Sorry it's been so long, I missed you all. I have a week's worth of posts to catch up on, so this'll be another long one...
So, on my travels, I spent a quiet, withdrawn weekend with my friend PCH, which was spent mostly drinking and watching TV, including the ideologically repellent Swordfish and the ideologically admirable Three Kings. We also spent an evening at Crayford dog track betting on greyhounds. I lost around 20, PC around 75 (anybody good on currency conversions?).
Then, a pleasant few days with my parents, including a trip to Scarborough's grand old seafront cinema to see the new Harry Potter film, about which I have nothing to say. I have been going to see these films out of a vague sense of duty, having read the books, but find it difficult to identify much of a reaction. It's often the case with literary adaptations that one's response can't get beyond the plaintive and predictable observation that the film isn't as good as the novel. Having taught literature and film adaptation this year, I've realised that it takes considerable time and energy to do justice to the difference between these two media, even as a consumer, let alone as a producer...
Back home, Friday night saw 4 pints in 3 pubs with HD and J and I smoked my second cigarette in as many months. My resolve is beginning to weaken with regard to all these vices. I'm thinking, did all these addictions really make me such a bad person? And yes, is the answer, yes, yes they did.
'My evil twin would lie and steal
And he would stink of sex appeal
All men would writhe
Beneath his scythe
He'd send the pretty ones to me
And they would think that I was he
I'd hurt them, and I'd go scot-free
I'd get no blame and feel no shame
Cause evil's not my cup of tea'
- The Magnetic Fields, 'I Wish I had an Evil Twin'
Saturday night: fusion cuisine (sweet potato, apricot and almond Thai curry, ooh baby come on!) with Atsuko and we discuss HD's depression and ancient family history. She's so great, I like her more and more. Tomorrow she's off to Brussels to interpret for some EU summit, too cool for school. After the meal, we go for a gin sling in the cocktail bar and she tells me again how it was a revelation when I nominated Nicole Kidman as my favourite actress. Apparently this 'says something about me', like if I were an actress I'd be Nicole Kidman.
So what about you, if you were an actress (actor) who would you be?
Today, I went to see Bus 174, another film about the intractable vicious circle of crime and punishment in Brazil, a nation in freefall...
I'm back, y'all.
So, on my travels, I spent a quiet, withdrawn weekend with my friend PCH, which was spent mostly drinking and watching TV, including the ideologically repellent Swordfish and the ideologically admirable Three Kings. We also spent an evening at Crayford dog track betting on greyhounds. I lost around 20, PC around 75 (anybody good on currency conversions?).
Then, a pleasant few days with my parents, including a trip to Scarborough's grand old seafront cinema to see the new Harry Potter film, about which I have nothing to say. I have been going to see these films out of a vague sense of duty, having read the books, but find it difficult to identify much of a reaction. It's often the case with literary adaptations that one's response can't get beyond the plaintive and predictable observation that the film isn't as good as the novel. Having taught literature and film adaptation this year, I've realised that it takes considerable time and energy to do justice to the difference between these two media, even as a consumer, let alone as a producer...
Back home, Friday night saw 4 pints in 3 pubs with HD and J and I smoked my second cigarette in as many months. My resolve is beginning to weaken with regard to all these vices. I'm thinking, did all these addictions really make me such a bad person? And yes, is the answer, yes, yes they did.
'My evil twin would lie and steal
And he would stink of sex appeal
All men would writhe
Beneath his scythe
He'd send the pretty ones to me
And they would think that I was he
I'd hurt them, and I'd go scot-free
I'd get no blame and feel no shame
Cause evil's not my cup of tea'
- The Magnetic Fields, 'I Wish I had an Evil Twin'
Saturday night: fusion cuisine (sweet potato, apricot and almond Thai curry, ooh baby come on!) with Atsuko and we discuss HD's depression and ancient family history. She's so great, I like her more and more. Tomorrow she's off to Brussels to interpret for some EU summit, too cool for school. After the meal, we go for a gin sling in the cocktail bar and she tells me again how it was a revelation when I nominated Nicole Kidman as my favourite actress. Apparently this 'says something about me', like if I were an actress I'd be Nicole Kidman.
So what about you, if you were an actress (actor) who would you be?
Today, I went to see Bus 174, another film about the intractable vicious circle of crime and punishment in Brazil, a nation in freefall...
I'm back, y'all.
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What actor/actress would I be? Sarah Polley.
I "Heart" The Magnetic Fields,
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