Somewhere in Maesteg

'Tis wasted on the kids...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:52:00 +0000

Still alive, just too damn lazy to post...

Anyway, last weekend I actually slept - which was bliss; fingers crossed, I've got the whole working nights/time off sleeping pattern sorted. Of course, it helped that I took some Kalms sleeping tablets - initially, I was dead set against taking anything medicinal to help me sleep, but thankfully Kalms' is herbal: three of them, and one glass of beer and I was sorted. :)

Anyway, my post title:

I saw Shaun the Sheep this afternoon... and I'm telling you, it's wasted at ten to four in the afternoon - it should be on at tea-time so that everyone can watch it. If you do get a chance, try and catch it - if you liked Wallace & Gromit, then you'll love it.

Centurion's Ghost

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:11:00 +0000

I don't think I'll be drinking that particular ale for awhile...

Visited York last weekend for a semi-regular British Fantasy Society Open Night organised by Lee Harris - first time in the fair-city, where the likes of Ramsey Campbell, Peter Crowther, Simon Clark and Mark Morris, along with Allyson Bird and Peter (sorry, forgotten your surname) regaled us with ghostly readings.

Though it may sound like a bit of an excuse, but my staying power was tempered somewhat by a lack of sleep from Friday night, hence my unceremonious nodding off just after the meal (which sadly ended up elsewhere...)

Retired to my hotel room - somehow, since I vaguely recall walking but not actually up the stairs, opening the door, nor turning on the television since I woke up still wearing my glasses and the set tuned to BBC1.

Bumped into Allyson at breakfast, and then went for a wander around...

Very...

A very picturesque City, it must be said, though the rustic charm was tempered a little by the onslaught of the UK High Street - but Minster Park was very lovely.

Mojo

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:48:00 +0000

I don't usually read this particular music magazine, but have to admit the free CD caught my eye (along with the indepth interview with Radiohead - mind you, I didn't bother downloading the album; I'm waiting for the CD release...)

The actual cover-mount CD is a rather spiffing compilation of synth and electronic music, from Tangerine Dream, early-Human League, to total unknowns (like Fujiya & Miyagi - the track "Ankle Injuries" is excellent, along with John Foxx's "Burning Car".)

Mind you, no Kraftwerk though... conspicuous by it's absence, if you ask me.

Of course, if you don't like electronic/synth music then this post'll be of no interest to you.

All I want for Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:44:00 +0000

Dear Santa, I know it's early but I thought I'd get in quick... could you possibly see fit to buy me one of these, please? I've been a very good boy.

Thank you,

Chris

One of the finest love songs ever written...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:58:00 +0000

... and the video is pretty damn beautiful too:

When I was putting together Tourniquet Heart for publication, I actually wrote to Nick Cave's record company to see if I could reproduce the lyrics as an actual "story" within the anthology.

It wasn't too expensive, but I left my response lapse and before I knew it the publisher was asking for the completed mss like, well, today.

Still kicking myself today - listen to the lyrics, they're just beautiful.

Cloverfield

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:20:00 +0000

What exactly is it? Well, I'm not in too much of a hurry to find out, frankly; shaky-cam in the trailer is bad enough, so I don't think I'll be able to sit through two hours of feeling nauseous.

(I spent two days, thank you very much - don't want to go through that again...)

Why do today's directors insist on using shakycam? It doesn't add to suspense - it just alienates part of your audience, because your mind instead of concentrating on the film is more interested in stopping your stomach from hurling.

I'm all for kinetic camera-work, but please, use a Steadicam instead, or a Louma crane. Or, heaven forbid, take a leaf out of Alfonso Cauron and Emmanuel Lubeski's book and utilise their techniques in Children of Men: very tense, energetic scenes with no hint of shaky camerawork.

In fact, could you imagine the go-kart scene in The Shining if they used shakycam? Or De Palma's superb shoot-out sequence from The Untouchables?

Shakycam works in music videos, but that is where it should stay.

Enough of my film-geeky rant.

Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:19:00 +0000

Last week fucked me up; had one of those "bug" things going around - no vomiting (thankfully), but whatever it was knocked me for six for two days: uncontrollable shivering, nauseous, and the inability to sleep (to the point that when I was lying in bed, my mind "dreamt" of three or four things at once and therefore it couldn't shut down). Again, I felt like Reznik.

But, once it passed I was much better; and now, I'm in that welcome routine of work-sleep-play-work-sleep-play, albeit at different times to you. Mind you, it does help having a pair of thick curtains to block out the day-light, and the fact that it's still dark when I go to sleep - be interesting to see if I'll find it this easy when BST starts...

In other news, started work on Triquorum III and should be putting The Reef to bed in a couple of weeks (ready for it's launch at Eastercon - whose going?)

