Not at work, so it's a bit like a Saturday and we get up really late. Around 11.30! Then onto the park with the dogs who are both getting far too presumptuous that this is going to happen every time I'm off.
Today is of course New Years Eve and L's been out shopping for new trendier clothes. She says she's having a new image for 2009 and this one is going to wear more girlie skirts. Sounds great, I can hardly wait. In fact I don't have to because she has a blindingly good new grungy yellow and black dress which she wears tonight.
We head out early for a few drinks and L's brother comes over to join us. This tempts Daughter out, which is great, it's good to get a bit of a 'crowd' together, well four of us, although this keeps us out of the grown up bars.
I spend the night or should that be the 'early evening' on the St. Austell Tribute which isn't the best but it's a good sociable 'early evening'. Then its home for more beer, take away curry and Jools' Hootananny or whatever it's called. Pre-recorded of course, why they persist with this, don't know. I reckon the guests would still come if was live but Jools himself would perhaps prefer to be elsewhere.
It's rather dull this year, there's no Kylie to slobber over, only Duffy and even Jools doesn't appear to relish that prospect. His star guests are Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, who have been dug up and resuscitated especially. Even we can't stick it through to the end. The Ting Tings (surprisingly) and The Hold Steady were both good but underused and we gave up waiting for them to perform again.
New Year comes and goes; Son stays in his room throughout, probably denying it's all happening, probably not a bad idea.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Favourite Films Of 2008
Second part of my review of the year, my favourite ten films of the year.
10. Juno
I will probably get stick for including this but it had its moments. Lightweight but still entertaining.
Read My Review
9. Somers Town
A pleasant thought provoking tale from Shane Meadows. Not one of his best but still very watchable.
Read My Review
8. Persepolis
Always interesting and often darkly humorous. A cracking 'cartoon'.
Read My Review
7. Son Of Rambow
In here for the insinuation that you can light a cigarette by connecting yourself to the mains electricity but for other reasons too. 'Skill on toast' as they said in them days.
Read My Review
6. Elegy
Old man pulls young student and photographs her chest. So a cracking plot... and there's more to it than that.
Read My Review
5. Burn After Reading
OMG, a Coen's film not at number one. Not their best but the Coen's are still coming up with something different.
Read My Review
4. In Search Of A Midnight Kiss
A cheap fun film with lots of rough edges. Just like life should be.
Read My Review
3. Baader Meinhoff Komplex
A fast and furious detailed history of the Red Army Fraction, squeezing 10 years into two and a half hours and doing it well.
Read My Review
2. Lust Caution
On the 6th January last year we though we'd seen number one already. Almost but not quite. I held my breath all the way through this excellent film.
Read My Review
1. No Country For Old Men
A botched plot and a botched ending but still gripping. What do you expect, it's the Coen's, it's got to be number one.
Read My Review
10. Juno
I will probably get stick for including this but it had its moments. Lightweight but still entertaining.
Read My Review
9. Somers Town
A pleasant thought provoking tale from Shane Meadows. Not one of his best but still very watchable.
Read My Review
8. Persepolis
Always interesting and often darkly humorous. A cracking 'cartoon'.
Read My Review
7. Son Of Rambow
In here for the insinuation that you can light a cigarette by connecting yourself to the mains electricity but for other reasons too. 'Skill on toast' as they said in them days.
Read My Review
6. Elegy
Old man pulls young student and photographs her chest. So a cracking plot... and there's more to it than that.
Read My Review
5. Burn After Reading
OMG, a Coen's film not at number one. Not their best but the Coen's are still coming up with something different.
Read My Review
4. In Search Of A Midnight Kiss
A cheap fun film with lots of rough edges. Just like life should be.
Read My Review
3. Baader Meinhoff Komplex
A fast and furious detailed history of the Red Army Fraction, squeezing 10 years into two and a half hours and doing it well.
Read My Review
2. Lust Caution
On the 6th January last year we though we'd seen number one already. Almost but not quite. I held my breath all the way through this excellent film.
Read My Review
1. No Country For Old Men
A botched plot and a botched ending but still gripping. What do you expect, it's the Coen's, it's got to be number one.
Read My Review
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Wimps Or Three Wise Men?
My second and last day at work this week and I'm on the bus, I daren't risk running or cycling, it would take me a week to stop coughing afterwards.
It is announced that Droylsden have been thrown out of the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player in their second-round replay win over Chesterfield. Sean Newton who scored both goals in their 2-1 win should have been serving a one-match ban. This is actually quite amusing and brings a bizarre conclusion to a match that was first abandoned due to fog, then the rearranged game was drawn and then the replay at Droylsden was abandoned because of floodlight failure with Chesterfield 2-0 up. Droylsden won at the fourth attempt. So perhaps justice has been done in the end, it was hardly Chesterfield's fault the lights failed.
After work, I walk in to Derby, where I meet the rest of the family who are planning on ice-skating with a group of friends of ours. Turns out the men, and L's brother, elect not to skate, wimps or three wise men, you choose. Although L's brother does eventually crack under pressure and have a brief go.
There's some great footage of Daughter getting irate at being filmed, which should be on youtube any day now, I'll keep you posted.
On reflection, it might have been warmer to have skated because it's absolutely freezing watching, all my extremities are frozen to such an extent that possibly only one thing can thaw them out. We head home in search of the cure. Mulled wine followed by real wine eventually does the trick and thaws them out.
It is announced that Droylsden have been thrown out of the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player in their second-round replay win over Chesterfield. Sean Newton who scored both goals in their 2-1 win should have been serving a one-match ban. This is actually quite amusing and brings a bizarre conclusion to a match that was first abandoned due to fog, then the rearranged game was drawn and then the replay at Droylsden was abandoned because of floodlight failure with Chesterfield 2-0 up. Droylsden won at the fourth attempt. So perhaps justice has been done in the end, it was hardly Chesterfield's fault the lights failed.
After work, I walk in to Derby, where I meet the rest of the family who are planning on ice-skating with a group of friends of ours. Turns out the men, and L's brother, elect not to skate, wimps or three wise men, you choose. Although L's brother does eventually crack under pressure and have a brief go.
There's some great footage of Daughter getting irate at being filmed, which should be on youtube any day now, I'll keep you posted.
On reflection, it might have been warmer to have skated because it's absolutely freezing watching, all my extremities are frozen to such an extent that possibly only one thing can thaw them out. We head home in search of the cure. Mulled wine followed by real wine eventually does the trick and thaws them out.
Favourite Albums Of 2008
The first part of my review of 2008. These are my favourite ten albums of the last twelve months.
10. The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow
I don't proclaim to be a great fan and it's not an album I listen to a huge amount but live the quality of this band and this record really come through.
9. Third - Portishead
Eleven years on from their second album, Portishead finally followed it up. I've always been a fan and this is great album, nothing will be as good as their debut 'Dummy' but this is a fair effort.
8. The '59 Sound - Gaslight Anthem
I've been listening to downloads of this for the last four months or so, now I've been given the album for Christmas so need to prosecute me. It's been pointed out to me how Springsteen like it is. Gosh, does this mean I'm officially old.
7. Silent Cry - Feeder
Nobody seemed to like this album, least of all the band themselves but I love it, a return to form.
6. St Jude - Courteeners
Great lyrics and wonderful guitars, a cracking debut album. If only Liam Fray didn't want to be Oasis quite so much.
5. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
The Glasvegas album was a let down when it came out because like the Arctic Monkeys a few years, everyone had the free downloads and the four singles already on their ipods. Still excellent though, just at least twelve months too late. Had this come out in 2007, it would perhaps have been my number one.
4. Hold on Now, Youngster - Los Campesinos
Los Campesinos aren't my usual sort of band, but this record by the seven-piece from Cardiff literally jumps out at you, punches you in the face and demands to be sung along to, so you oblige.
3. Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an odd bunch, if they weren't such an odd bunch they'd have been huge by now. This is their most normal record yet and possibly their best but they're still odd and consequently still relatively unknown.
2. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
A mix of electronics and guitars produces something quite different. To top it all they managed to reproduce the sound live as well and without too much trickery.
1. Only By The Night - Kings Of Leon
Well they've done it again. Two years in a row as my number one but it's just such a good album.
10. The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow
I don't proclaim to be a great fan and it's not an album I listen to a huge amount but live the quality of this band and this record really come through.
9. Third - Portishead
Eleven years on from their second album, Portishead finally followed it up. I've always been a fan and this is great album, nothing will be as good as their debut 'Dummy' but this is a fair effort.
8. The '59 Sound - Gaslight Anthem
I've been listening to downloads of this for the last four months or so, now I've been given the album for Christmas so need to prosecute me. It's been pointed out to me how Springsteen like it is. Gosh, does this mean I'm officially old.
7. Silent Cry - Feeder
Nobody seemed to like this album, least of all the band themselves but I love it, a return to form.
