This is more for twitter really but...
Come on Arsenal, why at the key points, the season defining moments, do you collapse.
Arsenal 0
Chelsea 3
You can't blame everything on one injured striker if you say you're happy with what you have 5 minutes before. It's ok to say your first XI is up there with the other 'big four' but you've got to want a complete squad that's just as strong as the competitions'. Especially, when you've had the likes of Rosicky and Eduardo and their near-career ending body shocks they've had live with. It's only a matter of time before young captain Fabregas and the new dutch bank; Vermaelen, get long term injuries.
Strength in depth, Arsene, please.
It's the obviousness of Arsenal's weakness that is so frustrating. All the fans know it, the player's must but it's Wenger's constant denial of it, over the past five years that has been the bugbear.
Also, Arsenal doesn't seem to have the attractiveness to potential players it once did. Maybe it's because when another team try to put a better bid in, Arsenal can't raise the stakes. It's not like the personal terms are great either; fixed into a squad wide pay structure (unlike any other premier league team).
Maybe next year....
Carling Cup?
Sunday 29 November 2009
...not coping after seeing 'The Fourth Kind'
Last night, as a belated birthday day, SL and I went to see 'The Fourth Kind' as I wanted to see it the day before (on my birthday). It was a late night showing of the film, starting at 11pm. Last night was also the last showing of it.
Alien abduction has always been a curious thing for me. Both an interest and a root fear of mine. Maybe it's because I'm of the X-Files generation. It is on record that alien and UFO reports peaked at the same time ratings for the show peaked.
There are three fears that as a kid or even as a teenager, struck to my core; alien encounters and the idea of possession, in my mind, linked, the idea of ghosts and poltergeists.
The reason that I had these things stick, is because figures of authority; parents, teachers, Scully and other pivotal people in my life, could not explain away these things.
Logic and reason could be used to iron out explainations from the mass of often contradictory 'facts'.
What also pushed these fears over into my conscious was my catholic upbringing. Remember, it's the catholic's who believe or in fact, have tools to combat demonic possession. The idea of another soul taking control of the only thing that's truly yours; your own body.
Yes, no matter how silly my catholic mother would say I was being, it was her religion that accommodates one of my worst notions.
Moving on 15 or more years, if two films were to scare me to my teenage frailty it would be one about 'true' alien abduction and encounters, and one about poltergeist and spirit possession.
Roll on 'The Fourth Kind' and 'Paranormal Activities'.
So, feeling brave on my 24th birthday, I went to see the former. Oh, it's only now, 4pm the next day, that I'm together. Reading that it's all just a hoax will help me sleep tonight. However, it's just a temporary thing surely, just because this film wasn't real, doesn't mean the concept isn't.
Now I'm feeling I'm not ready to see the latter. not just yet.
Strangely enough, one of my favourite films is the 'Mothman Prophecies' where Richard Gere gets abducted, well, moved 500 miles in the opposite directions and stuck in a loop, arriving at 'The Fourth Kind's' Sheriff August's house (I can't remember the actor's name but he's getting a little stuck in these weird movies). Anyway, Richard's there to stop most of the town dying in a disaster of some kind. He comes into indirect contact with Indrid Cold, the benign being, the mothman. The disaster was a true event, collapse of the Silver across the Ohio River from Point Pleasant to Gallipolis, Ohio. The film was based on a book, of the same title as the film, also based on true events.
Will Patton, the actor's called Will Patton. He was Sheriff August and also the crazed bloke Indrid spoke directly to.
My point, yes, my point...
...I'm ok with the whole Mothman phenomenon. The phenomenon which has been reported before Chernobyl, before other massive accidental losses of human life in history. The idea behind it all, is more like a protective influence rather than a thing to be scared of.
In 'The Fourth Kind', however, the unknown force, the disturbing entity is just that, purely disturbing. In it to do harm, not to help, but to interfere in a bottom rummaging way.
There's just so much more to say about this whole subject. Not the bottom thing, the alien, mothman, paranormal milieu, but no, not today. It's a Sunday. You should be working on something with the family. Not reading this nonsense, half-baked with no construct on which I navigated.
I would like to add however, in watching the film lastnight, I remember in our old house, a four storey place on a hill, there were a couple of times were strange things accured. Shadows of a hand and on one occasion, I didn't move for the full 9 hours of sleep. My blanket was exactly how it was when I went to sleep. Considering I'm a really restless sleeper, this was, well.
Also of note. Why is it as soon as someone else mentions lights in the sky or beams of light from above, we switch off. It's like the notion that the universe is never ending. A space with no physical end, no boundaries. On going, ever expanding. Nothing beyond it all.
Anywho.....
Alien abduction has always been a curious thing for me. Both an interest and a root fear of mine. Maybe it's because I'm of the X-Files generation. It is on record that alien and UFO reports peaked at the same time ratings for the show peaked.
There are three fears that as a kid or even as a teenager, struck to my core; alien encounters and the idea of possession, in my mind, linked, the idea of ghosts and poltergeists.
The reason that I had these things stick, is because figures of authority; parents, teachers, Scully and other pivotal people in my life, could not explain away these things.
Logic and reason could be used to iron out explainations from the mass of often contradictory 'facts'.
What also pushed these fears over into my conscious was my catholic upbringing. Remember, it's the catholic's who believe or in fact, have tools to combat demonic possession. The idea of another soul taking control of the only thing that's truly yours; your own body.
Yes, no matter how silly my catholic mother would say I was being, it was her religion that accommodates one of my worst notions.
Moving on 15 or more years, if two films were to scare me to my teenage frailty it would be one about 'true' alien abduction and encounters, and one about poltergeist and spirit possession.
Roll on 'The Fourth Kind' and 'Paranormal Activities'.
So, feeling brave on my 24th birthday, I went to see the former. Oh, it's only now, 4pm the next day, that I'm together. Reading that it's all just a hoax will help me sleep tonight. However, it's just a temporary thing surely, just because this film wasn't real, doesn't mean the concept isn't.
Now I'm feeling I'm not ready to see the latter. not just yet.
Strangely enough, one of my favourite films is the 'Mothman Prophecies' where Richard Gere gets abducted, well, moved 500 miles in the opposite directions and stuck in a loop, arriving at 'The Fourth Kind's' Sheriff August's house (I can't remember the actor's name but he's getting a little stuck in these weird movies). Anyway, Richard's there to stop most of the town dying in a disaster of some kind. He comes into indirect contact with Indrid Cold, the benign being, the mothman. The disaster was a true event, collapse of the Silver across the Ohio River from Point Pleasant to Gallipolis, Ohio. The film was based on a book, of the same title as the film, also based on true events.
Will Patton, the actor's called Will Patton. He was Sheriff August and also the crazed bloke Indrid spoke directly to.
My point, yes, my point...
...I'm ok with the whole Mothman phenomenon. The phenomenon which has been reported before Chernobyl, before other massive accidental losses of human life in history. The idea behind it all, is more like a protective influence rather than a thing to be scared of.
In 'The Fourth Kind', however, the unknown force, the disturbing entity is just that, purely disturbing. In it to do harm, not to help, but to interfere in a bottom rummaging way.
There's just so much more to say about this whole subject. Not the bottom thing, the alien, mothman, paranormal milieu, but no, not today. It's a Sunday. You should be working on something with the family. Not reading this nonsense, half-baked with no construct on which I navigated.
I would like to add however, in watching the film lastnight, I remember in our old house, a four storey place on a hill, there were a couple of times were strange things accured. Shadows of a hand and on one occasion, I didn't move for the full 9 hours of sleep. My blanket was exactly how it was when I went to sleep. Considering I'm a really restless sleeper, this was, well.