I also received my self-assessment tax bill today... eeek. The less said about that the better.

Knackered...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:52:00 +0000

... night-shift is seriously fucking with my body-clock: I'm okay sleeping during the day, after each shift, but when it comes to my days off; hardly any sleep last night, felt totally lethargic today - now I know how Reznik felt in The Machinist.

Anyway, enough of my woes: the festivities were good - drank far too much on the Big Day (though I had to really since I was working Boxing Night, making up for the loss of time!) Mind you, moving jobs this close too Christmas isn't really recommended - you end up working all but the statatory holidays, which is a pain. Ah well...

Still, didn't work New Year's Eve so at least I managed to have a drink to bring in the new year and my 34th birthday. Do I feel old? Not then, but now... any night-shifters out there with some advice on how to get your body back to sleeping at night when you're not working?

Anyway, in other news: picked up a copy of Disturbed's Ten Thousand Fists earlier this week (it features a cover of the Genesis track "Land of Confusion" which is just superb). If you feel like a spot of head-banging, then you'd be a fool not to listen. :)

(Just to prove my own eclectic music tastes, I purchased it along with a collection from Toto and Karl Jenkins' Requiem.)

Nadolig Llawen!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:29:00 +0000

I know what you're all thinking, and it's the same question that has plagued your mind since you were a little nipper: what does Father Christmas do during the rest of the year?

I think I've found the answer... 'tis rather shocking:

I wonder if he got a discount?

Tungston-Carbide drill?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:25:00 +0000

What the bloody hell is it? ;-)

Madness!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:18:00 +0000

This is a song about buying a packet of condoms?

Never!

If only...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:33:00 +0000

... not that long ago, there was a little spat concerning the Union Jack and how it should be re-designed to incorporate the Welsh dragon (as it stands now, the flag only represents England and Scotland - Wales, being a principality, isn't officially a country and is technically part of England).

Many - including myself - didn't give a toss either way, but it got tongues wagging and made a few column inches in various media outlets (which was handy since Brown's Government was under some strain at the time... conspiracy, moi?)

Anyway, via a messageboard, I found this "reader-designed" flag courtesy of the Telegraph:

Well, I for one reckon it's by far the coolest flag I've ever seen (it's on the Shaft-scale of cool-ness); absolutely tremendous and should be instated immediately as the Nation's emblem.

Then, how about this for the new Anthem?

Yeah? ;-)

All change...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 14:03:00 +0000

I'm off; after six - almost seven - years, I handed in my notice. The job I'm going to isn't ideal (but then is anything?) but it's closer, which means less travelling and subsequently a saving of £80 or so a month in fuel, and around the same salary despite a shorter working week (Sunday night to Thursday night).

Of course, if the boss actually offered me an increase in salary then perhaps my decision could be swayed, but he hasn't and so I'm off.

In other news, the Pendragon site was finally unveiled to the world last Wednesday - point your browser to www.pendragonpress.net and marvel in it's glory. ;-)

I was actually down in London on Friday night for the BFS Open night - there to launch the latest PP title, No-Man and Other Tales. A splendid night, it must be said; I sold most of what I brought, which meant that I covered my costs. Waa-heyyyy!

Mind you, I did end up browsing Foyles on Charing Cross Road and buying a bag-ful of books, so I suppose what I made I negated. Damn you, Foyles!

(Of course, you could all pop along to the new site and buy a book or two... it would help, and they would make marvellous Christmas presents.)

"This bloke came upto me..."

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:59:00 +0000

Being a fan of Pete & Dud, and their alter-egos Derek & Clive, this particular animation is rather good (though it does contain strong language):

If you prefer Pete & Dud, without the language, then you'd probably like this clip from Not Only, But Also:

One of the funniest things is watching Dud "corpse" it... and Pete making him "corpse" it.

Peter Cook will always be funny, but he really needed Dudley Moore to help him out - that's the true nature of a comedy double-act: either without the other is rarely as funny.

Genius at Work

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:37:00 +0000

Courtesy of Gary Greenwood I clicked this link and discovered something that I knew for a very long time...

Of course, there is fine line between genius and madness but hey-ho! who cares... ;-)

Bwah-wah-wah-wah!

"You never fuckin' 'eard of the Millennium Nova?"

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:57:00 +0000

Taff Wars: where Star Wars meets South Wales... tidy. :-)

'S funny, but I suppose if you don't live in South Wales then you probably won't get the joke.

Back in the Day....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:34:00 +0000

This is almost turning out to be a semi-regular trip down nostalgia lane, but I don't care!

Anyway, one of my very favourite games on the Speecy was this - Carrier Command:

You were basically in charge of a super-aircraft carrier in some far-future land with just one task: to capture more islands in an archipelago than your enemy from the opposite end. It was absolutely submersive: whole hours would disappear, as you tried to combat each island's defences, not to mention making sure your own carrier and aircraft were intact... they don't make 'em like they used to.

