Shadow Footprints

Three-second memory span

Tonight I saw Goldfish Memory, a light-hearted look at the dangers and delights of dating in contemporary Dublin, another movie in this year's Out Takes. This was an enjoyable film that made me laugh. I'd happily watch it again.

- shadowfoot,

Not a Blogaholic

I took the Are You A Blogaholic? test. I got 48%.

You are a casual weblogger. You only blog when you have nothing better to do, which is not very often. There's nothing wrong with that. But if you'd post a little more often, you'd make your readers very happy.

- shadowfoot,

Twice Yearly Sunset of the Glorious Kind

A great photo, A Manhattan Sunset can be found at Astronomy Picture of the Day, by NASA.

- shadowfoot,

Quote - Never have so many people written

The New York Times has a negative article on blogging, including the following statement

A few blogs have thousands of readers, but never have so many people written so much to be read by so few.

Well, that's not true at all, of course: The reporter has clearly forgotten all about the centuries of person-to-person letter writing, and blogs and Journals to a very great extent are descended from the epistolary impulse. This is a consistent flaw in reporting about blogs and Journals: Reporters tend to think about them as mini-newspapers or magazines, but they are equally open letters to friends and strangers (who often then become friends).

- shadowfoot,

Finally, a map

Springfield has finally been mapped. Now I know where these guys live. Unfortunately I can't find where this is.

- shadowfoot,

Pure Schmaltz

Lin and I went and saw GALS Pure Schmaltz concert this evening. It was very enjoyable from start to finish. I don't miss singing with the choir, I am not a good singer. I enjoy listening to them. I do miss the performing.

- shadowfoot,

Busy Day

What a day! I crawled out of bed about 9:30am; surfed the net for an hour or so; showered and dressed, skipping breakfast; went shopping at Milly's for a few birthday presents; called on David and went to lunch with him at Deve in Kingsland, saw The Day after Tomorrow, had coffee at his place, came home and cooked dinner; went to see Girls will be Girls as part of Out Takes.

Milly's is a great shop. A bit expensive, but the range of kitched gadgets is great. I couldn't find one of the gifts I wanted to get, but I have a week or so for that one.

Deve was good. We both enjoyed the soup of the day: Pumpkin with chicken and sour cream.

The Day after Tomorrow was what I expected. Disasters, some special effects, some shoddy science. It was fun.

Girls will be Girls had me laughing. It was over the top, but that was expected. The scene with the can of spray cheese (which thankfully we don't have here) was very funny. The session wasn't well attended, but it is one of the few movies scheduled for two showings. IMDb

- shadowfoot,

Quote - Global Village

The trouble with the global village are all the global village idiots.
-- Paul Ginsparg.

- shadowfoot,

Seeing a Pink Dinosaur

No alcohol needed.

AUCKLAND : Scientists using a camera to monitor a remote New Zealand volcano over the Internet have struck an odd problem - a pink dinosaur.

New Zealand's Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) have installed a digital camera in the crater of the volcano which makes up most of White Island in the Bay of Plenty, east of Auckland.

The often active volcano draws tourists by boat but most people do not go ashore on the uninhabited, rumbling island.

To keep a close watch, GNS installed a digital camera on the island and post a shot taken every hour on their website.

But suddenly a pink dinosaur has appeared in the shot.

- shadowfoot,

Something fishy

Why is The South Island at risk of power shortages again, when the bulk is produced in the south and used in the north. With a 0.8% population increase over 5 years in the south how are they suddenly exceeding capacity on their lines?

(I live in Auckland and won't be affected by cuts in The South Island.)

- shadowfoot,

Breeder Budget

It looks like the government is going to be revealing a budget for breeders.

