Neil's Slightly Random Wiblog

…it is lovely being back at the bookshop, even more so because now each and every PC on the shop floor is connected to the internet, and distraction abounds on every screen.

For instance this morning I have been following qualifying for the Grand prix tomorrow, have been reading how Toilet breaks are disrupting a world class chess match, deciding if I should see Luke Haines, The Sunshine Underground, Jamie T or all three at the Cavern in the next few months, and being rather interested in this Poker odds calculator.

Oh, and I am serving the odd (and I mean odd) customer too.

…inspired by my Classics class this week, and as a good exercise before next weeks class I have created some Homeric Similes.

Then the rain drew near to Exeter, as from some spring whose crystal stream falls over the ledges of a high precipice.

The phone in the call centre kept ringing like an army knocking on the gates of a city under siege, its residents whinging and moaning about the lack of food or money.

Perhaps poetry is not my thing.

…life is moving so fast at the moment, I have hardly had time to mention that I have now started back at the SPCK Bookshop, no time to get any pictures of the new car up, no time to mention the excellent film Volver we saw last week, or the fact my A-level has started and the people are lovely, or any time to mention my 3 a week Subway sandwich habit which is spiralling out of control…

What happens when you get a bunh of strangers from Cardiff, Bristol and Exeter together in one venue. Carnage? No, this…

Ah, lovely cuppa! Some of the shippies in ASK, in Bristol.

Still pondering the the cup.

Click to enlarge!

Good time was had by all, I had a folded Pizza that looked like a pasty, and the Matiz got its first outing on the motorway.

…yet again here is the tracklisting from todays show, apparently you can listen to the station online now, should you be that way inclined.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – By the Way
Jem – They
Kooks – Niave
Martha Wainright – Factory
KT Tunstall – Another Place to Fall
Trimorphus (Exeter) – Gloomfruit
The Killers – When you were Young
Go! Team – Ladyflash
The Climb (Exeter) – Colourful Thoughts
Anne McCue – I want you back
The Automatic – Monster
Show of Hands (East Devon) – Country Life
Paolo Nutini – These Streets
Drawn on Empty Faces (Exeter) – Red Light
Muse – Starlight
Aqualung – Strange and Beautiful
Babyshambles – The 32nd oF December
The Vacuums (Exmouth) – British Hooligans
The Pipettes – Your Kisses are Wasted on me
Magic Numbers – Forever Lost
the Matt Long band (Exeter) – Switch Back Ride
The Zutons – Valerie
Trimorphus (Exeter) – A special Someone
Jamie T – Sheila
Show of Hands (Devon) – Smile she said
Cornershop – Brimful of Asha

…Here are some photos looking over the estuary from Exmouth on Sunday afternoon.

Weird to think I used to live there! And here is a picture about 7am one morning of airplane trails over exeter City Football Club.

…Watched a Manga film called Ghost in the Shell last night. Much as i enjoyed it it confirmed the fact I am not much into things set in the future, it reminded me a lot of A Scanner Darkly, in fact some of the themes overlapped and a in fact couple lines of dialogue were very similar! I loved the way it looked, and really really loved the music though, have been searching the net today to try and find a copy of the soundtrack at a reasonable price (most are Japanese imports at well over £20).

Why are film soundtracks so expensive, and seem to always hold their price? Very frustrating when most other CDs cost between £6-£10 nowadays.

Also recently watched Taxi, Chopper, and HurlyBurly (Thanks Sharifa for lending me those), as well as Leon, Woody Allen’s Curse of the Jade Scorpion (Which i loved incidently) and Mystic River (Which I didn’t like so much). It may seem a lot of films, but I have just taken to watching one a night before I go to sleep.

For anyone who cares here is the tracklisting from my 12pm-2pm BayFM show today…

Guillemots – Trains to Brazil
Bruce Springstein – Devils and Dust
The Climb (Exeter) – Colourful Thoughts
Nerina Pallot – Everybodys Gone to War
Decemberists – 16 Military Wives
Lamp (Exeter) – Blind
Doves – Snowden
Charlotte Gainsbourg – Song that we Sing
Keane – Crystal Ball
Dave Matthews Band – Dreamgirl
Ruth Merry (Exeter) – Where is Love
Little Man Tate – Houseparty
Kaiser Chiefs – Na na na na naa
Skipping the Line (Exmouth) – Start a Revolution
Bic Runga – Listening for the Weather
Regina Spektor – On the Radio
Coldplay – Speed of Sound
The Climb (Exeter) – Days like These
Mistys Big Adventure – The Story of Love
Mew – the Zookeepers Boy
Scott Matthews – Elusive
Anderson (Exeter) – Chemicals and Sparks
Goldfrapp – Ride a White Horse

…saw the Ken Loach film The Wind that Shakes the Barley this evening, I think most of the cinema was in tears by the end, very emotional and not a whole bundle of laughs, but certainly worth a look.

Got my reduction in hours accepted today, a reduction to 2 longs days at the Jobcentre, and I will be taking on two or three days a week at the SPCK bookshop – It will be like old times…

Also (despite the cut in pay I will be taking) I decided to buy a car, crazy! Thanks to steve for finding a lovely small orange Matiz for me, not sure it will have the character of the Panda, but will be a lot more comfortable to drive!

…Moved some stuff from Dave and Lindis house into storage this morning. These self-storage places are bizarre, you let yourself in with a code then it feel like it is locking you in. All very sci-fi inside with white corridoors inside and what feels like a million little rooms. If you have seen the film The Cube it’s a bit like that, but without the death.

Then watched the Grand Prix, well done Micheal, lets see if he can go out in style, I have a feeling he will. Ivonne cook dinner after that, yummy!

This evening the Picturehouse showed a double bill of Laurel and Hardy films, Way out West and The Music Box. Cutting edge stuff! Really enjoyed the first film, but by the end of the second I was pretty much bored with pianos falling down stairs. They really were very funny though, and most of the humour still works even now. Favourite line:

Lola: Tell me about my dear, dear Daddy! Is it true that he’s dead?
Stan: We hope so, they buried him.