I ran again today, because my legs were super stiff last night when I collapsed on the couch and I thought a stretch would be good for them. It was so sunny this morning that I got too hot on my home stretch down Thorndon Quay and had to walk. Also, the zip on my bag broke and I came very close to losing my wallet. Thankfully I decided that running around the busy planted bit at the lawn was fun and I did it again, and saw my wallet on the ground.* New running bag now needed.
I ran *all* the way up Hobson St today. All of it! Plus round the lawns and a third-half of Thorndon Quay. It wasn't easy, and I think I'll do pilates tomorrow to give my body a break.
We're up to season three House now which is nice. The end of season two was very exciting so I didn't get any of my study done this week, bad bad Jenni.
I'm looking forward to moviefest tomorrow, and have encouraged a heap of people to come along and support us and the competition. Yesterday I had sign language training in the middle of the day, which meant I had lunch in town and since I'd just been paid I got another top from Glassons like the black and grey striped one I love so much, except this one is white and grey. Oh the drama!
Lots of the polka dottie stuff is cute but I just don't know about actually wearing it.
Back into town today for a stage show and Physio and I'm also totally going to nip into Unity and buy the Beatrice Letters, which Lemony Snicket has just put out in the lead up to the End, which is in stores Friday the 13th. Eeee exciting!
PoF: new top and Jenni's Angels
CO: lovely sunny day
*This is especially lucky because I don't usually take my wallet running, but I did today. Don't know why.
I ran again this morning and lo! It does get easier! I was able to run through some distince leg stiffness and stretch the muscles out. They're a bit twingey now, but the brisk walk to the train station an hour after warming down helped a lot.
I went the same route as Sunday, up Hobson and back down Thorndon Quay and I ran an awful lot of the way. Most of Hobson, all round the lawn at the blind gardens and half the pedestrian access to TQ. The second half of Thorndon Quay was mostly walking, but I climbed the stairs to get back to my apartment so I felt pretty good about myself.
Mostly I notice I don't necessarily have more energy but I don't feel tired all the time. This is a good thing.
After a couple of days break from my course readings, I've got a book I needed from fishpond, so it's right back in it. Those turning up to movie night are going to help me out on one of my tasks. Should be fun.
Last night I ran the second episode (although third session including character creation/prologue) of my Alaizabel Cray game. I worry that I am giving too many clues and then I worry that there aren't enough clues. I need to open some avenues for Svend's cop to pursue, which should be easy enough once I've nutted some more things out. I actually need to give myself some time to work on this game and sort the story out because I worry that although last night was fun and I managed to throw the PCs a curve ball or two the story isn't really happening.
Today I am all pinksey. My floofy purpley fuchsia skirt, bubblegum super stripes and pink hoody. I'm wearing white under the hoodie, but I don't know how warm I'm gonna get.
I've read three books of Outsiders which is a pretty typical superhero team-up comic which happens to include Nightwing. I really enjoyed them actually, they introduced some neat characters and the jokes were very good. It's a bit more edgy than an ordinary DC title, which is nice. I want the next one, but the library only has the ones I've read.
Marvel have been putting out 'manga' sized comics, in the nice small format. I've just found one on our shelf called Sentinal which is essentially a mecha manga about a kid in America finding an old mutant-hunting Sentinal, and converting it. Looks like fun, I think.
PoF: pinksey
CO: I am not looking forward to my lunch salad. I resent my lunch salad, I want it to be nicer.
I heard about this on the radio this morning and I'm really pleased.
My brother in law is a teacher and he wasn't allowed to touch his class *at all* previously, and had to have a serious talk about what would happen while he spotted from them during gymnastics ("If you come flying off the tramp, I'm going to catch you, but I can't be sure where my hands will go, since I'll be concentrating on catching you.")
This way, at least if a kid breaks their leg in the playground and he's on duty, he can do something about it, not wait for a female teacher to arrive.
Hopefully this will encourage more men to teach? I hope so.
PoF: danger mouse
CO: picture books
Via Matt, from the moviefest forums...