- shadowfoot,

Quote - 21st Century Illiteracy

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
-- Alvin Toffler

- shadowfoot,

Guilty Pleasures

I bought three cookbooks this evening; and a decorating book. I needed to get my bonus card ($68 for six films) and tickets for Out Takes 2004. I parked in the bottom level of The Civic car park, passed through Borders as it has an entrance on that level, noticed some interesting specials, got the bonus card and three tickets from Village on Queen, walked over to the Academy on Lorn Street and got two tickets there (the sixth movie has two times so I need to co-ordinate with a friend as to which showing we'll see), visited the library and borrowed five books, returned to Borders and spent too much time browsing. I avoided some sections as they can be too tempting but still ended up buying Pasta, by Jeni Wright; The Complete Book of Party Food and Appetizers, by Bridget Jones (so that's what she's doing now she's finished her diary); Sauces and Salsas, by Christine France; and 600 Decorating Tips and Finishing Touches, by Tessa Evelegh (how gay is that?); none of which I can find at Amazon and all for a grand total of $54 (1536 pages).

- shadowfoot,

Left or Right?

Which side of the road do they drive on highlights why some countries drive on the left and others on the right.

A few facts

• 34% of the world's population drives on the left.
• 28% of the world's roads are for left hand drivers.
31% countries have left hand drivers.
• People have a tendancy to keep right.
• Right handed swordsmen prefer to keep left to have their right arm nearer to an opponents and the scabard further away (to prevent it hitting anyone).
• Right-handed horse riders prefer to mount from the left, especially when wearing a sword.
• Jousters keep right as the lance crosses over the horses neck.
• Leading a horse or cart with the right hand allows you to avoid collusions easier.
Wagon teams with postilion riders have better control by keeping right.
• Wagon teams driven from the wagon.

- shadowfoot,

Sweets for the sweet

After reading The Amateur Gourmet I made Arborio Rice Pudding last night. Delicious.

I cheated by using the microwave on low power to do the cooking, stirring every five minutes. Canned boysenberries were added instead fresh raspberries, and I skipped the almond extract.

- shadowfoot,

Troy, revisited

Penny Arcade has a take on Troy. I really must see Hulk after seeing how Eric Bana looks.

- shadowfoot,

Inner bombshell

Worship! Your inner Bombshell is the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. Like her you've been blessed with a "certain something" that no one could describe accurately. You are more reserved than other bombshells, and that shows in your gentle, graceful nature. You like doing things for other people and love volunteering for your favorite charity. Yours is a rare gift in this day and age. You don't need to show a lot of skin to be sexy, all you need is your eyes. To see Audrey at the top of her game watch the movie "Breakfast at Tiffanys".

Who is your inner bombshell?
Brought to you by Quizilla

Via The Rob Log.

- shadowfoot,

Cold and Wet

Biking to work this morning wasn't fun. Winter is showing itself with a cold rain. I'm glad I work at a company that has a shower available, letting me be warm and dry. I was wishing that I could have been in New York for GB:NY, or maybe not ;-)

If I was there I would have missed both the weather today and Lin's birthday on Saturday, which I wouldn't want to do. (Lin, when are you getting a weblog?)

- shadowfoot,

Van Helsing

I also saw Van Helsing last week. (Movie Slut? Moi?) Cleolinda has given it the Movies in Fifteen Minutes treatment too.

VAN HELSING: Look, I haven't broken a stained-glass window since the beginning of the movie--we're really running behind, if you don't mind putting on a quickness.

- shadowfoot,

Troy in Fifteen Minutes

I saw Troy with David last Thursday. Here's Troy in Fifteen Minutes. It's well worth reading if you've seen the film

BRISEIS:

Dear George Lucas:

I just got the hug-and-kiss treatment from Eric Bana AND Orlando Bloom in the space of a minute. Thanks again for discovering me; you may come pick up my firstborn child at your earliest convenience.

Love,

Rose

BRISEIS:

Dear George Lucas:

I love you. My secondborn child is on the way.

