redfiona99

Saw Trance and Welcome To The Punch

But first some shopping stories:

1) The man at Waterstone's wants you all to know Reaper Man is wonderful.

2) I was wrong to be optimistic about jeans. It seems to be all skinny for anything even vaguely colourful. Also, even the not skinny jeans are giving me holster-hips. Again. Also, sadly pastel appears to be making a comeback. Bah! I mean, if you look good in pastels, more power to your elbow, but they make me look like death warmed over.

Shopping done, and Reaper Man bought, I went to the cinema.

Trailers:

I can see why one_more_cherry doesn't like the Evil Dead remake trailer. I seriously thought it was just another Cabin Fever variant until I saw the book. Also, it's just not scary. The Dark Skies trailer on the other hand is creepy as.

Dead Man Down looks suitably action thrillery, but I'm mostly intrigued by Noomi Rapace's character. Olympus Has Fallen looks generic action movie-ish and I feel really bad about having no interest in The Heat.

I don't plan on watching Spring Breakers, at least not at the cinema, but it seems like Harmony Korine is doing his thing again.

Next on the to be watched list are All Things To All Men and GI Joe: Retaliation

( Trance. Which ought to have been an 18. And needs ginormous trigger warnings. More than the BBFC gave it anyway. Spoilers underneath. )

( Welcome To The Punch, easier to explain, but that's because it's pretty much a by the numbers thriller )

angstbunny might be amused to know that there are people out there who think James McAvoy and Mark Strong aren't British and are just putting it on.

Only not, because, as I said, my bit of Brum was fine. I went into town yesterday, because I needed some new shoes for a conference (I ended up getting these http://tinyurl.com/3vwl8ex) and a couple of shirts for the same thing. In case other women are looking to dress smartly in the UK, advanced warning, there are no decent shirts to be had in the high street stores. I know by not wanting to wear see-through material I am impinging on the designers imaginations, but you know, work related conference.

Most vexing.

Birmingham city centre wasn't much different, the only shop that had any damage that I could see was the H & M near the Golden Bull. There was more of a police and security presence than usual, and people were maybe a bit quieter than usual but that was about it.

Book Meme Day 9 - Book You Never Expected To Love

I am going to be telling this all the wrong way round, but, hey it's my meme answer and I can do what I want to.

Every other John le Carre book I have tried to read I have bounced straight off. And I mean every other, I've tried about 4 others, not counting the one I'm not going to read because the pharmaceutical industry is not actually evil.

And yet, I love and adore 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'. I think partly it's the cynical attitude, because no one really believes in any of the causes they're fighting for, it's become a matter of habit. There's a grubby realness about it.

( And also, (many, many spoilers) )

( I mean, the interesting thing is the structure of the book shouldn't work )

( One of the other things I love is how petty everything is )

It's as got great re-readability which given it's a thriller says something about how well it's written. Knowing whodunit doesn't damage the book, in fact, it gives several of the scenes a whole different spin.

( The Other Days )

I went for my 6 monthly clothes shopping expedition on Sunday. I now remember why it's six-monthly. I had foolishly set out to buy trousers. But not just any old trousers, these would be non-denim, because I do try to at least have some variety. In favour of various clothing shops, they've stopped doing that cut of trousers that would lead to me committing public indecency every time I tried to wear them. Instead, trousers now give me wings at upper hip level. Dear clothing designers, I am not a bird, I do not need wings.

I did pick up three 100% cotton tops for £15, which is good going.

There were also many pretty dresses. Now, admittedly, I have put on the PhD equivalent of the Freshman 15, but still, dresses should not make my knickers that visible if they're not cling dresses. Other than that, while I love the colours of this season's patterned dresses, they make me look like a Middle European grandma. Now, I happen to know this, because there is a photo of my Great-Grandmother wearing a v. similar dress, and the effect is uncanny. All in needed was a rolling pin.

~~~~

I am working on a couple of things that aren't LadyFest fills, I swear. One of them is coming along nicely, because I have managed to avoid the horrible OOC talking bit by the application of alcohol to the story. Booze solves many problems.

I can't use that tactic on the other thing I'm really working on. When I first started writing it, I knew that if I could get over this one scene the rest of it would be plain sailing. Guess where I'm stuck? The problem is it's supposed to sound awkward, but it's telling the difference between deliberately awkward and badly written.

My shiny new scarab ring arrived yesterday. It's a bit awkward to get on and off, but once it's on it fits like a glove.