There are two sets of screenings of the finalist movies - one
starting at 10am, and the other at 1pm on Saturday the 30th in the
Illot Theatre, Wellington Town Hall, 111 Wakefield St. Interspersed
in the gaps in the programme, we'll also be running on-demand
screenings of non-finalist entries - such as "The Traitor" from the
other team at the school.
The awards ceremony starts from 4:30 pm - and lasts about 90
minutes. The format will generally be presentation of the three
category prizes one by one - interspersed with entertainment and
speakers.
We'll be at the theatre from about 8am for setup, and there is a cash
bar for refreshments and limited seating in the foyer to wait/meet
other MovieFest entrants.
A bunch of us Jenni's Angels are heading to the 1 o'clock screening and then going to the awards after. If the awards go well, there may be partying after.
My Saturday was fun, but I was very grumpy. I had a poor night's sleep on Friday because Lee hurt his back playing squash, which meant he slept on his back all night, which meant he snored and I felt guilty about poking him to stop him snoring because his back was sore.
My neck was pretty sore when I woke up, I blame stress XD
Walking in the Gardens was really nice, and c'mon, ducklings! Lunch at the Wakefield markets was unimpressive, didn't much like the curry. I did have two milkshakes though, so that's all good. Bought some more badges, because I am an obsessive.
The dessert party was completely delicious, I especially enjoyed chocolate fondue with marshmallows and kiwifruit, chocolate and hazlenut won tons and the weeny sponge cakes with jam. Mmmm weeny sponge cake...
Sunday was very boring after the run. I spent all afternoon on the couch either studying or distracting myself from studying. I looked at the progress I'd made mid-afternoon and asked for an extension. I have got an extension, so that takes a lot of the pressure off, phew. I wrote reviews of boards books! I love this course, even if it does seem like a lot of work.
Watched some more House in the evening and we're nearly done with season two. I really like it.
Running in the morning seems to give me more energy post dinner. On Thursday I did all the dishes at about 9.15 (when I am usually immovable from the couch) and last night it was laundry and boiling an egg for my lunch today. Ker-azy. I also put the clean duvet into the clean duvet cover and put it on the bed. Clean duvet smells good.
I am super-organised and have bought a bunch of christmas presents already. I also have a few October birthdays sorted, just have to find a few more things. Marvel at my new organised self!
PoF: mismatched but cuddly warm
CO: socks
There are ducklings at the botanic gardens right now. Two families of the cutest wee fluffy duckies you ever saw.
Today I went for another run. I was determined to run a little longer, so my route was: up Hobson St, round the lawn by the blind gardens, then down to Thorndon Quay with a nice long stretch to home. I started out slowly, because I was getting a bit of chest pain before I even started; seems like my asthma had a head start on me.
So, I walked a little more up Hobson that I normally do, and took a stretching and Ventolin break at the blind gardens. After enjoying taking some entire lungfuls of air, I jogged right around the lawns and then up the path to the pedestrian access to Thorndon Quay. I walked down half of that and then started jogging again and kept it up until I reached Resene. After Resene I walked to Wellington Beds and then jogged until I just had to stop and walk again.
I was so out of breath when I got home, Lee asked if I was alright. I can't really tell if I'm getting much better. I certainly ran a lot more than I was able to last Sunday, but since Thursday? Well, the wind's been bad both days and I've taken about the same amount of time (15-20 mins, not long) on each outing. I'lljust have to keep it up and hope I can improve measurably!
My legs are now slowly seizing up. I am working on my course work, but there's quite a lot to do. I may have to ask for an extension.
The film Jenni's Angels made for Moviefest With Mighty Power made it into the National finals (as I'm sure you know). Please do come along to one of the screenings. I think they'll be running all day with the finals in the afternoon...here's the details:
The screenings for the national final will be commence at 10:00am in the Ilott Theatre in Wellington’s Town Hall on Saturday 30th September. This will be followed at 4:30pm by a ninety minute Awards Ceremony during which the prizes will be awarded to the winners, intermingled with an entertainment programme. Admission to the screenings and Awards Ceremony will be by a gold coin donation.
So you'll get to see three films from each region (uh, our one is from the Christchurch region?) and they're the best of the best so it should be pretty entertaining. The regionals took less than an hour and were fun to attend.