SQUEEE!!,

Rose

Palace Backyard, Troy

Paris is practicing archery on a nice straw man nailed up to the wall. He hits bull's-eye after bull's-eye.

HELEN: Wow, I had no idea you were so good at this.

PARIS: Neither did I. Weird, isn't it? And I really want lembas now.

HELEN: What?

Secret Basement of Troy

HECTOR: Honey, things are gonna get real bad. I want you to take the baby and as many of our people down here, through this secret tunnel, and down the river to this secluded mountain where you can hide for a few thousand years while Achilles cools off. Because, trust me, it's gonna take that long.

ANDROMACHE [weeping]: Why are you telling me this?

HECTOR: Are you even listening to me? I killed Achilles'-cousin. Cousin. Totally his cousin. In conclusion: Cousin and he is GOING TO KILL ME.

ANDROMACHE: *cries*

HECTOR: Tell me about it.

OUR LADY OF SOUNDTRACK SORROW: WAAAAAHAHHHHHOHHHHH!

- shadowfoot,

Sci-Fi Battle

The Doctor Who vs. Star Trek page puts the top two science fiction TV franchises of all time in a head-to-head competition of characters, plots and bad guys.

- shadowfoot,

Quote - Distress

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.
-- Marcus Aurelius

- shadowfoot,

Quote - Different ways of saying things

Americans have different ways of saying things. They say elevator, we say lift; they say President, we say stupid psychopathic git.
-- Alexi Sayle

- shadowfoot,

Star Signs

Many years ago I was interested in astrology. I'm glad I'm not a Libran.

Being a Gemini I'm in two minds whether I believe in astrology. Being serious, I cannot believe astrology at all.

- shadowfoot,

Quote - Travelling

Traveling is not just seeing the new; it is also leaving behind. Not just opening doors; also closing them behind you, never to return. But the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes. And the cities you see most clearly at night are the cities you have left and will never see again.
-- Jan Myrdal

- shadowfoot,

Invitation

2^nd 21^st Birthday

It’s that time again, and I’ll be celebrating my 2^nd 21^st birthday.

It’s been 21 years since I celebrated my original 21^st and now I have another 21 years of life and achievement to celebrate.

Please come and celebrate it with me.

- shadowfoot,

Quote of the day - When I do good

When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.
-- Abraham Lincoln

- shadowfoot,

Up late last night…

Finishing The Night We Met by Rob Byrnes.

I really enjoyed this book and continued reading to see how he was going to resolve the boy-meets-mafia-boy. I liked the characters, and there's been enough films and TV programs for me to picture Frank.

I picked up the book from Obelisk Bookstore when I was in San Diego in March. I didn't realise at the time that it was by someone whose blog I regularly read. I do have a question for Rob when he reads this: As people write what they know, do you see yourself as Margaret Campbell? ;-)

- shadowfoot,

Quote of the day - A thousand thoughts

There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up a pen to write.
-- William Makepeace Thackeray

- shadowfoot,

He's The One

I've just finished reading He's The One, by Timothy James Beck. He left a nice comment on my site after I wrote about reading his first, It Had to Be You.

I liked this book. It has a new main character and reused many of the characters from the previous book, one year later. I see he is writing a third book, I'm Your Man, which has not yet been released. I'll be reading that too.

- shadowfoot,

Quote of the day - Old men

The moral freshness of the world-to-be intoxicated us. We were wrought up in ideas inexpressible and vaporous, but to be fought for. We lived many lives in those whirling campaigns, never sparing ourselves: yet when we achieved and the new world dawned, the old men came out again and took our victory to re-make in the likeness of the former world they knew.
-- T. E. Lawrence Seven Pillars of Wisdom

- shadowfoot,

Sick as a dog

I was taking Augmentin (Amoxicillin/Clavulanate) in relation to my recent surgery.

Possible Adverse Effects (unusual, unexpected, and infrequent reactions)
[...]
Serious Adverse Effects Drug-induced Pseudomembranous colitis: severe abdominal pain and cramping, marked diarrhea, bloody stools, fever.