The clip is a recording from the audio tape that came with the game - the in-game music (being a Speccy was shite) so David Lowe was allowed some proper recording equipment. It's great. :)

After the Speccy, I upgraded to an Atari ST and thankfully Carrier Command was vastly improved, but this next game I don't think can be beaten for sheer scope: Starglider 2 - an entire solar system of planets to explore...

Chuggers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:03:00 +0000

gI've heard of them, but so far they haven't been down here... until tonight: a chugger knocked on my door this evening, not quarter of an hour ago.

Now, I'm not a heartless soul and give to charity as and when I see it, but knocking on your door soliciting for business is, well, rather uncharitable if you ask me.

Mind you, it doesn't surprise me considering the plethora of media advertising I've seen recently - the NSPCC being a prime candidate: they ask for just £2 a month. Okay, fair enough, but of that £2 a month how much actually goes towards helping a child, compared to say the cost of producing and airing the advert (Saatchi & Saatchi aren't cheap, you know...)

What I suggest is this: instead of producing these cheap info-mercials (I think that's the term) and hiring commercial agencies, how about using the money raised for the purpose it was meant for and that is to stop child cruelty. Full stop.

Take on Me

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:22:00 +0000

Bloody hell, this takes me back... didn't think much of the song back then, but now - it's actually pretty good. The video, though, still looks fantastic.

Alice... who the...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:08:00 +0000

As I've got older, I've begun to appreciate the landscape around me more - it could possibly be my sub-conscious telling me that you're about to snuff it mate (gve or take another fifty years).

And programmes such has the BBC's Coast whet that appetite.

Mind you, it does help in having Dr Alice Roberts as one of the presenters: brains and beauty.

Swoon.

"I Believe"

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:17:00 +0000

Great song, great film, gorgeous actress/singer: cheesy video. C'est le vie.

If you haven't guessed already, and/or you haven't seen the film, then I definitely recommend you see Run Lola Run.

Urgh

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:28:00 +0000

Tad hungover this morning - went to my cousin's wedding reception, and imbibed far too much Old Speckled Hen and absolutely murdered American Pie on the karoake.

Still, we enjoyed ourselves.

Plus, Wales are out of the Rugby World Cup. :(

"Wassup, doc?"

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:37:00 +0000

Apologies for lack of posting - not that I've been insanely busy, just a slightly "meh" attitude to updating the blog; lack of motivation, I think it's called. Mind you, Pendragon has been taking up some time as of late...

Anyway, the title of this blog: refers to a line spoken by Paul Giamatti from the film Shoot'Em-Up (which I saw last night). A total, rawkin' blast; a balls to the wall action-fest, where you leave your brain the foyer. Surrounded by a head bangin' metal soundtrack, we join Giamatti (obviously enjoying himself playing the bad-guy) along with Clive Owen and the gorgeous Monica Bellucci in a tale which takes a smidge from John Woo's Hard Boiled but it's mainly an extremely violent live-action Looney Tunes with Bugs and Elmer Fudd.

The plot makes no sense and there are so many deux ex machina moments that make you slap your forehead, but director Michael Davis (along with the cast) put so much, well, craziness into the production that you just can't help but get sucked in.

How can you not like a film which features an aerial/free-fall gun-fight? It's shit, but damn good shit. ;-)

Speecy Love

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:53:00 +0000

No words, just click:

*jaw drops*

Bourne Ultimatum

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:32:00 +0000

I wanted to blog about this on Sunday but never got around to it...

Anyway, watched the last (?) of the Bourne flicks at the weekend, and I have to say it's a bloody good piece of entertainment: superb set-pieces handled with aplomb by Paul Greengrass, who prior to directing the previous Supremacy wasn't exactly known for making action flicks, but with these two under his belt, not to mention the very tense United 93 then I reckon he should take Michael Bay, Kurt Wimmer, Len Wiseman, et al under his tutelage and give them a crash-course in directing action sequences with an added touch of intelligence thrown in.

When I saw the first Bourne Identity knowing very little about it (except that I was a fan of Doug Liman's Go) I was pleasantly surprised at the American's out-Bond-ing Bond, and Matt Damon definitely gives a better performance of a more realistic Government agent (which is probably why Broccolli & Co went back to basics with Casino Royale).

By the time James presses that tinny button on his watch, Bourne would've whacked him unconcious with the nearest rolled-up newspaper.

But, Bourne needed the British touch which is why the series - under the helm of the English Greengrass - has progressed in leaps and bounds, and I'm pretty certain there will be fourth - though without Damon and Greengrass they may has well not bother.