6. St Jude - Courteeners
Great lyrics and wonderful guitars, a cracking debut album. If only Liam Fray didn't want to be Oasis quite so much.
5. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
The Glasvegas album was a let down when it came out because like the Arctic Monkeys a few years, everyone had the free downloads and the four singles already on their ipods. Still excellent though, just at least twelve months too late. Had this come out in 2007, it would perhaps have been my number one.
4. Hold on Now, Youngster - Los Campesinos
Los Campesinos aren't my usual sort of band, but this record by the seven-piece from Cardiff literally jumps out at you, punches you in the face and demands to be sung along to, so you oblige.
3. Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an odd bunch, if they weren't such an odd bunch they'd have been huge by now. This is their most normal record yet and possibly their best but they're still odd and consequently still relatively unknown.
2. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
A mix of electronics and guitars produces something quite different. To top it all they managed to reproduce the sound live as well and without too much trickery.
1. Only By The Night - Kings Of Leon
Well they've done it again. Two years in a row as my number one but it's just such a good album.
Monday, 29 December 2008
Out On To The Battlefield
Being ill has totally ruined my training schedule, I should have been on the bike today but instead, I'm (whisper it) in the car. It also means I'm obviously not as fit and healthy as I thought I was. I'd also hoped to fit a swim or two in somewhere this week but no such luck. If everyone is as ill as I am, as appears to be the case, then the council will be shutting all the leisure centres again next year claiming no one used them this year. We've all been too ill.
It's cold at work with the heating having been off for four days, so I'm sure they're all thankful for me coming in and warming the place up with the high temperature I have. Mine you, everyone else seems to be the same
After Derby's defeat yesterday Paul Jewell resigned. Which is odd, I didn't have him down as a quitter. No idea how they're going to find anyone better qualified to take over. If someone with the record of Jewell can't hack it then who can.
I reckon our Chairman Adam Pearson fancies the job himself. I expect him to keep the current assistant Chris Hutchings on in the driver seat until the end of the season with Pearson in the backseat.
Predictably, there's no sandwich vans serving Pride Park today, despite the fact there are a surprisingly high number of offices occupied near us. The sandwich shops obviously can't be feeling the crunch then or they'd be out mopping up what business there was.
I look in our fridge to see what I have in stock for lunch, not much, a few yoghurts that are well out of date but one of those will do for starters. I learnt as an impoverished student never to let anything go to waste and certainly not to let something as trivial as a sell by date get in the way. After all what have you go to lose, if you eat it and it makes you ill, you'll probably be off food for a couple of days, saving even more money. It's a win-win situation.
All the same, I still venture out on to the battlefield that is Sainsbury's. The one bright point of being in the car this morning, was that there's was no traffic on the roads. The reason for this of course is that they're all in Sainsbury's car park and probably have been, since Christmas Eve trying to get out. Yet again there's hardly anyone actually in the store.
In the evening, we go to Broadway to check out 'Inkheart'. They have a beer called Rudolph's Ruin by Springhead, but at 4.2% it's hardly very ruinous. Daughter doesn't seem to like her posh organic cola, which is just fine and means I can steal it, to take into the cinema to oil my throat. Don't you just hate it when there's someone coughing during the film, spoiling everyone's enjoyment.
Well here's my review of 'Inkheart'. Hmmmm. Says it all really. Oh go on then I'll elaborate. It's the second film this week that I've seen that's had an excellent idea but badly executed (re: Hancock).
Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraser) has the gift of a 'silver tongue', which means not that he can charm the pants off the ladies but that he has the skill to make characters in books come alive as he reads the story.
Nine years ago, he carelessly lost his wife Resa (Sienna Guillory), presumably short for Theresa, this way as he was reading to his daughter Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett) from the book 'Inkheart'. His 'gift' also causes real people to disappear into the book, whilst leaving the characters from 'Inkheart' roaming the real world, which they kind of grow to like.
Mo claims he's searched long and hard for another copy of this rare book, nine years or so, whilst travelling all over the world in the guise of a 'Book Doctor'. Hmmm, sounds like he's been living it up a bit to me. He's probably privately, been reading Princess Leia out of Star Wars whilst catching up with Catwoman every other Sunday. Well you would wouldn't you.
I mean surely he's heard of 'Google' or 'ebay' or could he not just have reached for a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and got Holmes and Watson in on the case? Oh I should have been a script writer.
When he finally finds the book in the Italian Alps, one of its characters Dustfinger (Paul Bettany) stops him in the street to try to persuade Mo to read him back into the book, he, for one, wants to go home. Meanwhile the evil gang lord from the book, Capricorn (Andy Serkis), has no wish to return and pursues Mo.
They all end up locked away in Capricorn's castle where Capricorn wants Mo to read money and other riches out of books for him. He's been employing a less skilled 'silver tongue' which means they have amassed quite a zoo of imperfectly read-out characters. The story mentions loads of great books along the way but regrettably doesn't develop this part of the story.
All this time, Mo has kept his powers secret from his daughter but whilst they are locked up with the crocodile from Peter Pan ticking away next door, he goes for an explanation. Now I know its an odd request to demand realism in a fantasy movie but if your Father told you such a weird secret, that he read some weirdoes out of a book in exchange for your Mother, how would you react? Wouldn't you instantly think, oh that explains everything... or think perhaps he was joking, mad, drunk or perhaps all three? Then to top it all, it turns out that Meggie has the same gift as her father but she just hasn't noticed...
It comes down to Dustfinger to rescue them with the help of a lad called Farid who fell out of 'Arabian Nights' or was it 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' and they all search out the author of the book (Jim Broadbent) for another copy and end up with the manuscript.
At the finish, with them all recaptured, Capricorn forces Meggie to read something awful called the 'Shadow' out of the book whilst the author is hurriedly trying to rewrite the ending. For God's sake somebody write and read anything, nobody said it had to be a good book. In the end it's down to Toto the dog from the Wizard Of Oz to deliver the new page to the Meggie, without eating it, MD couldn't have managed that, and listen girl. When you're reading the new ending and it's clearly working, helping to get rid of the bad guys, rescue your friends and your family, what is the last thing you should do... durrr stop reading. Silly girl.
It's an alright film but it gets progressively messier as it goes on. It's a shame, there are some good special effects, the baddies are superb and there's some decent acting, although I thought Mo was played by a rubber dummy but the others disagreed, assured me it was human and that he did ok. It also boasts the acting skills of Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren but both their parts are mainly irrelevant to the story.
The film is based on the first book of a trilogy and probably leaves itself open 'to be continued'. The last film to attempt to start a franchise like that was, oh yes, 'The Golden Compass'. At least its better than that.
Suddenly at the end, out of nowhere, there's some love interest between Farid and Meggie. Which just highlights the lack of character development there's been throughout the film. There wasn't any chemistry between any of the other cast, not even Mo with his Daughter and certainly not with his wife. Whom they find and eventually free. She's spent the last nine years in what appears to be near slavery and has also gone mute, so perhaps that's why they're so estranged. Bet you wish you hadn't spent so much time with Princess Leia now eh Mo?
It's cold at work with the heating having been off for four days, so I'm sure they're all thankful for me coming in and warming the place up with the high temperature I have. Mine you, everyone else seems to be the same
After Derby's defeat yesterday Paul Jewell resigned. Which is odd, I didn't have him down as a quitter. No idea how they're going to find anyone better qualified to take over. If someone with the record of Jewell can't hack it then who can.
I reckon our Chairman Adam Pearson fancies the job himself. I expect him to keep the current assistant Chris Hutchings on in the driver seat until the end of the season with Pearson in the backseat.
Predictably, there's no sandwich vans serving Pride Park today, despite the fact there are a surprisingly high number of offices occupied near us. The sandwich shops obviously can't be feeling the crunch then or they'd be out mopping up what business there was.
I look in our fridge to see what I have in stock for lunch, not much, a few yoghurts that are well out of date but one of those will do for starters. I learnt as an impoverished student never to let anything go to waste and certainly not to let something as trivial as a sell by date get in the way. After all what have you go to lose, if you eat it and it makes you ill, you'll probably be off food for a couple of days, saving even more money. It's a win-win situation.
All the same, I still venture out on to the battlefield that is Sainsbury's. The one bright point of being in the car this morning, was that there's was no traffic on the roads. The reason for this of course is that they're all in Sainsbury's car park and probably have been, since Christmas Eve trying to get out. Yet again there's hardly anyone actually in the store.
In the evening, we go to Broadway to check out 'Inkheart'. They have a beer called Rudolph's Ruin by Springhead, but at 4.2% it's hardly very ruinous. Daughter doesn't seem to like her posh organic cola, which is just fine and means I can steal it, to take into the cinema to oil my throat. Don't you just hate it when there's someone coughing during the film, spoiling everyone's enjoyment.
Well here's my review of 'Inkheart'. Hmmmm. Says it all really. Oh go on then I'll elaborate. It's the second film this week that I've seen that's had an excellent idea but badly executed (re: Hancock).
Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraser) has the gift of a 'silver tongue', which means not that he can charm the pants off the ladies but that he has the skill to make characters in books come alive as he reads the story.
Nine years ago, he carelessly lost his wife Resa (Sienna Guillory), presumably short for Theresa, this way as he was reading to his daughter Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett) from the book 'Inkheart'. His 'gift' also causes real people to disappear into the book, whilst leaving the characters from 'Inkheart' roaming the real world, which they kind of grow to like.
Mo claims he's searched long and hard for another copy of this rare book, nine years or so, whilst travelling all over the world in the guise of a 'Book Doctor'. Hmmm, sounds like he's been living it up a bit to me. He's probably privately, been reading Princess Leia out of Star Wars whilst catching up with Catwoman every other Sunday. Well you would wouldn't you.
I mean surely he's heard of 'Google' or 'ebay' or could he not just have reached for a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and got Holmes and Watson in on the case? Oh I should have been a script writer.
When he finally finds the book in the Italian Alps, one of its characters Dustfinger (Paul Bettany) stops him in the street to try to persuade Mo to read him back into the book, he, for one, wants to go home. Meanwhile the evil gang lord from the book, Capricorn (Andy Serkis), has no wish to return and pursues Mo.
They all end up locked away in Capricorn's castle where Capricorn wants Mo to read money and other riches out of books for him. He's been employing a less skilled 'silver tongue' which means they have amassed quite a zoo of imperfectly read-out characters. The story mentions loads of great books along the way but regrettably doesn't develop this part of the story.
All this time, Mo has kept his powers secret from his daughter but whilst they are locked up with the crocodile from Peter Pan ticking away next door, he goes for an explanation. Now I know its an odd request to demand realism in a fantasy movie but if your Father told you such a weird secret, that he read some weirdoes out of a book in exchange for your Mother, how would you react? Wouldn't you instantly think, oh that explains everything... or think perhaps he was joking, mad, drunk or perhaps all three? Then to top it all, it turns out that Meggie has the same gift as her father but she just hasn't noticed...
It comes down to Dustfinger to rescue them with the help of a lad called Farid who fell out of 'Arabian Nights' or was it 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' and they all search out the author of the book (Jim Broadbent) for another copy and end up with the manuscript.
At the finish, with them all recaptured, Capricorn forces Meggie to read something awful called the 'Shadow' out of the book whilst the author is hurriedly trying to rewrite the ending. For God's sake somebody write and read anything, nobody said it had to be a good book. In the end it's down to Toto the dog from the Wizard Of Oz to deliver the new page to the Meggie, without eating it, MD couldn't have managed that, and listen girl. When you're reading the new ending and it's clearly working, helping to get rid of the bad guys, rescue your friends and your family, what is the last thing you should do... durrr stop reading. Silly girl.
It's an alright film but it gets progressively messier as it goes on. It's a shame, there are some good special effects, the baddies are superb and there's some decent acting, although I thought Mo was played by a rubber dummy but the others disagreed, assured me it was human and that he did ok. It also boasts the acting skills of Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren but both their parts are mainly irrelevant to the story.
The film is based on the first book of a trilogy and probably leaves itself open 'to be continued'. The last film to attempt to start a franchise like that was, oh yes, 'The Golden Compass'. At least its better than that.
Suddenly at the end, out of nowhere, there's some love interest between Farid and Meggie. Which just highlights the lack of character development there's been throughout the film. There wasn't any chemistry between any of the other cast, not even Mo with his Daughter and certainly not with his wife. Whom they find and eventually free. She's spent the last nine years in what appears to be near slavery and has also gone mute, so perhaps that's why they're so estranged. Bet you wish you hadn't spent so much time with Princess Leia now eh Mo?
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Preventative Measures
My physical condition is deteriorating, so L is very courageous indeed to brave the germs and administer TLC, even if she does refuse to look in my direction in case she catches something.
The dogs take advantage of my weakened state on the park. Doggo just seems to know that I can't shout very loudly at him and takes absolute liberties. MD then abandoned our ball game to go play chase with a Weimaraner. So not a good park session.
Another long-standing Christmas tradition is that Derby County lose all their Christmas games, so far it's two out of two.
L makes me a 'hot toddy' and has one herself too, preventative measures I believe it's called. I retire to bed early with the dogs and Chris Hoy. I got his book for Christmas, I'm already half way through it, and I'm crap at reading, so it must be good or it could just be the fact it has a big primary school typeface and pictures in it.
The dogs take advantage of my weakened state on the park. Doggo just seems to know that I can't shout very loudly at him and takes absolute liberties. MD then abandoned our ball game to go play chase with a Weimaraner. So not a good park session.
Another long-standing Christmas tradition is that Derby County lose all their Christmas games, so far it's two out of two.
L makes me a 'hot toddy' and has one herself too, preventative measures I believe it's called. I retire to bed early with the dogs and Chris Hoy. I got his book for Christmas, I'm already half way through it, and I'm crap at reading, so it must be good or it could just be the fact it has a big primary school typeface and pictures in it.
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Idle Threats And Mamma Mia DVD's
After taking part in the Aston Christmas Walk we head over to my brother's to exchange presents. Then its home to be reunited with the kids and to cook our leg of lamb for L's parents who are coming over this evening.
In the afternoon, I watch 'Hancock' with Daughter. The idea of the film is quite ingenious because Hancock (Will Smith) is a drunken bum of a superhero who causes more damage than he prevents and consequently he is roundly hated by the general public.
The film started off very promisingly but as soon as Hancock started to get a PR make over, by Jason Bateman, whose life Hancock saved, it started to lose track of the original great idea. I thought it was going to pick up again and possibly get quite edgy when Charlize Theron looked as though she was going to try to bed a superhero but it turns out she's a superhero too. Doh, don't you just hate it when that happens.
Generally a fun film but not the best use of a great idea. This is rare case that when the remake is made, a few years from now, it's going to be a better film.
L's parents arrive and L's kitted out in those black stockings again, you can't beat the Christmas traditions.
There's been idle threats flying around for the last month or so of who's buying who the Mamma Mia DVD for Christmas and so everyone been on edge as a result. In the end, L is the only one who ends up with it. She seems thrilled, mainly because she can now try to inflict it on me. So far, I've been very proud to be one of that select group of people who haven’t seen it.
The lamb is excellent and there's not much left for the dogs but that's mainly because we let the other animals in the house, Son and Daughter, get their hands on the lamb bone first.
In the afternoon, I watch 'Hancock' with Daughter. The idea of the film is quite ingenious because Hancock (Will Smith) is a drunken bum of a superhero who causes more damage than he prevents and consequently he is roundly hated by the general public.
The film started off very promisingly but as soon as Hancock started to get a PR make over, by Jason Bateman, whose life Hancock saved, it started to lose track of the original great idea. I thought it was going to pick up again and possibly get quite edgy when Charlize Theron looked as though she was going to try to bed a superhero but it turns out she's a superhero too. Doh, don't you just hate it when that happens.
Generally a fun film but not the best use of a great idea. This is rare case that when the remake is made, a few years from now, it's going to be a better film.
L's parents arrive and L's kitted out in those black stockings again, you can't beat the Christmas traditions.
There's been idle threats flying around for the last month or so of who's buying who the Mamma Mia DVD for Christmas and so everyone been on edge as a result. In the end, L is the only one who ends up with it. She seems thrilled, mainly because she can now try to inflict it on me. So far, I've been very proud to be one of that select group of people who haven’t seen it.
The lamb is excellent and there's not much left for the dogs but that's mainly because we let the other animals in the house, Son and Daughter, get their hands on the lamb bone first.
Friday, 26 December 2008
The Dreaded Cough
I've not been feeling my best for a few days and today the dreaded cough has arrived. However, I felt I could not deny Doggo his annual moment of fame and we head off to defend his title as top dog in the Boxing Day 5k on Darley Park.
There's quite a big crowd of entrants and supporters, obviously drawn by the fact that Doggo is going for three in a row and news must also have got out that MD is making his debut.
As ever, Doggo goes off too quick and drags me around the first half of the course, by which time he's knackered and I have to drag him around the rest of the way.
We come in 26th which is two places better than last year and this is despite the fact that I'm ill. Most importantly though Doggo is first canine home again, although we still don't get a trophy for it. MD comes in as 7th dog on his debut. Not bad for a first timer but I'm sure L was holding him back for his own good. He'd also do better if he spent a little less time playing to the crowd and trying to see off the other dogs.
My father manages to turn up before the start this year, he even missed the finish last year, and gets some good photos of the momentous occasion.
A few beers and then we head home. With the kids staying over at their father's and with both dogs stuck to the carpet by their own muddy undercarriages, we can have a relaxing warm down at home without fear of reprimand or interruption.
Later we have Sea Bass, which was a big success last year, and is equally good again, if it just wasn't for all those bones.
