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May 12th, 2008

11:04 pm - I hit a roo I did. About an hour and a bit ago. It was weird. And a bit scary. First time I've ever done anything like that. It was on the freeway; I was doing 100km/h. It was very dark, and thus the roo was really quite unexpected. I am fine, if a little shaken. The car... well, I forgot the bumper wasn't meant to be that far back, and the panels are going to need some beating, and one of the lights has definitely seen better days. But I got home, and I have friends nearby who can take me to work - hopefully for however long it takes to get fixed. So it could be a lot worse. Now I shall go to bed, and sleep in a little tomorrow instead of getting up to run or ride. Current Mood: confused Tags: driving

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May 11th, 2008

01:10 pm - Mothers' Day Classic: awwww yeh So today I did the 8km Mothers' Day Classic, with the tenacious first half of kirmish. We did the 8km last week too, as prep, and managed it in 53 minutes or so - which we were pleased with - and figured that would be a good goal for today. 49 minutes 20 seconds! Go us!! There are a couple of things relevant to mention here: 1. Going the opposite direction, so it's a gradual climb up The Hill definitely makes a difference. 2. K shared a banana with me before we started; she didn't get a stitch like last week (I think?), and it definitely got me through. 3. Sheer bloody mindedness. On my part, anyway. Got to the 6km mark and thought, "^&*)* there is no way I'm walking with only 2km to go! Even if I probably will die at the end!" So I am feeling very happy with us. And I raised nearly $400, which is mighty fine I reckon. Current Mood: complacent Current Music: Dire Straits, apparently Tags: mothers' day classic, running

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May 9th, 2008

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May 3rd, 2008

04:26 pm - Making the Labyrinth Further to my entire afternoon of cooking, I am now being entertained by the 'Making of' doco on my copy of The Labyrinth. It's really long!! And it has interviews with Brian Froud, both Hensons, Jennifer Connelly (who is all of about 14 at the shooting of the film), and David Bowie... and a lot of the production people, too. It's a real, proper, making-of: I reckon they don't often get done like this these days. Insight into the production process, the recording process, and a huge amount about the making of the puppets - which was brilliant, because goodness they were amazing: pulleys and levers and remote controls... and there's actually someone inside Hoggle!! And two people alternated inside Ludo. Truly it's an awesome movie. (Ah ha! I thought I caught sight of George Lucas on set - he wasn't interviewed - and the opening credits say it's Henson and Lucasfilm, so I must have been right.) I never knew Terry Jones was one of the writers! - but he was; he got quite a bit of time in the making-of (in fact, according to the credits just now, he is the screen writer. No wonder it's so damn good). Impressively, I think I could re-watch the doco; I just like watching the behind-the-scenes stuff of the puppetry, I think. So, in case you hadn't guessed, I have started watching the movie proper... so back to Sarah and Jareth, and making curry, for me. Current Mood: busy Current Music: labyrinth soundtrack Tags: labyrinth, movies

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04:08 pm - Proving George Clooney doesn't suck I never got in to ER; I didn't like Clooney's Batman in the slightest. I got very impatient with my friends who thought Clooney was sooo dreamy. Pft. Then I saw O Brother, Where art Thou? I still don't think he's that dreamy (although Danny Ocean was more convincingly so), but this movie showed me that Clooney has real acting talent. I loved this movie - and I rewatched it today, for the first time I think since I saw it at the flicks - as I have been cooking all afternoon in preparation for my darling's birthday party. Gosh it's good! Firstly, the soundtrack - which I own - is one of the best soundtracks overall ever. Clooney and his two cronies are fantastic, convincing and sympathetic and inimitably entertaining. John Goodman is cool as Cyclops, I don't know who it is plays Tommy, who sells his soul, but he's great too... and Holly Hunter, not my favourite actress in general, is perfectly prim. I love the cinematography, too: the juxtapositions, the close-ups and wide angles... in general, one of my favourite movies. If you haven't seen it, you ought! And, of course, I loved the Odyssey references, which were stronger for me this time around. Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: labyrinth soundtrack Tags: o brother, where art thou? movies

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May 2nd, 2008

05:17 pm - The Starry Rift I got my copy today!! *bounce, bounce* What a great way to end a perfectly average week. It's such a lovely cover! It has new fiction from Stephen Baxter, Alastair Reynolds, and Garth Nix!!^* I am confident, even before opening it, that I will be able to say Well Done, That Man to Jonathan Strahan - editor extraordinaire. I'm so excited. I ordered it through Planet Books, and they were very very fast - a week's turn around, and they called me to say it was going into the post! I'm impressed with the customer service. Sigh. Now is happy. ^Could only have been improved with Dan Simmons. Or Iain M Banks. *And, you know, a whole bunch of other people, most of whom I've heard of... but those three names jumped out at me. Current Location: bloodycoldtown Current Mood: bouncy Current Music: Goldfrapp Tags: the starry rift

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April 24th, 2008

07:00 pm - Getting in first with the birthdays haha! A wonderful birthday to gillpolack, because I have no doubt I would forget to post it tomorrow. Hope it's brilliant! ANZAC Day does my head in a bit. Tags: birthday

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April 21st, 2008

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April 19th, 2008

06:01 pm - The quest is ended! I've been looking for a blue coat for ages - and actually looking for a couple of months. I hate shopping. This is not what I was expecting to find, and they aren't the most flattering of photos - taken as they were by the camera in my computer, so the angle is a bit wonky - but: Current Mood: bouncy Current Music: P Funk Tags: blue jacket!

