know it?

Speaking of gay, I met one of my (competent) co-workers (more on that later) in the shop today and he seemed a bit flustered when he saw me. I had the distinct feeling I wasn't meant to see him with the guy he was there shopping with. Come on, puh-leeze. My gaydar was bleeping frantically the first time I saw him.

Any-hoo, since I'm in such a good mood, I am going to cheer for England in the rugby World Cup finals today. I won't be wasting my time actually watching the match, but I hope they beat the Springboks. You didn't know there was something called the rugby World Cup? Well, you're probably not the only one. In fact, most people don't know and don't care. A bit like the Commonwealth Games. Or the curling championships. Or the skiing World Cup. Ring a bell? Thought it would.

Labels: film, gaming, literature, personal, sport

Finally. So, at 16:45 BST on the 22nd of July 2007 I read the final three words of the Harry Potter saga and although I am bursting with comments, I will refrain from making any online, as I thoroughly despise people who give away even the slightest hint to those who have yet to read the book.

I'd better find something else to keep me occupied, then! Doing the dishes, perhaps? Watching the news from yesterday? I have stayed away from anything that resembled human contact for the past 30 hours just in case they would reveal anything about the book. Sad? No, just preempting the strong possibility of morons (of which there are plenty around) ruining six years' anticipation right before the end.

On a completely different note, having seen the trailer and listened to the (brilliant) soundtrack, I think I can safely say I will have to see Hairspray when it's on at the local cinema. It would be worth it, just to see Chris Walken serenading John Travolta (in drag). My, my.

Oh, and I had a highly amusing dream involving Bryn Terfel last night. I must have overdone it by listening to three of his albums in one go the other day.

Labels: dreams, film, literature, music, musicals

I have been looking forward to this for a very long time. Basically since my last holiday, I think, which was in May and lasted too long.

Of course, holidays cannot really last too long, but in my case it's a mix between bad conscience for not being at work and being afraid everything will have changed at the office by the time I come back. Duh.

I have plans. Many plans which will only be half-completed, I know. For instance, I am going to move things about a bit, but that requires me to work over-time with my VHS to DVD Transferral Project(TM), so basically I will not be able to move anything at all. Then, of course, I cannot do anything while I am enjoying the nailbiting last book in the Harry Potter series (the reason for why I'm taking a holiday in the first place)--which also includes being in contact with anyone else, be it physically or via the Internet or other media, just in case they will divulge the end of the book or some very important plot twist. I am also going to the cinema and to the theatre a couple of times, and I am going to do some baking. Yes, you heard me. Well, you read me. Sort of.

In addition to this, I still have a lot of non-fiction books to read through and I have recently bought (too) many plays that I want to read. I am definitely beginning to invest in my future profession, and about time, too! Then, of course, more entertainment is needed; I have been pining for the Playstation 3 for weeks now, so I expect to spend a few hours playing that in the evening, but I will also have to make time for watching four Japanese horror films I bought about a month ago (all this has to happen in the evening when it's dark, you see, otherwise I will not be scared enough). And then, suddenly...the whole holiday is over.

Good thing I'm preparing for the worst.

I got a lot of...well, actually, I have got a lot of things in the post lately. I think I broke my old record last Monday when I received six books, a couple of CD's, nine DVD's and a DVD recorder. They were all on sale, ok? Well, not the recorder, but it was a definite must-have. But I have been receiving books and DVD's for weeks now, and my room is shrinking, I swear! There strangely enough is less room now than before I bought all those things! I wonder why. 14 of the CD's I have received lately came from the US. Imported musical CD's. Lots of great stuff there. My favourite so far is (of course) Spamalot. Oh, how I wish I could have seen Tim Curry and especially Hank Azaria doing that show on Broadway. Alas, it was not to be, so I will have to settle for the recording, which is also very good. My (cliched) favourite being "The Song That Goes Like This".