~~~~

So Robin Hood gets cancelled (and way to spoil me for the ending of the show with your press release BBC) and I'm kind of relieved because it's gone way down from its "glory" days of season 2. So what does it do - it goes and produces two good episodes in a row.

The first was a twenty years before thing ( Which was nowhere near as bad as expected )

Shame that most of what we could take from that is that Robin was a prat, is a prat and always will be a prat. Also, that Guy is more justified that most woobiefied bad guys.

This having lead to great confusion as to who I'm supposed to be cheering for, lead to N. suggesting the best possible course of action. Cheer for Much, he's always on the right side. Never have wiser or truer words been spoken.

The second episode introduced a character called Archer and spoiler he's Robin and Guisbourne's half brother (same father as Robin, same mother as Guisbourne) end spoiler . He is made of awesome and attractive, in roughly equal measure, and appeared to be channelling Errol Flynn. He managed more moments of cool in one episode than Robin manages in one series. In case this isn't enough, I direct you to the actor's IMDB page to see for yourself - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1641140/

Also, Robin and Guy having to team up was made of funny. Including them launching into a particularly spirited round of 'your Mum', general winding up and smirking and dude, in parts, this was season 2 good.

They even seemed to remember Much's crush on Robin.

Very much looking forward to the 2 part season ender.
~~~~

The Sarah Jane episodes we watched were part 1 and 2 of the Eye of the Gorgon. While the acting was uniformly superb (Phyllida Law is ... she just is), including the actress playing Maria's Mum, and the character writing, again, particularly for Maria and her family was great, I think the plot was lacking something in the plot department.

I also blame my kindergarten experiences with nuns for this urge to obey them :)

There's a strong possibility that Alan Jackson has patience stronger than that of a saint.

Got to the final of the county foil. Lost to that 13 year old again (although she's now 14). Beat one of our girls in the semis. She may never forgive me, given that she beat me in the pools. I always said I was better at longer matches.

I spent most of the time trying to figure out where S got his jeans from, given that they were pretty much the perfect jeans. But then again S also has a BMW (a nice one, I didn't know BMW made nice cars) so I imagine they are far out of my price range.

My Nan was in hospital, or so I have been told, nothing major (well as unmajor as hospital treatment at the age of 86 can be) something to do with her bladder I think. Of course no one told me because they thought I'd worry. I do feel like turning round and pointing out that I actually spend most of my time worrying that the next phone call is them telling me Nan's dead and they didn't tell me she was ill.

Other than that, Phil walked out of another job, his Dad's threatening to throw him out, Mum's put her foot down and said we're not having him. Christmas may well be hell again. I'm probably escaping up to Cumbria for New Years which should prevent murder.

On to media/fandomy matters:

I presently have a copy of Q for the first time in years, just for the Manics. Oh what you do to me boys.

Have read the Survivor Series spoilers ( Am presently a-squee )

Also Robin Hood, in the last two episodes ( Might finally be getting good )

Also, how did I not know that Ridley Scott was a Sir?

Clothing: I have found the perfect pair of trousers. They are cotton cargo/combats, they look to be hardwearing, they have pockets (many pocketsess). They make me look decent, as though I actually have longish legs, are not hipsters therefore avoid showing my muffin top (tm Australians) and make my bottom look both bootylicious and petite, all smoke and mirrors but good nonetheless. So what could possibly be the problem with these most wonderful pair of trousers, purchased for the miserely sum of £7.

They're mens trousers.

Now, I'm not asking for much, but I shouldn't be forced to resort to menswear in order to actually find clothing that fits. Now I am not adversed to men's clothing, in fact I spend a lot of my time in boy-drag but I really shouldn't have to do it.

The Tyranny of BMI: Why on Earth is this still used as a method of measurement of weight. It just doesn't work if you do any kind of athlethic activity at all, particularly not one where your rump is built up. Gah! There has to be a better measurement.