Yesterday's goose cuts up much more easily when it's cold which means there's load of leftovers for the dogs, which unsurprisingly they manage to wake up for.
There's quite a big crowd of entrants and supporters, obviously drawn by the fact that Doggo is going for three in a row and news must also have got out that MD is making his debut.
As ever, Doggo goes off too quick and drags me around the first half of the course, by which time he's knackered and I have to drag him around the rest of the way.
We come in 26th which is two places better than last year and this is despite the fact that I'm ill. Most importantly though Doggo is first canine home again, although we still don't get a trophy for it. MD comes in as 7th dog on his debut. Not bad for a first timer but I'm sure L was holding him back for his own good. He'd also do better if he spent a little less time playing to the crowd and trying to see off the other dogs.
My father manages to turn up before the start this year, he even missed the finish last year, and gets some good photos of the momentous occasion.
A few beers and then we head home. With the kids staying over at their father's and with both dogs stuck to the carpet by their own muddy undercarriages, we can have a relaxing warm down at home without fear of reprimand or interruption.
Later we have Sea Bass, which was a big success last year, and is equally good again, if it just wasn't for all those bones.
Yesterday's goose cuts up much more easily when it's cold which means there's load of leftovers for the dogs, which unsurprisingly they manage to wake up for.
Thursday, 25 December 2008
As Is Tradition
It's Christmas Day and after getting the dogs nicely muddied up on the park, we head home to get the goose cooked, and also to make a start on disposing of the eggnog.
We are not one of the 10 million people in the UK who have turkey. I'm not sure where this turkey thing came from, the UK is on it's own in making this a Christmas tradition. In 1588, Elizabeth I enacted a law making it an offence to eat any bird other than Goose on Christmas day, I wouldn't want to disobey.
L also sticks to tradition with her dashing black stocking look; this should also be passed in law.
Her present to the dogs this year are a couple of pigs. Not real ones, toy ones although they sound very authentic. At first MD is terrified of both of them but it doesn't take long for him to overcome that fear and to get his teeth around their throats.
My parents arrive and we head off for another tradition, the lunchtime pint down the Plough, before returning for lunch. My Mum has been struck down with the lurgy that everyone seems to be getting at the moment but at least she's well enough for Christmas lunch.
The Goose, and we've never had problems before, turns out to be a bit of a tough old bird. Like someone had substituted grilled collie instead... Daughter? which would most certainly have been a bit tough and grizzled but no, a quick head count and we still have two of the brutes.
After my parents have gone, we revive another tradition, the Christmas Day run. It's obviously not a popular tradition because we don't see anyone else out pounding the streets. Although there were a few getting it in early this morning.
I try out my new Christmas present from L, an Ipod sensor that fits into your training shoe and tells you on your Ipod how far you've ran. It tells us rather generously we've done about 7km when we know it's nearer to 5km. It may be wrong but it's still a rather cool gadget and it'll hopefully be even cooler when I've got it calibrated and it starts giving out the correct information.
We get back home in time for the traditional Christmas message, from Wallace And Grommit.
We are not one of the 10 million people in the UK who have turkey. I'm not sure where this turkey thing came from, the UK is on it's own in making this a Christmas tradition. In 1588, Elizabeth I enacted a law making it an offence to eat any bird other than Goose on Christmas day, I wouldn't want to disobey.
L also sticks to tradition with her dashing black stocking look; this should also be passed in law.
Her present to the dogs this year are a couple of pigs. Not real ones, toy ones although they sound very authentic. At first MD is terrified of both of them but it doesn't take long for him to overcome that fear and to get his teeth around their throats.
My parents arrive and we head off for another tradition, the lunchtime pint down the Plough, before returning for lunch. My Mum has been struck down with the lurgy that everyone seems to be getting at the moment but at least she's well enough for Christmas lunch.
The Goose, and we've never had problems before, turns out to be a bit of a tough old bird. Like someone had substituted grilled collie instead... Daughter? which would most certainly have been a bit tough and grizzled but no, a quick head count and we still have two of the brutes.
After my parents have gone, we revive another tradition, the Christmas Day run. It's obviously not a popular tradition because we don't see anyone else out pounding the streets. Although there were a few getting it in early this morning.
I try out my new Christmas present from L, an Ipod sensor that fits into your training shoe and tells you on your Ipod how far you've ran. It tells us rather generously we've done about 7km when we know it's nearer to 5km. It may be wrong but it's still a rather cool gadget and it'll hopefully be even cooler when I've got it calibrated and it starts giving out the correct information.
We get back home in time for the traditional Christmas message, from Wallace And Grommit.
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Naughty Schoolboys
It's non-uniform day at work, where we are only open for the morning. We expect to be released at noon but they keep us in like naughty schoolboys until 12.30. At which point I get the bus to Beeston rather than home, where I meet L and the dogs for a late liquid lunch. L doesn't look too frazzled when she arrives having walked the two dogs across, I had been concerned that doing so might have an adverse effect on her alcohol consumption.
After sampling a few, fairly unspectacular Christmas ales, we wobble back home to get started on the cooking. I have my stuffing, pigs in blankets and the celebrated eggnog to make.
I still haven't managed to see any of the hoax signs that have supposedly been put up around Nottingham, telling people that it is legal to 'relieve' themselves in certain public places.
The official looking laminated signs which read "Public Urination Permitted After 7.30pm. In an attempt to reduce late night public nuisance, during the holiday period, Nottingham City Council has designated several public urination areas across the city. This urination area will be cleaned daily between the hours of 5am and 6am."
Nottingham City Council are now setting about removing them.
The advantage of having a blog (I knew there must be some advantage somewhere) is that you can look back and see what you did in the past. Apparently the last time we had the kids on Christmas Eve, we stayed in and got all romantic in the bedroom, without the kids, but with three bottles of Pelforth and John Malkovich as we watched 'Dangerous Liaisons'. If we're going to repeat the trick this year, all we've got in 'Lust Caution'...
As it happens we're knackered and slightly inebriated after lunchtime so it doesn't come to fruition, we also didn't have a disruptive puppy back then. It was also by no means certain we'd have him this Christmas Eve either, that is if Daughter had carried through any of her threats.
After sampling a few, fairly unspectacular Christmas ales, we wobble back home to get started on the cooking. I have my stuffing, pigs in blankets and the celebrated eggnog to make.
I still haven't managed to see any of the hoax signs that have supposedly been put up around Nottingham, telling people that it is legal to 'relieve' themselves in certain public places.
The official looking laminated signs which read "Public Urination Permitted After 7.30pm. In an attempt to reduce late night public nuisance, during the holiday period, Nottingham City Council has designated several public urination areas across the city. This urination area will be cleaned daily between the hours of 5am and 6am."
Nottingham City Council are now setting about removing them.
The advantage of having a blog (I knew there must be some advantage somewhere) is that you can look back and see what you did in the past. Apparently the last time we had the kids on Christmas Eve, we stayed in and got all romantic in the bedroom, without the kids, but with three bottles of Pelforth and John Malkovich as we watched 'Dangerous Liaisons'. If we're going to repeat the trick this year, all we've got in 'Lust Caution'...
As it happens we're knackered and slightly inebriated after lunchtime so it doesn't come to fruition, we also didn't have a disruptive puppy back then. It was also by no means certain we'd have him this Christmas Eve either, that is if Daughter had carried through any of her threats.
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
A Good Home
MD may have pushed Daughter a bit far this time; he's eaten £25 worth of tips from her paper round. Not completely his fault, someone left the stair-gate open again. I'm considering bolting that gate in place, that’ll solve the problem; everyone will just have to climb over it. Visitors can use the back door.
Daughter does a decent salvage job with sellotape and L takes them to the building society, who don't bat an eyelid despite the fact there were a few chunks missing. Daughter's not having a good week financially, yesterday someone palmed her off with a forged fiver, which the local Co-op then confiscated.
L is at work in the morning but then heads home to the 'angels'. She's getting in quite a lot of extra dog time at the moment. They are apparently both very sleepy. Well one of them would be; he's full of tenners as well as Thornton's toffee. I didn't mention the toffee did I...
I'm hoping this doesn't make my Christmas stocking but Burger King are marketing a fragrance called 'Flame', which they describe as 'the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat'. Nice.
At lunchtime I venture in to Sainsbury's. They had three of those big bottles of Leffe Brune left, so I thought I best give a good home to all three. The shop itself wasn't too busy and if they had that many checkout staff on duty on a normal lunchtime then we’d all be happy with our lives. The car park though was horrendous; it took me a good twenty minutes to escape.
Later we play our rearranged game of squash. My opponent warns me that it could be a very slow and short game because he's not completely recovered from the flu. He reckons he's been eating like a hungry horse, has done no exercise of any sort and not had a drink for eight days. Sounds like ideal preparation to me; well rested, on the wagon and carbo loaded.