Plus, you get to see me look like an idiot in lots of different outfits *and* I fly!
eheh.
PoF: inklined pirate
CO: moviefest
I promised myself I would run this morning, unless it was raining. Well, it wasn't raining so I went for a run. The huge gales of wind made it a lot harder than it should have been, and I should also have taken some water with me, as my throat dried out very fast.
I went a different route today! Ok, so usually, I start at my building (duh) and run up Hobson St to the blind gardens, run around on the grass there and then head back the same way.
Today was a huge departure because I ran from my building and then took a left up past Wellington Girls! I ran up that street past the supermarket and Thorndon pool and inhaled an awful lot of commuter C02. At the American embassy I turned right and took my ordinary route home. The new route was a lot harder, because the road is ever so slightly inclined and apparently running uphill even that small amount is really, really hard. It made the home stretch rather nice though, because it's flat.
Now, I'm really keen to run again on the weekend and have it be heaps easier and fun. Fingers crossed anyway.
Other news? Snickerdoodles cooked on the bottom of the oven melt into one enormous Mega-Doodle. Still tasted good. I have a lot of dishes to do when I get home, but I'm feeling pretty good for the excercise so if I don't fall asleep in my lunch hour it should be fine. I may have fish'n'chips for lunch again...because I am that evil.
PoF: inklined and skirt
CO: running? Really?
Just a few minutes back a customer came in and told my workmate that she'd seen a boy throwing books out of the side window of the library (down the back) and that he was going around to pick them up. He'd just left the library and was on his way to collect. My workmate had to stay at the desk, so I rushed outside to apprehend the lad, thinking to myself "what will I say?" and "it'll be too late, he'll have run."
Well, I wasn't wearing my glasses, but when I saw a boy with a backpack in his hand come round from the side of the library (a patch of land which is pretty much bog) I knew I'd found him. I gave him a "look" and he slowed down. (He was heading towards me, and the street. That was his first mistake.)
"Hey." I said. "Have you got some library books?" Smooth. He shook his head.
"Can I look in you bag?" I asked, although it wasn't really a question. I put out my hand. He nodded and passed me the bag. I opened it up, thinking all the while that I'd just apprehended an innocent waif. He mumbled something about "I was just getting some movies for my brother".
I opened the bag and at the top were three DVDs. One was the Transporter, one was Mandy Moore in Saved! and the third? Family Guy Season two. All three still had their red security tags in and there wasn't an issue slip in sight.
"These haven't been issued." I said. "I'm going to take them back into the library now." The kid nodded. I noticed another workmate had come up behind me, she had my back and I realised I should try and put some scaring into this kid. I figured he wouldn't give me a real name if I asked so I looked him straight in the eye and said. "If you try this again, I'll call the cops."
Then I walked away, DVDs in hand. My workmate agreed that getting his name would be difficult, so we let him go. Hopefully getting caught will put him off trying again. (He was about 11 or twelve I think.)
When I came back into the library, the customers and the workmate left at the desk were astounded. "Three DVDs" I said. Not even kid's ones.
PoF: I *jandles* Raro
CO: Fighting Crime.
I went for another run this morning. This one was more like an actual run and not a stumble and suffocate like Sunday. I ran the same circuit as always (apparently I fear change) and there was quite a lot of running and not too much suffocating and I'm feeling pretty good about the world this morning.
Watched some more season TWO House last night and man, I love Wilson. Robert Sean Leonard is just so very adorable. One does wonder how he puts up with House's behaviour though.
I love spring. The early sunshine, the late light, the slowly thawing Jenni, the pretty blossoms all over the suburbs. I hope it doesn't rain this afternoon like they said it would, that would make me a sad catching the train panda.
PoF: black M43s
CO: food
Willingham, Bill (April 25th, 2003). Fables: Legends in Exile, Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton (Illustrators). ISBN 1-84023-614-0. Collects issues 1 to 5. Includes the new prose story A Wolf in the Fold.
Willingham, Bill (August 2003). Fables: Animal Farm. ISBN 1-4012-0077-X. Collects issues 6 to 10.
