Yes, I too am going Potty about Potter, I'm afraid. With the last book in the series coming out very soon, and the fifth film, Order Of The Phoenix, due out on Friday, I have set myself the task of re-reading all six previous instalments of the Harry Potter saga, and I'm enjoying myself immensely.
I did, however, read something else rather interesting. Waterstones, the biggest chain of book stores in the UK, have organised a petition that they're asking people to sign so that they can persuade J.K.Rowling to at least consider writing some more Harry Potter books in the future. Now, how can they ask such a thing when the boy wizard's survival at the end of the upcoming novel is still under question? I'm afraid that, in my eyes, this is all a huge money-grabbing attempt by a desperate bookstore which has realised that very soon it will lose one of its biggest revenues - The Deathly Hallows is Amazon's most pre-ordered book to date, and never again will we see such queues for a book until another literary craze hits the shelves. Waterstones have realised that they make more money out of Potter than any other book.
But I think they're doing it all wrong with this petition idea. Why not instead try and re-market the previous books? Get the whole country on a back-to-the-beginning fever, introduce new readers to the wonders of Hogwarts School? This petition just sounds sad and desperate.
There is another reason why I'm feeling Potty today, and that is our big bathroom renovation began yesterday. The main bathroom - used mostly by myself and my sister - is being completely gutted and re-built. The noise, as you can imagine, is wonderful.
Laters.
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Friday, 6 July 2007
Eight Minutes And Counting...
I haven't got long, so I'll be brief. Thanks to the modern wonder that is Libraries I can access the Internet without faffing around at home, where our connection is being really stupid and annoying.
Anyhoo, it's good to be back home, though I have a number of things to keep me occupied that don't sadly involve lazing in front of the television watching films/playing PlayStation/eating toast in my pants (as recommended by Robbie the Reindeer). And there's always my blog to keep me occupied. Hopefully, as this is only a first-time set up, I'll have more time next week to use the computers and give you a fuller description of how my holidays are going!
Laters.
Anyhoo, it's good to be back home, though I have a number of things to keep me occupied that don't sadly involve lazing in front of the television watching films/playing PlayStation/eating toast in my pants (as recommended by Robbie the Reindeer). And there's always my blog to keep me occupied. Hopefully, as this is only a first-time set up, I'll have more time next week to use the computers and give you a fuller description of how my holidays are going!
Laters.
Sunday, 1 July 2007
Au revoir Winchester...for now
Just got time for a quick entry before I have to shut the computer down and pack it all away for the journey home. It's not feeling too weird at the mo, seeing how I'm going to be back here in Winchester early September, and I'm definitely going to keep up with my blog entries over the next two months. Got a lot of things happening, including the holiday for this year, France 2007 - whoop-de-do - and the perhaps the biggest and most important event, AGYT 2007! What am I talking about? All will be revealed soon, I promise.
Laters.
P.S: Still geeking out over last night's thrilling conclusion to the third series of Doctor Who. Great writing, great acting, great plot twists - roll on the Christmas special!
Laters.
P.S: Still geeking out over last night's thrilling conclusion to the third series of Doctor Who. Great writing, great acting, great plot twists - roll on the Christmas special!
Friday, 29 June 2007
Interesting Lists
Some of you may know that this year is the 80th birthday of the legendary OTT director Ken Russell, who, among other things, is perhaps most famous for making Oliver Reed and Alan Bates wrestle in the nude in Women In Love and filling a studio with baked beans for Tommy. Among the things that Ken is a fan of, one television programme he says that catches his eyes simply so that he can laugh at how pathetic the rest of us have become is Big Brother.
I am pleased to report that so far I have not even ventured further than a vague curiosity on the opening night of this year's series as to who was in the house though I hear that it is no longer all women, boo hiss. I take pride in this fact - I have more interesting things to watch than a group of fame-hungry idiots arguing and sleeping with each other (or vice verca).
For example, thanks to Virgin Media, I have been able to watch the first series of Father Ted. Having only really watched the now classic Christmas special of this most hilarious of shows, I finally see what all the fuss is about. I also rather worryingly see more than ever the resemblance of Father Jack ("DRINK!") to our ex-Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, but let's not worry too much about that.
