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Well that didn't work did it? After saying how eager I was to write more often I seem to have gone the other way and started to write less. This is simply no good. 

Anyway, last Wednesday was my first book group meeting! So I trundled off to Skipton library, eager to talk about Sarah Waters'  'The Night Watch' which I think is one of my favourite books, simply because no other book has sucked me in quite so much. I don't really remember being compelled by a book so much since 'Cloud Atlas'. It turns out that having a book you love at your first book group meeting is both a blessing and a curse. It gives you something to talk about but if someone doesn't like it then you just want to punch them in the face. Funnily enough, when I first got there one of the ladies who interviewed for the job I went for there a year ago was on tea duty! I told her then and she just went, 'Oh God!' because, obviously I didn't get it (even though it was the best interview I had ever had and I know that they were gutted they couldn't give me the job because someone internally had got the job. Haha.) but she did remember me. She asked me what I was up to now. I made sure I told her about my MSc to get my foot in the door too! Hehe. After getting my tea I took my seat at the table. there must have been about 20 people there in total and it doesn't get much bigger apparently. With this being Skipton I wasn't surprised that I was the youngest there. I was surprised that I was one of only two males though! I sat down and I thought, 'God, this is like a WI meeting!'.

All was not lost however, and I really enjoyed myself. The housewife sector didn't really like the book and there were a few comments by other people that made me think 'what the fuck are you talking about?!' but otherwise the book was well received. I got chatting to a lady next to me who loved the book and it felt really good talking about how much we loved it. The refreshments were good too! Rum truffles, mini mince pies and posh juices :D The next one isn't until January now but I'll be going to the next one. It was really interesting hearing people's differing opinions about the book.

Good as the book group was, it came at a bad time as I had an essay in the next day! Although it was a bit of a chore it didn't turn out too bad. I was 1 word over the word count which pleased me as I never go over it! I had to do my references and amendments at Uni though so that took a while and I just got it in before my last lecture. I've got another one in in a week and a half which I'm a little more worried about though :s After that I am free to think about Xmas! Thursday was also interesting because I brought home the whole Dewey Decimal system home with me, which is four volumes, but I could only carry three :s I just wanted to look eager really. I ended up meeting James on the way back through Leeds as he was going for a night out with his old workmates, courtesy of The Daily Mail of all things. He didn't get in until late, the drunkard.

Speaking of James, he's been at his new job a week now. It's with the Legal Services Commission. more importantly he's on flexitime and this has made me very jealous. My job would be so much better with flexitime and there is no good reason why we can't have it. Grrr. Anyway, it seems like he's enjoying his job and that is the main thing. At least I have a commuter buddy now :D

The weekend's been quite quiet really. We didn't even leave the house for that much, other than to go food shopping. Morissons had a nice Xmas tree up in the foyer which made me eager to get one of our own. Hopefully after the 6th December Uni will have calmed down and we can pick up decorations for cheap! I'm not sure where we'll put a tree but I want one to put presents under! 

We watched a few things including finishing off 'Life of Mammals'. The last one was a bit sinister with horrible killer chimps but hey, I've loved the series. I want to watch 'The Life of Birds' next I think. Hmm, I can't decide. It makes me sad to think that because of the BBC balls up with the Queen that documentaries and news are suffering cuts. Ironcially, it's documentaries that the BBC do the best, probably the best in the world and yet they're cutting funding and letting things like reality TV and 'light entertainment' go free, there's no justice. note how I didn't add that the BBC do the news the best, because they really don't . I fucking *hate* the news and its scaremongering. So speaking of things the Beeb do well, Cranford is really good. I've always missed out on period dramas. But I'm enjoying this, especially as it puts Dame Judi Dench back on our screens. Always a pleasure.   

We watched 'Lilo and Stitch' too wich was great! It's very different to a normal Disney movie but it's really, properly, funny and Stitch is so darn cute. The fact that it's set in Hawaii and yet has aliens in is also very odd. The look of the whole thing is great and the chartacters are really inventive. I always thought that Disney had gone off the boil in the 90s but I was clearly wrong. Also, it's after watching stuff like that i have to say, how can anyone think that 2D animation is dead. It can still be utterly beautiful.