Willingham, Bill (May 2004). Fables: Storybook Love. ISBN 1-4012-0256-X. Collects issues 11 to 18.
Willingham, Bill (November 30th, 2004). Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha (Illustrators). ISBN 1-4012-0222-5. Collects issues 19 to 21, 23 to 27 and The Last Castle one-shot.
Willingham, Bill (April 30th, 2005). Fables: The Mean Seasons, Mark Buckingham (Illustrator). ISBN 1-4012-0486-4. Collects issues 22 and 28 to 33.
Willingham, Bill; Mark Buckingham (January 27th, 2006). Fables: Homelands, David Hahn (Illustrator). ISBN 1-84576-124-3. Collects issues 34 to 41.
Willingham, Bill; Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha (July 5th, 2006). Fables: Arabian Nights (and Days). ISBN 1-84576-278-9. Collects issues 42 to 47
Willingham, Bill (scheduled for December 6th, 2006). Fables: Wolves. ISBN 1-4012-1001-5. Collects issues 48 to 51 and includes maps of both Fabletown and the Homelands.
I really loved Lady in the Water. It's a bit of a departure for my darling M. Night, it isn't a "twist" movie but rather just a story, told stylistically and with a lot of self-awareness. I suspect those people who think that Sixth Sense is his only good film won't enjoy it so much, but I love him and I love his work and this is just my kind of story. Fairy tale, ordinary people, something strange...plus Bryce Dallas Howard is gorgeous.
Anyway, this entry is onstensibly about the book I am loving right now which is called Julie and Julia and started off here as a blog. Basically it's one thirty-ish woman deciding to work her way through Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in a year. It's full of funny anecdotes about trying to get marrow out of a cow thigh bone, making creme brulee and having borderline psychotic episodes about minor things.
It's very easy to read and that makes it quick. Plus it's all about food and that's one of my favourite things so it's all good.
We had Seraph and V over for dinner on Saturday and played all but one of my new card games. I really like Chez Geek and Totally Renamed Spy Game but I think I'll have to play the Hollywood game a few more times to really get the hang of it. Fairy Tale's instructions baffled me and I wasn't feeling any braver after a few glasses of bubbly and losing at the other games so we all played Xmen on the Xbox for a while. Good fun.
The other neat thing I did on Saturday was get collected from brunch by Giffy and Muggle and taken to various shops. I am now itching to get back to the badge shop at Wakefield market. (I started my Christmas shopping already. If you know that I know that you like badges? Yeah. You might be getting something!) I am insanely proud of my new Danger Mouse badge.
Talking all afternoon with Conan was very fun as well, although the whole weekend ended up being a bit of a wash for my studying. Lee and I helped my sister unpack at her new house yesterday and I was wiped after (well, before) that.
Three episodes of season three two House and my weekend was over.
PoF: stripes, as ever
CO: calves feet in aspic
PS. Pearce reviews An Inconvenient Truth. Here. My review is about halfway down this entry.
this is mentioned in An Inconvenient Truth and when I've mentioned it to people they don't seem to believe me.
Polar bears are drowing because there isn't enough ice in the Arctic circle. Story here.
(Link via Cleolinda.)
....and here's the same story from sctosman.com, in case you don't trust yahoo as a news source. Clicky.
ooooh, and this straight from reuters...after that big climate change meet in Australia, the scientists are a little less pessimistic. Looks like the sea level is only going to rise between 15 and 43 cms. (uhm, which is at the upper end still close to half a metre and likely to make a big difference to Tuvalu...)
story here
I'm feeling much better today :)
To those who expressed concern over me eating dairy: well, for one I didn't go over the top and binge on dairy, so that's alright and for two, yoghurt in small amounts does calm my belly down some.
I am being quite good today and ate rice crackers and basil/cashew/parmesan pesto for lunch as well as a mini pizza, shut up!. I bought a big bottle of fruit smoothie to have with lunch for a few days and mini carrots as well.
So, the sleeping I did yesterday after I got home, yesterday afternoon and last night seem to have done the trick and even though we had fish'n'chips for dinner I'm feeling good. Hey, maybe it's because of the fish'n'chips? I was seriously craving them.
