How Not to Be a Boy

Last night I was watching the latest episode of Strike, a TV show based on the series of crime novels by Robert Galbraith (who is actually a pseudonym for Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling).  It's been a really good show so far.  This is the fourth episode and the second book to be adapted.

It was busy at work.  I was trying to arrange for some books to be collected and sent on someplace else, which is apparently a lot more difficult than you might think.

I had some pizza when I got home, which was nice.

I read the book How Not to Be a Boy by Robert Webb, who is a British comedian, actor and writer, best known as one half of comedy duo "Mitchell and Webb", alongside David Mitchell, and co-star of long-running sitcom Peep Show. This book is his account of growing up in rural England during the 1980s and 90s, his start in comedy, and also his take on the traditional "rules" of how to be a man or boy, and gender norms, and whether they are any good for anyone. It's a thought-provoking book, and also very, very funny and often genuinely moving.

Spaceballs

Last night I was watching the movie Spaceballs, directed by Mel Brooks, which is a pretty funny spoof on the Star Wars movies from 1987. 

I also saw an episode of Peep Show, a British comedy show starring comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb as a pair of losers living in London. The whole show is filmed from the perspective of the characters in the scene, with voice-overs revealing their innermost thoughts. I really like, although it is often pretty dark. They made a pilot for a US version, but it never got picked up. It was kind of similar to the original show, but not nearly as dark.

I was back at work today after my few days vacation. I was listening to the Robin and Josie's Book Shambles podcast where Robin Ince and Josie Long interviewed comedian Alexei Sayle. They discussed how people do seem to be becoming more engaged with politics and activism and are coming together and so on and so on, and how grass-roots creative culture can have an impact and provide a reason for hope even when things get really bad.

I got a take-out steak-pie and french fries, and I have got to 15,004 words on my NaNoWriMo novel.