Super Scrabble was also played, which killed an afternoon. I lost so I won't dwell on it, but we watched Spice Girl videos while we played. They were so 90s! And wasn't Posh a rubbish Spice Girl? She hardly sung and didn't really *do* anything. The Viva Forever video is pretty freaky too. We also watched the Best bits of Children in Need (is it so wrong that we taped it and skip through it to get to the good stuff?). We didn't end up watching much of it really as I don't care for soap stars singing or variety show stuff so it wasn' t too long in the end. James observation that it is full of awkward talking is also true!   

I have to mention that I'm really into Bloc Party at the moment. Yes I've caved. I did kind of stick them in pile of indie-bands-that-had-one-decent-song in 2005 pile, because in 2005 there were *loads* of bands like that but after liking 'Flux' I've caved in and gone for it. Their new album is pretty decent too I have to say.

I have to say though is that the highlight of my weekend was someone trading a pokemom with me globally via DS wIfi. Wonderful stuff. I didn't even need to be online while it was traded, I just logged on and someone had given me a Piplup. The wonders of the modern age. It's funny, I read a comment somewhere saying that we are lucky to live now rather than 200 years ago, which is true, but I bet that people in 2207 will think the same thing (also, how crazily futuristic does 2207 sound?! And yet it's the same distance away as 1807 is. Even 2107 sound futuristic and yet 1907 doesn't sound so old, there are people alive today who were born then!). It just makes me wonder what people in the future will think of us. Probably how horrible it is that we can die of cancer or heart disease just like how we think how horrible that people died of cholera. It is quite exciting to think that in my lifetime so many exciting things will be discovered :D 

Stuff

Nov. 20th, 2007 03:00 pm
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I've been meaning to write for a few days but I haven't managed to muster up the energy, mostly because I'm in essay hell! I'e never been one of these people that can just get it done. I hate writing essays, even though I thought that this time would be wonderfully as I started my research really early and I've found the topic quite interesting. But no, I'm still rubbish at the things and I always, *always* manage to write too few words. I'm mostly finished apart from being 150 under the word limit. Honestly, it's like pulling teeth. I dread to think what my dissertation will be like. Oh dear God.

So because of this my weekend was mostly very dull. It was interspersed with good things though. I watched a lot of stuff including 'Cars', which we'd avoided watching on account of us knowing that it wouldn't be as good as anything else Pixar had done before. However, I have to say that it wasn't that bad. The humour in it is unmistakably Pixar and it does take quite a lot of effort to make a car (with no limbs) act out emotion. Still, the story was a bit linear and it was still all about cars, but hey, it wasn't awful, better than some animated films of the last few years.

We also watched Acorn Antiques which is brilliantly funny. Julia Walters character's from RADA and yet is so awful! Makes me giggle just thinking about it.

I managed to set my Wi-Fi on my DS up! Hooray! I can't believe that I do it sooner. And it's great! I can now play Tetris with some random Japanese person if I like. Wonderful. Anyone for a game? I'm als ogetting dangerously close to the end of Phoenix Wright. What will I do when I finish it?!

I have just spent the afternoon holding discussion groups with students with Liz. It was fascinating! My job is quite cut off from the students, which is what I miss about not working at the library anymore, and as a result I never really get to talk to them. So it was great to ask them about the College and find out what was good as bad, especially with all of my insider knowledge. I can't wait to do another one. I quite like my job I guess. It can sometimes feel like a constant uphill struggle really but it is interesting working on changes that will make College life better. The audits I can live without though. We have our biggest audit since OfSTEAD next week, this time it's HE. The fear! 



 

magictreehouse: (Default)
Well, first things first, I'd better update as I didn't get chance yesterday. There don't seem to be a lot of people online at the moment and as a result I'm feeling a little cut off from everybody. 