Pseudomembranous colitis is a complication of antibiotic therapy that causes severe inflammation (irritation and swelling with presence of excess immune cells) in areas of the colon.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Almost any antibiotic can cause this condition. Clostridium difficile, which occurs normally in the intestine, overgrows when antibiotics are taken. This bacteria releases a powerful toxin which then causes the symptoms. The lining (mucosa) of the colon becomes raw and bleeds (hemorrhagic). Risk factors are antibiotic usage, [...], and history of previous pseudomembranous colitis.

- shadowfoot,

Just call me Scarface

Yesterday I was at the doctor to have a cyst removed from just above my jaw. Today I had to remove the plaster covering it. There's five stitches. "Cool Scar" might be the operative description, as used by my flatmate when he heard what was going to happen. The stitches come out next week.

- shadowfoot,

Mama Mia!

I saw Mamma Mia! tonight. (Yes, I know it's now early Saturday morning, but I still consider it to be part of Friday.) I went with Ashley to celebrate her birthday. It was a great night. As I type this up I'm listening to Abba. According to the CD the music is as follows:
Act One

1. Overture/Prologue
2. Honey, Honey
3. Money, Money, Money
4. Thank You for the Music
5. Mamma Mia
6. Chiquitita
7. Dancing Queen
8. Lay All Your Love on Me
9. Super Trouper
10. Gimme! Gimme!
11. The Name of the Game
12. Voulez-Vous

1. Entr'acte
2. Under Attack
3. One of Us
4. S.O.S.
5. Does Your Mother Know
6. Knowing Me, Knowing You
7. Our Last Summer
8. Slipping Through My Fingers
9. The Winner Takes It All
10. Take a Chance on Me
11. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
12. I Have a Dream

Half past twelve
And I'm watching the late show in my flat all alone
How I hate to spend the evening on my own
Autumn winds
Blowing outside the window as I look around the room
And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom
There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Movie stars
Find the end of the rainbow, with a fortune to win
It's so different from the world I'm living in
Tired of TV
I open the window and I gaze into the night
But there's nothing there to see, no one in sight
There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight

There's not a soul out there
No one to hear my prayer

Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

- shadowfoot,

Film

I saw Raising Victor Vargas tonight. I enjoyed it, but then I've been called a movie slut as I enjoy nearly every movie I see. I didn't analyse this as I've oft been accused of doing of late. I blame this analysis on the type of work I do (Business Analysis) and on Richard, a former flatmate who was studying film and performing arts.

I have the programme to this year's Out Takes film festival. There's quite a few I want to see.

- shadowfoot,

Quote of the day - Live

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
-- Gandhi

- shadowfoot,

Friends finale

Crash sumarises Friends as he waits for the finale

I haven't seen the show since 2001. I assume I haven't missed anything important. Everyone's still white. They don't have any other friends. They drink coffee. Chandler is annoying. Monica looks anorexic. Ross hasn't yet been bludgeoned to death. Joey and Phoebe are still two-dimensional. Rachel is . . . whatever it is that she is. Cute and whiny?

What I'd like to see on the finale. Joey admits that he and Chandler are more than friends. The monkey comes back and kills Ross. Phoebe marries Ozzy Osbourne and gets a spinoff series on MTV. Rachel . . . ah, who the fuck cares? The episode ends with Monica finally snapping after not having eaten for about 6 years and eating the rest of the cast.

- shadowfoot,

Home from work

I felt lousy when I woke this morning. After showering and shaving I went back to bed for another hour. I forced myself to go to work, driving instead of cycling. Things didn't improve with my well-being and at lunchtime I called it a day and came home. Given the time frame I can now discount the flu vaccine I received on Friday, and conclude there is something else. Last night I felt really hot but when I took my temperature it was only 36, not drastically low for me. Whatever it is it may have started Thursday, or even sooner. I was yawning all day then, as I am now.

