So two months have slipped by with nary a post. It would be fair to say I've been reasonably busy, but it's also fair to say that I mostly just fail at blogging, mainly because I still have this ongoing difficulty believing that many people would actually be that interested in what I have to say.
This extends even to face-to-face social time to the extent that when people ask me how I've been I struggle to think of an appropriate reply. Do I simply lie and say everything's great for their benefit? Or do I burden them with my ongoing extistential angst and ruin their day?
It's not that life is particularly bad - for most part I should be grateful for my job, my family and friends and my quality of life. In fact compared to the terrible things that have happened to people recently in other parts of the world (e.g. Japan, the American mid-West) I should be ashamed of feeling remotely blue.
I suspect that this may be a sign of some sort of impending mid-life crisis. For nearly ten years now I have been coasting along, consistently hating my job, constantly procrastinating, and filling the majority of my spare time with fun but non-constructive escapist activities.
It's starting to sink in that my career isn't going anywhere and it's not what I really wanted to do with life anyway. But I feel trapped by mortgage payments and bills etc. and feel obliged to just keep treading water. And the genetic imperative is somehow starting to matter more, but with no romantic prospects on the horizon this also feels like a dead end.
*sighs*
On a brighter note, being busy has helped me dodge thinking about all this too much. I've been to the cinema a fair bit and joined in on a few birthday celebrations. I went to see an old uni friend up in Leeds and we went to the National Mining Centre and Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which was fun. I attended a special preview screening of The Extraorindary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec at the BFI which the director Luc Besson himself attended and did a Q&A. I went to a games convention in Burton-on-Trent and caught up with ex-SGUK member fpkk. I went with my folks to see the restored art-deco wonders of Eltham Palace.
Perhaps the biggest personal news of note is that I'm also help run a web site devoted to fantasy and historical wargaming and our group volunteered to run three participation game tables at the biggest show of the year - Salute 2011at the Excel Centre. One of our guys bailed on a table at the last minute so I built a replacement game from scratch based on the light cycle races in Tron Legacy.
Not only did the game go really well, but I actually won an award from the show's organisers for 'The Most Innovative Game of the Show'
Moving on to some film reviews:
- Thor is the latest film from Marvel Studios and the next step in the roadmap which is taking audiences worldwide towards the Avengers blockbuster shceduled to be released next year. Chris Helmsworth takes on the titular role with gusto, protraying great arrogance as a god, and great humilty and humour when thrust amongst regular humanity. The rest of the casting is strong, and special mention should be made of Tom Middleton's role as Loki, Thor's brother and rival. Natalie Portman is cute, and sells her romance with hunky Thor, although she is difficult to buy as a serious and accomplished astrophysicist. The film also features several cameos from other Marvel characters, and includes the obligatory post-credit Avengers teaser scene. I was worried about the tone of the film, but director Kenneth Branagh handled things just right. The only surprise was just how much humour had been crammed into the script. Overall a great action film that does justice to the material - I'd say this might be best action film of the year but we still have Captain America and Cowboys and Aliens to come...
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sees the return of Jonny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, this time on the hunt for the fabled Fountain of Youth. He finds himself caught in the midst of rivalry between Blackbeard (played by Ian McShane), Barbossa (played by Geoffrey Rush) and the forces of the Spanish Crown. He reunites with old flame Angelica (played by Penelope Cruz) but is not sure that he can trust her. The costumes, effects and action set pieces are dramatic, impressive and in line with what audiences have come to expect from the franchise. However, in place of the young lovers Will and Elizabeth we have a young priest and a mermaid. The plot isn't particularly convoluted although there are a number of moments where you wonder why things are happening. There are some fun moments, but the film could have benefited from a larger injection of wit - the lightness of touch evident in the first film of the series continues to be absent here. Entertaining enough, but nowhere near as fun as Thor was...
As a final note and a treat to those of you who are still reading it's my birthday next week. Wallflower that I am, I'm not inclined to make a song and dance about it here, but I am gathering people for drinks at the Mayflower pub in Bermondsey next Friday 3rd June and any/all of you would be more than welcome to come and join me
This extends even to face-to-face social time to the extent that when people ask me how I've been I struggle to think of an appropriate reply. Do I simply lie and say everything's great for their benefit? Or do I burden them with my ongoing extistential angst and ruin their day?