Thanks for that info on fibre Giff, it makes a lot more sense to me now!
My physio said I am making good progress with managing my posture and that if I continue on my pinched nerve should fade away into nothingness. He was pretty pleased about it actually, and even said it was "quite exciting" that I had felt pain on Tuesday, but gotten rid of it by concentrating on standing up straight and the pain had petered out.
Tonight Lee and I are going to see Lady in the Water yays! And my games that I ordered from Conan have arrived and I will soon have them yays!
PoF: Trapeze girls
CO: pelvic bone tilts up, chest held high, neck nice and long at the back and then shoulders push back.
**Disclaimer: this entry is all about the Irritable Bowel stuff. I have this idea that getting it out there and seeing how common my symptoms are or are not helps everyone understand. That said, I get a bit TMI gross down there, so feel free not to read on.**
After the movie last night I had a lovely bath that relaxed all my sore muscles delightfully.
Unfortunately my tummy started up a serious series of complaints. After an entire night's sleep (thanks to drinking my metamucil earlier.) I thought I was feeling good so I went to work. Turns out I was wrong and after a uhm, productive moment I felt even worse. I thought a drink of water might help? Made me nauseous.
So, home I came, trying to think of something I could eat for lunch that wouldn't make me nauseous. I have been moping in bed ever since.
Yesterdays black bits may be undgested spinach. Does anyone know where to track down a list of things the human body just *can't* digest? I know corn is one and I've heard a few places that white flour is so refined there's nothing left the body can really use...
Since I've been home I've eaten some nuts, drank some yoghurt and had cheese on toast. I've noticed my belly doesn't seem to like me walking around, so I'm ensconced in bed and waiting to see what's going to happen with that cheese and toast.
Plus, I'm really cold. Is it cold today?
I wonder if I've caused this bad belly week by having raging emotion stress? Or conversely, if my belly being bad has had an effect on my emotional states? Or is it all tied to my impending period? I'm not like this every month am I?
PoF: bed
CO: yeah. The belly.
The problem with changing your posture for the better is that all the muscles that aren't used to holding you up get put to work and they don't like it. Why oh why is it so much more comfortable to slouch?
The problem with metamucil is that it has to be taken at night with lots of water. Stupid waking up at 4 to pee. I hate waking up to pee!
The problem with studying is that it eats up all your time. I enjoy the readings, so I read them all the time. Meaning I had a dream about wordless picture books last night.
The problem with running a mystery rpg is that you are paranoid about how many clues you give the players. I was terrified they were going to get to the heart of my mystery straight away. They didn't, but I was worried!
The problem with having movie night every Wednesday is that I can't have a bath as soon as I get home. Well, I could, but it'd be pretty damn rude of me. I'll just wait until everyone's gone and have one before bed. Mmmmm bed.
The problem with GMing a game and playing a range of NPCs is that I lose my voice and am dehydrated for a whole day after.
The problem with having all of these problems? I am cranky, grumpy and sore.
PoF: hot cold hot cold what is *with* today???
CO: uhm. all of the above?
brief reaction to Snakes on a Plane here.
My weekend was charming, a nice mix of seeing people, eating good food and getting stuff done. I managed to get the top of the quilt I'm making together (although I may yet add another border) and do some study.
I didn't do the planning for the game I needed to do, but I still have this evening for that, and I've been mulling possibilities in my head.
Last night I had a sudden urge to tidy shelves, so I went through our books and pulled off a heaping pile of books to get rid of. If anyone is interested in free books, please let me know now. There's some modern fiction, Terry Pratchett (nasty condition, ex-library), old Footrot Flats and Garfield and a bunch of non-fiction that I never got around to reading and at this point probably never will.
I also bought two new DVDs on Friday: Jim Henson's storyteller: Greek myths and the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice.
PoF: l337 librarian
CO: crappy short weekends
I have to stop myself from starting everything I type with "zomg" lately. I must be extremely surprisable right now. Yes, surprisable is a word, thanks for asking.