He's not kidding about the slow game. We're tied at 1-1 and he's taking huge breaks for a drink and practically having a lie down between points in game three. I guess the last thing he wanted was a game that went to 16-14 but he still won it. The match ends up 3-1. So I can't even beat him when he's stricken with flu.
Back home, L and I hit the Christmas wines and demolish a bottle of white.
Daughter does a decent salvage job with sellotape and L takes them to the building society, who don't bat an eyelid despite the fact there were a few chunks missing. Daughter's not having a good week financially, yesterday someone palmed her off with a forged fiver, which the local Co-op then confiscated.
L is at work in the morning but then heads home to the 'angels'. She's getting in quite a lot of extra dog time at the moment. They are apparently both very sleepy. Well one of them would be; he's full of tenners as well as Thornton's toffee. I didn't mention the toffee did I...
I'm hoping this doesn't make my Christmas stocking but Burger King are marketing a fragrance called 'Flame', which they describe as 'the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat'. Nice.
At lunchtime I venture in to Sainsbury's. They had three of those big bottles of Leffe Brune left, so I thought I best give a good home to all three. The shop itself wasn't too busy and if they had that many checkout staff on duty on a normal lunchtime then we’d all be happy with our lives. The car park though was horrendous; it took me a good twenty minutes to escape.
Later we play our rearranged game of squash. My opponent warns me that it could be a very slow and short game because he's not completely recovered from the flu. He reckons he's been eating like a hungry horse, has done no exercise of any sort and not had a drink for eight days. Sounds like ideal preparation to me; well rested, on the wagon and carbo loaded.
He's not kidding about the slow game. We're tied at 1-1 and he's taking huge breaks for a drink and practically having a lie down between points in game three. I guess the last thing he wanted was a game that went to 16-14 but he still won it. The match ends up 3-1. So I can't even beat him when he's stricken with flu.
Back home, L and I hit the Christmas wines and demolish a bottle of white.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Something Of An Achievement
A bit unusual for a Monday but with no dog training to get home for, I cycle into work. Don't know what's up with the weather; it was positively warm today. A joy to be on the bike because there were a lot less cars on the road trying to knock me off. The only hold up was when I came across a van, nicely parked on its side just outside Asda.
It's in the news about an elderly woman who got stuck up to her knees in mud whilst out walking her dogs along the banks of the River Severn near Tewkesbury and it was the next day before someone found her and called for help. She was very lucky the weather wasn't as cold as it was last week. I suggest she gets herself a couple of collies because her dogs obviously didn't pull like ours do. Doggo and MD would have soon pulled her free.
I bike home, then take L and the dogs for a run around the university. Then back home to make my usual Christmas stilton and port pate. We have a lot of guests due this Christmas, so I quadruple the quantities. I even keep off the port whilst I'm making it, which is something of an achievement. It's an AF evening, the last for a while me thinks.
It's in the news about an elderly woman who got stuck up to her knees in mud whilst out walking her dogs along the banks of the River Severn near Tewkesbury and it was the next day before someone found her and called for help. She was very lucky the weather wasn't as cold as it was last week. I suggest she gets herself a couple of collies because her dogs obviously didn't pull like ours do. Doggo and MD would have soon pulled her free.
I bike home, then take L and the dogs for a run around the university. Then back home to make my usual Christmas stilton and port pate. We have a lot of guests due this Christmas, so I quadruple the quantities. I even keep off the port whilst I'm making it, which is something of an achievement. It's an AF evening, the last for a while me thinks.
Sunday, 21 December 2008
A Bit Of Bing
L and I get up early and with help/hindrance from the dogs, do Son's paper round, although I am not offered any Christmas tips by any of the customers, not even a mince pie. Job done its back to bed with a coffee, the Sunday papers and the papergirl herself. Now that's what I call service. Well worth a tip.
A few hours later, I'm on the park with the dogs again whilst L's out running, her second run in two days. Seriously putting me to shame.
Apparently, I always take L to see something mushy at Christmas. This year she seems to have got about three lined up for me. First, an old 'classic' in err... 'White Christmas', which they are showing at Broadway and oddly, it's packed. In front of us are a group of girls who have sneaked bottles of wine, real glassware (plastic only allowed!) and plenty of mince pies etc past the attendants.
Perhaps being drunk is the best tactic but the half a pint of 7% Brew Dog's 'Not Just For Christmas' isn't quite working as we settle down to a bit of Bing.
I can't really slate 'White Christmas' now can I, in fact if modern rom-com's were like this the world would probably be a better place but it's all just as implausible as the modern equivalent.
By 1954 when the film was made, the song 'White Christmas' was already a 'classic', so they made a film around it and Bing. Exactly the sort of thing they'd do these days.
Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) is coerced into becoming a song-and-dance duo with Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) in repayment for Phil saving his life when they were in the army. They are successful as a duo and Phil tries to pair the workaholic Bob off with a fellow performer Betty (Rosemary Clooney) one of the Haynes sisters, so that he can get some time for his own philandering. Bing must have been 50 when he made this, whilst Clooney was in her mid-twenties. Nice work if you can get it.
They follow Betty and her sister Judy (Vera-Ellen) to their next show in Vermont.
The inn in Vermont, is practically empty because despite it being December its 68 degrees fahrenheit and there's no snow. It turns out the inn is owned by their former army commander, General Waverly.
So they bring their show up to the inn, to try to drum up some business for him. Then it gets all rom-com, Betty thinks they are just doing it for some free publicity and goes AWOL, whilst Judy and Phil think that if they stage a phoney engagement it will encourage Betty to go for Bob. It doesn't.
In the end Bob gets all the troops from his division to surprise the general on Christmas Eve, this is the best bit of the movie. Betty realises Bob is her 'knight on a white horse' after all and they all live happily every after.
A fun and enjoyable film, despite some awful songs. Such as the cringe worthy 'Snow' sung in the dining car of the train to Vermont and another called 'Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep', which I shall teach to MD.
Back home, L does Wassail, which is hot beer with port and spices. A bit like mulled wine but with beer. Nice but heavy.
A few hours later, I'm on the park with the dogs again whilst L's out running, her second run in two days. Seriously putting me to shame.
Apparently, I always take L to see something mushy at Christmas. This year she seems to have got about three lined up for me. First, an old 'classic' in err... 'White Christmas', which they are showing at Broadway and oddly, it's packed. In front of us are a group of girls who have sneaked bottles of wine, real glassware (plastic only allowed!) and plenty of mince pies etc past the attendants.
Perhaps being drunk is the best tactic but the half a pint of 7% Brew Dog's 'Not Just For Christmas' isn't quite working as we settle down to a bit of Bing.
I can't really slate 'White Christmas' now can I, in fact if modern rom-com's were like this the world would probably be a better place but it's all just as implausible as the modern equivalent.
By 1954 when the film was made, the song 'White Christmas' was already a 'classic', so they made a film around it and Bing. Exactly the sort of thing they'd do these days.
Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) is coerced into becoming a song-and-dance duo with Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) in repayment for Phil saving his life when they were in the army. They are successful as a duo and Phil tries to pair the workaholic Bob off with a fellow performer Betty (Rosemary Clooney) one of the Haynes sisters, so that he can get some time for his own philandering. Bing must have been 50 when he made this, whilst Clooney was in her mid-twenties. Nice work if you can get it.
They follow Betty and her sister Judy (Vera-Ellen) to their next show in Vermont.
The inn in Vermont, is practically empty because despite it being December its 68 degrees fahrenheit and there's no snow. It turns out the inn is owned by their former army commander, General Waverly.
So they bring their show up to the inn, to try to drum up some business for him. Then it gets all rom-com, Betty thinks they are just doing it for some free publicity and goes AWOL, whilst Judy and Phil think that if they stage a phoney engagement it will encourage Betty to go for Bob. It doesn't.
In the end Bob gets all the troops from his division to surprise the general on Christmas Eve, this is the best bit of the movie. Betty realises Bob is her 'knight on a white horse' after all and they all live happily every after.
A fun and enjoyable film, despite some awful songs. Such as the cringe worthy 'Snow' sung in the dining car of the train to Vermont and another called 'Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep', which I shall teach to MD.
Back home, L does Wassail, which is hot beer with port and spices. A bit like mulled wine but with beer. Nice but heavy.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Off The Leash
Typical Saturday really, most of the morning in bed, then on the park with the 'boys' and then the football in the afternoon. I suppose the only untypical bit was that Derby won and actually played well enough to deserve the win.
The kids are both off to a party with their father, so we're totally off the leash tonight. L says we can paint the town red if we want. Which implies she thinks we don't usually paint the town red? I suppose it is more of an orange colour these days and having two collies in tow does somewhat cramp our style.
Talking of the 'boys', we feel we ought to take them with us tonight; they missed out on their usual Friday pub night because we were out living it up in the company of the Quo and they have been abandoned all afternoon. So, a walk to the Victoria it is.