Anyway, the weekend. On Saturday we headed off to Leeds. We had time for a little shop, although I didn't buy anything, and then time for dinner before heading off to the Grand Theatre (again), this time to watch The History Boys. We were a little taken aback by how old the crowd were at first, so many biddies and so many groups too! Anyway, the play itself was absolutely brilliant. I have to say that it's one of the best plays I've seen. I didn't know much about it beforehand and I hadn't seen the film so it was a nice surprise. I really liked the video clips we got in between scenes which averted your gaze away from the scene changing in from of you as well as the little songs that were occassionally sung. It was also brilliantly acted which helped to really suck you as well as being hilariously funny. 

Funnily enough, my line manager at work went to the evening performance and had exactly the same things to say about it. David thought it raised a lot of interesting ideas about teaching, but then, he is one himself and thinking about it, I suppose it did, especially as I agree that 'education is the enemy of education'. For me though, the main thing I liked about it was the way that, as an adult audience member I could really empathise with both sides, the kids and also the teachers and I think that's what helped to suck me in the most. James took issue with the moral dubiousness of it all which I had no issue with! Ha! 'I'm small, I'm Jewish, I'm homosexual and I'm from Sheffield. I'm fucked!' Hehe.

Sunday was equally busy as James' parents took us to see his Grandma in Driffield as it's her 85th birthday this week. It's a two hour journey there and I've found out that I can't play DS in the car as it makes me feel ill :( Boring! I hate car journeys! However, we had a nice day. It was a lot less stressful this time around as last time I was there it was the Christening. This time however, it was more relaxed. We went for dinner at a really nice carvery, and I had a massive Sunday dinner. I had Yorkshire puddings for starter too which I think is fairly hardcore. For dessert I ended up with a lemon brulee which I thought was going to be hot but was actually cold. It was really nice though, even though I've never had one before. They also played 'Stars'by Dubstar in the pub! Always a pleasure! 

After dinner we headed off to James cousin's for a cup of tea. Sally and Gill were both there along with accompanying young children. I'm usually a bit awkward around kids but I was a proper hit with Holly, the two year old, however, I was just hit proper by Jack the horror. I think he might be three. Either way, cousin Rand clearly has a way with children (not to be confused with having his way with children, I'm not Michael Jackson). 

I also must mention the vicious rumour that seems to have got around about our supposed moving to Leeds which I don't understand because it's never been an issue. Discussions arose about it and not once did the point about me not liking Leeds as a place to live occur. Yes, we could probably save money moving now that James has a job in Leeds but I still don't like the place!  

By the time we got back it was late and dark due the clocks being put back so we didn't really do much. And then, last night James was writing an essay for his OU course so I went upstairs and read for bit, listening to Soulwax remixes, before Dragon's Den. Oh, I gave my Mum a ring on Saturday night and she has managed to acquire her two DS machines as a prize from work (she's been waiting for them for weeks) and so I'm trying to persuade James to buy one off her. I want someone to play DS with! I have just started Pokemon after having my train journeys sucked away by The Settlers. Gotta catch 'em all! I really need to get the wireless thing sorted out so I can trade online. Oh yes!   

I really can't be arsed with work. Although there's only another day to go before I'm at Uni on Thursday and then I'm helping with Graduation on Friday! Odd.   

Objection!

Oct. 26th, 2007 11:08 am
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Me and Sarah have just been saying how wonderful it would be if a musical started happening spontaneously in the office. A bit like the Buffy musical I guess. 'I'm fiiiiling paaaper' etc. It'd really perk our Friday up. We actually thought it was going to happen too as some loud big band music started up in the office next door. The joy of working at a music college.