Also of note. Why is it as soon as someone else mentions lights in the sky or beams of light from above, we switch off. It's like the notion that the universe is never ending. A space with no physical end, no boundaries. On going, ever expanding. Nothing beyond it all.
Anywho.....
Saturday 28 November 2009
...thanking everyone who remembered my birthday...
...really, thank you to everyone who sent messages to my facebook and via other means.
I was really chuffed with the amount of people that wrote to me.
This really meant quite a bit for two reasons; firstly, I hardly remember anyone elses birthday. Secondly, I don't go out that much, or meet up with people regularly. So to be remembered, yay me.
Also, thank you all for accepting my age. I've pretended to be 5 years older than I really was for far too long, so taking those 5 years off without a negative outcry was great.
My sister and I really are twins. I was just really bright so I went to school early, I was only one year(s) old when everyone else was 5 or 6.
It was Hailsham!
Thank you all again, yay you
I was really chuffed with the amount of people that wrote to me.
This really meant quite a bit for two reasons; firstly, I hardly remember anyone elses birthday. Secondly, I don't go out that much, or meet up with people regularly. So to be remembered, yay me.
Also, thank you all for accepting my age. I've pretended to be 5 years older than I really was for far too long, so taking those 5 years off without a negative outcry was great.
My sister and I really are twins. I was just really bright so I went to school early, I was only one year(s) old when everyone else was 5 or 6.
It was Hailsham!
Thank you all again, yay you
...24 and leaking bogies...
...in front of Paul, of United Casting...
...so today was my sign up to the extras agency. I'd been looking forward to this for ages. This was an integral part of my 'future me' and my recovery from my illness.
So there was a lot riding on this, right?
No, it was just a photo and then me writing a cheque. However, I had to meet two of the three people that founded and run the company. So it was vital I didn't come across as a complete tool or worse, a total f*ckwit. If I'd made the wrong impression with them, why would they want to recommend me to production companies and others things that use extras, like at a, err, a......anyway.
I dressed smart, black tie, light blue shirt, long brown coat. Plus my new 'Mr Men' brogues SL gave me yesterday.
I arrived at 11.30 at reception, for my 11.30 appointment. Hey, that's early for me. Yes I know.
Fill in a form, clothes measurements and contact details mainly.
Luckily for me, they're running late.
Sitting there waiting, other extras came and went. All in order on the list on the greeter's clipboard.
Then, what's this, snotty nose, I've got a snotty nose. Crap, if I touch my nose, it'll go red and my face'll look blotchy for the photograph. But it's all watery snot, err. So with sniffing and the odd wipe with my hand. Plus two sneezes. I was called in...
...all when well, I think. I was funny, I think, confident and not at all like a f*ckwit. I think I wasn't a cock. Anyway, smiles all round, good. Then got up to get my photo taken, took off my coat, stood up, bingo, in one. Nice. No smile, just a blank canvas of a face. My hair wasn't too much of a hedge. Then time to write out the cheque; looking down as I write out....
...a long liquid bogey escaped my nose straight to the ground. I'm giggling as I write this now but at the time, even if Paul didn't see, I said out loud "bogies, err, I've got bogies."
God, what the hell was wrong with my nose, is it fighting for the other side (as in, it's not fighting for me, not that it's homosexual)?
Thankfully, Paul replied with, "like that game kids play, 'bogies', you know?"
No I thought, but well, I'm in a hole, "Oh yeah, bogies. Yeah, kids?"
What a tool, I'm such a tw*t. But then I said, "Oh do you need to see some ID or anything?"
Nice, moving things away from my snot string and my red, red nose.
"Oh yes, well remembered." he said.
Then, that was it, all ends tied up, brilliant. Now get out before my snot monkey tries to escape again, maybe with a sneeze. God, imagine I sneezed on him and snotted everything in sight.
"Right, is that everything?" I said
"Yep, brilliant, we'll be in touch. You OK?" he said with a smile, a friendly smile, not a mocking one.
"Oh, yeah, I just can't believe I said 'ah bogies' to another adult."
"It's OK, it happens all the time." Paul said and 'hmm, only to me, surely?' I thought, but he's more than accommodating, this could have been a nightmare. Paul made sure it wasn't, thanks.
I then said, "I haven't worn this coat in awhile, I must be illurgic to it." with a laugh.
So rubbing my right hand like a loony, I go to shake his out stretched had, "Sorry, the bogies again."
Well, I made an impression.
...so today was my sign up to the extras agency. I'd been looking forward to this for ages. This was an integral part of my 'future me' and my recovery from my illness.
So there was a lot riding on this, right?
No, it was just a photo and then me writing a cheque. However, I had to meet two of the three people that founded and run the company. So it was vital I didn't come across as a complete tool or worse, a total f*ckwit. If I'd made the wrong impression with them, why would they want to recommend me to production companies and others things that use extras, like at a, err, a......anyway.
I dressed smart, black tie, light blue shirt, long brown coat. Plus my new 'Mr Men' brogues SL gave me yesterday.
I arrived at 11.30 at reception, for my 11.30 appointment. Hey, that's early for me. Yes I know.
Fill in a form, clothes measurements and contact details mainly.
Luckily for me, they're running late.
Sitting there waiting, other extras came and went. All in order on the list on the greeter's clipboard.
Then, what's this, snotty nose, I've got a snotty nose. Crap, if I touch my nose, it'll go red and my face'll look blotchy for the photograph. But it's all watery snot, err. So with sniffing and the odd wipe with my hand. Plus two sneezes. I was called in...
...all when well, I think. I was funny, I think, confident and not at all like a f*ckwit. I think I wasn't a cock. Anyway, smiles all round, good. Then got up to get my photo taken, took off my coat, stood up, bingo, in one. Nice. No smile, just a blank canvas of a face. My hair wasn't too much of a hedge. Then time to write out the cheque; looking down as I write out....
...a long liquid bogey escaped my nose straight to the ground. I'm giggling as I write this now but at the time, even if Paul didn't see, I said out loud "bogies, err, I've got bogies."
God, what the hell was wrong with my nose, is it fighting for the other side (as in, it's not fighting for me, not that it's homosexual)?
Thankfully, Paul replied with, "like that game kids play, 'bogies', you know?"
No I thought, but well, I'm in a hole, "Oh yeah, bogies. Yeah, kids?"
What a tool, I'm such a tw*t. But then I said, "Oh do you need to see some ID or anything?"
Nice, moving things away from my snot string and my red, red nose.
"Oh yes, well remembered." he said.
Then, that was it, all ends tied up, brilliant. Now get out before my snot monkey tries to escape again, maybe with a sneeze. God, imagine I sneezed on him and snotted everything in sight.
"Right, is that everything?" I said
"Yep, brilliant, we'll be in touch. You OK?" he said with a smile, a friendly smile, not a mocking one.
"Oh, yeah, I just can't believe I said 'ah bogies' to another adult."
"It's OK, it happens all the time." Paul said and 'hmm, only to me, surely?' I thought, but he's more than accommodating, this could have been a nightmare. Paul made sure it wasn't, thanks.
I then said, "I haven't worn this coat in awhile, I must be illurgic to it." with a laugh.
So rubbing my right hand like a loony, I go to shake his out stretched had, "Sorry, the bogies again."
Well, I made an impression.
Thursday 26 November 2009
...being read by a new fan...
but relatives are the harshest critics
...still 23, just...
...I'll be 24 tomorrow.
Cue:
What Have I done with my life?
Where am I?
Where am I going?
What happened to my youth?
In fact, I was like that all week, now, I'm just numb to the fact I'm really 29 tomorrow.
