Thursday, 12 March 2009
Zoe
After hammering the ass out of the presentation (to a great response from the audience), and a really exciting afternoon of workshops, I felt enthused about my job in a way that I hadn't in ages. It turns out that my boss isn't typical of our field, and that there are some really committed and keen people. It's not me, it's her, actually. What a relief. I had a couple of pints in the hotel bar, writing up my notes, and waited to meet up with my old and dear friend Zoe. We went for some noodles, and a bottle of wine. The waitress poured our wine, and offered it to me to taste. I took a sip, and screwed my face up, put my tounge out a little, held my throat in pain, "yuck!" She looked shocked. I smiled at her, "Only joking, it's lovely. Thank you." Zoe and I laughed. It was the first of many that night.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Pre-conference nerves
The Russell is the swankiest hotel I've ever stayed at. This was the view from my room.
This was my bed.
This was Waterloo Bridge, fifteen minutes walk away.
And all this in exchange for showing a video and chatting for five minutes tomorrow. Why do only fools and horses work? I was really stressed about it, bravado aside, especially after my fucking rubbish boss had slagged off my presentation skills without ever seeing me give a presentation. Fuck her, I thought, and spent a lot of time in my room practising before dinner. I got stuck on a table with the couple that had organised the event, two tech support people and somebody from the Department for _______. Bummer, no networking with other officers who were doing my job in other places. I've never sat through such a dull conversation. I wasn't drinking at all, as I wanted to hammer the ass out of the presentation. My sobriety made their drunken babbling all the more tiresome. I was glad to be through with my pudding. Ted from _____ arrived, who gave me a bit of an outlet of normality, and we chatted through our presentations in the bar until about midnight. Nervous much? Yes.
This was my bed.
This was Waterloo Bridge, fifteen minutes walk away.
And all this in exchange for showing a video and chatting for five minutes tomorrow. Why do only fools and horses work? I was really stressed about it, bravado aside, especially after my fucking rubbish boss had slagged off my presentation skills without ever seeing me give a presentation. Fuck her, I thought, and spent a lot of time in my room practising before dinner. I got stuck on a table with the couple that had organised the event, two tech support people and somebody from the Department for _______. Bummer, no networking with other officers who were doing my job in other places. I've never sat through such a dull conversation. I wasn't drinking at all, as I wanted to hammer the ass out of the presentation. My sobriety made their drunken babbling all the more tiresome. I was glad to be through with my pudding. Ted from _____ arrived, who gave me a bit of an outlet of normality, and we chatted through our presentations in the bar until about midnight. Nervous much? Yes.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Starter loop
My first run in a long time. Not too painful, but I need new shoes. The Acupuncture suck.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Bluetones and Misty's Big Adventure
Two of my favourite bands? On the same line-up? I'm there! Where? Lancaster? Erm... ah fuck it, I'm still there! Alright!
Dr Jim pulled out at the last mintue, so I asked Paul if he fancied making the journey. He did, which was pretty lucky, as I can't drive, and Lancaster is quite a way away. We made it about half an hour before Misty's were due on, and had a beer and a chat about the rugby.
Misty's were excellent, as always. They started with Long Conveyor Belt, which I like more and more each time I hear it. Some old favourites - Story of Love, Smart Guys Wear Ties - made it on to the set-list, others - Dog Like You, Biscuit Tin - didn't. As always, the highlight for me was Fashion Parade. It's a masterclass in an ensemble stage performance by the whole band - the brass section mincing around like the fashionistas mocked in the song - it's genius. They do it so well, and even though I must have seen it five or six times, it's always entertaining.
The Bluetones were also really good. They played Expecting To Fly in full at the start of the show, and then played a few more songs to close things out. I love their bitter wit, and sharp acceptance of their fall into mediocrity. After we saw Mark Morriss playing under that whale skeleton in Manchester, and we found out that their manager had run off with all of their money (like in "Fashion Parade" Misty's, by the way), comments like, "This is the song that made us all millionaires" (about Slight Return) seemed even more poignant. They're still very good at what they do, but they're not fashionable. I still love them. I bought a t-shirt and three badges. Well, the manager has run off their money. They need all the help they can get.
Dr Jim pulled out at the last mintue, so I asked Paul if he fancied making the journey. He did, which was pretty lucky, as I can't drive, and Lancaster is quite a way away. We made it about half an hour before Misty's were due on, and had a beer and a chat about the rugby.