On Wednesday night we went to see 'Ratatouille' at the cinema and it was brilliant. I never saw 'Cars' at the cinema so it's the first Pixar film I've seen since 'The Incredibles' three years ago and it's every bit as good. The funny thing is that it was the first Pixar film where I've though that it felt like a proper film rather than a cartoon. There's a lot more depth to it and it's not just an endless array of jokes. I know it's easy to be impressed with up-to-date computer graphics but it was absolutely stunning, and the music terrific. It was such a great film overall and I'm so glad that Pixar have still got it :D

Uni yesterday was very tiring for some reason. I'm still quite cynical about the whole thing really. A lot of the material just seems to be convoluted for the sake of it. Again, I say necessary evil. However, after getting some books out of the library (and after wandering around like a fool trying to find the self-service machines) I'm feeling better about the whole thing. One thing I must say is, I have to get a bus up to Uni and before I started my course I hadn't been on a bus for a while so part of me thought I'd been a little bit harsh with my hatred of bus drivers. However, after yesterday I've decided that actually, no I was spot on. When I'm paying £3.50 of my money to go two 15 minute trips the very least I deserve is a smile of some pleasantry. Instead I get a grunt, and that's if I'm lucky. I used to think that courtesy is contagious but to be honest, why waste your energy if it's pointless. The buses in Leeds also have doors in the middle to let you off and I thought it was weird that I never got to thank the driver when I hopped off. But actually, I wouldn't tip a waiter for poor service so why should I thank a bus driver who's horrid to me?

Sorry, I don't know what came over me there. But, hey, there's nothing wrong with appreciating good service. Anyway, what other news is there? Oh yes, my DS. Mmm. I've been geting a few more games through but they've all been overshadowed by Phoenix Wright. Now for some reason I've got a bit confused and got the second one instead of the first although it doesn't seem to matter. But anyway, I'm totally addicted to it. I've become obsessed with the cases I'm trying to win and Phoenix, in all his pointing and desk banging glory, is quite the fox I must say. Have you ever fancied a fictional character?

*EDIT* - I forgot to mention this before, but lately, my DS, Ratatouille and just reading about the topic has got me thinking about computers and art. I mean, computer games are still slightly stereotyped in their view but there is no escaping the fact that some things done on computers are beautiful. I mean, I was playing Broken Sword which is 11 years old now and there are just some scenes in it that are just lovely to look at It's the same for things like FMV in the Final Fantasy games or even the way the cars look in Burnout. I mean, computer game makers employ graphic artists for a reason, and I think that it's an underated medium. I mean, of course it can be overused and Photoshoping something doesn't necessarily make it art but still, there is crap 'traditional' art too. I just think that it should be recognised really.          

There's not much else to update about really. This week seems to have gone really fast though. And this weekend the clocks go back :(   

Statuesque

Oct. 24th, 2007 10:33 am
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The other day I finished reading Louise Wener's book, 'Goodbye Steve McQueen' which I enjoyed a lot. It was really easy to read and funny too. It was nothing majorly highbrow or anything and it was a little too close to 'High Fidelity' but it was enjoyable all the same. Her only talents weren't just being in Sleeper were they? I wonder if she has another book. Anyway, I've gone for a different direction as I'm reading a brief history of the kings and queens of England. 'Off with his head'! etc. It's been something I've been wanting to read about for a while and I'm enjoying what I've read so far, even if I'm only up to Athlered the Unready. I love the Royal family, all inbred and full of gays.

I've been feeling pretty rubbish of late. By the end of the day I've just been feeling quite stressed out about everything. Work has been frustrating and horrid although it's calmed down now, I can't get myself into student mode so as a result I feel hopeless at getting a move on with essays (I will start one tomorrow so I'm sure I'll feel better for doing so). I even feel like a rubbish boyfriend as I'm so weighed down by other stuff that I don't feel I have the energy to house stuff. Im fine really and I know this'll pass because I don't get stressed out very easily. 

Something has been making me feel much better though - DS! I'm back into it again and have some new games. I got Tetris and Pokemon yesterday. Oh yes. I really want to set up my DS on wireless and we tried yesterday but couldn't figure out our password for Orange broadband :( so it'll have to wait until another day! Still, I'm quite happy to play on my own *cries*.   

Spooks was on last night. Hoorah! It was good too, although the plague in Britain was a little bit silly. Still, I'm glad it's back. In the hope of cheering ourselves up we also watched Graham Norton which was hilarious this week. We are so easily amused. 

