Frizz

Have an appointment at the Mac store first thing tomorrow - getting annoyed with the crackling noise my 'new' hard drive is making and also cos since I got it back there seems to be a problem connecting to the internet; no QuickTime, iTunes, Messenger or Ecto... My extended warranty runs out any day now, so want to get it sorted before. Computers love them and hate them. No, of course love them really.

Labels: powerbook noise

I saw two really good films today Catch a Fire and Day Night Day Night. But really I'm all filmed out. Please let it end soon.

Labels: London Film Festival

A Festival free post. A belated update on the braces and my last Ortho appointment. So I'm still lisping cos he almost took out the bite turbos, but then decided not too, such a tease. I have new wires which are made of different material which he can manipulate, so they both have bends in them at different places; on the top wire to bring my front teeth forward and on the bottom one to lift my back teeth up. Apparently my whole jaw is going to lift up which sounds dramatic. As usual though hardly any pain and I'm already back to eating most things. I did have one stopper (a separate piece of metal on the archwire) that was really rough and after a few hours had destroyed my gum, I resorted to drastic measures and got out a nail file, which actually worked. I've still got the elastic band to close the gap on my bottom front teeth, thankfully a nice new one, so absolutely no curries, well at least until just before my next appointment, the last one did get a bit yucky. He said it was all going well, he even showed me the photos he took before I started and there is quite a difference already. I'm now thinking the braces have become so much a part of me it will be strange not to have them, not that they are coming off anytime soon, but it's just strange to be thinking that.

I'm going to do a round up of films at the end of the Festival, although I think I might be a bit embarrassed to count up the number I've seen.

Other than seeing films I've bumped into a colleague from years ago, I've met a guy who looked extremely familiar, but who ignored me when I asked where I might have known him from, twice. I've had an odd conversation where I semi lied about my work and didn't defend blogs and I don't know why. I've repeatedly sat next to a well-known director to the point where it's becoming a bit farcical. I've discovered a great place for sushi and eaten tons of it (I'm a little worried about the Mercury count). I've drunk lots of hot chocolate and I've only walked out of one film.

Labels: London Film Festival

I saw a beautifully restored version of Dr. Strangelove this afternoon as part of the Festival. I don't think I have ever seen it before; it was very funny, but ultimately very depressing. This was the first screening of the restored print, which has taken over a year to complete, three of the people who worked on it were at the screening and it's a real shame that the cinema wasn't full.

On the way home it felt like I was in a movie... I slouched in first class on the train to Clapham Junction and then there was a replacement bus service the rest of the way home. Of course there was the mandatory drunk on the bus who unfortunately got abusive and then got into a fight with two of the people I was sitting with, luckily I managed to get out of the way just in time. We were at a stop, but the South West Train's guy was completely useless, just standing watching, even when he got on the bus he didn't do anything whilst the drunk guy was attacking a passenger, it took another passenger to get the drunk off the bus. You would think that South West Train's, train their employees to deal with this kind of situation, it's not like it's rare in London on a weekend.

Labels: London Film Festival

I've lost count of the films; I'm a zombie with a spinning head. Too tired to write more – need to sleep.

Labels: London Film Festival

It's been an 'I'm living in a channel five afternoon film' week and I have to thank A who’s been wonderful. In between the melodrama I've been doing the festival. So far I've been surprised by the films I've seen. Stranger than Fiction was great, in that feel good sort of way - don't read anything about it - just go and see it. The US Vs. Lennon, I saw by mistake and it turned out to be fascinating; I have a whole new respect for Lennon and Ono. I left the cinema thinking; where’s our Lennon? The Dixie Chicks certainly didn’t take up the baton. I didn't get The Wedding Director, but I was very tired at that point. The Boss of it All is a laugh....

Labels: London Film Festival

These are some that I'm thinking look interesting*: The Wedding Director, A Comedy of Power, The Boss of It All, The Ground Truth, Black Book, No. 2, Longing, Container, Wild Tigers I Have Known, The Caiman, Shortbus, Little Children, Half Nelson, After the Wedding, Dans Paris, Falling, Thin, Meanwhile, Beyond Hatred, The Year After, Bebel, Bobby, Breaking and Entering, Fast Food Nation, Stranger than Fiction, Catch a Fire, Close to Home.

* There is no order to this madness.

Labels: London Film Festival

I've just finished going through the London Film Festival brochure... I'm not sure there is anything amazing that stands out... yet; my list of requested films is a lot shorter than usual. I saw Dixie Chicks: Shut up and Sing, my first film - a little bit confusingly edited, but quite fun - S is going to pick up the album for me from the Library... it's amazing the effect that one sentence could have had - it's slightly unbelievable, but true.