Hey, at least I look good, and I'm signing up with the extras agency on Saturday, so it's not the end of the world...
...yet
Cue:
What Have I done with my life?
Where am I?
Where am I going?
What happened to my youth?
In fact, I was like that all week, now, I'm just numb to the fact I'm really 29 tomorrow.
Hey, at least I look good, and I'm signing up with the extras agency on Saturday, so it's not the end of the world...
...yet
...reviewing the Sony Vaio VPC W11 S1E/White
...reviewing the Sony Vaio VPC W11 S1E/White
Now, it might be the fact that I watched 2012 a few days ago, or it might be because I love Sony stuff or it might just be because other netbook's just aren't as cool...
Or it might be all of those things, but the reasons behind the purchase of the Sony W11 was a basic need to do internetty things beyond my iPod touch and do some type-e-type in a library or mcdonalds or starbucks, nursing that one macchaito allday.
The big factor in buying one now was twofold, mother kindly gave me some birthday money and secondly, the price of the Sony pushed it into an area filled with some older or more basic netbooks.
Sony make quality products, it a fact. They're like the Audi of electronics. Well, at least the VW Golf.
Most netbooks are basically the same machines; an Intel Atom processor with a Gig of RAM and a harddrive ranging from 120 to 160 to an expensive 320GB.
The processor speeds or numbers are becoming a new way to confuse us all. Remember when it was just a 486, 586, pentium and that was it. Pentium was newer and better than a 586, which in turn was better than a 486. Easy as.
Now Intel have a complete range of chippy bits. Plus then there's AMD and their range of numbers and names.
Anyway, the Atom is Intel's smallest processor and in the Sony, it's a N280. Which I'm thinking is better than the N270 fitted in the comparable Samsung NC10 netbook, which SL's mother has.
The Sony has two USBs, a pointless wired LAN connection and two 35mm jacks for headphones and a mic. It has a mic and small speakers in-built, to go with the 0.3mp webcam above the brilliant netbook best screen. It also has a SD card slot, like others but also a Sony own MemoryStick slot too. The MemoryStick thing is something Sony just won't let go of, even when SD, Flash and others which beat the MS, are now all on the decrease. Memory cards to swap about between things are just not needed anymore. It's just two slots, like a nun, wasted.
Right, so where is the W-series Sony different?
Well, apart from the hi-res screen and the sexy white chassis and case, not much. In fact, at it's normal price (£350), I wouldn't even bother. But at £280, it's pitched up against Acer's, the Samsung NC10 (which is getting on in computer terms) and some patchy Asus. The Sony has a better, more solid two hinge opening and magnetic closure. On the cheaper Asus's, the hinges are on sticks, making it ripe for snapping. Where the Sony is really different though, in a good(ish) way is the design of the keyboard. It's a MacBookPro-esque spaced individual keys with the slightest of movement when depressed.
I'll take a picture on my phone and bluetooth it to the netbook, as like others, bluetooth is de'regur, or whatever. Technology, really, these days.
Sony's W11 and the much more expensive W12 with a 320GB harddrive is available in white, brown and acid pink.
Sony are filling in a middle grown in the technology/style landscape. With computers it is the easiest to explain. Apple with their MacBooks and iMacs are at the high end; expensive stylish, different (but everywhere), and for the arty-types, with there Jamie Oliver scooters and cookbooks. Then you have the PC crowd, all there, sitting, black not beige but still PCs, cheap feeling keyboards, a parts-bin of different makes to create some truly ugly machines. Then there's Sony. Straddling the gap. Better than other PC brands, with a recognisable name and strong image. A decent design dept which manages to create tactile and hardwearing laptops, desktops and now, a bit late, netbooks. Sony also gives the impression they care when their products fail, unlike some fly-by-night brands (looking at you Asus). Sony price themselves into this category too. You have to pay for quality you know.
I've had the netbook for three days now so this was never going to be in-depth now, but it's all positive, bar the missing battery (£88 from Sony and £60+ on eBay) and the spacebar (which only makes a space when typing if you hit it right in the middle, might as well be a space button, like other keys). It would have been nice to have microsoft Word or some of office but nothing come with it as standard these days. I've got a copy of Works, that'll do for writing my drivel.
So to summarise my summary:
+
looks and feels better than the rest of the normal netbooks
good value for a Sony at £280
hi-res screen and brilliant contrast with great backlighting range
lightweight
the cool keyboard looks good and once you get used to it, really nice to use
it's a XP based PC, no Mac snowleopard nonsense here
an N280 instead of a N270, yay
lovely feeling touch pad
If you have this in 2012, you live to see 2013 (2012 the movie)
-
spacebar is not consistently making spaces
0.3mp webcam is only OK for skyping, not for selling your wares, you know, net whoring.
the right hand shift key is tiny and the ?/key's just there, where it should be
battery life is only 2-3hours if you're lucky, Samsung NC10 lasts 4-5hours apparently
7
---
10
A quality product that's all touchy-feely with a lovely white lid and MacBook-like keyboard, but battery life could/should be better.
Would recommend at this 'bargain' price.
Or it might be all of those things, but the reasons behind the purchase of the Sony W11 was a basic need to do internetty things beyond my iPod touch and do some type-e-type in a library or mcdonalds or starbucks, nursing that one macchaito allday.
The big factor in buying one now was twofold, mother kindly gave me some birthday money and secondly, the price of the Sony pushed it into an area filled with some older or more basic netbooks.
Sony make quality products, it a fact. They're like the Audi of electronics. Well, at least the VW Golf.
Most netbooks are basically the same machines; an Intel Atom processor with a Gig of RAM and a harddrive ranging from 120 to 160 to an expensive 320GB.
The processor speeds or numbers are becoming a new way to confuse us all. Remember when it was just a 486, 586, pentium and that was it. Pentium was newer and better than a 586, which in turn was better than a 486. Easy as.
Now Intel have a complete range of chippy bits. Plus then there's AMD and their range of numbers and names.
Anyway, the Atom is Intel's smallest processor and in the Sony, it's a N280. Which I'm thinking is better than the N270 fitted in the comparable Samsung NC10 netbook, which SL's mother has.
The Sony has two USBs, a pointless wired LAN connection and two 35mm jacks for headphones and a mic. It has a mic and small speakers in-built, to go with the 0.3mp webcam above the brilliant netbook best screen. It also has a SD card slot, like others but also a Sony own MemoryStick slot too. The MemoryStick thing is something Sony just won't let go of, even when SD, Flash and others which beat the MS, are now all on the decrease. Memory cards to swap about between things are just not needed anymore. It's just two slots, like a nun, wasted.
Right, so where is the W-series Sony different?
Well, apart from the hi-res screen and the sexy white chassis and case, not much. In fact, at it's normal price (£350), I wouldn't even bother. But at £280, it's pitched up against Acer's, the Samsung NC10 (which is getting on in computer terms) and some patchy Asus. The Sony has a better, more solid two hinge opening and magnetic closure. On the cheaper Asus's, the hinges are on sticks, making it ripe for snapping. Where the Sony is really different though, in a good(ish) way is the design of the keyboard. It's a MacBookPro-esque spaced individual keys with the slightest of movement when depressed.
I'll take a picture on my phone and bluetooth it to the netbook, as like others, bluetooth is de'regur, or whatever. Technology, really, these days.
Sony's W11 and the much more expensive W12 with a 320GB harddrive is available in white, brown and acid pink.