I have also been a frequent visitor to Film Four where, on Tuesday, I saw an excellent film called The King starring Gael Garcia Bernal and William Hurt. This is a very dark, Gothic film about a young sailor who leaves the navy to find his father, now a born again Christian preacher with a family of his own. When the sailor is rejected by the preacher, he begins a terrible revenge. I recommend this film to anyone who likes a deep thoughtful film.
It is not, however, on the Guardian's list of "1000 Films To See Before You Die". In fact, there are some interesting flicks on this list, some of which I'm really pleased to see on there (My Summer Of Love, Sideways, Lost In Translation, The Big Sleep), some of which I'm not so pleased to see there, (Titanic - what the hell?). There are also some surprises - Babe, for example, and Pink Floyd's The Wall, a film that, to my knowledge has often bee utterly derided. And yes, Tommy is there too. Happy Birthday, Ken.
Laters.
I am pleased to report that so far I have not even ventured further than a vague curiosity on the opening night of this year's series as to who was in the house though I hear that it is no longer all women, boo hiss. I take pride in this fact - I have more interesting things to watch than a group of fame-hungry idiots arguing and sleeping with each other (or vice verca).
For example, thanks to Virgin Media, I have been able to watch the first series of Father Ted. Having only really watched the now classic Christmas special of this most hilarious of shows, I finally see what all the fuss is about. I also rather worryingly see more than ever the resemblance of Father Jack ("DRINK!") to our ex-Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, but let's not worry too much about that.
I have also been a frequent visitor to Film Four where, on Tuesday, I saw an excellent film called The King starring Gael Garcia Bernal and William Hurt. This is a very dark, Gothic film about a young sailor who leaves the navy to find his father, now a born again Christian preacher with a family of his own. When the sailor is rejected by the preacher, he begins a terrible revenge. I recommend this film to anyone who likes a deep thoughtful film.
It is not, however, on the Guardian's list of "1000 Films To See Before You Die". In fact, there are some interesting flicks on this list, some of which I'm really pleased to see on there (My Summer Of Love, Sideways, Lost In Translation, The Big Sleep), some of which I'm not so pleased to see there, (Titanic - what the hell?). There are also some surprises - Babe, for example, and Pink Floyd's The Wall, a film that, to my knowledge has often bee utterly derided. And yes, Tommy is there too. Happy Birthday, Ken.
Laters.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Back For One Week Only!
Yes, I'm back in Winchester after a lengthy absence. Well, a week. I just haven't got round to updating my blog recently is all. The Internet is down at home so there's my excuse.
I'm back in my house in Winchester so that I can make a start on my Final Year Project, or as I will probably refer to it from now, The Depressing 9/11 Project. I'm going to briefly look at the effects of the attacks on September 11th 2001 on culture, specifically on the ideas and theories of the Postmodern Movement. All that within 8000 - 10,000 words. Boy, do I know how to have fun.
But today is a landmark day in history. Children are dancing in the streets singing "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" and such; street parties are planned...yeah, I wish. It's the end of an era. Tony Blair, once upon a time the golden boy of politics, is now leaving after ten years as Prime Minister and with a lot of British blood on his hands. And I'm not just talking about Iraq, either.
But who do we have in his place? Why it's Gordon Brown The Beast, a gruff, grizzly bear of a man who was unopposed in a pointless leadership election; pointless because we all knew he would win it, pointless because he's not going to last very long. Newspapers on Monday reported that he may even call a General Election as early as next year. And yet who do we have in opposition? A toff and an old fart. No, I'm being too cruel here - I apologise to the old fart for calling him an old fart. As for the toff, well, until he actually says something or does something which gives a meaning to his policies and his party, then he's going to stay a toff.
I have always predicted that Brown The Beast would not last long as PM, but I fear that my predictions will run short if the opposition doesn't get its act together and do some blinking opposing. Otherwise the most interesting election next year will be the American one (my prediction: Hilary, but it will be tight - stop thinking witty responses to last comment) and the British public will lose complete faith in politics all together. We'll have a revolution on our hands and all power will be brought back to the monarchy, just in time for King Charles to ban all houses that don't contain at least one solar panel and one patch of begonias.