Labels: London Film Festival

Maybe this was a sort of D-day.

And this looks interesting too: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, by Alison Bechdel.

Looks like it might be interesting: Emmy Andriesse at the Barbican.

Hey, I had a highly regarded barrister ask if I am a lawyer, I'm not, but I think I'm chuffed at being asked.

Hey did you know there were Jewish pirates! [via]

Considering the veil issue, Fareena Alam's Radio 4 programme Unveiled, just touches on the issue, but is worth listening to.

I went to bed too late, so I'm feeling a little spaced out today. It's an Ortho day. Wire change and I really hope something with the bite turbos. Talking about teeth, Sandy has to have three teeth out under a general anesthetic - poor thing.

Congratulations to Kiran Desai for winning the Man Booker yesterday. I love the title of her book The Inheritance of Loss.

Labels: Novels

From A:

Hi am VERY excited have just ordered lots of special products and a bread machine online with a special gluten free programme.

We have been trying out different recipes, A cooks and I eat! We are thinking of doing a cookbook.

I'm getting spam overload. I thought it was just me, but talking to colleagues yesterday it seems it's a thing.

Google buys YouTube for $1.65bn

"The field of scientific research in the DPRK (North Korea) successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, Juche 95 (2006) at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great, prosperous, powerful socialist nation.

"It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under a scientific consideration and careful calculation.

"The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100%. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA (Korean People's Army) and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defence capability.

"It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the area around it." [via]

That time of year for this again. This year I was much more vocal, I even got to stand up against 4 x 4's and was pleasantly surprised that I was not the only one, although someone did shout out what's wrong with them and I'm proud to say I shouted the 'environmentally unfriendly' line back. It's actually quite nice to talk to some of the neighbours, although I just wish the 'Bleak House' thing wasn't always such a big part of it, but maybe I wouldn't go if it weren't for that. It's quite stressful having the same conversation every year and not getting very far. It was at my old school again, this year in the hall and I was so 'engrossed' in 'Bleak House' conversation and drugged up, because it's that time of the month, that I couldn't switch my brain over to another topic to talk the Principle, so I just stood there looking a bit stupid and I'm disappointed because in theory I had been looking forward to talking to her again. As various issues were brought up, even amazingly our 'Bleak House' issue, even if it was in a way that I had to protest against, I realised that we were sitting on the same chairs that had been there in my time and I wondered whether my younger self had ever sat in the chair I was on, I imagined an image flickering back and forth of me then and now.

I've only read one (Penelope Fitzgerald's, The Blue Flower) of the top 10 books in yesterdays Observer article for the best British, Irish, or Commonwealth novel of the past 25 years. In total I've only read three of the authors, the other two being; Coetzee and McEwan. Fitzgerald is the only woman on the list, no Margaret Atwood, Anne Michaels or Carol Shields, the latter not even getting a look in. I do feel as if I ought to read the others, and Rushdie's Midnight's Children, McEwan's Atonement and Coetzee's Disgrace are on my 'to read list', but somehow not strongly enough for me to actually read them and when I read the synopsis's for the other books they just seem a big turn off. On the other hand of The New York Times top five I've read Beloved and Underworld and the only author I've not read is Updike. Perhaps it's the immigrant aspect that I'm relating to?

Labels: Novels

Bow Wow Wow – "I Want Candy" (Kevin Shields Remix) from the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

OK so the bling is a bit much, but blingless Sandy would look mighty fine with this on. She'd be such a Diva Dog.

I have been meaning to write about the Crocs since I got them. They have become a regular fixture on my feet. I love them, I still think they are incredibly ugly, but they are a wonder of comfort too. The first day I wore them, I was still wondering what all the fuss was about until I took myself off to the supermarket, where they came into their own, I bounced and floated up and down the aisles. Getting out of bed the next day, I had a sore back as if it had been realigned in some way and I seemed to be lifting my arches, a small miracle for someone with flattish feet. It's cold now and I'm still wearing them and putting up with the strangest of looks from passers by, although they are a good conversation starter, I had three people talk to me about them in one day! So yesterday I convinced A to buy a pair and a fair bit of convincing was needed, since she doesn't share my respect for ugly shoes. We'll see what happens.

Anna and I had a very Devil Wears Prada shopping day yesterday. We did the King's Road, a blast from the past and quite fun. Overheard precocious teenager on having come out of the men's loos in Starbucks "Everyone thought I was a tyranny".

Victoria Station on Friday evening; people weren't happy.