Sony are filling in a middle grown in the technology/style landscape. With computers it is the easiest to explain. Apple with their MacBooks and iMacs are at the high end; expensive stylish, different (but everywhere), and for the arty-types, with there Jamie Oliver scooters and cookbooks. Then you have the PC crowd, all there, sitting, black not beige but still PCs, cheap feeling keyboards, a parts-bin of different makes to create some truly ugly machines. Then there's Sony. Straddling the gap. Better than other PC brands, with a recognisable name and strong image. A decent design dept which manages to create tactile and hardwearing laptops, desktops and now, a bit late, netbooks. Sony also gives the impression they care when their products fail, unlike some fly-by-night brands (looking at you Asus). Sony price themselves into this category too. You have to pay for quality you know.
I've had the netbook for three days now so this was never going to be in-depth now, but it's all positive, bar the missing battery (£88 from Sony and £60+ on eBay) and the spacebar (which only makes a space when typing if you hit it right in the middle, might as well be a space button, like other keys). It would have been nice to have microsoft Word or some of office but nothing come with it as standard these days. I've got a copy of Works, that'll do for writing my drivel.
So to summarise my summary:
+
looks and feels better than the rest of the normal netbooks
good value for a Sony at £280
hi-res screen and brilliant contrast with great backlighting range
lightweight
the cool keyboard looks good and once you get used to it, really nice to use
it's a XP based PC, no Mac snowleopard nonsense here
an N280 instead of a N270, yay
lovely feeling touch pad
If you have this in 2012, you live to see 2013 (2012 the movie)
-
spacebar is not consistently making spaces
0.3mp webcam is only OK for skyping, not for selling your wares, you know, net whoring.
the right hand shift key is tiny and the ?/key's just there, where it should be
battery life is only 2-3hours if you're lucky, Samsung NC10 lasts 4-5hours apparently
7
---
10
A quality product that's all touchy-feely with a lovely white lid and MacBook-like keyboard, but battery life could/should be better.
Would recommend at this 'bargain' price.
...impressed with Comet's customer service...
...no, really. Seriously.
I'm not too sure why, but my nan and aunty really don't like Comet, the electrical store. I think it was based on a bad experience when a fridge or microwave or kettle blew up after a day.
I'm all for family solidarity and brand snubbing but their prices on some things are just too good to be all 'sod them and their crappy customer service' especially because my eyes are larger than my wallet.
The item I'm after is a Sony netbook, a vpc w11 s1e in white. It's the normal netbook fare, review straight after this post. At Comet, the white one is £279.99 with free delivery or pick-up instore. Normally, this little 'puter come's in at £349.99 and in some places, the SonyStore & SonyStyle.co.uk it's at £365.99.
So come on, it's a brilliant price right?
Yes it is, and to show it is, the ultra cool brown version at Comet is a web only £339.99, so the macbookpro-esque white will more than do.
The catch...
well, when I got it home, plugged it in and got going, nothing, well, nothing big. The normal cycle of software updates and restarts. But once that was all done, nothing...
...then I pulled the plug. Instant death. But it's been on charge for ages!
No it hasn't, there's no battery. Rummage around the tiny box, nope, nothing there.
Shit.
In the box however, I did find a picture of the battery on a Sony leaflet labelled accessories. Hmm, maybe it doesn't come with one. No, that'll be stupid...
So, off to Comet again, let's kick some arse/ass.
'was it sealed sir?'
'Sony weigh the boxes before they leave the factory, to see that there's nothing missing'
'are you sure you haven't lost it sir?'
oh, this isn't going well. It's like making a pact with the school bully and then asking him/her for your share of the dinner money. Or like how in 10 years time when the UK asks the US for it's half of Iraq's oil. You know you shouldn't have done the deal, but the price looked so good.
'well, you'll have to come back tomorrow, the manager's not in today.'
'are you sure you haven't lost it down the sofa?'
'the box would 'ave been sealed you know'
yes thanks for that mate. hmm, so Comet really are crap.
Next day, popped back in just before rush hour. Luckily Comet's about 5 minutes away.
I was like this to them: 'can I speak to the manager, it's about my computer not having a battery!'
They were like this to me: 'ok, I'll just get her.'
Right, I thought, let the battle commence...
The manager came out and was like this: 'would a new battery be ok?'
'errr, yeah, that'll be fine.'
'could someone get this customer a new battery from either another Sony or from the display's box...
...would that be ok sir?'
'no, that'll be brilliant, thanks, yeah' what an idiot I thought, 'no, err, yeah?' what am I 13 again.
So in summary, stand up straight, dress smart, feel confident and be ready to shout. Then, be polite but stand your ground. They'll be all shit because they either don't really care or they're just flushing out the chancers. If you have to come back, fine, but be ready to not go away again; clear your diary.
Then, from your kick arse/ass persona, they'll not mess with you.
Either that or ask to see the manager the first time round. And to think, for a second, I thought netbook's didn't come with batteries, what a clot!
I'm not too sure why, but my nan and aunty really don't like Comet, the electrical store. I think it was based on a bad experience when a fridge or microwave or kettle blew up after a day.
I'm all for family solidarity and brand snubbing but their prices on some things are just too good to be all 'sod them and their crappy customer service' especially because my eyes are larger than my wallet.
The item I'm after is a Sony netbook, a vpc w11 s1e in white. It's the normal netbook fare, review straight after this post. At Comet, the white one is £279.99 with free delivery or pick-up instore. Normally, this little 'puter come's in at £349.99 and in some places, the SonyStore & SonyStyle.co.uk it's at £365.99.
So come on, it's a brilliant price right?
Yes it is, and to show it is, the ultra cool brown version at Comet is a web only £339.99, so the macbookpro-esque white will more than do.
The catch...
well, when I got it home, plugged it in and got going, nothing, well, nothing big. The normal cycle of software updates and restarts. But once that was all done, nothing...
...then I pulled the plug. Instant death. But it's been on charge for ages!
No it hasn't, there's no battery. Rummage around the tiny box, nope, nothing there.
Shit.
In the box however, I did find a picture of the battery on a Sony leaflet labelled accessories. Hmm, maybe it doesn't come with one. No, that'll be stupid...
So, off to Comet again, let's kick some arse/ass.
'was it sealed sir?'
'Sony weigh the boxes before they leave the factory, to see that there's nothing missing'
'are you sure you haven't lost it sir?'
oh, this isn't going well. It's like making a pact with the school bully and then asking him/her for your share of the dinner money. Or like how in 10 years time when the UK asks the US for it's half of Iraq's oil. You know you shouldn't have done the deal, but the price looked so good.
'well, you'll have to come back tomorrow, the manager's not in today.'
'are you sure you haven't lost it down the sofa?'
'the box would 'ave been sealed you know'
yes thanks for that mate. hmm, so Comet really are crap.
Next day, popped back in just before rush hour. Luckily Comet's about 5 minutes away.
I was like this to them: 'can I speak to the manager, it's about my computer not having a battery!'
They were like this to me: 'ok, I'll just get her.'
Right, I thought, let the battle commence...
The manager came out and was like this: 'would a new battery be ok?'
'errr, yeah, that'll be fine.'
'could someone get this customer a new battery from either another Sony or from the display's box...
...would that be ok sir?'
'no, that'll be brilliant, thanks, yeah' what an idiot I thought, 'no, err, yeah?' what am I 13 again.
So in summary, stand up straight, dress smart, feel confident and be ready to shout. Then, be polite but stand your ground. They'll be all shit because they either don't really care or they're just flushing out the chancers. If you have to come back, fine, but be ready to not go away again; clear your diary.
Then, from your kick arse/ass persona, they'll not mess with you.
Either that or ask to see the manager the first time round. And to think, for a second, I thought netbook's didn't come with batteries, what a clot!
Sunday 22 November 2009
...sure there's more...