Laters.
I'm back in my house in Winchester so that I can make a start on my Final Year Project, or as I will probably refer to it from now, The Depressing 9/11 Project. I'm going to briefly look at the effects of the attacks on September 11th 2001 on culture, specifically on the ideas and theories of the Postmodern Movement. All that within 8000 - 10,000 words. Boy, do I know how to have fun.
But today is a landmark day in history. Children are dancing in the streets singing "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" and such; street parties are planned...yeah, I wish. It's the end of an era. Tony Blair, once upon a time the golden boy of politics, is now leaving after ten years as Prime Minister and with a lot of British blood on his hands. And I'm not just talking about Iraq, either.
But who do we have in his place? Why it's Gordon Brown The Beast, a gruff, grizzly bear of a man who was unopposed in a pointless leadership election; pointless because we all knew he would win it, pointless because he's not going to last very long. Newspapers on Monday reported that he may even call a General Election as early as next year. And yet who do we have in opposition? A toff and an old fart. No, I'm being too cruel here - I apologise to the old fart for calling him an old fart. As for the toff, well, until he actually says something or does something which gives a meaning to his policies and his party, then he's going to stay a toff.
I have always predicted that Brown The Beast would not last long as PM, but I fear that my predictions will run short if the opposition doesn't get its act together and do some blinking opposing. Otherwise the most interesting election next year will be the American one (my prediction: Hilary, but it will be tight - stop thinking witty responses to last comment) and the British public will lose complete faith in politics all together. We'll have a revolution on our hands and all power will be brought back to the monarchy, just in time for King Charles to ban all houses that don't contain at least one solar panel and one patch of begonias.
Laters.
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
How Angry Can One Alien Get?
Today I want to just give a huge shout out to a faveourite website of my sisters and mine - the Angry Alien site. Here you can find the home of the Movie Bunnies - a goup of animated critters who renact famous movies in 30 seconds. They have built up a large library of homages over the years, including a wicked James Bond medley. The Jaws one is pretty good too.
This site is creative, inspirational, and damn funny in some places. Good on you, Jennifer (I hope that's her name!) Please visit it and watch them for yoursleves, they're a laugh riot.
Laters.
This site is creative, inspirational, and damn funny in some places. Good on you, Jennifer (I hope that's her name!) Please visit it and watch them for yoursleves, they're a laugh riot.
Laters.
Monday, 11 June 2007
"Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!"
...to quote Mel Gibson at the end of Braveheart. Except without the Scottish accent. And the whole knife-twisting-in-the-guts torture thing.
Yes, I had my last exam today and no, it did not go well but who cares? For the next twenty four hours (at least) I shall not even think about what I wrote on my exam paper. After that I will start to panic and so have to find things to distract me from thinking about how badly I did, how this will affect my career choices, yadda yadda yadda.
Speaking of which I have finsihed re-editing Shine On Me and am now back to where I started before re-re-re-re-editing Where Wild Things Grow. Me has other books in mind, but me no want to start on the next in the Green Ash series just yet. I am going to try and attempt to do what has previously often been impossibe: to write a sensible book for grown-ups; the kind of book people might study at an institution just like the University Of Winchester. I kid you not, I already have some ideas bubbling away in my brain. Now if I can just be bothered enough to start writing them down...
Laters.
Yes, I had my last exam today and no, it did not go well but who cares? For the next twenty four hours (at least) I shall not even think about what I wrote on my exam paper. After that I will start to panic and so have to find things to distract me from thinking about how badly I did, how this will affect my career choices, yadda yadda yadda.
Speaking of which I have finsihed re-editing Shine On Me and am now back to where I started before re-re-re-re-editing Where Wild Things Grow. Me has other books in mind, but me no want to start on the next in the Green Ash series just yet. I am going to try and attempt to do what has previously often been impossibe: to write a sensible book for grown-ups; the kind of book people might study at an institution just like the University Of Winchester. I kid you not, I already have some ideas bubbling away in my brain. Now if I can just be bothered enough to start writing them down...
Laters.
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