So, ZOMG! Meg Cabot writes manga? Check it out. Her sequel to Avalon High (which I rather enjoyed but haven't bought because I am a slackah) is being published as three manga volumes!
I love it when the things I adore cross over. It's like when I found out Neil Gaiman and Dave Mckean were doing a movie.
Wheeee! Manga manga manga you are so fun to collect!
Point of Fashion: it was a hard fashion day. I set out determined to wear my fuschia inklines OTKs but I wanted a warm skirt that both showed them off and went with them. I ended up putting on my plaid Valley Girl skirt which I love and neutral greys and browns on the top. I'm still not entirely sure that grey and brown go together. Anyway after about twenty minutes mooching in the computer room my legs were cold, and I realised that yeah, stripes and plaid and fuchsia and brown plaid with green...not so much with the meshing. So I swapped out the socks for my OTK dreamy stripes in grey with the black and army stripes at the top. Which means I am totally not wearing the outfit I meant to be wearing!
Current Obsession: retail madness and SNAKES ON A PLANE!
I've read some of my course stuff and partially completed the stuff that needs to be handed in at the end of last month.
My "exam" is going to be neat, they send you a picture book on a Friday, then you have a weekend to write an essay about it, posting it in on Monday. They ask that we don't use the internet for the essay, to make it fair to people who don't have access to it, and I'm alright with that since I can't imagine there's a huge amount of literary criticism of picture books available online anyway.
I have some work to do tonight though, even though all I really want to do is have a bath and play Xmen with Lee. (We're getting towards the end I think...)
TMI ahead! But then, my entry on Irritable Bowel Syndrome garnered lots of replies, so I may as well continue sharing. I doubt anyone's going to be grossed out if it's such a common condistion, so....
My possible IBS seems to have settled right down. Metamucil rawks! I am getting hardly any bloating, the random pains have toned down in frequency and the other stuff is mostly sorted too. I seem to still get a lot of gas though, so I'm going to read up on that. I ran out of aloe vera juice and the supermarket didn't have any more. I have been increasing my yoghurt intake (drinky yoghurt at breakfast time, sometimes acidopholous yoghurt on my muesli, but only if I have time. Muesli and yoghurt is good, but makes me eat slower.)
I've been trying to eat better, and have invented an awesome sandwich:
you start with honey, oat and (something) Molenberg bread. This is a pale brown bread and a bit sweet from the honey. Yum. I put down a layer of shaved ham and then spread lemongrass and ginger aioli on it. (That stuff is da bomb, we were given it I think....) Then I sprinkle some Munchy Seeds (lightly flacoured toasted sunflower and sesame seeds) on the aioli. Then it's a layer of baby spinach and then thin slices of carrot. I've been experimenting with different condiments and this aioli is the best I've found because the lemongrass really lifts the flavours.
What else? My birthday party plans have started. I might send out an invite pretty soon, as an early warning so people can get costumes sorted out and don't double book themselves.
I had a dream about teenage boys making out. I shall go and put it on lj.
PoF: bubblegum pink super stripes
CO: study and patchwork
Reading new Fruits Basket makes me laugh and cry and squee! Momiji is taller in 19! Like, grown up taller! Like in the series when they imagine Momiji older?
Squeeee!
Uhm, other things that aren't spoilers that I can mention??? None really. It's all very exciting and fun and I'm reading them too too fast (I have 17, 18 and 19 and I'm half way through 19 XD) but I love them so much!
*sighs contentedly*
Ok. Actual news: I am enrolled in a course! It's through the Christchurch College of Education and it's the first course in the Children's Literature Diploma. I get to study and write about picture books! I was a very late entrant, so I wasn't sure if I'd get in (which is why I haven't mentioned it before) but I got all the course stuff yesterday so it's all go!
I am hereby dedicating non-roleplaying Tuesdays, Thursday evening and maybe Monday as well to study. Plus some weekend time, as needed.
Of course, tonight I want to finish the top of the quilt I'm making, but I'll do the assignment I was supposed to hand in at the end of July first. (It's quick stuff, just aims for the course and some challenging of assumptions quick answers.)