...no, not this week.
It's ok to have a completely mundane week.
Hell, I'm sure that most people suffer at the hands of mundaneness
I guess I'm lucky that this to do list is not the be all and end all of my day, or week.
Far from it.
What I have to do is to is make sure that I get some quality writing time this week, to not get too distracted with the housewife stuff.
Also, if the weather improves, continue to shoot the French Project, if it doesn't, take photos of any flooding left over. Although thinking about it, the rain's eased off enough for the water to go away but not enough to film.
Maybe just write this week.
(oh, go to comet for a battery pack)
It's ok to have a completely mundane week.
Hell, I'm sure that most people suffer at the hands of mundaneness
I guess I'm lucky that this to do list is not the be all and end all of my day, or week.
Far from it.
What I have to do is to is make sure that I get some quality writing time this week, to not get too distracted with the housewife stuff.
Also, if the weather improves, continue to shoot the French Project, if it doesn't, take photos of any flooding left over. Although thinking about it, the rain's eased off enough for the water to go away but not enough to film.
Maybe just write this week.
(oh, go to comet for a battery pack)
...using this as a to do list...
...as I can't find my scrap of paper, the one with all things I forgotten to do on it.
all to be done this week, over the week:
all to be done this week, over the week:
- tidy away all the stuff on the breakfast table
- polish the table and rotate the chairs from the sun
- clear my desk, the drawing desk, not just the computer one this time
- do left over laundry from the weekend
- go food shopping; get things for SL's lunch
- clear the coffee table and find a place for blockbusters
- water all the house plants
- spilatify the sittingroom, also rearrange the plugs in the hall too
- take the things & clothes to the charity shop
- change the bedsheets
- get a repeat antihistamine prescription
- send in or drop off the UKTS cheque
- I'm sure there's much, much more
Saturday 21 November 2009
...recovering from a case of Roland Emmerich
I've just returned from seeing 2012
When I heard about the film, and even after I saw the terrible trailer, I really wanted to see 2012.
No one else I asked was that impressed or that bothered about it.
I loved 'The Day After, Tomorrow, Day', or whatever it was called. No, really, I thought it was a good yarn.
Even 'Independence Day' was a good bit of fluff too. Not as good as 'The Day After...' but what is?
So, yeah, I was actually excited to see 2012.....
.....but what a load of shit!
Really, it's the worst piece of contradictory, anti-humanity, Sony Vaio, Seal of the President, US flag waving nonsense. Ever in the history of completely shit films. Ever
And 3 hours of it as well, who the hell was the editor? Roland's mother?
Right, where to start this bashing?
That concludes my review of 2012.
Next week, I'll be watching Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, wow, how good was his English accent, he's going down in history with the likes of Depp, Van Dyck and Joe Swash as the most twatiest cockney this side of err, Jude Law?
When I heard about the film, and even after I saw the terrible trailer, I really wanted to see 2012.
No one else I asked was that impressed or that bothered about it.
I loved 'The Day After, Tomorrow, Day', or whatever it was called. No, really, I thought it was a good yarn.
Even 'Independence Day' was a good bit of fluff too. Not as good as 'The Day After...' but what is?
So, yeah, I was actually excited to see 2012.....
.....but what a load of shit!
Really, it's the worst piece of contradictory, anti-humanity, Sony Vaio, Seal of the President, US flag waving nonsense. Ever in the history of completely shit films. Ever
And 3 hours of it as well, who the hell was the editor? Roland's mother?
Right, where to start this bashing?
- John Cusack's character is a deadbeat-dad, who just happens to be the tardy chaffeur to one of the richest men in the world, and in a 2 year old stretched Lincoln, really?
- His ex-wife's new husband is a plastic surgeon in Hollywood, yet only drives a Porsche Caymen. He must be the crappest surgeon in LA, by far
- All the 'best' people worth saving, are old, like the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, and on the American ship, 10 men to every women, really?
- The moral to come out of the film, well, the main one I picked up, don't be a good guy, you die and no-one really cares, look what happened to Gordon, or the chess playing Indian kid and his parents, Sacha, the sexy Antonov pilot, that blond Paris Hilton lookalike, Woody Harrelson, the President. Yet mofos like Oliver Platt's character, the rich twins, deadbeat John Cusack, many other mofos besides are aboard the ship, and thus survive the end of the world.
- It's not his Bentley, but that Russian Oligarch could start it using is voice. Can anyone start a Bentley just by mumbling 'engine start' in a very deep voice?
- You can take off from anything if you say 'there's just not enough runway' even if you're not at the needed speed for lift.
- Stretched Lincoln limos can snap their chassis you know, Roland. They're not the best built cars even before they've been extended (by some chop-shop in an industrial unit just off the main street, in some 'city' in Southern California).
- Roland, stop and count how many times you plug John Cusack's character's book, it got really tedious. Actually, I got up to go to the toilet 3/4s the way though, not because I needed too but because the whole film was getting tedious, really tedious.
- Also, the overhead shot of the limo escaping the suburbs, I thought special effects had movedon since Streetfighter2, the video game, on the Amiga.
That concludes my review of 2012.
Next week, I'll be watching Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, wow, how good was his English accent, he's going down in history with the likes of Depp, Van Dyck and Joe Swash as the most twatiest cockney this side of err, Jude Law?
Sunday 15 November 2009
...waiting for Doctor Who
Some days, thanks to my medicine, I run out of steam. Well, I think it's the medicine, or it might be the depression, or maybe it's because I'm a cat.
Yesterday, I napped for most of the day, having had a busy Friday, popping in and out, phone calls, late night Tesco shopping too.
Today however, not too sure why, but I was drained. Maybe it was all the excitement of Friday and the implications of actually doing something about my acting urge. So I napped for an hour or so, now, I'm good.
I'm not too sure what to do now though.
Maybe after a drive with SL and Milly Moo, I'll do the mundane jobs:
Yesterday, I napped for most of the day, having had a busy Friday, popping in and out, phone calls, late night Tesco shopping too.
Today however, not too sure why, but I was drained. Maybe it was all the excitement of Friday and the implications of actually doing something about my acting urge. So I napped for an hour or so, now, I'm good.
I'm not too sure what to do now though.
Maybe after a drive with SL and Milly Moo, I'll do the mundane jobs:
- clear my desk of paper litter (15-20mins)
- tidy the rest of the office (3hrs)
- take out the rubbish and recycling (10mins)
- collect all of Milly Moo's toys and bits (10mins)
- phone mother (1hr)
- dust (30mins) including watering the plants
Saturday 14 November 2009
...officially on the waiting list
I had a bad Thursday. Couldn't do anything right, couldn't do anything positive.
Then, yesterday, boom.
After a good talk with SL; getting back on the same wavelength (although it was just fine-tuning really), I felt completely focused on how to move forward.
Continuing from the last post, I phoned up UnitedCasting (extras agency), going for a photo and fully registering next week, also I asked about the UKTheatreSchool, who claimed to be linked to them.
Yes, they're real!
They're the one's SL found with the course starting in February.
I phoned them too.
Not only is there a course starting in Feb, the one that started last week, I can still actually join. There has been a couple who dropped out and there wasn't too much to catch up on from week one, so....
....no, they offered but I said that I'm going away in December, which is true and well, I want to get all from this, not just most of it.
Also, after having a bit more of a chat, the 10 week course then has a follow-on for intermediates, another 10 weeks, then there's a LAMBA tested 10 week course after that.
So 30 weeks of acting up. Good
Plus, I'm officially on the RSAMD adult acting class waiting list for October 2010. Good, good.
Now, I'm not too sure, but I'm thinking this post really does need a re-write
Then, yesterday, boom.