Misty's were excellent, as always. They started with Long Conveyor Belt, which I like more and more each time I hear it. Some old favourites - Story of Love, Smart Guys Wear Ties - made it on to the set-list, others - Dog Like You, Biscuit Tin - didn't. As always, the highlight for me was Fashion Parade. It's a masterclass in an ensemble stage performance by the whole band - the brass section mincing around like the fashionistas mocked in the song - it's genius. They do it so well, and even though I must have seen it five or six times, it's always entertaining.
The Bluetones were also really good. They played Expecting To Fly in full at the start of the show, and then played a few more songs to close things out. I love their bitter wit, and sharp acceptance of their fall into mediocrity. After we saw Mark Morriss playing under that whale skeleton in Manchester, and we found out that their manager had run off with all of their money (like in "Fashion Parade" Misty's, by the way), comments like, "This is the song that made us all millionaires" (about Slight Return) seemed even more poignant. They're still very good at what they do, but they're not fashionable. I still love them. I bought a t-shirt and three badges. Well, the manager has run off their money. They need all the help they can get.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Watchmen movie
The book is never as good as the film, it is often said. I love the book. I quite liked the film. There was blue penis than you'd get in a month of Smurf porn, which was a little off-putting at times. The film lacks some of the subtlety of the book - zooming into violent moments that the book suggested rather than showed, for example, or milking the sex scene in an embarrassingly OTT way. They changed the ending, which kinda makes sense in the post 9-11 world we're watching from. I really enjoyed the film, and I don't think a much better version could have been made. The differences between the film and the comic are tied into the differences in the media. So are comics cooler than films? I would have argued one corner five years ago. Now I'm not sure which side of the fence I'd fall down on.
After the screening, I met an funky Asian guy, like Dhruv or Roby, outside Odder. We had a bit of a chat about the Palestine protest going on over the road. He gave me a copy of New Internationalist to read. What a pleasant chap.
After the screening, I met an funky Asian guy, like Dhruv or Roby, outside Odder. We had a bit of a chat about the Palestine protest going on over the road. He gave me a copy of New Internationalist to read. What a pleasant chap.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Howard Barlow, Rock Photographs @ Troubadour Gallery
Kate, Dunk and I went to the Leadstation for a drink, then skipped over the road to the Troubadour Gallery to take a look at the Howard Barlow exhibition of rock photography. Excellent stuff - you'll find it here, but for how long I'm not sure. My favourite photo was this one of Paula Yates.
(image copyright of Howard Barlow)
(image copyright of Howard Barlow)
Monday, 2 March 2009
STOP PRESS! NON-SHIT DAY AT WORK
"Even though we may be through with the past, the past is not through with us."
(I think that's from Magnolia, but it might not be verbatim.)
For work today, I was in a studio, overseeing filming of an educational resource. It's a ____ video to complement the existing ____ video that we'd had made. Deja vu central. I was involved in filming an educational resource during the hot summer of 2002 with my friends Nick, Ed, Liam and Rob, back in Sheffield. I turned my back on film-making once I moved to MCR, sulkily almost, and just got stuck into living in a new city. I haven't raised a camera in anger since Easter 2005. It was odd to be back in the fray.
Moreover, it was odd to see the slightly shambolic production discipline of the company I was working with. The microphone wasn't there on time, for example, and the director was doing lots of Joe-jobs around the set that I - as a first AD - would probably have got a runner to handle. Actors were left waiting around for an age, not really looked after by the crew... I found myself looking around and thinking, "I could manage this better... maybe I've still got a film-makers head on these shoulders... maybe I should say something." Of course, I didn't say anything. That would be quite unprofessional of me.
Maybe I should make films again.
(I think that's from Magnolia, but it might not be verbatim.)
For work today, I was in a studio, overseeing filming of an educational resource. It's a ____ video to complement the existing ____ video that we'd had made. Deja vu central. I was involved in filming an educational resource during the hot summer of 2002 with my friends Nick, Ed, Liam and Rob, back in Sheffield. I turned my back on film-making once I moved to MCR, sulkily almost, and just got stuck into living in a new city. I haven't raised a camera in anger since Easter 2005. It was odd to be back in the fray.
Moreover, it was odd to see the slightly shambolic production discipline of the company I was working with. The microphone wasn't there on time, for example, and the director was doing lots of Joe-jobs around the set that I - as a first AD - would probably have got a runner to handle. Actors were left waiting around for an age, not really looked after by the crew... I found myself looking around and thinking, "I could manage this better... maybe I've still got a film-makers head on these shoulders... maybe I should say something." Of course, I didn't say anything. That would be quite unprofessional of me.
Maybe I should make films again.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
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