I honestly don't think that there's much else to report, but then there never is when the highlight of your day is going to Morrisons and buying pastries.
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Right, welln I haven't updated for several reasons. The first being that I went ot visit my family at the weekend so on Friday I headed off to jolly Crewe. It was good to see the family again. Nearly everyone in my family has a DS so we end up having crazy tournaments on Mario Kart, and most amusingly, Brain Training. I don't think I've met anyone who can make me laugh like my family, especially Jonathan. It was a shame that the whole weekend felt a bit rushed really but I suppose it's not long until Xmas so I'll see them a lot then. I don't know why it felt like such a rush. I suppose because I was doing a lot. 

I went to see both my Grandmas. Nanna Oakes was ok considering. She still has a lot of Nanna Curzon's stuff to sort out and she said herself that she was 'up and down'. She seemed ok though. I thought that she'd only looked after Nanna Curzon for about 7 years but it's actually 10 so no wonder she's finding it difficult to re-adjust. It was good to talk to her though. We ended up talking about gay rights which was slightly bizarre. She even told me she knew I was gay before I came out - I do hate it when people say that, it's utterly embarassing. Nobody tells you how embarassing it is being a gay man sometimes.

I also went to see Nanna Connie. She's a bit fed up really but still herself. It's funny how old she looks now though, it's sad, especially because I know how much she hates being old. It doesn't help that you have to shout everything at her because she's going deaf, which causes much amusement when I'm with my Mum around her. I see a lot of myself in her though, especially the ability to laugh at most things. I'm so thankfully that an ability to laugh at life runs through my whole family, I'm so lucky that way.

Anyway, the trip wasn't as depressing as I make out really, it's just circumstances that made it a bit melancholy. On Saturday night me and my Mum went to the theatre. I hadn't been to the Crewe Lyceum for many many years so it was good to finally go. It was a weird experience. Crewe theatre goers are as you expect really, but hey, we were second row so I can't complain too much. We went to see 'The Business of Murder' which only had three characters in and one of them was played by Todd Carthy. But don't let you put you off. I enjoyed it actually. It was a dark clever plot and the other two characters were good in it. Todd Carthy played himself. I'm not sure my Mum was as keen on this one as some of the others she'd seen.

Hmm, what else. Oh yes, my Mum had been to convention thing for Boots types and she came back with a suitcase full of freebies. It's great. I haven't paid for smelly stuff for years! She said that the convention was amazing and she showed me a picture of her, Doreen and a gay man behind bars with some policemen/stripper types. Honestly, you can't take her anywhere. My Dad and sister went footballing on Saturday and my sister actually won a game. Wonders will never cease.

On Sunday I left at 4 and planned to back by half 7 but because the trains were so shit I actually got home at 9.30pm. That's five and a half hours folks. Now I don't maon about the trains as much as I did because I don't do the Crewe-Skipton route so often now but I think it's awful how we all take the shitness of our trains lying down. It's fucking disgraceful.

In other news, I am ill. I fell a bit silly because it basically boils down to it being a cold but it's not your average one. I had a crappy night's sleep on Sunday night because the cold hadn't fully come out yet so I felt rough and had ear ache too. Now my sinuses hurt and I'm all snotty. Lovely. The idea of getting on a train this morning made me want ot die. Liz says that lots of people are off with it though, including Eleanor, so I'm not being a wuss!    

I have spent the day productively finishing the fourth Broken Sword game and listening the the new Roisin Murphy album, very good it is too. I heard Kylie's new song '2 Hearts' last night too for the first time. It's so odd, especially witht the video. It's all a blatant Goldfrapp rip-off though. Speaking of which, they've finished their new album and apparently it's very different to Supernature. I wonder how.

James was making obscene gestures at Deborah Meaden during Dragons' Den last night. That's the last thing I need when I'm ill isn't it? Where is he anyway? He's meant to be coming home from work for dinner. Oh! I forgot to say! The man has got a new job and I'm really pleased for him. He's working for a legal place in Leeds so we'll both be communters now. I'm especially pleased for him because I know how sick he is of his current workplace and this new job sounds like an excellent opportunity.   