After a good talk with SL; getting back on the same wavelength (although it was just fine-tuning really), I felt completely focused on how to move forward.
Continuing from the last post, I phoned up UnitedCasting (extras agency), going for a photo and fully registering next week, also I asked about the UKTheatreSchool, who claimed to be linked to them.
Yes, they're real!
They're the one's SL found with the course starting in February.
I phoned them too.
Not only is there a course starting in Feb, the one that started last week, I can still actually join. There has been a couple who dropped out and there wasn't too much to catch up on from week one, so....
....no, they offered but I said that I'm going away in December, which is true and well, I want to get all from this, not just most of it.
Also, after having a bit more of a chat, the 10 week course then has a follow-on for intermediates, another 10 weeks, then there's a LAMBA tested 10 week course after that.
So 30 weeks of acting up. Good
Plus, I'm officially on the RSAMD adult acting class waiting list for October 2010. Good, good.
Now, I'm not too sure, but I'm thinking this post really does need a re-write
Friday 13 November 2009
...still coming out as an actor. Really, you?
Still
Re: second part of coming-out-as-actor-really-you, I've sadly not been as resilient as I thought I was.
I didn't really think I was anyway, but I thought I was getting there.
Last Friday was the RSAMD drama openday and I found out that the course I wanted to do there starts in October 2010, not February.
Now, it's only time but I thought I was fixed and was ready to start now.
October is nearly a whole year away, and because I'm only 'well' for short periods, I thought that come then, I might not be in the same condition.
Then, today, I realised that if I'm still thinking that way, and the fact that this week, I've been really flat, I'm not as ready as I thought.
So, as my facebook fortune cookie said; 'when one door closes, many more open.....
.....SL found me a couple of other, shorter courses that start sooner for me to try.
I really want to be an actor, but I've got to be 'together' to be successful. One of the courses she found starts in February, so, as a date in my mind, it gives me a few months to focus. And what's better, it's not the be all and end all if I'm not ready, mentally. Because it's not the big one I was planning on. It a bonus thing. Well, that's if it's a real course that is.
Yes, it is. And it's still in Glasgow, so even better.
Now, this post might need re-writing because I'm not thinking clearly, well, I'm thinking too quickly for my two finger typing, but I'll do it later....
....I'm trying to get better.
Re: second part of coming-out-as-actor-really-you, I've sadly not been as resilient as I thought I was.
I didn't really think I was anyway, but I thought I was getting there.
Last Friday was the RSAMD drama openday and I found out that the course I wanted to do there starts in October 2010, not February.
Now, it's only time but I thought I was fixed and was ready to start now.
October is nearly a whole year away, and because I'm only 'well' for short periods, I thought that come then, I might not be in the same condition.
Then, today, I realised that if I'm still thinking that way, and the fact that this week, I've been really flat, I'm not as ready as I thought.
So, as my facebook fortune cookie said; 'when one door closes, many more open.....
.....SL found me a couple of other, shorter courses that start sooner for me to try.
I really want to be an actor, but I've got to be 'together' to be successful. One of the courses she found starts in February, so, as a date in my mind, it gives me a few months to focus. And what's better, it's not the be all and end all if I'm not ready, mentally. Because it's not the big one I was planning on. It a bonus thing. Well, that's if it's a real course that is.
Yes, it is. And it's still in Glasgow, so even better.
Now, this post might need re-writing because I'm not thinking clearly, well, I'm thinking too quickly for my two finger typing, but I'll do it later....
....I'm trying to get better.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
...having a day off.
I'm not that lively.
I haven't been for a few days.
I get like this now and then.
I'm not too sure why it happens
It's like for every 14 days, I've only have enough energy for 12.
I slow down for about 4 days,
I then have to have at least 1 full day to recover.
I think it's like jet lag
I can't think of any other way to describe it.
I'll be right as rain tomorrow
I'll be busy and productive
I'm going to watch a DVD or
I might go with SL to see a film
I think there's about 3 I'd like to see
I haven't been for a few days.
I get like this now and then.
I'm not too sure why it happens
It's like for every 14 days, I've only have enough energy for 12.
I slow down for about 4 days,
I then have to have at least 1 full day to recover.
I think it's like jet lag
I can't think of any other way to describe it.
I'll be right as rain tomorrow
I'll be busy and productive
I'm going to watch a DVD or
I might go with SL to see a film
I think there's about 3 I'd like to see
Sunday 8 November 2009
Rememberance Sunday
No matter what your opinion on the wars we fight,
we must positively acknowledge the men & women who've given up their lives
for a cause greater than themselves.
We must also remember the dead men & women of the so called enemies they fight,
and all the innocent lives lost in conflict.
No matter what your opinion on war,
we must positively remember their lives not their deaths.
we must positively acknowledge the men & women who've given up their lives
for a cause greater than themselves.
We must also remember the dead men & women of the so called enemies they fight,
and all the innocent lives lost in conflict.
No matter what your opinion on war,
we must positively remember their lives not their deaths.
Saturday 7 November 2009
...listing my over used words
I'm no Philip Pullman (in his dirty particles trilogy, he used presently 435 times) but this week, in all media, I over used:
distinctly x 6
really x 9
seminal x3
blessed/blessing x 3
Hmm, a much shorter list than I thought it would be. Oh a couple more:
hmm x 7
list x 4
plus the use of : & ; x 8
distinctly x 6
really x 9
seminal x3
blessed/blessing x 3
Hmm, a much shorter list than I thought it would be. Oh a couple more:
hmm x 7
list x 4
plus the use of : & ; x 8
Thursday 5 November 2009
...stuck in traffic
Yes, today was a good recon for a route around the second city of the empire. It was also good for nothing else but reading the signs on the back of white vans and city buses.
Pot holes, heavy traffic and failing light added to what should have been complete misery. But not even that fact that all filming today suffered from an annoying tilt from a poorly mounted camera, has put a dent into my happy mood.
Yes the end result is not 'all that' but as an initial runaround, it was 'all that'.
Shame for the viewer, take 1 lasts way too long. So does take 2 and 3. I might have to go down the 3am route you know.
Hmm, but it will be freezing. Too early and too icy and dangerous surely. No, just too early.
Pot holes, heavy traffic and failing light added to what should have been complete misery. But not even that fact that all filming today suffered from an annoying tilt from a poorly mounted camera, has put a dent into my happy mood.
Yes the end result is not 'all that' but as an initial runaround, it was 'all that'.
Shame for the viewer, take 1 lasts way too long. So does take 2 and 3. I might have to go down the 3am route you know.
Hmm, but it will be freezing. Too early and too icy and dangerous surely. No, just too early.
...continuing to work on the "French Project"
As I sit here and type, listening to Aimee Mann and Spotify ads, Glasgow has been blessed with sunny breaks in the rain clouds.
The "French Project" was always going to set in Glasgow, The work done on the Beachy Head ascent and in and around Eastbourne was just hardware testing and a bit of fun: (see http://drivingkolo.blogspot.com/2009/10/switchbacks-of-beachy-head.html )
Glasgow is what it was always about.