When we get back later, we cook up a late night prawn curry, which we share with Daughter who has been dropped back home to do her papers. Son though stays at his father's, which means we're standing in for him on the paper round and will hopefully get lots of Christmas tips.
The kids are both off to a party with their father, so we're totally off the leash tonight. L says we can paint the town red if we want. Which implies she thinks we don't usually paint the town red? I suppose it is more of an orange colour these days and having two collies in tow does somewhat cramp our style.
Talking of the 'boys', we feel we ought to take them with us tonight; they missed out on their usual Friday pub night because we were out living it up in the company of the Quo and they have been abandoned all afternoon. So, a walk to the Victoria it is.
When we get back later, we cook up a late night prawn curry, which we share with Daughter who has been dropped back home to do her papers. Son though stays at his father's, which means we're standing in for him on the paper round and will hopefully get lots of Christmas tips.
Friday, 19 December 2008
The Mighty Quo
I take the bus and run in. The ground is a bit slippery in patches but not too bad really. My legs are tired though this morning, don't know why.
L's off work today and claims to have been out on a pleasant walk. Pleasant? I assume she must have left the dogs at home then.
Watch out for the new blockbuster called 'Nottingham', although it's now not due out until 2010. Ridley Scott is making it and the subject is something that really hasn't been done before... Robin Hood. Yawn. The star who's going to play the lead... Russell Crowe. Yawn.
Tonight is my company's Christmas meal, although I won't be there because tonight we have the (dubious) honour of accompanying L’s Dad to see his favourite band... cue fanfare... ta da... Status Quo! I hang my head in shame. Although L reckons I could still be at the meal for dessert because Status Quo and their fans are now getting on a bit and will all be tucked up in bed with a hot water bottle and cocoa by 9pm. To be honest though, I don't really enjoy the Christmas meals and actually, whisper it quietly, I'm quite looking forward to the Quo, in a sadistic sort of way.
L can't decide what to wear. I would have thought that was obvious. White t-shirt, ripped jeans and a leather jacket naturally.
When we get there, I'm a little surprised at the size of the crowd. I thought Quo were perhaps the biggest thing to hit the Arena since the Dalai Lama sold out five nights there in May... but I reckon there was only about 2500-3000 there, whereas a full arena is around 8000. The whole thing could have probably been staged at the Concert Hall, which would have been more appropriate because the average age of a Quo fans seems to be about 55 and a lot of them struggled to climb the steep steps of the Arena seating.
Now I've mentioned the venue, let's get the Arena bashing out of the way. I don't know whose job it is to set the place up for bands but they're not very good at it. Tonight's setup was rubbish. The crowd were shoehorned into one-half of the stadium and the band were shoved down the other end. They had brought the stage forward a bit but not much. We were a lot further away from the band than was necessary, the stage could have been moved a lot nearer.
It was also all-seater, which would have been ok if people had wanted to sit but everyone down on the floor area clearly wanted to stand and dance. They didn't even put many seats down there; there were big areas of unused floor.
The arena staff got seriously caught out because loads of people went to the front to stand straight after the support finished and they weren't ready for them. Eventually they got themselves organised and prevented anyone else going down there but why, when at a normal gig they allow more people than that to stand.
Support was by Manfred Mann's Earth Band with Mr Mann himself on keyboards. Well I'm afraid I just found them desperately boring. I'm not terribly up on much of their material but obviously, I knew 'Blinded By the Light' which was ok and the 'Mighty Quinn' which they finished with and murdered. It was all very 70's and as is the tradition of that period the band were determined never to let a good tune get in the way of an overlong guitar solo.
One thing I have to say about the Arena tonight is that the sound was good. I think I've finally worked out how they sound check the gigs, it's all set up for the chap in Block 10 Row N Seat 20, that's me by the way. So excellent sound, just a shame I'm straining my ageing eyesight to see the band.
So to the mighty Quo. Rumours that they are being kept alive on life support are premature. As for their audience well, even they seem to have some life left in them and are soon air guitar-ing in the aisles and for the less mobile, tapping their walking sticks, as the band open with 'Caroline'. Rumour also had it that they're accepting bus passes as valid ID at the bar, where they're also selling cocoa and biscuits, alongside the sherry.
Quo are much maligned as just a three chord band, as characterised by themselves in last year's 'In Search Of The Fourth Chord' album from which the single 'Beginning Of The End' is given an airing. I can honestly say that there's more to them than the head down rock everyone knows. E.g. 'The Wanderer', 'Roll Over Lay Down', 'Down Down' etc etc, which are all present and correct tonight, at times accompanied by the sight of all four guitarists side by side, strumming away in the familiar Quo pose.
In fact, I'm actually impressed and surprised by their diversity. From the psychedelic sound of 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men' from 1968 from which this 'Pictures' tour, to celebrate 40 years of the Quo, takes it's name, to some more recent stuff, a couple of tracks 'The Oriental', which is a bit dubious, and 'Creeping Up On You', which isn't half bad, from 2002's 'Heavy Traffic' album.
There are also plenty of oldies, that is in the set list, as well as in the crowd, some which I certainly don't remember, but I was still in nappies when some of them came out. All the way through clips of videos and old footage appropriate to each song is displayed on the screens behind them.
For me the highlights tend to be when Rick Parfitt is at the mic, such as for the excellent 'Rain', for me he upstaged Francis Rossi every time he took the lead. Parfitt's singing was outstanding, particularly considering he had growths removed from his throat only two years ago.
There are a few irritations, like when they disappear off into a medley. I hate medleys. If you're going to play a song, play it in full or don't bother. If you want to fit in more songs then cut out irritation number two, the pointless drum solo.
They close pretty much as expected with a string of their hits from the 70's, culminating with 'Whatever You Want' and of course 'Rocking All Over The World'.
The encore is a bit odd. 'Burning Bridges' is rocky but not the best, a brief bit of 'Rock n Roll Music' and then finally 'Bye Bye Johnny'. Then the band troop off stage as the new Christmas single is played through the sound system and on the video screen. This falls totally flat and is cut off half way through to the accompaniment of boos from the disappointed crowd.
Quite why they couldn't bring themselves to perform, and therefore promote, their first ever Christmas single I suppose only they know. It was all a bit of a damp squid ending to what otherwise was a pretty impressive and dare I say, credible, performance.
I suppose now that I've been to seen the Quo, it must officially be Christmas.
L's off work today and claims to have been out on a pleasant walk. Pleasant? I assume she must have left the dogs at home then.
Watch out for the new blockbuster called 'Nottingham', although it's now not due out until 2010. Ridley Scott is making it and the subject is something that really hasn't been done before... Robin Hood. Yawn. The star who's going to play the lead... Russell Crowe. Yawn.
Tonight is my company's Christmas meal, although I won't be there because tonight we have the (dubious) honour of accompanying L’s Dad to see his favourite band... cue fanfare... ta da... Status Quo! I hang my head in shame. Although L reckons I could still be at the meal for dessert because Status Quo and their fans are now getting on a bit and will all be tucked up in bed with a hot water bottle and cocoa by 9pm. To be honest though, I don't really enjoy the Christmas meals and actually, whisper it quietly, I'm quite looking forward to the Quo, in a sadistic sort of way.
L can't decide what to wear. I would have thought that was obvious. White t-shirt, ripped jeans and a leather jacket naturally.
When we get there, I'm a little surprised at the size of the crowd. I thought Quo were perhaps the biggest thing to hit the Arena since the Dalai Lama sold out five nights there in May... but I reckon there was only about 2500-3000 there, whereas a full arena is around 8000. The whole thing could have probably been staged at the Concert Hall, which would have been more appropriate because the average age of a Quo fans seems to be about 55 and a lot of them struggled to climb the steep steps of the Arena seating.
Now I've mentioned the venue, let's get the Arena bashing out of the way. I don't know whose job it is to set the place up for bands but they're not very good at it. Tonight's setup was rubbish. The crowd were shoehorned into one-half of the stadium and the band were shoved down the other end. They had brought the stage forward a bit but not much. We were a lot further away from the band than was necessary, the stage could have been moved a lot nearer.
It was also all-seater, which would have been ok if people had wanted to sit but everyone down on the floor area clearly wanted to stand and dance. They didn't even put many seats down there; there were big areas of unused floor.
The arena staff got seriously caught out because loads of people went to the front to stand straight after the support finished and they weren't ready for them. Eventually they got themselves organised and prevented anyone else going down there but why, when at a normal gig they allow more people than that to stand.
Support was by Manfred Mann's Earth Band with Mr Mann himself on keyboards. Well I'm afraid I just found them desperately boring. I'm not terribly up on much of their material but obviously, I knew 'Blinded By the Light' which was ok and the 'Mighty Quinn' which they finished with and murdered. It was all very 70's and as is the tradition of that period the band were determined never to let a good tune get in the way of an overlong guitar solo.
One thing I have to say about the Arena tonight is that the sound was good. I think I've finally worked out how they sound check the gigs, it's all set up for the chap in Block 10 Row N Seat 20, that's me by the way. So excellent sound, just a shame I'm straining my ageing eyesight to see the band.