Went to the biology postgrads quiz, won, received a prize of chocolatey goodness. Went to see the Prestige, which other people don't seem to like as much as I do.

Went shopping on Saturday, bought the most smooth and lovely pair of brown cords. And a Tigger bra. Which is lovely as well as being cute. Also volume 4 of Tsubasa and 2 and 3 of Trigun Maximum which I fear I shall have to re-read again to get any of.

Then I went out to the big metal club in Leicester which was fun. Sadly wasn't quite old enough to go out to clubs at the height of nu-metal so was incredibly pleased to be able to dance to stuff like 'Let the bodies hit the floor'. Met a few more people who I knew including one very random and deeply amusing theatre bod.

Got home at about 3.45, got to bed at 4.15, woke up at 10, went back to sleep, ignored my alarm at 11, finally woke up at 2 in the afternoon. So I might not be going to Retribution often ;)

Went to fencing, was somewhat disgruntled to find out that at next week's women's BUSA I'll only be fighting foil, not epee. Pleased a bit too because my epee sucks, except, you know, I'm better than at least two of the people actually doing epee for the team.

But yes, stayed in the pub till kicking out time, had lots of fun and am now perkily at work. And the proud owner of a pair of university of Leicester football socks in uni colours. Don't worry, there will be photos later.

Also discovered far more than I ever wanted to know about certain male fencers.

Things I really have to do:

1) Buy a new pair of trousers, the sillier the colour the better, as my beloved bright turquoise ones are starting to reach the end of their lifespan.

2) Buy some fruit, cereal bars and biscuits. And wake up juice/Pepsi Max.

Things I'd like to do:

1) Buy knitwear.

2) Finish Ric/Randy fic. Finally solved the problem of the image I really liked but couldn't fit in by moving it to the follow-up fic, where it both fits and, I think, works better.

3) Or finish something/anything else fic-ish.

Things I should do:

1) More of 8 page report-let for my thesis committee. Unfortunately, since my supervisor still isn't sure who he wants on my thesis committee (it depends on my preliminary results that I'm supposed to be writing up for this) I'm finding it difficult to gather together my enthusiasm for doing it.

2) I know I don't need to start writing up stuff for my thesis already seeing as how I'm only a month in, but I feel I should really start writing up some of my materials and methods (the ones I know I'll have to use to get results) because I hated writing that bit for my dissertation so I figure if I start early it will reduce my pain.

3) Join Amnesty main. Which I might actually do tonight. I feel I should due to actually having money now, and at least it's not a frivolous way of spending it.

I'm feeling all eek, eee, argh at the minute:

- I've found my beloved Austria scarf, most importantly my lucky scarf, before the men's downhill. Hey, I wore it last time and an Austrian won, so I feel I should wear it again. I am well aware that there is no such thing as luck, but...

- I have also found my 'buy the Times for cheap' vouchers, also vital Olympic kit.

- I have lost a big cheque. So I have to see the Finance people. Who scare me. And the website doesn't say when they're open from.

- I'm all a-sniffle reading all the Robbie Fowler articles, this one in particular

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,428-2013437,00.html

This bit in particular:
Whereas Michael Owen was jeered by some on his return with Newcastle United, Fowler has always been revered. They love him for every one of his 171 goals for the club, but they also love him because he is one of them, a daft scally who could be seen winning Fifa fair-play commendations, earning the wrath of Uefa by wearing a T-shirt supporting the sacked Liverpool dockers and snorting the goalline in an ill-advised celebration in a Merseyside derby.

Bear in mind this was all in one season.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1698586,00.html

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1698711,00.html

There's also the fantastic story of him walking into the Liverpool chairman's office, grabbing a pen and about to sign his contract without reading it, only to have the Liverpool chairman stop him and tell him to read it first.

I <3 him so much.

Someone remind me that I don't need the complete set of Firefly and Serenity when it comes out, even though Amazon are doing a good deal on the two combined £32.48 (about $55).

Mama wants.