Now it wasn't just "C'etait un rendez vous" that has influenced me into starting this project. The way the streets of San Francisco are shot in "Bullitt"; the hilly terrain, the shops, people and houses are as much a part of the 'best ever car chase' as the actors and the Charger & Mustang. If anything, the chase would not be as well regarded as it is without the cityscape at the start of it. Another trigger for me was San Francisco 9 or 10 years before Steve Mcqueen's version of the city was shot; Hitchcock's more sedate and more gentrified San Francisco in "Vertigo". At the start of "Bullitt", post credits and after Lalo's theme dies down, a taxi pulls up at a very distinctive hotel perched in a hilltop at a busy cross-roads. This hotel was used as a very spanky block of apartments in Hitchcock's film. The traffic was almost non existent in the earlier version. I'm not going to go into the debate about how landmarks are used or how productions alter places to there own ends, well not now. I'm merely saying that it is interesting how you can dress up or down a place to meet your own ends. It can be a backdrop as a curtain is a backdrop of a stage production, or the city can be an integral part of the piece. Now San Francisco is more of a feature in films than say, LA (Dirty Harry verses Heat for example), because it has a number of older landmarks and set pieces. LA is a modern urban sprawl, a giant of corporate towers and business suits with a theme-park in the middle (Hollywood).
Glasgow, like San Francisco, has a grid of streets, distinct residential and city centre business districts. Glasgow also shares a blessing of historic landmarks and urban set pieces.
Glasgow has also suffered from a real negative image. It's either thought of as a drug addled of it's former Victorian masterpiece, or it's just thought of as the deep fried fat man of Europe; the collective heart-attack waiting to happen. The Scottish Tourist board has yet to fully reverse this, the way Edinburgh has. Remember Edinburgh has it's fair share of blight but the capital comes first in Scotland's strive for a modern, positive identity. I'm not saying I'm going to change all that with this, far from it. I can imagine it'll be used in a powerpoint at the highways department, showing the one-way gridlocked chaos of the city centre. What I think will happen though, is non Glaswegians, non Scots, will see a busy, lively city from the view of a car travelling from Westend to Dennistoun in the Eastend.
What I have noticed, youtubing about, is that Glasgow has yet to feature in a copy version of Claude Lelouche's seminal work. As yet, I've not realised why.
Today, I might just find out....
The "French Project" was always going to set in Glasgow, The work done on the Beachy Head ascent and in and around Eastbourne was just hardware testing and a bit of fun: (see http://drivingkolo.blogspot.com/2009/10/switchbacks-of-beachy-head.html )
Glasgow is what it was always about.
Now it wasn't just "C'etait un rendez vous" that has influenced me into starting this project. The way the streets of San Francisco are shot in "Bullitt"; the hilly terrain, the shops, people and houses are as much a part of the 'best ever car chase' as the actors and the Charger & Mustang. If anything, the chase would not be as well regarded as it is without the cityscape at the start of it. Another trigger for me was San Francisco 9 or 10 years before Steve Mcqueen's version of the city was shot; Hitchcock's more sedate and more gentrified San Francisco in "Vertigo". At the start of "Bullitt", post credits and after Lalo's theme dies down, a taxi pulls up at a very distinctive hotel perched in a hilltop at a busy cross-roads. This hotel was used as a very spanky block of apartments in Hitchcock's film. The traffic was almost non existent in the earlier version. I'm not going to go into the debate about how landmarks are used or how productions alter places to there own ends, well not now. I'm merely saying that it is interesting how you can dress up or down a place to meet your own ends. It can be a backdrop as a curtain is a backdrop of a stage production, or the city can be an integral part of the piece. Now San Francisco is more of a feature in films than say, LA (Dirty Harry verses Heat for example), because it has a number of older landmarks and set pieces. LA is a modern urban sprawl, a giant of corporate towers and business suits with a theme-park in the middle (Hollywood).
Glasgow, like San Francisco, has a grid of streets, distinct residential and city centre business districts. Glasgow also shares a blessing of historic landmarks and urban set pieces.
Glasgow has also suffered from a real negative image. It's either thought of as a drug addled of it's former Victorian masterpiece, or it's just thought of as the deep fried fat man of Europe; the collective heart-attack waiting to happen. The Scottish Tourist board has yet to fully reverse this, the way Edinburgh has. Remember Edinburgh has it's fair share of blight but the capital comes first in Scotland's strive for a modern, positive identity. I'm not saying I'm going to change all that with this, far from it. I can imagine it'll be used in a powerpoint at the highways department, showing the one-way gridlocked chaos of the city centre. What I think will happen though, is non Glaswegians, non Scots, will see a busy, lively city from the view of a car travelling from Westend to Dennistoun in the Eastend.
What I have noticed, youtubing about, is that Glasgow has yet to feature in a copy version of Claude Lelouche's seminal work. As yet, I've not realised why.
Today, I might just find out....
...explaining the "French Project"
Yes, the French Project, hmm
Well, fans of Snow Patrol may have seen the video to Open Your Eyes, this was in fact Claude Lelouche's film "C'etait un rendez vous".
This 8 or so minutes has become a seminal piece of film.
Shot in 1976 on a camera mounted to a custom made jig on the front of a Mercedes 450SEL, then dubbed over with the engine noise of a V12 Ferrari. Set in Paris, at 4 in the morning, it is a race to meet a date at a famous park in the city.
What makes the film interesting, as a piece of film making, as appose to film viewing, is the reason it is 8 minutes 46 seconds. This is the length 35mm film came in. This was restricted by the technology of the time and the director; Lelouche's want to make the hole thing in one continuous take. No post editing. No second camera cutaways. No roping off of streets or altering of the city. This is Paris, this is his drive, this is Claude racing to make it for a date.
Now, you may cry wolf, or cry foul at this point because of one major move Lelouche has made to make this work; who has a date at 4am? Yes, yes, it is a large point to concede. But well, I don't have any real answer but this, 8 minutes behind a 2CV, and or, it's the 70's, maybe she, and he, are complete slags. Maybe it's when her father left for work as an airport employee and thus be able to sneak out the house to see her older lover. Maybe she's a nurse and has just finished a shift treating syfalific old men in a private hospital. Whatever one helps you appease that nag in your head.
Anyway, I present Claude Lelouche's "C'etait un rendez vous", enjoy.
Well, fans of Snow Patrol may have seen the video to Open Your Eyes, this was in fact Claude Lelouche's film "C'etait un rendez vous".
This 8 or so minutes has become a seminal piece of film.
Shot in 1976 on a camera mounted to a custom made jig on the front of a Mercedes 450SEL, then dubbed over with the engine noise of a V12 Ferrari. Set in Paris, at 4 in the morning, it is a race to meet a date at a famous park in the city.
What makes the film interesting, as a piece of film making, as appose to film viewing, is the reason it is 8 minutes 46 seconds. This is the length 35mm film came in. This was restricted by the technology of the time and the director; Lelouche's want to make the hole thing in one continuous take. No post editing. No second camera cutaways. No roping off of streets or altering of the city. This is Paris, this is his drive, this is Claude racing to make it for a date.
Now, you may cry wolf, or cry foul at this point because of one major move Lelouche has made to make this work; who has a date at 4am? Yes, yes, it is a large point to concede. But well, I don't have any real answer but this, 8 minutes behind a 2CV, and or, it's the 70's, maybe she, and he, are complete slags. Maybe it's when her father left for work as an airport employee and thus be able to sneak out the house to see her older lover. Maybe she's a nurse and has just finished a shift treating syfalific old men in a private hospital. Whatever one helps you appease that nag in your head.
Anyway, I present Claude Lelouche's "C'etait un rendez vous", enjoy.
Wednesday 4 November 2009
...coming out as an actor. Really, you? (continued)
Part 2
I guess that thing I had about saying I was an actor (as in, I want to be) was initially thought to be the comedian thing I said.
You know:
steve:: "hi bob."
bob:: "oh, hi, steve, what do you do these days?"
steve:: "yeah, I'm err, a err, comedian!"
bob:: "WTF, you, really, but you're.....
.....err, make me laugh, go on!"
steve:: "oh, I'm not that sort of comedian."
bob:: "you're shit!