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The other day I was working from work to the train station with Bex and we were talking how weird it is that where we work is the scummy area of Leeds but 10 minutes away, at the station it's all really nice. Just as we were discussing this we saw some chav swapping his gold chain bling thing for what I assume was drugs in the middle of the street, in plain daylight. I love where I work. So much so that I've order a prospectus for librarian qualification. I'm a little confused about it. It seems that you can either do a diploma, PG certificate or MSc. I don't really know how to go about it if I did it part time. Do I get a placement or what? I shall find out.

Talking about work, we've had the OfSTED dates announced for our College which is a big thing for my job (the 'Quality' bit) as I'll be helping to orchestrate it. I've already had to organise two emergency meetings on account it now being Easter vacation and a lot of key staff are off in the next few weeks. Bloody great. Oh, I haven't said the dates have I? Well, it's the week of my sodding birthday! w/c 30th April so hooray for that! Hopefully though, I'll be able to have the bank holiday week off to go to London to see Avenue Q and do the V&A properly with the bonus of Kylie's pants. Huzzah! Due to general rushing aroundness due to OfSTED I've been a liitle off my games. On the paper of the last OfSTED taskforce (to which I'm secretary) I had the header as 'EEDS COLLEGE OF MUSIC' and that we were meeting at 11.30pm, ie. at night! No matter for I am going to Crewe tonight until Saturday for a little break. I haven't been back since I moved out so I'm looking forward to it really.

Things at the theatre are going better. They clearly got the hint about me not turning up on Friday and last night I got given a script of Blithe Spirit with a few light and sound directions :D I'm going to try and find a decent cover of 'Always' (I assume it's by Noel Coward?) to make myself indispensible and hopefully I'll be able to really get my teeth into it soon.

I can't wait to play DS on my days off. How sad is that?! If you'd just got Theme Park then you'd be the same though ;)

This is brilliant! You have to look through the pictures. Beards!:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3233833.stm
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Tuesday evening involved a phone call to the Feefmeister which was lovely and made me smile a lot :D It was ace to catch up on her soap opera life! Although she did call both me and James geeks for having too many books to house. Like that’s a bad thing! :p

 

Last night was the volunteering thing. Thankfully there weren’t many people there, it’s not far into the rehearsals into the next play they’re doing (Noel Coward. Hoorah!) so there were only the main characters and the director there, totalling five. They’re all really nice though and thankfully different ages, so younger, some older. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing yet though although there’s some discussion about me helping out with props which I think will be exciting! Main prop lady will be at the Friday rehearsal so I’m going along then to meet her. It’s called Skipton Little Theatre for a reason though, it’s tiny! It must only hold about 50 people tops, although it’s all laid out like a proper old theatre, it’s so cute! They manage to pack an impressive amount of costumes and props in there too. The prop store at the back is particularly good because it looks like a jumble sale stacked really high! But yes, I really think I’ll enjoy it the more I get involved. I might end up on stage yet. Me in Noel Coward would be ace! Although I might wait a while before I even attempt to act :s

Speaking of theatre-type stuff, I've been planning some events to go to which makes me very happy because I'll have things to look forward too. I'm seeing The Tempest at the West Yorkshire Playhouse next month as well as (hopefully), the Producers with Peter Kay in it and then later in the year Ross Noble's doing gigs! Can't wait for that one! And then there's the Pipettes in a few weeks too. It's been far too long since I went to a gig. Tickety things are fun!

 

I’ve been buying far too many DS games of late. I must stop the obsession! But I’ve got some right bargains, and one game’s got dinosaurs in so I win! Lucy – I got Pokemon Link! Even though mine’s called Pokemon Trozei (?). I bet I can catch them all before you…  

 

I’m eager to do some cooking this weekend, it’s been a while. I really want to make a proper Sunday roast. I saw some chickens in Morissons the other day and I got quite eager, so maybe I’ll do that! I’ve never done one before J 

Oh my God, in a bit I'm being let loose on the student database to help the Admissions team! What this actually means is hunting through the records looking for incriminating evidence and/or funny names. Lala and Lambrini will be first on my list. Oh how I've missed this! 

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