Neil's Slightly Random Wiblog

Saw The Squid and the Whale at the Picturehouse last night. Relationship breakdown at it’s funniest, a very uncomfortable humour that you were not sure if you were supposed to find funny or not. The books and the cat seem more of an issue for the couple than the children, who get treated as adults and act accordingly. Not the best film of the year, but certainly the most ambigious. Typical quote (fitting with the last film I watched)…

Walt: It’s Welles’ masterpiece, really. Many people think it’s Citizen Kane, but Magnificent Ambersons, if it hadn’t been ruined by the studio, would’ve been his crowning achievement. As it is, it’s still brilliant. It’s the old story, genius not being recognized by the industry.
Lance: It sounds great. Who’s in it?
Walt: Orson Welles? I don’t know, I haven’t seen it yet. I’ve seen stills.

…Celebrated with a friend last night on her new teaching job, and then had a nice summery salad, then later in the evening I watched Citizen Kane, which although constantly voted the best ever film I have never watched. It was fine, but it was not that great. It didn’t help that I knew then ending (thanks to a Simpsons episode and Mark Kermode) it is a sledge by the way, just to ruin it for anyone else who has not seen it.

…went to my parents and watched the Grand Prix, pub on Monday evening and last night went to see “rockgrass” group Hayseed Dixie, and although their set is much unchanged from last summer they are still great fun and very enjoyable.

The washer in the hot tap gave away and we had to turn the water to the house off, but to the agencies credit managed to get a plumber out the next day, other than that nothing new to report!

… A fairly leisurely morning then some manic digging of the garden to remove some more stubborn plants. We now have a space in the front garden to sit and look over the park and city (I will get some photos next time we have a sunny day). Three logs have been placed to sit on, we will look a bit look pixies I fear.

Ivonne and Sarah went off in the evening to play poker while I watched a film with Steve (what a topsy-turvey world we live in!). The film was fun, its English title was Once upon a Time in China, although IMBD have it listed as Wong Fei Hung, its proper name! A mixture of great bits and naff bits. Jet Li Kung Fu tricks with his umbrella was the highlight, and the great use of ladders. Things seemed to happen for no reason (“Look, a fight!” followed by random fight) but overall it was very enjoyable.

…Felt much better by the end of Friday (a bath helped a lot), only for Ivonne to ring and tell me she felt ill now, exactly the same symptoms but a day later. Some sort of 24 hour bug is going around, be warned!

In my quest to read only borrowed books this year I was lent The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom, which is absolutely complete rubbish in my opinion. Written in an overly simple way, stupid story, bizarre spiritual assumptions and an overly sentimental feel. No offence to at least two people around me who like the book, but it really is not my thing! (I will finish it though, once I start a book I almost always finish it – with the exception of Angela’s Ashes, that I could not quite find the energy to wade through).

And while on the topic of being annoyed by things, I bought the Guardian on Friday, which had a section about the Queen at Eighty. It was basically an article that, although disguising itself as being about the Queen, was in fact an article declaring “look how republican this paper is, and you reader must agree with us”. Perhaps most readers do agree with them, perhaps I agree too, but I don’t like to be told what I should think. Headlines such as “Which royal does the most for the Republican cause” and “Great Queen, shame about the monarchy” make me feel like running back to the Independent.

Better get ready to go to my parents for lunch and the Grand Prix (Go Button!)… more later…

I had a day off work to recover from the weekend, and sort out some letters and bills that needed writing and paying, and finished reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which I can’t say I enjoyed, but at least I can say Ihave read it. Watched some Will & Grace for the first time ever, and in my continueing film education also watched Some like it Hot and Hitchcocks The Birds.

Yesterday afternoon I felt really ill at work, with all my muscles aching and my temper and patience getting very short, and with an awful nights sleep I decided it was best to take the day off to recover.

…when you have had a great weekend* the bit when you go back to work is even worse than normal, I felt so relaxed and happy for the weekend, no agendas, enough to stay busy but not so much as to feel rushed. Time to enjoy the moment and also time to plan ahead (Booked Hayseed Dixie tickets for next week and decided to book to see Mark Steels stand up show at the Northcott).

I am glad it was a great weekend, but if it had been rubbish it would have been easier to come back to work!

*See Ivonnes blog for slightly more detail than I gave about the weekend!

…had a nice few days off, met up with Nick and Sarah at the Impy, read some books, stayed in bed late, played some online poker (for fake money!) lounged in the garden reading the Observer, played some real poker, ate lots, went to Old Firehouse, went for a walk on Dartmoor… not in that order and I am sure I missed lots out.

… Off work now for easter. Thanks goodness! Have no great plans, we wen’t to meet some friends last night and will be off out again tonight. Other than that the only things I have to do are feed a neighbours cats and clean the bathroom up.

I forgot to post pictures of my cycle ride last Sunday, the weather was mostly nice with just one short, but lively hailstorm!

Topsham from the Exeter Canal, looking back to Turf Locks Hotel, and the Exe estuary with Exmouth in the distance.

A jobseeker was ringing me to look for work in her local area, when I mentioned a job at PoundLand she said “Wow, I have always wanted to work at Poundland” without a trace of irony in her voice.

I will admit I laughed a little, but she went on to explain “I am not very good at maths and everything would be easy to add up”. I like the logic, but not the lack of ambition.