Also, I'm unhappy about Steve Irwin dying and if anyone has any 'funny' email jokes about his death, I don't want to see them. (Well, apart from the one this morning that had the puppet from "Stingray" denying involvement in the death. That was kinda neat.)
PoF: jeans
CO: Furuba
On Saturday I got up and made snickerdoodles for taking to my brother's in the evening. Then I had lots of fun making bits of patchwork quilt, which was fun.
I had been planning on meeting Rachel to watch an arty movie, but she felt sick with a cold, so she bailed and then Lee's squash partner bailed on him, so I was like "hey...do you wanna hang out...with me?" and we went to see Thank You For Smoking together and it was great!
I can't recommend this movie enough, it's so clever and funny and great, even second time around when you knew what punches were coming it was still hilarious. (Must remember to accuse people of being 'morally presumptuous' more often.) Also, as an extra bonus, I knew to concentrate real hard and managed to understand everything the incredibly fast talking Hollywood assistant said.
Then we went for a wander up to trade aid so I could stock up on fair trade chocolate and hot chocolate and then Lee remembered that it was Father's Day on Sunday so we wandered around in vain trying to find gifts for the world's hardest to shop for group of people: Middle aged men.
We eventually ended up in Readings for fresh juice and in there I ran into Fraser, Zephfi and her Jase and also saw Giffy's Beau from a distance. (I think he was on the way to the wedding? He was very nicely dressed anyway.)
I bought The Blues Brothers, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Batman Begins on DVD. No presents.
Saturday night was spent playing an rpg with my brother, his wife and Lee. It was pretty cool, a strange indie game about Academics in 1919 trying to vie for the best position and being possessed by a demonic cockroach. Hilarious, and I managed to trick a quarterback into stabbing a rival as a prank.
Sunday: more patchwork, patchwork and patchwork. Plus watching Blues Brothers, finishing my book about rainforests and eating tacos.
PoF: dark
CO: new fruits basket squeeeeee!
Just in case I have any gamers, or board gamers reading this who don't already read Conan...
There's a new website that sells board games, card games and of course, roleplaying games it's right here at....evin shir. Go and check it out and support local gamers!
I'm thinking I'll probably succumb and buy Chez Geek very soon..maybe some other stuff too.
PoF: slobby Sunday
CO: Who Wants to be a Superhero?
Last night I watched the movie I have been anticipating since I first heard of its existence on Neil Gaiman's blog: Mirrormask. It didn't get a theatrical release, so I was hoping it'd be in the Film Festival. Unfortunately it wasn't so I had to wait for the DVD.
I was unable to get a copy of the DVD at the big Video Ezy sale like Seraph but then delightful Muggle sent me a link to a guy selling it on trademe. The same guy she bought it off. (She has had it for many weeks but her partner is using it for a design paper so she couldn't lend it out.) So, I ordered, paid and recieved it Wednesday (super-fast, this guy sends out DVDs before the payment's cleared which is pretty awesome. Don't think I'd be that brave!).
Storywise it was quite derivative with elements of Alice in Wonderland, Coraline, the Neverending Story, Paperhouse and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen making the plot familiar if not predictable. None of this mattered however because the movie is all about the look and the girl and both are excellent.
Dave McKean is the director as well as designer and his vision was pretty astounding. Just lush and gorgeous and creepy and weird, totally immersive and clever. The girl is the central character and her ability to hold your eye and your attention despite what Lee called a lacklustre accent was perfect. She is a wonderfully beautiful girl, like a mixture of Helena Bohnam Carter and the girl who played Violet in Lemony Snicket. She was at that "not a girl, not yet a woman" stage, but that's the whole point. Sometimes she looked like a kid, sometimes like a young woman...beautiful.
The movie also featured the single most creepy makeover scene I've ever seen, set to a haunting rendition of "Close to You" by the Carpenters. Scary stuff. (I've had the song stuck in my head ever since.)
PoF: today I am wearing my new fuschia socks with black ink lines. They are over the knee in length, lovely and snug fitting although they like to creep down to a knee sock. I am really liking the vertical stripes look and I can think of a few people who will be getting them for Christmas.
CO: nearly the weekend