So to the mighty Quo. Rumours that they are being kept alive on life support are premature. As for their audience well, even they seem to have some life left in them and are soon air guitar-ing in the aisles and for the less mobile, tapping their walking sticks, as the band open with 'Caroline'. Rumour also had it that they're accepting bus passes as valid ID at the bar, where they're also selling cocoa and biscuits, alongside the sherry.
Quo are much maligned as just a three chord band, as characterised by themselves in last year's 'In Search Of The Fourth Chord' album from which the single 'Beginning Of The End' is given an airing. I can honestly say that there's more to them than the head down rock everyone knows. E.g. 'The Wanderer', 'Roll Over Lay Down', 'Down Down' etc etc, which are all present and correct tonight, at times accompanied by the sight of all four guitarists side by side, strumming away in the familiar Quo pose.
In fact, I'm actually impressed and surprised by their diversity. From the psychedelic sound of 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men' from 1968 from which this 'Pictures' tour, to celebrate 40 years of the Quo, takes it's name, to some more recent stuff, a couple of tracks 'The Oriental', which is a bit dubious, and 'Creeping Up On You', which isn't half bad, from 2002's 'Heavy Traffic' album.
There are also plenty of oldies, that is in the set list, as well as in the crowd, some which I certainly don't remember, but I was still in nappies when some of them came out. All the way through clips of videos and old footage appropriate to each song is displayed on the screens behind them.
For me the highlights tend to be when Rick Parfitt is at the mic, such as for the excellent 'Rain', for me he upstaged Francis Rossi every time he took the lead. Parfitt's singing was outstanding, particularly considering he had growths removed from his throat only two years ago.
There are a few irritations, like when they disappear off into a medley. I hate medleys. If you're going to play a song, play it in full or don't bother. If you want to fit in more songs then cut out irritation number two, the pointless drum solo.
They close pretty much as expected with a string of their hits from the 70's, culminating with 'Whatever You Want' and of course 'Rocking All Over The World'.
The encore is a bit odd. 'Burning Bridges' is rocky but not the best, a brief bit of 'Rock n Roll Music' and then finally 'Bye Bye Johnny'. Then the band troop off stage as the new Christmas single is played through the sound system and on the video screen. This falls totally flat and is cut off half way through to the accompaniment of boos from the disappointed crowd.
Quite why they couldn't bring themselves to perform, and therefore promote, their first ever Christmas single I suppose only they know. It was all a bit of a damp squid ending to what otherwise was a pretty impressive and dare I say, credible, performance.
I suppose now that I've been to seen the Quo, it must officially be Christmas.
Thursday, 18 December 2008
End Of An Era
There's a bit of a commotion this morning as Doggo tries to see off one of Daughter's friends and in the process nips L. So, that's nought out of two dogs now getting presents in our house this Christmas.
I'm in the car today as its pub day and it turns out to be the end of an era. The chef and her husband, who have served us well for 8 years or so, retire on Sunday. They will be well and truly missed. It was appropriate that the legendary cottage pie was on the menu and was a good as ever. A fitting way to go out. What comes next for food at the Flowerpot I'm not sure, they are an impossible act to follow.
To wash it down the pub had no less than twelve Christmas ales on. I sample the Christmas pud ale, which even tastes a bit like the real thing. Very nice.
I finally get around to writing my Christmas cards, all seven of them. Most of the people I know have given up the ritual and I'm certainly not complaining. That's my meagre contribution to the 1.8 billion that are sent in the UK each year, and which causes 200,000 trees to be felled.
Squash is off. My opponent has been in bed all week with some sort of flu and reckons he could barely lift a squash racquet, let alone hit the ball... or an eye socket. He charitably decides not to play because it would be too embarrassing for me when he beat me in that state. Hmmm. It's a no win situation, if I did win he'd claim he was ill. We've rebooked for Tuesday, the leisure centre think they're open but they're not sure...
As it's the end of the week, for L, we take the boys down the Plough, where there's yet another new landlord and it's also free chilli night. Not to be sneezed at. It's also quiz night, which we usually avoid but we get talked into this one. L seems oddly competitive, even more so when we come second with 25 points out of 40. The winner got 27. Now if only the Titanic was built in Newcastle and we knew the lyrics to 'Windmills of your Mind'.
I'm in the car today as its pub day and it turns out to be the end of an era. The chef and her husband, who have served us well for 8 years or so, retire on Sunday. They will be well and truly missed. It was appropriate that the legendary cottage pie was on the menu and was a good as ever. A fitting way to go out. What comes next for food at the Flowerpot I'm not sure, they are an impossible act to follow.
To wash it down the pub had no less than twelve Christmas ales on. I sample the Christmas pud ale, which even tastes a bit like the real thing. Very nice.
I finally get around to writing my Christmas cards, all seven of them. Most of the people I know have given up the ritual and I'm certainly not complaining. That's my meagre contribution to the 1.8 billion that are sent in the UK each year, and which causes 200,000 trees to be felled.
Squash is off. My opponent has been in bed all week with some sort of flu and reckons he could barely lift a squash racquet, let alone hit the ball... or an eye socket. He charitably decides not to play because it would be too embarrassing for me when he beat me in that state. Hmmm. It's a no win situation, if I did win he'd claim he was ill. We've rebooked for Tuesday, the leisure centre think they're open but they're not sure...
As it's the end of the week, for L, we take the boys down the Plough, where there's yet another new landlord and it's also free chilli night. Not to be sneezed at. It's also quiz night, which we usually avoid but we get talked into this one. L seems oddly competitive, even more so when we come second with 25 points out of 40. The winner got 27. Now if only the Titanic was built in Newcastle and we knew the lyrics to 'Windmills of your Mind'.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Retro
It's a bit icier today so I keep to the flatter route through Sandiacre, so I don't have any tricky downhills to do. The problem with that route though is the mountainous speed bumps that offer no grip in the wet, let alone in the ice. These are obviously designed and installed without a single thought to cyclists because they usually end up forcing you to cycle in the middle of the road.
I text L to let her know I'm alive which just prompts a questioning email to elaborate in case that means I've fallen off, broken something but obviously lived to tell the tale.
In fact, it was a rather uneventful ride, not half as interesting as my virtual cycle along the A9 coast road. According to the map, as I close in on John O'Groats, I need to take a short ferry ride across from Cromarty to Nigg but it turns out that the ferry is closed for the winter. Well, I could swim across, I suppose. Luckily, I've done the odd triathlon, or I could back track to get the bridge over at Shoreton which means an extra 40km. L would insist I stay on the road I suppose, which means I now have 123km to go and not 83km.
My colleague at work turns up on a rather well looked after 1970’s Raleigh Record Special Edition, which could be a collector's item, might even be worth a few bob. I'll have to dust down my old Raleigh Arena and challenge him to a retro race. Retro is very in at the moment, they've even brought back pickled onion Monster Munch. Which were disgusting the first time around, but there you go.
After work, I cycle to the pool and I'm rather perturbed when the chap in front of me gets a Christmas card from the leisure centre. Favouritism or what.
As I head home, I get a text 'Out with bloody dogs. Dinner in the oven'. Ah, seems MD is being a pain again. Seven out of ten dogs receive Christmas presents from Santa but in our house, it might be 1 out of 2. I get home and jog up to meet them.
When I catch up with L and complain to her about the chap getting a card from the leisure centre, I find out that they've given L one too. Seems I'm Billy no mates yet again.
I've ordered a new modem, to try to cure our limping internet and immediately the computer perks up and seems fine. How does it know?
I text L to let her know I'm alive which just prompts a questioning email to elaborate in case that means I've fallen off, broken something but obviously lived to tell the tale.
In fact, it was a rather uneventful ride, not half as interesting as my virtual cycle along the A9 coast road. According to the map, as I close in on John O'Groats, I need to take a short ferry ride across from Cromarty to Nigg but it turns out that the ferry is closed for the winter. Well, I could swim across, I suppose. Luckily, I've done the odd triathlon, or I could back track to get the bridge over at Shoreton which means an extra 40km. L would insist I stay on the road I suppose, which means I now have 123km to go and not 83km.
My colleague at work turns up on a rather well looked after 1970’s Raleigh Record Special Edition, which could be a collector's item, might even be worth a few bob. I'll have to dust down my old Raleigh Arena and challenge him to a retro race. Retro is very in at the moment, they've even brought back pickled onion Monster Munch. Which were disgusting the first time around, but there you go.
After work, I cycle to the pool and I'm rather perturbed when the chap in front of me gets a Christmas card from the leisure centre. Favouritism or what.
As I head home, I get a text 'Out with bloody dogs. Dinner in the oven'. Ah, seems MD is being a pain again. Seven out of ten dogs receive Christmas presents from Santa but in our house, it might be 1 out of 2. I get home and jog up to meet them.