- shadowfoot,

Quote of the day - Bike helmets

You should wear a helmet. If you wore a helmet, I wouldn't need to drive more safely.
-- Driver to cyclist, after being told to "drive more safely"

- shadowfoot,

Just friends...

I spent the evening with David tonight. I really enjoy his company. For gay men the friends and the lovers come out of the same pool of people and this attraction can get confusing. Straight guys have a much easier way of identifying the differences. David makes me laugh. He brings me down to earth. He's fun to go skating with. He's cute. He has a nice body, just my type. Why don't I want to be more than just friends when I do want to spend more time with him?

- shadowfoot,

If airlines sold paint...

Customer: Hi. How much is your paint?

Clerk: Well, sir, that all depends on quite a lot of things.

Customer: Can you give me a guess? Is there an average price?

Clerk: Our lowest price is £12 a litre, and we have 60 different prices up to £200 a litre.

Customer: What's the difference in the paint?

Clerk: Oh, there isn't any difference; it's all the same paint.

Customer: Well, then I'd like some of that £12 paint.

Clerk: When do you intend to use the paint?

Customer: I want to paint tomorrow. It's my day off.

Clerk: Sir, the paint for tomorrow is the £200 paint.

Customer: When would I have to paint to get the £12 paint?

Clerk: You would have to start very late at night in about 3 weeks. But you will have to agree to start painting before Friday of that week and continue painting until at least Sunday.

Customer: You've got to be kidding!

Clerk: I'll check and see if we have any paint available.

Customer: You have shelves FULL of paint! I can see it!

Clerk: But it doesn't mean that we have paint available. We sell only a certain number of litres on any given weekend. Oh, and by the way, the price per litre just went to £16. We don't have any more £12 paint.

Customer: The price went up as we were talking?

Clerk: Yes, sir. We change the prices and rules hundreds of times a day, and since you haven't actually walked out of the store with your paint yet, we just decided to change. I suggest you purchase your paint as soon as possible. How many litres do you want?

Customer: Well, maybe five litres. Make that six, so I'll have enough.

Clerk: Oh no, sir, you can't do that. If you buy paint and don't use it, there are penalties and possible confiscation of the paint you already have.

Customer: WHAT?

Clerk: We can sell enough paint to do your kitchen, bathroom, hall and north bedroom, but if you stop painting before you do the bedroom, you will lose your remaining litres of paint.

Customer: What does it matter whether I use all the paint? I already paid you for it!

Clerk: We make plans based upon the idea that all our paint is used, every drop. If you don't, it causes us all sorts of problems.

Customer: This is crazy!! I suppose something terrible happens if I don't keep painting until after Saturday night!

Clerk: Oh yes! Every litre you bought automatically becomes the £200 paint.

Customer: But what are all these, "Paint on sale from £10 a litre" signs?

Clerk: Well that's for our budget paint. It only comes in half-litres. One £5 half-litre will do half a room. The second half-litre to complete the room is £20. None of the cans have labels, some are empty and there are no refunds, even on the empty cans.

Customer: To hell with this! I'll buy what I need somewhere else!

Clerk: I don't think so, sir. You may be able to buy paint for your bathroom and bedrooms, and your kitchen and dining room from someone else, but you won't be able to paint your connecting hall and stairway from anyone but us. And I should point out, sir, that if you paint in only one direction, it will be £300 a litre.

Customer: I thought your most expensive paint was £200!

Clerk: That's if you paint around the room to the point at which you started. A hallway is different.

Customer: And if I buy £200 paint for the hall, but only paint in one direction, you'll confiscate the remaining paint.

Clerk: No, we'll charge you an extra use fee plus the difference on your next litre of paint. But I believe you're getting it now, sir.

Customer: You're insane!

Clerk: Thanks for painting with British Airways.

- shadowfoot,