On the last day of Sweeney Todd I told the lady next to me that I wasn't a Stephen Sondheim fan, but that he was growing on me. Of course, looking at my collection, I have come to realise I actually have quite a few of his musicals already: Bounce, The Frogs, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, West Side Story, Company, A Little Night Music, Anyone Can Whistle and very soon Into the Woods, Follies and Sweeney Todd. Hmm...not a fan, you say? Well, it's true. It takes some time getting used to, and I have realised why. Sondheim is more...complex than other musical composers. In effect, it is not quite like the lighter, typical Broadway musical. His often have more musical depth and intricate movements than other musicals and it is, for me, as a complete novice when it comes to musicals, unexpected when one does tend to see musicals as something with a happy-go-lightly base. Still, with a Sondheim collection like mine I assume I will grow to like all of it.

Nevertheless, it feels great to have expanded my musical collection a bit.

Labels: film, gaming, literature, music, musicals, personal

I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the second time (in two years, mind) and I can hardly contain myself for the next three weeks to see what happens in the end. I have a very, VERY bad feeling I will not like the outcome (let's just say things are not going the way I was hoping they would). But J.K. keeps summoning surprises all the time, so I still have a little faith (I think it is called "naïvety"). So in three weeks' time it'll all be over and I will quite possibly feel like I have wasted the past five and a half years on a story that didn't have the ending I was hoping for, yet at the same time it is so well written I am sure I will read the series a few times more in my lifetime.

I think the big Concert for Diana is underway over at the Wembley Arena; I am at work, so will record it and fast forward through it later in the week. Since we're on the highest possible alert at the moment, the spectators probably had to sustain rigid security checks before being allowed in.

Yesterday's Dame Edna show made me reach for one of my k.d. lang DVD's (fans will nod knowingly (and, possibly, with a smirk) when I say Harvest of Seven Years - Cropped and Chronicled) and what was supposed to be a five-minute-glimpse turned into a viewing of the whole DVD so I didn't go to bed until half past midnight. Of course, I woke up several times during the night worrying about not having any water in the house, but by the time I got up in the morning and went into the bathroom, the water had mysteriously re-appeared overnight and I was able to flush the toilet and have a shower. Which was nice. We even went to the pub yesterday in order to go to the toilet and wash our hands! OK, I'm lying. It was merely an added bonus to our visit, which had been planned as a "last night being able to smoke in the pub" kind of thing, before today's smoking ban took over. And no, I haven't started smoking again all of a sudden, it was my flatmate's "last smoking wish".

Labels: literature, music, personal, TV

We're on high alert over here at the moment. Everyone looks suspicious, they may be plotting something sinister. And that's just the new government, let alone the two (three?) car bombs that almost went off.

So we got rid of Tony Blair and got his lady-in-waiting instead. Great. But I suppose a few more years of Labour is the lesser of two evils.

Went to see Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo at the National on Wednesday. Very good. Slightly long. And some poor goat was pulled across the stage twice. What a fun life it must have. Nevertheless, Zoë Wanamaker was good in it, if a little too quiet at times (luckily we were in the third row).

Today sees yet another year and Pride parade here in London march past without my being able to attend, so I have celebrated in my own little way by looking at tattoos I would like to get and searching for "old flames" on the net. Which I do from time to time. Only now I have even started forgetting people's names. I can hardly remember whom I went to school with, for instance, and certainly not remember their names! I must be getting old.

At least my bonus was bigger than expected, which was very nice and which will help towards paying the tax I very surprisingly owe to the Norwegian taxman. The bastards claim I should pay them taxes for...uhmm...not just NOT working there last year, but also at no time whatsoever throughout the whole year visiting the country. Wonderful. I wonder what they're making me do next year, when I have repaid two of my credit cards and suddenly don't have much debt left over there. They'll probably expect me to pay tax twice. Don't quite see how I shall be able to afford that. Greedy bastards. And that's with a socialist government! Who knows what the right wing would have done! Sheesh.

Since my flatmate has been occupying the living room, and hence also the telly and Playstation 3, in order to follow Wimbledon for some peculiar reason (named Tommy Haas), I have had to entertain myself by re-reading the fifth and sixth Harry Potter books. Oh, the pain. ;-) I finally got around to pre-ordering the seventh book as well. I know I probably didn't have to, but if I hadn't, chances are there would be none left by the time I reached the shop on the day of release.

Labels: current affairs, literature, personal, sport, theatre