Errr... where was I?

[beckymonster]

I have no frelling idea!;)

I was going to write a post where I wondered (aloud) why people spend time reading (so-called) bad fic with the express purpose of tearing to pieces. But I'm not going to.

Life is too short and precious to waste on bad vibes. So, instead, I will post a list of things that are good and worthwhile and all of that malarkey. After all, this is my LJ and I can do what I want with it? Yes?
So glad you agree with me!:D

Books -

The 'Dresden Files' Series by Jim Butcher.
Started reading these after following a reccie by nialla_42. They are excellent - what's more there's a whole series of them! Imagine if Raymond Chandler went on the lash with Neil Gaiman... this is what you'd get.
A wizard detective in Chicago. Well worth tracking down.
Alas, I think the states are about two books ahead of us, here in blighty, but start with 'Storm Front' and you can't go wrong.



Does anything eat wasps - The best of 'The New Scientist's' The Last Word Column.
Yes - lots of things! And plenty of other silly questions that you'd hope someone would answer. Like what would happen if someone *did* steal the moon (ala 'Space 1999') - clue, nothing good!;)


Sports

The RBS Six Nations
Yay! Rugby Union!! For the Americans, this is where lots of big, sexy men run around playing what you'd call 'football' with the same amount of brute force and no body armour. It's organised bloody warfare and it's wonderful fun!

It's also one sport the English are quite good at! We don't have many of them;)
So far, both of my teams seem to be doing well - England beat last years winners (Wales) in their opening match, and Ireland beat Italy (though not as convincing as they should have done - Italy usually end up with the wooden spoon every year!)
Next week - France for the Irish (oh 'eck! They're playing them in Paris and everytime the Irish and the French have met - it goes baaad for the guys in green) and England face Italy (two down - three still to do;)).


Movies

It's Oscar time again!
So I like watching the Oscars... at three am in the morning! Admittedly, if I have to sit through one more 'E! Red Carpet Special' I will strangle someone - though who will volunteer for this, I have no idea - we're talking wee small hours of the morning!
Gaaad, I lose brain cells sitting through that... In answer to the next question... Yes, I watch it as much for the pretty dresses (I am *such* a girl!) as to cheer on my favourite films/heckle the Academy's choices.

As far as I'm concerned - 'Brokeback Mountain' is the film that 'should' (see me hedge my bets!!;)) finally get Ang Lee his little bald gold guy at long last. I'd say the film is a lock for Best Picture too. Don't think that the guys will get their due rewards (Bar of Cadburys sez that Jake will bring Maggie as his date;)) but they are young. Hey, Martin Scorsese is still waiting!

Question - which silly bugger nominated Keria Knightley for P&P?! Just askin' so I can send them a DVD of the '95 version. Jennifer Ehle was far superior.
Hmph!

Oh and if Wallace and Gromit do not win Best Animated - there will be a reckoning. As one of the writers from Empire put it 'Every member of the Academy will be strangled with one of Nick Park's comedy bow ties!'. So say we all. The Corpse Bride is a lovely film but Wallace and Gromit rock like nothing on earth.

'Memoirs of a Geisha' for Best Costume - meaning that Colleen Atwood will now have three Oscars?! Finally got around to seeing that last night - short review... (full one to follow) - gorgeous to look at but lacks the depth of the book. One does wonder what 'wonders' Speilberg would have wrought had he directed (as he was attached to do for so damn long)... no doubt tacked a 'happy' ending on the end... ala 'War of the Worlds'


Telly

Battlestar Galactica and SG-1 are still must see tv. Don't care what anyone says. BSG is going through a bit of a lean patch at present but even on a bad day... it's must see TV.

SG-1... is still the daddy. In more ways than one!;) I hope that they don't *permanently* write 'her' out. I like her a lot and I look forward to seeing her back, 'sparring' with Dad and just generally keeping SG-1 functional.

Even though I have been horribly remiss in my reviews - it's all been good. Loved 'Ripple Effect' - got a bit teary at the end when Janet left. Miss her so much. Me thinks we'll be visiting that 'verse in the future p'raps?;)

One reccie for the Americans - 'The Virgin Queen' It's a 4 part serial by the BBC about the life of Queen Elizabeth I. It's excellent; and this is coming from a bit of Tudor history buff! Anne-Marie Duff *nails* Lizzie I and the support cast is well done with all the major players given their due (Kat Ashley, Robert Cecil, Walshingham, Robert Dudley)... unlike the '98 version.
Don't get me wrong - Cate Blanchett was magnificent as Elizabeth and Christopher Eccleston was superb as Norfolk (shallow note - gods... he's got a nice bum!) but historically... a dog's dinner! This is panning out far better than that version ever did.
If it makes it to PBS or BBC America - check it out.


Just to leaven out all this good stuff - my ipod has bit the dust... AGAIN! Think it's the battery this time. It can't be the hard drive as it's just come back from the menders (3 month warranty) so I'll get it checked out. Thankfully it's not *that* expensive. Even so, it's still a frelling nuisance!

Comments

[catspaw-sgjd.livejournal.com]

It's also one sport the English are quite good at! We don't have many of them;)
So far, both of my teams seem to be doing well - England beat last years winners (Wales) in their opening match, and Ireland beat Italy

And Scotland won!!!! Yay!!!!

::sings:: Oh flower o' Scotland...

[thezonefic.livejournal.com]

Rugby Union!! For the Americans, this is where lots of big, sexy men run around playing what you'd call 'football' with the same amount of brute force and no body armour. It's organised bloody warfare and it's wonderful fun!

Like Rugby, but I like Australian rules football a little better, maybe it's those butts in those short shorts running about. North American football isn't worth watching with the exception of some of the college bowl games. Too contrived.

Battlestar Galactica and SG-1 are still must see tv. Don't care what anyone says. BSG is going through a bit of a lean patch at present but even on a bad day... it's must see TV.

Sorry can't go there with you, the few episodes of SG-1 I've seen this season cemented it for me, I'll stick with the fic. As for Battlestar Galactica.....didn't catch my attention, so I dropped it. There are alot of people who love it though.......I just liked the campy original.

As for BBM. hopefully it will get the awards it richly deserves, but I'm not holding my breath......Crash took the SAG award, and a lot of people are muttering about Capote. Guess we'll see in March.

One reccie for the Americans - 'The Virgin Queen' It's a 4 part serial by the BBC about the life of Queen Elizabeth I. It's excellent;

And we North Americans can find this?????? I saw the '98 version, the costumes were really nice and I'd like to see this one.

[kitzen-kat.livejournal.com]

I am still crabby about rugby after Australia's performance last year. And then my local team didn't do too well in their practice match the other week. Grrrrrrr! They'd better pull their socks up!