When I catch up with L and complain to her about the chap getting a card from the leisure centre, I find out that they've given L one too. Seems I'm Billy no mates yet again.
I've ordered a new modem, to try to cure our limping internet and immediately the computer perks up and seems fine. How does it know?
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
MSG
I arrive at work all in one piece, no problems with ice on the roads today and it's an incident free ride in.
The Kennel Club have confirmed that they and the BBC cannot come to agreement after their spat over the BBC's documentary earlier this year and consequently they'll be no TV coverage of the 2009 event. Typical. The one year I qualify with Doggo and we get a TV blackout. Just terrific. So no need to set the video then for our moment of fame. My mum will get gutted.
So far I've managed to do all my Christmas shopping without stepping foot inside a shop. The consequence is that I have a huge pile of parcels by my desk at work including a case of Christmas wine for home consumption. All I need now is to bring the car into work to transport them home, I certainly won’t be bringing that lot back on my bike.
L heads off into Derby to meet some friends, they going to one of those 'all you eat' Chinese places. So she'll be as high as a kite from all that Monosodium glutamate when she gets home. Which, you never know, could work to my advantage.
I had planned to run with the boys tonight but MD is asleep in his bed from almost the moment I get in the door. Lancing the myth, put about by L and Daughter, that he's a livewire every night or perhaps he's still to get his gigantic Lakeland walk out of his system. Doggo is also keeping a low profile because it's raining, only ever so lightly, but he's taking no chances.
Instead, I drag them out for a walk to meet L off the bus. Even in the rain, we are knights in shining armour and fur. She's not that high on the MSG but high enough.
The Kennel Club have confirmed that they and the BBC cannot come to agreement after their spat over the BBC's documentary earlier this year and consequently they'll be no TV coverage of the 2009 event. Typical. The one year I qualify with Doggo and we get a TV blackout. Just terrific. So no need to set the video then for our moment of fame. My mum will get gutted.
So far I've managed to do all my Christmas shopping without stepping foot inside a shop. The consequence is that I have a huge pile of parcels by my desk at work including a case of Christmas wine for home consumption. All I need now is to bring the car into work to transport them home, I certainly won’t be bringing that lot back on my bike.
L heads off into Derby to meet some friends, they going to one of those 'all you eat' Chinese places. So she'll be as high as a kite from all that Monosodium glutamate when she gets home. Which, you never know, could work to my advantage.
I had planned to run with the boys tonight but MD is asleep in his bed from almost the moment I get in the door. Lancing the myth, put about by L and Daughter, that he's a livewire every night or perhaps he's still to get his gigantic Lakeland walk out of his system. Doggo is also keeping a low profile because it's raining, only ever so lightly, but he's taking no chances.
Instead, I drag them out for a walk to meet L off the bus. Even in the rain, we are knights in shining armour and fur. She's not that high on the MSG but high enough.
Monday, 15 December 2008
The Taste Police
Still off work today and a man comes round to fix our boiler, which keeps losing pressure and switching itself off. This means we never wake up to, or come home to, a warm house. He's only here a few minutes and claims to have fixed it. I don't believe him naturally but time will tell.
The first thing I notice is that the pressure keeps rising rather than falling. This is slightly worrying. I take the dogs on the park, at least I won't be around if the whole thing goes bang.
I get back from the park, with two 'edge free' dogs, to find the house is still standing, good news so far, and the heating is still on, even better news. The dogs snuggle up by the radiators and promptly fall asleep. So they should be nicely recharged by the time L gets home.
Our internet is still limping but possibly limping a bit quicker, a bit like me. I manage to read about a woman in South Shields who has been told to remove her Christmas lights and 4ft Santa Claus by a housing association worker, in case they offended her non-Christian neighbours. Hmmm, is she sure it was a housing association worker and not just the taste police.
The first thing I notice is that the pressure keeps rising rather than falling. This is slightly worrying. I take the dogs on the park, at least I won't be around if the whole thing goes bang.
I get back from the park, with two 'edge free' dogs, to find the house is still standing, good news so far, and the heating is still on, even better news. The dogs snuggle up by the radiators and promptly fall asleep. So they should be nicely recharged by the time L gets home.
Our internet is still limping but possibly limping a bit quicker, a bit like me. I manage to read about a woman in South Shields who has been told to remove her Christmas lights and 4ft Santa Claus by a housing association worker, in case they offended her non-Christian neighbours. Hmmm, is she sure it was a housing association worker and not just the taste police.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Trying To Look Fit And Professional
No walk today because the planned entertainment is worse, it's called the Langdale 10k. It doesn't start until noon, so it's a leisurely start. Time to sleep off last night's four pints and a mulled wine but surprisingly the old head is clear.
The start is on the road, which is very narrow, so it's essential to try and get near the front or else I'll get bunched in. I try and find someone fast to stand behind, they all look fast, so I settle for the one with the ponytail... Then we're off and that's the last I see of her.
The cottage we're staying in is at both the 3km and 7km points, so I have to try to look fit and professional twice, which could be tricky but I think I pull it off.
When I pass our supporters at the cottage for the second time, I'm just behind a chap who's running in long trousers and the need to put on a good show encourages me to sprint up the hill past our cottage. I go past the guy there and he never gets back on terms with me. So having a fan club there certainly helped.
I had predicted to our friends that I would do between 41:30 and 42:00. I wasn't expecting a good time, what with my bruised hip from the cycling incident and the beer last night. So, it's somewhat of a surprise to be approaching the line and looking set to break 41:00. I contemplate jogging on the spot to kill time but with quite a crowd gathered outside the Stickle Barn this could make me look rather stupid, particularly if someone dressed as Santa jogged past me. So instead, I finish in 40:45. Not bad at all in the circumstances. I am then handed a cheap Tesco's Christmas pud which is a bit disappointing when the shop down the road are selling Lakeland ones. I'd pay extra on the entry fee for one of those.
I jog off to get the dogs and we all cheer L across the line before we nip into the pub to celebrate with half a pint of Old Peculiar each. We may have missed out on it last night but they still sell it at this pub.
Then we head home to a well-earned late breakfast, it's now 2pm.
That about wraps up the weekend away and we head home, dodging the M6 because it was allegedly at a standstill, and then later, dodging the M1 for the same reason.
We arrive home to discover that Britain's Olympic cycling team have continued their domination over... well everybody, by taking a clean sweep of the BBC Sports 'Personality' awards:- Team of the Year, Coach of the Year (Dave Brailsford) and well done Chris Hoy, who won the main award.
L was convinced that 'that Adlington woman' would win it. She’s certainly been putting in the PR effort; she’s been popping up absolutely everywhere. Jo Jackson, who got the bronze medal, has been sadly forgotten about but she's probably been slogging it in the pool ever since and will win everything next time around because Ms Adlington is so unfit.
The start is on the road, which is very narrow, so it's essential to try and get near the front or else I'll get bunched in. I try and find someone fast to stand behind, they all look fast, so I settle for the one with the ponytail... Then we're off and that's the last I see of her.
The cottage we're staying in is at both the 3km and 7km points, so I have to try to look fit and professional twice, which could be tricky but I think I pull it off.
When I pass our supporters at the cottage for the second time, I'm just behind a chap who's running in long trousers and the need to put on a good show encourages me to sprint up the hill past our cottage. I go past the guy there and he never gets back on terms with me. So having a fan club there certainly helped.
I had predicted to our friends that I would do between 41:30 and 42:00. I wasn't expecting a good time, what with my bruised hip from the cycling incident and the beer last night. So, it's somewhat of a surprise to be approaching the line and looking set to break 41:00. I contemplate jogging on the spot to kill time but with quite a crowd gathered outside the Stickle Barn this could make me look rather stupid, particularly if someone dressed as Santa jogged past me. So instead, I finish in 40:45. Not bad at all in the circumstances. I am then handed a cheap Tesco's Christmas pud which is a bit disappointing when the shop down the road are selling Lakeland ones. I'd pay extra on the entry fee for one of those.
I jog off to get the dogs and we all cheer L across the line before we nip into the pub to celebrate with half a pint of Old Peculiar each. We may have missed out on it last night but they still sell it at this pub.
Then we head home to a well-earned late breakfast, it's now 2pm.
That about wraps up the weekend away and we head home, dodging the M6 because it was allegedly at a standstill, and then later, dodging the M1 for the same reason.
We arrive home to discover that Britain's Olympic cycling team have continued their domination over... well everybody, by taking a clean sweep of the BBC Sports 'Personality' awards:- Team of the Year, Coach of the Year (Dave Brailsford) and well done Chris Hoy, who won the main award.
L was convinced that 'that Adlington woman' would win it. She’s certainly been putting in the PR effort; she’s been popping up absolutely everywhere. Jo Jackson, who got the bronze medal, has been sadly forgotten about but she's probably been slogging it in the pool ever since and will win everything next time around because Ms Adlington is so unfit.
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