Where to start? What a day? Even pre-day; I dreamt I was crossing a big road, one with lots of lanes and I was carrying a gun, aware that the drivers were watching me to see what I would do. When I reached the other side it was actually our garden and I had to hide the gun. Powerful or powerless?

I had this big 'Bleak House' meeting in the morning (which might explain the dream), after stressing all week about it, it actually went OK. This is an odd thing to notice, but one of the people at the meeting had my Dad's lips, they were a similar shape, which I took to be a good sign. He turned out to be half-Jewish, we are all related somehow, aren't' we?

Then I had a lovely lunch with a friend, because I knew that I was going to need to see a friend after that.

Eventually I ended up at an archive with not much time to do some work.

Leaving at the end of the day, I trotted off to the nearest Waterstones to look at an H. G. Wells book, because apparently there is a description of the character cycling near here - I skimmed through the whole book - my work is having this kind of effect - but didn't end up buying it - I can't bring myself to spend £7.99 on a book anymore.

With a migraine threatening to come on I somehow ended up going from Euston to Victoria on a bus, in rush hour, via Oxford Street, part of which was spent sitting opposite a rather drunk woman, only in her twenties, with rotting teeth…

Then 15 minutes to get a train ticket (pictures of serious queues to follow). [added]

I should have let it end there, but no. There was another person who was supposed to be at the 'Bleak House' meeting and had just disappeared... so with migraine still threatening, I decided to pop round and see if he was in. He did eventually open the door. We had one of those unsatisfactory circular conversations, which I'm not sure I understood. Then just as I was leaving, who should be at the door, none other than the ex- neighbour herself and part-cause for the 'Bleak House' meeting. I swear this is true - she just about looked at me and said, "oh that's the girl, the girl from next door" just managing to say my surname, as if she was dragging it from the depths of her brain. I just stood there and nodded, I would like to think sagely. She looked like she thought she looked good, but actually she looked small and diminished. Feeling utterly overwhelmed, I went home.

Anna just called from Tesco's where she is buying gluten free flour so she can bring me an Apple Crumble tomorrow.

It's days like this that really makes me appreciate my friends.

We have a Jay in the garden. I know they're not supposed to be unusual, but I don't remember seeing one for a while, maybe since I was a kid, perhaps I just wasn't looking.

A reminder that the London Film Festival is approaching.

Oh SH*T! It won't save it...

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[Hey, got it to take it back... phew... that was ugly. I guess I will have to sort the above out at some point, I've added and deleted so much without really knowing what I was doing, it's no surprise that it's a big mess.]

So I'm not sure if this was a wise thing to do, but it's too late now, I've updated to the Beta version and apparently there's no going back; I couldn't resist the "step this way" sign. So now I'm going to update the template, which I think will mean Frizz might look a bit strange for a while.

This was from a couple of days ago and was worth getting wet for - it was beautiful.

I can't get the Amish shooting out of my head. It seems so wrong. It would be wrong under any circumstances, but do you know what I mean, it just seems worse.

Looking through the TV listings for this evening, I noticed a name that seemed familiar from primary school of all places. So I've done some googling and I think it's the same person, so now I'm very curious. I can remember sitting in class chatting to this person, we must have been about eight years old. I don't think I can resist watching it now. I'm thinking isn't this what we want at school reunions, to check out how everyone else has changed, but not to have any eagle eyes on us.

Each year, for the past few years I've felt a bit 'left out' at this time of the year. I know that Yom Kippur is the holiest of holy days in the Jewish calendar; I know that even if Jews don't take part in any other of the high holidays, they go to synagogue on this day. So there is a part of me, that thinks each year, I ought to be taking part in this, I ought to be doing 'something', but so far I haven't managed to. Ironically, it also seems to be the hardest time to attend services at a synagogue if you aren't a member of one, so many people want to go. And I'm tied anyway between wanting to be involved and not wanting to. So I carried on my 'normal' day, but all the while thinking, perhaps I should be somewhere else.

One of those low-key, but really busy weekends. I saw dinosaur bones with John and Sarah and even The Niece came which was lovely. By the end of the day she had both the kids grabbing her hands to cross a road. John's question this time was "how did it fight?" but it was good to have moved on from "is that one dead too?"

They fixed the bag, which was incredibly quick, although they didn't do a particularly good job; it's a bit crooked.

I had an urge to see The Devil Wears Prada; it felt like a Sunday evening thing to do. There were some superb performances from Meryl Streep (wonderful as the tyrant boss - so SRish), Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt, but something was a bit lacking, it seemed too afraid to let the characters be three dimensional and somewhere, with that cast, there is a much better film trying to get out. Oh and it didn't do anything to suppress my desire for straightening irons, I'll just add a new pair of heals to the list.