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11:17 am - The most decadent breakfast in the world Well, possibly not... but certainly one of the most decadent I've ever had. Jewish friends feel free to look away now... ;] The context: this morning I left the house at 7.15, to cycle into the city to kirmish's house. I then walked over to, and ran a lap of, the Tan, with the first half of that intrepid couple. 4km in 25 min - respectable, given I have a cold, and we went the wrong way: up the long slope, and down the ballbreaking hill: because that's the direction of the Mother's Day Classic, coming up soon. Then we walked back to her house, then we went and had breakfast... I had blood orange juice, which I may never have had before and loved; and I had a crepe. A peanut butter and chocolate crepe. Oh my, oh my. We went to Aix Creperie, and it was delicious. Amazing. And I may not have lunch. Such a splendid way to start a lovely Autumn day! And what looks to be an overall good weekend - as long as this cold doesn't suddenly turn and bite me. Tags: autumn, breakfast

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April 12th, 2008

06:43 pm - Ah, Saturday nights are a blast Tonight I decided to teach my love to moonwalk, because we were listening to Thriller on vinyl. He wasn't too bad, actually. And now, we are about to watch Ark of Truth - the direct-to-DVD Stargate SG1 movie, which I had no idea - until now - had been released here. Oh yes, my friends: Saturday nights. They're hard to beat, here at Groove Central. Current Mood: crazy Current Music: Thriller, baby Tags: fun, moonwalk, sg1

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April 11th, 2008

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06:42 pm - Author-struck So I mooned a bit over Alastair Reynolds and Stephen Baxter while at Swancon, to the amusement and probably boredom of a number of people. I think they're both utterly, utterly splendid - I love everything I've read of theirs - and they've made me love space opera. It's occurred to me I need to add another name to that list.[1] Iain M Banks is a master. This is not a revelation for me; more a rediscovery. I read Consider Phlebas when I thought that they were sequential... then discovered they weren't, so just bought the first one than came to hand next time - Use of Weapons. Which has been sitting there, looking at me reproachfully, for... a while. With the release of Matter, I finally decided to go and read it. Woohoo!! This is one person where I am actually tempted to go into a shop and buy every single thing he's written (scifi, at least... might have to test the mainstream first). I might go secondhand first, but still - I want to read it all! Now! lastshortstory might go on hiatus.... [1] Actually, two: Dan Simmons is also heroic. And I think that, if I deign to watch Hyperion the movie, I will have to go alone, since I may end up either piffing things at the screen or getting violent. Or both, escalating. Current Mood: bouncy Tags: iain m banks, space opera

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April 6th, 2008

08:51 pm - New fish! Ah, the things that make me happy. After being nixed in what I had hoped would be the completion of my want-a-blue-coat saga, I finally bought some new fish for my depleted tank. I got 15 Colombian tetras, because they were on sale as a bulk - we had a fleet of them for a while but they've slowly died off over three or four years. So now we've got more, they're happily schooling - and they have colour, too, which is nice (they didn't in the fish shop). To appease my love, we also got some clown loaches. Five of the beggars! (Another bulk deal.) I said we were never, ever going to get more, because it is just too, too heartbreaking when they die: they are my love's favouritest fish ever (except for discus fish, which we ain't getting because the tank isn't big enough for more than, oh, one of them). They are terribly cute, and being all cloachy: going up and down in the corners, going around and around... they are like the excitable dogs of the fish world. And then they hide under rocks and don't come out for days. And, finally... mystery snails! It's the first time our aquarium place has had snails in years - since my last wonderful snail died, in fact. J said I wasn't allowed to name this one, because I was so sad when Ajax (the last one) died... but it was too late. Two snails, so I get to have Major and Minor (Ajax).[1] So now the tank is looking more full, which is lovely. I can't wait for them all to settle in. I still might go and get some more rasboras... but that should probably be in about a month, if not longer, to let these guys become acquainted with their tank mates. [1] If you don't get the reference, you haven't read The Iliad. Current Mood: tired Tags: cloaches, fish, snails, tank

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April 4th, 2008

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06:55 pm - BSG squee! Picture ETA: so apparently I'm not allowed to have the pic in the blog. Oh well... whoa... excuse me while I hyperventilate... It starts tonight!! (in the US...) Current Mood: bouncy Tags: battlestar galactica

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