It's not that life is particularly bad - for most part I should be grateful for my job, my family and friends and my quality of life. In fact compared to the terrible things that have happened to people recently in other parts of the world (e.g. Japan, the American mid-West) I should be ashamed of feeling remotely blue.
I suspect that this may be a sign of some sort of impending mid-life crisis. For nearly ten years now I have been coasting along, consistently hating my job, constantly procrastinating, and filling the majority of my spare time with fun but non-constructive escapist activities.
It's starting to sink in that my career isn't going anywhere and it's not what I really wanted to do with life anyway. But I feel trapped by mortgage payments and bills etc. and feel obliged to just keep treading water. And the genetic imperative is somehow starting to matter more, but with no romantic prospects on the horizon this also feels like a dead end.
*sighs*
On a brighter note, being busy has helped me dodge thinking about all this too much. I've been to the cinema a fair bit and joined in on a few birthday celebrations. I went to see an old uni friend up in Leeds and we went to the National Mining Centre and Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which was fun. I attended a special preview screening of The Extraorindary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec at the BFI which the director Luc Besson himself attended and did a Q&A. I went to a games convention in Burton-on-Trent and caught up with ex-SGUK member fpkk. I went with my folks to see the restored art-deco wonders of Eltham Palace.
Perhaps the biggest personal news of note is that I'm also help run a web site devoted to fantasy and historical wargaming and our group volunteered to run three participation game tables at the biggest show of the year - Salute 2011at the Excel Centre. One of our guys bailed on a table at the last minute so I built a replacement game from scratch based on the light cycle races in Tron Legacy.
Not only did the game go really well, but I actually won an award from the show's organisers for 'The Most Innovative Game of the Show'
Moving on to some film reviews:
- Thor is the latest film from Marvel Studios and the next step in the roadmap which is taking audiences worldwide towards the Avengers blockbuster shceduled to be released next year. Chris Helmsworth takes on the titular role with gusto, protraying great arrogance as a god, and great humilty and humour when thrust amongst regular humanity. The rest of the casting is strong, and special mention should be made of Tom Middleton's role as Loki, Thor's brother and rival. Natalie Portman is cute, and sells her romance with hunky Thor, although she is difficult to buy as a serious and accomplished astrophysicist. The film also features several cameos from other Marvel characters, and includes the obligatory post-credit Avengers teaser scene. I was worried about the tone of the film, but director Kenneth Branagh handled things just right. The only surprise was just how much humour had been crammed into the script. Overall a great action film that does justice to the material - I'd say this might be best action film of the year but we still have Captain America and Cowboys and Aliens to come...
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sees the return of Jonny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, this time on the hunt for the fabled Fountain of Youth. He finds himself caught in the midst of rivalry between Blackbeard (played by Ian McShane), Barbossa (played by Geoffrey Rush) and the forces of the Spanish Crown. He reunites with old flame Angelica (played by Penelope Cruz) but is not sure that he can trust her. The costumes, effects and action set pieces are dramatic, impressive and in line with what audiences have come to expect from the franchise. However, in place of the young lovers Will and Elizabeth we have a young priest and a mermaid. The plot isn't particularly convoluted although there are a number of moments where you wonder why things are happening. There are some fun moments, but the film could have benefited from a larger injection of wit - the lightness of touch evident in the first film of the series continues to be absent here. Entertaining enough, but nowhere near as fun as Thor was...
As a final note and a treat to those of you who are still reading it's my birthday next week. Wallflower that I am, I'm not inclined to make a song and dance about it here, but I am gathering people for drinks at the Mayflower pub in Bermondsey next Friday 3rd June and any/all of you would be more than welcome to come and join me
VIEW 8 of 8 COMMENTS
elliott:
Yes! Six Feet is my favourite show of all time. Thanks for the reccommendation on Northern Exposure! I'm gonna have to check it out!! xx
feyne:
Sorry for skipping England 
, still, I miss it so much, but sometimes I'm seriously afraid of going to England again as I fear I may not be able to leave it once again. And to stay there forever. Really. :- )
, still, I miss it so much, but sometimes I'm seriously afraid of going to England again as I fear I may not be able to leave it once again. And to stay there forever. Really. :- )