....go on, fuck off. Comedian, my fucking arse he's a comedian. He's got the personality of a slapped arse."
So, you can see why I didn't want to say anything.
I guess, moving ever so slightly on from this initial hesitancy, I guess I was thinking, oh, actor, err, you have to have the most electric personality; the life and soul of the party; the big noise; the big potato: the mouth, etc.
Yes, I guess that's what I thought; the self-promoting all singing, all dancing extrovert.
I'm not the stops traffic kind of guy. I'm 5' 10" when I actually stand up straight, yes I have a pretty face, but it's not that pretty. Also, I look 15 still. I never get asked my opinion by those clip-boarders in town. I'm a perfect pick-pocket. I can get away with not being there. Very forgettable.
So, the all singing, all dancing Mr Extrovert v Mr Cellophane.
See the thing is this: I can be the all sing all dancing extrovert. I have been, on many occasions but only when certain things are in place. I have to be on top of an internal wave, the occasion has to have 5 or less people there, preferably less (hopefully with no positive or completely no experience of me before) and the moon has to be in it's third cycle and a bat has to be killed by a loft insulator less than 3 miles from where this occasion is to be held. In other words, things have to be perfect for me to operate as Mr Extrovert. Mr Extrovert is incredibly fragile. He's normally wrapped up by Mr Cellophane.
Now, as I've alluded to in today's earlier posting, for 16* years I've been too fragile, too much like Jenson Button; as in, everything has to work perfectly to achieve anything close to full potential. Not robust enough. Great skill to do anything he wants in life, but as yet, hasn't made any mark.
Well no more. I'm going to be less fragile, more stable and definitely more robust.
I have to be it's now a career skill set. It's a life skill set!
Anyway, yes, so, right, more decisive. More err, you know; to the point.
No more Cellophane
(also, RSAMD are having an open day on Friday for 2010's intake. Plus getting back to extra-ing soon too)
I guess that thing I had about saying I was an actor (as in, I want to be) was initially thought to be the comedian thing I said.
You know:
steve:: "hi bob."
bob:: "oh, hi, steve, what do you do these days?"
steve:: "yeah, I'm err, a err, comedian!"
bob:: "WTF, you, really, but you're.....
.....err, make me laugh, go on!"
steve:: "oh, I'm not that sort of comedian."
bob:: "you're shit!
....go on, fuck off. Comedian, my fucking arse he's a comedian. He's got the personality of a slapped arse."
So, you can see why I didn't want to say anything.
I guess, moving ever so slightly on from this initial hesitancy, I guess I was thinking, oh, actor, err, you have to have the most electric personality; the life and soul of the party; the big noise; the big potato: the mouth, etc.
Yes, I guess that's what I thought; the self-promoting all singing, all dancing extrovert.
I'm not the stops traffic kind of guy. I'm 5' 10" when I actually stand up straight, yes I have a pretty face, but it's not that pretty. Also, I look 15 still. I never get asked my opinion by those clip-boarders in town. I'm a perfect pick-pocket. I can get away with not being there. Very forgettable.
So, the all singing, all dancing Mr Extrovert v Mr Cellophane.
See the thing is this: I can be the all sing all dancing extrovert. I have been, on many occasions but only when certain things are in place. I have to be on top of an internal wave, the occasion has to have 5 or less people there, preferably less (hopefully with no positive or completely no experience of me before) and the moon has to be in it's third cycle and a bat has to be killed by a loft insulator less than 3 miles from where this occasion is to be held. In other words, things have to be perfect for me to operate as Mr Extrovert. Mr Extrovert is incredibly fragile. He's normally wrapped up by Mr Cellophane.
Now, as I've alluded to in today's earlier posting, for 16* years I've been too fragile, too much like Jenson Button; as in, everything has to work perfectly to achieve anything close to full potential. Not robust enough. Great skill to do anything he wants in life, but as yet, hasn't made any mark.
Well no more. I'm going to be less fragile, more stable and definitely more robust.
I have to be it's now a career skill set. It's a life skill set!
Anyway, yes, so, right, more decisive. More err, you know; to the point.
No more Cellophane
(also, RSAMD are having an open day on Friday for 2010's intake. Plus getting back to extra-ing soon too)
...starting to get the point of blogs...
...no, not at all.
No, well, I get that you don't have to follow me (my blog) to read it, so I'm slowly realising that I'm not the only one reading it. Also, I'm getting that this is a nice way to carry on conversions I've had with others about things and 'what I'm doing with my ever shortening life'.
Anyway.
So yeah, Ive told too many people now that I want to act. Yes a few have raised eyebrows and looked at me like I've just told them I've become a Tory candidate but I'm going to do it.
You understand it's more than the fame, right?
It's all about the money. Like a less invasive version of prostitution.
No, it's not about the fortunes that Brad and the Clooney have, well a bit, no, it's more just an ability to earn the most out of my limited skills set.
No, it's not that bleak, really, not completely.
I want to act because I still don't really know how to live in and use my body, face and voice.
It's also the fact that I've not been firing on all cylinders for the past 16* years now and have only just started, in the last 2, to get back to a real sense of myself and my full potential.
I want to really enjoy crafting myself into characters and situations where my potential can be seen. I'm not going to completely give up on Architecture, but I do want to chase something that pushes the daydreamer in me.
I already imagine I play professional football (knowing that I'm not that good at it)
I know I'm something for a fall (you know, that saying) but it's what I wanted to do, 16* years ago, and was quite good then.
The way I see it, I've not really lived fully for about 16* years. Yes I've gotten older, learnt things (not grammar) and have been physically there but as S L would say, I've been missing.
At times I've been at full, err, power? but it's not been sustained or without lots of caffeine and prescription medication. At the moment, I've cut the reliance on caffeine, hence the ability to sleep 23 hours a day, but I'm finally getting the right treatment to help me out of this 16* year lull.
(* is an estimation from a report by some doctor who asked me questions one time when things were very dark.)
No, well, I get that you don't have to follow me (my blog) to read it, so I'm slowly realising that I'm not the only one reading it. Also, I'm getting that this is a nice way to carry on conversions I've had with others about things and 'what I'm doing with my ever shortening life'.
Anyway.
So yeah, Ive told too many people now that I want to act. Yes a few have raised eyebrows and looked at me like I've just told them I've become a Tory candidate but I'm going to do it.
You understand it's more than the fame, right?
It's all about the money. Like a less invasive version of prostitution.
No, it's not about the fortunes that Brad and the Clooney have, well a bit, no, it's more just an ability to earn the most out of my limited skills set.
No, it's not that bleak, really, not completely.
I want to act because I still don't really know how to live in and use my body, face and voice.
It's also the fact that I've not been firing on all cylinders for the past 16* years now and have only just started, in the last 2, to get back to a real sense of myself and my full potential.
I want to really enjoy crafting myself into characters and situations where my potential can be seen. I'm not going to completely give up on Architecture, but I do want to chase something that pushes the daydreamer in me.
I already imagine I play professional football (knowing that I'm not that good at it)
I know I'm something for a fall (you know, that saying) but it's what I wanted to do, 16* years ago, and was quite good then.
The way I see it, I've not really lived fully for about 16* years. Yes I've gotten older, learnt things (not grammar) and have been physically there but as S L would say, I've been missing.
At times I've been at full, err, power? but it's not been sustained or without lots of caffeine and prescription medication. At the moment, I've cut the reliance on caffeine, hence the ability to sleep 23 hours a day, but I'm finally getting the right treatment to help me out of this 16* year lull.
(* is an estimation from a report by some doctor who asked me questions one time when things were very dark.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
